PETALING JAYA: A former unity minister has accused the government of attempting to derail efforts to help Malaysian Indians through the creation of another blueprint for the community, and warned of the repeat of a major protest.
Malaysian Advancement Party’s P Waytha Moorthy said he had presented a “comprehensive blueprint” in 2012, which was made part of the government’s agenda the following year after the general election.
Drawing up a new blueprint now was nothing more than an attempt to make a fool of the community, he said.
Waytha said the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which he co-founded, had protested against the Barisan Nasional government in 2005 which culminated in a major gathering two years later.
“I wish to remind the prime minister and his unity government leaders that a Hindraf protest would repeat if (they) take the predicament of the community for a ride by devising poor, illogical plans and not taking the plight of the community seriously,” he said in a statement.
Waytha, who served as the unity minister during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s second stint as prime minister, was responding to Putrajaya’s appointment of a consultation firm to develop a blueprint for the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra).
He said MPs from Pakatan Harapan and BN should object to unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang’s “madness and irresponsibility”.
The Hindraf rally was held in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, 2007, to protest alleged discriminatory policies against Indians, including the breaking of temples by the authorities.
Waytha also said that Mitra should be returned to be under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department and that Anwar Ibrahim should take responsibility for it directly.
“Otherwise, he should appoint a minister specifically for this purpose,” he said.
Last year, Mitra was placed back under the unity ministry. It was reported that Anwar had given an assurance he would continue to monitor the unit. - FMT
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