PH must deal with Indian leadership issue, says Gobind

The pact's legal bureau chairman says various quarters have voiced concern over the matter in recent times.

KUALA LUMPUR: A DAP MP has acknowledged the need for Pakatan Harapan to deal with the question of Indian leadership and representation in its lineup.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said various groups and individuals have voiced concern over the matter in recent times.

“I agree that this is an important matter which needs to be dealt with and I think it must be handled fast,” he told FMT today.

Gobind, who is also PH’s legal bureau chairman, said he raised the matter at the presidential council meet last night.

“But as the meeting extended well beyond midnight, this matter will now be dealt with in full at the next meeting which will be held soon,” he added.

Gobind was asked to comment on remarks by prominent lawyer and human rights advocate Ambiga Sreenevasan that there was a lack of Indian representation in the PH leadership.

Malaysiakini reported that her observation came in response to reports that PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad is wooing Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy as well as former MIC president G Palanivel’s supporters to work on a possible collaboration.

“When you look at the PH lineup, there’s no Indian vice-president. To me, how do you go to the ground with that?

“If PH is serious about the Indian vote, they must show it in the lineup. For me, that is more important,” she was reported as saying by Malaysiakini.

Ambiga had also likened putting just M Kulasegaran as treasurer as tokenism.

Her views resonated with Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, who agreed that it would be a good start for PH national leaders to begin discussions with existing Indian leaders in PH component parties first before talking to others about ensuring adequate Indian representation. -FMT