DAP Wanita Publicity Secretary Kasthuri Patto questioned the “foolish statement” by MIC Youth leader Sivarraajh Chandran yesterday and asked what actions the MIC had taken to challenge those racist policies.

Sivarraajh had said that Dr Mahathir could not be considered as a Gandhi-like figure, and that the MIC and the other Barisan Nasional parties suffered a loss in support because of the racist policies and strategies implemented by Dr Mahathir during his time.

However, in a statement issued in George Town today, Kasthuri pointed out that MIC was an active component of the BN government from 1981 to 2003? “Did MIC not field Indian candidates in five general elections from 1982 to 1999 under the BN flag and under Dr Mahathir’s leadership?,” she said. “Did MIC not have councilors, state assemblymen, MPs, senators and ministers during the time when Dr Mahathir implemented his “racist” policies and strategies?”

Kasthuri questioned why the MIC had not challenged or objected to those racist policies of Mahathir’s government. “How convenient it must be now for MIC to shamelessly sling mud against Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he is no more in power,” she said.

Dr Mahathir has announced plans for a new political party and a grand alliance of opposition parties in order to bring down the Najib Razak government.

Kasthuri said MIC’s response to Marina was a “blow below the belt, cheap and classless”, and challenged the MIC to show what it had achieved for the Indian community since 1946.

Malaysians no longer had faith in Umno and the Barisan Nasional, she said and were slowly discarding race-based politics and policies.