NEWLY launched Parti Kuasa Rakyat (Kuasa Rakyat) has overcome potential obstacles in getting registered by taking over a three-year-old Indian-based party – Minority Rights Action Party (Mira).

Mira approved the takeover at its annual general assembly on December 19.

Following the takeover, Mira will undergo a name change to Kuasa Rakyat. Kuasa Rakyat founder Kamarazaman Yaakob has also been named as Mira’s president.

Kamarazaman and his team of leaders will officially take over after the Registrar of Societies (ROS) has approved Mira’s name change and constitution.

“Mira has agreed to accept me as the party president and change its name to Kuasa Rakyat,” Kamarazaman told The Malaysian Insight.

On October 10, Kamarazaman, who is Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s brother, launched Kuasa Rakyat and said it is a multiracial and government-friendly party.

At the launch, he did say they have reached an understanding with a political body to change its name, including its leadership but did not name the party then.

Outgoing Mira president, K. P. Samy, confirmed the takeover.

He said he will be part of the new leadership under Kamarazaman.

“There were two motions passed. After the annual general assembly, Mira’s supreme committee unanimously endorsed the change of name and the appointment of Kamarazaman as president,” said Samy.

“The party is status quo. It is currently Mira. He (Kamarazaman) is president and I demote myself to deputy.”

He said the party will be sending all the necessary documents to ROS to apply for a name change.

Mira secured its official approval as a political party from ROS in 2019.

It considered itself as Pakatan Harapan (PH) friendly but turned independent after the PH government collapsed last year.

Kamarazaman, meanwhile, said he was hoping to be part of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition once all the ROS formalities have been completed.

Mira sources said changes to the party’s constitution will include creating additional deputy president’s and vice-president’s posts.

“This way, Mira leaders can also be absorbed into Kuasa Rakyat’s leadership,” said a party leader. – December 26, 2021.