The latest leadership crisis in the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) is not a coincidence, nor is it merely a matter of administrative confusion. It is the result of a deliberate and calculated political manoeuvre by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to divide Indian leaders within his own party and deflect blame from his consistent failure to deliver real progress for the Indian community.
By orchestrating a revolving-door leadership in MITRA — first appointing an all party committee chaired by Ramanan, then shifting it to Saraswathy, less than a year later installing P. Prabakaran as a sole Chairman, and now abruptly reinstating R. Ramanan under opaque circumstances . Anwar is fuelling infighting among Indian leaders in PKR and DAP. This internal conflict is not accidental; it servesAnwar’s political purpose. It keeps Indian leaders and community distracted and at odds with one another while the real culprit – PM himself remains untouched.
MITRA’s ineffectiveness is shifted onto the Indian leaders themselves, giving the false impression that the failures are due to their infighting. This is a classic divide-and-rule tactic, executed to perfection by Anwar. As Indian MPs and leaders scramble for clarity and control, Anwar positions himself as a distant, uninvolved authority — above the fray, and conveniently absolved of all responsibility.
But the truth is this: Anwar has consistently failed to introduce meaningful policies or allocate sufficient resources for the socio-economic upliftment of Indians, especially in the 13th Malaysia Plan. MITRA, which should have been a vehicle for empowerment, has instead become a symbol of neglect, confusion, and manipulation — all under his watch.
This is not leadership — this is manipulation. The Indian community must see through the illusion. The repeated failures of MITRA are not the fault of individual Indian leaders, but the result of a Prime Minister who discriminates, fabricates a false narrative of a multiracial Malaysia, and systematically shortchanges the Indian community.
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy