Waythamoorthy: Palanivel should talk to PM if unhappy

If MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel wants the Indian Affairs Unit under the Prime Minister's Department to be placed under the party’s leadership, he should discuss the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

This is the opinion of Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy who was named deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department in the new Cabinet line-up recently.

Waythamoorthy dismissed Palanivel’s demand for the unit as nothing more than a matter of opinion.

“That is his opinion. The Prime minister has appointed me to handle the unit. It will be part of my tasks when I assume office on June 5.

“If Palanivel is not happy with it, he should speak to the Prime Minister,” Waythamoorthy told Astro Awani.

When asked if he is willing to work with MIC for the betterment of the Indian community, Waythamoorthy said that he will work with the government.

“The Tamil newspapers have misquoted me in saying that I am not willing to work with MIC. I never said that. I only said that I will work with the government,” he said.

Yesterday, Palanivel adamantly said that since MIC is the "mother party of the Indian community" since 1946, the Indian Affairs Unit should be placed under MIC leadership’s and not Hindraf.

"The (Indian Affairs) unit must be under the MIC. We cannot have two separate organisations functioning for the same community.

"MIC is the mother party of the Indian community since 1946, and we have been doing a good job, and will continue to eradicate long-standing problems," he had said.