Friday, October 8, 2010

Hindraf to Sultan: Don’t speak for Perkasa

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has bemoaned the Sultan of Johor’s recent call for caution in the handling of sensitive court cases, describing it as “direct royal interference” in judicial work.

“He has tainted the doctrine of separation of powers and parliamentary democracy,” said London-based Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy in a statement posted today on his organisation’s website.

Waythamoorthy was responding to a Bernama report on Monday that quoted Sultan Ibrahim of Johor as saying, “"It is best not to entertain sensitive cases, especially those involving the powers of rulers."

He alleged that the Sultan sounded like a spokesman for ultra Malay organisation Perkasa and was making “veiled threats to minorities against questioning Malay rights”.

In separate statement emailed to FMT, he said: “The Sultan thinks that if the threat comes from the royalty, non-Muslims can be silenced.”

He called on His Royal Highness to instead “recognize and acknowledge the second limb of Article 153” of the Federal Constitution, which he said provided for the legitimate interest of non-Muslims, and to remind the Umno-led government to do the same.

He said Sultan Ibrahim should play his role as “ruler for all communities”.

Waythamoorthy's full statement:

Is the Sultan of Johor promoting further annihilation of minority’s rights?

Temple demolition: MB urged to suspend land officer

By B Nantha Kumar - Free Malaysia Today

SERI KEMBANGAN: Vexed committee members of a temple which was demolished in Bukit Serdang want Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim to suspend the officer responsible from the Petaling district land office.

Failing which, they warned that a protest would be mounted in front of the Serdang DAP office.

The committee members made the demand after a meeting with DAP's Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching last night.

Committee spokesman P Prem Kumar said they were disappointed with the decision to demolish the temple.

"Until now, none of the parties including DAP had provided an explanation over this,” he said, adding that they had a photograph of the officer in question.

Prem said this was the third temple demolition to have happened in the state since Pakatan Rakyat took over in March 2008.

He said the incident recurred because the state goverenment had failed to take stern action

The officer from Petaling land office
The officer from Petaling land office
"This time we want the MB to punish the officer. It will be a lesson to other departments not to go against the state government's directives,” he added.

If the state government and DAP failed to respond, Prem said, it would clearly show that the state government was behind the demolition of the Sri Maha Perchai Vada Bathra Kaliamman Alayam temple.

Meanwhile, committee chairman B Gopalan said Teo had promised to secure a new plot of land to rebuild the temple as soon as possible.

He added that the committee still had faith in DAP and the Serdang MP.

This temple was built in Section 6 some 10 years ago. It was moved to a temporary site in Section 5 under the direction of DAP as the original land was sold to a developer.

Despite numerous attemps, the MB's officials could not be reached for comment.