KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's proposal for direct-membership into BN may seem appealing to some, but for several non-governmental organisations in the Indian community it spells more trouble.
Rawang Indian Association founder M Ravimuniady described the BN chairman’s plan as an “opportunistic move to further divide” and condemn the community.
“Najib is hoping that this way he will have direct access to the Indian community. But I cannot see his little captains allowing this. The way I see it, his plan will create yet another layer of soldiers who will rip us off more.., '' he said.
Sharing his views is Concern for Youths Movement official S Kumaresan, who believes that the underlying strategy in Najib’s plan is to enable his friends outside of Umno to step in and help him consolidate his position.
“He cannot trust his people inside, just like (Tun Dr) Mahathir Mohamad’s time. By moving this proposal, he can give positions to individuals even though they are outsiders,” he said.
Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shan meanwhile, while lauding the idea, doesn’t think it is workable either in the current environment.
“It sounds inviting and it may work for political parties but I can’t see it being beneficial to NGOs. NGOs have a different agenda from political groups. I see a great deal of logistical issues, gray areas and trouble in implementing the proposal.
“Take us... there are 120 small Hindu NGOs in the country and more than 2,500 temples nationwide. Imagine what would happen if all these NGOs become BN members, who will oversee them,'' he told FMT.
The Human Rights Party was also critical of Najib's plan, saying in its posting that it will only “cause more internal bickering”.
“Currently, all the Indian parties in (favour of) BN (MIC, PPP, IPF, Punjabi Peoples Party, Kimma, Mindraf, MMSP, MCC and MUIP) are falling over one another to get a lick at the honey,'' its leader P Uthayakumar said.
“It’s all part of the ongoing treachery against the Indians in Malaysia. They are interested in the Indian votes. And they want the votes cheaply. It is time these politicians understood that there is a price for the votes – they are not going to come cheap anymore,'' he said.
Opted in as associate members
In another development, Bernama quoted sources as saying that BN is working on the option of amending its charter to allow parties friendly to the coalition to become its associate members.
The sources reveal that the BN-friendly parties will not be accorded ordinary membership but associate membership, and say this is the "middle path" expected to be endorsed by the coalition's top leadership and heads of all the existing component parties.
"If we are to allow the BN-friendly parties to become full (ordinary) members, then we will earn the wrath of the current BN component parties as some of these BN-friendly parties are splinter parties of the components.
"Furthermore, if they are made full members, then they will have to be allotted seats under the BN come general elections. So far, we do not see any BN component wanting to give up their seats for these parties," the sources told Bernama.
The BN has set up a special committee headed by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and comprising representatives from each of the BN components to study the matter and the methodology to be employed if the coalition is to go ahead with the amendment.
Any decision taken by this committee must be endorsed by the BN top leadership and must obtain the green light from all the component parties according to the consensus system practised by the country's oldest political coalition.
Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian however believes that direct membership is much better than associate membership as the BN needs all the help it can get to garner the support lost in the last five years.
He said the task now will be to tackle the voters, who are generally divided into three segments. There are the traditional voters (hardcore BN voters), BN-friendly voters (those who support the BN but do not want to join any component party) and the fence-sitters (those who will look at the issues raised by the BN as well as the opposition).
"The only thing is that they have to look into the issue of who are willing to sacrifice their seats and the issue of whether the NGOs, if given the political platform, will still perform as effective NGOs.
"If they are given associate membership or club status, they will still feel discriminated as they will not enjoy the privilege of full (ordinary) membership," he said.
FMT
27/02/10
Rawang Indian Association founder M Ravimuniady described the BN chairman’s plan as an “opportunistic move to further divide” and condemn the community.
“Najib is hoping that this way he will have direct access to the Indian community. But I cannot see his little captains allowing this. The way I see it, his plan will create yet another layer of soldiers who will rip us off more.., '' he said.
Sharing his views is Concern for Youths Movement official S Kumaresan, who believes that the underlying strategy in Najib’s plan is to enable his friends outside of Umno to step in and help him consolidate his position.
“He cannot trust his people inside, just like (Tun Dr) Mahathir Mohamad’s time. By moving this proposal, he can give positions to individuals even though they are outsiders,” he said.
Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shan meanwhile, while lauding the idea, doesn’t think it is workable either in the current environment.
“It sounds inviting and it may work for political parties but I can’t see it being beneficial to NGOs. NGOs have a different agenda from political groups. I see a great deal of logistical issues, gray areas and trouble in implementing the proposal.
“Take us... there are 120 small Hindu NGOs in the country and more than 2,500 temples nationwide. Imagine what would happen if all these NGOs become BN members, who will oversee them,'' he told FMT.
The Human Rights Party was also critical of Najib's plan, saying in its posting that it will only “cause more internal bickering”.
“Currently, all the Indian parties in (favour of) BN (MIC, PPP, IPF, Punjabi Peoples Party, Kimma, Mindraf, MMSP, MCC and MUIP) are falling over one another to get a lick at the honey,'' its leader P Uthayakumar said.
“It’s all part of the ongoing treachery against the Indians in Malaysia. They are interested in the Indian votes. And they want the votes cheaply. It is time these politicians understood that there is a price for the votes – they are not going to come cheap anymore,'' he said.
Opted in as associate members
In another development, Bernama quoted sources as saying that BN is working on the option of amending its charter to allow parties friendly to the coalition to become its associate members.
The sources reveal that the BN-friendly parties will not be accorded ordinary membership but associate membership, and say this is the "middle path" expected to be endorsed by the coalition's top leadership and heads of all the existing component parties.
"If we are to allow the BN-friendly parties to become full (ordinary) members, then we will earn the wrath of the current BN component parties as some of these BN-friendly parties are splinter parties of the components.
"Furthermore, if they are made full members, then they will have to be allotted seats under the BN come general elections. So far, we do not see any BN component wanting to give up their seats for these parties," the sources told Bernama.
The BN has set up a special committee headed by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and comprising representatives from each of the BN components to study the matter and the methodology to be employed if the coalition is to go ahead with the amendment.
Any decision taken by this committee must be endorsed by the BN top leadership and must obtain the green light from all the component parties according to the consensus system practised by the country's oldest political coalition.
Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian however believes that direct membership is much better than associate membership as the BN needs all the help it can get to garner the support lost in the last five years.
He said the task now will be to tackle the voters, who are generally divided into three segments. There are the traditional voters (hardcore BN voters), BN-friendly voters (those who support the BN but do not want to join any component party) and the fence-sitters (those who will look at the issues raised by the BN as well as the opposition).
"The only thing is that they have to look into the issue of who are willing to sacrifice their seats and the issue of whether the NGOs, if given the political platform, will still perform as effective NGOs.
"If they are given associate membership or club status, they will still feel discriminated as they will not enjoy the privilege of full (ordinary) membership," he said.
FMT
27/02/10
No comments:
Post a Comment