Amid fissures, a small band of Indians back PKR

Supporters came as far as from Kedah and Johor. — Pics by Choo Choy May

By Debra Chong(Themalaysianinsider)

PETALING JAYA, Jan 3 — Despite the rain, close to 100 members of the Indian community from around Malaysia turned up today in front of the PKR central headquarters in Merchant Square here to reinforce their support towards the party leadership.

The gathering was organised in an attempt to show PKR maintained the support of the Indians.

Holding up photos of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and huddling together behind banners proclaiming “Don’t twist our words”, “Our Leader: Anwar Ibrahim” and “Long live Pakatan Rakyat”, they sent out a strong message that the Indian community as a whole remained committed to the opposition front’s cause.

The supporters, young and old, men and women, were not only members of PKR but included those from the DAP, its sister party in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance as well as the Makkal Sakti movement, an offshoot of the now banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

They came from as far away as Johor and Kedah in answer to mobile text messages sent out by several PKR members asking them to gather in a show of solidarity.

For nearly two hours, they stood in the open-air parking lot rallying around several grassroot leaders who told them not to believe rumours of a widening split in PKR.

The opposition party’s shine had taken a bruising after an internal spat between its popular first-time MP for Kapar, S. Manikavasagam and the PKR-led Selangor government’s leaders had gone public and sown confusion and fear among the grassroots Indian community.

Manikavasagam has accused the PKR leadership of sidelining the Indian community, which had helped it win big in the 12th General Elections last year.

The gathering had also attracted the attention of a few non-Indians.

A Chinese software developer told The Malaysian Insider she was there because she supported PKR’s philosophy to protect the rights of all races.

The petite 25-year-old from Taiping disagreed with Manikavasagam’s view championing only the rights of the Indian minority.

Wishing to be known only as “EC”, she hoped Manikavasangam would be more patient and give the PKR state government time to help the marginalised communities.