FORMER Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy will be going on a nationwide tour to introduce his new Indian-based party, starting this weekend.

Urimai, which stands for United for the Rights of Malaysians Party, means “rights” in Tamil. It was launched on November 27.

Ramasamy said the party’s movement will kick off on Sunday in Negri Sembilan where he will be explaining to the people the plans for the yet-to-be-registered party.

“There are two aspects to Urimai’s formation. The first is since the party not been registered, we will start off as a movement to tell Indians that there is a new political entity in the country.

“We also want to impress upon Indians that this is a political party to look into their grouses.

“The second is to take up their issues and focus on the marginalised segment of the community,” Ramasamy told The Malaysian Insight.

After Negri Sembilan, the team will head to Selangor on December 16 and then to other states.

Ramasamy said during their tour, they want to talk about issues affecting the Indian community, and which are also applicable to other races.

“We also want to listen to the grouses of the people. We want to introduce what the party is all about. Why the formation of the party and what it stands for.

“We want to address issues such as education, economy, social, health and many others that need to be addressed.”

He said the party is referred to as Urimai, but it is not just for Indians as membership is open to all races.

“The problems today not only affect the Indian community but also all other communities, including the Orang Asli.”

Ramasamy said he had thought about starting an Indian-based party many years ago.

“This is not new, as I thought about forming an Indian-based party five years ago when I was still in DAP.

“Can you name me one effective Indian party that can provide good leadership for Indians in this country?

“So, we decided on this as there is a political vacuum. I met many people who suggested it (for a party).

“It is also because MIC was not so effective and other Indian parties were defunct. I’m not putting down other Indian parties but they are weak.”

He said currently Urimai has about more than 2,000 followers and many are still registering their interests with them.

Gaining traction

He also said Urimai is getting popular because of social media.

“The response is very welcoming as many people are curious to find out about this Indian party.

“What are we going to do? What’s our platform? The name Urimai seems to be a source of attraction.”

He also urged more youth to check out the party.

“After the 15th general election we can’t deny the youth have played a big role, following the implementation of Undi18.

“We cannot ignore the youth. They are a force to be reckoned with.

“We are reaching out to them through all social media platforms,” he said.

Ramasamy said Urimai will have youth and women’s wings once it is registered.

On contesting in the next general election, he said Urimai has yet to decide on that as its focus at present is to attract Indians to its cause.

He also said they are an independent movement and not affiliated with any coalitions.

“But, we won’t rule it out in the future (to join a coalition). We can look into it. We want to see what they can offer the Indian community.

“They should address Indian issues and not just treat them as voters.”

Ramasamy left DAP after he was dropped as a candidate in the August state elections in Penang. – December 9, 2023.