Keluarga Hindu diugut & dinafikan kebebasan hak beragama dan penganiyaan oleh JAIM

Date  :    31^th July 2010
YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak Prime Minister of Malaysia, Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,             Fax: 03-88883444 62502 Putrajaya         E-Mail: najib@pmo.gov.my
Y.B Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Menteri Kementerian Dalam Negeri, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, 
Blok D1 & D2, Kompleks D, 
Pusat Pentadbiran, 
Kerajaan Persekutuan,                        Fax: 03-2693 3131 
62546 Putrajaya              E-Mail: menteri@moha.gov.my
Y.B. SENATOR MEJAR JENERAL (B) DATO’ SERI JAMIL KHIR BIN BAHAROM Minister in The Prime Minister’s Department, 
Level 9, Block D7, Parcel D, 
Federal Government Administrative Centre,                                Fax: 03-8888 4952 
62519 PUTRAJAYA.        E-mail: menteri@islam.gov.my
YAB/Y.B, Per: Keluarga Hindu diugut & dinafikan kebebasan hak beragama dan penganiyaan oleh JAIM
Merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut diatas kami membawa kepada perhatian pihak tuan berkenaan satu keluarga Hindu yang dipaksa memuluk agama Islam berikut:-

Nama  Hindu	Nama Islam yang dipaksa	No KP dan status yang dipaksa
Rani (Ibu)	Jamilah Binti Kadir	640425-10-7934  (Islam)
Muniandy a/l Munusamy (ayah)	Mustapha Muniandy bin Abdullah	K/P 5702390 (Islam) 580913-10-6023
Vijaya Letchumy a/p Muniandy (anak)	Aishah Binti Mustapha Muninady	830321-10-5894 (Hindu)
Ganesan a/l Muniandy (anak)	Abdul Bin Mustapha Munindy	840917-10-6037 (Islam)
Nagendran a/l Muniandy (anak)	Hamzah  Bin Mustapha Munindy	861101-43-5877 (Islam)
Chitradevi a/p Munindy	Chitra Devi Binti Mustapa	940425-10-6354 (Islam)

Mereka sekeluarga ini adalah penganut ugama Hindu yang dianiyai oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka (JAIM). Mereka mengamalkan ugama Hindu dan hidup sebagai orang Hindu. Selama 18 tahun yang lampau mereka telah berjuang supaya nama dan status agama Islam dalam Kad Pengenalan mereka ditukar.
Kronologi  Rani (Jamilah Binti Kadir) adalah anak perempuan kepada Aminah A/P Ahmadu & ayahnya Abdullah Kadir A/L Abdullah yang berasal dari Banting, Selangor.  16 hari selapas Jamilah dilahirkan, Ibunya telah menyerahkan Rani kepada jiran mereka bernama Kandasamy(Hindu) sebagai anak mereka.
Rani dibesarkan sebagai seorang Hindu dan pada umur 16 tahun Rani telah dikahwinkan dengan Munindy a/l Munusamy. Mereka berkahwin secara sah disisi ugama Hindu di Kuil Teluk Bunut Banting dengan adat istiadat Hindu. Mereka telah tidak mendaftarkan perkahwinan mereka.
Kehidupan keluarga mereka menjadi kucar-kacir setelah Rani mengandung dan beliau pergi ke hospital Seremban untuk pemeriksaan doktor pada tahun 1983. Pada masa tersebut jururawat hospital tersebut telah mendapati kad pegenalan Rani sebagai orang Islam. Pihak hospital telah melaporkan perkara ini kepada pihak polis. Pada malam itu pegawai daripada Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri Sembilan telah datang kerumah Rani dan beliau memeriksa Kad Pengenalan mereka lalu menahan suaminya Muniandy dan diugut jika beliau tidak memeluk ugama Islam beliau akan dipenjara untuk 6 tahun. Kerana tekanan, ugutan dan tidak mahu dipenjara 6 tahun Muniandy takut dan telah tunduk kepada kehendak Jabatan Agama Negeri Sembilan dan dia telah disunat pada hari yang sama.
Selepas daripada itu Jabatan JAINS telah membawa Rani dan Muniandy untuk berjumpa ibu kandung Rani. Ibu kandung Rani iaitu Aminah A/P Ahmadu telah megesahkan dan membenarkan anaknya Rani dibesarkan oleh keluarga angkat secara Hindu. Namun pihak JAINS enggan menerima alasan ibu Rani dan JAIM menikahkan mereka secara paksa.
Rani sekeluarga telah berpindah ke Melaka pada tahun 2000 dan telah pergi ke JAIM dan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) (dengan membawa surat akuan bersumpah yang menyatakan bahawa beliau sedang mengamalkan agama Hindu) lebih-kurang 18 kali untuk tukar status agama mereka tetapi pihak berkenaan tidak peduli dengan kehendak mereka.
Ibu Rani, Aminah A/P Ahmadu telah menulis surat akuan (dilampirkan besama) kepada Ustaz Liew dari Masjid Al-Azim, Melaka:-
Walaupun Rani telah dinikahkan mengikut agama Islam, mereke masih mengamalkan upacara orang Hindu dan tidak pernah mengikut upacara dan adat resam orang Islam. Sejak lahir hingga sekarang anak saya masih meneruskan kehidupannya sebagai orang Hindu dan tidak pernah mengikut upacara ataupun adat resam orang Islam. Aminah memohon kepada JAIM supaya membenarkan Rani untuk terus mengamalkan agama Hindu.
Selepas surat akuan Aminah A/P Ahmadu bertarikh 10/03/2008 ini kepada JAIM,  Ustaz Liew dan rombongan telah meziarah kediaman Rani dan mengesahkan bahwa Rani dan sekeluarga mengamal agama Hindu. Dua minggu kemudian Ustaz Liew memanggil keluarga ini ke Masjid Al Azim dimana Rani, Vijaya Letcumi, Ganesan, Nagendran dan Chitra ditemuduga berasingan oleh pegawai JAIM.
Pegawai yang temuduga Rani cuba merasuahkannya dengan jawatan dalam kerajaan, bantuan kabajikan dll kalau mereka terus berstatus dalam Islam. Rani menolak dan menyatakan yang beliau tetap akan mengamalkan agama Hindu. Pegawai JAIM tersebut telah naik berang dan terus ugut Rani bahawa dia akan dipenjarakan kerana ini. Lalu Rani telah berkata “walaupun saya dipenjarakan, saya tetap akan berpegang kepada agama Hindu”. Selepas temuduga, pegawai JAIM mengesahkan Rani sekeluarga mengamalkan agama Hindu. Uztaz Liew memberitahu yang beliau akan memberi jawapan dalam dua (2) minggu namun selepas itu tiada jawapan. Selepas 2 minggu anak Rani bernama Ganesan telah pergi ke JAIM dan berjumpa dengan seorang pegawai bernama Nazri (012-7117098) Apabila ditanya Nazri dengan angkuh telah memberitahu Ganesan yang mereka tidak boleh buat apa-apa dan suruh dapatkan peguam membela mereka.
Minggu berikutnya Rani pergi ke JAIM dan berjumpa Ustaz Liew (017-2538968). Rani sekali lagi merayu namun Ustaz Liew hanya menyuruh mereka untuk terus amal agama Hindu dan hanya masa meninggal dunia pihak JAIM akan ambil dan kebumikan mayat mereka sebagai orang Islam. Adakah ini cara seorang Ustaz mencari penyelesai bagi keluarga Rani?
Kini Ganesan telahpun berkahwin dengan seorang wanita yang berugama Hindu dan isterinya sedang mengandung tetapi kad pegenalan Ganesan berstatus Islam. Rani memberitahu kami bahawa Ganesan sedang mengalami tekanan jiwa dan mahu membunuh diri olehkerana masalah paksaan memuluk kepada ugama Islam ini. Jika apa-apa berlaku pada keluarga Rani, pihak JAIM dan kerajaan Malaysia harus bertanggungjawab atas musihbah yang melanda mereka. Sehingga ke hari ini hanya Vijaya Letchumy seorang sahaja yang telah berjaya menukar status agama beliau dari Islam kepada Hindu.
Artikel 11 Perlembagaan menjamin kebebasan berugama. Setahu kami tidak ada paksaan dalam Islam. Kami ada pengetahuan mengenai hadis Nabi s.a.w. yang berbunyi “kepada kamu ugama kamu kepada aku ugama aku”.
Kami meminta kerjasama dan tindakan awal daripada pihak Yang Amat Berhormat / Y.B agar mendapat satu penyelesaian segera setelah 18 tahun penderitaan keluarga ini untuk meneruskan kehidupan mereka sebagai orang Hindu dan mengikut adat resam Hindu yang telah diamalkan selama ini.
Kerjasama daripada pihak tuan amatlah dihargai.
Sekian, Terima Kasih.
Yang benar,
S. Jayathas
(012 – 636 2287)
Ketua Penerangan Pusat,
HRP dan HINDRAF
c.c:  Tan Sri Mohd Sidek bin Haji Hassan          Ketua Setiausaha Negara                          Pejabat Ketua Setiausaha Negara
Aras 4, Blok Timur,                                                                               
Bangunan Perdana Putra                                            
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan          No Faks: 03-88883382 
62502 Putrajaya                     Email:  ksu@moha.gov.my
Dato’ Sri Mahmood bin Adam Ketua Setiausaha,  Kementerian Dalam Negera, Aras 12, Block D1, Kompleks D,    Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan 62540 Putrajaya                 No. Faks: 03-88891758
Dato’ Haji Wan Mohamad Bin Dato’ Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ketua Pengarah JAKIM Aras 9, Blok D7, Parcel D, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan    No. Faks: 03-88892033 W.P. Putrajaya                                                  E-mail : wan@islam.gov.my

Hindu family practicing Hinduism forced to convert to Islam by Jabatan Agama Islam (Islamic Religious Department)

 



No.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel : 03-2282 5241
Fax : 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com E-mail: info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Your Reply :
In Reply :
HRP Media Event 31/07/2010 (Saturday)
RE: 1. Hindu family practicing Hinduism forced to convert to Islam by Jabatan Agama Islam
(Islamic Religious Department)
2. National Registration Department unlawfully refuse to change and register name and status of this family to Hindus.
Date : 31/072010 (Saturday)
Time : 11.30 a.m
Venue : As above
Note : The family members would be present.
Thank you.
Your faithfully,
____________________
S.Jayathas
(Information Chief)
(H/P No : 012-636 2287)

Six Indian victims still in jail after beaten by Malay mob & then by Malay-sian police & their 3 cars smashed up. Letter of appeal to High Court Judge for their release.

KUMAR HASHIMAH & CO No 6(A), Jalan Abdullah,
PEGUAMBELA & PEGUAMCARA Jalan Bangsar,
ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS 59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel : 03-2282 5622
Fax : 03-2282 5245
P. UTHAYAKUMAR. LL.B, CLP.
____________________________
9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Sat. & Sunday – Closed
Your Reference :
In Reply Please Quote : MSIC/JULY/2010
Date : 28/07/2010

Setiausaha kepada,
Yang Arif Dato Wira Mokhtaruddin bin Baki,
Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya di Shah Alam,
(Bahagian Jenayah)
Tingkat 3, Bangunan Mahkamah,
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul
Aziz Shah, Persiaran Pegawai, BY Fax 03-55190630
Seksyen 5, 40000 Shah Alam. BY E-Mail: mohtarudin@kehakiman.gov.my
Yang Arif,

Per: 1. Permohonan Rayuan Semakan terhadap Perintah Reman lima hari terhadap enam lapan orang oleh Makhamah Majistret Sepang
2. Anakguam dipukul dan dicederakan oleh sekumpulan 100 orang samseng Melayu dihadapan mata kepala pihak polis dan kemudian dipukl dan dicederakan oleh anggota polis di balai polis Sepang
3. Seorangpun kumpulan 100 orang tersebut tidak ditangkap polis walaupun tiga kereta anakguam juga dipecahkan dihadapan mata kepala pihak polis.
Kami merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas dimana kami bertindak bagi pihak: –
1) Selvakumar (801006-05-5433)
2) Sivasoorian Thangavaloo (780111-05-5267)
3) Rashidi bin Abdul Ghani (870904-05-5709)
4) Vasanthan Marimuthu (840530-05-5351)
5) Devendran Pannirselvam (870315-05-5583)
6) Murugan Rengasamy (780614-05-5111)
Pada 26/07/2010 anakguam kami ini telah diperintahkan untuk telah ditahan reman selama lima (5) hari oleh Mahkamah Majistret Sepang.
Kami dengan ini dengan rendah diri membuat Rayuan Semakan ini menurut Seksyen 323 Kanun Acara Jenayah.
Fakta kes anakguam kami adalah menurut surat Human Rights Party bertarikh 26/07/2010 kepada YAB Perdana Menteri Malaysia, YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Y.B Menteri Dalam Negeri yang bertarikh 26/07/2010 bertajuk “ Malay-sian police abets 100 violent malay mob against Indians in Sepang. Why no UMNO, KDN,IGP, AG and Home Minister’s action? No police protection for the Indians. Sesalinan surat ini dilampirkan bersama disini untuk rujukan senang pihak Mahkamah.
Kami dengan ini memohon untuk satu tarikh perbicaraan untuk Rayuan Semakan ini pada kadar segera dan jika dibenarkan pada sebelah petang hari ini juga bersamaan 28hb Julai 2010 terutamanya tetapi tidak terhadap kepada dengan terdapatnya laporan Polis No BBST No 2843/10 yang anakguam kami telah dipukul dengan teruk, tidak tahan sakit dan dicederakan oleh anggota-anggota polis dibalai polis Sepang.
Kami memohon maaf terhadap segala kesulitan yang timbul.
Budi-bicara kerjasama dan tindakan segera pihak Mahkamah dalam perkara ini disanjung tinggi.
Sekian
Terima Kasih
Yang Benar,
s.k
1. Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail
Attorney General of Malaysia.
Aras 1-8, Block C3, Parcel C Fax: 88889369
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan Email: ag@agc.gov.my
62512 Putrajaya
2. Encik Mohd Azari bin Harun,
Ketua Unit Pendakwaan,
Pejabat Timbalan Pendakwaraya,
Negeri Selangor.
Tingkat 4, Podium Selatan,
Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin,
Abdul Aziz Shah,
40512 Shah Alam Fax: 03 – 5544 7971
3. Supt Zahedi bin Ayob
Ketua Polis Daerah Sepang
Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Sepang
Bandar Baru Salak Fax: 03 – 8706 8592
43900, Sepang Selangor Email: benayobzahedi@yahoo.com

Endless misery of Bkt Jalil Estate

While Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim offers better plans for the Malay muslim Kg.Baru
settlers, what plans does he have for the poor Indian former plantation workers of…

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While Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim offers better plans for the Malay muslim Kg.Baru
settlers, what plans does he have for the poor Indian former plantation workers of Ladang Bkt.Jalil which is in his Parliamentary
constituency Bandar Tun Razak?
S.JAYATHAS

"I was born here and worked all my life in this estate, now they want ask us to leave with RM6000 and a low cost flat, they want to demolish our temple, they want to relocate our Tamil school to a religious school but at the same time they promise to negotiate and look at our miseries and plights" That are the words from the workers and former workers of Ladang Bukit Jalil, they are willing to co-operate with the government if at a fair compensation is offered. The MP for Bandar Tun Razak is non other than the Chief Minister of Selangor, Khalid Ibrahim. CJ Arvind Raj had the opportunity to witness several digital photographs of documents which stated that the Lot No.45584 as "TDK" and not "STATE LAND"
Video by Citizen Journalist, Arvind Raj

Prof Francis Boyle – Aparthied-type policies are Crimes Against Humanity

Prof Francis Boyle – Aparthied-type policies are Crimes Against Humanity
Professor Francis A. Boyle, an expert in international law at the University of Illinois College of Law, said at a convention in Connecticut that Sri Lanka is a violator of the Apartheid Convention, and that the world should, without delay, intensify a ‘divestment and disinvestment campaign’ against Sri Lanka in the same lines and for the same reason the world did this against the criminal apartheid regime in South Africa."

Article I of the Apartheid Convention, more formally known as the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (ICSPCA), labels the crime of Apartheid as a "crime against humanity," and declares that "inhuman acts resulting from the policies and practices of racial segregation and discrimination are crimes violating the principles or international law…"

Prof. Boyle said the long history of discriminatory policies instituted by successive governments including desecration of cemeteries and cultural symbols overwhelmingly qualify as an apartheid regime, and therefore should be prosecuted as a violator of the Apartheid Convention.

Denying to a group basic human rights and freedom, the right to freedom of opinion and expression also qualifies.

Prof. Boyle pointed out that there is some degree of overlap between Apartheid treaty and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He added that while some nations avoided becoming signatory to the Rome Statute, the crimes against humanity fall into the category of peremptory norms, and the international laws are binding on Governments even when the countries are not signatories to the conventions.

Earlier on another issue of deportations, he said that, "deportation without any reason is illegal, when refugees without visa were not deported."

Rome Statute
http://www.tamilnet.com/img/publish/2010/02/rome_statute.pdf

Text of Aparthied Convention
http://www.tamilnet.com/img/publish/2010/07/ApartheidConvention.pdf

A Tale of Two Temples by Farish A. Noor

Editor’s Note: Up to date this Hindu temple problems remain unresolved. Even the Mariamman hindu temple in Shah Alam that was said to be the spark for the 25^th November 2007 HINDRAF Rally has refused to be granted land by even the new PKR Selangor government. UMNO, PKR, DAP and PAS has refused to grant land to all Hindu temples all in on go in the states they rule including Kedah, Penang and Selangor. Because they will lose Malay votes!

A Tale of Two Temples

by Farish A. Noor

Tuesday, 04 December 2007

While meandering about in downtown Saigon recently I chanced upon the Sri Mariaman temple close to Ben Thanh market. It was an interesting visit to say the least, for the riotous colour of the temple were matched by the riotous conjunction of many faiths that had come together in that singular enclosed and sacred space.
The reasons for this are obvious to those familiar with Vietnam’s recent history: In 1975 when Saigon finally fell to the triumphant North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong, practically all the foreigners and migrant residents had made a bee line for the dock. The temples, churches and mosques of Saigon – thenafter renamed Ho Chi Minh city – were left vacant and the devotees wondered if they would be allowed to remain standing at all after their departure. At the height of the Cold War the Vietnamese Communists were seen as a rather uncompromising, tiresomely dogmatic, no-fun bloodthirsty lot and many had assumed that the religious texts would be recycled as toilet paper (as the Khmer Rouge treated the Bibles and Qurans that fell into their hands later) and that the sacred sites would be desacralised in the most outlandish manner.
But what followed next was a surprise to many: They, the dreaded Commies, not only allowed the religious buildings to remain, but they also made use of them in a host of imaginative ways. Many of the churches and mosques were restored and preserved, and some were turned into schools or clinics. Not a stone was touched, save by the restorer’s paint brush.
Today the Sri Mariaman temple in central Saigon has once again become a religious site for many, but ironically most of the devotees happen to be Buddhists and Taoists, not Hindu – for there are scarcely a dozen Hindus left in the city. So I sat and watched as mothers and aunts, grannies and grand-kids perambulated around the precinct of the temple, offering their prayers and sending up their hopes and wishes to the Gods of the Himalayas on a cloud of incense smoke. The Hindu priests are still there, though one wonders what they make of it all, with Buddhists and Taoists coming to offer prayers and light joss-sticks before the many avatars of Lakshmi, Durga, Kali and Krishna. If human beings have proven their intolerance time and again, at least the Gods seem more kindly and benevolent to entertain the vainest of wishes even from strangers.
Hop of the next cheapo flight and find yourself here in multi-culti Malaysia, just in time to see the bulldozers smash through another Sri Mariaman temple in Selangor. It was a double blow to me to return to KL in transit to hear the news that not one, but two, Hindu temples had just been flattened on the same day by our endearing developers in the vicinity of Shah Alam. Even less heart-warming were the accounts of the devotees of the temple who were manhandled and forcibly marched out before the hammers came down, some at gun point. If nefarious Commie Vietnam can protect their temples, why can’t we ‘plural, multicultural, multiflavoured’ Malaysians extend the same comfort and protection to our fellow Malaysians too?
Of course there will be the nay-sayers who will point me to the legal fine print and remind me of the legally dubious status of some of these temples. Then there will be those who will insist that this is an Indian-Hindu issue which I should not stick my nose in (even though the issue is a Malaysian one as these are Malaysian temples being destroyed on Malaysian territory and Malaysians are affected). Then there will be the gung-ho testosterone-driven macho types who will yelp and whinge about Malay identity being the paramount defining factor that defines what being Malaysian is, etc. etc.
But prattle and legalese notwithstanding, the bottom line is this: These happen to be Malaysian temples built on Malaysian soil with Malaysian devotees and the Malaysian government is presiding over their systematic and calculated destruction, one by one. One shudders at the thought of the long-term global repercussions of this campaign, for already recorded footage of these temple demolitions are being transmitted to websites all over the globe and the issue taken up by Hindu conservatives in India.
Nor are the parallels being drawn an attractive one: If the Taliban could have leveled the Bamiyan  statues of Buddha with a flick of the trigger-finger (to be followed by the mass slaughter of goats and cows all over the benighted land, which did not make it to the headlines); then what is happening in our plural wonderland called Malaysia? How are we to hold our heads up high and invite the world to visit our wonderfully diverse and colourful country when the very same landscape is being flattened in a rather indecorous way at the same time? Taliban, Wot? Here? Blimey!
The tragedy of course is that the deliberate reconstruction of Malaysia’s urban landscape is being done in broad daylight under the flag of a nebulous formulae of ‘moderate Islam’ that is said by some hopefuls to be the last chance to save the pluralist spirit of the country. However one finds it hard to accept such talk of mutual love and inter-communal cuddlyness when the bulldozers parked outside don’t look all that cuddly. Nor do the cops with their tear gas canisters and batons. Or the Orcish horde of construction (or should we say destruction) workers with mallets and hammers slung precariously over their shoulders, ready to rock and roll. Looking back at the fate of the two Sri Mariaman temples, the question remains: Who were the ones who protected the rights of the religious minorities better? The Godless Commies or the faithful Malaysians? These are the times when I am not proud to admit that I am a Malaysian, I have to say.

Resolve Tamil school's land issue, NGOs urge PM

PETALING JAYA: Two NGOs have urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to resolve the land issue involving the SRJK (T) Sungai Salak Tamil school in Negri Sembilan. In a joint…

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PETALING JAYA: Two NGOs have urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to resolve the land issue involving the SRJK (T) Sungai Salak Tamil school in Negri Sembilan. In a joint press statement today, Lim Lian Geok Cultural Development Centre's president Toh Kin Woon and his Tamil Foundation counterpart K Arumugam said the school deserved the six-acre land promised during the Bagan Pinang by-election last year.

“During the by-election, the government promised the school the land. After the election, the Education Ministry informed the Parent-Teacher Association that the school will share the space with the education department, effectively receiving only three acres.

“We find this appalling. This is clearly a breach of trust and we cannot help but to think that the promise was made to fish for votes. The school deserves to get the land as it caters mainly for poor Indian children,” they said.

Toh and Arumugam were responding to a report which appeared in the FMT on Wednesday.
In 2002, the Sungai Salak school was forced to close down when its land was used for a development project.

Following this, it shared the same premises with another Tamil school, SRJK (T) Springhill, till 2007 but was later evicted due to space constraint.

The school's PTA then convinced the Education Ministry to permit them to set up the school in a shoplot unit in Lukut. It has remained there to date.

'Be fair to all under 1Malaysia'
Meanwhile, the two NGOs also urged the government to hasten the building of Chinese schools as per the promise made before the 2008 general election, including the SRJK(C) Tun Tan Siew Sin.

“Though Putra Heights residents have submitted a petition of 1,200 signatures in January 2009, the ministry had ignored it,” they said.

Toh and Arumugam also urged the government to be fair in distributing allocations for building schools, and to provide adequate insfrastructural support and qualified teachers to all schools.

“Whether the school is built on government or private land, to categorise them as fully-aided and partly-aided is unconstitutional and discriminative in nature.

“We urge the prime minister to abolish such categorisation in the spirit of 1Malaysia. If it still exists, the 1Malaysia slogan will just remain a rhetoric,” they said.

Top Indian student Reethashini Raman (17) have to beg for Scholarship and PTPTN study loans in One Malay-sia?

NAME: REETHASHINI A/P RAMAN,
ADDRESS: 4E-11-17 LORONG SEMARAK API 1,
BANDAR BARU AYER ITAM ,
11500 PENANG.
21/JULY/2010
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,
RE: APPLICATION FOR SHOLARSHIP
I’M REETHASHINI RAMAN,17;…

More ► More ▼ NAME: REETHASHINI A/P RAMAN,
ADDRESS: 4E-11-17 LORONG SEMARAK API 1,
BANDAR BARU AYER ITAM ,
11500 PENANG.
21/JULY/2010
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,
RE: APPLICATION FOR SHOLARSHIP
I’M REETHASHINI RAMAN,17; WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR A SHOLARSHIP FROM THE MIC COMMITEE FOR MY STUDIES. MEANWHILE, I HAVE JUST FINISH MY FOUNDATION IN NURSING LAST MONTH. IN TWO WEEKS TIME I’LL BE CONTINUEING MY DEGREE PROGRAMME IN NURSING. IM STUDYING IN ‘INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NURSING (IUCN)’ AT KOTA DAMANSARA,KUALA LUMPUR.
I WILL BE APLLYING MY PTPTN LOAN SOON AT A AMOUNT OF RM80,0000. I AM FROM A MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY. AND IN FUTURE I THINK I’LL BE HAVING DIFFICULTIES IN PAYING BACK THE MONEY BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY PROBLEMS AND CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A SHOLARSHIP FROM THE MIC FOR MY STUDIES TO BE CONTINUED.
MY FATHER IS A TAXI DRIVER WHO EARN NOT MUCH MONEY DAILY ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS.WHILE MY MOTHER IS A NURSE IN A PRIVATE CLINIC WHO EARNS RM 1500 TO RM2000. I HAVE A SISTER,SANGIDAA RAMAN;20, WHO ARE STUDYING IN MASTERSKILL COLLEGE, KUALA LUMPUR FOR PHARMACIST AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER, ARVIN RAJ;16, WHO IS STILL STUDYING IN ‘SMK PENANG FREE SCHOOL,PENANG’. MY PARENTS ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES IN TAKING CARE THREE OF US.
I HAVE GOOD ACHIEVED CGPA MARKS FOR MY 2 SEMESTERS IN FOUNDATION. THE TOTAL CGPA MARKS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON IN THIS MONTH. I HAVE STUDIED WELL FOR MY FOUNDATION WHERE FOR MY 1ST SEMESTER I HAVE ACHIEVED CGPA OF 3.23. AND FOR MY 2ND SEMESTER I HAVE ACHIEVED CGPA OF 3.21. WHILE PREVIOUSLY PAST 3WEEKS AGO I FINISHED MY 3RD SEMESTERS FINAL TEST ACCELLENTLY.I AM TOTALLY SURE THAT I WILL BE QUALIFIED TO ENTER THE DEGREE PROGRAMME.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOTAL INCOME OF MY PARENTS WOULD NOT ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE US AND GIVE ME MONTHLY EXPENSES MONEY FOR MY STUDIES. THEREFORE, IF THERE IS ANY HELP THAT THE MIC COMMITEE CAN HELP MY STUDIES,PLEASE KINDLY REPLY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YOUR KIND HELP WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU.
FAITHFULLY,
REETHASHINI RAMAN.

P.Uthayakumar : All citizens bound by the law, no exception to police.

HRP pro-tem sec-gen P.Uthayakumar commented on the issue of a 35-year-old market vendor A. Murugan, his wife and mother were arrested but only Murugan was brought to court Friday (July 16,2010) to face a murder charge. He was sentenced to death. It has been no history of the Attorney General prosecuting death under police detention and death by police shooting. Our statistic showed that 1.3 person has been gunned down by police every week. 2002 statistic shows that one person died while under police custody every two weeks.
Camera work : Calvin Cheah
Video by Citizeen Journalist, Arvind Raj

HRP seeks UN help for top Indian students (Malaysiakini)

Gavaskar Brian Raj and Richard Loo ( Photos by HRP) ,
The Human Rights Party (HRP) has appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the Malaysian government’s denial…

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The Human Rights Party (HRP) has appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the Malaysian government’s denial of scholarships and study loans for top Indian students, as well as places for them in university and matriculation courses.
In a memorandum addressed to the UN, HRP called on the body to despatch a fact-finding mission to investigate the matter, which the party described as "akin to apartheid".
HRP information chief S Jayathas described the memorandum to the UN as the "last resort", following the party’s unsuccessful attempts to seek intervention from the prime minister and the King.
"We have no other avenue as we have exhausted all political and legal options," Jayathas (right) said.
He also said that many people have promised the HRP help on this issue, but he described them to be the cakap tak serupa bikin type.
United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) representative Hans Olsen received the memorandum on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative, Kamal Malhotra, who was predisposed.
"I will take it (the memorandum) to Kamal and he will decide what we (the UN) can do," Olsen said.
Among others, Jayathas had previously submitted memoranda to the prime minister as well as to the Yang diPertuan Agong, and has also made 31 police reports against the federal government.
Riot police present
He was accompanied by HRP adviser Pathmarajah Nagalingam, central working committee member Jeevindra Kumar Krishnan and six party members.
Around 20 riot police personnel were gathered outside the UN headquarters, but no untoward incident was reported.
The HRP has been championing the cause of an estimated 2,237 high achieving but financially constrained Indian students in the country who have been denied opportunities for tertiary education.
The party tried to submit a memorandum to the King at his palace recently, in which it sought the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to address the issue.
In the memorandum, HRP also called for a UN official to head the selection committee for the allocation of Public Service Department scholarships as well as matriculation and university placements for the next five years.

Family wants written safety guarantee for Tharmendran

By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: The family of former air force sergeant N Tharmendran submitted a note of demand to the Defence Ministry urging its minister…

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By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today,

KUALA LUMPUR: The family of former air force sergeant N Tharmendran submitted a note of demand to the Defence Ministry urging its minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to give written guarantee that no armed forces personnel will attempt to arrest him. It also also urged the minister to take action against those who were attempting to take Tharmendran back to air base and those who had tortured him when he was in custody.

On June 17, Tharmendran's father claimed that his son was tortured while in custody by senior Royal Malaysian Air Force officials and made to confess to stealing two jet engines.

On July 8, Tharmendran was released from Sungai Buloh prison after posting bail. However, his family claimed that there were attempts by the air force to bring him back to the air base.

Fearing the prospect of being illegally taken to the air base, Tharmendran applied to withdraw his bail and voluntarily surrendered himself to the custody of prison officials.

Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran, who accompanied Tharmendran's father N Nagarajah to the ministry, said: “Tharmendran ceased to be an air force personnel since May 28.

“But we were recently made aware that the air force is trying to get him back to its air base. This is unlawful.”

MPs S Manickavasagam (Kapar), Zuraida Kamaruddi (Ampang), Tian Chua (Batu), and lawyers Latheefa Koya and N Surendran were in the procession to hand over the note of demand.

Lawyers and MPs denied entry

The group was earlier denied entry into the ministry premises by military police which irked Zuraida who lambasted them.

“We are the people's representative but yet you are not even giving us the courtesy by letting us in,” said Zuraida.

After several deliberations, the ministry sent its corporate communicatons officer K Raveendran to receive the note at the ministry's entrance but the lawmakers refused to hand over the note to him.

“We are not here to do business. We are here on an issue of national concern,” Manogaran told Raveendran.

Then the military adviser to the minister, brigadier-general Dzahir Abd Rahim came to receive the group, eventually allowing them into the ministry premises for a meeting at 11am.

After 20 minutes, the group returned and said they were disappointed that the minister or the deputy minister was not around to receive them.

Manickavasagam said that Dzahir could not guarantee Tharmendran's safety. “He did not even say when he was going to hand over the note to the minister. Tharmendran's well-being is still at stake.”

Give Tamil schools direct funding, Khalid urged

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

SHAH ALAM: The Tamil Schools Parents' Association in Selangor is demanding that the RM4 million state government allocation for Tamil schools be channelled…

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By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

SHAH ALAM: The Tamil Schools Parents' Association in Selangor is demanding that the RM4 million state government allocation for Tamil schools be channelled directly to individual schools’ Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and not via irrelevant third parties.

The association president S Murali (photo) said the 400-member strong association also wants Tamil school affairs to be handled by the state executive councillor in charge of education, and not by irrelevant excos.

He said the demands would be highlighted in an eight-point memorandum on the development of Tamil education in Selangor.

He said the memorandum will be submitted to Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim in the next few days.

Explaining their reasons, Murali said the PTAs were in a better position to manage the funds, which are state allocations under the Tamil Schools Development Fund, as they have first-hand information of their respective schools’ needs.

Selangor has 97 Tamil schools.

The Pakatan Rakyat Selangor government allocated some RM4 million in annual funds last year for development programmes to Tamil schools.

However, only RM2.4 million of the allotted sum was dispersed directly to schools.The remaining RM1.6 million was channelled to three non-governmental organisations, namely the Education Welfare Research Foundation (EWRF), Tamil Foundation and Child Information Learning and Development Centre.

It’s learnt that the money was allotted to the three NGOs to carry out Tamil education development programme in the state.

For this year, the state government recently approved similar funds to be dispersed among Tamil schools and NGOs.

Unhappy with exco's work

Murali said the association was against the state government’s decision to divert part of the funds for Tamil schools to the NGOs.

He suggested instead that the state government allot separate funding for these NGOs while dispersing the whole RM4 million directly to the schools.

“We don’t understand why the money for Tamil schools is being diverted to these NGOs. Such diversion of funds is not happening in allocations for Chinese and religious schools,” Murali told FMT.

The memorandum will demand that Khalid's government walk his talk on multiracial governance by assigning only the state executive councillor in charge of education, higher education and human capital development portfolios, currently Halimah Ali, to handle Tamil school affairs.

Murali said the association members were strongly against the current arrangement in which another state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, who is in charge of health, plantation workers, poverty and compassionate government, is made responsible for Tamil school affairs.

Several PTA leaders criticised Khalid for emulating typical Umno-MIC politics by giving the mandate to an irrelevant Jeyakumar to distribute allocations for Tamil schools.

It’s learnt that Jeyakumar, formerly a dentist by profession, has close links with the three NGOs receiving the annual funds.

The state government cyber information portal, SelangorKini online, has disclosed that “Xavier is active in EWRF.”

Tamil school PTAs in Selangor have also expressed their dismay with the manner Jeyakumar has been handling the Tamil schools' issue.

“Although Tamil school affair is not his business, he is trying to promote himself as the Indian leader in the Pakatan government and state PKR," said several PTA leaders, who spoke to FMT in anonymity for fear of Jeyakumar's backlash.

They fear Jeyakumar would sabotage funds to their schools if he knew their identities.

Jeyakumar was not available for comment despite numerous calls made and text messages sent to him over the past three days.

Free land sought

The memorandum would also demand the state government allocate free land to all landless Tamil schools in Selangor and change land title ownership to the schools, which are already sitting on government land.

Murali said his association would demand that the Pakatan government include all Tamil schools into the state's mainstream national school development programme.

“In short, we want the Pakatan state government to be different from BN,” said Murali.

Copies of the memorandum are expected to be distributed to all executive councillors and elected representatives in Selangor and, the state and national PKR leaders as well.

Bid to seek guarantee of Tharmendran's safety

HRP seeks UN help for top Indian students

Ex Fiji Prime Minister shocked at extent of discrimination in Malaysia. Letter to HRP.

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20^th July 2010
Mr. P. Uthayakumar
Human Rights Party
Malaysia
Dear Mr. Uthayakumar.
Thank you for forwarding us your Party’s statements and newsletters.  I am indeed shocked by the extent of discrimination and the denial of human rights of the people of Indian origin in your country.
I have always considered Malaysia a friendly and multi-racial country but can now imagine how difficult it is there for Indians, particularly those who exist in poverty.
The only sure way in which their problems can be addressed and justice meted out to them is to make the international community aware of their plight and appeal for their assistance to redress the situation.
It can be a long drawn and frustrating experience but it is, in the end, sure to achieve satisfying results.
I wish you and your Party the success you all deserve in your worthy struggle and commend you for your courage in taking up the cudgels on behalf of your people.
With warm personal regards.
Sincerely,
Mahendra P. Chaudhry
Secretary General
Fiji Labour Party

Hindraf’s 18 demands and what Hindraf wants

There are many out there who say that Hindraf/HRP is being unreasonable and destructive in their demands. Let us examine that for a bit, because it is a very serious matter, really.. Hindraf’s 18 points of demand cover the following:
1) An end to the ongoing violations of the Malaysian Federal Constitution
2) An end to the deeply rooted racism in Malaysian society
3) Affirmative action to rehabilitate the marginalized and abandoned Indian poor
4) All Tamil Primary Schools to be made fully government funded and with complete facilities – in short a consolidation of Primary education for the Indian poor.
5) Equal and fair opportunities for higher education for Indians to realize the true potential of the young of our country
6) Equal and fair opportunities for business to provide adequate opportunities for upward mobility
7) Eliminate the Mandore system of subjugating the Indian poor
20% of top level positions in Government and GLCs to be set aside for Indians as a means of ensuring a fair and competent Civil service
9) Government to become transparent in all of the above as a check and balance
10) Government to stop demolition of Temples, Burial Grounds and grant state land for all such needs and allow complete freedom of religion
11) Stop the bullying of Indians by the Police because they form such a soft target
12) Establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Kg. Medan killings and pay due compensation of RM1,000,000 to each affected family, like what has just happened to the late Anuar bin Sarip.
13) The Indian poor be paid compensation for 50 years of neglect by the Malaysian government, the process to be adjudicated by the Un and the quantum of compensation to be determined by them
14) Provide affordable homes to all Malaysians and set a minimum wage of RM 1,000 for all.
15) Establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry to study the violations of the constitution and to recommend due affirmative actions to correct the situation
16) Stop all forms of religious discrimination and a race Relations Act and a Equal Opportunities Commission and Freedom of Religion Commission be set up.
17) Set up specific laws to assure the independence of the various arms of the government like the Judiciary, the police, the Civil Service, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Human Rights Commission and the Media
18) Set aside a minimum of 20 MPs seats for Indians to be elected by Indians.
If you think about the points raised it is very clear that it covers all aspects of life for the Indians. In summary what the document looks for is a totally new beginning for the Indians in the country after reworking some of the fallout from the last 53 years of neglect and abuse.
These points do not only touch on the lives of Indians though in many cases the points specifically point to Indians. In reality when these points are realized all of Malaysia will benefit. You cannot really think of the ruling elite acceding to these demands purely to the Indians. All these can only be realized when there is an overhaul of the entire system.
Basically what the 18 points calls for is a better life for the working poor and a for a complete democratization of the socio-political system of the country. Now isn’t that a large and bold objective that benefits all in the country.
The call for an 18 point demand is really a call for a major upliftment of Malaysian society as a whole. Racism is really an anachronistic concept whose time is well over. But the UMNOPutras in their shortsighted wisdom think that this is the way to go to build a nation in their own image of a purely Malay country. This is not tenable given the paradigm developing across the world of open borders and shrinking distances. The UMNOPutra’s paradigm is definitely one that is not achievable. What will result will be a destruction of Malaysia and a squandering of the potential greatness of the country. Malaysia was a model to the third world on the 60s and 70s in the last century. Now it has the twin towers to boast about. When the opportunity is squandered everyone will lose, the Malays, the Chinese, the Indians, the KadazanDusuns, the Dayaks, the Ibans everyone. Since the Malays are the predominant community, they will land up losing the most.
It is not the resources available in a country that makes for its greatness. Resources are transient and will get consumed in time and then afterwards what are you then left with. It is the people of a nation that make for the greatness of a nation and if this basic wisdom cannot be perceived by the UMNOPutras in time, they will drive Malaysia into the ground in time. They are already driving away significant human potential from this land, out of their illusory concepts of self preservation. They will not allow the nascent human potential in the country to develop, They keep promoting mediocracy with corruption, nepotism and cronyism and their racism.
The people who should develop will not be developed and people who are developed will not be able to rise to the tasks of a nation in competition with the rest of the world because of a culture of mediocrity. And time and resources would have been spent and as someone the other day was saying we will probably land up exporting maids to our neighbouring countries in the second half of this century.
The 18 point demand is no simple set of demands. They are a set of demands which if dealt with in an intelligent response can potentially bring us back from the brink of all of this. They require guts and they require Statemenship to be able to be dealt with squarely. No myopic leader will ever be able to understand just what it stands for. Rather such leaders in their myopia will only pass all of this off as nonsense spouting from extremists and racists and in their supreme wisdom will let a historic opportunity slip.
Indians in the country are the ones that seek change most. They are the ones who have been worst affected by the ways of this system. The ones who have most inertia against any change are the UMNOPutras, because they have benefitted the most from the current arrangement. So, Hindraf and HRP in championing the rights and interests of the Indians are pitting themselves against the most conservative segment of Malaysians. Hindraf and HRP have established courage and an ability to confront injustice fearlessly as their trademarks. In that tradition they will continue, inspite of the odds against them.Hindraf and HRP will continue to grow as the wisdom and their deep understanding of the needs of Malaysian society are appreciated by more and more as time passes. When you are right , it is only a matter of time. Truth always prevails.
Hindraf and HRP in pushing the agenda of the Indian poor are really pushing to build a great and new Malaysia.
Valga Hindraf. Valga HRP.
Naragan

Tricked by employers and discarded by police

By B Nantha Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR: Seven months ago 43-year-old Rasiabanu from Tamil Nadu lodged a police report against her employers for failing to pay her wages for 16 months.
Rasiabanu had worked with them as a maid for two years and saw only her first month’s salary.

“Every time I asked them (employers) they said they will give it to me when I return to India.

“I believed them and continued working. After two years I asked to return home, but they refused to let me go. They refused to give me my money,” said Rasiabanu who now has a very low opinion about Malaysian employers. .

Rasiabanu came to Malaysia in 2008 with the ‘great hope’ of improving her family’s financial situation in India.

In India her husband worked as a sales assistant in a shopping complex in Trichy and earned 60 rupees a day.

But it was not enough to take care of the family, including their three children’s daily expenses.

“It was about that time when an agent met me and told me that I could work in Malaysia for two years and earn a lot of money.

"I wanted to help increase my family income. The agent said I had to pay 25,000 rupees to work in Malaysia.

“I managed to borrow the 25,000 rupees and paid the agent,” she told FMT.

On arrival at the Malaysian airport Rasiabanu was taken straight to her employer’s house.

“The employer agreed to pay me RM400 a month. They paid my first month salary and promised to pay up fully when the time came for me to return home.

“I agreed because they seemed like good people.”

But the backdated salaries amounting to RM6,400 did not come. Instead her former employers threatened her.

'Malaysians are mean'
Angry and upset at having been wronged, she sought justice at the Brickfields police station.

According to her the police have only met with her former employers once, but so far nothing has happened and she has not received her money.

“I'm staying in Tenaganita now for more than seven months. I still cannot go home. I miss my family so much...

"When I was in my village in India, I thought Malaysians were very nice people but when I came here I discovered how mean Malaysians actually are.

“They (Malaysians) have a lot of money but they are uncaring and cruel to people.

“Everyday I hope the police will make my former employers pay-up so that I can go back to my husband and children,” said Rasiabanu when met recently.

Heritage status hollow as Malay villages vanish

(Malaysiakini) The Penang government is being haunted by the ghost of rampant development projects approved by its predecessor, Gerakan, which is putting a damper on George Town's second anniversary as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

In particular, the Malay community complains that the heritage status is meaningless if its villages and culture is not preserved.

Malay Muslim cultural and religious experiences featured on Heritage Row, like the famous Majid Kapitan Keling and Penang Muslim Museum at Syed Alatas Mansion in Armenian Street, do little to help as Malay villages gradually vanish due to massive development creeping everywhere across the island.

Villagers from Kg Jalan Pokok Asam, who face eviction by developers at the end of September, are particularly upset.

They have expressed extreme dissatisfaction that the on-going Heritage celebrations is featuring mostly Chinese and Hindu temples, and fishing communities like the Koay Jetty, and ignoring the plight of their villages.

At a two-hour dialogue session with PAS state deputy chief Mujahid Yusof Rawa in a Jelutong surau on Thursday, the villagers lamented that the heritage celebrations held in July was 'meaningless' if it did not include the Malay villages.

“What does it mean by heritage if Malay villages are being eroded one by one? Even if Penang celebrates Heritage Day again next year, it holds no meaning for us,” said Zarus Yusof (left), a 47-year-old businessman who has lived in Jelutong all his life.

“Heritage is not just about buildings, it is the culture and soul of the people living in the state. There is no meaning to heritage if the Malays are divided,” he added.

Not a racial problem

Zarus said he was not being racist to raise the issue facing Malay villagers, as the ongoing development projects would eventually affect the other communities as well, robbing them of their homes and disrupting their lives.

“We have to preserve our villages. That is the bottom line. We are not against development, relocate us but allow us to live in the same area, with reasonable housing facilities,” he added.

Another villager, Mohamad Idaham (left), warned that suraus, mosques,and cemeteries being provided for village folks risk becoming white elephants as the Malay community shrinks by the day.

“Who will go and pray if they are no more Malay communities in this area? No matter how you make the mosque, surau or cemeteries bigger, none of this means anything if there are no Malay families left to use them,” he complained.

Idaham appeared a little uncomfortable with the presence of PAS, although he admitted supporting the Opposition in the last general election.

He said the group preferred to be non-partisan when pleading their case, and would meet any group who were willing to help them resolve their eviction woes.

“It's difficult if we were to rely on political parties to help us. It can cause problems because even though we live in the same kampung, we all have different political allegiances,” he said after the meeting.

BN legacy

The group is demanding the developer to compensate them with a RM120,000 double storey house or a RM75,000 unit with three rooms per family.

However, they insist that they be relocated in the same area Jelutong, where they have lived since birth.

Jelutong parliamentarian Jeff Ooi (right) recently told the Sun that the rapid development issue is inherited from the previous government under BN's Gerakan led by Koh Tsu Koon.

These included 36 families affected by expansion plans for Heng Ee school and more than 40 families asked to move due to a housing project at Yew Kongsi. Over 50 families were evicted from behind the Perak Road market, 17 families from beside Sri Wonder centre, and 29 households in the Jalan Pokok Asam vicinity.

“In addition, 70 households will be affected by land acquisition for a road to link Jalan Tan Sri The Ewe Lim to the Jelutong Expressway, while compensation for another eight houses for a project at Jalan Madrasah has been resolved amicably,” he added.

In an immediate response, Jamek Mosque committee representative Yusof Noor apologised for any misunderstanding which has arisen out of the current situation.

Yusof, who is a municipal councillor, said he has contacted Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman to meet with the mosque committee and representatives from the affected villages.

Issue to be escalated

“We really lack information when the problem happened, so I am sorry if there was any confusion” he told the group.

“But since then, we have been speaking to all quarters to try and find the best solution for everyone,” he added.

Mujahid (in red, in photo), in responding to the villagers' grouses, explained that as a minority community in the state, they understandably feel marginalised but that this would be no different under an Umno government.

He was referring to Umno's attempts to capitalise on the situation for political mileage.

He however agreed with the group's demand to be relocated to the same area.

“We will tell the state and developer, you can do what you like, but we will remain on this land,” he vowed.

He promised to raise their issues to the CM and Pakatan Rakyat state representatives, which he said was a good channel to voice the villagers' plight.

“I will tell the state government to look into this issue seriously. Don't play a fool for this is my kampung too. I have relatives here and have lived and played here when I was young,” he said.

He also apologised for the party being perceived as not willing to help the Malay community, and condemned Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia for enforcing the wrong perception.

“This is not only a Malay problem as the papers make it out to be. The Chinese and Indians are involved too, because everyone is affected by the same (problem),” he added.

Kg Jalan Pokok Asam is one of many victims of Penang's development overdrive inherited from the BN which continue to dog Lim Guan Eng's administration, including the controversial Kg Buah Pala and the Tanjung Bungah issues.

Hindraf calls for merit-based education

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: The government should scrap its racist-based education system and replace it with one based on meritocracy, Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf)…

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By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: The government should scrap its racist-based education system and replace it with one based on meritocracy, Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) said today.

Hindraf London-based chairman P Waythamoorthy said it was time the Umno-led federal government overhauled the education system to keep pace with the global educational standards.

He said a meritocracy-based system was the only way forward for the country to attain excellence in education in the highly competitive world.

However, he said the objective can never be achieved if the Umno-led federal government is not sincere and serious.

“The government should revamp the education system to focus on meritocracy regardless of ethnic and religious origins to enhance the country’s human capital,” he added.

He was commenting on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's announcement at last weekend MIC general assembly that Indian students who score 9A+ in the SPM would be given public scholarships to pursue tertiary education.

Waythamoorthy said Najib’s promise was nothing more than a gimmick to raise false hopes.

“Why only 9A+? What about plain 9As and 9A-?” he asked.

He said Najib was trying to assuage the feelings of the Indian community when he announced the scholarship award to Indian students with 9A+.

“Predictably, MIC members gave the premier a standing ovation without understanding the dynamics of Umno political manipulation.

“They failed to comprehend that the 9A+ move was detrimental to the Indian community and the country at large,” he told FMT.

Stop gloating

Last month, Waythamoorthy brought up to the United Nations the BN government’s perceived systematic discrimination of Indian students for over half a century.

He addressed the issue to Geneva-based Githu Muigai, the UN special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

He also sent a copy of his complaint to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Asia and Pacific regional bureau for education office) in Bangkok, seeking Unesco's intervention to end the perceived marginalisation of Malaysian Indians.

In May, he updated and provided evidence to the UN Human Rights Council on the continued discrimination and marginalisation of minority Malaysians, especially Indians, and natives from Sabah and Sarawak.

According to education director-general Alimuddin Mohd Dom, some 7,987 of the 465,853 students who took the SPM last year obtained all As in all their subjects.

This includes 214 with A+, of which 41 were private school and agency-sponsored students.

Of the 52,348 candidates who took STPM in 2009, only 15 got 5As in all subjects.

Waythamoorthy said Najib should stop gloating over the fact that about 2,304 places were given to Indian students in 2010 when there were nearly a million seats available in all public universities in the country.

He alleged that the government was pursuing a racist policy by making sure that more than 120,000 places available in Universiti Technology Mara (UiTM) were reserved exclusively for Malay Muslim candidates.

Waythamoorthy said even though seats were increasing in public universities, the ratio was rapidly diminishing for the Indian community.

“The seats given to Indian students did not even represent 0.2% of the Indian student population.

“Is the prime minister trying to tell us that Indian students are so stupid that they do not deserve a place in public universities?” he asked.

Malay-sian police shoots dead five in one day by Polis raja Di Malaysia. Good way to spend theitr RM 1 billion allocation for 2010.

Four foreigners (Republic of India) nationals and another local were all gunned down in one day but in two transactions.
To the direct contrary there has been only 18 really necessary fatal direct shootings in 61 years in New Zealand (Memorandum on “A trigger Happy Royal Malaysian Police Force” – 1.3 Persons Shot Dead Per week By The Royal Malaysian Police Force (635 From 1989-1999) The Star 11/05/99. As opposed to 18 fatal police shootings in New Zealand from 1940 to 2001 (61 Years. To The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister/ Home Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Bin Haji Ahmad Badawi Dated 31st October 2002. By Police Watch And Human Rights Committee.)
This only goes to show the declining police standards in Malay-sia, high handedness, abuse of powers and akin to a police state.
With the RM 1 billion allocation for the year 2010, there should have been quality investigations and followed by an arrest and then criminal prosecution and the appropriate sentence in a court of law after the accused having had right to defend himself. This is the due process of the law.
Murdering mere suspects by the UMNO Polis Raja Di Malaysia only reflects a police state if not an uncivilized barbaric society.
P. Uthayakumar