Sunday, October 31, 2010
India increases scholarship fund for Malaysian students
KUALA LUMPUR: India has increased the scholarship fund for ethnic Indian students in Malaysia from RM3.5 million to RM5 million
This was an increase of RM1.5 million on the annually disbursed funds.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who made the announcement while on a state visit here recently, also said announced 20 new scholarships for Malaysian students to study traditional system of medicine in India.
The scholarship fund was established in 1946 by former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to help Indian students in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, in its blog, Human Rights Party (HRP) took credit for the Indian government's decision to increase its scholarhips to Malaysian students.
HRP claimed that the move to augment the scholarship fund was a result of the party's hard work in highlighting the plight of the Indian students here to the Indian government.
“We submitted our requests in the form of various letters and memoranda to the Indian High Commission here as well as directly to the Indian premier.
“All those numerous letters have been put up on this website over the last several months as well,” reads the blog.
Clear message
HRP said the increase in allocation was also a message to the Umno-led government.
“This is a clear message to the Umno government that the international community is aware of its racists ways,” it said.
Speaking to FMT, HRP information chief S Jayathas thanked Hindraf Makkal Sakthi chairman P Waythamoorthy for his efforts in highlighting the woes faced by Indian students here on the international arena.
“We have been pursuing the matter vigorously with the Indian government this year, with assistance from Waythamoorthy ,”said Jayathas, who is also Hindraf Makkal Sakthi's national information coordinator.
He criticised the government for blacking out the news (on the Indian scholarships), alleging that it deliberately muzzled the mainstream media.
“The increase in allocation was a big blow to the Umno-led government. I hope this will be a lesson... to treat Indian students fairly,” said Jayathas, who urged the government to allow Indian students who score 7As and above in SPM to enter university.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Memorandum of protest to the IGP on the arrest and detention of inquest witness K.Selvach Santhiran Bukit Aman, 30 October 2010
Introduction
The continuing descent of the PDRM into lawlessness has been graphically demonstrated by the 25 October beating and abduction of K. Selvach Santhiran by men in plainclothes claiming to be police personnel who did not properly identify themselves. Selvach was one of the key witnesses who testified against the police in the recently concluded R.Gunasegaran death in police custody inquest.
On the very day the verdict was delivered in the inquest, the police moved against Selvach and came to his home to arrest him. When Selvach’s children asked the police why their father was being dragged away, the police answered by beating Selvach in front of his own children. In a twisted perversion of conjugal love, the police tried to make Selvach’s wife S.Saraswathy kiss him before beating him up in front of her.
Selvach, who did his duty as an upright citizen by telling the truth at the R.Gunasegaran death in police custody inquest, is now being held at an unknown location with no access to his family or lawyers despite several efforts to meet him or ascertain his whereabouts.
It is believed that he is being detained without trial under the draconian Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969 or the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 that allow the police to detain a person for 60 days with no recourse to judicial safeguard and thereafter 2 years’ detention on the order of the Home
Whilst we understand that the police have an important and onerous job to prevent and combat crime, the police must understand that the wide powers of arrest and detention cannot be abused and used arbitrarily. As a professional police force, they should be guided by the law and legal processes in the country and not act with impunity and complete disregard for constitutional and judicial safeguards.This is unfortunately symptomatic of the police’s inability to act professionally as a police force that can work within a modern criminal justice system and not resort to preventive measures that do not require any real police work and diligence. The police should instead strive to be a modern and professional force that conform to international standards and best practices and not regress to wrongful practices that have caused the public to lose so much confidence with the police force.
The aggressive and unlawful response of the police is a reflection of the general arrogance and lack of respect for the Federal Constitution, the rule of law and other legal procedures. This is not an isolated incident but a continuation of a long standing series of acts by the police that showed their contempt for the rights of the people that have resulted in gross abuse of police powers leading to brutality, torture, arbitrary arrest, prolonged detention, shooting, custodial violence and death.
The arrest and detention of Selvach is gravely aggravated by the fact that he was arrested on the same day – after the outrageous and scandalous “open verdict” delivered by Coroner Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin in the R.Gunasegaran death in police custody inquest. Selvach was one of three persons who were in police custody with R.Gunasegaran and they have consistently identified Lance Corporal Mohd Faizal as having physically assaulted the deceased. They did so despite threats to their safety by the police and despite the inducement that their cooperation would secure their immediate release.
It cannot be a mere coincidence that Selvach was arrested so soon and further more he was detained 
under unspecified accusations under draconian provisions that allow the police to detain a suspect without trial for up to two years. It goes without saying that whistleblowers should be protected by the administration of law rather than punished by law enforcement officers. This is a blatant abuse of police power and a serious criminal act that can be prosecuted under the Penal Code and may further be subjected to contempt of court proceedings. Further, these actions point to police retaliation and clearly intended to intimidate those who speak up against injustices or wrongdoings perpetrated by members of the police force.
under unspecified accusations under draconian provisions that allow the police to detain a suspect without trial for up to two years. It goes without saying that whistleblowers should be protected by the administration of law rather than punished by law enforcement officers. This is a blatant abuse of police power and a serious criminal act that can be prosecuted under the Penal Code and may further be subjected to contempt of court proceedings. Further, these actions point to police retaliation and clearly intended to intimidate those who speak up against injustices or wrongdoings perpetrated by members of the police force.Uncivilised and unjust laws like the DDA and EO have no place in a modern and democratic state like Malaysia. These oppressive laws and methods violate the constitutional and human rights of the people and are contemptuous of the judicial authority and the legal process. The Malaysian Bar and civil society have forcefully and repeatedly called for the repeal of all preventive detention laws and for such arbitrary arrests and re-arrests to cease.
The police cannot be permitted to continue to operate in an environment of impunity but as this tragic episode has explicitly illustrated, the police has just sent a strong message that they can act as they please with no regard to the rule of law, police professionalism and the law and procedure governing their conduct.
Our Demands
The Inspector General of Police must:
1. release Selvach immediately and issue a public apology to him and his family;
2. take stern action, including criminal prosecution and disciplinary action against the policemen who assaulted and arrested Selvach;
3. support the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), to function as an independent, external oversight body to investigate complaints about police personnel and to make the police accountable for their conduct;
4. stop the unjust practice of arresting and re-arresting under preventive detention laws;
5. undertake to respect the right of the people for unimpeded and free access to lawyers at all times;
6. require the police especially those in plainclothes to identify themselves and display their authorisation when affecting their powers;
7. support human rights education and training programmes, with a view to changing the attitudes and methods of law enforcement personnel.
Submitted by Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) on behalf of the family of K. Selvach Santhiran
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Key witness to death inquest held under drug charge
(Malaysiakini) A noisy protest in front of the national police headquarters staged by around 80 people forced the disclosure that a key witness to a police custody death had been detained for alleged drug offences.
A police spokesperson said that the narcotics department took the action taken against K Selvachandran under the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures).
However, it took him close to an hour and a half of noisy protest at Bukit Aman to come up with the answer.
They had gathered this morning to demonstrate against Selva's sudden arrest on Monday night, just a few hours after the coroner's court gave an open verdict on the custodial death of R Gunasegaran.
The participants mobilised by several human rights and civil society NGOs such as Lawyers for Liberty and Suaram they also handed over a memorandum to the police.
The protestors also refused to hand over the memorandum to him, until answers were forthcoming.
"The minister Hishammuddin Hussein had said that he did not want to interfere but it will be his signature on the detention orders once the 60 days are up. He is responsible for Selva," said Latheefa Koya, (right in headscarf in photo) a representatives of Lawyers for Liberty (LFL).
"The inspector-general of police also must take stern action, including criminal prosecution and disciplinary action against the policemen who assaulted and arrested Selva," said the memorandum.
A police spokesperson said that the narcotics department took the action taken against K Selvachandran under the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures). However, it took him close to an hour and a half of noisy protest at Bukit Aman to come up with the answer.
They had gathered this morning to demonstrate against Selva's sudden arrest on Monday night, just a few hours after the coroner's court gave an open verdict on the custodial death of R Gunasegaran.
The participants mobilised by several human rights and civil society NGOs such as Lawyers for Liberty and Suaram they also handed over a memorandum to the police.However, there was a brief face-off when the police officer who had come out to receive the document earlier had no answers for the protestors, which included Selva's wife Saraswathy (below, right), on where he was being detained.
The protestors also refused to hand over the memorandum to him, until answers were forthcoming.A little more than an hour later the police officer returned to deliver the news of Selva's whereabouts.
No trial for key witness, yet
Under the special preventive measures of the Dangerous Drugs Act, a suspect can be detained without trial for up to 60 days.
Upon its expiry, the home minister is empowered to endorse a two-year extension which can be renewed indefinitely and cannot be challenged in court.
"The minister Hishammuddin Hussein had said that he did not want to interfere but it will be his signature on the detention orders once the 60 days are up. He is responsible for Selva," said Latheefa Koya, (right in headscarf in photo) a representatives of Lawyers for Liberty (LFL).The memorandum signed by LFL and Suaram, also demanded Selva's immediate release as well as a public apology from the police.
"The inspector-general of police also must take stern action, including criminal prosecution and disciplinary action against the policemen who assaulted and arrested Selva," said the memorandum.A hat was also passed around, collecting RM1,140 from the protestors as financial aid to Saraswathy.
Representatives from Pakatan Rakyat included four MPs - Khalid Samad (Shah Alam), Dzulkifly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor), R Sivarasa (Subang) and Charles Santiago (Klang).
In the Monday night incident, Selva - who had testified at the inquest into Gunasegaran's death on July 16, 2009 in a police lock-up in the Sentul police station - was suddenly whisked away by policemen, but not before assaulting him in front of his wife and children.
In the Monday night incident, Selva - who had testified at the inquest into Gunasegaran's death on July 16, 2009 in a police lock-up in the Sentul police station - was suddenly whisked away by policemen, but not before assaulting him in front of his wife and children.
Phase III Little India Brickfields should be the development of Brickfields Railway Quarters into Indian petty traders open air flee market.
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
Date : 29th October 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: HYPERLINK "mailto:najib@pmo.gov.my"najib@pmo.gov.my
Y.B. Sen. Dato’Raja Nong Chik bin Raja Zainal Abidin,
Minister of Federal Territories,
Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan,
Aras 4, Blok B2, Menara PJH, Presint 2, FaxNo.03-88891411
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Email-:datoraja@kwp.gov.my
62100 Putrajaya
Re: Phase III Little India Brickfields should be the development of Brickfields Railway Quarters into Indian petty traders open air flee market.
We refer to the newsreport in the Starmetro on 29/10/10 on Phase II of the development of Little India in Brickfields by the construction of a multi-storey carpark and the Pines Restaurant and the Lorong Chan Ah Tong hawker centre near Kortu Malai restaurant.
We propose Phase II by the demolishment of the Brickfields of the Railway quarters and the development of a petty traders flee market especially so that the Vivekananda Asraman, Vivekananda school and the Sangeetha Abervathi Sangam to be separated from the main Brickfields Little India town centre.
Hundreds of Indian petty traders denied licences and business opportunities can be placed in this Railway Quarters which is to be made into an open air flee market selling Indian food ware, accessories, clothes etc area and give real meaning to Little India in Brickfields.
This development should not become like how the development of the Batu Caves level crossing had separated the main Batu Caves temple from the river bed which has always been an integral part of the Batu Caves Heritage.
This will make Little India a tourist attraction. This will give real meaning to the Brickfields Little India and dispel that it is a mere row of flower shops.
Little India in Brickfields will then be closer to becoming the real Little India as in Serangoon Road in Singapore, East Ham and Southhall in London, Berlin, Germany and some other western Countries.
Thank you,
Yours faithfully,
P. Uthayakumar
HRP Letter to meet Australian P.M on Indian minority rights, scholarships for top Indian students denied places in Malay-sia.
K. Selvam, K. Mohan, C.F Mani and Mano handed over the letter this morning to the Australian High Commission today to be forwarded to the Third Secretary Mr. Michael Helleman for his onward transmission to The Honorable Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia.
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
Date : 29th October 2010
The Hon Julia Gillard MP
Prime Minister of Australia
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives Fax: (02) 6273 4100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Re : Your official visit to Malaysia on 31st October and 1st November 2010
Dear Prime Minister Gillard,
We of the Human Rights Party Malaysia welcome you to our country for your first official visit as the Prime Minster of Australia. We are a political party representing the marginalized Indian community here in Malaysia whose main political thrust is to create a society based on the fundamental values of democracy – of equality of rights and of equality of opportunties and to reinstate Malaysian Indians into the national mainstream of development while eliminating policies of racism and religious supremacy.
Malaysia is essentially a multiethnic and multicultural society, in many ways like Australia. As matters stand today, Malaysia is struggling with the challenge of building a cohesive multicultural society in spite of 53 years of independence. I may even be presumptuous, calling Malaysia multicultural for many in the political leadership may challenge this premise. But this reality cannot be ignored – we are a multicultural society. But one which is in the process of finding itself . The challenges are of creating robust social cohesion in the face of deep diversity. One unfortunate consequence of this is the signifcant violation of human rights of the minorities of the country, specifically of the Indians, A direct result of this gross violation is the marginalization of the indian poor in the country.. It is our party’s objective to eliminate this problem of marginalization at its root. And it is in this regard we write this letter to you.
Autsralia seems to have learnt some lessons and has gone down a path that has avoided the divisions that is pulling the multiethnic community apart here in Malaysia. Autsralia has developed some policies that has helped establish cohesiveness of the communities based on shared fundamental values while allowing for cultural diversity. The policy framework that enables you to capture multicultural claims as demands for more inclusion, rather than as tendencies for the fragmentation of the polity into a set of mutually antipathetic communities, surely is relevant and valuable to Malaysia.
At the risk of being presumptuous, I request you, during your visit to Malaysia, to raise the issues of violation of the rights of the marginalized minority Indians and relate it to the broader issue of managing a multiethnic and multicultural country to your counterpart, Dato Seri Najib Abdul Razak, our Prime Minister, and to offer suggestions of how it may be dealt with based on the experience of Australia. We understand however that the request we make is an unsual one. Australia has shown leadership on many issue relating to human rights both in the Australasian region as well as in the Asean region in the past and this is just such an opportunity. This will be a necessary contribution to a very high potential neighbour. Having robust neighbours contributes to stability, to growing opportunities and prosperity for all in the community.
A more specific request we would like to make to you is that a small delegation from our party would like to meet with you during your visit to Malaysia. We would like to hand you a proposal seeking your assistance in setting up a scholarship program for high performing but disadvantaged Indian students in Malaysia who have been denied opportunties here into local Universities because of the discriminatory admission policies of the Government of Malaysia.to attend universities in Australia. We will appreciate it if you could grant us this appointment with your good self. This will be a novel initiative in extending such programs beyond Government to Gevernment arrangements, to peoples in need in neighbouring countries directly.We can be contacted through your Kuala Lumpur embassy for the scheduling of the meeting.
Once again we welcome you to Malaysia and we thank you for the opportunity to be able to write to you, and we look forward to your favourable response.
Thank You,
Yours Faithfully,
W. Sambulingam
President (pro tem)
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
Date : 29th October 2010
The Hon Julia Gillard MP
Prime Minister of Australia
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives Fax: (02) 6273 4100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Re : Your official visit to Malaysia on 31st October and 1st November 2010
Dear Prime Minister Gillard,
We of the Human Rights Party Malaysia welcome you to our country for your first official visit as the Prime Minster of Australia. We are a political party representing the marginalized Indian community here in Malaysia whose main political thrust is to create a society based on the fundamental values of democracy – of equality of rights and of equality of opportunties and to reinstate Malaysian Indians into the national mainstream of development while eliminating policies of racism and religious supremacy.
Malaysia is essentially a multiethnic and multicultural society, in many ways like Australia. As matters stand today, Malaysia is struggling with the challenge of building a cohesive multicultural society in spite of 53 years of independence. I may even be presumptuous, calling Malaysia multicultural for many in the political leadership may challenge this premise. But this reality cannot be ignored – we are a multicultural society. But one which is in the process of finding itself . The challenges are of creating robust social cohesion in the face of deep diversity. One unfortunate consequence of this is the signifcant violation of human rights of the minorities of the country, specifically of the Indians, A direct result of this gross violation is the marginalization of the indian poor in the country.. It is our party’s objective to eliminate this problem of marginalization at its root. And it is in this regard we write this letter to you.
Autsralia seems to have learnt some lessons and has gone down a path that has avoided the divisions that is pulling the multiethnic community apart here in Malaysia. Autsralia has developed some policies that has helped establish cohesiveness of the communities based on shared fundamental values while allowing for cultural diversity. The policy framework that enables you to capture multicultural claims as demands for more inclusion, rather than as tendencies for the fragmentation of the polity into a set of mutually antipathetic communities, surely is relevant and valuable to Malaysia.
At the risk of being presumptuous, I request you, during your visit to Malaysia, to raise the issues of violation of the rights of the marginalized minority Indians and relate it to the broader issue of managing a multiethnic and multicultural country to your counterpart, Dato Seri Najib Abdul Razak, our Prime Minister, and to offer suggestions of how it may be dealt with based on the experience of Australia. We understand however that the request we make is an unsual one. Australia has shown leadership on many issue relating to human rights both in the Australasian region as well as in the Asean region in the past and this is just such an opportunity. This will be a necessary contribution to a very high potential neighbour. Having robust neighbours contributes to stability, to growing opportunities and prosperity for all in the community.
A more specific request we would like to make to you is that a small delegation from our party would like to meet with you during your visit to Malaysia. We would like to hand you a proposal seeking your assistance in setting up a scholarship program for high performing but disadvantaged Indian students in Malaysia who have been denied opportunties here into local Universities because of the discriminatory admission policies of the Government of Malaysia.to attend universities in Australia. We will appreciate it if you could grant us this appointment with your good self. This will be a novel initiative in extending such programs beyond Government to Gevernment arrangements, to peoples in need in neighbouring countries directly.We can be contacted through your Kuala Lumpur embassy for the scheduling of the meeting.
Once again we welcome you to Malaysia and we thank you for the opportunity to be able to write to you, and we look forward to your favourable response.
Thank You,
Yours Faithfully,
W. Sambulingam
President (pro tem)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Beneath Little India
by Dinesweri Puspanadan,
The Indian community has made important contributions to the development of Malaysia during the past hundred years. They have worked with sincerity and dedication. They have excelled at medicine, law, engineering and accountancy. They have participated at each stage in the building of Malaysia -- Dr Manmohan Sing, Prime Minister of India
Its a sense of achievement, pride, moment of silent high maniac, short period of mild ecstasy when the Prime Minister of India Dr Man Mohan Sing shared a very close to heart conversation with the Indian community in Malaysia during the Inauguration of LITTLE INDIA at Brickfields recently. For the tired ears which have been injected with heart stabbing and pride degrading racial slurs, India PM's words tend to be a source of an interim refuge.
What could be more fascinating for the residents there, who are mostly Indians when their congested and less popular neighbourhood turned out to be the center of attention which bridged and strengthen the relationship between India and Malaysia.
Any Tom and Hardy, despite their mental slavery could verify the fact that Brickfields, has been standing proudly on the platform of Indian heritage; traditional food, costumes, savories, decorations, spices, and accessories which also stores memories of many family gatherings with some sentimental valued landscapes around since our grandparents' thumb-sucking era.
Brim stacked shops beautified with authentic India decorations like Sakthi Rasam, Parampara incense and Gold Winner Sunflower oil plus grand welcoming archway seem convincing enough to crown the Brickfields street as 'Little India' which many claimed it belittled the India.
Little India project, since the day one proposed, received mixed reactions from various groups. Unsurprisingly, 'barking agents' barked with baseless allegations, 'community welfare driven' people threaten to protest, and the biggest group;the clueless jokers, just clang on their 'favorite figures' faithfully for a free publicity.
Looking it at a bigger context(as how some 'intellectual' people prefer), Little India might help to beef up the economy of this nation. A series of MoU and Agreement;
Agreement towards implementing Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between Indiaand Malaysia on 1st July 2011
MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine
MOU for cooperation in the filed of Tourism
MOU for Cooperation in the filed of IT & Services
Agreement between CSIR of India and UNIK of Malaysia on Research and Development Collaboration
Cultural Exchange Programme for 2010-13,
signed between both Prime Ministers believed to improve access to each other's market. The mutual benefit that is expected to be achieved by both regimes is increase in the FDI. The visions look promising for who ever read the details of each MoU yet the yield of the project is questioned when we look at the reality of our current bastardized economy. With the hesitant of PM and his team to implement NEM, meritocracy, miserable leakage in the Budget 2011, wasting capitalism, the possibility for the people to benefit from a similar event is doubted.
Why dream to drive a Ferrari when desire to own an old kapchai seems to be difficult to achieve? Narrowing down into the Indian community, we could hear many grouses from the grass root people. Some hawkers especially were not happy with the project earlier as they complained that the promised relocations for their shops were not prepared which actually affected their business badly.
A walk at Brickfields on one fine day wold explain to you the existing marginalization in the community. Between luxuries condominium and high class restaurants, 'poor and middle class families are trapped'. If you are frequent visitor, I bet you have bumped with kids selling pens or souvenirs. When asked about their identity, they uttered the infamous memorized sentence ' My family is poor and I am selling these things after school to support my family' but deep in our heart, we know that these kids controlled by syndicates who are taking advantage on them.
Despite the fact that the community sufferings contributed by their own attitude, with the implementation of 'Gigantic Projects'marginalization worsens which enlarges the economy and social gap between the people. As a result, urban poverty would be rampant!
You do not need a degree in Economics or Science Political to make sense of current situation and post a simple question; 'How does Little India benefit these 'Little Indians' as a whole?' We might need Little India for various reasons but with fundamental rights and necessities ignored and abandoned, dream to build a business empire is equivalent to building a sand castle in the air
Talking about exporting expertise or competing globally to folks at the street there is ridiculous when their basic rights are axed and necessity is jeopardized. Your talk about walking on the street or eating curry does not make sense to the folks who are struggling even to channel a decent income to the family for a month
In this context, what else Little India could be if not another plain rhetoric to boost the Public relation or another agenda to fish for Indians' votes for upcoming General Election. Perhaps the Little India is a 'help' to the people and the 'return help' maybe expected from the community very soon.
The fact that its too early to judge whether Little India is a successful project or a failed mission is undeniable. The yield could be only observed in the long run. However, we need to remind ourselves that unresolved issues at the grass root level could generate disastrous impacts which would contribute to the down fall of the society.
Is Little India promised wealth or planned disaster? Figures in the future shall speak for themselves...
The Indian community has made important contributions to the development of Malaysia during the past hundred years. They have worked with sincerity and dedication. They have excelled at medicine, law, engineering and accountancy. They have participated at each stage in the building of Malaysia -- Dr Manmohan Sing, Prime Minister of India
Its a sense of achievement, pride, moment of silent high maniac, short period of mild ecstasy when the Prime Minister of India Dr Man Mohan Sing shared a very close to heart conversation with the Indian community in Malaysia during the Inauguration of LITTLE INDIA at Brickfields recently. For the tired ears which have been injected with heart stabbing and pride degrading racial slurs, India PM's words tend to be a source of an interim refuge.
What could be more fascinating for the residents there, who are mostly Indians when their congested and less popular neighbourhood turned out to be the center of attention which bridged and strengthen the relationship between India and Malaysia.
Any Tom and Hardy, despite their mental slavery could verify the fact that Brickfields, has been standing proudly on the platform of Indian heritage; traditional food, costumes, savories, decorations, spices, and accessories which also stores memories of many family gatherings with some sentimental valued landscapes around since our grandparents' thumb-sucking era.
Brim stacked shops beautified with authentic India decorations like Sakthi Rasam, Parampara incense and Gold Winner Sunflower oil plus grand welcoming archway seem convincing enough to crown the Brickfields street as 'Little India' which many claimed it belittled the India.
Little India project, since the day one proposed, received mixed reactions from various groups. Unsurprisingly, 'barking agents' barked with baseless allegations, 'community welfare driven' people threaten to protest, and the biggest group;the clueless jokers, just clang on their 'favorite figures' faithfully for a free publicity.
Looking it at a bigger context(as how some 'intellectual' people prefer), Little India might help to beef up the economy of this nation. A series of MoU and Agreement;
Agreement towards implementing Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between Indiaand Malaysia on 1st July 2011
MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine
MOU for cooperation in the filed of Tourism
MOU for Cooperation in the filed of IT & Services
Agreement between CSIR of India and UNIK of Malaysia on Research and Development Collaboration
Cultural Exchange Programme for 2010-13,
signed between both Prime Ministers believed to improve access to each other's market. The mutual benefit that is expected to be achieved by both regimes is increase in the FDI. The visions look promising for who ever read the details of each MoU yet the yield of the project is questioned when we look at the reality of our current bastardized economy. With the hesitant of PM and his team to implement NEM, meritocracy, miserable leakage in the Budget 2011, wasting capitalism, the possibility for the people to benefit from a similar event is doubted.
Why dream to drive a Ferrari when desire to own an old kapchai seems to be difficult to achieve? Narrowing down into the Indian community, we could hear many grouses from the grass root people. Some hawkers especially were not happy with the project earlier as they complained that the promised relocations for their shops were not prepared which actually affected their business badly.
A walk at Brickfields on one fine day wold explain to you the existing marginalization in the community. Between luxuries condominium and high class restaurants, 'poor and middle class families are trapped'. If you are frequent visitor, I bet you have bumped with kids selling pens or souvenirs. When asked about their identity, they uttered the infamous memorized sentence ' My family is poor and I am selling these things after school to support my family' but deep in our heart, we know that these kids controlled by syndicates who are taking advantage on them.
Despite the fact that the community sufferings contributed by their own attitude, with the implementation of 'Gigantic Projects'marginalization worsens which enlarges the economy and social gap between the people. As a result, urban poverty would be rampant!
You do not need a degree in Economics or Science Political to make sense of current situation and post a simple question; 'How does Little India benefit these 'Little Indians' as a whole?' We might need Little India for various reasons but with fundamental rights and necessities ignored and abandoned, dream to build a business empire is equivalent to building a sand castle in the air
Talking about exporting expertise or competing globally to folks at the street there is ridiculous when their basic rights are axed and necessity is jeopardized. Your talk about walking on the street or eating curry does not make sense to the folks who are struggling even to channel a decent income to the family for a month
In this context, what else Little India could be if not another plain rhetoric to boost the Public relation or another agenda to fish for Indians' votes for upcoming General Election. Perhaps the Little India is a 'help' to the people and the 'return help' maybe expected from the community very soon.
The fact that its too early to judge whether Little India is a successful project or a failed mission is undeniable. The yield could be only observed in the long run. However, we need to remind ourselves that unresolved issues at the grass root level could generate disastrous impacts which would contribute to the down fall of the society.
Is Little India promised wealth or planned disaster? Figures in the future shall speak for themselves...
Time to walk your talk, people. Selvach needs us now. Will you be there for him?
Update : Someone asked for a map to Bukit Aman. Here are the links to two. Hope they help.
http://www.dromoz.com/directory/place/?id=1226&p=Bukit+Aman
http://www.dromoz.com/directory/place/?id=7577&p=Bukit+Aman
____________________________________________________
There were 4 deaths in custody in 2009 where the details of the deceased and the fact of the death in custody became publicly known.
Kugan, who died in the Taipan police station in January.
Gnanapragasam, who died in the Sri Damansara police station in June.
Teoh Beng Hock.
And Gunasegaran.
Gunasegaran’s stood out from the others in one very important detail.
Four individuals detained together with Gunasegaran witnessed events leading up to Guna’s death.
Unlike the other three cases, in Guna’s case, there were eye witness accounts that, it would turn out, materially contradicted the official account proffered by the police auhorities.
As efforts were made in late July and early August last year to put together a team to try and get at the truth surrounding Guna’s death, it became obvious early on that these eye witnesses would need to be ‘protected’, lest they be ‘got to’, to change their ‘story’.
That task fell on the shoulders of one person who chooses to remain unknown. I shall call him X.
Sure, enough, on the night of the very day that Visva successfully got an order of the High Court in August last year, based on the sworn testimony of 3 of those 4 eyewitnesses, for a second post mortem and an inquest into Guna’s death, Selvach, one of the three, got word that the police wanted him in for questioning in relation to a police report said to have been lodged against him in relation to a family quarrel.
Selvach alerted X of this and the next day, a solicitor was arranged to accompany Selvach to the Wangsa Maju police station to offer his statement in relation to that alleged report.
Nothing came of this.
We assured Selvach that if at any time he was harassed or intimidated by the police, he should contact X and every effort would be made to give him protection.
Now, since that episode, Selvach never called X to ask for any help in relation to any intimidation, arrest or harassment by the police.
You will also note that in Visva’s submissions that I referred to in my ‘New brooms…’ post, Visva had said, of Selvach :
Saksi ini memberi keterangan bahawa pada 16.7.2009 beliau juga ditahan bersama simati dan 4 yang lain. Saksi ini telah dilepaskan pihak polis kerana ujian urin beliau negative pada petang hari tersebut.
Selvach was released on the same day of the arrest, 16th July, 2009, because his urine sample tested negative for any drugs.
Now if he had gotten into any trouble with the law, or if he had had another run-in with the police, I’m certain he would have been in touch with X for help.
There was no such call to X prior to Selvach’s arrest last Monday night, after the coroner had delivered her verdict earlier in the day.
To the best of our knowledge, then, Selvach had no further ‘problem’ with the law.
So why was Selvach beaten and arrested that night, and why is he being held?
Selvach could have refused to have anything to do with the inquest proceedings, to spare himself any trouble with the police.
He did not.
He stepped forward and told the truth.
Is that why he is being held now?
Because he dared to speak up?
_______________________________________
Please come and Join us to seek justice for Selvach
PROTEST MEMO TO IGP ON 30TH OCTOBER 2010
The details as below:
Date: 30 October 2010
Time: 10am
Place: BUKIT AMAN FEDERAL POLICE HQ ( LAKE GARDEN ENTRANCE ).
http://www.dromoz.com/directory/place/?id=1226&p=Bukit+Aman
http://www.dromoz.com/directory/place/?id=7577&p=Bukit+Aman
____________________________________________________
There were 4 deaths in custody in 2009 where the details of the deceased and the fact of the death in custody became publicly known.
Kugan, who died in the Taipan police station in January.
Gnanapragasam, who died in the Sri Damansara police station in June.
Teoh Beng Hock.
And Gunasegaran.
Gunasegaran’s stood out from the others in one very important detail.
Four individuals detained together with Gunasegaran witnessed events leading up to Guna’s death.
Unlike the other three cases, in Guna’s case, there were eye witness accounts that, it would turn out, materially contradicted the official account proffered by the police auhorities.
As efforts were made in late July and early August last year to put together a team to try and get at the truth surrounding Guna’s death, it became obvious early on that these eye witnesses would need to be ‘protected’, lest they be ‘got to’, to change their ‘story’.
That task fell on the shoulders of one person who chooses to remain unknown. I shall call him X.
Sure, enough, on the night of the very day that Visva successfully got an order of the High Court in August last year, based on the sworn testimony of 3 of those 4 eyewitnesses, for a second post mortem and an inquest into Guna’s death, Selvach, one of the three, got word that the police wanted him in for questioning in relation to a police report said to have been lodged against him in relation to a family quarrel.
Selvach alerted X of this and the next day, a solicitor was arranged to accompany Selvach to the Wangsa Maju police station to offer his statement in relation to that alleged report.
Nothing came of this.
We assured Selvach that if at any time he was harassed or intimidated by the police, he should contact X and every effort would be made to give him protection.
Now, since that episode, Selvach never called X to ask for any help in relation to any intimidation, arrest or harassment by the police.
You will also note that in Visva’s submissions that I referred to in my ‘New brooms…’ post, Visva had said, of Selvach :
Saksi ini memberi keterangan bahawa pada 16.7.2009 beliau juga ditahan bersama simati dan 4 yang lain. Saksi ini telah dilepaskan pihak polis kerana ujian urin beliau negative pada petang hari tersebut.
Selvach was released on the same day of the arrest, 16th July, 2009, because his urine sample tested negative for any drugs.
Now if he had gotten into any trouble with the law, or if he had had another run-in with the police, I’m certain he would have been in touch with X for help.
There was no such call to X prior to Selvach’s arrest last Monday night, after the coroner had delivered her verdict earlier in the day.
To the best of our knowledge, then, Selvach had no further ‘problem’ with the law.
So why was Selvach beaten and arrested that night, and why is he being held?
Selvach could have refused to have anything to do with the inquest proceedings, to spare himself any trouble with the police.
He did not.
He stepped forward and told the truth.
Is that why he is being held now?
Because he dared to speak up?
_______________________________________
Please come and Join us to seek justice for Selvach
PROTEST MEMO TO IGP ON 30TH OCTOBER 2010
( Beating and abduction of Selvach by police)
The continuing descent of the Malaysian police force into lawlessness has been graphically demonstrated by the October 25th abduction and beating of Selvach by police personnel. Selvach was a key witness who testified against the police in the recently concluded R.Gunasegaran inquest. On the very day the verdict was delivered in the inquest, police moved against Selvach. When Selvach’s children asked police why their father was being dragged away, the police answered by beating Selvach in front of his own children.
The trauma caused to the children is unimaginable and in gross violation of international norms on the protection of children. In a twisted perversion of conjugal love, police personnel tried to make Selvach’s wife S.Saraswathy kiss him before beating him up in front of her. Selvach, who did his duty as a citizen by telling the truth at the Gunasegaran inquest, is now being held at an unknown location with no access to his family or lawyers. It is believed that he is being detained without trial under the Emergency Ordinance. The outrage done against Selvach and his family is only the latest in a long series of police brutality cases going back into and beyond the Mahathir despotism.
WE FREE CITIZENS OF THIS NATION MUST MAKE A STAND AGAINST THE PREVAILING POLICE AND STATE VIOLENCE ! JOIN US FOR THE HANDING OVER OF A PROTEST MEMORANDUM TO THE IGP.The details as below:
Date: 30 October 2010
Time: 10am
Place: BUKIT AMAN FEDERAL POLICE HQ ( LAKE GARDEN ENTRANCE ).
PROTEST MEMO TO IGP ON 30TH OCTOBER 2010
Beating and abduction of K.Selvachandran by police.The continuing descent of the Malaysian police force into lawlessness has been graphically demonstrated by the October 25th abduction and beating of K.Selvachandran by police personnel.
Selvachandran was a key witness who testified against the police in the recently concluded R.Gunasegaran inquest. On the very day the verdict was delivered in the inquest, police moved against Selvachandran. When Selva’s children asked police why their father was being dragged away, the police answered by beating Selva in front of his own children.
The trauma caused to the children is unimaginable and in gross violation of international norms on the protection of children. In a twisted perversion of conjugal love, police personnel tried to make Selva’s wife S.Saraswathy kiss him before beating him up in front of her. Selva, who did his duty as a citizen by telling the truth at the Gunasegaran inquest, is now being held at a unknown location with no access to his family or lawyers. It is believed that he is being detained without trial under the Emergency Ordinance.
The outrage done against Selva and his family is only the latest in a long series of police brutality cases going back into and beyond the Mahathir despotism.
WE FREE CITIZENS OF THIS NATION MUST MAKE A STAND AGAINST THE PREVAILING POLICE AND STATE VIOLENCE ! JOIN US FOR THE HANDING OVER OF A PROTEST MEMORANDUM TO THE IGP THIS
SATURDAY ( 30.10.2010 )10.00am
BUKIT AMAN FEDERAL POLICE HQ ( LAKE GARDEN ENTRANCE ).
S.JAYATHAS
Information Chief
Human Rights Party ( HRP)
012-6362287
Thursday, October 28, 2010
New brooms sweep clean? Not this one!
So we have a new IGP.
A new era in policing?
Last Monday, the coroner in the inquest in relation to the death of Gunasegaran, death in custody No. 1805, returned an open verdict, meaning to say that she could not rule conclusively on the cause of death.
Malaysiakini reports that the coroner alluded to another possible cause of death : the “lethal level” of drugs allegedly found in Gunasegaran during the first post-mortem.
Visvanathan, counsel who represented the family of Guna during the inquest, has said that a review would be filed in the High Court.
In his written submissions at the inquest, this is what Visva said of the witnesses who identified the assault.
____________________________________________________________
Terdapat 3 orang saksi yang telah hadir di Mahkamah yang memberi keterangan yang berbeza dari versi yang diberikan oleh anggota polis.Saksi-saksi ini merupakan orang-orang yang telah ditangkap bersama-sama simati pada petang 16.7.2009.
Tiga orang ini terdiri dari :-
1) Ravi a/l Subramaniam ( SI17)
2) Suresh a/l M Subbaiah (S20)
3) Selvach Santhiran a/l Krishnan (SI22)
Ketiga-tiga saksi ini telah memberikan keterangan pada hari yang berbeza. 2 dari mereka kini berada di dalam tahanan di tempat yang berlainan. Kami hujahkan bahawa tidak mungkin ketiga-tiga saksi ini berkomunikasi untuk bersepakat bagi tujuan memberi keterangan di Mahkamah.
Ravi a/l Subramaniam (SI17)
Saksi ini mengesahkan bahawa beliau ditahan bersama simati bersama 4 yang lain pada petang 16.7.2009. Beliau juga mengesahkan bahawa terdapat seorang anggota polis yang telah menendang Simati selepas simati ditangkap. Saksi ini juga mengatakan bahawa beliau telah menolong simati pergi ke belakang bagi tujuan cap jari dan urin. Beliau juga memberi keterangan bahawa si mati pada masa itu tidak boleh berjalan kerana ditendang. Beliau meninggalkan simati dekat kerusi dibelakang dan masuk balik kedalam lokap. Beliau kemudiannya ada mendengar bunyi kerusi jatuh. Anggota yang menangkap simati kemudiannya datang kelokap dan meminta beliau pergi kebelakang semula untuk kejutkan simati. Beliau kemudian pergi ke belakang dan melihat Simati tidak bergerak dan semasa dikejutkan badan simati tidak bergerak dan matanya tidak berkelip. Saksi ini kemudiannya merasakan takut untuk mengejutkan simati pada masa itu. Beliau merasakan simati sudah mati ketika itu.Badan si mati juga dikatakan sejuk ketika itu. Perkara ini dimaklumkan kepada anggota polis dimana beliau disuruh masuk semula ke dalam lokap. Saksi ini juga memberi keterangan bahawa tiada apa-apa pertolongan kecemasan yang diberikan kepada Simati pada masa itu oleh Polis. Insiden “renjisan air” juga dinafikan berlaku oleh saksi ini. Saksi ini kemudiannya memaklumkan Mahkamah bahawa beliau telah dipujuk dengan janji untuk dilepaskan awal oleh anggota polis yang berbangsa Singh untuk memberi percakapan bahawa simati telah jatuh sendiri dan tidak dipukul anggota polis. Saksi ini juga mengesahkan ada membuat satu Surat Akuan berkenaan kes ini dan Surat Akuan ini ditandakan sebagai eksibit “I-11”. Saksi ini ada memberi keterangan bahawa beliau ada menalipon kawannya dan memaklumkan beliau bahawa Simati telah mati di Balai Polis. Saksi ini telah mencamkan SI8 iaitu L/Kpl Faizal yang telah memukul simati pada hari kejadian.
Suresh a/l M Subbaiah (SI 20)
Saksi ini juga merupakan salah seorang dari tangkapan yang dibuat bersama simati pada petang 16.7.2009. Saksi ini juga menceritakan bahawa beliau melihat Simati dipukul oleh salah seorang anggota polis pada petang 16.7.2009. Beliau mengatakan bahawa salah seorang anggota telah meminta saksi SI17 keluar dari lokap untuk cuba kejutkan Simati tetapi gagal mengejutkan simati. Saksi ini juga mengatakan bahawa simati diusung kehadapan dan diletakkan selama 20-30 minit. Saksi ini juga mengatakan bahawa tidak melihat Simati tidak bergerak dan tidak bercakap. Saksi ini telah memberitahu anggota polis pada petang itu bahawa pada masa itu simati sudah mati. Beliau juga mengatakan bahawa tiada apa-apa bantuan kecemasan yang diberikan kepada simati pada petang itu oleh pihak polis. Saksi ini juga telah mengesahkan bahawa beliau ada membuat surat akuan berkenaan kes ini yang telah ditandakan sebagai eksibit “SI13”. Saksi ini juga telah mengenalpasti SI8 iaitu L/Kpl Faizal sebagai orang yang telah memukul simati pada hari kejadian.
____________________________________________________________
Later that night, on the same day that the coroner delivered her verdict, police called at the home of witness Selvach and took him away.
Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Selvach’s wife, S Saraswathy, said that 5 police officers came to the family home around 10pm, assaulted Selvach and then took him away.
A new era in policing?
Last Monday, the coroner in the inquest in relation to the death of Gunasegaran, death in custody No. 1805, returned an open verdict, meaning to say that she could not rule conclusively on the cause of death.
“This is an open verdict case as witness testimonies were not enough for a conclusion…The death was caused by one of two things, but I cannot conclude if it was true that the injuries found in the post-mortem were due to beatings” , Malaysiakini reports coroner Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin as saying.
Malaysiakini reports that the coroner alluded to another possible cause of death : the “lethal level” of drugs allegedly found in Gunasegaran during the first post-mortem.
Visvanathan, counsel who represented the family of Guna during the inquest, has said that a review would be filed in the High Court.
“There are witnesses who positively identified the person who made the assault. How is it possible for the man who was identified to walk out as a free man?” , Malaysiakini reports Visva saying.
In his written submissions at the inquest, this is what Visva said of the witnesses who identified the assault.
____________________________________________________________
Terdapat 3 orang saksi yang telah hadir di Mahkamah yang memberi keterangan yang berbeza dari versi yang diberikan oleh anggota polis.Saksi-saksi ini merupakan orang-orang yang telah ditangkap bersama-sama simati pada petang 16.7.2009.
Tiga orang ini terdiri dari :-
1) Ravi a/l Subramaniam ( SI17)
2) Suresh a/l M Subbaiah (S20)
3) Selvach Santhiran a/l Krishnan (SI22)
Ketiga-tiga saksi ini telah memberikan keterangan pada hari yang berbeza. 2 dari mereka kini berada di dalam tahanan di tempat yang berlainan. Kami hujahkan bahawa tidak mungkin ketiga-tiga saksi ini berkomunikasi untuk bersepakat bagi tujuan memberi keterangan di Mahkamah.
Ravi a/l Subramaniam (SI17)
Saksi ini mengesahkan bahawa beliau ditahan bersama simati bersama 4 yang lain pada petang 16.7.2009. Beliau juga mengesahkan bahawa terdapat seorang anggota polis yang telah menendang Simati selepas simati ditangkap. Saksi ini juga mengatakan bahawa beliau telah menolong simati pergi ke belakang bagi tujuan cap jari dan urin. Beliau juga memberi keterangan bahawa si mati pada masa itu tidak boleh berjalan kerana ditendang. Beliau meninggalkan simati dekat kerusi dibelakang dan masuk balik kedalam lokap. Beliau kemudiannya ada mendengar bunyi kerusi jatuh. Anggota yang menangkap simati kemudiannya datang kelokap dan meminta beliau pergi kebelakang semula untuk kejutkan simati. Beliau kemudian pergi ke belakang dan melihat Simati tidak bergerak dan semasa dikejutkan badan simati tidak bergerak dan matanya tidak berkelip. Saksi ini kemudiannya merasakan takut untuk mengejutkan simati pada masa itu. Beliau merasakan simati sudah mati ketika itu.Badan si mati juga dikatakan sejuk ketika itu. Perkara ini dimaklumkan kepada anggota polis dimana beliau disuruh masuk semula ke dalam lokap. Saksi ini juga memberi keterangan bahawa tiada apa-apa pertolongan kecemasan yang diberikan kepada Simati pada masa itu oleh Polis. Insiden “renjisan air” juga dinafikan berlaku oleh saksi ini. Saksi ini kemudiannya memaklumkan Mahkamah bahawa beliau telah dipujuk dengan janji untuk dilepaskan awal oleh anggota polis yang berbangsa Singh untuk memberi percakapan bahawa simati telah jatuh sendiri dan tidak dipukul anggota polis. Saksi ini juga mengesahkan ada membuat satu Surat Akuan berkenaan kes ini dan Surat Akuan ini ditandakan sebagai eksibit “I-11”. Saksi ini ada memberi keterangan bahawa beliau ada menalipon kawannya dan memaklumkan beliau bahawa Simati telah mati di Balai Polis. Saksi ini telah mencamkan SI8 iaitu L/Kpl Faizal yang telah memukul simati pada hari kejadian.
Suresh a/l M Subbaiah (SI 20)
Saksi ini juga merupakan salah seorang dari tangkapan yang dibuat bersama simati pada petang 16.7.2009. Saksi ini juga menceritakan bahawa beliau melihat Simati dipukul oleh salah seorang anggota polis pada petang 16.7.2009. Beliau mengatakan bahawa salah seorang anggota telah meminta saksi SI17 keluar dari lokap untuk cuba kejutkan Simati tetapi gagal mengejutkan simati. Saksi ini juga mengatakan bahawa simati diusung kehadapan dan diletakkan selama 20-30 minit. Saksi ini juga mengatakan bahawa tidak melihat Simati tidak bergerak dan tidak bercakap. Saksi ini telah memberitahu anggota polis pada petang itu bahawa pada masa itu simati sudah mati. Beliau juga mengatakan bahawa tiada apa-apa bantuan kecemasan yang diberikan kepada simati pada petang itu oleh pihak polis. Saksi ini juga telah mengesahkan bahawa beliau ada membuat surat akuan berkenaan kes ini yang telah ditandakan sebagai eksibit “SI13”. Saksi ini juga telah mengenalpasti SI8 iaitu L/Kpl Faizal sebagai orang yang telah memukul simati pada hari kejadian.
Selvach Santhiran a/l Krishnan (SI22)
Saksi ini memberi keterangan bahawa pada 16.7.2009 beliau juga ditahan bersama simati dan 4 yang lain. Saksi ini telah dilepaskan pihak polis kerana ujian urin beliau negative pada petang hari tersebut. Saksi ini juga memberi keterangan bahawa beliau telah melihat simati ditendang di bahagian belakang dan dada simati oleh salah seorang anggota polis pada 16.7.2009. Beliau mengatakan keadaan si mati selepas itu teruk. Saksi ini juga memberitahu Mahkamah bahawa simati telah dibawa ke hadapan dan dibaringkan di hadapan lokap. Beliau juga mengatakan bahawa beliau tidak tahu sama ada simati masih hidup atau sudah mati ketika itu. Simati ketika itu tidak bergerak dan tidak bercakap. Selepas dilepaskan beliau ada menerima panggilan talipon dari Ravi bahawa Simati telah mati. Surat Akuan berkenaan kes ini juga dibuat oleh saksi dan ditandakan sebagai eksibit “SI 12”. Saksi ini juga mengenalpasti L/Kpl Faizal sebagai orang yang telah memukul simati pada hari kejadian.
____________________________________________________________
Later that night, on the same day that the coroner delivered her verdict, police called at the home of witness Selvach and took him away.
Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Selvach’s wife, S Saraswathy, said that 5 police officers came to the family home around 10pm, assaulted Selvach and then took him away.
Malaysia would tackle ethnic Indians'' issues on its own: PM
Jaishree Balasubramanian and Ajay Kaul Putrajaya, Oct 27 (PTI) In the backdrop of discrimination being felt by ethnic Indians in this country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed confidence that Malaysia would tackle such issues through its inbuilt flexibility while his counterpart Najib Razak asserted it was a "purely domestic matter" which India should respect. "Like India, Malaysia is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic entity.
It is a democracy which respects fundamental human rights of all its citizens. "I am confident that the Malaysian system has built-in flexibility to tackle any problem of the kind you mentioned," Singh said at a joint press conference with Najib when a question was asked about the feeling of discrimination among people of Indian origin in Malaysia and whether this issue was discussed.
Najib, while responding to the question, said "this is purely a domestic matter for us to handle and we are handling it very positively. We don't have to discuss such matters between the two countries."
He went on to add that "as much we respect what happens in India", he expected the latter also respects "what we do". Ethnic Indians form eight per cent of Malaysia's population of 27 million people, with majority of them from Tamil Nadu. In 2007, more than 20,000 ethnic Indians took part in a massive protest rally here against alleged marginalisation of the minority community by the Government.
The protest was organised by a group called Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) which was later banned. The government denied the charges of discrimination. In the general elections the next year, the ruling coalition of Barisan national had a dismal performance at the polls barely hanging on to power with several states voting for the opposition. A huge chunk of the ethnic Indian population also voted for the opposition as many believed that the Malaysian political party Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) had hardly done enough to uplift them. Their ire was against the party chief Samy Vellu, who has been at the helm of the party for 30 years, alleging he had done little for them.
Samy Vellu is expected to step down voluntarily in January next year and pass on the presidentship to his deputy. Indians were brought to Malaysia by the British 200 years ago as indentured labourers to work in plantations and make roads in the then Malaya. Soon after India's independence some left for home while many stayed back with subsequent generations growing in Malaysia as Malaysian Indians.
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/malaysia-would-tackle-ethnic-indians-issues-on-its-own-pm/450253.html
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Help Indians, Human Rights Party pleads to Manmohan
(Malaysiakini) Having had no positive response from the Malaysian government, the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) is now appealing to three international leaders, who are scheduled to visit Malaysia soon, to intervene and help resolve the social-economic plight of the marginalised Indian community in the country.
HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar (right) told Malaysiakini that the first leader in HRP's agenda is Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia today.
After Manmohan's departure, HRP will approach the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur for assistance to meet with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who is scheduled for a two-day visit to Malaysia from Sunday (Oct 31).
HRP also hopes to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her three-day visit to Malaysia from Nov 1.
While the elder brother P Uthayakumar is working in the country, to supposedly to free the local Indian community from the denial of their socio-economic rights and needs, his younger brother, Hindraf chief P Waytha Moorthy, is said to be working on the issues from his self-imposed exile in London.
In a series of media statements, both Hindraf and HRP leaders appealed to the Prime Minister of India to take up violations of basic human rights against the Indian minority in Malaysia, and on matters of the community's welfare.
The Indian wire news agency, Press Trust of India, in a report on Oct 20 carried Waytha Moorthy's appeal to Manmohan to take up the issue of "serious human rights violations" of Indians with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar (right) told Malaysiakini that the first leader in HRP's agenda is Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia today.After Manmohan's departure, HRP will approach the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur for assistance to meet with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who is scheduled for a two-day visit to Malaysia from Sunday (Oct 31).
HRP also hopes to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her three-day visit to Malaysia from Nov 1.
While the elder brother P Uthayakumar is working in the country, to supposedly to free the local Indian community from the denial of their socio-economic rights and needs, his younger brother, Hindraf chief P Waytha Moorthy, is said to be working on the issues from his self-imposed exile in London.
In a series of media statements, both Hindraf and HRP leaders appealed to the Prime Minister of India to take up violations of basic human rights against the Indian minority in Malaysia, and on matters of the community's welfare.
The Indian wire news agency, Press Trust of India, in a report on Oct 20 carried Waytha Moorthy's appeal to Manmohan to take up the issue of "serious human rights violations" of Indians with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Indian PM Arrives For Three-Day Visit To Malaysia
Dr Manmohan, who was accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur, was greeted on arrival by Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister A. Kohilan Pillay and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany.
The visit was to reciprocate the visit by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to India in January besides expanding bilateral relations between the two countries.
On Wednesday, Dr Manmohan would be given a state welcome at the Dataran Perdana, Putrajaya, which would be followed by a delegation meeting where both prime ministers were expected to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues.
Najib and Dr Manmohan were also scheduled to witness the signing of several government agreements and memoranda of understanding.
Subsequently, Najib and Dr Manmohan were scheduled to launch the first Malaysia-India Forum of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).
Dr Manmohan and his wife were also granted an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur.
Najib and Dr Manmohan were later scheduled to launch the 'Little India' in Brickfields, which would be the climax of the visit.
Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor would host a dinner for the government guests at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya.
Dr Manmohan and his delegation were scheduled to depart for Hanoi, Vietnam on Thursday afternoon.
The Coroner’s Inquest has failed in dispensing justice to Gunasegaran and his family
Joint Press Statement by eight (8) Civil Society Groups
We, the undersigned organizations, are deeply appalled by the “Open Verdict” of the Coroner presiding at the inquest of R. Gunasegaran who died in police custody on July 16, 2009.
As many as three witnesses have testified at the inquest that Gunasegaran had been kicked and beaten by a police officer until he was unconscious, and the second autopsy has found a 28cm long, 8cm width and 5cm depth scar on his chest.
We cannot believe that such a heavy physical assault and the resultant severe scars on Gunasegaran were not given the due consideration as the most probable cause of death. The coroner’s open verdict is simply unconvincing! We strongly criticize the dismissal of eye-witnesses’ testimony. The coroner’s inquest has apparently failed in dispensing justice without fear or favour, to Gunasegaran and his family.
Given that the authorities have tried to defer giving a copy of the post-mortem report to Gunasegaran’s family last year, and that the police officer “forgot” to report the death of Gunasegaran, we feel that the authorities are trying to cover up something.
The public’s confidence in our enforcement agencies is not only at a new low, but indeed in “CRISIS”.
When Selangor Chief Police officer Khalid Abu Bakar accused Aminul Rasyid who was shoot in Shah Alam as a criminal, he lied;
When the MACC said they did not have Teoh Beng Hock’s mobile phone, but the investigating officer told us later that the mobile phone was seized from MACC officer, they lied;
When the first autopsy report on the death of A.Kugan indicated that “he died as a result of pulmonary edema and did not highlight any of the physical trauma suffered by Kugan.”, and then the second autopsy pointed out “Kugan was tortured, starved before dying”, the pathologist lied.
How can the public continue to trust our enforcement agencies if they tend to abuse their power at the expense of Malaysians’ life and cover up by lies! We are frustrated over these violations of human rights cases. We urge the government to sincerely investigate the death of all suspected tortured victims and clean up the enforcement agencies by enacting a comprehensive human right act in order to reclaim the public’s confidence.
The act must be able to bring to an end the state-sponsored torture and prevent the recurrence of cases such as Gunasegaran, Teoh Beng Hock, A. Kugan, Aminul Rasyid; and others.
We also demand the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) be immediately established to oversee our police force as the most glaring cases of merciless shooting and deaths in custody involve police officers.
Late yesterday evening, we were informed that Selvachandran Krishnan, a key witness at the Gunasegaran Inquest has been beaten up and arrested by the police in front of his wife. The police told her that he would be detained for 60 days. We condemn the arbitrary and violent arrest of Selvachandran .
We demand an explanation from the new IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar on the reasons for the arrest. Selvachandran must be released immediately and the police must issue an open apology to the family.
Endorsed organizations :
1. Malaysians for Beng Hock
2. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia [SABM]
3. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
4. Civil Rights Committee of KLSCAH (CRC-KLSCAH)
5. Youth Section of KLSCAH (YS-KLSCAH)
6. Malaysia Youth & Students Democratic Movement (DEMA)
7. Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower)
8. Civil Society Committee of LLG Cultural Development Centre
We, the undersigned organizations, are deeply appalled by the “Open Verdict” of the Coroner presiding at the inquest of R. Gunasegaran who died in police custody on July 16, 2009.
As many as three witnesses have testified at the inquest that Gunasegaran had been kicked and beaten by a police officer until he was unconscious, and the second autopsy has found a 28cm long, 8cm width and 5cm depth scar on his chest.
We cannot believe that such a heavy physical assault and the resultant severe scars on Gunasegaran were not given the due consideration as the most probable cause of death. The coroner’s open verdict is simply unconvincing! We strongly criticize the dismissal of eye-witnesses’ testimony. The coroner’s inquest has apparently failed in dispensing justice without fear or favour, to Gunasegaran and his family.
Given that the authorities have tried to defer giving a copy of the post-mortem report to Gunasegaran’s family last year, and that the police officer “forgot” to report the death of Gunasegaran, we feel that the authorities are trying to cover up something.
The public’s confidence in our enforcement agencies is not only at a new low, but indeed in “CRISIS”.
When Selangor Chief Police officer Khalid Abu Bakar accused Aminul Rasyid who was shoot in Shah Alam as a criminal, he lied;
When the MACC said they did not have Teoh Beng Hock’s mobile phone, but the investigating officer told us later that the mobile phone was seized from MACC officer, they lied;
When the first autopsy report on the death of A.Kugan indicated that “he died as a result of pulmonary edema and did not highlight any of the physical trauma suffered by Kugan.”, and then the second autopsy pointed out “Kugan was tortured, starved before dying”, the pathologist lied.
How can the public continue to trust our enforcement agencies if they tend to abuse their power at the expense of Malaysians’ life and cover up by lies! We are frustrated over these violations of human rights cases. We urge the government to sincerely investigate the death of all suspected tortured victims and clean up the enforcement agencies by enacting a comprehensive human right act in order to reclaim the public’s confidence.
The act must be able to bring to an end the state-sponsored torture and prevent the recurrence of cases such as Gunasegaran, Teoh Beng Hock, A. Kugan, Aminul Rasyid; and others.
We also demand the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) be immediately established to oversee our police force as the most glaring cases of merciless shooting and deaths in custody involve police officers.
Late yesterday evening, we were informed that Selvachandran Krishnan, a key witness at the Gunasegaran Inquest has been beaten up and arrested by the police in front of his wife. The police told her that he would be detained for 60 days. We condemn the arbitrary and violent arrest of Selvachandran .
We demand an explanation from the new IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar on the reasons for the arrest. Selvachandran must be released immediately and the police must issue an open apology to the family.
Endorsed organizations :
1. Malaysians for Beng Hock
2. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia [SABM]
3. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
4. Civil Rights Committee of KLSCAH (CRC-KLSCAH)
5. Youth Section of KLSCAH (YS-KLSCAH)
6. Malaysia Youth & Students Democratic Movement (DEMA)
7. Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower)
8. Civil Society Committee of LLG Cultural Development Centre
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
International media attention on Malaysian Indian poor brought to Manmohan’s K.L visit. (Media Statement 25/10/10)
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
International media attention on Malaysian Indian poor brought to Manmohan’s K.L visit.
(Media Statement 25/10/10)
In a series of media statements HINDRAF and HRP has appealed to the Prime Minister of India to take up the issues of the violation of Human Rights against the Indian minority in Malaysia and about their welfare.
The Press Trust of India, the official news agency of India carried a statement on the 20th of Oct “ P.Waytha Moorthy, the leader of a prominent Hindu rights group today appealed to the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, ahead of his visit to Malaysia to take up the issue of “serious human rights violations” of the ethnic community with his Malaysian counterpart. This statement was feeder to the media throughout India.
On the 23rd of Oct, The Hindu, one of the oldest daily in South India elaborated on that statement. Welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s planned visit to Malaysia next week, the Hindu Rights Action Force Makkal Sakthi (HINDRAF) has urged him to raise issues concerning the welfare of ethnic Indian minority in that country. They appealed to Dr. Singh to show a sense of “moral responsibility” towards the Malaysian Indians
by placing the “concerns” of ethnic Indians on the agenda with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. Referring to the planned opening of “Little India” in Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Uthayakumar of the political wing of HINDRAF wrote: “The significance is only symbolic. Little India is no more than a little flower bazaar. Of greater significance to the Indian community in Malaysia will be … the provision of scholarships … [for] study in Indian universities.”
In making this statement HINDRAF and HRP was again bringing focus to the issues of discrimination against high performing Malaysian Indian students in the awards of scholarships, places in Universities and in the matriculation Pre –U stream in Malaysia
Meanwhile on the 22nd of October, BBC Tamil radio carried a live interview with Mr.Waytha Moorthy , the Chairperson of HINDRAF, on the status of the Indians in Malaysia. On the question of whether any of the utterances coming out of the UMNO General Assembly, meant any difference, Mr Waythamoorthy’s responded that it was all just rhetoric coming as it does just a few months before a possible snap poll in 2011. Waytha Moorthy reiterated that HINDRAF’s struggle was a long struggle and it is a peaceful struggle to achieve a better future for the Indian minority in Malaysia.
All of this attention to the issue of the welfare of the Indian Minority rights coming up as it does on the heels of the Indian Prime Minister’s visit does raise a few interesting questions. The politics within Malaysia does not now seem to have answers for the distressed situation of the Indian community in Malaysia? There is plenty of rhetoric, but little in the form of effective solutions. There is clear need for change in the political arrangements within Malaysia if this problem is to be ultimately resolved. There is now a need for intervention.
1) Given the intricacies of International diplomacy will India intervene and accept to play any role in this issue?
2) What will be the ramification of an Indian community that continues to be in distress in Malaysia to India and to India-Malaysia relations as India develops in stature around the region?
3) Is business and regional security, the only plane on which India will engage with Malaysia, does it not have a moral responsibility for the welfare of people of Indian origin here due to its historical and cultural affinity, like the rest of the Islamic world have for the plight of the Palestinians?
4) Given the growing business clout of India should it not use some of that to
bargain a better life for the Indians in Malaysia?
5) Will India not benefit from an upliftment of the Indian community here in
Malaysia?
6) And finally how will Malaysia view intervention from India?
N.Ganesan , the Advisor to Hindraf and HRP adds, “ it is timely, with Dr,Manmohan Singh’s visit that some of these questions, be squarely addressed. Ignoring them – Dr. Singh and the Government of India have not responded to several approaches by HINDRAF and HRP for positive intervention on these issues, is to lose a significant opportunity for leadership. India as a leading nation in the region, coupled with the cultural and historical affinity to the Indians in the country does have a moral responsibility to intervene. Does the Government of India have the vision to see it in this light?”
P. Uthayakumar
Secretary General (pro-tem)
Odd Malay poor homeless gets five UMNO mainstream English and Malay newspaper coverage. Problem solved instantly. But hundreds of thousands of Indian homeless segregated and excluded.
And this poor and homeless family was instantly given a home at Wisma Belia by the powerful UMNO Youth.Bi-racial One Malay-sia is the only country in the world where ethnicity of the victim matters even on poverty and welfare matters. We have been monitoring the media for the last 35 years and are yet to come across even one Indian poor and homeless case out of the thousands which received colour photo and prime news coverage.
If only The News Straits Times, The Star, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia and Sinar Harian in their newspapers at pages UM 25/10/10 at page 14, SH 25/10/10 at page 12, SH 25/10/10 at page S8, The Star 25/10/10 at page N 17, NST 25/10/10 at page 13, also similarly reports on the Indian poor and homelessness, and the UMNO government acted equally on the misery, hundreds of thousands of poor and homeless Malaysian Indians would have been saved. But in over the last 53 years this is how Malaysia has evolved to become bi-racial One Malay-sia where if the victim was a Malay muslim as in the instant case which is just the tip of the iceberg or a Chinese, their misery would be almost instantly given coverage, relieved and they are instantly given homes to move in.
The Indians poor are so poor that they even cannot afford to pay water bills of RM 18.00 per month and have had even their water supply disconnected. The Indian poor even cannot afford to pay the RM 124.00 rentals for the PPR low cost government flats they live in.
Their flats are sealed up, their very basic bedding, clothes and furniture are confiscated.
These poor Indians are now on the streets or back to another squatter house only to be thrown out to the streets or another low cost flats and to be thrown out all over again and again or the end up squatting in some friend’s or relatives flat to the point of some 16 Indian poor living in a two bedroom flat including a four month old baby as has been reported in this website earlier.
Imagine the tension of 16 adults and children living in a mere 800 or so square feet.
But for the odd Malay poor, UMNO, Jakim, Lembaga Urus Zakat, banks, cooperatives sector, businessman or datuk, etc pay up their rental and water and other arrears and thereafter directly pay for their rentals.
For the odd Chinese poor, some Chinese businessman or datuk would pay up, bail them out, give then a business to cari makan and get them out of their misery.
The rich Malaysian Chinese community who control some 50% of the Malaysian economy can take care of the Chinese poor.
For Malay poor, the Malacca Chief minister swiftly moved in give a similar odd poor Malay family a house and a food stall to keep them keep afloat.
But these help will never and has almost never been given to an Indian poor and homeless. The Indians have not been given opportunities in the first place so that they cannot bail out poor Indians or are limited in their efforts unlike the Chinese or the Malays and their guilds and organisations.
Why? Bi-racial One Malay-sian?
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Third Force Torchbearers, The Third Eye and Trisakthi – By Iraiputtiran
U la la … the temperature is rising in the country! The red-hot status of the social contract, the blistering criticisms on the recently presented crappy budget, the fiery speeches of delegates and the national peace threatening flaming speech by none other than the country’s Prime Minister himself in the 61st UMNO General Assembly, the bursting replies from the opposing team, the broils and fracases in the recently concluded PKR divisions polls nationwide, the infighting and bickering in DAP, the boiling madness of the public over the failure of both BN and PR to stand up to their expectations for a race blind, clean, unbiased, democratic and upward mobility politics, etc. ! U la la … the scorching heat of the 13th General Election looming ahead is beginning to be felt! The call for the THIRD FORCE is sizzling!
On one hand, we have the UMNO-led BN that has miserably failed the whole nation, especially so the Indians without any remorse or regret for the injustices inflicted upon them the past 53 years! The Prime Minister’s recent speech in the UMNO’s 61st General Assembly with such life threatening rhetoric … “even if our bodies are crushed and our lives lost, brothers and sisters, whatever happens, we must defend Putrajaya!” is indeed a testimony to UMNO’s inability to rebrand, reform, reinvent, and above all, stay relevant in today’s more civilised politics!The fiery speeches in the recent UMNO assembly is also a testimony to UMNO’s level of politicking in the country, lacking logic, substance, in depth studies, sincerity, sensitivity, critical and analytical thinking and many more that we so need to reform our politics and change for better. The speeches were also generously arrogant, concealing the truth and cognitively manipulative and above all, full of racism.
One delegate questioned the presence of only 2,245 Malay teachers in Tamil and Chinese schools whilst there are 33,777 non-Malay teachers in national schools. They called for more multiracial teaching staff in Tamil and Chinese schools to strengthen the unity among people. This inevitably invites one important question. If small presence of Malay teachers in non-Malay schools has caused unity among the people to weaken that it needs to be strengthen, than how weakened should our national unity be that the public service department of 1.3 million servants strong, the BTN, the Petronas, the MARA, the MRSM, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, the sekolah-sekolah agama, the police force, the army, the air force, the postal service, the health department, the universities, FELDA, RISDA, FELCRA, MARDI, KEJORA, etc. and almost all other government related agencies, bodies, departments, ministries, etc. are 99% Malay if not 100%? How come these had never undermined the national unity and race relations? What is the percentage of 33,777 non-Malay teachers compared to the total number of Malay teachers in both national schools (primary) and secondary schools? 1%? 2%? Or at the most 4%? Will they in return, agree to taking in more non-Malays into all the government departments to improve our national unity? What is new about UMNO anyway?On the other hand we have the ‘BIGGER picture’ PR coalition. The faithful and ardent devotees of PR have transformed into cyber troopers and have been hard at work defending their equally failed politicians. Every time there is a disenfranchisement, disgruntlement, dissatisfaction, an unhappy or unpleasant situation, PR cyber troopers had never allowed any criticisms. Without fail, they persuade, convince and urge the public, especially the Indians, to throw their blind support behind PR to capture the 8th wonder of the world, the PUTRAJAYA!
Is it true that PR needs to capture Putrajaya first in order to look into the bread and butter issues of the Indians in this country? Can and should the Indians trust them? What could PR do in Putrajaya that they can’t do in the three states now? Why do they need Putrajaya to grant lands to Tamil schools, temples and cemeteries which is absolutely within their state powers now? Isn’t it obvious that PKR, PAS and DAP are just being bi-racial in the land matters? Without Putrajaya they can give 1,000ha (about 2,500 acres) of land to nine Chinese schools in Perak, and thousands of acres of land to Malays, Chinese and Orang Asli in Perak, Selangor and Kedah. Why do they need Putrajaya to do the same for Indians? Just an excuse? Why do they need Putrajaya to table an emergency motion in Parliament to stop the brutal racially bias killings of hundreds of Indian youths in police shootouts and police custody? Why do they need Putrajaya to debate in parliament the issue of bright Indian students being denied scholarships and their rightful places at higher learning institutions? What was the point of holding a useless discussion in the parliament lobby instead of tabling an emergency motion in Parliament to amicably solve the issue? PR needs Putrajaya to bring up Indians problems in parliament?
How capturing Putrajaya could undo demolishment of Kampung Buah Pala and Kuala Ketil Hindu cemetery? Would Putrajaya ever change PR’s passive racism on the violence inflicted upon Indians by the police? How Putrajaya will change PAS, DAP and PKR’s stand in the issue of forced conversion of Hindus to Islam? How was Putrajaya hindering them from extending their helping hands to the IC-less and BC-less Indians in the three states they are ruling? Why do Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Hadi Awang need to capture Putrajaya to issue a mere statement in any media to urge the government to look into the grave Indian problems when they have done so, many a time, on Malay and Chinese issues, without the magical Putrajaya?In short, Malaysian politics has gone beyond human decency! As Dr Azly Rahman (azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com, 22.10.2010) succinctly put it in his article “Trisakhti and Malaysian Politics”, “In Malaysia, both waves have failed. The third wave is here. The March 2008 tsunami was warning of its inevitability. But the Third wave needs a Third Force and a Third Eye; Third Force cannot be stopped, Third Eyes cannot be blinded. TRISHAKTI resides in the cave. Plato’s cave.”
Whether it is a mere coincidence or intended so symbolically by Dr. Azly, only God knows. Nevertheless, some words from his article have indeed caught my attention and reminded me of HRP/Hindraf’s struggle. Trisakthi, Third Eye, the cave, the dance and the masses! Trisakhti sounds so close to Lord Shiva, the third member of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being Brahma and Vishnu. The third eye is the eye of Lord Shiva. He is also called Tryambaka Deva (literally, “three-eyed Lord”). The third eye symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva’s third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye. Shiva’s cosmic role is dissolving the universe for creation of the next cycle. He protects the souls from pain and suffering that would be caused by a dysfunctional universe. And how does Shiva perform his cosmic role? The Dancing Shiva or the Cosmic Dancer performs His divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for Lord Brahma to start the process of creation of a new universe. And the cave? Hmmm… Guhan or ‘cave-dweller’ is another name for Lord Muruga, the son of Shiva.
Does any of these connect to HRP/Hindraf’s struggle in the contemporary Malaysian politics? And the people’s aspiration to bury the old politics and give way to a new political paradigm?Enough of the feel good, fake, artificial, public fund wasting I Malaysia crap! And enough of the feeble excuse, “we need to capture Putrajaya first!” Just utter crap!
The third force is indeed the solution to the present day malady of our politics! So a third force? Yeah, let it be! Let the time-tested leaders of HRP/Hindraf, P.Uthayakumar and P.Waythamoorthy be the torchbearers into a new political dawn in this beloved land of ours! The rest are most warmly welcome with open arms to join them! Surely the new dawn will be more meaningful to most, the average, non-politician public!
“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs, is to be ruled by evil men.”
Plato
Thank you.
Iraiputtiran
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
