'Waytha will not resign until his mission is complete'-- Hindraf adviser

Despite facing growing calls for his resignation, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waythamoorthy will not resign from his government position.

According to Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia adviser N.Ganesan this was Waythamoorthy’s stand which was communicated to him.

“Waytha is in government to fight for the Indian cause and he will continue to do so until the blue-print signed with the Barisan Nasional (before the 13th General Election) materialises,” said Ganesan of the Hindraf leader.

Ganesan said the five year blue-print includes four main areas. These are: uplifting displaced Indian estate workers, addressing the problem of stateless Indians, improve educational opportunities in the system and increase business opportunities within government.

Ganesan said that it was the prerogative of other ministers or government leaders to question what Waythamoorthy has said, but that would not derail the Hindraf chairman from his mission for the Indian community.

“We consider these calls for him to quit as just incidents along the way,” he said.

Waythamoorthy, one of the founding member of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) that has split in two since he made a pact with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, has been under fight following his comments criticising the police of their handling of five gang- members shot dead in Penang.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, have called on Waythamoorthy to step down. Even DAP chairman Karpal Singh had challenged Waythamoorthy to do the same.

In response, Waythamoorthy had said he will not be silent on issues just because he is in the government.

"In fact, it is to the advantage of the government that I voice out the true sentiments of the people on the ground so that I can contribute positively to the objectives and good governance of the government," he had said in a statement after the shooting last Monday.

The five who were killed on Aug 20 – J. Gobinath, 31, R. Ramesh, 27, N. Rakan, 25, M. Suresh, 25, and M. Gobinath, 21, - were shot dead by police during a raid in Sungai Nibong.

Following the shooting, Waythamoorthy raised doubts on whether police really acted out of self-defence or the five were ‘executed’.

Police have linked them to nine out of 19 shooting cases this year, but their families have lodged four police reports demanding an inquest into their deaths.