K. S. Nijhar

Tan Sri Karnail Singh Nijhar (Punjabi: ਕਰਨੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇਜਾਰ, romanized: Karanaila sigha nējāra), or simply known as K.S. Nijhar, was one of the three vice-presidents of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of the then ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.[1]

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri

K. S. Nijhar
ਕਰਨੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇਜਾਰ
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Subang
In office
1999–2008
Preceded byM. Mahalingam
Succeeded bySivarasa Rasiah
Personal details
Born
Karnail Singh Nijhar

1936 (age 84–85)
Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Citizenship Malaysian
Political partyMalaysian Indian Congress (MIC)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Nasional (BN)
Perikatan Nasional (PN)
Alma materUniversity Malaya
OccupationMember of Parliament

He is the highest ranking Punjabi and Sikh in the MIC ever, which is dominated by Tamils. However, he is not the sole Sikh in the Malaysian parliament. The member being Karpal Singh who is from the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP).

To top it up, he is one of the seven member of parliaments from the MIC, making him a minority within a minority.

Growing up, Nijhar recollects the times he had to stay in a kampung house without any basic amenities and had to depend on wells for water, and Hindu temples for free meals because of poverty.

While a student at St Xavier's Institution in Penang, he used to earn money as a ball boy at clubs with tennis courts. But this did not stop him from excelling in school. He topped the school examinations between 1947 and 1954.

“My passion to serve the community exceeds my desire to make money in the business world,” he said, adding that he had saved the Selangor MIC building from being auctioned off, and had also refinanced two of his cars to organise a national economic congress in 1980.

In the Malaysian parliament, he sits on the Public Accounts Committee. He had also served on the National Unity Committee.

Nijhar had won the parliamentary seat of Subang in Selangor twice in 1999 election and 2004 election before he was dropped as a candidate for the 2008 election. The Barisan Nasional candidate replacement for the constituency, S. Murugeson was defeated by the candidate from People's Justice Party (PKR), Sivarasa Rasiah.

Election Results
Parliament of Malaysia: P107 Subang, Selangor[2][3]
Year Government Votes Pct Opposition Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1999 K.S. Nijhar 36,137 55.49% Irene Fernandez 28,985 44.51% 67,847 7,152 73.11%
2004 K.S. Nijhar 32,941 65.33% Mohd Nasir Hashim 1 17,481 34.67% 52,017 15,460 75.67%

Note: 1 Mohd Nasir Hashim amid contesting under the PKR ticket in the 2004 election, is a member of PSM.

Honour

Honour of Malaysia

See also

References
  1. "Two Punjabi members in Malaysian Indian Congress". North India Times. 7 September 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2018. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  3. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  4. "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
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