KUALA KUBU BHARU: Selangor executive council member Dr Xavier Jayakumar on Thursday, April 22 accused Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate P Kamalanathan of voting in the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency, possibly denting the latter's "local candidate" portrayal.

The Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in Perak was a stronghold of MIC President Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu until he was defeated during the 2008 general election by Parti Sosialis Malaysia's (PSM) Jeyakumar Devaraj.

Xavier, who is Sri Andalas assemblyman, made the claims at a ceramah here late Thursday night in the course of campaigning for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

On his nomination papers, the 44-year-old Kamalanathan's IC address states that he lives in Taman Seri Garing, Rawang.

Shortly after, Pantai Jerejak state assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin repeated Xavier's allegation on Twitter and revealed an IC number purportedly belonging to Kamalanathan.

A check of the IC number on the Election Commission's (EC) website showed that a P Kamalanathan, born in 1965, was a voter in the Sungai Siput parliament constituency and Jalong state constituency.

The webpage also shows that the Kamalanathan's registered address is in Heawood Garden and votes in Simpang Tiga.

It was reported that Kamalanathan had admitted that he briefly lived in Sungai Siput but maintains he had lived in Rawang for the past 43 years. However, he has not stated whether he votes in Rawang.

The MIC information chief had been emphasising his "connection" to Hulu Selangor, telling voters that he lived in nearby Rawang and was "close" to them.

Kamalanathan meanwhile has remained mum, evading questions on the matter, telling reporters he would comment at the "right time".

Attempts to contact him via his mobile phone have been unsuccessful.

In the past few days, Kamalanathan had been plagued by several minor issues including the authenticity of his mass communication degree and accusations of being "subserviant to Umno" after photographs of him kissing Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's hand.

Both Kamalanathan and Muhyiddin have dismissed the suggestion, saying the hand-kissing gesture was a cultural practice and show of respect.