Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Pakatan Indian leaders divided over quit threats - Star

PETALING JAYA: Dec 31, 2008 By G. MANIMARAN

Indian leaders from the Pakatan Rakyat component parties seem to be divided in their stand on the threat by members to leave en masse.

While some leaders had earlier voiced their unhappiness over their treatment within the pact, others have disputed the claim that there were such problems.

DAP vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran said his party did not want to get involved in what he deemed a PKR internal matter. Furthermore, he said the matter touched on race.

The Ipoh Barat MP said the DAP did not face problems, namely discrimination and marginalisation, as claimed by the PKR leaders.

“What is clear is that the DAP is not involved,” he told mStar Online, the Malay news portal of The Star.

He was asked to comment on reports that some 50 Indian leaders from the Pakatan were going to meet today to come up with a united stand on whether to stay or leave component parties of the pact.

They said Indian members faced discrimination and marginalisation which was highlighted by Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam through his intention to resign from PKR.

Kulasegaran said he did not know of any meeting of Indian Pakatan leaders today.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia central committee member Dr. D. Jeyakumar denied that there was racial discrimination within the Pakatan.

“I do not see any discrimination within Pakatan because all races are treated well.”

He said although PSM was not an official component of the Pakatan, he believed the pact would bring positive changes to the people.

He added that he had not been invited to today’s meeting and only learnt of it through the press.

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