Time for Waytha to accept political realities - Malaysiakini

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia leader P Wathymoorthy, who took everyone by surprise with his sudden resignation announcement from all government positions, is indeed a disappointment. Those who had high hopes of Waytha are now wondering whether they should ever trust him again.

Within a short stint in the PM’s Department Waytha expected the government to fulfil the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the association. Waytha has indeed betrayed the Indian Malaysian community with his abrupt resignation from the deputy minister and senator posts.

It is obvious Waytha seems to be lacking the patience and the stamina to work with the PM and his officers to make the association’s blueprint a reality for the benefit of the marginalised Indian Malaysian community.

There is a saying that says when the going gets tough, the tough get going. In the case of Waytha, when the going gets tough he decides to quit with a hundred and one reasons. Can the Indian Malaysian community depend on such “softies” to represent and champion their cause?

At the height of the Hindraf demonstration in 2008 he bolted to Britain, leaving his comrades to face the full weight of the law for the illegal gathering. Later he sneaks into the country, striking a deal with the authorities, and takes the community for a ride.

I knew from day one that Waytha will not last long when he arrogantly brushed off the noble invitation by MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam to Waytha to cooperate and to work as a team for a common good - in uplifting the Indian Malaysian community. The snobbish and egoist stance of Waytha did not go down well with the community then.

Waytha should realise that MIC has been representing the Indian community in the BN coalition government for more than 55 years and despite their shortcomings, the MIC with their many years of experience in politics has delivered whatever it could under the difficult political circumstances of the Indian Malaysian community.

Trying to downplay the MIC will not get Waytha anywhere. It is time Waytha accepts that his short stint in the BN government was a failure and come to terms with the political realities, rather going around the country “crying out loud ” for sympathy.

In the meanwhile, the jostling has started for the vacated position of deputy minister and senator in the PM’s Department which was once held by Waytha. According to local Tamil newspaper reports, several Indian Malaysian-based political party leaders are said to be busy issuing statements trying to capture the attention of the PM for the vacant post .

If the PM is prepared to fill up Waytha’s vacant position with another Indian rep, perhaps the PM should consider giving the opportunity to the Indian Progressive Front (IPF) which has been an ardent supporter of the BN government for the last 25 years. Kimma, the Indian Muslim political party, too, deserves due consideration.