Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir speaks during the official launching of Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia at Seri Kembangan in Selangor. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, May 15, 2015.Former information minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir today launched a multi-racial political party, Parti Ikatan Bangsa (Ikatan), which he said was neither pro-opposition nor government.
“Alhamdulillah, after working hard for more than two years and with the help of the Kuala Lumpur High Court, finally Ikatan is registered,” said Kadir, the party’s president, in his officiating speech at the Palace of The Golden Horses hotel in Seri Kembangan.
Among the 300 people present were political figures and observers, such as the chairman of the Social Care Foundation, Tan Sri Robert Phang, and former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin.
“We are neither pro-Barisan Nasional nor pro-opposition, but we champion the spirits of former noble leaders, we are pro-rakyat and pro-future generation,” said Kadir.
He also unveiled the party’s colours – red and white – and its logo, which consists of an image of the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al Haj, with his hand raised declaring the independence at the centre of a yellow circle. The motto for the patry is “Bersatu Maju Adil Bahagia”.
The former Umno Supreme Council member had formed Ikatan in June 2012, but was forced to wait more than two years for approval from the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
In February 2013, Kadir dragged RoS to the High Court to obtain a court order for the body to approve the multi-racial party.
Kadir said the multi-racial party would highlight corruption and misconduct.
He said that the country's founding fathers had left a strong foundation to build the country on but abuses of power, extravagance, greed, pride and arrogance have stopped the country from reaching its full potential.
"Malaysia should have become a high income and developed country a long time ago." he said.
Kadir said that principles of democracy and human rights which were upheld in Malaysia's early years are now being blatantly abused, adding that history has proven that any country led by the same leadership for more than 30 years will lead to decadence.
However, Kadir said that despite Ikatan being a political party, no decision has been made whether it will take part in the next general election.
He said it would first focus on highlighting current issues and aiming to become a mass-based party with divisions and branches in every state.
Kadir, who was an Umno member for 56 years, left the party in March 2012 after criticising the government and the party for diverting from its original struggle. – May 15, 2015.
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