The role S Nallakarupan will play in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is up to party members, its president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail said today.

"We welcome Nalla to the party but what role he will play will be determined by members. Yes, he can be a leader but not just because you are an Indian, you head the Indian faction," she told malaysiakini when contacted in Parliament today.

Wan Azizah stressed that there is no race-based politics in PKR as it is a multi-racial party,

Asked if Nallakarupan, a close associate of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, will be given a specific position in the party, Wan Azizah said no.

"But if members elect him to a certain position, then it's another matter," she added.

A Tamil daily reported recently that Nallakarupan has been roped in by Anwar to 'inject new blood' into the party.

This has resulted in five Federal Territory PKR leaders stressing that clarification was necessary to avoid the misinterpretation by the masses that PKR was a race-based party similar to the Barisan Nasional's component parties.

Confirms Nalla's interests

Wan Azizah confirmed that Nallakarupan, a former MIC deputy youth chief, had expressed his interest to join Keadilan.

"Well he has voiced his intention and desire to join us. He has always been with the reform movement and he has been a victim and had to go into prison and all that. He was forced to confess to avoid a death sentence. We welcome him with open arms," she added.

Meanwhile, PKR information chief Tian Chua said the party welcomes anyone with the correct intentions and accepts the pluralistic nature of the party.

He said this when approached by malaysiakini to comment on speculation that Nallakarupan would join the party to 'lead' the Indian group in the party.

"If his intentions is to boost the Indian community's support for the party, we would welcome him. But the public should not assume that this would mean bringing an 'Indian division' into the party," said Tian.

He added that the party had always accepted individuals who abandoned Umno, MCA and MIC as long as notions of racial politics are jettisoned as well in favour of a plural view of Malaysian politics.

When contacted, Klang PKR division chief P Krishnasamy said that he and several other party leaders have been trying to convince Nallakarupan to join the party for the past one year.

He would be organising a function with party leaders this Sunday in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur as a show of support for Nallakarupan's entry into PKR.

He said that the Nallakarupan was an influential figure which would be an asset to the party.

Key figure

Nallakurapan was a key figure in the alleged conspiracy to disgrace and topple Anwar. He was arrested under the Internal Security Act in July 1998 for unlawful possession of ammunition, two months before Anwar was sacked as deputy premier.

During Anwar's corruption trial, defence counsel Zainur Zakaria filed an affidavit in court accusing the prosecution of coercing Nallakarupan into giving information against Anwar.

According to the statutory statement submitted by Nallakarupan's lawyer, Manjeet Singh Dillon, the prosecutors offered to reduce the charge against Nallakarupan if the businessman would testify falsely against Anwar.

The charge against Nallakarupan was eventually amended to a reduced charge under the Arms Act, which carries a maximum seven-year sentence, instead of the death penalty.

He pleaded guilty and was jailed for three and a half years and was released after he won his appeal in August 1999.