Hindraf supporters lighting a lamp to mark the movement’s second anniversary last night. — Pictures by Jack Ooi
KLANG, Nov 26 — A faction in the outlawed Hindraf celebrated the 2nd anniversary of its mammoth march by “sacking” exiled leader P. Waythamoorthy for being ineffective and another leader confirming he will join PKR.
Former ISA detainee and treasurer of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) Vasantha Kumar said Waythamoorthy was "sacked" as Hindraf chairman by the Hindraf organising committee on Nov 17 for the alleged reason that he was ineffective and confusing the Indian community.
"We have sacked him as the self-proclaimed chairman and won't recognise him," Vasantha told reporters last night at an event to commemorate Hindraf’s second anniversary.
Waythamoorthy is in self-exile in London after Vasantha and four others were detained under the ISA on Dec 13, 2007. The government had also then outlawed Hindraf which claimed Indians were dying in a genocide.
Vasantha also disclosed that he is getting Hindraf registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) next week along with a "back-up" NGO called the Malaysian Indian Voice, in case Hindraf's application is rejected.
He also said he submitted his membership application form to PKR around the time of the Bukit Selambau by-election earlier this year but is restricted from entering politics until Dec 13 due to his stint in ISA.
"My form is still with PKR. I will make an announcement at a different event after Dec 13," he replied when asked about whether he was going to join PKR.
He admitted that there is some confusion in the Indian community over the state of Hindraf but denied that it was a spent force.
Vasantha has applied to join PKR.
Uthayakumar, also a Hindraf leader, established the new Human Rights Party in July while another former Hindraf leader, R.S. Thanethiran, has gone on to establish the Makkal Sakthi party which is friendly to Barisan Nasional.
About 1,000 people turned out for the anniversary celebrations, including several Pakatan Rakyat leaders. PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier given a speech where he expressed solidarity with Hindraf.
The Parliamentary Opposition Leader was also presented with a 10 point proposal from the Malaysian Indian Voice touching on economic, education, religious and other issues.
The same proposal is expected to be presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when he returns from his overseas trip.
The movement, which was fuelled by dissatisfaction among Indians with the Barisan Nasional administration, was a key factor of the March 2008 "tsunami" but opinion polls conducted this year and the recent Bagan Pinang by-election results suggest that Indian voters have largely swung back to the ruling coalition.
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