KS Nallakaruppan will launch his Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) on Sunday. Below are excerpts of his interview with Malaysiakini.

Malaysiakini: So why another race-based party? Is this good for a progressing nation?

Nallakaruppan: Let me tell you this. PKR is multi-racial and I have been in the party to know that Indian agenda is last on the party's list.

And then the Indian-based parties. Maybe they are doing something but obviously it isn't working. Otherwise why would there be so many problems facing the Indian community? Are these parties sincere in helping the community? Or are there self-interest agendas?

Given all these, I think it will take another Indian-based party, with fresh ideas and new blood, to help the community. Let no one fool you into thinking that we are being regressive by promoting a race-based party. This is the reality today in this country. We need a race-based party to help the community.

Our critics can shout about idealism but when it comes to truly doing something for the community, they will hide. They should just keep quiet and let us do our work.

How is your party different from MIC or other parties?

For one, we will fulfill our promises to help the community. We think there needs to be a new approach in solving the community's problems. We agree MIC has been doing something to help elevate the community but we need more. We have the youth as well as the experience to help us do our bit. Our aim is very clear. We want to help the community.

We have no lofty ambitions. We don't want political office. We don't want to fight for seats. We are not in a popularity contest. We genuinely want to help the community.

For that we have to work hard with the grassroots and we are willing to put all our energy to achieve that.

What are your plans for the community?

As I said we are not interested in just handling the small, regular issues. We think the fundamentals involving the Indian community are badly shaken, due to many reasons, political and otherwise.

We have to re-examine the education system, our social imbalance, unemployment levels, criminal activities and so on.

We have charted some plans to overcome these issues. For example, we feel that in matters relating to education, we shouldn't just be concentrating on Tamil school issues. We would also want to look into how to educate our youth right up to tertiary level.

And then we want to ensure that all our school dropouts or low-graders are not disillusioned in life. We want to see if we can give them some skills training or even small business opportunities.

We believe that we have to start at a new generation to ensure that the marginalisation of the community is stopped.

For that we need to strengthen our Tamil schools, or even start our own schools, and then provide them the chance to pursue education and then if they are interested in business, we should have avenues for that too.

We at MIUP think we can put all this in place. Don't forget we are a new party. We are putting things in place now. Give us some time to settle down and we will show you our blueprint for the community.

We are taking a very professional approach here. We have professionals to guide us and our members will be there to implement our ideas.

We are not doing this for fun. We are in it for real and we want to help the community.

Is this a one-man party?

Definitely not! I may have started the party but there are many who have joined us now, all fighting for the same cause. Yes, I am the president but I have a team of capable leaders. Some of them are professionals, some (have) political experience.

We encourage open discussion. I have been out-voted during many of our discussions on how to do certain things. If a proposal is with merit, I listen. And if my views are valid, the others follow it.

I don't dictate anything to them or to my party members. Even among our members, we encourage them to question us on everything. They have that right and I will not stop that.

We are surely not like some other party where the leader is dictated and influenced by one individual who is close to him. You know who I am talking about. That party is going to ruin because of this. Many good people have left that party because of the way the party leader is wrongly being influenced by his particular favourite person.

At MIUP, everyone can criticise me, just as I am allowed to criticise them. We are all united in our aim, which is to solve the woes of the Indian community.

Finally, are you going the BN way or the opposition?

Come to the party launch on Sunday (Nov 25) at Hotel Istana in Kuala Lumpur and you will know.

Our aim is to lift the Indian community