Thursday, February 5, 2009

Peeved with president, Indian business group leaders quit

Three principal office-bearers of the Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Maicci) have resigned with immediate effect.

According to a source, the trio had tendered a joint resignation letter yesterday in protest of Maicci president KK Eswaran's recent media statement condemning critics of the government.

However, the joint resignation letter from secretary-general S Rengasamy, assistant-secretary Suresh Kumar Gorasia and treasurer S Tamil Selvam did not make any reference to this.

"This painful decision is taken by us after being unable to discharge our charter responsibilities of representing Maicci as the paramount body involved in the preservation of the business interests of the Malaysian Indian community," read the one-page letter, a copy of which was obtained by Malaysiakini.

Attack on Hindraf chief

Maicci has come under a lot of heat following Eswaran's attack on the Hindu Rights Action Force and Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Dr Denison Jayasooria.

Claiming to be speaking in the interest of the Indian community, the businessman had also said that the public must stop thinking that the government should "spoon-feed" Indians with opportunities and embark on their own efforts to improve their wealth.

Among others, he had blasted self-exiled Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy for being ungrateful to the land he calls home and the land that he has made his living.

Eswaran was referring to Waythamoorthy's stint in India during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Chennai, where the Hindraf leader had declared that Malaysian Indians are ill-treated and marginalised.

As for Denison, the Maicci president criticised the Suhakam commissioner for claiming that government efforts to uplift the Indians were delayed and for asking the Indian government, during the convention, to send a task force to survey the situation of local Indians.

Eswaran is known to be a close associate of incoming premier Najib Abdul Razak.

Text messages making the rounds

Meanwhile, the source claimed that during the last Maicci council meeting, the president was told to get the permission of the executive council before making any statements to the media.

"However, he did not do this. His recent statement has caused a lot of problems and there is much disgruntlement on the ground with text messages flying about," he added.

Since making the statement, text messages have been making the rounds condemning Eswaran and demanding for his resignation.

Apart from this, the source said the Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Indian Chambers, Perak Indian Chambers, Malacca Indian Chambers, Kedah Indian Chambers and the Sabah Indian Chambers were also expected to "move some resolutions" pertaining to this matter.

"The Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Indian Chambers is also mulling calling upon its representative in Maicci to quit," he added.

Valga HINDRAF Makkal SAKTHI

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