Indian origin PKR leaders meeting to address discrimination in Malaysia

Petaling Jaya, Dec. 30 (ANI): Followed by the resignation of several Indian origin members of the parliament, 50 PKR leaders have a planned a meeting on Wednesday to discuss discrimination faced by the Indians in Malaysia.

The meeting is being held just five days after Kapar S. Manikavasagam, Member of Parliament of Indian origin, quit from the PKR party for being discriminated against for being an Indian.

P. Jenapala, head of the informal Indian liaison committee, is going to organize the meeting. Jenapala quit as PKR deputy secretary-general last week on similar claims, The Star reported.

He expressed the need of the setting up of a new party to represent the interest of Indian members after a mass resignation of Indian members from the PKR pact.

Another option could be to remain in the parties and to fight for our interest from within, he added.

Jenapala was quoted by the Star, as saying, "We are meeting so that we can come up with a strong stand on whether we should remain within the parties of the pact or otherwise."

He also said that the Indian community would stay united in whichever decision they reach. "If we decide to leave, we will all leave. If we stay, we will all stay," he said.

Jenapala said that a number of Indian leaders were being vocal over the happenings in the party and a collective stand needs to be taken for the future of the Indians.

"We now want to hear them as a group and come up with a collective stand," he said.

There were many issues to be looked into like appointments to posts like local councillors, government-linked companies and village committees, he added.

There are around 150,000 Indian members in the Pakatan component parties.

The meeting is going to be "crucial" as the members would discuss the disappointment felt by the Indians, who face discrimination and marginalisation by leaders of the coalition which is formed by the PKR, DAP and the PAS.

Manikavasagam's move is expected to be the top agenda of the meeting as it is said to have brought the injustice felt by the Indian community within the pact on the forefront. (ANI)