In the Chinese Press: Waytha denied a RM4.5b allocation?
(fz.com) – Former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waythamoorthy resigned from the post because he was denied a whopping RM4.5 billion of annual allocation, Sin Chew Daily reported today, quoting a government source.
The source said the Hindraf leader had demanded the government to set up an Indian community unit with 531 personnel and an annual allocation of RM70 million to cover the salaries and operation fees.
In addition, he also asked for an annual allocation of RM4.5 billion for the Indian community.
However, the source explained, the government could not approve such a huge amount of allocation without a practical proposal.
“He wanted to enroll staff, however, he does not have any experience in promoting community enhancement program,” the source said.
Apart from that, the source also alleged that Waythamoorthy wanted to take full charge of the proposed Indian community unit besides making a request that 300 vacancies out of the total (531) be filled by Hindraf members.
The daily was also told that Waythamoorthy had carped about the selection of the committee members of the Expert Steering Committee (ESC) that Hindraf and the government had agreed to set up.
The committee was meant to oversee the implementation of the programmes listed in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Hindraf and the government.
Yet, after finalising the list of candidates, Waythamoorthy has failed to submit Hindraf’s list of representatives and forced the first meeting of the ESC to be postponed to the next day.
Nevertheless, the meeting did not take place in the end as he had called it off at the last minute unilaterally, the source alleged further.
As such, the source believed Waythamoorthy had tendered his resignation due to his unfulfilled demands.
“When the government refused to implement the programmes under the MoU unprofessionally, and unable to allocate fundings without a check and balance mechanism, Waythamoorthy resigned.”
