Two Indian parties heading for divorce
Humayun KabirPublished: Jul 3, 2009 12:18 PM | Updated: Jul 4, 2009 10:19 PM
Suspicion and political differences appear to be driving a wedge between the newly formed Makkal Sakthi Party Malaysia (MSPM) and the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
Suspicion and political differences appear to be driving a wedge between the newly formed Makkal Sakthi Party Malaysia (MSPM) and the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
MSPM was formed by former Hindraf national co-coordinator RS Thaninthran (right)
who turned his back on the movement when his bid for the candidature for the recently concluded Bukit Selambu by-election in Kedah failed.
Initially, some of the Hindraf leaders welcomed the new arrival but later the MSPM's different political approach gave rise to conjecture that the parting of ways had come.
Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar is dead-set against any alliance with Umno on which he blamed the misfortunes of the country's Indian community.
"Umno is using the special branch to sow confusion among supporters of Hindraf and is trying to split the movement," Uthayakumar had alleged.
He had also been quoted as saying that he can work with any political party but not Umno in direct contrast with MSPM's stand.
Accommodative party
The party's deputy president A Vathemoorthy is on record as saying, "we can work with any party whether Barisan or Pakatan as long as the interests of the Indian community are safeguarded."
Uthayakumar also seems to be eyeing with suspicion the Registrar of Society's speedy approval of MSPM 's application to form the party.
"It took them only two months to get approval from ROS whereas Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) had to fight a 10 -year legal battle to get the green light from the Registrar," said Uthayakumar (left).
To this Vathemoorthy replied: "It is just luck on our part to get that fast approval from the ROS."
He denied allegations that the Barisan Nasional had played a role in fast-tracking the approval process.
On speculation that Thaninthran had pledged recruiting around half million Hindraf supporters for the BN to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, his response was a flat denial.
"No! It is not true, that is not the way we work. We work only with political parties that support the Indian community's causes," he said.
"In fact, we were the ones who had talked and negotiated with Najib the release of the remaining three ISA Hindraf detainees from the Kamunting Detention Camp," he claimed.
Unhappy leader
"Also we have presented the 18 demands of Hindraf for improving the welfare of our community to Najib for his consideration," he said.
When asked to comment on Hindraf's plans to form a new party, he said there can be hundreds of political parties formed in the country but Malaysian Indians want to see to see which party can deliver the goods and it is only MSPM that can address the grouses of the community as their political relationship with Najib is good.
However, indications are that Uthayakumar is unhappy with the political direction taken by MSPM. He's seeking to found another party which could truly represent his community and fight for their rights unencumbered by political restrictions from either the BN of the Pakatan.
Vathemoorthy claimed a party membership of around 35,000 and hoped to boost that number to a total of about 500,000.
On Penang's Kampung Buah Pala issue, he said that they will submit a memorandum to Najib to intervene in a bid to solve the land dispute there.
The Indian community in Kampung Buah Pala wants Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to invoke his executive powers under the National Land Code and Land Acquisition Act to stop the developers from levelling the village known as Penang's High Chaparral.
MSPM was formed by former Hindraf national co-coordinator RS Thaninthran (right)
who turned his back on the movement when his bid for the candidature for the recently concluded Bukit Selambu by-election in Kedah failed.Initially, some of the Hindraf leaders welcomed the new arrival but later the MSPM's different political approach gave rise to conjecture that the parting of ways had come.
Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar is dead-set against any alliance with Umno on which he blamed the misfortunes of the country's Indian community.
"Umno is using the special branch to sow confusion among supporters of Hindraf and is trying to split the movement," Uthayakumar had alleged.
He had also been quoted as saying that he can work with any political party but not Umno in direct contrast with MSPM's stand.
Accommodative party
The party's deputy president A Vathemoorthy is on record as saying, "we can work with any party whether Barisan or Pakatan as long as the interests of the Indian community are safeguarded."
Uthayakumar also seems to be eyeing with suspicion the Registrar of Society's speedy approval of MSPM 's application to form the party.
"It took them only two months to get approval from ROS whereas Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) had to fight a 10 -year legal battle to get the green light from the Registrar," said Uthayakumar (left).To this Vathemoorthy replied: "It is just luck on our part to get that fast approval from the ROS."
He denied allegations that the Barisan Nasional had played a role in fast-tracking the approval process.
On speculation that Thaninthran had pledged recruiting around half million Hindraf supporters for the BN to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, his response was a flat denial.
"No! It is not true, that is not the way we work. We work only with political parties that support the Indian community's causes," he said.
"In fact, we were the ones who had talked and negotiated with Najib the release of the remaining three ISA Hindraf detainees from the Kamunting Detention Camp," he claimed.
Unhappy leader
"Also we have presented the 18 demands of Hindraf for improving the welfare of our community to Najib for his consideration," he said.
When asked to comment on Hindraf's plans to form a new party, he said there can be hundreds of political parties formed in the country but Malaysian Indians want to see to see which party can deliver the goods and it is only MSPM that can address the grouses of the community as their political relationship with Najib is good.
However, indications are that Uthayakumar is unhappy with the political direction taken by MSPM. He's seeking to found another party which could truly represent his community and fight for their rights unencumbered by political restrictions from either the BN of the Pakatan.
Vathemoorthy claimed a party membership of around 35,000 and hoped to boost that number to a total of about 500,000.
On Penang's Kampung Buah Pala issue, he said that they will submit a memorandum to Najib to intervene in a bid to solve the land dispute there.
The Indian community in Kampung Buah Pala wants Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to invoke his executive powers under the National Land Code and Land Acquisition Act to stop the developers from levelling the village known as Penang's High Chaparral.
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