Ex-Hindraf supporters burn Waytha's effigy in Kulim

KEDAH A group of former Hindraf supporters gathered in Kulim today to burn an effigy of the organisation’s leader, P Waythamoorthy, to express their dissatisfaction with his decision to endorse the leadership of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

A spokesperson for the group, M Asogan, said that Waythamoorthy had “pawned the self-respect and dignity of the Indians to Umno merely for his own interest”.

He said that in 2007 and 2008, thousands of Indians went to the streets to demonstrate their unhappiness and displeasure towards the BN and Umno-led government.

“But forgetting these historical events, Waythamoorthy has now aligned himself to Umno.

“The Indians in Malaysia will never forgive Waythamoorthy for betraying the trust of these marginalised and sidelined Indians,” he said after the protest held by about 500 people in Paya Besar.

Paya Besar is within the Padang Seraiconstituency where former Hindraf lawyer and current PKR vice-president N Surendran iscontesting the parliamentary seat against incumbent N Gobalakrishnan and BN’s Heng Seai Kie and two other Independents, Hamidi Abu Hassan and Othman Wawi.

Waythamoorthy incurred the wrath of some of his supporters when he signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Najib in April, asking them to return BN’s two-thirds majority in Parliament.

This had prompted his brother Uthayakumar, who leads a faction of the group, to sack him from the movement, saying he has hijacked their struggles.

Asogan said Waythamoorthy had “dramatised” his fast to get sympathy from Indians, but it had failed. 

Immediately, he made an about-turn by meeting Najib, saying an MOU had been signed to solve all critical issues faced by the Indians.

“But little did he realise that many MOU appeals have been submitted to the Umno-BN government by various parties in the past, including MIC, and so far, none have materialised,” said Asogan.

“So it is a foolish thing to say that the Umno government has agreed willingly to implement those demands forwarded by Waythamoorthy,” he added.

“We Indians understand well that whatever Waythamoorthy had staged was a good political drama,” he stressed.

Asogan said another person who received much hatred from Indians is Zulkifli Noordin, the former MP for Kulim Bandar Baru.

He had “criticised and condemned” the Hindu religion, saying Malaysia does not belong to the community and they should return to India, Asogan claimed.

This statement from Zulkifli has angered Indians and those in Shah Alam, where he is contesting under the BN banner, want to teach him a lesson.

“Now he is apologising and requesting the Indians in Shah Alam to vote for him but the Indians know his true colours that he is an opportunist and racist,” he said.

“We, the Indians, are showing our displeasure and are condemning his act as seditious which will harm the harmony and peace of this country,” he added.