Hindraf will be signing a MoU with Najib Tun Razak later this evening in which BN will agree to do more to uplift the lot of the Indian community.
PETALING JAYA: Indian rights movement Hindraf will be inking a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak later this evening to put to paper the government’s commitment in uplifting the Indian community.
Some of the concessions agreed by Najib is said to come directly from Hindraf’s five-year blueprint.
Hindraf’s blueprint, among others, highlights issues related to displaced Indian plantation workers, the need for tertiary-level education for Indian students, job opportunities in the government sector, financial loans to Indian entrepreneurs, and the establishment of a Minorities Affairs Ministry.
The MoU today is a result of weeks of meetings and negotiations with Najib on the Hindraf proposal for the Indian community
Hindraf had a meeting with Najib on March 25, and following that there had been a series of talks between them.
The first indication that Najib was willing to look into Hindraf’s proposals came when he included the setting up of a special unit to oversee Indian affairs in the BN manifesto.
Though this was a far cry from the ministry which Hindraf sought, it however gave them the belief that Najib was willing to meet them half way to help uplift the Indian community.
Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy had previously said that Hindraf would support whichever party that endorsed its blueprint. Alternatively, he had declared that Hindraf supporters would abstain from voting if neither Pakatan nor BN was willing to endorse the blueprint.
He had also embarked on a hunger strike on March 10 in order to get either BN or Pakatan Rakyat to endorse the Hindraf blueprint. He ended his hunger strike on March 31. By this stage, the movement and Najib had officially started talks.
He had also expressed his disappointment with Pakatan and its leader Anwar Ibrahim for not taking them seriously despite having several meetings.
With the MoU being inked today, it looks certain that Najib and BN would be benefiting from Hindraf’s support although it is uncertain as to the extent of Najib’s acceptance of Hindraf’s proposals.
While Hindraf leaders remained tightlipped, FMT learnt that Najib had agreed to provide affordable houses for displaced Indian plantation workers, make more concessions in education of Indian students and create more opportunities on the economic front for the community, including increasing financial loans and job opportunities.
This is a continuance of the concessions Najib has been making to the Indian community in that last 18 months, which included upgrading Tamil schools and giving financial aid to various Indian groups for grassroots programmes. The government had also introduced various schemes to help the Indian community to set up businesses.
‘Sleeping with the enemy’
While Hindraf’s deal with Najib and BN can bring about some positive changes to the Indian community, the movement will nevertheless face severe criticism from its detractors and its followers in Pakatan for sleeping with the enemy.
Hindraf came to prominence in 2007 when it led a mass street demontration which highlighted the plight of the Indian community in this country.
The awareness created by Hindraf then had helped Pakatan win over the Indian votes, and as a result to claim a huge victory in the 2008 general election.
Najib’s motive to deal with Hindraf will also be questioned if he is interested just to win over the lost Indian votes.
News of Hindraf’s talks with Najib had already seen some of its former office bearers holding press conferences and protests to label Waythamoorthy and other Hindraf leaders as turncoats and traitors to the cause.
Later today, PKR leader and Hindraf activist A Jayathas will be holding his second press conference on the issue to label Waythamoorthy as an Umno lackey.
Hindraf also faces problem from its co-founder P Uthayakumar who has thrown his support behind Pakatan, and will be contesting in the coming general election as an independent under the Hindraf banner.
“No doubt all these will create major confusion among the Indian community but we are certain that the community at large will see what we are doing – that this deal is for the betterment of the community,” said a Hindraf leader.
“We offered the same proposals to Pakatan but they had become too arrogant and are not interested in talking to us. Najib on the other hand listened. What do we do? There is an opportunity to uplift the Indian community and we are taking it,” he added.
The deal between Hindraf and BN will also raise questions on the role played by MIC in uplifting the community all this while.
PETALING JAYA: Indian rights movement Hindraf will be inking a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak later this evening to put to paper the government’s commitment in uplifting the Indian community.Some of the concessions agreed by Najib is said to come directly from Hindraf’s five-year blueprint.
Hindraf’s blueprint, among others, highlights issues related to displaced Indian plantation workers, the need for tertiary-level education for Indian students, job opportunities in the government sector, financial loans to Indian entrepreneurs, and the establishment of a Minorities Affairs Ministry.
The MoU today is a result of weeks of meetings and negotiations with Najib on the Hindraf proposal for the Indian community
Hindraf had a meeting with Najib on March 25, and following that there had been a series of talks between them.
The first indication that Najib was willing to look into Hindraf’s proposals came when he included the setting up of a special unit to oversee Indian affairs in the BN manifesto.
Though this was a far cry from the ministry which Hindraf sought, it however gave them the belief that Najib was willing to meet them half way to help uplift the Indian community.
Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy had previously said that Hindraf would support whichever party that endorsed its blueprint. Alternatively, he had declared that Hindraf supporters would abstain from voting if neither Pakatan nor BN was willing to endorse the blueprint.
He had also embarked on a hunger strike on March 10 in order to get either BN or Pakatan Rakyat to endorse the Hindraf blueprint. He ended his hunger strike on March 31. By this stage, the movement and Najib had officially started talks.
He had also expressed his disappointment with Pakatan and its leader Anwar Ibrahim for not taking them seriously despite having several meetings.
With the MoU being inked today, it looks certain that Najib and BN would be benefiting from Hindraf’s support although it is uncertain as to the extent of Najib’s acceptance of Hindraf’s proposals.
While Hindraf leaders remained tightlipped, FMT learnt that Najib had agreed to provide affordable houses for displaced Indian plantation workers, make more concessions in education of Indian students and create more opportunities on the economic front for the community, including increasing financial loans and job opportunities.
This is a continuance of the concessions Najib has been making to the Indian community in that last 18 months, which included upgrading Tamil schools and giving financial aid to various Indian groups for grassroots programmes. The government had also introduced various schemes to help the Indian community to set up businesses.
‘Sleeping with the enemy’
While Hindraf’s deal with Najib and BN can bring about some positive changes to the Indian community, the movement will nevertheless face severe criticism from its detractors and its followers in Pakatan for sleeping with the enemy.
Hindraf came to prominence in 2007 when it led a mass street demontration which highlighted the plight of the Indian community in this country.
The awareness created by Hindraf then had helped Pakatan win over the Indian votes, and as a result to claim a huge victory in the 2008 general election.
Najib’s motive to deal with Hindraf will also be questioned if he is interested just to win over the lost Indian votes.
News of Hindraf’s talks with Najib had already seen some of its former office bearers holding press conferences and protests to label Waythamoorthy and other Hindraf leaders as turncoats and traitors to the cause.
Later today, PKR leader and Hindraf activist A Jayathas will be holding his second press conference on the issue to label Waythamoorthy as an Umno lackey.
Hindraf also faces problem from its co-founder P Uthayakumar who has thrown his support behind Pakatan, and will be contesting in the coming general election as an independent under the Hindraf banner.
“No doubt all these will create major confusion among the Indian community but we are certain that the community at large will see what we are doing – that this deal is for the betterment of the community,” said a Hindraf leader.
“We offered the same proposals to Pakatan but they had become too arrogant and are not interested in talking to us. Najib on the other hand listened. What do we do? There is an opportunity to uplift the Indian community and we are taking it,” he added.
The deal between Hindraf and BN will also raise questions on the role played by MIC in uplifting the community all this while.
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