A commotion broke out at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) this morning, when 30 people, claiming to be members of Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party, were prevented from participating in its annual general meeting (AGM).

NONE The incident was triggered about 10.20am when supporters of A. Vathemurthy - who claimed to be the party's president - were not allowed to enter the PWTC's Dewan Tun Razak where the AGM was held.

The enraged supporters said they were eligible to take part in the meeting as they were valid party members.

One of them, S Sanjay, who claimed to be the party vice-president, said they were also unhappy because they were not extended invitations to attend the AGM.

"As members, we should be allowed inside (Dewan Tun Razak). We even have our membership receipts...not everyone in the meeting is a delegate as there are even schoolchildren (at the meeting).

"We also did not receive any notice on the AGM for which, we should have been given two weeks notice.

"We only knew of the meeting through the Malaysia Nanban newspaper yesterday," he told Bernama .

Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said the police did not make any arrest as those involved in the commotion had dispersed without any untoward incident, following police orders.

Nevertheless, he said, the AGM went on smoothly.

'Why not join the family?'

NONE Meanwhile Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor ( right ) said the Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party could submit an official application to join the BN.    

However, he said, it was up to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also BN chairman, to consider the party's entry as a BN component.    

It would only be considered after BN amended its constitution, Tengku Adnan said when officiating the party's second annual general meeting (AGM) at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.    

About 1,500 delegates and members attended the AGM.    

In July, the BN had announced it proposed to amend its constitution to enable the younger group, non-governmental organisations and political parties to join the coalition.    

At a media conference later, Tengku Adnan said the resolutions agreed upon by the Umno General Assembly which ended yesterday, would be discussed by the party after the Galas state by-election in Kelantan, and Batu Sapi parliamentary by-election in Sabah, on Nov 4. 

'Please don't join the family'

The People's Progressive Party (PPP) on the other hand wants the BN to be selective in admitting non-political bodies as members of the coalition when its constitution is amended.     

Its president M Kayveas said that this was to ensure no racial and problematic organisations were admitted into the BN's fold.    

"I am totally against racial politics," he told reporters here today.    

Kayveas said this when asked to comment on the plan to amend the BN's constitution to admit friendly individuals, non-government organisations and political parties as members, as was announced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also BN chairman, earlier this year.     

Earlier, Kavyeas had opened a forum on Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Malaysia which was organised by a non-governmental organisation.     

Kayveas said he sympathised on the fate of 3,970 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Malaysia which still remained uncertain even though they had been here for six months and that he would be writing to the government to suggest that they be allowed to work here while awaiting for deportation to a third country by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 

MACC report lodged over Deepavali bazaar

In an unrelated development, Malaysian Indian Welfare Association chairman A Prakash has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over what he claimed as unfairness in the distribution of Deepavali bazaar lots in Jalan Tengku Kelana in Klang.    

He claimed that this had effectively shut off Indian petty traders from getting a chance to conduct businesses there.    

"The lot should be distributed in a fair manner so that business can

thrive," he told reporters after giving his statement to the MACC at its Klang branch.    

He also claimed that certain associations were raking in profits from the sale of business lots to third parties. 

- Bernama

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