Citizenship of 60,000 Malaysian Indians a priority: Pol outfit

Jaishree Balasubramanian

Kuala Lumpur, June 7 (PTI) A newly formed ethnic Indian
party in Malaysia has said its top priority is to address the
"citizenship problem" faced by an estimated 60,000 people of
the community in the southeast Asian nation.

Makkal Sakti (People's Power) Party has said it will be a
platform to voice the problems of the minority ethnic Indian
community in this country.

Makkal Sakti president R S Thanenthiran said on top of
the party's agenda was to address the citizenship problem
faced by an estimated 60,000 Malaysian Indians who remain
stateless as they don't have birth certificates to enable them
to get a government issued identity card.

Thanenthiran, who was the former Hindu Rights Action
Force (Hindraf) national coordinator, said party members had
met Najib Tun Razak three months ago after he became the Prime
Minister.

"He welcomed us and we handed him a memorandum about the
citizenship problem. He wanted information pertaining to the
issue and that is why the roadshow is being organised."

Ethnic Indians form about 8 per cent of total population
of Malaysia, which is more than 240 million.

"The party will be going on a nationwide roadshow to
collect data and introduce the committee members to the ethnic
Indian community," he said.

The party, he said, was attracted by the Najib's
'1Malaysia concept', which did not marginalise any citizens.

"We are a neutral party and will work with any coalition
that supports the Indian community, be it ruling coalition of
Barisan Nasional or the opposition alliance," he said, adding
that the party would be officially launched next month. PTI JB
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