Waythamoorthy has a fruitful meeting with
spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and it could pave way for strong
electoral ties between Pakatan and Hindraf
GEORGE
TOWN: PAS has assured Hindraf Makkal Sakti that marginalised ethnic
Malaysian Indians would have a better future if Pakatan Rakyat captures
Putrajaya in the next election.
PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat assured that “things
would be different under Pakatan” to Hindraf supremo P Waythamoorthy
during a meeting on Thursday morning.
Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam said Waythamoorthy had
explained to Nik Aziz of the human rights violations against the Indian
community under Umno’s misrule.
He said Waythamoorthy told the PAS leader how most working class
Indians have been excluded and isolated from the country’s mainstream
development since independence.
“Tuan Guru Nik Aziz listened attentively on the plight of marginalised Indians raised by Waythamoorthy.
“The Menteri Besar was symphatetic and assured us that under Pakatan rule things would be different,” said Sambulingam.
The private meeting between Nik Aziz and Waythamoorthy was held at the Kelantan Menteri Besar’s home.
As Nik Aziz was not feeling well, the meeting, originally scheduled
at the Menteri Besar’s office, was moved to the PAS leader’s home.
Waythamoorthy also held a separate meeting with PAS vice president
and Kelantan executive councillor Husam Musa in his Kota Bahru office
the same day.
PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu was present.
Sambulingam said Waythamoorthy and the PAS leaders held discussions
on forging electoral ties between Hindraf and Pakatan to face Barisan
Nasional.
Win-win partnership
Win-win partnership
Waythamoorthy also assured Husam and Mat Sabu that Hindraf was
willing to deploy its members as elections volunteers for Pakatan in
Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Negeri Sembilan.
“Waythamoorthy reiterated Hindraf’s commitment to help Pakatan on the
understanding that there should be a strategic win-win partnership
between the parties,” said Sambulingam.
Waythamoorthy has also briefed both leaders on the displacement of
about 800,000 estate workers since the 70s due to the country’s
unscrupulous urbanisation programme.
Sambulingam said Waythamoorthy told them that these estate workers
were systematically excluded from the government’s mainstream
socio-economic master plan for decades.
He added that the PAS leaders were enlightened on how estate workers
were denied land, house and cash compensations and even job
opportunities.
“Waythamoorthy explained how estate workers were relegated from a
vibrant pool of human resources to forgotten urban poor,” said
Sambulingam.
The Hindraf chair also highlighted the plight of about 350,000
stateless Indians, who were denied proper jobs or education, own
properties and even get their marriages registered.
Both the meetings were facilitated by Mat Sabu.
Waythamoorthy, who returned to Malaysia on Aug 1 after a five-year
self-imposed stay in London, also met DAP national chairman Karpal Singh
in Penang on Aug 12.
Waythamoorthy thanked Karpal for his support and legal assistance to
the Hindraf activists who were detained without trial under the now
repealed Internal Security Act.
The meeting between Waythamoorthy, a leading Indian rights activist
and Muslim leaders from PAS could pave way for a strong electoral ties
between Pakatan and Hindraf.
If it happens, Hindraf could help sway lost Indian votes from BN,
boosting Pakatan chances to capture federal powers in next election.
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