Kuala Lumpur, Feb 26 – Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairman P. Waythamoorthy should stop blaming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for his resignation as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department recently.
Makkal Sakti Party president Datuk R.S. Thanenthiran said his action was nothing more than to cover up his own weakness after destroying the hopes of the Indian community when he failed to work with the government in bringing about changes to that community.
He said Waythamoorthy had clearly failed to use the ‘golden opportunity’ given by Najib but instead tried to use his position as deputy minister to be the ‘King Maker’ to the Indian community by making various allegations without understanding the procedures that needed to be followed.
“Waythamoorthy failed to understand his responsibilities as a deputy minister, his politically immature attitude and lack of awareness led him to behave like the head of a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“His stubbornness in not adhering to the system practised in the government administration brought him failure, and, made him resign his post last Feb 10,” Thanenthiran told Bernama at Wisma Bernama, here Tuesday.
Thanenthiran said Waythamoorthy was actually not interested in fighting for the Indian community, and had never participated in any public meetings to draft plans to champion their cause throughout his tenure as deputy minister.
He also queried the Hindraf leader’s rational in asking for funds for his ministry and taking in staff as reported when such matters was never the practice of any government.
Waythamoorthy also did not respect the role of the component party that represented the Indian community in the Barisan Nasional (BN) and had actually never met with them during the duration he was in the government.
Instead he tried to display his ‘political heroism’ alone to the prime minister.
On Waythamoorthy’s request that Najib resigned merely because he allegedly did not fulfil his promises, Thanenthiran said it was a very shameful act, especially when made against a person, who had given him the opportunity to serve his own community.
“Actually there should be a feeling of indebtedness because I am confident the Indian community really appreciated the prime minister and government’s sincerity and they will not be influenced by narrow-minded leaders like Waythamoorthy,” he said.
The Kelantan-born Waythamoorthy is the first Indian leader from an NGO to have been appointed as deputy minister.
– Bernama
