KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11: A prominent ethnic Indian minister in Malaysia has resigned from the cabinet over the Government’s failure to fulfil its promises to protect the rights of minority groups in the Muslim-majority nation.
P Waythamoorthy, the leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), resigned as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department yesterday, in an apparent blow to the Malay-dominated Government struggling to halt the slide in support from over 2 million ethnic Indians.
“He did not meet the PM (Prime Minister Najib Razak), but his (Waythamoorthy’s) officer sent the resignation letter,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Hindraf, in a statement issued by its secretary P Ramesh, cited the Government’s failure to keep its promises made under a memorandum of understanding signed before the May 5, 2013 general election as the reason for Waythamoorthy’s resignation.
“We have now given up any hope of that happening, (after) eight months of trying,” Ramesh said and accused the Government of a “historic act of betrayal.”
“We sincerely apologise to (Malaysian Indians) for the hopes we had raised. Hindraf now opens another chapter in our struggle after this.”
Waythamoorthy’s appointment after the general election last year was in media spotlight as it reflected the Najib administration’s ambition to garner support from the ethnic Indians, who make up eight per cent of Malaysia’s population of 28 million people.
Meanwhile, the resignation has put focus on allegations that the Government has failed to fulfil certain promises, especially for the ethnic Indian community.
These allegations, according to Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) chairman and Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI) director Ramon Navaratnam, must now be explained by Prime Minister and his Government.
Meanwhile, Ramon also questioned why Waythamoorthy had resigned after serving so many months, which had initially given the public an impression that he was quite happy. (AGENCIES)
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