The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) has named a dentist and a women’s rights activist as candidates that they will propose to non-BN parties in the next general election.

NONEThe two are former All Women’s Action Society (Awam) president Haslinah Yacob and dentist Dr V Nedunchelian.

Haslinah, 49 (left), has been in volved in grassroots and advocacy work for women’s rights and empowerment for the last 10 years.

“I need to bring the voices of the people ignored by the majority to Parliament. I can no longer stay on the sidelines, but must roll up my sleeves and do something,” said the activist, frustrated by the inaction of politicians.

NONENedunchelian (right), 42, is a private dental practitioner with active involvement in social work. He is a strong advocate for education.

“If I am elected, I aim to tell my constituents to involve themselves in education to uplift themselves,” he said.

Their names were announced at a press conference at MCLM’s new office in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur, by the movement’s president Haris Ibrahim.

They follow in the footsteps of human rights lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Sreekanth Pillai, who were named as MCLM’s first and second candidates respectively.

This is the latest of 17 carefully chosen and vetted individuals who have been selected or volunteered themselves to serve as future elected representatives.

Deployment in March

Haris also announced that the candidates will be deployed on the ground from March.

“We won’t be like BN and other non-BN parties, we won’t mobilise on nomination day," said the lawyer turned activist.

“We will go to the ground and do the work with the people early, to build our candidates."

Prior to that, the MCLM will run a course to equip some 900 members and chosen candidates with the necessary knowledge of election guidelines and various socio-political issues like civil rights and what it means to be Malaysian.

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