PETALING JAYA: Days after Hindraf announced that its courtship with Pakatan Rakyat has soured, a former Hindraf activist wants the movement to woo MIC and Barisan Nasional.
Ex-Hindraf activist KP Samy wanted the movement to reveal Pakatan Rakyat’s shortcomings to the Indian community.
“Hindraf should agree that MIC is the sole Indian representative. They should work with MIC to strengthen the community.
“Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been doing his level best for the past four years,” said the MIC central working committee member.
He also said Hindraf’s efforts to build a working relationship with Pakatan was not appreciated by the federal opposition alliance that helms four state governments.
“Hindraf should go back to the Indian community and reveal Pakatan’s insincerity. A large number of Hindraf supporters have left Pakatan,” he told FMT.
Samy said that Hindraf’s contribution that led to Pakatan’s victory was neither valued nor recognised.
He added that Pakatan should have honoured the five Hindraf leaders held under ISA and provided financial backing for the hundreds of Hindraf supporters who were detained.
Instead, he said Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar only announced financial assistance for Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga when the federal government initiated a suit against Bersih.
Samy also requested Hindraf to consider the Indian equity factor. “Only one race – the Chinese – have maximised their equity in Selangor. The Indians remain the same,” he added.
He added that in terms of positions within the government, Pakatan had only fulfilled its pledge by giving the Penang Deputy Chief Minister 2 post to P Ramasamy but in Selangor that was not the case.
“Jayakumar’s exco post is the eighth in the list. All the important exco positions are held by Chinese representatives from the DAP and PKR,” he said, citing Teresa Kok and Elizabeth Wong as examples.
Meanwhile, Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy still hoped that Pakatan would continue courting Hindraf.
“Hindraf has made clear from the outset that it supports Pakatan and wishes to work closely with Pakatan to achieve its objectives of addressing the 56-year marginalisation of the Indian community in this country,” he said in a press statement.
He also emphasised on Hindraf’s vital role in swaying Indian votes for Pakatan.
“Pakatan leaders have to realise that it was Hindraf that broke the 80% ‘fixed deposit’ which MIC boasted it always had and delivered that to the opposition including PAS in the last general election. The climate of the 2008 election was different,” he said.
He admitted that the Najib administration was on the right path to regain the Indian votes.
“The Najib administration has done tremendous work on the ground and if they are successful in gaining 55% of the total Indian voters, Pakatan is likely to face risk in 25 Parliament seats. Kedah would be a sure fall and Selangor would be at great risk.
“We at Hindraf believe we could prevent this,” said Waythamoorthy, who added that Hindraf would be able to sway 50 percent of the undecided Indian voters in favour of Pakatan.
He also said that Pakatan must endorse the Hindraf blueprint which aims to completely resolve the Indian community’s issues.
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