Why single out Ambiga, Dr M?

A coalition of Indian NGOs is asking why the former premier did not train his guns on others in Bersih.

PETALING JAYA: Is Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga being targetted by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad because she is an Indian?

“Why not call for A Samad Said’s (Bersih co-chairperson) citizenship to be stripped as well? Why single out Ambiga? Is it because she is a woman and an Indian by heritage?” asked Angkatan Warga Aman secretary-general S Bharatidasan.

Recently, the former Umno president called upon voters to give Barisan Nasional a two thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat so that the government could amend the Constitution to revoke the citizenship of people such as Ambiga.

Mahathir received brickbats for his calls, with former DAP senator S Ramakrishnan saying that the former should be stripped of his citizenship instead for his involvement in Project IC in Sabah.

Training his guns against the octogenarian, Barathidasan accused Mahathir of belittling the Indian community with his remarks.

“Is it alright for you (Mahathir) to say anything against the Indian community? Have we become so cheap to you? Remember that your father was an Indian as well,” he said.

The NGO leader urged Mahathir to stop attacking Ambiga and Pakatan Rakyat and focus on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) proceedings in Sabah, which has implicated his administration in giving instant citizenship to foreigners.

He also said that Mahathir was just trying to divert the people’s attention from the RCI proceedings by making such irresponsible statements.

“While the so-called statesman gave away free citizenship to Indonesians, Bangladeshis and Philippinos, the stateless Indians were left in the doldrums under his 22-year watch.

“Probably this is Mahathir’s way of ‘rewarding’ the Indians for being staunch supporters of BN before the 2008 general election,” he said.