KUALA LUMPUR – Parti Kuasa Rakyat is aiming to contest in the next general election (GE15) with a line-up of multiracial candidates, said founder Kamarazaman Yaakob, who is also the prime minister’s elder brother.
During the party’s launch today, Kuasa pro-tem president Kamarazaman said the party is open to all races and will include Sabahans and Sarawakians.
As reported by Utusan Malaysia, he said the party is looking to uphold the struggle of common people with its “Marhaenism-Nationalism” concept, especially for the low and middle-income groups, as well as the youth.
At the ceremony held at events venue The Diplomat in Pekarangan Tun Ismail here, he said the party will also voice out, mobilise, and defend the rights and demands of the groups, apart from focusing on free education, free healthcare, housing, employment, agriculture and the environment, and abolishing the National Higher Education Fund Corporation.
He said the party is also looking to free the people from the clutches of “middlemen and race-baiting”.
“The country’s political climate today desperately calls for a party that is truly multiracial and multiethnic. This is not only based on the constitution, but in terms of the composition of leadership and members. Parties like this are what the younger generation is looking and waiting for.
“The divide between the poor and the rich is becoming more significant. Every year it is widening. Why are only a few of the people allowed to enjoy the wealth of the country while the majority of the people do not feel it or just continue to live?”
Kamarazaman also said the youth will be able to help determine the course of the party.
“We, the old generation who struggle for the common man, openly accept those wanting to offer our struggles to you all. We are just preparing the foundation and direction for progressive youth of all races to take over.”
The party has been the talk of town for the past few days, with speculation rife that the prime minister is somewhat involved in the new party.
However, in an interview with Malaysiakini, Kamarazaman said his younger brother had no inkling of his new political outfit – not until the launch was made known to the public.
“This party was not planned together (with my brother), no. He found out about this party when the news came out,” he was quoted as saying.
“Is it a coincidence? It is coincidental that this party was established after he became the prime minister. I had planned to form this party two years ago.”
According to Utusan, Kamarazaman, 72, is a Universiti Malaya (UM) graduate and served as UM Student Association president in 1973-1974.
He was the leader of a protest in Baling in 1974 and was also detained under the Internal Security Act 1960 for almost two years.
Meanwhile, during the launch Kamarazaman said the new party would give autonomy to its members from Sabah and Sarawak.
“They will not only be given the freedom to decide on their leadership at the state level, but also their representatives at the central level to fill quotas (for posts) which include the deputy and vice-president posts,” he said as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.
Kuasa’s membership and committee members include Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan, G25 member Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Hassan, as well as other prominent individuals such as Prof Datuk Mohamad Nasir Saludin, Prof Mohd Sahandri Gani Hamzah, Helmi Ibrahim, and Hamzah Jaaffar. – The Vibes, October 10, 2021
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