The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Lawyer and Hindraf founder Uthayakumar Ponnusamy is expected to launch a new political party called Parti Hak Asasi Manusia or Paham at a major gathering of his supporters at the Hokkien Hall in Klang on July 19.

One of his close aides said, on condition of anonymity, that the application was submitted on June 18 and the Registrar of Societies had “acknowledged” the application in a letter.

However the key issue is whether the Registrar will approve the party’s registration by July 19.

“We are not worried. We are confident of getting registration as the constitution guarantees freedom of association,” the aide said, adding that the party would be launched “with or without” registration.

“It is our right and there should be no delay especially when registration was given to another party last month within a matter of days,” he said referring to the Makkal Sakthi Party Malaysia led by former Hindraf national co-coordinator R.S.Thanenthiran.

SMS messages being exchanged among Hindraf supporters claim that approval has already been obtained but Uthayakumar when contacted declined to comment.

“I am making a major announcement on July 19 and that’s all I can say for now,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

“My experience tells me and recent political developments prove it that we (Indians) need a third force.”

“We can rely on either Umno or Pakatan to help us,” he said declining to clarify what shape the third force would take.

“Wait for the announcement,” he said, adding that “we have a solution” for the Indian woes.

He said the Kampung Buah Pala incident in Penang is a “perfect example” of how Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in general and the DAP in particular had “washed their hands” of the Indian problems.

“They have the power to right the wrongs but give excuses like it is too expensive and so forth,” he said referring to the controversy gripping the DAP in Penang with Hindraf supporters demonstrating

outside DAP offices to force a stop of the development into luxury condominiums.

“They give the same kind of excuses that Umno had given to the Indians for half a century,” he said refuting claims that such acquisition was beyond the financial capacity of the state government.

His new party is another addition to a crowded and splintered field.

The Makkal Sakthi Party, after a fanfare announcement, has already disappeared from the national political scene like several other newly formed Indian political parties.

But Uthayakumar’s supporters say their party would be different as it would really fight for the downtrodden Indians unlike others in the Barisan Nasional (BN) and PR which offer similar promises but end up only offering excuses.

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