Thursday, December 31, 2009

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Hindraf vs Hindraf: One faction sues, the other makes police report - Malaysiakini

The tussle between two Hindraf factions has escalated into a legal battle with the filing of a RM100 million suit by the movement's chairperson-in-exile P Waythamoorthy against four individuals and six news organisations.

hindraf penang split into two factions 040409 waythamoorthyIn his statement of claim, Waythamoorthy (right) said the six news organisations carried statements of the four individuals who had alleged that he misappropriated public donations for Hindraf.

The four individuals are Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, Sungkai state assemblyperson A Sivanesan, and two former ISA detainees V Ganabatirau and K Vasanthakumar.

The six news organisations named as defendants are English daily The Star, online news portals Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider, and three Tamil dailies Makkal Osai, Tamil Nesan and Malaysia Nanban.

Since their release from ISA detention earlier this year, Ganabatirau and Vasanthakumar have each headed a splinter group under the same name, while Ramasamy and Sivanesan are prominent DAP leaders who were formerly vocal Hindraf supporters.

Five hours after the law suit was filed, Vasanthakumar lodged a report at Brickfields police station against the 'wild allegations' that he was a police agent.

He said that rumours that he was a police officer were spread via text messages and the Human Rights Party website.

'Duo not Hindraf leaders'

Waythamoorthy is seeking RM10 million from each defendant for the alleged defamatory statements that was published between July and August this year.

The suit was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today by lawyer P Uthayakumar, who is Hindraf's most recognisable leader and also Waythamoorthy's elder brother.

Speaking to reporters later, Uthayakumar said all Hindraf monies will be handled by accountants from Jan 1, 2010 onwards and thus the money can be accounted for.

hindraf isa prayer 131209 uthayakumarHe said that the subject of Hindraf accounts were brought up by the four individuals in order to divert attention from the Penang government's management of the Kampung Buah Pala issue.

"This (suit) is also a message to the press - just because somebody make a statement, you cannot go around publishing whatever you like," said Uthayakumar (left).

Among others, Waythamoorthy's suit is also seeking an injunction against all 10 defendants to stop them from repeating the allegations against him.

Seeking unusual declarations

Meanwhile, Waythamoorthy is also seeking a declaration that Ganabatirau and Vasanthakumar are not Hindraf leaders and subsequently, for an injunction preventing the duo from referring to themselves as such.

He also seeking an injunction against media organisations from referring to the duo as Hindraf leaders or its associates.

Waythamoorthy's suit seeks several less conventional court declarations, among others, a declaration that Vasanthakumar is a police spy attached to the "Special Branch E3M" with the rank of assistant police superintendent.

He is also seeking a declaration that Ramasamy, Sivanesan and Ganabatirau were "mandores" (Tamil for labourer supervisor) of the DAP, particularly its secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Hindraf's Waytha seeks RM100m for libel


R.Seetha: HRP’s news maker for 2009

Top ten news makers.

    1) R. Seetha’s brother was murdered in cold blood by UMNO’s Malay-sian police along with four other Indian youths including a 17 year old Indian juvenile on 8/11/09 at Klang. Out of these five ruthless police killings done with impunity there were three coffins/dead bodies in one family to grieve. How cruel?

    seetha

    As Seetha could not take the pain of her brother’s said murder and that she was in no position to fight UMNO’s Malay-sian police, she took her own life by drinking paraquat. Her five children who were also given paraquat to drink survived but are likely to suffer from medical complications like kidney failure, cancer etc at a very young age. The last twenty seconds of Seetha’s life was captured by HRP’s video crew. And so was the first two minutes of her death. (see video in video section below). The height of the UMNO Malay-sian police atrocities is when the police tried shifting the blame on Seethe’s husband for her suicide. HRP was disappointed when the family of R. Seetha backed out from protesting by taking her body in a procession to Parliament house which was then in session. We will have another day. We have taken a rain cheque on this. There is no history of a tragedy of this magnitude ever happening in any other part of the world. UMNOs’ Malay-sia made it somehow

    2) The pictures of A. Kugan’s brutalized body speaks a thousand words (see photos below). kugan-grief1But all the police murderers who murdered Kugan got away scot free. As usual a “mandore” Indian policeman was prosecuted for a token offence of causing injuries while extorting a confession. A. Kugan’s murder at the Taipan police station was the worst case ever recorded on camera of a death in custody. Lawyer N. Surendran and HRP’s S. Jayathas took the lead in standing up for, capturing on camera and publicizing this atrocity.

    3) Even in “our” very own Opposition led DAP in Penang, the last Indian traditional village of Kg. Buah Pala was demolished with impunity by Kapitan Lim Guan Eng and ably assisted by thier Indian mandores. These villagers campaigned, carried placards and and even cried openly outside the Kapitan’s official residence but to no avail.13082009070 Hindraf and HRP went at full steam at the campaigns but DAP, PKR and PAS does not care. The saddest ending was when Murugan (46) who led the unprecedented lobby at Unesco to save Kg. Buah Pala passed away from a heart attack last week when he could no longer bear Kapitan Lim Guan Eng is continued demolishing of his cattle farm the week before after earlier in October 2009 having completely destroyed Kg. Buah Pala.

    4) Similarly in PAS led Kedah the last piece of history and the heritage value cemetary of the Indian plantation workers in Ladang Batu Pekaka, Kuala Ketil, Kedah, p10204035the Kedah PAS Menteri Besar unilaterally demolished it with impunity. PAS was backed up by the Malay-sian UMNO police force and silently watched over by PKR and DAP. PAS, PKR or UMNO would never dare to it to a Chinese cemetary. Pray tell us of one Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or Chinese cemetery or place of worship being demolished in Malaysia. Why does this happen only to the Indian Hindus in UMNOs’ Malay-sia.

    5) 16 Hindraf/HRP anti cow head candle light peaceful assemblers were arrested on 21/09/2009. 7823_126037194043_732234043_2345212_7316216_nkanth-576There video of this HRP/Hindraf cemetery. We wonder why? arrest drew an unprecedented half a million over hits in Malaysiakini.com.

    Whereas the malay muslim criminal protesters who stepped and spat on a severed and bloody cow head were given an audience with UMNO Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussien. 20971403764456284afe80704c3109aef42f2003

    6) Release of P. Uthayakumar and M. Manoharan from ISA detention on 5/9/09 after 514 days at Kamuniting prison is the ultimate price paid for fighting for the critical Indian issues having befallen on the Malaysian Indian community . isa_utaya

    7) Announcement of the formation of Human Rights Party and book launch “Indian Political Empowerment Strategy The Way Forward” by P. Uthayakumar on 19/6/09. n_25hindraf

    8) 2nd Anniversary of 25th November 2007 100,000 over Hindraf peaceful Rally was held with the hunger strike of 18 Hindraf/HRP supporters and a gathering of 100 over others at KLCC at 11.30 a.m on 25/11/2009. klcc61klcc41Thereafter at 2.00 p.m a letter from Hindraf Chairman P. Waytha Moorthy’s daughter and a bouquet of flowers was brought to Putrajaya. As none of the Prime Minister’s Secretaries wanted to come out to receive us, the letter and the bouquet of flowers were left at the steps to the Prime Minister’s office after which the hunger strikes broke their fast. klcc-pm-office-20

    9) Also noted are the plight of the Indian poor handicapped and senior citizens who have been denied Welfare help, Socso payments, live in dilapidated shacks, 70% of Tamil schools in cow shed like conditions,poor-men2 Tamil schools have to buy their own chairs and tables when (the almost all malay muslim) MRSM in Trolak is built on RM 120 Million government funding, Indian mini market owner from Termerloh of 30 years standing was even denied his licence to continue running his business in November 2009.

    10) 150,000 Indian children being denied their birth certificates, another 150,000 even third, forth and fifth generation Indians have been denied their Malaysian citizenships,indian-girl an Indian cannot even become an Assistant district officer in Malaysia when the USA already has it’s first black “muslim” President in the person of Barack Hussien Obama. Malaysian Indian medical students degrees from Russia, Ukraine, Romania, India, Indonesia etc being derecognized at a time when Malaysia is short of doctors by 50%.

Every day some hindu temple, hindu crematorium, tamil school or Indian settlement is demolished given notice to be demolished, relocated or to be relocated.

Welcome to Malay-sia, the World’s most racist and religious extremist country.

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Chief

HENTIKAN POLISI : TIADA SIJIL LAHIR TIADA SEKOLAH

HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MALAYSIA

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245 Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Your Reference :

In Reply : HRP/ DEC/ 09

Date : 29/12/2009

YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak

Perdana Menteri Malaysia

Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax: 03-88883444

62502 Putrajaya E-Mail : najib@pmo.gov.my.

Y.B Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Menteri Pelajaran,

Pejabat Menteri Pelajaran,

Aras 10, Block E8,

Complex Kerajaan Parcal E, Fax: 03-8889 5846

62604 Putrajaya. E- Mail: khairulam@moe.gov.my

HENTIKAN POLISI : TIADA SIJIL LAHIR TIADA SEKOLAH

YAB/ YB,

Kami rujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas

Menurut akhbar Tamil pada penghujung tahun 2007 satu Surat Pekeliling telah dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Pelajaran kepada sekolah –sekolah Tamil supaya tidak menerima masuk murid – murid yang telah dinafikan Sijil Kelahiran mereka bermula dari tahun persekolahan Januari 2008. Dan selepas daripada itu kami telah membaca banyak laporan- laporan akhbar yang menyatakan bahawa murid – murid keturunan India yang telah dinafikan Sijil Kelahiran telah tidak dibenarkan diterima terutamanya di sekolah- sekolah Tamil.

YAB/ YB kes kanak- kanak dinafikan sijil kelahiran sebenarnya adalah satu tragedi oleh kerana akan berlaku masalah bersangkut (chain reaction) dan implikasi jauh ke hadapan (far reaching consequences) bermula dari tidak dibenarkan masuk ke Sekolah Rendah, Sekolah Menengah, Kolej- kolej Kemahiran (Skills Training Institutions) Institusi Pengajian Tinggi dan Universiti di dalam dan luar negara, tidak boleh mendapat pinjaman Pendidikan dan Biasiswa. Juga mereka akan dinafikan lesen memandu motorsikal, motorkar van, bas dan lori untuk mendapat pekerjaan dan mencari makan. Mereka tidak dapat membuka akaun bank atau membeli rumah, motorsikal, kereta, lori atau van. Tidak akan dapat lesen berniaga. Tidak dapat buka walaupun sebuah gerai makanan. Tidak akan mendapat pekerjaan walaupun pekerjaan yang tidak memerlukan kemahiran seperti pengawal keselamatan atau pekerja am dikilang ataupun cleaner di pejabat.

Dan akhir sekali, mereka tidak dapat berkahwin. Jikalaupun mereka berkahwin anak- anak generasi mereka yang seterusnya mengalami masalah tiada sijil kelahiran dan masalah ini berlanjutan kesemuanya sekali lagi (all over again) kepada generasi berikutnya. Masalah sosial yang berbangkit adalah remaja India yang terjerumus ke dalam kegiatan kongsi gelap dan jenayah. Kami merasa amat dukacita olehkerana kerajaan terpaksa membelanjakan RM 1 Billion dalam Bajet 2010 kepada Polis Diraja Malaysia untuk menangani keselamatan dan jenayah termasuk membunuh dengan menembak mati antara lain lima orang pemuda India dalam satu hari termasuk seorang remaja berumur cuma 17 tahun dalam satu transaksi di Klang pada 8/11/09.

Anggaran kami adalah 150,000 kanak – kanak India yang hampir kesemuanya lahir di Malaysia malah ada yang dalam generasi ketiga, keempat dan kelima yang sengaja dinafikan sijil kelahiran oleh sebahagian daripada 1,016,799 ‘graduan’ Biro Tata Negara (rujuk UM Buletin 21/6/09 mukasurat 19) yang menolak pengeluaran Sijil Kelahiran atas alasan- alasan teknikal yang paling remeh. Persepsi kami adalah mereka sudahpun membuat keputusan untuk menolak atas dasar perkauman terutamanya apabila pemohon adalah dari golongan kelas pekerja dari masyarakat India.

Oleh yang demikian dalam penyelesaian ikhlas jangka pendek dan jangka panjang kami memohon supaya:-

1) Surat Pekeliling yang telah dikeluarkan pada penghujung tahun 2007 tersebut dibatalkan dan satu surat Pekeliling yang baru dikeluarkan oleh Ketua Setiausaha, Kementerian Pelajaran untuk tahun 2010 dengan arahan kepada terutamanya guru- guru besar dan Ketua- Ketua Jabatan Pelajaran supaya tidak menolak sebarang dan/ atau mana- mana murid keturunan India khususnya daripada dibenarkan masuk ke sekolah- sekolah rendah dan seterusnya.

2) Satu Surat Pekeliling dikeluarkan oleh Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri supaya kesemua kes kanak – kanak dari masyarakat India yang telah dinafikan Sijil Kelahiran dikenalpasti dengan segera dan diberikan Sijil Kelahiran dalam tempoh 60 hari dari tarikh disini.

Tindakan dan jawapan yang awal dari pihak YAB,YB disanjung tinggi.

Sekian,

Terima Kasih.

Yang Benar,

____________________

P.Uthayakumar

Setiausaha Agong (penaja)

Impoverished Indian families in Kampung Manis,Prai


Umno man says ‘Allah’ judgement will stir racial tension

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

A jubilant Father Lawrence holds up an Arabic version of the Holy Bible, said to contain the word Allah - Picture by Jack Ooi.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — One of Umno’s known hawks, Pasir Salak MP Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, lambasted the High Court judgement on the ‘Allah’ case today, saying that it would not solve anything but only ignite racial and religious tension.

The High Court today lifted the home minister’s ban against the Catholic church from publishing the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God in its weekly paper, Herald.

The landmark decision may be of joy for some 850,000 Catholics in the country but for Tajuddin, the suit itself, filed by Herald’s lawyers, is an act of provocation.

“What is their motive (for the suit) ? Why all of a sudden they want to use the word Allah when all this while they have been using the term God?

“This is definitely provocation, they are just using all this human rights, religious rights as excuses. This is sensitive to the Muslims and this will create racial and religious tension,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

The controversy over the word “Allah” has stirred huge debate among Christians and Muslims alike in Malaysia and attracted international attention as well.

The Home Minister, who controls giving the annual mandatory publishing permits in the country, had banned the church from using the word “Allah” outside the Muslim context.

But some have questioned if there can be a copyright over the word “Allah”, which Muslim representatives here say is a special word reserved to refer to the Muslim God, meaning “the one and only Almighty”.

The act of questioning the exclusivity of the word “Allah” for Muslims said Tajuddin is a clear indicator that “certain quarters” have become “bolder”.

“They have dared to do these things because the Muslims have been soft..but if you put some one in a corner, they will bounce back,” lamented the Pasir Salak MP.

“What the High Court thinks is right, may not necessarily be right outside (the court),” he added.

Meanwhile PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said Muslims must respect the decision of the High Court and remain calm.

“We must not be hasty and jump to conclusions. We should let the religious authorities to decide on its next course of action,” he said.

Asked if he agreed with the decision, Mahfuz ignored the question and reiterated that the country’s Muslims must respect the High Court decision and allow the religious authority to decide on its next course of action.

Though it is unclear if the Home Minister will seek to reverse the decision through the Appellate Court but he is likely to do so given the sensitivity of the issue.

Waytha Moorthy sues DAP’s DCM Penang, Ex Perak Exco, ASP Vasantha Kumar etc

HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MALAYSIA

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah,

Off Jalan Bangsar,

59000 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia

Tel: 03-2282 5241

Fax: 03-2282 5245

Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Media Event (31/12/09)

Re : Hindraf Chairman P.Waytha Moorthy’s RM 100 Million Defamation Suit against DCM of Penang, immediate past Exco Member of Perak, police ASP in disguise as a “Hindraf leader” a DAP leader and six other local media companies.

Date: 31/12/09

Time: 11.30 a.m.

Venue: Kuala Lumpur High Court, Jalan Duta, Ground Floor

Thank you,

Yours faithfully,


______________

S.JAYATHAS

Information Chief

Indian victims never newsmakers of the year.


Malaysiakini top ten news. Indians have to die at police hands to make it. Race based news worthiness in Malaysia?

Newsportal for the “underdogs”?

It has not only been this year but for almost the last eight years or so that we taken note that the only time even critical Indian issues get to the top 10 even in Malaysiakini (Malayasikini 28/12/09), the News portal for the “underdogs”? is when they lose their life at the hands of the Malay-sian authorities. kugan-griefThis year it was A. Kugan and that too it was the tail end at No.8 (Malaysiakini 28/12/09). We recallect that previously only S.Tharmarajen who also died in police custody and others who were killed in police custody made it to the top ten. Teoh Beng Hock was rightly made Malaysiakini’s news maker of 2009(Malaysiakini 30/12/09). But hundreds of other Indians also died very cruelly at the hands of the police but they don’t make it as the newsmaker of the year.

We must recognize however that during our most lean times Malaysiakini has given us the due coverage. We also appreciate their link to Top of blogs.

Most issues which concerns Indian victims however critical, unjust or unfair does not get the appropriate coverage for the only reason that the victims are Indians. klang-gh1The latest examples being the suicide of R. Seetha who committed suicide because her brother along with four other youths including a 17 year old juvenile were shot dead and killed in cold blooded murder by the police sharp shooters in their shoot to kill policy. 130820090831The Kampong Buah Pala the last traditional Indian village in Penang destruction by Kapitan Lim Guan Eng and ably aided and abetted by his Indian Mandores. p10204034And the 100 over year old hindu crematorium at Ladang Batu Pekaka, Kuala Ketil being destroyed by PAS. Pray tell us of one Chinese, Muslim, Christian or Buddhist cemetery that gets destroyed like this in Malaysia or in fact in any other part of the world including Somalia or even Zimbabwe.

But these three events would not qualify as the top ten stories even in “our” Malaysiakini because the victims are the poor and working class Indians.

Thus the present critical state of affairs concerning the Indians in Malaysia.

If even our Malaysiakini can do this to the Indians what more the mainstream print and electronic media.

The press deem these Indian stories not press worthy meaning it does not appeal to the majoritarian Malay natives and the Chinese who make up about 92% of the population.

The Indians who make up a mere 8% however critical their problems are do not qualify to be the top ten or even most other news on a day to day basis. Simply because they are Indians Thus the critical Indian problems getting worst by the day as it does not get the appropriate attention.

This is where the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the western world differs in that they do not use race as the yardstick for press worthiness but in fact even bend backwards to cover the weak minorities because the rich and powerful majority will be taken care of somehow.

In the aforesaid case where 5 Indians were shot dead by the police Malaysiakini covered their story only after a victim’s sister committed suicide after also giving her four children paraquat but who survived. But a Chinese national who was detained for eight days at a police lock instantly gets Malaysiakini coverage because it is newsworthy”.

Malaysia today is another classical example. RPK would cover just about any other issue expect when the victims are Indians. Go through his site and see for yourself if he excludes critical Indian issue.

Needless to mention UMNOs’, NST, Utusan, Berita Harian and the Star, Sun Malay Mail etc.

We have asked many many reporters including the many Indian reporters after a lengthy explanation as to why they sideline and side-step reporting even on the critical Indian problems. They all have no answer and remain mum. This is what we have for freedom of the press in Malaysia and reporting going by “news worthiness”.

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Cheif

Who do you think is “Indian of the year 2007-2009″ ?


Survey from:-

imol

http://www.indianmalaysian.com/sound/modules.php?name=Surveys&pollID=8

Current Poll Results

Who do you think is “Indian of the year 2007″ ?
Kayveyas, PPP President2 %2 %2 % 2.93% (83)
Nallakaruppan, MIUP president0 %0 %0 % 0.21% (6)
Pandithan, IPF president0 %0 %0 % 0.11% (3)
Subramaniam, Former MIC Deputy President2 %2 %2 % 2.36% (67)
Samy Vellu, MIC President1 %1 %1 % 1.16% (33)
Uthayakumar, Hindraf Legal Advisor93 %93 %93 % 93.22% (2641)

cry-freedom-batu-caves-175092

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Malaysia no longer “Tanah Melayu”,we're all citizens of Bumi Malaysia now. Notes dedicated to Teo Beng Hock

The idea of “Tanah Melayu” must be reflected upon — of its relevancy and whether it is a kind of ideological thinking that will help develop a culture of peace or help nurture inter-racial hatred.
A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE
Azly Rahman
http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/2009/12/azly-rahman-lecture-on-culture-and.html
I dedicate these notes to Teo Beng Hock, a young Malaysian who ought to be an inspiration to many wishing to call Malaysia home.

Because we have agreed to become a country rooted in a social contract that ought to give equality, equity, and equal opportunity to all who have given up their natural rights in exchange for “citizenship” and the rights of the State to tax them (with or without representation), we must recognize that Malaysia is for Malaysians. 1Malaysia concept must abolish all forms of discrimination and institionalize good diversity and affirmative action policies.

This will be the most humane perspective we ought to work towards in holding. What is needed is a system of check and balance that will ensure that each generation of Malaysians will progress without the trappings of mistrust, hatred, and institutionalized racism.

But first, we must all fight for the installation of this reality. Political will that will move this agenda of ethical liberalism must be harnessed and be made the driving force for social, cultural, educational, and psychological change.

The idea of “Tanah Melayu” must be reflected upon — of its relevancy and whether it is a kind of ideological thinking that will help develop a culture of peace or help nurture inter-racial hatred.

Communal politics is an old school thinking that cannot survive the wave of cosmopolitanism; just like the any idea that could not survive the inevitability of historical change propelled by changes in material condition and consciousness.

In Malaysia, the days of communal politics are numbered, however well it is packaged and propagandized. Multiculturalism, and in fact radical multiculturalism, or better still radical marhaenism is the next wave. Institutions that promote racism must be deconstructed and abolished; institutions that are funded by the ruling regime to ensure the hegemony of this or that race. Dismantle them before they become yet another layer of complexity in our consciousness; a layer that hides the structural violence inherent in a system of racism and false consciousness called “nationalistic history”.

The only permanent thing is change, as the Chinese philosopher and mystic Lao Tzu said. Man has no nature, what he has is history, said the Spanish philosopher Ortega Gasset.

And there will be beauty in this change if we know how to destroy the beast within.

I am reproducing an essay I wrote sometime ago on "New Bumiputeraism”

--
Time for new ‘bumiputera-ism’

… kini kita cuma tinggal kuasa
yang akan menentukan bangsa
hasil mengalir, ke tangan yang lain
pribumi merintih sendiri…


My loose translation of this 1980s propaganda song by the Biro Tata Negara reads:

“… political power is what we are only left with
one that will determine the fate of our nation
wealth of this nation flows into the hands of others
sons and daughters of the soil suffer in solace..."


I do not think we have a clear understanding of what the lyrics means. I doubt if the songwriter even understand what a ‘people's history of Malaya’ means.

History is a complex syntagmatic pattern of interplay between technology, ideology, culture, inscription and institutionalisation not easily reduced to simplistic lyrics as such sung to the tune of pre-war German-nationalistic-sounding compositions.

History is about the complex evolution of the ruling class who owns the technologies of control. As Marx would say, at every epoch it is the history of those who own the means of production that will be written and rewritten. The winners write history, the losers write poetry or study anthropology.

Back to the lyrics. After more than 50 years of independence, who is suffering in Malaysia? Who has become wealthy? Who has evolved into robber barons?

Language of power and ideology is at play in those lyrics. The definition of ‘bumiputera’ is at play. It has become a problematic word in this age of deconstructionism; an age wherein as the poet WB Yeats said, “the centre cannot hold”.

Rock musicians will recall the Scorpions’ famous song ‘Winds of Change’ to serenade the fall of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the breakdown of the Soviet Empire. We have to face the ‘wrath’ of the word.

Process of rebirth


There is an old Malay practice in Johor of renaming a child ‘Buang’ if his given name does not ‘suit’ him. My grand-uncle who passed away in the early 1970s had ‘Buang’ as a name. His old name did not suit him. He was often sick when he was a child ‘carrying’ his old name. Buang means ‘discard’. I would call it with a more noble word ‘reconceptualisation’, so that we may now talk about the ‘reconceptualisation of bumiputera-ism’.

Several semesters ago, when I was lecturing an undergraduate class in African philosophy, using Chinhua Achebe's novel ‘Things Fall Apart’, I began to understand how similar my grand-uncle's predicament is with that of the main character , Okonkwo, of that great African novel. ‘The Lion King’ explained the concept even better.

The name ‘bumiputera’ has to undergo ‘reconceptualisation’. The Indonesians had their process of ‘Buang-isation’ perhaps as Bung Karno (Soekarno) had envisioned. It has to undergo ‘rebirth’ or karma, as the Hindus would say.

We indulge in this ritual called ‘election’, another problematic word, commissioned to be executed ‘fairly’. When we are done with the general election, when we have shaken up the illusionary foundation of race that define ‘bumiputera-ism’, when we have begun to realise that it id the unseen hands of local and international corporate-crony-crypto-conspicuous-consuming capitalist class that is corrupting our material, emotional, ideological and spiritual landscape, we will start our post-mortem session on this process of ‘Buang-isation’ or ‘reconceptualisation’ of this idea of ‘bumiputera-ism’.

But the present regime cannot perform this process of Malaysian ‘divining’ and ‘discarding’. It cannot conduct this ‘Buang-isation’ ceremony because it no longer possess a good spiritual core. Its "vegetative soul", as the Islamic philosopher Professor Syed Naguib Alatas would call it, is too calloused with the carcinogens of corruption that its "rational soul" is forever lost and transported into the yuga (spiritual age) of this materially corrupt world - the kali yuga.

The ceremony must be performed by a group of philosopher-rulers whose idealism lies in the establishment of a 'republic of virtue'; one that drives its economic foundation from the accumulation of ‘spiritual and metaphysical’ rather than the material capital. ‘Das Kapital’ of the spiritual accumulation of wealth will be the product of this divination. Georg Hegel would agree with this idea of spiritual revolution. It cannot be performed by investment bankers-cum-politicians.

Names connote and denote something. Words, Pinker or Lacan or any of the bio-semioticians/linguistic anthropologists would say, carry metaphors and manifestations of history, material, power, knowledge and ideology. Worse still these words become institutions and become institutionalised into architectures of power and control.

Writers such as Lewis Mumford and Jacques Ellul have analysed this phenomena of architectures of power as these structure relate to the nature of Man within the context of the language in which he/she is situated.

‘Bumiputera’ is one such word. A problematic word. A word that assumes race and religion as one. To say that a Malay is generally a Muslim and hence a 'bumiputera' and therefore have special rights and privileges is an imprecise way of explaining a concept. It is an old-school approach to defining that word.

We must find ways to enrich the concept better so that it will become inclusive. Who toils for the soil? Labour, more than language, seems to be more a more linguistically just way to look at the definition of bumiputera and how we will go about the ‘Buangi-sation’ process.

We need a premise for this process though. Let’s begin with this phrase: “We hold these truths to be self-evident and Divine-ly sanctioned that All Malaysians are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator the inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, happiness, justice and social equality… and we shall resoundingly declare that from now on we will be constructed as equal and be called ‘the new bumiputera’...

Sounds like a Rousseauin, Lockean, and Jeffersonian ideal locked in one, with a Malaysian ethos as its foundation. Sounds like what the Quran, Bible, Bhagavad Gita, Sutras, Puranas, Tao Te' Chng , Granth Sahib and Tibetan Book of the Dead would advocate.

That can be our premise for this radical change. Now the second stage of the ‘Buang-isation’ process can begin.

Critique the ideology

We must do something different to ourselves if we are to move to the next level of evolution as Malaysians.

Let us reconstruct the old concept of ‘bumiputera’ so that we will have a better foundation in preparation for a redefinition in the Federal Constituition - so that the constitution can now protect all rather that the few. Isn't democracy for the powerful few only good for plutocracy?

Yes - who is a ‘bumiputera’? After more than 50 years this term should have evolved and changed. The base and superstructure, the ideology and material foundation, and the body and spirit of this nation-state called Malaysia have changed.

The old definition has run its course. It is fine to see this as the right time to change. We must remember that words get refined and redefined in the course of history. Ask any linguist in any Malaysian university.

Words like democracy, freedom, justice and equality get reconceptualised after every social revolution. Words like Malays, Indians, Chinese, East and West Malaysians used as classification systems are good during the colonial period and in the early years of independence. They have lost their connotative and denotative power as pass the 50th year of independence.

Language is reality - words become flesh, inscriptions become institutions.

Redefine what ‘bumiputera’ means, so that we will not be forced to sing more propaganda songs.

After more than 50 years of Merdeka, aren't we all bumiputera now?

PAS, PKR and UMNO destroys hindu cemetery in Kedah. DAP won’t disturb Chinese cemetery in Penang.

In fact the DAP has bent backwards to protect the Chinese graves that even went beyond the Chinese cemetery boundaries and spilling onto the adjoining land (refer The Star 23/12/09 at page N16 below). But when it was the Indian Village Kg. Buah Pala this very same DAP destroyed the last traditional Indian village in Penang in October 2009 while PAS last week destroyed the local 100 over year old hindu cemetery, the last piece of history and heritage of the Indian plantation workers of Ladang Pekaka, Kuala Ketil, Kedah. And PKR destroyed the Ampang Hindu temple in early 2009. UMNO has a record of destroying one hindu temple in every week during the terror reign of former Selangor Menteri Besar Khir Toyo (reply by Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid to ADUN for Kota Alam Shah, Maoharan Malayalam at the Selangor State Assembly early this year). And all these atrocities by UMNO, PKR, PAS and DAP done with impunity.

This is the UMNO, PKR, PAS and DAP rulers set of justice when it comes to the Indians and Hindus in Malaysia. Why the double standards?

The bottom line is the Chinese and the Malays both have the economic and political clout which the Indians don’t. So the Indians are both the soft targets and easy prey to be bullied and to be pushed about and around by both UMNO and also PKR, DAP and PAS. This is the race based political reality in UMNOs’ Malaysia vis a vis PKR DAP and PAS.

P. Uthayakumar.

29/12/09

pkr-pas

PAS, PKR and UMNO destroys hindu cemetery in Kedah. DAP won’t disturb Chinese cemetery in Penang

In fact the DAP has bent backwards to protect the Chinese graves that even went beyond the Chinese cemetery boundaries and spilling onto the adjoining land (refer The Star 23/12/09 at page N16 below). But when it was the Indian Village Kg. Buah Pala this very same DAP destroyed the last traditional Indian village in Penang in October 2009 while PAS last week destroyed the local 100 over year old hindu cemetery, the last piece of history and heritage of the Indian plantation workers of Ladang Pekaka, Kuala Ketil, Kedah. And PKR destroyed the Ampang Hindu temple in early 2009. UMNO has a record of destroying one hindu temple in every week during the terror reign of former Selangor Menteri Besar Khir Toyo (reply by Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid to ADUN for Kota Alam Shah, Maoharan Malayalam at the Selangor State Assembly early this year). And all these atrocities by UMNO, PKR, PAS and DAP done with impunity.

This is the UMNO, PKR, PAS and DAP rulers set of justice when it comes to the Indians and Hindus in Malaysia. Why the double standards?

The bottom line is the Chinese and the Malays both have the economic and political clout which the Indians don’t. So the Indians are both the soft targets and easy prey to be bullied and to be pushed about and around by both UMNO and also PKR, DAP and PAS. This is the race based political reality in UMNOs’ Malaysia vis a vis PKR DAP and PAS.

P. Uthayakumar.

29/12/09

pkr-pas

MRSM BAGI KESEMUA 817 PELAJAR SEKOLAH TAMIL 7A BAGI KEMASUKAN TINGKATAN SATU 2010 (Letter to PM and Education Minister) .

HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MALAYSIA

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245 Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Your Reference :

In Reply : HRP/ DEC/ 09

Date : 29/12/2009

YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak

Perdana Menteri Malaysia

Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax: 03-88883444

62502 Putrajaya E-Mail : najib@pmo.gov.my.

Y.B Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Menteri Pelajaran,

Pejabat Menteri Pelajaran,

Aras 10, Block E8,

Complex Kerajaan Parcal E, Fax: 03-8889 5846

62604 Putrajaya. E- Mail: khairulam@moe.gov.my

MRSM BAGI KESEMUA 817 PELAJAR SEKOLAH TAMIL 7A BAGI KEMASUKAN TINGKATAN SATU 2010 .

Kami rujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas dan ingin membawa kepada perhatian pihak YAB/YB yang seramai 817 pelajar Sekolah Tamil dari seluruh negara telah mendapat keputusan cemerlang 7A dalam peperiksaan Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) dan kejayaan mereka ini telah menjadi tajuk utama dalam akhbar- akhbar Malaysia Nanban, Tamil Nesan dan Makkal Osai pada 20/11/2009 dan seterusnya selama berhari-hari selepas daripada itu.

Menurut laporan akhbar Utusan Malaysia pada 29/11/09 di muka surat 8 dan akhbar New Straits Times di muka surat 20 bertajuk ‘Mara College letters out next month’, kami ingin membawa kepada perhatian pihak YAB/YB bahawa sehingga kini tidak ada seorang pun penuntut dari kalangan 817 penuntut sekolah Tamil tersebut yang telah menerima surat tawaran penerimaan ke Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM).

Kami ingin memaklumkan kepada pihak YAB/YB bahawa kesemua 817 pelajar sekolah Tamil tersebut telah tidak mendapat sebarang pengiktirafan yang sewajarnya sebagaimana yang diberikan kepada pelajar- pelajar Melayu Islam yang lain berdasarkan Sistem Pendidikan Kebangsaan di bawah Polisi Satu Malaysia yang menjadi asas kepada Pembangunan Malaysia.

Pelajar sekolah Kebangsaan hanya boleh mendapat maksima 5A. Tetapi ke manakah 817 pelajar sekolah Tamil ini yang mendapat keputusan cemerlang 7A ini harus pergi sekiranya mereka tidak diberi peluang ini dalam menguatkan dan mengukuhkan lagi kepintaran mereka dan seterusnya pembangunan negara.

Ekoran daripada ini, kami ingin menyarankan bahawa kesemua 817 pelajar sekolah Tamil yang mendapat 7A ini dan juga kesemua murid – murid dari masyarakat India dari Sekolah Kebangsaan yang mendapt 5A harus diberi peluang dan diterima masuk ke dalam 12,440 tempat (BH 21/11/09 page 7) di 42 Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) yang berasrama penuh (NST 5/4/08 mukasurat 7) dan sekolah berasrama penuh bagi kemasukan ke Tingkatan Satu pada sesi persekolahan tahun 2010. Dengan kemasukan 817 pelajar sekolah Tamil ini ke dalam MRSM dan juga di sekolah – sekolah berasrama penuh ini ianya akan membuktikan keikhlasan dasar Satu Malaysia yang diwar-warkan oleh Perdana Menteri Dato Seri Najib Razak.

Kami juga memohon yang apabila mereka diterima masuk kelak, mereka harus diberi jaminan Kerajaan berkenaan kebebasan beragama mereka dimana mereka tidak harus disuruh atau dipaksa memakai tudung, menghadiri kelas agama Islam; menganuti ugama Islam dan mengambil bahagian dalam hal- hal yang berkaitan dengan agama lain selain daripada agama mereka sendiri seperti yang termaktub dalam Artikel 11 (Kebebasan berugama) dan dibaca bersama dengan Article 12 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang memperuntukkan “ No person shall be required to receive instruction in or to take part in any ceremony or act of worship of a religion other than his own”.

Dalam keadaan ini kami juga meminta Kerajaan agar membina satu MRSM Tamil sebagaimana MRSM PDRM untuk anak- anak Polis, MRSM ATM untuk anak- anak Tentera dan MRSM FELDA untuk anak- anak peneroka Felda.. MRSM Tamil ini juga akan membantu memberi ransangan, semangat dan motivasi kepada 817 pelajar yang mendapat 7A dan juga lain – lain 110,000 pelajar dari 523 Sekolah Tamil di seluruh negara dan juga pelajar lain dari kalangan masyarakat India dari sekolah – sekolah Kebangsaan untuk terus cemerlang dalam pelajaran mereka dan seterusnya menyalurkan kepintaran mereka untuk mengukuhkan lagi pembangunan sejagat negara Malaysia khususnya dari segi intelektual.

Jawapan dan tindakan segera pihak YAB/YB dalam perkara ini disanjung tinggi.

Sekian,

Terima Kasih,

Yang Benar,

____________________

P.Uthayakumar

Setiausaha Agong (penaja)