Makkal Sakthi will split Indians: Hindraf leader

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

A “hurt” M. Manoharan believes the newly-formed Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party (MMSP) will only cause disunity among Indians who are already a minority in Malaysia.

One of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders recently released from Internal Security Act detention, the Kota Alam Shah assemblyman said that the splinter party was merely adding to an already crowded field that would do nothing to solve the problems faced by ethnic Indians.

“It hurts me to see Makkal Sakthi being formed. Those of us who were detained under ISA were from different political backgrounds – whether from DAP, MIC or independent – but we worked to unite Indians.

“This will cause a split, a crack in the unity because there are too many parties, too many ideologies and agendas which will not solve Indian problems,” he said.

He insisted that Hindraf would continue as an NGO to champion the rights of Indians with its members free to contribute from within existing political parties.

“New parties will only split up Indians who are already a minority in Malaysia,” he reasoned.

He said that Hindraf should instead continue to be effective in the long term without becoming a political party in the same way the Chinese education group Dong Jiao Zong has been championing the cause of vernacular education.