Hindraf: Talks with Najib productive

STARTING POINT: Its leaders praise PM for hearing out issues raised by movement

THE Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has lauded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for his willingness to listen to the movement's grouses.
After staging a hunger strike for over a fortnight, several Hindraf leaders met with Najib at his office in Perdana Putra here, yesterday afternoon, to discuss the plight of the nation's Indian community.
The movement's national adviser N. Ganesan described the hour-long closed-door meeting with Najib as "productive".
Ganesan said the meeting showed the prime minister was willing to listen to the community's grievances, and had opened the door to more discussions.
"The issues are too complex to discuss in an hour, but it is a starting point. We (have) basically established a line of communication.
"We have agreed to hold more discussions with the PM in the next few days on resolving issues."
Ganesan appeared frail, and was flanked by a movement supporter throughout the brief press conference held outside Perdana Putra.
Present was Hindraf chairman, P. Waythamoorthy.
The movement began its hunger strike on March 11. Critics had labelled the strike as a bid to garner support either from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat to support its blueprint to alleviate poverty among the Indian community.
Asked whether Hindraf had sought the PM's endorsement for its blueprint, Ganesan said that would be its "final outcome".
Ganesan, who declined to reveal the conversation with Najib, said it was more important that a dialogue with the prime minister had begun.