BN or Pakatan? Decide now, Waytha told

Former Hindraf leaders and activists have today demanded the movement's chief, P Waythamoorthy, to declare his allegiance in the upcoming general election.

Flanked by the movement's old-time activists, former Hindraf information chief S Jayathas (left) said Waythamoorthy must decide within 48 hours.

"Don't let the people be confused; this is the future of the Indian community, don't play poker with the Indian community," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

The group is upset that Waythamoorthy had met with then Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak last month over the movement's blueprint to uplift the Indian community.

"How (could) Waythamoorthy call for Indians to trust and support BN simply (if) Najib Abdul Razak signs their blueprint just weeks before the 13th general election?

"It is shocking that even though BN abandoned and persecuted the Indian community for 56 years, Waythamoorthy's Hindraf faction is prepared to throw their support behind BN," he said.

Hindraf had also engaged Pakatan Rakyat previously, but talks broke down after PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim (right) declined to endorse the movement's blueprint, insisting that they had already been incorporated into the Buku Jingga on a non-racial platform.

Jayathas - who is currently with PKR - noted that even now, BN had not shown that it was willing to change or reform from its old ways.

"Death in custody victim C Sugumar's body remains in the Serdang Hospital morgue because Umno's Najib barred (pathologist Dr) Pornthip (Rojanasunan) from coming to Malaysia to carry out the second post-mortem.

"Neither have they taken action against (Kulim-Bandar Baru MP) Zulkifli Noordin for insulting the Hindu religion and all Indian Malaysians," he said.

'Not voting is wrong'

He stressed that Waythamoorthy's call for Indians not to vote if neither BN nor Pakatan supported their blueprint, was equally unacceptable.

"If the Indians do not vote, it will only benefit BN.

It will become like Sri Lanka when (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam chief) V Prabhakaran told Tamils not to vote, and when (Sri Lankan president) Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power, he wiped them out," he added.

Jayathas said Hindraf belonged to the entire Indian community, and Waythamoorthy should not unilaterally steer it in the direction of Umno.

"We call on Waythamoorthy's Hindraf faction to heed the sentiments and aspirations of ordinary Hindraf supporters throughout the country, and the Indian community in general.

"We give notice to Waythamoorthy that he must renounce BN and work to defeat BN in the 13th general election," he said.

Another faction of Hindraf, led by P Uthayakumar under the banner of the Human Rights Party, is planning to contest in the GE13.