YOURSAY 'Hindraf must appreciate that Pakatan will not allow itself to be pressured into signing anything that would scare the majority Malay electorate.'

Leaking of Hindraf-Pakatan discussions is sinister

Fairnessforall: Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy, please stop trying to fool the public. You were the one who first claimed that discussions with Pakatan Rakyat are going nowhere. So obviously reporters will try to get more information.

Secondly, the fact that you wanted to keep your demands for seats a secret shows that you wanted the people to think that you were only requesting Pakatan to agree to Hindraf's six-point blueprint.

You did not admit that the discussions were not going further due to your excessive demands. Now when the truth is revealed, you claim it is sinister.

Why should the demand for seats be kept a secret? This shows you are trying to make it look like Pakatan is the one which does not want to compromise.

Pemerhati: Hindraf must appreciate that Pakatan will not allow itself to be pressured into making statements or signing anything that would scare the majority Malay electorate as they could be exploited and twisted by Umno.

For instance, some of Hindraf's demands can be twisted by Umno to mean that the Malays will lose some of their special privileges. These types of allegations could result in significant loss of electoral support from the Malays and reduce the chances of a Pakatan win.

Hindraf should make their demands forcefully only after going all out to help Pakatan win the elections. It should be smart enough to realise that nothing will change if BN wins, but there is likely to be a significant change for the better if Pakatan wins.

However, if Pakatan, when in power, disappoints then Hindraf can complain loudly and Pakatan is likely to listen and take corrective action as it would fear losing the critical Indian support in the next elections.

Anticommunalist: Let is be reminded that Pakatan is just a ‘pakatan' between PKR, PAS and DAP. It is not, and I stress here, not a ‘pakatan' of all the rakyat of Malaysia. Hindraf leaders have a valid right to be fielded as candidates.

Telestai!: Waytha, isn't your asking for parliament and state seats just as sinister? Publicly, Hindraf makes reasonable demands in its blueprint but on the quiet added a demand for seats and a thinly veiled threat to boycott Pakatan should they disagree.

People who live in glasshouses should not throw stones.

Ranjit Singh: Hindraf is bold in their approach by volunteering to take on all MIC-held seats as a coalition partner of Pakatan. They know their strength.

I can't say the same thing about the leadership of Pakatan because I am sure the ‘heroes' there will want safe seats, so you will see them seeking such seats.

I can't understand - BN, which is made up of 13 coalition members, can make compromises, while Pakatan would not even consider Hindraf or PSM (Parti Socialis Malaysia).

Pakatan would rather pick their own ‘mandores' (unfortunately Hindraf is not one). Hindraf had also clearly stated that it won't encroach into existing Pakatan seats but only a head-on clash with current MIC seats. So I can't understand why the fuss.

Opah: According to Waythamoorthy: "Our proposal to contest in seven parliament and 10 state seats was made after consultation with various parties..."

MIC holds only four parliamentary seats and seven state seats. So how did these 11 seats suddenly become 17?

KSD: I am a firm believer in non-race based politics. But if Hindraf want to press their point, then pray tell me what they propose to do with the non-Hindraf Indian politicians who have slogged for years too in servicing the rakyat?

Tell them to retire because Hindraf wants their constituencies? The people of Malaysia has had enough of MIC- and MCA-style political parties. Let's not replace them with more of the same.

Unspin: The discussion between Hindraf and Pakatan as to who should contest in the MIC-held seats is quite presumptuous.

If Hindraf was allowed to contest, there is no guarantee that Hindraf would win because the MIC seats were returned based on the strength of Malay votes.

Jiminy Qrikert: I have copied and pasted two statements from Dr Kua Kia Soong's article on the values of which I personally believe in.

"Any corrective action in all economic and education policies must be based on need or sector or class and not on race with priority given to indigenous people, marginalised and poor communities. Since their blueprint extols human rights, Hindraf should put forward their demands for all minorities and not just the Indian community. Thus we find a gaping ‘disconnect' between Hindraf's noble challenge to racial discrimination entrenched in the constitution and their ‘Indians Only' proposals in the blueprint."

"A critical principle in human rights and democracy is respect for others. The rights of minorities in any society mean just that - all minorities have rights and no minority group has more rights than others."

Hindraf's blueprint is very Indian-centric and therefore 'race-focused', which is why they have no qualms about going to BN.

Kgen: There is no need to argue. If Hindraf feels that Pakatan is not giving them the treatment they deserve, they can go to BN or go it alone.

If Hindraf keeps insisting on an agreement with Pakatan, then who needs who more? Don't tell me Hindraf is not confident of their support from Indians?

Maplesyrup: I am not an Indian, so probably my opinion may not count. However, I am saddened that despite how the Indians have fared badly under 55 years of BN rule, and despite acknowledging that the Indians were considered BN's fixed deposits (FD) there is no resolute resolve to break the shackles.

Hindraf is an NGO and not meant to be a political party. What happened? If seats discussion don't go Hindraf way, the Indians will go back to be BN's FD?

If in GE13, there is no Hindraf support for Pakatan, I suppose the Indians who back Hindraf will have to taste another five years of BN's ‘goodness', and we can talk again come GE14?

Yap CS: "We made it clear to him (Anwar Ibrahim) that this request for strategic partnership was made to cater to the voice of the poor and underclass Indian Malaysians, whose voice has never been heard in Parliament," said Waythamoorthy.

With one swift stroke, you insult Indian MPs like Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, P Patto, Karpal Singh, V David, DR Seenivasagam and so many others.

At the same time, you belittle the efforts made by all these pioneers who fought so hard for so long under oppression from BN. You made as if you are the only Indians who have done anything. Your hubris are similar to those in BN.

Tholu: We Indians in Malaysia are a cursed community. We are disunited, disgruntled and uncompromising.

We quarrel over temple and prayers issues; we quarrel during funerals; we quarrel at engagements and weddings; we quarrel at meetings - even at meetings (political or apolitical) convened to discuss amicable solutions to problems; we quarrel in coffee shops and pubs and the list goes on.

Now we are quarreling on which coalition - BN or Pakatan - Hindraf should support.

My advice to all Indians: Stop quarrelling and decide for yourself, as an individual with an independent and discerning mind, on who you want to vote for.

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