Malaysian Indian 'Showdown' In Chennai

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Indian political leaders from both sides of the country's political divide are heading to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu in India this week to attend a conference which is likely to be an explosive affair. Malaysian Indian political leaders from the MIC, DAP and PKR are heading for the southern Indian city to attend the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, better known as the Indian Diaspora Conference, starting Wednesday at the Chennai Trade Centre.

The event will also be attended by representatives of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu will lead a 150-member delegation comprising top brass and divisional leaders of the largest Indian-based political party in the country. "We would first attend the World Tamil Conference on Jan 6, also in Chennai. The next day would be the Pravasi. We would attend that too before flying back on Jan 10," he told Bernama. The DAP would send a 20-member delegation, led by Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy. This is the first time in the conference's history that Malaysian opposition parties are attending the Pravasi held in a state where the majority of Malaysian Indians originated from. Ramasamy's delegation, it was reported, would consist of Perak state executive councillor A. Sivanesan and Selangor state executive councillor Xavier Jayakumar. PKR, meanwhile, would be sending a 40-member delegation. Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam, who recently created a controversy by threatening to quit the opposition party, said the delegation would comprise politicians and businessmen. A check on the Pravasi website revealed that Malaysia would have four speakers, and they are Samy Vellu, Ramasamy, Malaysian Human Rights (Suhakam) Commissioner Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria and Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who is also the MIC secretary general. After each speaker has delivered his address, the floor would be given at least 15 minutes to seek explanations from the speaker, and this is where trouble is expected. An opposition leader who declined to be named said the opposition delegation was expected to question MIC leaders on the state of affairs of Indians in the country since the party was from the Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition. "Well, we have an opportunity to question them directly. We do not have the opportunity here, so I feel they would take whatever chance they have to question the MIC leaders," he said.

To top it all, Hindraf chief P. Wathyamoorthy, who is now living in a self-imposed exile in London, is expected to attend the event with several supporters from Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA