(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party Malaysia's (HRP) must decide whether it supports Pakatan Rakyat or BN before negotiations for cooperation can be made for the coming general election.
In stating this DAP national labour bureau chief A Sivanesan (right) said that the HRP president, P Uthayakumar, since his release from ISA detention, had been attacking Pakatan and blaming it for every incident that has affected the Indian community.
"Why is he only targeting Pakatan political leaders especially DAP and not Umno-BN or MIC? Is there a hidden political agenda for this biased stand?," asked the state party vice-chief.
"Has he forgotten that it was DAP that stood by him in his hour of need like during his ISA arrest at Kamunting Detention Camp when DAP lawyers like Karpal Singh took on the legal battle to free him?," reminded the DAP Sungkai assemblyperson.
He also took the HRP leader to task for calling party supremo Lim Kit Siang a racist. Sivanesan said in May 14, 1992, Kit Siang was suspended from Parliament for eight months for championing the rights of 66,000 MIC shareholders which had allegedly been hijacked by three companies of MIC.
He reminded HRP that Kit Siang is a man for all political seasons and for all races.
"Now Uthayakumar chooses to field his members at Pakatan areas which are held by Indian politicians. Why not make the same political stand to contest in BN-held areas?," asked a puzzled DAP leader.
"Why the hesitation of Uthayakumar to criticise Umno-BN which had kept the Indian community in the dark ages without giving them equal rights for the past 53 years?," he queried.
In stating this DAP national labour bureau chief A Sivanesan (right) said that the HRP president, P Uthayakumar, since his release from ISA detention, had been attacking Pakatan and blaming it for every incident that has affected the Indian community."Why is he only targeting Pakatan political leaders especially DAP and not Umno-BN or MIC? Is there a hidden political agenda for this biased stand?," asked the state party vice-chief.
"Has he forgotten that it was DAP that stood by him in his hour of need like during his ISA arrest at Kamunting Detention Camp when DAP lawyers like Karpal Singh took on the legal battle to free him?," reminded the DAP Sungkai assemblyperson.
He also took the HRP leader to task for calling party supremo Lim Kit Siang a racist. Sivanesan said in May 14, 1992, Kit Siang was suspended from Parliament for eight months for championing the rights of 66,000 MIC shareholders which had allegedly been hijacked by three companies of MIC.
He reminded HRP that Kit Siang is a man for all political seasons and for all races.
"Now Uthayakumar chooses to field his members at Pakatan areas which are held by Indian politicians. Why not make the same political stand to contest in BN-held areas?," asked a puzzled DAP leader.
"Why the hesitation of Uthayakumar to criticise Umno-BN which had kept the Indian community in the dark ages without giving them equal rights for the past 53 years?," he queried.
Stop harping
He said that Uthayakumar must stop harping on the Nov 25, 2007 incident when members of the now-banned Hindraf had taken to the streets to demonstrate makkal sakthi (people's power), which drastically changed the political landscape of the nation.
Sivanesan explained that both DAP and PAS are long-established political opposition parties that had weathered the brutal political might of Umno-BN including tasting ISA detention, before Uthayakumar (left) came into the political arena as the new kid on the block.
He said that four out of the five Hindraf leaders who were detained under ISA are now backing Pakatan with Uthayakumar the lone wolf against Pakatan.
He advised the HRP leader not to take a racist stand on Indian issues in a multi-racial country like Malaysia as now more people, especially the young voters, are advocating for a non-racial stance.
The Human Rights Party, as befits its name, should reflect all Malaysians irrespective of race or religion, and only then, can they make any impact in the political arena, he reasoned.
He asked the HRP leader what had happened to the Parti Reformasi India Malaysia (Prim) that he formed when he walked out of PKR in 1999?
According to Sivanesan, Prim was not a registered party just as HRP is now (HRP is awaiting recognition from the Registrar of Societies).
He claimed that HRP, with its racist stand, is fast losing support among the Indian community as seen in the lukewarm attendance of Indians at HRP functions.
As for the peace talks that HRP wants with Pakatan for the forthcoming general election, Sivanesan said, "Uthayakumar must come with clean hands, expecting nothing, put his views across but don't demand and seek cooperation for the mutual benefit of all Malaysians."
Sivanesan explained that both DAP and PAS are long-established political opposition parties that had weathered the brutal political might of Umno-BN including tasting ISA detention, before Uthayakumar (left) came into the political arena as the new kid on the block.He said that four out of the five Hindraf leaders who were detained under ISA are now backing Pakatan with Uthayakumar the lone wolf against Pakatan.
He advised the HRP leader not to take a racist stand on Indian issues in a multi-racial country like Malaysia as now more people, especially the young voters, are advocating for a non-racial stance.
The Human Rights Party, as befits its name, should reflect all Malaysians irrespective of race or religion, and only then, can they make any impact in the political arena, he reasoned.
He asked the HRP leader what had happened to the Parti Reformasi India Malaysia (Prim) that he formed when he walked out of PKR in 1999?
According to Sivanesan, Prim was not a registered party just as HRP is now (HRP is awaiting recognition from the Registrar of Societies).
He claimed that HRP, with its racist stand, is fast losing support among the Indian community as seen in the lukewarm attendance of Indians at HRP functions.
As for the peace talks that HRP wants with Pakatan for the forthcoming general election, Sivanesan said, "Uthayakumar must come with clean hands, expecting nothing, put his views across but don't demand and seek cooperation for the mutual benefit of all Malaysians."
