HRP demands 23 seats from Pakatan

B Nantha Kumar | September 14, 2011

The Human Rights Party is threatening a 10,000 people protest if Pakatan does not give it seven parliamentary and 16 state seats.

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Party (HRP) is demanding that Pakatan Rakyat give up seven parliamentary and 16 state assembly seats to HRP to contest in the general election.

Failing which, the party’s protem secretary P Uthayakumar has threatened that at least 10,000 Indians will protest outside the PKR headquarters.

And that, too, on the first Sunday after Parliament has been dissolved.

Uthayakumar said the party came to this decision after Pakatan refused to have any dealing with HRP.

Speaking at a forum and fund-raising dinner at Sitiawan on Sunday, he said HRP would be contesting in seven parliamentary and 16 state seats in Indian-based constituencies.

The seven parliamentary seats are Padang Serai (Kedah), Batu Kawan (Penang), Ipoh Barat (Perak), Kota Raja (Selangor), Teluk Kemang (Negri Sembilan), Cameron Highlands (Pahang) and Tebrau (Johor).

The 16 state seats are Bukit Selambau and Lunas (Kedah), Prai and Bagan Dalam (Penang), Buntong and Hutan Melintang (Perak), Port Dickson and Jeram Padang (Negri Sembilan), Tanah Rata and Ketari (Pahang), Puteri Wangsa and Tiram (Johor) and Sri Andalas, Ijok, Seri Setia and Bukit Melawati (Selangor).

Uthayakumar said HRP is eyeing four state seats in Selangor because one-third of the Indian population in Malaysia live in Selangor.

“In the last general election, we gave Pakatan a chance where for the first time BN lost its two-third parliament majority and lost control of five states.”

But, he said Pakatan failed to address the problems faced by the Indian community.

“So, this time Hindraf would not give a ‘blank check’ and make the same mistakes. Our demand is very simple. Let’s work together and vote Umno out,” he added.

He said political anaylsts have predicted that the Indian votes will swing back to BN.

“This will not happen if the Pakatan leaders had looked into the problems of the Indian community.”

He claimed that HRP has already set up six operation centres in some Indian-based constituencies.

“What we have learnt is that the Pakatan administration is no different from Umno, especially when it comes to Indian issues.

“For example, the state government has a say in allocating land but Pakatan state governments have failed to grant land to 182 Tamil schools in Kedah, Selangor and Penang.”

“I cannot see any problems for the state governments to grant lands for the schools,” he said.