Hindraf head to sue DAP - Malaysiakini

Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy is threatening legal action against three Indian DAP leaders over allegations that he misappropriated funds ranging from RM700,000 to millions allegedly collected to meet the cost of a civil suit against the UK government.

The exiled Indian rights activist came under attack last week with allegations that he misappropriated the funds to live a comfortable life in exile, while his followers footed the bill.

Waythamoorthy (right) has been living in-exile in London, after he fled the government's crackdown on Hindraf following the events of their rally on Nov 25 last year.

“The unfounded malicious and vindictive allegations by DAP leaders are defamatory,” said Waythamoorthy who will instruct his lawyers to initiate legal action against the DAP leaders in the coming weeks in a statement e-mailed to the media from London.

He named Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, Sungkai assemblyperson A Sivanesan and Hindraf activist V Ganabatirau as responsible for the defamatory attack upon his character.

He added that the purpose of the action is to give all three DAP leaders the honour and opportunity to prove their allegations in a court of law.

DAP's diversionary tactics

According to him, “Hindraf have vigorously campaigned to save this last remaining heritage village (Kampung Buah Pala) and in the process have raised various legitimate questions that the DAP-led government could not and dare not answer”.

Waythamorthy also claimed that because of Hindraf's support of the Kampung Buah Pala villagers, “(Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng had instructed his Indian party lieutenants to divert attention by attacking... Hindraf” in order to bury the issue.

On Aug 12 Ramasamy had called upon the leader of the outlawed Hindraf to account for the funds allegedly collected for Hindraf's suit. Sivanesan and Ganabatirau echoed the Penang DCM's call for an accounting of the purported funds.

Waythamoorthy stressed that he “never collected a single cent from the public to fund the civil suit” filed by Hindraf in 2007.

The suit against the Britain claimed damages for the suffering of their Indian forefathers and the present generation of Malaysians of Indian descent, allegedly caused by the then British Empire.

“I had been very reluctant to counter the allegations against me by these DAP Indian leaders as I did not wish to divert the attention and make the people of Kg Buah Pala scapegoats in their desperate attempt to save their village, however I am now compelled to break the silence” said Waythamoorthy.