Samy became deputy Mira president after Kuasa Rakyat founder Kamarazaman Yaakob, the elder brother of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, was named president following its “takeover” by Kuasa Rakyat on Dec 19.
Samy said this condition was made clear to Kamarazaman before Kuasa Rakyat was allowed to take over the three-year-old Indian party.
The former MIC central committee member said he had insisted on it because he believed that only BN would be able to help the Indian community.
“During BN’s time, there were a lot of promotions for Indians in the civil service and the police force.
“We are not seeing that any more, with the percentage getting lower everywhere.
“The number of Indian senators in Dewan Negara has gone down from 15 to 4 in the last four years.
“God knows what is happening to the intake of Indian students in public universities and matriculation colleges,” he told FMT.
Samy said it had been a “black era” for the community ever since the BN government fell in the last general election more than three years ago.
He said he would raise these problems with the prime minister when he gets the opportunity.
He said another condition set by Mira was that Kuasa Rakyat must ensure that the minority rights in this country would not be ignored.
“We do not want the minorities in this country to be neglected under this (Mira-Kuasa Rakyat) merger because we have seen parties like PKR, Amanah and PAS ignoring the community after winning elections with their votes.
“We need to be vigilant in protecting the rights of the Indians.
“If these conditions are accepted and accommodated by Kuasa Rakyat, only then will we allow Mira’s name to be changed to Kuasa Rakyat,” he said.
Samy said Mira will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kuasa Rakyat to ensure that the rights of Indians will not be neglected, with Mira members retaining their positions and rights within the party.
He also said that his new multiracial party intends to fill the void left by Gerakan, which left BN in 2018 after being wiped out in the last general election.
Earlier today, The Malaysian Insight (TMI) reported that Kuasa Rakyat had overcome potential obstacles in getting registered by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) by taking over Mira.
The young Indian party approved the takeover at its annual general assembly on Dec 19.
Kamarazaman was reported as saying that he and his team of leaders would officially take over the party after the RoS approves Mira’s name change and the amended constitution.