MIUP falling apart in Penang
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 31, 2008
Athi Veeranggan

The newly formed Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) is rapidly heading towards oblivion, at least in Penang. MCPX

nallakarupan interview 231107 respondMIUP was formed by KS Nallakaruppan following his fallout with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

If talk on the ground is true, MIUP Penang, which was launched last month, is expected to close shop soon. This means the closure of 130 MIUP branches throughout the state and the defection of an estimated 4,000 members to other parties.

Majority of the defecting MIUP members are expected to join PKR while others will make a beeline for DAP.

This will deal a devastating blow to Nallakaruppan's political ambition.

It is learnt that MIUP Penang chairperson L Balasupramaniyam, 44, and his supporters are upset and disillusioned with Nallakaruppan's ‘diddling’ political style.

Personal blow

MIUP's disorientation would also be a personal blow to Balasupramaniyam who was hoping to make a major breakthrough in the state politics.

The former MIC branch leader in the Bukit Bendera division jumped at the chance to lead MIUP in Penang when he met Nallakaruppan a few months ago.

He set up about 100 branches and enrolled more than 3,000 members in double-quick time to exert his political position in the party.

He was eager to perform and demonstrate that ‘MIC’s loss is MIUP's gain’.

However, Balasupramaniyam lost his patience when Nallakaruppan remained equivocal on whether MIUP would join the Barisan Nasional (BN) or opposition coalition for political survival.

He has spoken to all the branch leaders in Penang recently to dissolve their MIUP identity and move their branches en bloc under PKR. Balasupramaniyam has held talks with the PKR state leadership to seal the move.

Although the majority of branch leaders have agreed to switch to PKR, several of them have decided to transform their branches into DAP entities.

When contacted, Balasupramaniyam declined to disclose his intention although he admitted that party members were upset with Nallakaruppan.

Wrong timing

The trouble in Penang MIUP did not brew overnight.

It is learnt that the party’s leaders and members in Penang were already in disagreement with Nallakaruppan's hasty decision to announce the infant party's intention to join BN on the day when the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) held its now famous rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25.

"The timing was wrong. He should have adopted a 'wait and see' approach. It was premature for MIUP to announce its alliance with BN," said several party insiders.

Nallakaruppan's speedy announcement was seen by several experienced politicians as an alleged attempt by the MIUP president to earn major political gains and concessions from BN.

"It was more of self-interest than a common one," alleged an insider.

anwar ibrahim pc 180208 01Things got from bad to worse when Nallakaruppan announced during the election campaign that MIUP would back BN to win the swaying Indian votes.

The situation worsened when Nallakaruppan fired seething personal attacks against Anwar at the height of the campaign.

The members felt Nallakaruppan should have stayed away from electoral politics and make a calculated move now.

"He had compromised the interests of thousands of MIUP members for his selfish gains to enter into the good books of BN leaders," claimed the insider.

He said due to Nallakarupan's hasty moves, MIUP is now heading nowhere and the members are wondering what's next.

"BN got a severe beating and it jeopardise our position. So the best thing to do is to dissolve MIUP Penang and join PKR or DAP," he added.

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