The newly-minted deputy minister in the prime minister's department vows to prove his critics wrong and solve the problems plaguing the Indian community in the next five years.
KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy today said he would prove himself a capable deputy minister and solve all the problems plaguing the Indian community in the next five years.
Describing his appointment as a “historic opportunity to change the fortunes of the Indian community”, Waytha said his appointment has been consented to by the Hindraf leadership and state leaders.
“In a war, the object should be victory. Ours is the acceptance of Hindraf’s blueprint by the government and the responsibility given to us to implement socio-economic programmes in the blueprint,” he told a press conference today.
Waytha said his detractors such as Anwar Ibrahim, his subordinates, DAP and the party’s cybertroopers were unfit to criticise his appointment as they have ignored the Indian problems.
“To those critics, we say, go ahead and say whatever you want. We will prove all of you wrong and make you eat your words in time and people will take care of you in the next elections,” he said.
He also refuted his brother P Uthayakumar’s notions his appointment has nothing to do with Hindraf because he has been expelled from the movement, saying that it was the other way round.
“In Hindraf we’ve always maintained that we are not a political party, but some of them have gone to form a new political party. Uthayakumar has set up his Human Rights Party Malaysia. He has left us, and he has no right to criticise us,” said Waytha.
Waytha to head a new unit
Waytha and Uthayakumar were instrumental in mobilising thousands of Indians to take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on the eve of the 2008 General Election to protest against the alleged decades of discrimination by the government against the Indians.
However, in the aftermath of the rally, the brothers were at odds on how to implement the Hindraf’s five-year blueprint to uplift the Indian community.
Waytha embarked on 21-day hunger strike to get political parties to endorse the blueprint prior to the 13th general election.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak subsequently inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hindraf and pledge to improve the socio-economic status of the Indians.
Waythamoorthy today denied that a deal struck between Hindraf and the government to make him a minister when the MOU was signed.
He said it was only agreed upon then that a new unit would be set up by the PMD to look into the Indian affairs.
“Now that the unit would be setup, we are pleased to head the unit,” he said.
Asked if he would emulate Pakatan Rakyat’s promise to resolve the stateless Indian problems within 100 days of taking power, Waytha said he would focus on permanent solutions rather than short-term measures.
“We have a mechanism, and the government has agreed in principal. We believe we would be able to solve the entire Indian problems within the next five years,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy today said he would prove himself a capable deputy minister and solve all the problems plaguing the Indian community in the next five years.Describing his appointment as a “historic opportunity to change the fortunes of the Indian community”, Waytha said his appointment has been consented to by the Hindraf leadership and state leaders.
“In a war, the object should be victory. Ours is the acceptance of Hindraf’s blueprint by the government and the responsibility given to us to implement socio-economic programmes in the blueprint,” he told a press conference today.
Waytha said his detractors such as Anwar Ibrahim, his subordinates, DAP and the party’s cybertroopers were unfit to criticise his appointment as they have ignored the Indian problems.
“To those critics, we say, go ahead and say whatever you want. We will prove all of you wrong and make you eat your words in time and people will take care of you in the next elections,” he said.
He also refuted his brother P Uthayakumar’s notions his appointment has nothing to do with Hindraf because he has been expelled from the movement, saying that it was the other way round.
“In Hindraf we’ve always maintained that we are not a political party, but some of them have gone to form a new political party. Uthayakumar has set up his Human Rights Party Malaysia. He has left us, and he has no right to criticise us,” said Waytha.
Waytha to head a new unit
Waytha and Uthayakumar were instrumental in mobilising thousands of Indians to take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on the eve of the 2008 General Election to protest against the alleged decades of discrimination by the government against the Indians.
However, in the aftermath of the rally, the brothers were at odds on how to implement the Hindraf’s five-year blueprint to uplift the Indian community.
Waytha embarked on 21-day hunger strike to get political parties to endorse the blueprint prior to the 13th general election.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak subsequently inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hindraf and pledge to improve the socio-economic status of the Indians.
Waythamoorthy today denied that a deal struck between Hindraf and the government to make him a minister when the MOU was signed.
He said it was only agreed upon then that a new unit would be set up by the PMD to look into the Indian affairs.
“Now that the unit would be setup, we are pleased to head the unit,” he said.
Asked if he would emulate Pakatan Rakyat’s promise to resolve the stateless Indian problems within 100 days of taking power, Waytha said he would focus on permanent solutions rather than short-term measures.
“We have a mechanism, and the government has agreed in principal. We believe we would be able to solve the entire Indian problems within the next five years,” he said.
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