HIndraf Makkal Shakti

Attention

2011-08-25T10:47:00.002+08:00

Please Visit www.hindraf.org for latest news

Special Branch presents

2011-08-18T04:55:00.000+08:00

Civil Suit Meeting 2

2011-08-18T04:54:00.002+08:00

Civil Suit Meeting 1

2011-08-18T04:53:00.001+08:00

Uthaya: 'It's unfair, we are not Indian perkasa'

2011-08-17T03:17:00.000+08:00

Media Event 17/8/11: PC on UK lawyer Suresh Grover’s conclusion on fact finding mission to Malaysia as part of the legal team taking up HINDRAF Civil Suit against British Government

2011-08-17T03:15:00.001+08:00

NO.6 B, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.hindraf.org Email: waytha@hindraf.org

Press Conference 17/8/2011 (Wednesday)

Re: PC on UK lawyer Suresh Grover’s conclusion on fact finding mission to Malaysia as part of the legal team taking up HINDRAF Civil Suit against British Government

HINDRAF Lawyer Suresh Grover, N.Ganesan (HINDRAF Advisor) & W.Sambulingam (National Coordinator) would be present.
Date : 17/8/2011
Time : 11.00 am
Venue: as above.
Thank you.

“Rights not Mercy”
……………………………..
S. JAYATHAS
HINDRAF Information Coordinator
012-6362287

Hindraf collecting evidence against British gov't

2011-08-15T00:47:00.000+08:00

(Malaysiakini) Suresh Grover, the attorney acting on behalf of outlawed Hindu rights group Hindraf, is making the rounds of Indian communities in Malaysia, 'to collect evidence' for its civil suit against the British government.

The suit, initiated and filed by Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy (right) in 2007, prior to the group being outlawed and its leaders picked up under the Internal Security Act or forced to flee the country, has been in limbo since then.

"Because of the time limitation, we must go to trial before 30 August 2013," said Grover, explaining why his evidence gathering visit is of the utmost urgency.

He was speaking today to over 1,500 supporters of Hindraf and members of the Indian community at the Hokkien Assembly Hall, Klang.

Grover is scheduled to visit more locations around Malaysia to meet with more citizens of Indian descent to explain about the legal challenge, gather evidence and add more names to the list of claimants.

The civil suit which named the British Crown and government as the defendants, is to seek recompense for the alleged victimisation of Indians, whose forced relocation to then Malaya by the Empire, Hindraf claimed, had led to them a life of abject poverty.

Grover said that it is essential that he meet with as many Malaysians of Indian descent as soon as possible to include them in the list of claimants to the civil claim and to use evidence of their current life as a basis for their abject poverty argument.

However he assured those who may want to come forward that as provided under British law, their identity will be kept confidential in case of intimidation or possible reprisal by the Malaysian government.

'It will not stop here'

Grover also condemned the deportation of his fellow London based legal colleague Imran Khan.

"It does not make sense to exclude Mr Khan, when I am also going to do the same thing.

"They (the government) don't want the suit to succeed. They are afraid of you and your tenacity," claimed the London-based legal professional.

Khan (left) who is legal advisor to Waythamoorthy, was supposed to accompany Grover but was deported by Malaysian authorities yesterday for being a "prohibited immigrant.

Grover said that they will not stop there but will continue their fight for the case, including to challenge Khan's deportatation.

"Mr Khan will travel here again," said the lawyer.

The lawyer arrived at the packed hall to the cries of "Hindraf Vaalzhal!" by youths waving the orange flag of the outlawed organisation.

There was no obvious police presence throughout the event although there were individuals who could have been plainsclothes officers.

Prior to his arrival the sizeable crowd gave their rapt attention to videos and slideshow of photos featuring Waythamoorthy and other Hindraf leaders in heroic moments to the rousing 60s era Tamil songs.

Foreign lawyers not welcomed in M'sia (Malaysiakini)

2011-08-14T14:27:00.002+08:00

'If the Malaysian government has nothing to fear, why deport foreign lawyers who are here in the country to meet their clients?'

British lawyer deported over Hindraf lawsuit

Dr Suresh Kumar: In my view, the deportation of British lawyer Imran Khan can be best concluded as a 'blessing in disguise' so to speak.

If the Malaysian government had nothing to hide, it would not have committed such a shameful and deplorable act against a human rights lawyer. As a matter of fact, the Malaysian government has breached the lawyer's right to meet his clients as well as the rights of his clients to meet their lawyer.

Now the British government can take cognisance of what this class-action suit is all about. This insane decision by the Malaysian government to deport Khan, who is allegedly a security threat, is totally ridiculous and shameful. It speaks volumes of the government's fear to face reality in today's borderless world.

No one, can stifle the voices of truth and justice. Not even the great Lord Shiva, who taught us that truth should be spoken, no matter who you face or what you may face. You cheat the weak and the defenseless, sooner or later you will pay a hefty price for it.

Hindraf/HRP need not have links with the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) as the government stupidly accused. They have brains and the power of the pen to take on Umno or any other political party, which may want to play political games with the lives of the Indian poor.

Anticommunalist: The deportation proves a lot of things. One, the Malaysian government has lot to hide from the world.

Two, the fact that British lawyer Imran Khan was deported shows that he is no ordinary lawyer and one that the government fears.

Hence, this is not some kind of a 'wayang kulit' show by Hindraf, but a serious attempt to get to the bottom of the root causes of discrimination against the minorities in this country by the racist Umno government since independence.

Rohan: Not many have the guts to do these things. Hindraf has proven time and again that they are fearless and would confront injustice head on.

Their lawyer is equally the same. He did not hide his reasons as to why he was coming to Malaysia. He was upfront but these Umno immigration had to take instructions from their masters. It is plainly clear that they fear Hindraf and their lawyer.

I believe Hindraf have thousands of documents to prove Umno's deceit from the time of independence.

Dood: If the Malaysian government has nothing to fear, why deport foreign lawyers who are here in the country to meet their clients? How shameful.

Solaris: It may seem to some that Hindraf is approaching the issue of Indian marginalisation incorrectly and that the only alternative is to vote for the opposition, but this is getting quite tiresome, irritating and passe.

To me, it looks like Hindraf is attempting to address the problem at its root cause and being quite rational and methodical in its approach. Otherwise, it would not have been called a "fact-finding mission".

As for Lover Boy, who said that "Malaysia has no bones with these people but it is the British who made the request that these chaps are to be deported," why then did the British Foreign office and its embassy in Kuala Lumpur try to intervene on behalf of Imran?

Anonymous: Hindraf took a calculated risks. The fact that Umno deported a lawyer shows they fear Hindraf and their class action. This case would truly open a whole lot of Umno rubbish and mind you, it would be known internationally.

Khairuddin Mohd Yusof: At least, Hindraf has shone the spotlight on the mistreatment of Indians at the hands of the powers-that-be.

Sadly, racism seems to be very much part of life in Malaysia. The excuse given by BN is 'ketuanan', while Pakatan Rakyat's multiracial approach means Chinese and Malays only.

Both show indifference towards the plight of the Indians. Sad situation indeed.

Anonymous2: In 2007, Hindraf went to the British High Commission to hand over a petition and they were attacked and hundreds arrested.

Now their lawyer, who came to meet them, was deported. What nonsense is this? I hope our opposition MPs would raise this gross human rights violations in Parliament.

‘British let down the non-Malays’

2011-08-11T11:30:00.002+08:00

A tin mining tycoon from Ipoh had warned the British that giving special rights to the Malays would create resentment among the non-Malays.

By Athi Sankar - FMT
GEORGE TOWN: During the pre-independence talks, a Chinese tin mining tycoon from Perak warned the British that giving special rights to Malays would create resentment among the non-Malays.

Lau Pak Kuan in a memorandum submitted to the Reid Commission has argued that “the perpetuation of unjust and inequitable laws breeds distrust, jealousy, resentment and hatred, and must in the end give rise to disastrous repercussions”.

This was disclosed by Hindraf Makkal Sakti leader P Waythamoorthy who said that Lau has stated clearly to the colonial government that such provisions were undemocratic features in a democratic set-up.

The memorandum to the Reid Commission was submitted on July 20, 1956, by Lau as the president of Pan-Malayan Federation of Chinese Associations (PMFCA), a coalition representing 1,179 Chinese clans. The memorandum carried the signatures of leaders of these groups.

London-based Waythamoorthy said when the Federation of Malaya Bill was tabled in the United Kingdom Parliament, Lau had even gone on an international lobby to vehemently protest it.

Lau had gone to London, consulted the Queen’s counsel and lobbied British parliamentarians to object to the discriminatory and apartheid-like provisions in Article 153 of the Malaya constitutional draft.

In the memorandum, Waythamoorthy said Lau has cautioned that erecting barriers against non-Malays in the hope of improving the (lot of the) Malays was not a sure way of obtaining the desired effect.

“Lau correctly predicted it would create class divisions among citizens,” he said.

Dangerous breakdown

Despite the PMFCA memorandum and protests by several ethnic-Indian based organisations to the Reid Commission, Waythamoorthy said the British betrayed non-Malays and still went on to pass the bill.

The British colonial government and Umno led by the country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman later colluded to enact and legitimise the much-opposed Malaya Constitution.

“After more than half century, Lau’s prediction of disastrous repercussions and a dangerous breakdown in racial ties proved to be true.

“The visionary Lau was the first civil rights champion in the country. He fought social justice, equality and fairness for all under the independent Malayan umbrella,” claimed Waythamoorthy.

Waythamoorthy is scrutinising the pre-independence documents to prepare for his US$4 trillion class-action suit against the UK government.

He originally filed the class-action suit in London on Aug 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, to demand compensation for Indian Malaysians, whose ancestors were brought in by the colonial government as indentured labour.

However, the suit was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and the arrest of several lawyers under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The suit claimed that, after granting independence to Malaya, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of the Umno government.

Superior class

A two-man legal team from London will be in Malaysia today to meet local clients for consideration as co-claimants in the suit.

In the memorandum, Waythamoorthy said Lau had argued that the Federal Constitution was founded upon a policy of appeasement vis-à-vis Malay ultra nationalism.

“To grant favouritism to one community in preference to the others would be to create a superior class and an inferior class of citizens in the future Malaya.

“This would not make for inter-racial goodwill and harmony, without which Malays could not thrive.
“A multi racial society must depend on goodwill and harmony for its well-being,” Lau noted in the memorandum.

Lau contended that the Malays needed help not through legislation but through the co-operation of the more advanced communities.

While such legislation tended to make them a privileged class, he claimed that it also reduced them to a dependent and undignified community.

“Malays must not expect to be spoon-fed and be made to lose all senses of incentives. They must be trained the hard way to rely on their own efforts and initiatives for success,” Lau said in the memorandum.

Equal treatment

He said for the good of the country, all unequal and unjust laws should be scrapped and citizens of all races should be accorded equal and just treatment.

He said voluntary inter-racial co-operation and goodwill would ensure a new era of hope for Malaya.
The memorandum urged for the new constitution to be written before independence and all existing discriminatory and unjust laws be revoked.

“Equal treatment must be extended to all citizens without distinction as to race, colour or creed,” Lau said in the memorandum.

Lau was a founder-member of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) in 1949 together with Tan Cheng Lock, Leong Yew Koh and Lee Hau Shik.

The prominent businessman quit MCA following his unsuccessful London mission.

Born in 1894, Lau came to Malaya in 1912 when he was 18. He passed away on April 16, 1971 and is survived by three wives, six sons and three daughters.

In recognition of his dedication to the people of Ipoh, the council named a one-km stretch of road as Jalan Dato’ Lau Pak Kuan in Ipoh Garden.

In 1966, Lau became the first ethnic Chinese leader to be awarded the Datuk Seri title by the Perak Sultan.

Malaysia – Empty Gesture towards Malaysian Indian Congress

2011-08-11T02:04:00.000+08:00

Guest Column by V. Suryanarayan
On July 30, 2011, in the annual session of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak made the surprising announcement that the Barisan Nasional will soon appoint MIC President Dato G. Palanivel as another Cabinet Minister, thus fulfilling one of the long pending demands of the Indian community. During the stewardship of Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister, the MIC had two cabinet posts, which were occupied by Sambanthan and Manickavasagam.

During the stewardship of Tun Abdul Razak, the Party’s representation in the Cabinet was reduced to one, but he allotted MIC additional positions of Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries. There were two reasons for that decision. The Malay pre-eminence in the political life of Malaysia was getting further entrenched and, what is more, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the MIC were prepared to play second fiddle to Malay leadership. More relevant, the MIC Presidents – Manickavasagam and Sami Velu – were not very keen to have another cabinet colleague, lest he pose a challenge to their political supremacy.

While Najib Razak’s announcement was greeted with thunderous applause by MIC delegates, the overall reaction among Malaysian Indians was not very favourable. The first was question of political morality involved in appointing Palanivel as a cabinet minister. He lost the 2008 parliamentary elections. Is it proper to rehabilitate a defeated candidate through back door tactics? Second the timing of the announcement was inappropriate. The elections to Malaysian Parliament are due in 2013, very often the elections get pre – poned depending upon the political assessment of the Prime Minister.

With the Malay votes evenly split among UMNO, Partai Islam and Pakatan Rakyat, the Indian and Chinese votes play a crucial role in tilting the political balance. The Indians, during early years of independence, have voted for the candidates of the ruling alliance. Therefore, it is argued, with certain amount of justification, that the gesture was timed to attract the Indian voters back to MIC and ruling Barisan Nasional. There is also a contrary feeling that if the Malaysian Government is genuinely committed to the welfare of the Indian community, instead of announcing another cabinet post for the MIC, the Prime Minister should have spelt out in detail what his government proposes to do to tackle the manifold problems facing the Indian community. While Malaysia has made substantial economic progress during recent years, the fruits of development have not percolated to the poorer sections of the Indian community. They remain impoverished and politically marginalized.

The Indians in Malaysia are the descendants of those who went to Malaya in the 19^th and 20^th centuries to provide the much needed labour for the development of rubber plantations. It was due to their sweat and toil that the plantation economy was developed and the export of rubber, as is well known, was one of the pillars in which the prosperity of the country was based.

The plantation workers throughout the world, during the colonial era, was victimized and exploited; however, there was a rhythm in their lives, from birth to death, they depended upon the plantation management. They were like creepers around a tree. One significant fall out of Malaysia’s economic transformation is the disintegration of the plantations. During recent years, the plantations have been converted into housing estates, industrial parks, golf courses and luxury homes. And the poor Indian workers, without adequate compensation, migrated to urban areas and became urban squatters.

The changing nature of the plantations and the role of the Indians in the plantation economy are well described by Prof. Ravindra Jain, former Professor in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. In early 1960’s Prof. Jain made an in depth study of the rubber plantation in Pal Melayu. Prof. Jain revisited the estate again in 1998-99 and his conclusions graphically portray the progressive deterioration of the Indian community.

First, change in the cropping pattern. In 1962-63, 95 per cent of the cultivated area was devoted to rubber, whereas in 1998-99, it was 13 per cent rubber and 87 per cent palm oil. Whereas in 1962, there were 541 labourers, it came down to 161, a reduction of 70 per cent. The ethnic composition of the workers had also undergone changes. Whereas in the earlier period, the work force was exclusively Indian, in 1999, 50 per cent was Indian, 41 per cent Indonesian and 8 per cent Bangladeshi. As mentioned earlier, thrown out of jobs in the plantations the Indians started migrating to urban areas.

The conditions of the urban squatters, to say the least, are deplorable. It should be a matter of serious concern to all Malaysians, especially, to Indian leadership. Lacking in education and deprived of proper employment, many young Indians are taking to crimes. Few years ago, the popular journal, Aliran, provided statistical details, which made alarming reading. 40 per cent of serious crimes in Malaysia are committed by Indians; there are 38 Indian based gangs with 1,500 active members; during last few years there had been a hundred per cent increase in the number of Indian gangsters; Indians recorded the highest number of those detained under Emergency Regulations and banished to Simpang Rengamm prison. In the field of social woes, 14 per cent of the squatters are Indians; they have the highest suicide rates; 41 per cent of the vagrants and beggars are Indians; 20 per cent of the child abusers are Indians and also 14 per cent of the juvenile delinquents. Few years ago, Samy Velu, then President of the Malaysian Indian Congress, deplored the plight of thousands of estate workers “living in squalor in slums, in dozens of long houses and squatter settlements all over Selangor”.

While the Indian middle classes are faring well in professional jobs – teaching, law, medicine etc – the poorer sections are getting impoverished and marginalized. Compounding the situation, many of them do not have citizenship papers and identity cards; several are drop outs from schools and do menial jobs.

What is more, destruction of Hindu places of worship has become a common phenomenon, which galvanized the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) to step into the scene. The spontaneous protests and demonstrations organized by the HINDRAF hit newspaper headlines few years ago. Equally relevant, the educated Indians are also rallying behind BERSIH, which is protesting against many undemocratic practices of the Malaysian Government like the notorious Internal Security Act (ISA). In the 1998 parliamentary elections, there was a political tsunami, the Indians voted overwhelmingly against the ruling alliance, important leaders of the MIC, including Samy Velu and Palanivel, were defeated. The Prime Minister’s announcement of another cabinet position for the MIC and the MIC President’s assurance that the Party will be able to mobilize Indian votes for the ruling alliance have to be viewed in this perspective.

To what extent has the MIC been able to protect and foster the interests of the Indian community? Ask this question to any Malaysian Indian, invariably the answer will be in the negative. Factional struggle and disunity had been the greatest bane of Indian community in Malaysia. Fight for power, politicking and mud slinging have characterized intra-party affairs. The rivalry between Devaser and Sambanthan, Sambanthan and Manickavasagam, Manickavasagam and Samy Velu, and during the long spell of Samy Velu, among Samy Velu, Subramaniam and Pandithan does credit neither to the MIC nor to the Indian community.

Disenchanted with the policies and programmes of the MIC, the younger generation is joining opposition parties like the Democratic Action Party, Gerakan, Peoples Progressive Party and the Pakatan Rakyat. It must be pointed out that there are more Indian members of Parliament from opposition parties than from the MIC.

The Samy Velu era was the wasted years of the MIC. It was tragic because when he became President, after the demise of Manickavasagam, he had tremendous good will both among the Indian community and the Malaysian national leadership. Many self-help projects initiated by the MIC for the upliftment of the community, during this period, turned out to be colossal failures.

The Malaysian Indian community is at the cross roads today. A disenchanted and frustrated Indian community can turn out to be serious ailment for Malaysia. It should be pointed out that one reason for the rapid improvement of the status of the Malays, the indigenous community in Malaysia in the post-independence era, had been the vigorous implementation of affirmative action in favour of Malays followed by successive central and state governments. The Indian community in Malaysia is the most disadvantaged community in Malaysia today. It requires sympathetic attention of the Malaysian Government.

Those who are below poverty line should be brought under the purview of affirmative action, in the field of education, award of scholarships and recruitment to government jobs. The words of Dr. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, comes to my mind, “if a mother has four children, and one among them is handicapped, the handicapped child, should be given greater care and attention”. Perfect equality in societies, where there are handicapped, will only perpetuate inequality.

(Dr. V. Suryanarayan, former Senior Professor and Director, Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras is currently Senior Research Fellow in the Center for Asia Studies, Chennai. His e mail address: suryageeth@sify.com)

Racist and vindictive UMNO A.G. Gani Patail nyaya Indian poor A. Muthusamy (37) for 12 long years: HRP rescues him as amicus curies.

2011-08-10T03:23:00.000+08:00

This morning Muthusamy Arumugam (37) a driver was seen wondering helplessly at the Selayang Magistrets Court with no help from the Court Interpreter, police or the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP).

It was the whole Malay-sian state versus the one Indian poor man, Muthusamy. Muthusamy telling the Court Interpreter that he cannot afford a lawyer.

Feeling sorry for him P. Uthayakumar who appeared for the Hindraf 5 anti Interlok and anti UMNO racist Rally on 27/02/2011 activists asked Muthusamy what he was charged for. Muthusamy said that he was racially discriminated by his capitalist Chinese his boss at his work place argued but he was charged for punching him after which he was immediately sacked.

Immediately after the Hindraf case was adjourned Muthusamy’s case was called up and he refused to plead guilty. The DPP Chin Kian Chun informed Magistret Puan Nurul Hafizah binti Kamaluddin that this is a year 2000 case, the Investigating Officer was present but the complainant was not present.

The 95% Malay Muslim Malay-sian Judiciary together with the DPP, court Policeman and Indian mandarin Court Interpreter were about to “squeeze” Muthusamy into pleading guilty when P. Uthayakumar stood up and said that he was appearing as amicus curie, la friend of the court.

Uthayakumar submitted that as this is a 2000 matter and is 12 years ongoing. And the accused has been punished enough as he had already attended court on 10 occasions. Justice delayed is justice denied. Uthayakumar briefly also addressed the Court that as the complaint was not present in Court, he is not interested and the prosecution can always re-charge the accused when they are ready. The case against Muthusamy was discharged not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) ie he was set free to go. Muthusamy’s misery was instantly relieved. But he initially could not believe it.

Rightly the racist and powerful UMNO Attorney General should have had the decency to gracefully withdraw the charge. But this graceful culture does not exist in civil society One Malay-sia.

This case of Muthusamy is just the tip of the iceberg of the racist UMNO Judiciary and system of law and order against the helpless and soft target Indian poor.

Almost 99% of the Indian poor similarly are forced to plead guilty simply because they are poor and have no money for bail and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer. And the RM 5 million P.M. Najib’s Razak’s wayang kulit Legal Aid at RM 0.17 average per Malaysian is a mere joke!

This is among the main reasons why the crime rate among the Indians is reported to be 45% when they form a mere 8% of the population.

Give any Indian equality, equal vocational and career opportunities, equal business opportunities and the crime rate among the Indian poor will be reduced by 95%. No Indian wants to be a criminal when they are granted equality in self employment, licenses, business opportunities etc.

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

‘Non-Malays saved Malaya from ruin’

2011-08-10T02:44:00.000+08:00

If not for the economic contributions of the Chinese and Indians, Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy says, the newly-born nation would have gone bankrupt.

GEORGE TOWN: The Federation of Malaya would have gone bankrupt if ethnic Indians and Chinese had not adopted the fledgling independent nation as their home, said Hindraf Makkal Sakti chief P Waythamoorthy.

“We should be grateful to Indians and Chinese who sacrificed their rights to save the newly-born Malaya from economic ruin,” he said when revealing findings of his research into thousands of documents pertaining to Malaya’s pre-independence talks.

He said the then auditor-general HM Watson’s report on the accounts of Federation of Malaya as of Dec 31, 1957 revealed that rubber and tin export constituted the top two contributors of export duty for the country.

Rubber contributions made up 68% of tax revenue at $124.4 million in 1957 and $143.9 in 1956. Tin contributions came in second at 28%, generating tax revenue of $54.2 million in 1957 and $60.2 million in 1956.

The workers in the rubber industry were predominantly Indians while the Chinese dominated tin mining.
“If the British deported the Indians and Chinese out of the Federation following independence, obviously Malaya would be bankrupt instantly,” he said.

His studies also revealed that Malaya would not have survived if the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca stayed out of an independent Malaya and remained British crown states.

He said Penangites and Malaccans were British subjects then entitled to United Kingdom citizenships and the Malay rulers had no powers over these two states.

“But the non-Malays sacrificed their rights to make Malaya their home,” he disclosed.

He said ethnic Indians and Chinese were dominant communities in the Straits Settlements then, numbering some 1.3 million. The difference in population and property ownership between the two communities was razor thin.

The total population of both Malays and non-Malays in the other states was about four million then.

‘Special position only for 15 years’

During constitutional talks and submissions to the Reid commission, Waythamoorthy said document revealed that the Tunku Abdul Rahman-led Umno delegation wanted the Straits Settlements to be part of the federation in return for citizenship and equality for non-Malays.

At the same time, Waythamoorthy said Tunku and Abdul Razak Hussein requested and assured the Reid Commission that the Malay special position would be implemented “only for 15 years, between 1957 and 1972, and after that all citizens shall be treated with equal status.”

He claimed that Umno later manipulated and colluded with the British to make the provisions in Article 153, which governs the Malay special position, a permanent feature against their submissions and undertakings to the Reid Commission.

Based on his findings, Waythamoorthy said the notion that Indians and Chinese were immigrants and should be thankful for the opportunity given to prosper here “should stop once and for all.”

“The country would have been impoverished should the Indians and Chinese decided to stay out of the Federation while Penang and Malacca remained as British colonies.

“Should the two states have remained under the British, the ethnic Indian and Chinese populations would be entitled to equality under the British laws. They would have prospered.

“It would have encouraged Indians and Chinese in other states to migrate to the Crown Straits Settlements and they would not be subjected to a racist system and be treated as second-class citizens like today,” argued the London-based Hindraf chairman.

Waythamoorthy is scrutinising the pre-independence documents to prepare for his US$4 trillion class action suit against the former colonial master, the British government.

He originally filed the class action suit in London on Aug 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, to demand compensation for Indian Malaysians, whose ancestors were brought in by the colonial government as indentured labour.

However, the suit was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and arrest of several lawyers under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The suit claimed that, after granting independence to Malaya, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of the Umno government.

Hindraf’s London-based lawyers would be in Malaysia for several days from Thursday onwards to meet potential ethnic Indian clients to become co-claimants in the suit.

‘Built on their sweat, blood and tears’

Waythamoorthy said his findings proved that the newly-born Malaya was “over-dependent” on the economic contributions of the Indian and Chinese communities.

He said the rubber and tin industries generated other parallel revenues and development for the country such as infrastructure, transport and taxes.

He believes that the socio-economic factor compelled the British to keep the Indians and Chinese in Malaya.

He said the British wanted to protect the interests of their business and that of Malay rulers, who were direct beneficiaries of the contributions of the so-called “pendatangs”.

“Non-Malays adopted Malaya as their new home as they were encouraged and welcomed by the British and Malay Rulers then. Truth is, this country was built on the blood, sweat and tears of ethnic Indians and Chinese,” he said. - FMT

About 14th Aug 2011 from Mr. Ramesh - Perak State HRP Leader

2011-08-10T00:11:00.001+08:00

By Viki Logan,

Mr. Ramesh and HRP supporters in Perak feel that Malaysian Indians are not given their legitimate rights that are stated in the constitution i.e. educational rights, business opportunities and also job opportunities. All grass root supporters are direct or indirectly victims of marginalisation.

He adds that the people have actually approached other Indian parties for aid or assistance, however as usual, empty promises are given. Indians in general are aware that they have been pratically sidelined by government in terms of educational rights, job and business opportunities.

In terms of publicising the upcoming 14th August event, Mr. Ramesh and HRP Supporters in Perak have been distributing flyers and have held mini forums to educate and explain to people on what this event is all about.

Generally Indians are aware that they have been sidelined for years. However, Mr. Ramesh does feel that HRP needs to do more in educating Indians of their deserving rights.

About 14th Aug 2011 from Mr. Mohan (JB State HRP Leader)

2011-08-09T23:56:00.001+08:00

By Viki Logan,

Our Constitution states that there is equality for every single Malaysia Citizen. However , Mr.Mohan and HRP Supporters in JB are not satisfied as they feels that is it just a mere saying.

Indian have been denied their rights for many years and are still being denied to their rights to higher education, business opportunities, job opportunities, etc. All grass roots supporters are directly or indirectly victims of marginalisation.

According to Mr. Mohan, the people JB generally approached HRP for help and support. They did not approach other indian parties.

With regards to the upcoming 14th August event, publicity of the event was done through flyers, brochures as well as small gatherings.

Generally the people in JB are aware that they have been sidelined. HRP is getting very strong support for the people of JB and positive feedback with regards to the upcoming forum.

UK lawyers to meet clients for Hindraf suit

2011-08-08T14:54:00.003+08:00

The movement's London-based lawyers will be down to meet potential clients for the class action suit against the British government.

By Athi Sankar - FMT,

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s London-based lawyers, who will be here starting Thursday, want to meet potential co-clients for the class action suit against the British government.

In a statement to FMT, Hindraf counsel Imran Khan said he would be in Malaysia for several days to accept instructions from ethnic Indians as their legal representative in order to consider including them as co-claimants in the suit.

The two-man delegation would also engage in a fact-finding mission to obtain first-hand information on the perceived injustices meted out on ethnic Indians.
Hindraf would be organising a public forum on this at the Hokkien Hall in Klang on Aug 14.

Imran said the suit was initiated by Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy due to the former colonial master’s failure to protect the ethnic Indian community’s rights, interests and benefits under the Malaya Federal Constitution.
He said his client saw the legal action as a class action on behalf of current ethnic Malaysian Indians, whose forefathers were transported as labourers under the indentured labour system.
He pointed out that Waythmoorthy’s own great grandfather was forcibly abducted and transported to Malaya as a labourer.

The indentured labour system was devised by the British colonial office to address the acute labour shortage in Malaya. Most ethnic Indians were brought in to work in rubber plantations.

Waythamoorthy’s research of British records on Malaya revealed that rubber export was undisputedly the number one revenue earner for the country for decades, even after independence.

He originally filed the class action suit on Aug 31, 2007, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, in London seeking US$4 trillion as compensation for Indian Malaysians.

However, the suit was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and arrest of several lawyers, including Waythamoorthy’s brother and the movement’s legal adviser P Uthayakumar, under the Internal Security Act.

Among others, the suit claimed that after granting independence to Malaya, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of Malay extremism practiced by the Umno government.

Suit to be re-filed

Following Waythamoorthy’s instruction in 2009 to re-file the stalled class action, Imran had the opportunity to consider several documents pertaining to the independence of Malaya.

After a perusal of the documents, Imran and Waythamoorthy had a conference on issues of relevance with a senior Queen’s Counsel in June, 2010.

“Due to client confidentiality, I am not able to reveal the outcome of the conference,” said Imran.
Acting on the QC’s advice, Imran wrote to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London to request the release of all documents pertaining to Malaya’s independence.

The documents kept under the British Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2000 were mostly from the period between 1945 and1957.

Imran said FCO recently confirmed that some documents in its possession remained classified.
Access to those documents would not be possible until FCO consulted relevant departments before deciding on whether to declassify the documents.

As of now, the FCO had used its discretionary powers vested under the FoI to deny Hindraf access to the documents.

Following this, Imran took legal steps under the recommended appeal procedure to challenge the FCO decision.

Hindraf: Stop the wayang kulit politics!

2011-07-30T04:34:00.000+08:00

Indians have been taken for ride with empty promises made by successive prime ministers to uplift the community, says Hindraf chief Waythamoorthy.

By Athi Sankar - FMT
GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should stop the wayang kulit politics of making empty promises to the Indian community at MIC’s annual general assembly, said Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy.

He said marginalised ethnic Indians, especially the 70% working class segment, were fed up and disgusted with the Umno-sponsored prime time zero political show.

He said ethnic Indians were weary of this show given that their plight and grievances have hardly been addressed by the BN government for 54 years.

“Enough is enough on this political sandiwara. Indians are fed up of this nonsense,” said Waythamoorthy.
He called on Najib, the country’s 6th prime minister, to discontinue the wayang kulit political tradition when he officially opens MIC’s 65th AGA tomorrow.

He noted that each year, the premier as Barisan Nasional chairman, would make various promises in his keynote address at the MIC annual summit.

“He will earn grandstand applause from delegates at the end of the speech. However, all those promises will be forgotten once he leaves the hall. They have never been fulfilled.

“This is what has been happening for past 54 years,” said the London-based Hindraf supremo.
He criticised both Umno and MIC elites of having a concealed social contract to hoodwink and deceive the Indian community since independence until today.

MIC complicit in short changing Indians

He hit out at MIC elites for being subservient to Umno and compromising Indians’ constitutional rights merely to protect and fulfill their own self interests.

In turn, he said Umno would always take care of these MIC elites’ needs just to keep them as political mandores.

During pre-independent talks, said Waythamoorthy, the MIC leadership had tacitly supported Umno and British political manipulation to permanently uphold Malay special position under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

In his research into the Malaya’s pre-independence talks to facilitate his US$4 trillion class action suit against the British, he found that all safety measures proposed as permanent constitutional features to protect minority rights in the imminent Malay majority rule were dismantled.

He said these proposals were all omitted from the final draft of the Malaya Federal Constitution with the support of MIC and MCA, which were supposed to protect minority rights and interests.

“This had allowed Umno to misuse and manipulate Article 153 until today,” said Waythamoorthy.

Lawyers visit E-poster

2011-07-29T03:41:00.000+08:00

Click the picture above for a bigger view

Hindraf's UK Lawyers to visit Malaysia - civil action against UK Government for colonial injustices/negligence.

2011-07-26T11:10:00.004+08:00

Click the picture for a bigger view

Barn like Tamil school in Batu Kawan Estate

2011-07-24T15:43:00.000+08:00

Pay up RM210 or no MyKad

2011-07-23T13:08:00.002+08:00

A grandmother waited patiently for 39 years for her MyKad but when she finally went to collect her card she was told she had to pay for it.

By Athi Sankar,
PERMATANG PAUH: A 51-year- old grandmother had waited patiently for 39 years for her identity card.Earlier, this week she thought her long wait was over, when she received a call from the Penang office of National Registration Department (NRD) to come and collect her MyKad.

But when M Menachi went to collect her MyKad on Wednesday , she was in for a rude a shock. She was told she had to pay RM210 ro collect her card.

“The person at the counter told me that I can’t collect my MyKad without paying,” said Menachi.
The poor kitchen helper did not have money and had to go home without her MyKad.

Menachi informed the human rights NGO, Hindraf Makkal Sakti advisor N Ganesan who called up NRD office to inquire about the payment.

He was told by a women officer, known as Junaidah, that Menachi had not been required to pay RM210.
Instead, the officer claimed that Menachi was merely told to bring a support letter from her village head when collecting the MyKad.

“The counter officer asked for money, not penghulu’s letter.It was a lie,” insisted Menachi, a Hindu widow to a Muslim husband, Jamal, who passed away in 2009.

This is not the first time that Menachi had a run in with the authorities.

“It’s a curse to be stateless poor Indians in this country,” she told FMT.
The late Jamal and Menachi have three sons and two daughters, now aged 20 to 30.

Her three boys, Kamal, Aziz and Jasmin, did not face any difficulty obtaining birth certificates and identity cards because they were carrying Muslim names.

However, her two Hindu daughters, Santi and Mala, were not issued citizenship documents.

According to Menachi, NRD officers have always insisted that she and her daughters convert to Islam to enable them to btain the documents without anymore constraints.

“NRD denied our legitimate rights simply because we refused to convert to Islam,” she said.
Because of the conversion issue, Santi, 30, could not even legally register her marriage with construction worker, V Shivamoorthy, 34 in Aug 2004.

Subsequently Santi’s three children – Nisantini,6, Karthikesan, 5, and Eswaran, 4, were also denied birth certificates initially.

She first sought help of local MIC leaders. But she claimed instead of helping her, the so-called community leaders ‘advised’ her to convert to solve all her problems.

Menachi then sought the help of Hindraf ground volunteers, who then re-submitted official applications supported by some legal documents, to obtain the citizen documents for her and her children.

Finally a month ago, Santi and Mala received their birth certificates and MyKads.

Santi’s children too obtained their birth certificates, leaving Menachi the only one without her MyKad.
Ganesan has donated RM210 for Menachi’s MyKad and she will go to the NRD office next week hoping to collect her card.

Citing Menachi case as mere a tip of the iceberg, Ganesan said the government’s MyDaftar campaign, which was supposedly to resolve ethnic Indians stateless problems is not working at all.

He described the campaign as mere wayang kulit (shadow play) . He blamed UMNO’s for the plight of the stateless Indians

He said UMNO agenda was to treat ethnic Indians as “immigrants” and deny them, especially the poor, any citizenship rights .

Malaysian Indian poor has zero village safety net. 607 New Villages for Chinese poor, thousands for Malay, Asli, Iban & Kadazan villages for poor.

2011-07-22T16:35:00.002+08:00

In any part of the world the social safety net for any community is their ancestral and traditional villages. In these villages they get to engage in at least agriculture and lifestock farming for their livelihood. Thus their social safety net beyond which they would not fall. And in these villages they live as a community.

Unlike the example of the lone Indian poor ageing lady in her hut and living in worst off conditions than the Orang Asli (see photo).The most misfortunate, disabled, old and orphans are taken care of by the village community.

Even the dishwasher from Tamil Nadu a working in Brickfields may be better of than the 5th and 6th generation Malaysian born. Indian poor in the event of any misfortunate, disability or old age, always has a village social safety net to go back to in India. But this is not so for the Malaysian Indian poor. There are almost zero Indian poor villages in One Malay-sia as their social safety net.

The few and far in between Kg Muniandi, Kg Ghandi, Kg Kanchang Puteh, kg Chikadee, Kg DBI, Kg Buah Pala, Kg Bengali, etc have denied permanent land titles and have been “ethnically cleansed” or waiting for their day to be ethnically cleansed. Even if there are the few Indian villages, their existence is temporary. As is the temporary solution for the Indian poor across the board in One Malay-sia.

Land settled by the Indian poor are deemed squatters and bulldozed or waiting to be bulldozed but land settled by the Malays, Chinese and the Orang Asli Kadazan, Iban are recognized by the State and granted permanent land titles.

Even the pre existing poor and landless Indian plantation workers were denied the 442,000 (112,635 Felda) (UM 21/4/10 at page 28), 28,235 Risda and 95,000 Felcra – BH 25/2/2010 at page 4).

We are only aware of some of Indians in the Felda schemes in Bahau, LBJ and Trolak and that too granted in the very early years in the 1960s. And never thereafter the ten acre land ownership schemes in Felda, Felcra and Risda schemes, 99% of which have been granted to the Malay muslims. We estimate over one million such ten acre land ownership schemes nationwide including those granted by Mardi, Fama, Agropolition and by the similar 13 State government ten acre land ownership schemes like Kejora, Kemubu, Kedara, Ketengah, etc where zero Indian poor have been granted land.

Even the Pakatan Rakyat State governments of Perak and Selangor within one month of they coming to power in Perak and Selangor granted:-
1) 110,000 land titles in 349 land titles in 349 Rancangan Kampung Tersusun for Malay muslims in Perak (UM 1/1/2009)
2)   102,000 land titles in 134 Chinese New Villages in Perak. (NST 10/10/3 at page 23)
3)    2,500 acres to 9 Chinese Independent schools in Perak . (NST 31/8/8 at page 38).
4)    10 acres to each and every Orang asli in Perak (NST 9/3/9 at page 8).
5)    1,000 acres of land and RM100 Million for pig farming in Sepang Selangor. (NST 11/4/08 and
26/8/8).And today’s New Straits Times 22/7/11 at page 2, reported that there are 607 (Chinese) New Villages nationwide with 1.2 million villagers. To top it up no less than the Deputy Prime Minister grants RM 100 million to uplift the lives in these New Villages.

The UMNO government’s billions to uplift the lives of the Malay muslims, Orang Asli, Kadazan and Iban poor through various government programs goes without saying.

But to start off with there is almost zero permanent Indian villages, let alone the millions or billions of ringgit Malaysia to be given to them.

The tip of the iceberg case of the Indian poor without the social safety net is that of M. Krishnan (37) who was killed at the Bukit Jallil police lock up. Krishnan’s widow P. Revathi (37) had called over to our office in March 2011 told us that her husband was the sole bread winner who fed his family of six young aged between 8 to 17 years. His pregnant wife can’t even go to work as she has to care for her three toddlers and cannot afford a baby sitter.

Even the UMNO Welfare Department refused to grant any emergency or other financial help. At best we know of some similar Indian poor families who were granted a maximum of RM 300 per month and that too for a mere three months and thereafter they have to go begging on their knees for the further RM 300. This RM 300.00 would not even be enough to pay her rentals in Sentul. This RM 300 Welfare help would go a long way if P. Revathi had the village safety net to fall back on. There was zero Indian village she could go back to or go to. The Felda, Felcra, Risda etc ten acre landownership schemes would never take her in. What do we do; we have no answer for P. Revathi.

P. Revathi had asked us “What do I do now”? We had no answer we could just watch her cry silently. We do not know what ever happened to Revathi thereafter and we were helpless in the face of the bi-racial One Malay-sian political and economic reality.

P. Revathi told us that she is left with no other choice but to contemplate suicide. Tears swelled in the corner of our eyes and we took our sight out of the harsh reality she was undergoing to divert our mind. But we had and till today have no answers.

Had she been a Malay muslim the, Lembaga Urus, Zakat, Baitumal, Tabung Haji, Perkim, Yayasan, etc would have bailed her out.

Had she been a Chinese some Towkay would have bailed her out as they have been recipients of government largess for decades. Or she could have gone to one of the aforesaid 617 Chinese Villages. Some 50% of the Malay-sian economy controlling Chinese community will somehow care of their poor.

And we have the Jabatan Orang Asli, Yayasan Sabah and Sarawak, 25 and 31 Sabah and Sarawak native MPs and hundreds of ADUNs (minus the few Chinese MPs’ & ADUNS) and the whole of the Sabah and Sarawak State governments vis a vis the political power balance they wield, especially now in the post 2008 general elections scenario to care for the Kadazan, Iban, Orang Ulu, Murut poor.

But who cared for the Indian poor in bi racial One Malay-sia? There is no Yayasan or Jabatan. UMNO? BN? MIC? Pseudo multi-racial PKR, DAP, PAS, NGO?

And when we point out this level of unacceptable and shameful racism and religious supremacy, never seen in any other part of the world, we are in turn are very shrewdly branded as racist by our detractors as a very “clever” means to divert away from this the pressing Indian problems and which this mere 8% Indian community has almost zero political or economic power.

This is just the tip of the iceberg one off story of the Indian poor and landless. Many such instances are reported in www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com.

Tens of thousands of even the 5th and 6th generation Indian poor and landless nationwide cry in silence every day. Because bi-racial One Malay-sia does not care for them because they are the Indian poor. In bi-racial One Malaysia any issue that concerns the Malays or the Chinese is a ‘national’ issue andaddressed. Policies and programs are only designed to feed these two communities.

Only in bi racial One Malay-sian poor and landless their ethnicity matters.
Rights not Mercy.
P. Uthayakumar

The UMNO Government does not have the will to solve the statelessness problem among the Indian poor.

2011-07-22T05:35:00.000+08:00

Menachi 51 of Kampung Bagan Serai, a widow, unemployed (or should I say unemployable) has for the last 51 years lived a completely faceless and nameless existence. The Malaysian Government has denied her, her basic right, that of statehood, for one meaningless reason or another. Last year Hindraf activists helped cut through the myriad of documents, procedures and hurdles of the UMNO government and managed to submit her application for the IC. Now, almost after a year since the submission, she is called to the IC office. On presenting herself at the counter they ask her for RM210 so she can take her IC. She could not get RM 5 that day to go to the IC office. 210 Ringgits?? She was devastated. She returned empty handed, disappointed one more time, nothing new to her. This is the curse of the poor. There are approximately 400,000 such people.

She asks now, if she cannot get the 210 Ringgits, will she remain stateless?

This episode raises some very fundamental questions?

Will there ever be a permanent solution to this problem?
Does this Government have the will and/or the ability to solve this problem?
Whose responsibility is it anyway, to resolve problems such as these?
Are the poor Indians to be faulted for this problem?
What is the role of history in all this?
Will any alternative ensuing government have it high on its priority to solve this problem?

Given the racist agenda of UMNO it is Hindraf’s clear position that UMNO can never solve this problem. I think we have had enough game playing and destroying generations of lives of the poor. The UMNO government has to now own up to the fact that it is incapable of solving the problem. Not to make matters worse UMNO should please stop its spins – “wayangs”.

Take this specific Wayang – the most recent one – from the Special Implementattion Task Force for Indian affairs.

On 19^th Feb 2011

The Campaign organized by the Taskforce (PM Dept) with the cooperation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Registration and Department of Information is a major National campaign organized by the Federal Government

It starts today on Feb 19 till 26, 2011. The Department of National Registration has provided utmost cooperation by opening up 80 offices in 9 states in Malaysia. This is the largest and comprehensive campaign organized so far.

This is a major effort to identify all the undocumented Malaysian Indians so that through this campaign they

· Can be identified especially those with out birth certificates or identification cards

· Can be assisted to fill the relevant forms

· Can be assisted to secure supporting information and details on origin and birth

· Can be successful as people who can eventually secure all the legal documents and thereby enjoy their rights as Malaysian citizens

On 1^st March 2011

SITF Chairman Datuk Dr Subramaniam announced yesterday (March 1, 2011) that a total of 14, 882 Malaysian Indians have submitted the relevant citizenship forms during the My Daftar campaign held from Feb 19 to 26, 2011.

Total 14, 8882

Break Down of figures

· Birth certificate: 3,546

· Identification cards 2,569

· Citizenship 7,486

· Others 1,281

For the next six months ‘SITF My Daftar special unit’ headed by Dato Siva Subramaniam will focus on case solutions ensuring that the 14,882 are approved, encourage the 10,000 who took the forms to fill them, make their submissions and monitor their solutions.

On 18^th July 2011

SITF Chairman Datuk Dr Subramaniam has asked the Government to set up units in several departments to resolve the problems of the Indian community. He said this was necessary as the Government's delivery mechanism was too slow in coping with the increasing problems of the community.

What is clear from this statement is that after 5 months of this latest wayang there is little or nothing to show for results. They said all 14,482 or so of the cases will be resolved in March. What probably has happened is that UMNO’s racist bureaucracy has once again effectively killed any possibility of that. Of course they will have their reasons for the poor showing and it will be all about the poor Indians. What a wonderful escape clause. but those reasons will only confirm our position. The setting up of special units is just more wayang. This UMNO government will never be able to solve the problems of the poor Indians.It is Hindraf’s clear position that this UMNO Government does not want to solve this problem. It is also Hindraf’s position that the root cause of this problem is UMNO’s continuing implicit position that the Indians in the country are all “Pendatangs” after 150 years of living here and therefore are not entitled to any rights of an average citizen.

This is so visible, take the Tamil Schools issue, take the Interlok issue, take this statelessness issue, take the criminalization issue – take any issue that is longstanding and chronic and it is abundantly clear that unless racism is first booted out of our political landscape nothing of substance will change in the lives of the poor.. You have to be poor and you have to be Indian – then you will know exactly what this means.

Any alternative ensuing government will only make sense to the Indian poor if they give due attention to problems such as this. It does not bode well when Anwar Ibrahim himself said in one of the interviews in January 2010 when he visited the UK that he could not be expected to solve the socio-economic woes of the Indians. Hindraf will not rest till solutions are forthcoming. The people are not going to accept wayangs and or empty promises. The people want results. Hindraf will confront these issues with whoever holds the reins of power unless there are just solutions forthcoming.

N. Ganesan

National Advisor to Hindraf

21^st July 2011

Teacher pokes pupil to bleed

2011-07-22T05:13:00.002+08:00

A teacher allegedly poked a student in his forehead with a ball pen for not been able to copy down an essay on time.

The incident took place at SK Puchong Jaya on Monday, which allegedly caused the forehead of standard four student, Timothy Deeran Shegar, to bleed. It is claimed that he was given no first aid until school was over.

‘Bigger wave needed to crush Umno’

2011-07-21T13:36:00.000+08:00

Hindraf wants all like-minded forces to come together to unleash a neo-democratic revolution to end Umno's reign.

PETALING JAYA: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi wants all like-minded forces to come together to unleash a new wave of people’s power against Umno, which the movement considers an “iron-fisted evil regime”.
The movement’s leader in exile P Waythamoorthy told FMT that there is a need to move beyond the wave generated by Bersih 2.0 on July 9.

“Bersih 2.0 is all about free and fair elections. It’s good for a start but we need to find something bigger to move the masses like in Egypt.

“We definitely need to move beyond Bersih or else there is a risk we will degenerate into tame re-runs like Bersih 3.0 and so forth,” added the lawyer, who is currently in London.

Waythamoorthy was elaborating on a statement he circulated via e-mail yesterday to thousands of supporters, sympathisers and others listed in his movement’s address book.

He said Hindraf will urge all like-minded forces to join hands and help ferment a “neo-democratic revolution” by changing the mindset of the people.

“If Malaysians can be awakened from within and if they realise that democracy is their birth right, not the privilege of a few, then a neo-revolution of people’s power can be a reality,” he added.

The people, he said, will need to be convinced on exactly what they will receive out of their neo-democratic revolution.

Mere rhetoric about change, he warned, will not be enough and may in fact be nothing more than ventilating ignorance while mouthing empty slogans that lead nowhere in the end.
“Bersih alone cannot do magic!” he stressed.

Nine core challenges

Delving into specifics, Waythamoorthy opined that the people will generally appreciate a renewed focus on nine core challenges.

He reckons equality, in the truest sense of the word, as the mother of all challenges.

Elsewhere, he cites respect for human dignity, individual rights and civil liberties; religious freedom in accordance with universal principles; dismantling of all racist polices; complete overhaul of the judiciary, the police and smashing of the nexus between the force and the underworld.

However, the Hindraf chief does not see any prospects of the neo-democratic revolution on the immediate horizon unless there is a complete overhaul, to begin with, in the mindset of opposition leaders.

PAS, he said, will never entertain the prospect of equality among all religions, a stand that PKR is expected to endorse, and both Malay parties are expected to remain silent on Article 153 being observed by Umno in the breach.

The business-centric Chinese community and the elite Indians, as evident during Bersih 2.0, will never leave their comfort zone and take to the streets like Hindraf and others, said Waythamoorthy in painting a partial picture of gloom and doom in the outer urban areas and suburbs for the forces of change and reform.

Hindraf’s stand on the opposition, he added, is not a bundle of contradictions “but merely a case of facing the hard realities and urging the adoption of the difficult choices necessary in triggering the neo-democratic revolution”.

Ultimately, he thinks, that the people can be expected to decide but this will mean not allowing the politicians to continue holding them to ransom as in the past.

“All Malaysians are fair-minded, caring and potentially given very much to sharing and sharing alike. Never underestimate them. They can be easily awakened so long as there are enough politicians who are sincere and truly desire change and reform,” he said. -FMT

Alcoholism in our society

2011-07-21T04:10:00.000+08:00

By Susan Luees David

On May 23rd the NST have published that Malaysia ranked world’s 10th largest consumer of alcohol. This is something to be proud of my friends? I’m not saying this is solely contributed by the Indian and Chinese community only but ALL, I repeat ALL. I would like change this negative achievement of us therefore I want to start from home which is my community. Here I would like to share the effects of Alcoholism. There are many and varied. Let us consider them by the various people and groups of people they can affect:

Individuals:-

Emotionally – alcoholism numbs the feelings we have and makes it so that we self-medicate any time we start to get sad, angry, or scared in any way. We stunt any emotional growth or progress that might be made were we to be sober instead.

Socially – alcoholism fixed my anxiety at first, but eventually I drank in isolation–afraid to venture out into public because I was such a madman. I could only seek out other hard core alcoholics and drug addicts that consumed like I did.
Spiritually – alcoholism is like trying to find God while running on a hamster wheel. We live in fear and abandon our hopes and prayers we might have once had.

Physically - The physical effects of alcoholism are well documented and there is a high morbidity rate. Most say that the average alcoholic that continues to drink will die something like 22 to 36 years ahead of their time (depending on which data you look at). This is complicated because most alcoholics also smoke cigarettes and some abuse other substances as well, which also affect their health. Those who do recover from alcoholism will sometimes quit smoking, or continue to smoke, so mortality rates can become very confusing when trying to look at things like this.

Mentally - “water on the brain.” Yes, a lifetime of drinking does in fact turn your brain into mush eventually. This is well documented as well.

Families:-

Alienates children – kids take it the hardest, because they don’t know if the “switch has been flipped or not” with their alcoholic parent. Living this way has a negative effect on grades, social skills, and just about every other aspect of a child’s life.

Perpetuates abuse – well known and well documented. What might be understated is the amount of verbal abuse that is simply “put up with.”

Divorce!!!!

Worse than divorce in some cases – the family holds together despite the dysfunction and potentially passes the disease on to others. Consider that children of an alcoholic parent are 4 times more likely to become alcoholics themselves.

For young addicts and alcoholics, they have proven that group therapy is worse than no therapy at all, but family therapy has shown some degree of promise. These points to the fact that addiction is a family disease and needs to be treated as such in most cases.

Society as whole:-

WILL LOOK DOWN ON YOU & CHASE YOU OUT OF THE SOCIETY AS A DIRT

In general, my dear Indian wife, how are you going to save your husband from the above?

Here kicks in our famous “patti vaithiyam” cook super extra thick dhal curry which means you need to add extra “parupu” to your dhal, it shouldn’t be watery at all but must be as thick as possible. This dhal curry need to be served with well fermented idli or thosai.

“Fermentation” in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. A more restricted definition of fermentation is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol.
Fermentation usually implies that the action of microorganisms is desirable, and the process is used to produce alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and cider. Fermentation is also employed in the leavening of bread, and for preservation techniques to create lactic acid in sour foods such as sauerkraut, dry sausages, kimchi and yogurt, or vinegar (acetic acid) for use in pickling foods.

Poked on the forehead with a pen for not doing classwork

2011-07-21T03:59:00.002+08:00

A kindergarten operator alleges that a teacher poked her son's forehead with a pen and left a scar and also refused to apologise to her.

PETALING JAYA: A teacher who could not control his anger poked the forehead of a pupil with a pen because he did not complete his classwork, the boy’s parent alleged today.

Relating the incident which happened on Monday, SA Bibi Yanem, 45, said her son, S Timothy Deeran, and his classmates in Year 4 Semangat, Sekolah Kebangsaan Puchong Jaya, were told to copy a dictation by their Malay language teacher, Islahuddin Ibrahim.

“However, my son missed a few words from the dictation and could not complete his work,” said Bibi Yanem, a kindergarten operator.

Unable to pass up the work when instructed by the teacher, Bibi Yanem said her son was then called up to the front of the class by Islahuddin .

“When he checked my son’s work and saw it incomplete, Islahuddin took his pen and poked and scratched my son’s forehead,” claimed Bibi Yanem.

Bibi Yanem also alleged that this left a scar on his forehead.

Angered by the incident, Bibi Yanem and her husband M Shegar then went to the school at about 8am yesterday and reported the matter to the school principal, Abdul Rahman Mansor.

After hearing her grievances, Rahman then called her son and Islahuddin to his office to get to the bottom of the matter.

In the meeting, Bibi Yanem claimed Islahuddin said that he was unable to control his rage when he saw Timothy’s work was not done.

“But I told him if you have no patience, then you should not be a teacher,” she said.

Islahuddin then promised the parents that he would issue a written letter of apology to them in a few hours time.

However, when Bibi Yanem went back to the school at about 11am, Islahuddin refused to give her the letter.

“Islahuddin arrogantly told me in the staff room that it was against his ethics to write such a letter. He even challenged me to take action against him,” she said.

Bibi Yanem told Rahman what had transpired but claimed the principal merely kept mum on the matter.

“He didn’t object when I told him that I will take this matter to the media,” said Bibi Yanem.

On whether she had reported the incident to the district education office, Bibi Yanem said she had not done so yet but had lodged a report at the Puchong Jaya police station.

When contacted, the school administration was unable to comment on the matter as Rahman had left his office.

Media Event 21/7/11: Teacher injures standard four student Shegar (10) with ball pen and nearly poking his right eye for not writing out Karangan in time.

2011-07-21T03:58:00.002+08:00

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Fax : 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com E-mail: info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
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Date : 20/7/2011

Media Event 21st July 2011 (Thursday)

Re : Teacher injures standard four student Shegar (10) with ball pen and nearly poking his right eye for not writing out Karangan in time. Accelerating racism in Secondary schools. Letter to DPM and Education Minister.
Date : 21/7/2011 (Thursday)
Time : 2.00 p.m
Venue: HRP HQ as above.
Note : The mother and student would be present.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
S. Jayathas
(Information Chief)
012-6362287

13 A Indian student to garbage picker

2011-07-18T18:32:00.000+08:00

4 days Remand/Jail for mere traffic offence by Polis Raja Di Malay-sia & A.G. Gani Patail.

2011-07-14T04:12:00.002+08:00

Last night at about 12.00 a.m we received an SOS call from Kuppan Nagappen, a lorry transport operator that the JPJ had wanted to confiscate his lorry as he had employed an Indian national as the driver. His son argued with the JPJ officer and was immediately handcuffed by police. Kuppan came by and he and a total of 7 Indians were arrested and locked up.

This morning P. Uthayakumar called the Section 9 Police station’s Inspector Helmi (013-5544945) and told him to wait as Uthayakumar intended to oppose the remand application. But in the typical police style, Inspector Helmi instead got a 5 days remand order up to 16/7/11 without waiting for Uthayakumar who had arrived at the Shah Alam court at 12.20 p.m.

Khairul Nizar, the Remand Clerk had informed P. Uthayakumar of this.
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

HINDRAF British suit- Not even RM1 promised

2011-07-13T11:31:00.002+08:00

Why Hindraf opted out of Bersih (FreeMalaysiaToday)

2011-07-13T03:48:00.000+08:00

Uthayakumar explains why the organisation chose not to take to the streets on July 9 in support of the Bersih 2.0 rally.
COMMENT
By P Uthayakumar

Bersih 2.0 alias Pakatan Rakyat refuses to even engage the Human Rights Party (HRP) and Hindraf Makkal Sakti because of the Indian poor political baggage. But they want Indian support and Indian votes for free.

Hindraf and HRP can trace back their origins to at least 1990, even before the birth and rise of PKR. We came into existence because there were no takers for the Indian poor problem in the 54 years since the nation gained its independence.

And in all these 22 years, we have been forced to go almost solo as neither even the pseudo multi-racial PKR, DAP and PAS nor the supposed bi-racial NGOs and civil society really cared about the Indian poor, even up to this day.

They see the Indian poor problem as a “political liability” and “political baggage”. They prefer to play to the sentiments of the Malay Muslims, Chinese and natives which earn them greater political mileage.
Even during the Nov 25, 2007 Hindraf rally, we never had the support of PKR, DAP, PAS, NGOs and the civil society. We went almost solo with the Indian poor backing us up. And we paid the heavy price solo as well.

It was the Indian poor who literally bailed us out right up to the Hindraf lawyers release from ISA detention without trial after 514 days. And till now, especially during the Hindraf Anti-Interlok/ Anti Umno Racism Rally on Feb 27 this year – which saw 54 Hindraf activists maliciously arrested and prosecuted – we had to fight on our own.

But PKR, DAP and PAS made use of the 2007 Hindraf wave, and unprecedentedly denied Barisan Nasional its two-thirds Parliamentary majority and won five west coast states including winning 10 out of the 11 parliamentary seats in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. And like Umno/BN thereafter dumped Hindraf and the Indian poor like sucked oranges.

Using the power of money and the powerful Umno government machinery including that of the police Special Branch E3M, Umno destroyed Hindraf to a significant extent under Ops Padam Hindraf. But we are now rebuilding and regaining lost ground knowing that Hindraf still lives on in the hearts and minds of the Indian poor.

We were not invited

We have had been questioned on our non-participation in the July 9, 2011 Bersih rally.

Our reply was that we were never invited in the first place while 62 other NGOs were invited. We were not invited as we carry with us the Indian poor political baggage which Pakatan Rakyat sees as a political liability. And we refuse to be the blind followers or “cari makan” Indian mandores for the Tuans and Towkays in Pakatan, what more being one in BN.

Our position is that ending the Indian poor problem and ending the 54 years of continuous Umno rule must be fought along parallel lines and not “only after Pakatan Rakyat has got to Putrajaya”.

Especially so when PKR, DAP and PAS were already in the “Putrajaya” of Selangor, Penang and Kedah and refused to resolve even the most elementary Indian poor problems. For this and other obvious reasons, we are not prepared to give Pakatan a blank cheque to Putrajaya or to take a rain cheque for that matter. We want to be Pakatan’s internal check and balance.

Why should any democracy or those battling for free and fair elections have problems welcoming this healthy internal check and balance?

And Bersih 2.0′s free and fair elections also refused to include the de-gerrymandering of Indian majority seats like Sungai Petani, Padang Serai, Batu Kawan, Ipoh Barat, Sungai Siput, Bagan Datoh, Teluk Intan, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Kota Raja, Klang, Teluk Kemang, Cameron Highlands etc.

Of course if Pakatan leaders had also championed the cause of the Indian poor as done for minorities in the western civil societies, western democracies and western free and fair elections standards, we would be the first to concede that our position now would stand superfluous. In fact, we would not want to contest at all in the general election as we prefer the majoritarian Malay Muslim, Chinese and native top leaders and their MPs to champion the cause of the Indian poor.

It should have made sense also to Bersih 2.0 that despite there being almost one million Indian voters in Malaysia, (715,099 Indian voters in the 2008 electoral roll) there is not even one Indian majority seat in all of the 222 Parliament and 576 state assembly seats. But we suppose this does not fall within the ambit of free and fair elections of Bersih alias Pakatan. We do not need even one Indian majority seat if and only Pakatan’s top leaders, their 75 MPs’ including their 11 Indian mandore MPs’ do not sidestep the pressing Indian poor problem vis-a-vis Umno racism.

We are a different breed

But Pakatan is not even prepared to engage HRP and Hindraf as we consciously and uncompromisingly choose not to abandon the cause of the Indian poor vis-a-vis Hindraf’s 18-point demand which Pakatan sees as a political liability.

To Pakatan, we wish to state that Hindraf and HRP are not the easily excitable Malaysian Indians they have been so used to seeing or dealing with including during their ex-Umno days.

And neither are we prepared to assume the role of the much sought after by Umno/BN and now Pakatan i.e. the “cari makan” Indian mandores. We are a different breed. We are a different lot. We are a different kettle of fish. We are racing against time. We stand for equality and equal opportunities as guaranteed by Article 8 of the Federal Constitution especially for the Indian poor in both the government, GLCs and the private sectors.

For this, our detractors branded us as the Indian Perkasa, racists and extremists. But when we ask them to point out to one instance of we ever having asked for Ketuanan India (like what Perkasa does), they have no answer. The truth is they use this Perkasa label on us as a shrewd strategy in completely sidestepping especially the pressing Indian poor problem.

In conclusion, Bersih = Pakatan Rakyat, Umno = Kotor and HRP = Hindraf’s 18-point demand.
If we are forced to go solo again, so be it. Assuming even if we lose 100% of HRP’s 15/38 seats because Pakatan won’t make way for us, we have already won as a political pressure group against both Umno/BN and Pakatan’s racism against the Indian poor as evidenced by our daily postings inwww.humanrightspartymalaysia.com.

Be that as it may, the Bersih rally was a success and we congratulate them. If invited, we would consider attending the next Bersih rally as it is also our main objective to end Umno’s rule, which is the main main cause for the predicament faced by even the sixth generation of Malaysian born Indian poor.

P Uthayakumar was arrested under the ISA in 2007 for leading the Indian cause through Hindraf. He is Hindraf’s legal advisor and the pro-tem secretary-general of Human Rights Party.

Bersih @ Pakatan refuses to even engage HRP & Hindraf because of Indian poor “political baggage”. But they want Indian support & Indian votes and want it for free.

2011-07-12T03:36:00.000+08:00

What Hindraf & HRP is today can trace back it’s origins to way back to at least 1990, even before the birth and rise of PKR. We came into existence because there were no takers for the Indian poor problems in the 54 years of the nation’s independence especially so as it is an uphill battle. And in all these 22 years, we have been forced to go almost solo vis a vis the Indian poor problems as neither even the pseudo multi-racial PKR, DAP & PAS or the supposed bi-racial One Malay-sian NGOs’ and civil society really care about the Indian poor, even right up to this day. They see the Indian poor problems as a “political liability” and “political baggage” and instead choose and prefer playing to the 92% Malay muslim, Chinese and natives majoritarian political gallery which earns them far greater “political capital and political mileage”.

Even during the height of the 25^th November 2007 100,000 Hindraf Rally, we never had the support of PKR, DAP, PAS, NGOs’ and the civil society. We went on almost solo merely with the Indian poor masses backing us up. And we paid the heavy and dear price also solo. It was the Indian poor who literally bailed us out including right up to the Hindraf lawyers release from ISA detention without trial after 514 days. And right up to date, especially during the Hindraf Anti Interlok/ Anti UMNO Racism Rally on 27/2/11, after which 54 Hindraf activists were unlawfully and maliciously arrested and prosecuted, for merely being a member of a human and minority rights NGO, we had to also fight it out, all on our own- Solo. (Note: this prosecution has never been done before in any part of the world ever except in absolute monarchy Saudi Arabia)

But PKR, DAP and PAS made use of the 2007 Hindraf wave, unprecedentedly denied BN their two thirds Parliamentary majority and won five west coast states including winning in ten out of the eleven Parliamentary seats in the Wilayah Persekutuan of Kuala Lumpur and like UMNO/BN thereafter dumped Hindraf and the Indian poor like sucked oranges.

Using money power, and the powerful UMNO government machinery including that of the police Special Branch E3M, UMNO destroyed Hindraf to a significant extent under Ops Padam Hindraf. But we are now rebuilding and regaining lost ground knowing that Hindraf still lives on in the hearts and minds of the Indian poor. And in preparation for the 13^th General Elections vis a vis HRPs’ Project 15/38.

We have had enquiries on our non participation in the 9^th July 2011 Bersih Rally. Our reply was that we were never invited in the first place in the backdrop of 62 other NGOs’ being cordially invited. We were not invited as we carry with us the Indian poor “political baggage” which Pakatan Rakyat sees as a “political liability”. And we refuse to be the blind followers or the “cari makan” Indian mandores for the Tuans and Towkays in Pakatan. What more being one in B.N which in any event has never been or will never be in our dictionary.

Our position is that ending the Indian poor problems and ending the 54 years of continuous UMNO rule of bi racial One Malay-sia has to be fought along parallel lines and not “only after Pakatan Rakyat has got to Putrajaya”. Especially so when PKR, DAP and PAS are already in the Putrajaya of Selangor, Penang and Kedah and have refused to resolve even the most elementary Indian poor problems. For this and other obvious reasons we are not prepared to give Pakatan a blank cheque to Putrajaya or to take a rain cheque for that matter. We want to be Pakatan Rakyat’s internal check and balance.

Why should any Democracy or Free and Fair Elections have no problems welcoming this healthy internal check and balance!

And Bersih’s Free Fair Elections refused to also include the de jerrymandering of Indian majority seats like Sg Petani, Padang Serai, Batu Kawan, Ipoh Barat, Sg Siput, Bagan Datoh, Teluk Intan, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Kota Raja, Klang, Teluk Kemang, Cameron Highlands etc. Of course if the Pakatan Rakyat leaders had also championed the cause of the Indian poor as done for minorities in the Western Civil Societies and Western Democracies and Western Free and Fair Elections standards, we would be the first to concede that this our position would stand superfluous. In fact we would not want to contest at all in the general elections as we prefer the majoritarian Malay muslim, Chinese and Native top leaders and their MPs’ championing the cause of the Indian poor (which has never happened!).

It should have made sense also to Bersih that despite there being almost One Million Indian voters in Malaysia, (715,099 Indian voters as at the 2008 Electoral Roll) there is not even one Indian majority seat in all of the 222 Parliament and 576 State Assembly seats. But we suppose this does not fall within the ambit of Free and Fair Elections of Bersih @ Pakatan Rakyat. We do not need even one Indian majority seat if and only if the Pakatan Rakyat top leaders, their 75 MPs’ including their 11 Indian mandore MPs’ do not sidestep especially the pressing Indian poor problems vis a vis UMNO racism.

But Bersih @ Pakatan Rakyat is not even prepared to engage HRP & Hindraf as we consciously and uncompromisingly choose not to abandon the cause of the Indian poor vis a vis Hindrafs’ 18 point demands which Pakatan Rakyat sees as “political baggage” cum “political liability”.

To Pakatan we wish to state that Hindraf & HRP are not the easily excitable Malaysian Indians they have been so used to seeing and/or dealing with including during their ex UMNO days. And neither are we prepared to assume the role of the much sought after by UMNO/BN and now Pakatan Rakyat ie the “cari makan” Indian mandores. We are a different breed. We are a different lot. We are a different cattle of fish. We are racing against time. We stand for equality and equal opportunities as is guaranteed by Article 8 of the Federal Constitution including for especially the Indian poor in both the government, GLC and the private sectors.

For this our stand, our detractors have branded us as the Indian Perkasa, racist and extremists. But when we ask them to point out to one instance of we ever having asked for Ketuanan India (like what Perkasa does), they have no answer. The truth is they use this Perkasa label on us as a shrewd strategy in completely side stepping especially the pressing Indian poor problems. Pakatan Rakyat also conveniently use this Perkasa excuse as a means to sidestep from voicing against UMNO racism on the Indian poor and similar racism in the GLC and private sectors vis a vis excluding the Indian poor from the national mainstream development of bi-racial One Malay-sia.

In conclusion Bersih = Pakatan Rakyat. UMNO = Kotor. HRP = Hindraf 18 point demands.

Bersih @ Pakatan Rakyat wants the Indian support and Indian votes but wants it for free of charge!

If we are forced into going solo, so be it. Assuming even if we lose 100% of HRPs’ 15/38 seats because Pakatan Rakyat won’t make way for us for a one on one contest with UMNO/BN, we have already won as a political pressure group against both UMNO/BN and Pakatan Rakyat racism against the Indian poor as is evidenced by our daily postings in www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com.

Be that as it may, the Bersih Rally was a success and we congratulate Bersih @ Pakatan Rakyat. If invited, we would consider attending the next Bersih Rally as it is also our main objective and thrust in ending the 54 years of UMNO s’ continuous rule of Putrajaya which is the main cause and effect for the current critical predicament of the even sixth generation Malaysian born Indian poor.

P.Uthayakumar

11/7/11

Hindu minority rights in Islamic countries Advocate/Lawyer from India on Malaysian fact finding mission visits HRP HQ.

2011-07-09T05:35:00.002+08:00

Mr. RP. Mudholkar B.Sc, LLB, an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Mumbai and a human rights lawyer today visited the HRP HQ.

He was briefed for four hours on the UMNO state sponsored racial and religious discrimination of Hindus and Indians in Malaysia by P.Uthayakumar for four hours. P.Uthayakumar also presented to MR. R.P.Mudholkar the following books and reports by Hindraf & HRP:-

1) Malaysia Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2009

2) Malaysia Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2010

3) Nov 25 Hindraf Rally 2007

4) 1^st National Hindraf Makkal Sakthi Convention 2010

5) Malaysian Indian political empowerment strategy the way forward

After hearing our briefing, Mr.Mudholkar agreed to work on a five member Indian Lok Sabha Members of Parliament fact finding mission to Malaysia to investigate and report on the UMNO state and government sponsored racism and religious supremacy targeted against the Malaysian Indians also to the Government of India, U.N, European Human Rights Commission/ Council, the World Court & International Criminal Court.

Mr Mudholkar also extended HRP and Hindraf an invitation to present papers at the International Conference on Minorities in Islamic countries in Mumbai later this year.

HRP then arranged for an itenary for Mr.Mudholkar to visit the Setapak PPR Hindu temple that was about to be demolished by DBKL in May 2011, the Sentul Hindu temple and it’s 100 over year old Banyamam tree to be demolished by DBKL and Sentul Raya Bhd, the Kg Medan tragedy site, Kg Lindungan Hindu temple relocated next to a sewerage pond and the high tension electric wire built over the Subang Jaya hindu temple by the Selangor PKR state government. A visit to Rani and her family in Malacca who was forced to be converted to Islam and her hindu husband arrested by the Jabatan Ugama Islam authorities and forcibly circumcised overnight and forced to convert to Islam and the other programmes would be hosted by S.Jayathas tomorrow.

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Bersih can stop but Hindraf will not stop unless UMNO stops 54 years of racism and religious extremism targeted against Indian poor.

2011-07-06T03:06:00.002+08:00

In the prelude to the 25th November 2007 Hindraf Rally, there was tremendous pressure on P. Uthayakumar and P. Waythamoorthy from the UMNO led government, Malay radical groups, Tiga Line Pekida gangsters and the Police Special Branch. There was a series of arrests and rearrests of the Hindraf lawyers and particularly targeting Uthayakumar who raised charges of ethnic cleansing. The sedition charge is still ongoing right to this date. During the one month in November and December 2007 alone Uthayakumar was arrested on three occasions with the fourth being his detention without trial under the ISA for 514 days.

We were monitored and followed by the police round the clock and towards the end by fully tinted and unmarked police vehicles. 1,000 Hindraf activists were arrested and some 111 prosecuted for illegal assembly.

The same albeit on far lesser scale took place again at the Hindraf Rally No. 2 against Interlok and UMNO racism on 27/2/11. One hundred over Hindraf activists were arrested right from Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, K.L and N. Sembilan.

In March 2011 alone 54 Hindraf activists were prosecuted at the Ipoh, Selayang, K.L and Seremban Courts for merely being a member of Hindraf, the first of it’s kind. Besides the absolute monarchy Saudi Arabia, no world citizen has ever been prosecuted for being a member of an NGO. This is according to Front Line Defenders of Dublin.

The ruthless and fascist UMNO regime abused the police force, the office of the Attorney General and the Judiciary to oppress and subjugate these Hindraf activists not to question their almost absolute rule and authority.

We do not rely on the pseudo “multi-racial” PKR, DAP, PAS or the bi-racial Malay-sian civil society for support in championing the cause of the Malaysian Indian poor which they all have abandoned, unlike in the Western Civil Societies, as the Indian poor draws none or very little political mileage irrespective of the degree of their pain and sufferings resulting from the acts of UMNO racism and religious supremacy.
And today we are prepared to go for broke and to go solo as our struggle does not go by the political mileage and/or the Malay muslim, natives and Chinese “majoritarian gallery” votes or whether we do or do not get the votes but will continue being the focus group championing the cause of the Indian poor.

Unlike Bersih, Hindraf cannot and will not stop because of the 54 long years of the racist and religious supremacist UMNO segregating and excluding the Indian poor from the national mainstream development of Malaysia from womb to tomb.

From being denied Birth Certificates to the “ethnic cleansing of Hindu cemeteries.

Rights Not Mercy
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Hindraf slams EO detention

2011-07-04T13:14:00.000+08:00

The movement takes the government and Umno to task for 'violating' the rights of the citizens as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti has condemned the re-arrest of six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members under the Emergency Ordinance and the police crackdown on Bersih 2.0 ahead of its July 9 rally.

Hindraf demanded that the authorities release all the detainees unconditionally.

The movement’s adviser N Ganesan said Umno’s gloves were coming off and the federal government was again showing its real self.

Citing the police clampdown on Hindraf after the Nov 25 rally in 2007, he said Umno, with the police’s help, was repeating it on Bersih and PSM.

The PSM six, including Sungai Siput MP Dr D Michael Jeyakumar, were re-arrested Saturday under Section 3(1) of the EO on suspicion of causing civil unrest by any means.

They were among 30 PSM leaders and members arrested by the police at the Sungai Dua toll plaza along the North-South Expressway on June 25.

They were originally remanded for a week to be investigated under Section 122 of the Penal Code for allegedly waging war against the King.

The six were released from the charge on Saturday, only to be re-arrested immediately under the EO, which is normally used to detain suspected hardcore criminals for 60 days without trial.

This was the first time the draconian law had been used against political party members, especially against a sitting MP.

‘Umno is not above the law’

“July 2, 2011 is just another black day like Dec 13, 2007 when Hindraf lawyers were detained under the draconian Internal Security Act,” said Ganesan.

He slammed the Umno government for contravening the citizens’ rights guaranteed in the Federal Constitution and the Universal Declarations of Human Rights.

He pointed out that the Federal Constitution unequivocally states that every citizen had the right to freedom of speech and expression; all citizens had the right to assemble peaceably and without arms; and all citizens had the right to form associations.

“However, Umno has mocked these rights granted and guaranteed by the Constitution,” stressed the Hindraf leader.

He said Malaysia was increasingly being run against the will of the people.

Ganesan alleged that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar acted in complicity in this and many other blatant violations of the Federal Constitution against the wishes of the people.

“Brute force is being applied to simply promote and protect the interests of Umno,” he said, adding that more repressive action would be employed in the coming days.

Ganesan reminded the Umno government that it was not above the law, and should always abide by all the provisions in the Federal Constitution.

“If Umno does not take heed of this call, Umno bears responsibility for making Malaysia a lawless nation,” he said.

HRP: Anti-Bersih protest at PAS HQ 'not Hindraf'

2011-07-02T22:11:00.000+08:00

(Malaysiakini) HRP's S Jayathas has denied a news report that their supporters were behind the 30 youths reported to have demonstrated in front of the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur against the Bersih 2.0 rally.

Bernama had reported that the youths “claiming to be Hindraf supporters” showed up at the opposition party's HQ at Jalan Raja Laut at about 11.20am bearing banners 'Datuk Ambiga Jangan Buat Kecoh Di Malaysia' (Ambiga Don't Create Disorder in Malaysia) and 'Jangan Ikut Nik Aziz' (Don't Follow Nik Aziz).

“However, they were seen fleeing the area in several cars about 10 minutes later when the police arrived,” reported the national news agency.

Jayathas when contacted told Malaysiakini, “Hindraf has nothing to do with it, it's not our style to run away from police.”

“We are waiting for the 18 points of demand over constitutional right to be endorsed by the Pakatan (Rakyat)... if they give the green light, we will be in the frontline of the Bersih 2.0 rally,” said Jayathas.

Hindraf and Bersih: Last chance to unite

2011-07-02T03:33:00.000+08:00

Perhaps, if the Hindraf movement will not join the rally, then hopefully, individual Hindraf members will participate in their personal capacities.

COMMENT

One name stands out in the Bersih 2.0 rally: Hindraf. In a communiqué issued on June 15, Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar said that Hindraf would not participate in the march because Pakatan Rakyat had reneged on its promise to Hindraf after the 2008 general election.
Uthayakumar said, “We are not participating because Pakatan failed to endorse our 18-point demand made in 2007.”

Might Hindraf be persuaded to reconsider its earlier decision to stay away?

When would we be given another golden opportunity to show unity among the various communities in Malaysia? In another 54 years perhaps?

People of various ages, faiths, races and backgrounds would be coming together on July 9 in a show of strength.

The message to the Barisan Nasional-led coalition is that we would not tolerate lip service anymore, that electoral reforms are necessary and that human rights abuses cannot be ignored.

It is also a deliberate snub to the Election Commission because its offer to talk and engage with us has only come at the last minute.

Back in 2007, the first Bersih march on Nov 10 and the subsequent Hindraf rally on Nov 25 were instrumental in forcing a change in people’s attitude towards BN.

There is no denying that Hindraf’s leaders were successful in galvanising the movement to stand behind Pakatan. Also without the support of the Hindraf movement, whose members turned out in the tens of thousands, the outcome of the 2008 general election might have been different.

These two marches in 2007 contributed towards the significant opposition gains in the 2008 polls.

Using the element of fear

It is obvious that all the parties and individuals who are opposed to the “Walk for Democracy” are using the fear element to cow the public into staying at home.

Fear is what makes Umno-BN and its cronies try their best to stop the march because a mobilised rakyat demanding urgent democratic and electoral reforms is a dangerous beast.

Fear is what drove MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek to warn his party members against joining the march, saying that it was politically motivated and illegal: “We cannot accept the objective of this illegal rally.”
Fear and shame drove the EC deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar to declare that Bersih was merely a front for Pakatan to increase its bid for Putrajaya.

He said, “There was (a 2007) demonstration and as result, a momentum was built and in the 2008 election (the opposition) won big… now, the rumour is that snap polls will be called and history will be repeated.
“(They think) let us have Bersih 2.0 with more supporters, the momentum will grow and possibly win Putrajaya.”

Wan Ahmad told S Ambiga, the Bersih chairman, to be apolitical: “If Bersih separates itself from political parties, then we can meet Bersih as a member of civil society as its agenda is for the good of all.”

However, Wan Ahmad forgets that if he had not been a lame chairman of the EC and discharged his duties professionally, then Malaysia might not have been lumped into such a quagmire.

In another attempt to blacken the Bersih organisers, Umno sympathisers have said that the EC was efficient, that elections in Malaysia were fair, otherwise, the opposition would not have been able to win five states in the last general election.

Have these people considered that if the elections had been truly clean, fair and free, and the EC did not collude with Umno, the opposition might not have won just five states but would have scored outright victories throughout Malaysia?

Last February, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak claimed that Hindraf did not need to represent the Indian community because the government was capable of looking after the interests of the Indians.

He said, “We have taken action on the question of Indian community interests, meaning that they don’t need Hindraf, they only need BN.
”
After 54 years of BN, what improvements in living standards or educational and work opportunities have the Indians to show for BN’s supposed concern?

Time to be magnanimous

But BN alone is not to blame; Uthayakumar of Hindraf is still seething from being let down by Pakatan after the 2008 general election.

True. It is frustrating and a serious point of grievance.

Hindraf leaders have striven so hard for the Indians but have achieved very little because they have been let down by politicians. They have been used, as every political party uses us, the rakyat, for their own means and to fulfil their own agendas.

There are almost 850,000 Indian voters, yet there is not a single constituency with an Indian majority.
In 2007, Hindraf was said to be linked with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam but none of the politicians or any social activist defended Hindraf.

Hindraf was accused of having overseas links and plots to overthrow the government but again no one spoke up for them. When Hindraf’s Orange T-shirts were banned because they threatened national security, or when Hindraf’s supporters’ children were arrested, again no one came to their defence.

When Hindraf organised a demonstration against racism in February, no opposition politician supported them.

When hundreds of Hindraf supporters were arrested and 54 were charged in court, one Hindraf supporter commented: “Not a single word from civil societies. Their silence is deafening.”

Perhaps Pakatan’s arrogance has cost them dearly. Equally, is Hindraf cutting off its nose to spite its face?
We respect Hindraf’s decision to stay away, but this is not Pakatan’s march. This march is also not a misguided attempt to overthrow the government or cause civil unrest.

The July 9 rally is possibly the rakyat’s last chance to make a difference, to set aside political and personal differences and to stand as one against those who make a mockery of democracy and clean elections.

Many of us are angry with politicians, from both sides of the political divide. They make use of us when it suits them. Then they spit us out like orange pips after they have sucked all the juicy orange segments.
What would it take for more Malays to speak up? Liberal-minded Malays can collectively make a difference.

One Hindraf supporter who would be joining the rally said, “Human rights do not belong to the privileged few.”

Perhaps, if the Hindraf movement would not join the rally, then hopefully, individual Hindraf members would participate in their personal capacities.

There is a Tamil saying, “It does not matter whether its Rama or Ravana who reigns as it wouldn’t make a difference to me.”

So has Umno-BN already won, if we cannot even join hands in a common cause? It is never too late for Hindraf to join the Bersih rally to show solidarity against Umno-BN.

Now is the time to be magnanimous and to set aside petty squabbles. Hindraf has more to gain but the real champions would be the rakyat.

Mariam Mokhtar is a local political observer. She is an FMT columnist.

Wayang Kulit” in Grander 1Malaysia style

2011-06-29T04:27:00.000+08:00

HRP, Naragan,

The following is a summary of a report on a so-called roundtable conference on the future of Tamil Schools from the FMT website on the 27th of June 2011. The report starts with a grand: “In a historic roundtable conference, BN and Pakatan leaders joined hands to chart the future of Tamil schools.” The stated purpose: “discussions were held to set up a steering committee to chart a blueprint for the future of Tamil schools in the country.”

Present at the conference were SK Devamany, M Saravanan, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, Kulasegaran, P Ramasamy, M Manoharan , S Manikavasagam, Charles Santiago , R Sivarasah , Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, A Sivaneson, P Guna, Daljit Singh Dalliwal and S Ramakrishnan.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz,

chaired the conference. It is learnt that the steering committee would be made up of 18, there would be six members from BN, six from Pakatan and the rest from Tamil Foundation and other NGOs.

Now look at the report like this.

This is the making of a “Wayang Kulit” in grander 1Malaysia style. This amounts to the politicans fine tuning their approaches. Before only the MIC used to engage in this sort of deceptive wayang kulit. Now, in the last 3 years the Pakatan Indian reps have begun to play the same game – you see this regularly in mock cheques and computers given away in the Tamil newspapers. Yesterday

both these groups have taken this wayang kulit thing one stage further – in 1Malaysia style and these two groups are getting together for a joint wayang. This is 1Malaysia after all isn’t it. History suggests that this is what is happening. If I am wrong, then they have to show that I am wrong now. And further as if to legitimize this wayang , they pull in a few Indian NGO reps to give it an appearance of a non-partisan effort.

For 54 years the UMNO regime has been using their accomplice MIC in the grand game of deceit of the Indian people. The Malay elite harbour an implicit desire to kill off the vernacular schools, but are blocked by the provisions in the Federal Constitution. To circumvent this, they adopt – and this is unstated private but explicit policy, an ambivalent attitude in public and a clear non-allocation of resources in private. They have been doing this with full collusion of the MIC accomplices.

.Article 12 reads:

Rights in respect of education

12. (1) Without prejudice to the generality of Article 8, there shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the grounds only of religion, race, descent or place of birth—

(a) in the administration of any educational institution maintained by a public authority, and, in particular, the admission of pupils or students or the payment of fees;

(b) in providing out of the funds of a public authority financial aid for the maintenance or education of

pupils or students in any educational institution (whether or not maintained by a public authority and whether within or outside the Federation). This is their way of killing off a part of the education system continued from the colonial times and which was institutionalized in the Federal Constitution.

Here is the reality.

The amounts spent annually on education is about 20% of a RM210 billion budget – works out to about RM 40 billion. The expenditure for just the MARA education system, not to mention everything else that occurs in the education arena, just this one – 42 MRSMs with a student population of 12,400 , with each such school costing anywhere from RM 50 -120 million to construct, 209 Giat MARA schools with a budgetary allocation of RM550 million in just the 10th Malaysia plan period alone, Institute Kemahiran MARA which has put out over 200,000 Malay students, MARA UiTM University with 4 satellite campuses, 12 branch campuses, 9 city campuses and 19 affiliated colleges with an enrollment of 120,000 students and 15,000 staff, and all the other MARA schemes for the last 54 years. How much do you think the expenditure on all of that may be. No clear stats are available for me to quote accurately. But I think easily that would be 30 to 50% of the RM40 billion annually.

If all of that was for 60 odd percent of the majority community of the country, how much should have been allocated to the Indians who constitute 7.4% of the population this year, given the provision in the Federal Constitution Article 12 – on equal treatment . Of course this statistics again is not available. You and I can venture guesses. My guess is that it is less than 0.1 % of all of this RM40 billion. Even the stated amounts of RM 100 million for each of the last 3 years – statement by Devamoney in this conference (which amount I think is just eyewash anyway – but this is what he stated) works out to a bare 0.25%. Like with all their allocation pronouncements for the Indian community, this is most likely a significant exaggeration.

See how serious the problem really is. A community starved of their rightful allocations for at least two generations. This has gone on unchecked for 54 years, just because of this kind of complicity and deception. It is this problem that these reps must really correct. They must get their fundamentals right first.

In light of this seriousness of the problem it is extremely frivolous on the part of these lawmakers to continue with this wayang nonsense – they want to set up a steering committee now, and for what – to do a blueprint – what nonsense. If they are really working for the good of the Indian community, they should all get together now and go to their tuans and towkays and ask for the rightful allocations, now!

We do not need another generation to lose out on something so fundamental as education. See the deleterious effects of this policy in just one aspect of the result– the increasing number of criminals among Indian youth, one in two youths that are in prison are Indians. These reps need to see what they are really dealing with.

If they do indeed represent the Indian people as they all project themselves to , then they have to start becoming effective in whatever they are doing. Without a doubt in my mind this is what they must all do, they should all get together now and go to their tuans and towkays and ask for the rightful allocations, now!. Otherwise I can only take it that they project themselves as representatives of Indians for no other reason than to make an income out of it for themselves. They are all today powerless because of the choices they all have made.They have chosen to make a personal career and a good income out of the miseries of the Indian poor.

If these reps are serious they should act where it matters. All the BN run states and the Pakatan run states should immediately and before the next elections alienate 5 acres of land to at least 10% of the schools in the country – about 50 of the schools to establish their bona fide intent. These representatives should show bona fide intention this way first while any blueprint or anything else in the form of a robust plan is drawn up.

If these reps are serious they should start there where they do have some authority, in the States where they are in the Exco lineup of the State. We do not need a blue print to start real activity, if that is the true intention it is only a matter of a will. This is well known, so, what is required now is action. Just allocate the land needed – 5 acres each, instead of doing as P.Ramasamy did a few months ago,when he told the people of Ladang Batu Kawan when they asked him for additional 3 acres of land to make their school a 5 acres school, that they and whoever was speaking up for them – in this case, Hindraf, should come up with the additional RM 3 million for the land for the school, as land was not cheap in Penang. This is exactly the kind of thing Samy Vellu has been saying all these 50 odd years as he played Tango with UMNO.

If your true intention is to undo a terrible injustice, then start where you must and can – do not mislead with wayangs. Enough of all that nonsense – we are all so sick and tired.

Go back to your PKR, DAP and UMNO tuans and towkays and just say it to them. Get the ball rolling. Do not form anymore committees – we need to see some action. Pakatan reps , understand this, you should have started on this at the beginning of your respective tenures in 2008 and not at the end of it in 2011. BN reps you should have started all of this 54 years ago.

Naragan

Hindraf seeking more classified documents to sue Britain

2011-06-25T03:50:00.002+08:00

Hindraf's lawyers in London say they need more documents on the colonial period in Malaysia to refile their suit against the British government

By Athi Sankar - FMT

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti is set to refile its suit against the British government by the end of he year.

Hindraf chairman, P Waytha Moorthy, originally filed a class action suit on Aug 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, against the United Kingdom London courts for US$4 trillion.

The suit was filed prior to Nov 25 historic Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur, to demand compensation for Indian Malaysians whose ancestors were brought in by the colonial government as indentured labour.

It claimed that, after granting independence to Malaya, the British had left the Indians without representation and at the mercy of the majority Malays.

However, the suit was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and arrest of several lawyers, including the movement legal adviser and Waytha Moorthy’s brother Uthayakumar under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

Hindraf’s lawyers in London say that to refile the suit they need relevant documents which is kept by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)

The lawyers have made a second request to the FCO to facilitate its impending million pounds suit against the former colonial master.

The movement’s legal counsel in London, Imran Khan (pix below) has made the second request on May 25 this year after the Hindraf’s first request on Jan 6 this year was refused by FCO.

The second request is made to seek access to all documents and information held or that which is within the knowledge of the FCO as well as any material held by any other governmental departments which have had access/dealings with Malaya between 1945 and 1957.

“In the event that the FCO refuses to provide us with the documents, we will then exhaust all internal review procedures to have access to the disclosure of these materials and documents.

“If this too failed, we will pursue other avenues such as a judicial review to force the FCO to release the documents necessary for the claim,” said solicitors Imran Khan & Partners in a statement to FMT.

More documents available

The statement said the FCO has turned down Hindraf’s first request citing that domestic records of colonial administrations did not form part of British official records and they were kept by the individual states created at independence.

It has now come to Hindraf’s knowledge that there were more classified documents held in undisclosed locations by the British government, as stated by Lord David Howell, Minister of State for FCO in the recent “Mau Mau uprising” case in London.

Lord Howell has also said that it was the general practice for the colonial administration to transfer to the United Kingdom, in accordance with Colonial Office instructions shortly before independence, selected documents held by the governor.

Lord Howell has said that these documents were deemed not appropriate to hand on to the successor governments.

FCO is said to hold about 8,800 files from 37 former British administrations, including Aden, Brunei, Cyprus, Fiji, Gambia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaya, Malta, Mauritius, Nigeria, Northern Rhodesia, Palestine, Sarawak, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, and Uganda.

The UK legal firm said it was first instructed by Waytha Moorthy in 2009 to look at the prospects of re-filing a legal action in the English courts for reparation against the UK government for failing to protect the legitimate interests of the minority ethnic Indian group under the Malaysian Federation Constitution when it was drafted in 1957.

Independently, Waytha Moorthy and a small team of volunteers of their own volition have unearthed nearly 35,000 “declassified” documents from various independent sources.

Hindraf’s solicitors were seeking more classified documents because the documents on hand clearly showed a huge lacuna (gap) in the information leading to Malaya’s independence.

Hindraf claimed that the Reid Commission was partly to blame for the government’s discriminatory policies as the commission did not provide for constitutional protection to the Indian community.

Bersih Rally- Letter to International Organisations to make representation to Malaysian Government.

2011-06-24T03:14:00.004+08:00

William J.Burns
The Under Secretary for Political Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Rt.Hon.  William Hague MP
Foreign Secretary
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London.
SW1A 2AH

Ms Heidi Hautala
Chair of the Human Rights Sub Committee
European Parliament
Rue Wiertz
Wiertzstraat
B-1047 Brussels

Richard Ottaway MP
House of Commons
Foreign Affairs Committee
4 Millbank
City of London SW1P 3JA

Ms Navanethem Pillay
High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais Wilson
52 rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
+41 22 917 9656
civilsociety@ohchr.org

Mr. Githu Muigai
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
Email: racism@ohchr.org

Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org

Gay McDougall
Independent Expert on Minority Issues
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9006

Mr. Frank La Rue
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
Email: freedex@ohchr.org

Gabriella Habtom
Human Rights Officer and Secretary of the Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Human Rights Treaties Division
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Tel. +41.22.917.9193 - Fax +41.22.917.90.08
e-mail: ghabtom@ohchr.org / tb-petitions@ohchr.org
Palais Wilson - 52, rue des Pâquis, CH-1201,
Geneva, Switzerland

Frank William La Rue
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
UNOG-OHCHR
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 917 93 32
Fax: +41 22 917 90 22

Amnesty International
1 Easton Street
London
WC1X 0DW, UK
Telephone: +44-20-74135500
Fax number: +44-20-79561157
Email: activism@amnesty.org.uk

Human Rights Watch
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor
New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: +1-212-290-4700
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
email: spiegem@hrw.org

Minority Rights Group International
54 Commercial Street
London E1 6LT, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7422 4200
Fax: +44 (0)20 7422 4201
Email: minority.rights@mrgmail.org

Front Line –
The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
Head Office, Second Floor, Grattan House
Temple Road, Blackrock
Co Dublin, Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)1 212 3750
Fax: +353 (0)1 212 1001
E-mail: info@frontlinedefenders.org

OSCE Secretariat
Wallnerstrasse 6
1010 Vienna
Austria
Tel: +43 1 514 36 6000
Fax: +43 1 514 36 6996
E-mail: info@osce.org

NAACP
Washington Bureau
1156 15th Street, NW Suite 915
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 463-2940
Fax: (202) 463-2953
Email: washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org

European Union External Action Service
Menara Tan & Tan, Suite 10.01
207 Jalan Tun Razak
50400 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel.: +6 03 2723 7373
Fax: +6 03 2723 7337
E-mail: delegation-malaysia@ec.europa.eu

US Embassy Malaysia
Mr Brian D. McFeeters - Political Counselor
376 Jalan Tun Razak
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel No:   (03) 2168-4946,
Fax  No : (03) 2168-5165,
Email : mcfeetersbd@state.gov

Rainbow Push Coalition
National Headquarters
930 East 50th Street
Chicago, IL 60615
Phone: 773-373-3366
Fax: 773-373-3571
Email : info@rainbowpush.org

National Action Network
House of Justice
106 West, 145^th Street,
Harlem ,NY 10039
Tel No: (212) 690 3070
Fax No ( 877)-  626  4651
Email : rachel@noerdlingermedia.com

23rd June 2011.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Urgent Request to make Representations to the Government of Malaysia on the possible violence by PERKASA, UMNO sponsored NGO on Human Rights Advocates and the general public on the BERSIH 2.0 public rally for free and fair election in Malaysia on 9^th July 2011.

I write to you with the utmost urgency for your attention on the above matter.

BERSIH is a coalition of NGOs’  that  advocate   free and fair elections  and intend to march peacefully  with the public in Malaysia on July 9, 2011 in line with the fundamental rights  contained in the  Malaysian Federal constitution under Article  10.The purpose of the march is to express the collective desire of the malaysian people for a free and fair election in the forthcoming General Election.

PERKASA is a Malaysian NGO and is a tool used by the UMNO led Malaysian government in extending its ugly hands into politically extreme policies topped up by fear inducing methods to ensure that whatever is sacred in the Federal Constitution for the good of the multi-ethnic polity is  compromised through this fear and state sanctioned threats from a seemingly independent organisation -PERKASA..

Malaysiakini, one of the few independent online news  portals reported on June 19^th 2011 quoting  PERKASA as saying,  “Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, if the Bersih rally is not called off and they go ahead with it - if they don't cancel it on July 8 or 9 - I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home."Anything can happen on that day”

On 13^th of June 2011 Malaysiakini  quoted PERKASA chief as saying said they are ready to "fight to the end" (lawan habis-habisan) to stop the rally if the organisers insist on taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9. "(If they proceed) there will be a clash (pertembungan). If that happens, it is for the better," he told a press conference in the Parliament lobby.”

The insinuations above falls short of an orchestrated attempt to riot or to promote some form of violent action by UMNO sponsored PERKASA against the public for their participating in this peaceful march on July 9, 2011 just for free and fair elections.

The fear of the Malaysian community is real and should not be underestimated or downplayed at this crucial moment as state sponsored gangsters PERKASA and its allies PEKIDA (another organization of ex-police and army personnel) & 3 Line ( a known large street gang) blatantly come forward in this aggressive and belligerent manner against what is a natural and legitimate grievance of the people. This march is nothing other than an expression of a collective voice of Malaysians.

The international community whilst accepting Malaysia as a member of the United Nations cannot sit in silence when such threats and fear mongering methods are pursued by fascist elements in the ruling party with the implicit sanction of the UMNO led government.

Your public statement in opposing this tendency of state sponsored violence against its people is of paramount significance as it is a fundamental human rights issue and not just political theatre. The minorities, marginalized and discriminated face these kind of human rights abuse daily through the racist and fascist agenda of the Malaysian government..

I write to urge you to make urgent representations to the Malaysian government that the BERSIH rally should be allowed to proceed unhindered and the peaceful protesters be provided protection from any untoward violent reactions by the state sponsored PERKASA, PEKIDA and other fringe elements..

P.Waytha Moorthy
Chair
HINDRAF
+447502289313 (Mobile)

Politicians playing to majoritarian gallery

2011-06-22T13:02:00.002+08:00

Let’s cease the pretense that an Indian poor equals a Malay poor or a native poor, says Hindraf/HRP's P Uthayakumar.

COMMENT

By P Uthayakumar

One betrays the cause of the Indian poor when he pretends that for every Indian poor there is a Chinese poor just as badly off. And that a Malay or a Muslim poor is under ‘equal’ duress as the Indian poor. How can they be when for the bumiputera poor the sky is the limit?

Affirmative action is tailored for the Malays who are given ample opportunities in higher education, business and government jobs. This is definitely not the case for the Indian poor.

But why is the average Malaysian in a state of denial? Why does he deliberately sidestep the gravity of Indian problems with the moral equivalency that all the poor are in the same boat or are given the same life jackets?

The poor Chinese have their New Villages. The poor Malay, Orang Asli, Iban, Kadazan, etc, all have thousands of kampungs and ancestral land as their social safety net, which 99 percent of the Indian poor do not have. So let’s cease the pretense that an Indian poor equals a Malay poor or a native poor.

Similarly, many of the Malay poor have been provided with jobs in the state and federal public sector agencies, guaranteeing them a pension and health facilities for life. What have the Indian poor to look forward to?

Who bothered with Indians before?

The Hindraf movement arose to fill the vacuum created by the almost zero takers for the non-politically rewarding Indian problems.

Hindraf fought without fear or favour while PKR, DAP, PAS, PSM, the NGOs and the Indian elite closed one eye to the Indian ‘situation’ that was becoming increasingly dire.

If Indians were not in acute distress, the Hindraf rally would not have erupted.

Before November 2007, the Tamil underclass was ignored. Post March 2008, the political opportunists who rode on our wave of discontent chose to play to the majoritarian, especially the Malay-Muslim, political gallery.

Today when we give voice to the woes of our constituency – the hardcore Indian poor – we are portrayed and castigated as being overbearing and demanding.

Are our ‘demands’ really unreasonable? Hindraf has never asked for higher quotas for scholarships, university seats and other deliverables. We have always demanded for equal rights which are constitutionally ours as enshrined in Article 8 of the Federal Constitution.

In fact our motto is ‘Rights not Mercy’.

Some of us are sixth generation Malaysian-born. We too are the sons of this soil as much as any other Malaysian. We – in respect to our indigenousness – are even more entitled to a place in the Malaysian sun than many recent arrivals whose rights we do not question just as we hope they do not question ours.

Indians, our own worst enemies

Fundamentally, Indians are shortchanged by the intellectual dishonesty which elects to dilute and divert away from the pressing and critical Indian poor problems created by especially Umno racism. Championing the Indian poor is unfortunately not fashionable.

When HRP and Hindraf battle against racism specifically targeting the Indian poor, we are – most bafflingly – accused of being racist for maintaining our focus. Yet have you ever even stopped to ponder with some measure of honesty that there would have been no need for HRP and/or Hindraf to exist if the Indian problems had been addressed in the first place.

Pray tell, who among those that are not Indian is willing to make the cause of our community’s poor their mission and to work the ground?

Yet for our necessarily selective focus on a single race, we are accused of racism by the preening and posturing multi-culturists and mono-culturalists who ride their high horses.

Their warped label of ‘racists’ hurled against Hindraf is to be found in no other part of the world except Malaysia.

Going by this perverted definition constantly applied to Hindraf by our detractors, Nelson Mandela would be considered anti-white – a veritable racist for fighting apartheid rule in South Africa because his opponents were of one colour.

And Mahatma Gandhi would also be a damn racist as he fought the white rajah’s rule in India. Why don’t the same people who are so fond of knocking Hindraf similarly insist that Gandhi must be colour-blind and that he cannot be allowed to single out a particular race (i.e. the whites) for moral censure?

Accusing us of fighting the racism that victimizes Indians with our own brand of Hindraf racism is just about the most convenient but lamest excuse used by shallow, unthinking Malaysians.

This particularly applies to the English-speaking groups who love to sound magnanimous. They are usually the Indian elites priding themselves that their best friends are Malay and Chinese, and patting themselves on the back for their liberal credentials because they move in social circles not exclusive to their own kind (i.e. the dark-skinned).

Some of them may profess to have a multi-racial mindset but my own analysis differs, even if they have not attained this self-awareness as yet.

I believe their trapped mentality (of seeking approval and to please others with proof of their apparent broadmindedness) arises out of a minority and inferiority complex. Such a type of personality is the one most prone to denying the real problems Indians face here because of racial discrimination.

Who’s racist? You look in the mirror

For championing this cause of the Indian poor, I was detained for 514 days under the ISA and arrested on 11 other occasions.

I still have the charge of sedition hanging over my head for drawing attention to what has been perceived to be ‘ethnic cleansing’, especially with regard to the Kg Medan tragedy where five Indian poor were murdered and more than 100 suffered grievous bodily harm.

The atrocities committed in Kg Medan were greeted with pin-drop silence from the supposedly all embracing ‘multi-racial’ PKR, DAP, PAS, PSM, NGOs as well as the so-called ‘multi-racial’ Indian elite.
We have closely documented the killings but nobody cares to get to the bottom of this ethnic issue.

For calling the massacre an ‘ethnic cleansing’, I face prosecution for sedition which carries a three-year jail sentence. My case is still in the courts. But I have no regrets as anyone intimate with how Hindraf operates will know that we somehow or other soldier on despite the nasty brickbats and the vicious catcalls.

The allegation that we are a reverse image of Perkasa is simply an expediency to marginalize Hindraf by those who are our harshest critics.

These prefer to fish in the 60 percent Malay-Muslim majoritarian pond because of the tantalizing vote catch. Never mind the Indian poor kena nyaya (get screwed) on a day-to-day basis.

Our paramount interest in HRP and Hindraf is to procure justice and equality, and to uphold human rights. We are for ending Umno rule to achieve these ends but unlike the highly partisan opposition crowd, we’re not willing to give a blank cheque to Pakatan.

One must be able to discern the cause of the Indian poor to know what the Hindraf and HRP struggle is truly about. Either you feel it or you don’t. We cannot open your eyes if you resolutely refuse to see. And what can we do if you hear but refuse to listen?

So we’ll simply say this, quoting a Tamil proverb: ‘If a person cannot help, he should not get in the way of those who are doing something about it’.

P Uthayakumar’s sedition case is fixed for mention on June 24 at the KL Sessions Court pending his appeal at the Court of Appeal to declare the sedition charges against him unconstitutional. This article first appeared at the Centre for Policy Initiatives website.

June 30 For Hindraf Judicial Review

2011-06-22T03:22:00.002+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today fixed June 30 for the judicial review filed by Hindraf Makkal Shakti.

Hindraf sought to set aside the decision not to grant it approval and registration as a non-governmental organisation.

Judge Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim fixed the date after meeting M.Manoharan, counsel for Hindraf secretary P.Ramesh, and Noor Hisham Ismail, senior federal counsel representing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and three others.

Ramesh named Najib, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, the Registrar of Societies of Malaysia and the Federal Territory ROS as respondents.

He also sought a writ of mandamus for the respondents to approve Hindraf's application based on the Federal Constitution and Societies Act within seven days of the court order.

In his supporting affidavit, Ramesh said the application to register Hindraf as an NGO was made on Oct 2009.

It was based on rights of freedom and equality under Article 10(1)(C) and Article 8 of the Federal Constitution.

Noor Hisham told reporters that Najib and Hishammuddin should not have been named as respondents because they were not the decision making parties for the registration. ▲

HRP launch in PD disrupted by authorities

2011-06-19T15:20:00.000+08:00

The police and local council personnel have failed to bring down a canopy set up by the HRP but party leaders expect more harassment before the official launch this evening.

PORT DICKSON: A Human Rights Party (HRP) event in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, was today disrupted when local council officers and the police “raided” the venue and ordered its members to disperse.

However, HRP leader P Uthayakumar said despite the “harassment” by the authorities, the Indian-based party would continue with the event, which is the official launch of HRP’s Teluk Kemang operations centre later this evening.

At about 11am, some 20 police personnel and local council enforcement officers arrived and told the HRP leaders to dismantle their canopy that was being set up at Batu 2 1/2, Jalan Seremban, Port Dickson.

However the HRP members managed to stop the enforcement officers from tearing down their event tents.

Uthayakumar said the authorities have backed out for the time being but were still in the area. He expected the authorities to continue to harass the HRP event during the official launch at 5pm today.

“The police are still here with M16s and some 30 of their plainclothes personnel, saying we don’t have a permit eventhough our Negeri Sembilan HRP chief P Sivakumar applied for it and was rejected without reason.

“Just opposite the road there are food stalls operating without permits,” said Uthayakumar.
He said HRP members told the authorities that they would call off their event if the enforcement personnel took action against at least one illegal food stall operator.

“However, it’s clear that we’re being harassed here. Why? Because we are going to contest in Port Dickson in the coming general election. This is one of our front line seats in the 13th general election. This is our first major presence here.

“And Barisan Nasional is afraid of us… seeing us as a threat to the political equilibrium. BN fears Negeri Sembilan would fall to the opposition,” he said.

Uthayakumar said the yet-to-be-registered HRP has set up GE13 operations centre in Kedah (Lunas), Penang (Prai), Perak (Buntong), Selangor (Kota Raja), and Johor (Tebrau).

“In Perak, we willingly complied when the police stopped our speeches midway and physically stopped our official launch.

“But today, we won’t back down until the launch at 5pm. If they come to stop us, we will not give in because it is our right to assemble peacefully without harm under the Federal Constitution,” said Uthayakumar.

Hindraf: End religious ‘persecution’

2011-06-19T14:50:00.000+08:00

Failing which the government faces the risk of the international community applying sanctions against Malaysia, says Waythamoorthy.

PETALING JAYA: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, an NGO in overdrive since late 2007, wants Malaysia to end all forms of religious persecution in the country or incur the wrath of the international community on the issue.

They fear that Malaysia will end up as an “international pariah state and outlaw like some other countries run by rogue regimes”.

The NGO warns that religious persecution is a serious offence under the United Nations Charter, of which Malaysia is a signatory, and under international law. Religion should not be brought into the public sphere, it added, to clobber anyone with it.

“This (religious persecution) has been going on long enough in the country and we want to see an end to it,” said Hindraf chair P Waythamoorthy in a telephone call from political asylum in London.
“Enough is enough. Don’t play politics with religion.”

He was commenting on the on-going polemics on the incidence of apostasy (murtad) in the country following conflicting statements from Selangor mufti Tamyes Abdul Wahid and Islamic Affairs Minister Jamil Khir Baharom.

The minister, in particular, has allegedly contradicted himself by telling the press something different from what he told Parliament.

Waythamoorthy refuses to be drawn into the polemics which, according to him, is being politicized by the mufti and the minister.

Instead, the Hindraf chair wants the authorities to buck up on the issue of religious persecution or risk the international community applying sanctions against Malaysia.

“We must not think that it (sanctions) will not happen. It will once the international community decides that the country has lost credibility on the issue of religious persecution,” said Waythamoorthy.

“If enough people in Malaysia stand up on the issue, things could get very hot quickly for the government.”

New umbrella body

Asked for his definition of religious persecution, Waythamoorthy cited, as an example, that the country was not allowing freedom of worship as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

One aspect was “the authorities forcing non-Muslims to embrace Islam against their will when they married Muslims”.

Other examples, he said, were rampant incidents of body-snatching by Islamic Religious Department officials, difficulties in getting official permission to build places of worship, indiscriminate demolishing of places of worship, religious establishments being forced to take down the symbols of their faith and discrimination against one on the basis of faith.

“The worst form of religious persecution in Malaysia is the encroachment of the Syariah Court into the domain of the civil courts,” fumed Waythamoorthy. “The civil courts are the last bastion of civilization in Malaysia.”

Unfortunately, he added, there were too few non-Muslim judges in Malaysia to defend the judiciary from insidious attack by the Syariah Court.

The Hindraf chief conceded that his ad hoc apolitical movement had not been vocal enough on religious persecution in the country. However, he vowed that things will be very different from now on under the UK-based Human Rights Foundation Malaysia which was recently set up to work closely with all human rights NGOs in the country.

“Religious persecution will top our agenda in Malaysia, at the United Nations and in international forums,” said Waythamorthy.

“We have already raised the issue of Islam being imposed illegally on Sabah and Sarawak as the official religion and the Orang Asli Christians being persecuted for their faith.”

Opting out of Islam

Another sore point, continued Waythamoorthy, is the establishment of religious rehabilitation centres all over the country to re-brainwash apostates in Islam and force them to abandon their original faith or reject their new non-Islamic faith.

He reckons these centres as akin to the re-education camps set up by the communists during the Cold War years.

“The Islamic religious authorities in Malaysia are treading the same path as that taken by the communist bloc since 1917,” said Waythamoorthy.

“The Free World would sooner or later have to fight yet another global Cold War, this time against religious intolerance and the lack of respect for democracy, human rights and women.”

The Selangor mufti, Tamyes Abdul Wahid, has since disclosed that many new converts to Islam in the country applied to renounce their new faith and return to their original beliefs once their marriage to Muslim partners fell apart. He denounced the tendency among non-Muslims to embrace Islam only when they married Muslims.

Tamyes was elaborating on Jamil Khir’s recent statement in Parliament, as recorded in the Hansard, that 168 applications had been approved in recent months to opt out of Islam.

Jamil Khir has also been reported as saying by Bernama, the national news agency, that the Syariah Court had not approved even a single case of “opting out” todate. - FMT

Racism in disbursement of gov't scholarships charge

2011-06-19T05:37:00.000+08:00

(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party has filed a police report in Penang against the government over what it described as "race based" disbursement of Public Services Department (JPA) scholarships, study loans and seat allocation for students of higher learning.

In his police report, HRP advisor N Ganesan (far left) urged the police to investigate Prime Minister Najib Razak, his deputy and Education Minister Muyhiddin Yassin, Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khalid Nordin, and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz over the issue.

He also urged the police to probe the Umno-led government, especially the violations of Article 8 and Article 12 of the Federal Constitution for denying the Malaysian Indian students of their basic right to education.

"This level of racism, religious extremism and supremacy do not exist in any other part of the world except in Najib Razak's One Malaysia," he told reporters after filing his report at the Jalan Patani police station last night.

Much hand wringing over issue

"Today Malaysia is the most racist and supremacist country in the world," he charged, asking the force to reply to him in writing within two weeks, failing which he would assume the contents of his police report to be true.

Ganesan said the government has committed a "gross abuse of executive power" by not revealing the details of the scholarship recipients', terming it a flawed process of "implementing transparently".

Later, Nazri had reportedly said that there was "no concrete evidence" when the proof itself was a state secret, he added.

He was referring to Nazri's June 14 statement, where he had said "It is the government's policy not to reveal the marks of the recipients to the public to protect their individual rights and privacy."

Nazri added that " there is no further concrete proof of abuse of power in awarding scholarships, looking at the fact that the implementation was done transparently and in order as dictated by the cabinet decision of 14th Jan 2009."

The Malaysian Indian-rights party views the issue of scholarship disbursement and seats allocations in institutions of higher learning for students from the community as contradicting the Federal Constitution.

What is your role?

2011-06-18T03:17:00.001+08:00

By Susan Luees David - facebook comments

My dearest INDIANS!!!!! Looks like many of us have forgotten all the struggles and sacrifices that our Hindraf heroes have went through for us, just for us, the INDIANS!!!!! Can someone tell me why do they have to go through all this pain for us???? Don’t they have a life??? Don’t they have a family??? Why on earth must they fight for our rights???? Is it only for their children’s future???? NO!!!!!!!

It is for our INDIAN community, for all us, for all the brothers & sisters who are marginalized & discriminated by the bloody BN!!!!! Don’t we all have INDIAN blood running in us???? I still come across many useless & selfish INDIANS who only care about themselves & their family. I’m not asking everyone to go and fight with the license thugs (police) or make noise in the parliament. Don’t bother about the political side of it, we have responsible and dedicated brothers and sisters like Jayathas, Johnson Doss, Sivan and Sara to take care of it.

For the rest of you, play your part as a responsible, caring and loving INDIAN, show some love to your fellow INDIAN brothers and sisters. Help them in all the ways that you can. Not necessary financial support, like our sister Bavanie and Rangnee, you too can volunteer yourself to teach our children who are abandoned in the orphanage homes, make an effort to visit the kids, celebrate their birthdays and spend time with them by motivating them on how to be a responsible INDIAN, an INDIAN that the whole world will look up to.

I salute my brother Arivu who makes all his effort to build an educated coming generation by making them to realize how important education is, how it will help to improve their life and the others through them. My dear brothers & sisters, we have to make the move now in order for the future generation to have a better future in our country. UNITY is the weapon!!!!! Aren’t you all ashamed of yourself letting the others to treat you like shit???? OK FINE, you don’t feel it probably because you are also suckers like some political parties in our country!!!!!

Listen guys, again I’m not asking anyone here to go against the Malays or Chinese, trust me NOT all Malays & Chinese are racist, above all WE THE INDIANS ARE NOT RACIST!!!!!! We are only against the discrimination against the minorities in this country!!!!! All we want is equal rights!!!! I repeat….We have to start fighting for it now for our better future. In order to achieve that lets all of unite and together we bring up the social status of our community.

We help each other, we share the pain together and finally we enjoy the success together. Those video clips uploaded are just a reminder to all of us, why are these people taking all the pain of tear gas & water canon??? Why do they have to bleed for us???? Why do our heroes spend hundreds of days in ISA while we were having fun with our family & friends???? Please spare some time watching these videos and think what is your role for our community!!!!!

Bersih rally: Hindraf opts out

2011-06-15T11:40:00.000+08:00

The movement's leader says since Pakatan failed to endorse its 18-point demand, Hindraf will not participate in the rally.

PETALING JAYA: Hindraf Makkal Sakti will not be participating in the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally, said its leader P Uthayakumar.

“We are not participating because Pakatan Rakyat failed to endorse our 18-point demand made in 2007,” he added in a press statement.

Uthayakumar was responding to a news report that linked the Hindraf rally to the first Bersih rally in 2007 that swung public sentiment against the government during the 2008 general election.

The former Internal Security Act detainee said back then, the movement supported Pakatan because it did not have a choice.

“Hindraf did not have a political choice but to give the unconditional political directions to support Pakatan. But after the 2008 general election, it became more plain and obvious that PKR, DAP and PAS like the Umno-BN regime only wanted Indian votes,” he said.

He added that the situation was different now because Hindraf has a political platform, namely the Human Rights Party (HRP).

However, Uthayakumar said Hindraf will back Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan on the condition that HRP is allowed to contest 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats in the next polls.

“We are committed to politically ending Umno’s rule of Putrajaya; we support Pakatan taking over Putrajaya and even Anwar becoming the next prime minister of Malaysia but on condition of HRP’s ‘Project 15/38′ as the internal check and balance mechanism so that the Indian poor are not segregated or excluded from national mainstream development of Malaysia,” he added.

He also indicated that there were proposals for another Hindraf rally to be held on Nov 25.

Hicom Puchong Hindu temple to be ethnically cleansed by PKR S’gor.

2011-06-14T03:58:00.002+08:00

To make way for a flyover. Why didn’t the racist UMNO Town and Country planners draw up the plan to divert away from this century old Sri Maha Mariaman Hindu temple? For the Puchong M.P. Gobind Singh Deo he chooses to remain yet another static P.R. Indian mandore. His silence on this Indian poor right to freedom of religion by virtue of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution speaks volumes.

But along Jalan Bangsar near University Malaya entrance and Jalan Rasah, Seremban, millions of ringgit was spent to save and preserve the Masjids in situ ie at the exact place where it is.

But for this Hindu temple it is as if there is no other land to get the flyover going.

(see Starmetro 10/6/2011 at page 4
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

1st Tamil MP in Canada: Rathika Sitsabaiesan, inaugural Speech in Tamil at House of Commons

2011-06-13T04:32:00.002+08:00

Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Tamil: இராதிகா சிற்சபை ஈசன்) is a Tamil member of Canadian parliament for the New Democratic Party, representing Scarborough—Rouge River. She is the first person of Tamil-origin in the world to be elected to a federal parliament, outside of Sri Lanka or India, and the first female member of parliament ever elected in her constituent.
Sitsabaiesan was born on 23 December 1981 in Achchuveli, Sri Lanka, a small town in the island nation’s peninsula of Jaffna in Northern Province.She has three older sisters.At the age of five, Sitsabaiesan and her family emigrated to Canada.
Sitsabaiesan grew up in Mississauga, west of Toronto.When her father was disabled following a workplace accident her mother had to give up her nursing studies to work in a warehouse to support the family. Sitsabaiesan attended the University of Toronto for the first two years of her higher education.She served as the Vice President of the Tamil Students’ Association while at the university.For the next two years she attended Carleton University, and completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree.At Carleton Sitsabaiesan served as a Vice President of the Carleton University Students’ Association, Caucus Chair of the New University Government and Operations Manager of the Rideau River Residence Association.^[4] Sitsabaiesan then transferred to Queen’s University from where she obtained a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations.
Sitsabaiesan has been heavily involved in community and advocacy work. She is a member of the Malvern Community Association, a residents’ group in Malvern, Toronto.She was employeed with the University of Toronto Students’ Union before she was elected to Parliament.

UMNOs’ zero sum game in building Serendah Tamil school. Zero 0.8 hectares land procured but 2 hectares required by UMNO and PKR refuse the rest.

2011-06-12T04:07:00.000+08:00

In Serendah there are some 280 Indian families based on the local hindu temple records according to S.Jeeva of Serendah who came in to complain to us today Assuming even each family has two school going children there are 540 ready Tamil school going children. But they have been denied and deprived of a local Tamil school by the racist and religious supremacist UMNO regime.
The Indians in Serendah have to wake up at 5.00a.m. to get their children ready for the school bus at 6.00 a.m and for the nearest Rawang and Sg Chor Tamil schools some 10 kilometers away by 7.30a.m. Imagine the inconvenience. But for the Malay muslim pupils they can wake up only at 6.00a.m, get ready and go to school not 10 kilometers away but a mere 10 minutes walk away.
And UMNO gets their kosong MIC MP mandore to do the usual Tamil dailies kosong wayang kulit ie this zero game.
This kosong Hulu Selangor MP mandore lives up to the 54 year old MIC mandorist “fine” traditions and makes the kosong statement that UMNO has already granted two acres of land and RM1 Million in funding for the Serendah Tamil school as promised to win the Hulu Selangor by elections in 2010.
But this MP mandore shows nothing / zero in black and white. All his is the mere kosong talk.
And as an excuse not to fulfill this UMNO promise this MIC mandore now says that it is the Selangor PKR state government that is refusing to grant the five acre land to build this Serendah Tamil school.
This is the tip of the UMNO racist and religious supremacist policies led by One Malay-sian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
After a two hour meeting with P.Uthayakumar at the HRP HQ today (10/6/2011) Jeeva and his two friends are proceeding to organize a public forum in Serendah soon
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Racist PKR S’gor preserves Chinese cemetery even next to housing estate. But KKB Hindu cemetery ‘ethnically cleansed’.

2011-06-12T04:04:00.001+08:00

Selangor has refused to grant land to all Selangor Hindu cemeteries, temples, 98 Tamil schools and Indian villages which the Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid (and not Prime Minister Najib razak) has all the powers.
PKR, DAP and PAS are already at the Selangor State Putrajaya of Selangor, and yet they refuse to grant a permanent solution for the Indian poor because they fear losing the Malay muslim votes.
So how are they going to solve these Indian poor problems when they get to the real Federal Putrajaya?
(see NST 7/6/2011 at page S5)
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Racist PKR S’gor preserves Chinese cemetery even next to housing estate. But KKB Hindu cemetery ‘ethnically cleansed’.

2011-06-12T04:00:00.001+08:00

Jeram Estate Kuantan Tamil school in shipping container has to beg racist UMNO for even a six classroom school.

2011-06-10T03:48:00.002+08:00

This Tamil school was moved temporarily into shipping containers when the estate came up for development.
As usual what is temporary became a permanent but temporary structure for 12 long years with the view to the racist and religious supremacist UMNO “ethnically cleansing” this Tamil school and all 523 Tamil schools nationwide one at a time to avoid detection.
(see Malaysian Nanban 7/6/2011 at page 5)
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Police Report Against PM

2011-06-09T02:03:00.002+08:00

History education in M’sia: Deep roots of contestation

2011-06-08T03:29:00.002+08:00

By Dr Lim Teck Ghee

Most Malaysians – including members of the specially appointed government committee to review the history curriculum – may not be aware of the deep roots of the current controversy on the narrow religious and ethno-nationalistic approach that has come to dominate history education in the country. The following essay provides information on two studies that have examined the roots of the contestation on history education, especially with regard to the history curriculum developed for schools and the assigned textbooks.¹

Santhiram’s work: Textbooks that divide

The earliest academic study on the subject was undertaken by Dr R. Santhiram. The study published in 1997 is a pioneering attempt at examining the extent to which the educational system – as exemplified in the curriculum and textbooks – was reflective of a multiracial and multicultural society.² Focusing on selected lower secondary school textbooks and using quantitative content analysis and qualitative strategies, the paper’s general conclusion was that while some textbooks provided curriculum content appropriate for a multicultural society, others had concentrated heavily on majority race identity.
³
Santhiram’s study covered four subject areas – English Language, Bahasa Malaysia, Moral Education and History – and his findings on all of them are useful. However, his conclusions on the history component are of special interest because of their relevance to the situation today. This is what he had to write about the assigned textbook, KBSM Sejarah Tingkatan 2, authored by Zainal Abidin Abdul Wahid, Khoo Kay Kim, Muhammad Yusof Ibrahim and D.S. Ranjit Singh (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1989).
⁴
Santhiram noted:

To be sure, the focus here is on Malaysian national history. The main players on the political scene are Malay rulers and the indigenous people and the history focuses on their responses to western incursions and domination. As such, a major part of the History textbook highlights these matters. The text deals mainly with political issues and to a certain extent provoke pupils to think about the weaknesses of the Malay states that led to British intervention.

Topics on economic development, growth of towns, development of infrastructure and development of education tend to give an overview of historical continuity and progress with a very strong Malay bias. However, it is important to mention here that evidence of stereotyping mentioned in some earlier works on the analysis of textbook material seem to have been corrected in this book (Mukherjee et al., 1984). The contention then was that the history textbooks as a whole focused primarily on one ethnic group – the Malays – at the expense of other ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak. Superficial coverage was given to the historical background and sociocultural aspects of non-indigenous groups. Instances of stereotyping of the races and misleading statements on non-indigenous ethnic groups were recorded in that research. These and other shortcomings were cited as a hindrance to the promotion of national unity (pp.16-32).

In relation to the crucial educational objective as defined by the Ministry of Education of inculcating and nurturing national consciousness through fostering common ideals, values, aspirations and loyalties in order to mould national unity and national identity in a multi-ethnic society, Santhiram expressed disappointment with the book’s contents. According to him:

In this book, topics that give an understanding of the origins of the multiracial society and their contributions are dealt with very peripherally, though Chinese involvement in tin disputes is dealt with within the context of internecine disputes of the Malay nobility.

Circumstances of Chinese and Indian migration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are not adequately explained. The only reference to Indian involvement in the rubber industry is a three-sentence acknowledgement which goes like this: "European planters preferred to use Indian labour" (p.127) and "Indian labour was brought in to work in rubber estates. Many Indians settled in this country in the 1910s and 1920s" (p.128). There is a page devoted to the development of Tamil schools which reinforces the fact that these schools are for the poor Indians (p.173) and a three-paragraph reference to Indian political activities (p.210).

In his conclusion on the history curriculum and textbook, Santhiram had this to say
Recognition of the evolution of the plural society and the contribution of non-indigenous communities in Malaysia has to be reexamined with a view to providing a balanced account… . One cannot wish away the realities of the past by ignoring them. Surely, Malay nationalistic fervour has to be highlighted to instill a sense of belonging to the nation. But a sense of belonging has to be promoted among all ethnic groups.

He further noted:
The non-Malays have come to play an important role in Malaysian affairs in the past 100 years. Their contribution has to be acknowledged and highlighted, instead of making only footnote references to their presence. It has to be stressed that the Chinese and Indians are not detachable appendages but integral constituents of the Malaysian society. How can a people develop a sense of common historical experience and a sense of belonging to the nation if they feel alienated and marginalised and no recognition is made to their participation in the life of the country?

Cheah’s work: Ethno-nationalist victory in rewriting history

Santhiram’s study approached the subject of the national curriculum and textbooks from the discipline of education. Another scholar, Cheah Boon Kheng, approached the subject from the discipline of history.

Writing in the American Asian Review in 2003⁵ , Cheah noted that “History, ethnicity and nation-building are not only related issues, but also controversial and sensitive ones in the politics of Malaysia’s multi-ethnic society.” In his study, unlike Santhiram who used the technique of content analysis of textbooks to arrive at his findings, Cheah relied on a selection of primary and secondary materials to arrive at his findings and conclusions. He also delved further into the country’s political history to trace the developments that have influenced history writing.

According to Cheah, government policy aimed at making Malay history as the basis of national history and Malay culture as the basis of national culture followed the decisions adopted by several Malay groups at a National Culture Congress in 1971. Another key milestone took place in 1987 when the then Minister for Education, Anwar Ibrahim, instructed that the school history curriculum be revised to make it explicitly clear that the present day Malay political primacy was based on Malay history and on the premise that Malays were “the original inhabitants” and that their position could not be challenged.

Cheah also noted that in spite of Malay political dominance, other indigenous ethnic groups have tried to ensure that their communities’ own historical roles were not obliterated. His study provides examples of attempts during the past 40 years by various individuals and groups to contest the Malay-centric and politically biased history. These attempts included that of the country’s founding father and first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman who complained that a book used as a text book for the schools “was obviously an attempt to put party politics above the historical facts” and “did not give proper emphasis to the important incidents and events [including his own role] which led to independence.”⁶ According to Cheah, in the foreword to the Tunku’s own memoirs, Looking Back , the father of the country’s independence wrote:

One academic writer did write a book in Malay on Malaysia’s Independence, a work which was actually distributed to schools for our boys and girls to read, but the author had completely omitted to associate me with events leading to Independence.”

Other attempts at contestation of the official version of the country’s history emerging from Malay ethno-nationalist pressure included complaints by Sabah and Sarawak representatives at a national curriculum committee meeting in 1987 that Malaysian history textbooks tended to be too peninsula-biased” and that “to foster national integration, West Malaysians should also learn the histories of Sarawak and Sabah.”

More prolonged resistance to the official rewriting of Malaysia’s history, according to Cheah, has come from the Chinese community. This resistance – which continues in a weakened form today - has been waged especially in response to attempts by Malay politicians and authorities to deny the crucial role of Kapitan Yap Ah Loy as Kuala Lumpur’s leading founder. Other topics of contestation include key political events such as the constitutional provisions for Malays and non-Malays prior to independence in 1957 and the portrayal of the Japanese occupation period in Malaysian history.

With reference to the latter topic, Cheah has argued that the case of Malaysian textbooks that relate to Malaysia’s official memory of the Second World War “is somewhat similar to the Japanese government’s amnesia about Japan’s wartime atrocities during the Second World War.” In his view, the latest Malaysian history textbook (1992) reflects the government’s stand on the Japanese occupation of the country. It is tied up with Malaysia’s internal and international politics. Malay political primacy requires an agenda to highlight Malay wartime roles and experiences over that of other communities, and to accord recognition to Japan’s wartime support of Malay nationalist aspirations.

The task ahead in reviewing ‘official’ history

The guidance from Santhiram’s and Cheah’s work – though written some years ago – are important to bear in mind in relation to the current controversy over the history curriculum and textbooks as well as the parallel controversy over Interlok, the assigned exam text for the literature component in the Bahasa Melayu compulsory pass subject.

Santhiram is of the view that in a textbook-driven curriculum environment like Malaysia’s, it is imperative that clear guidelines be given to textbook writers to incorporate elements of material that will help foster images and forms that will shape experiences positively in terms of national unity goals. Careful thought has to be given to the area of textbook writing so that the content does not work against nationally declared goals and aspirations. But guidelines are not enough especially if the interpreters and implementers of the guidelines are drawn from one racial group and when representatives from other racial groups are added on, their roles are mainly to provide the fig leaf of legitimacy and cover up for biased and ethno-centric products.

Cheah’s conclusion was blunter and appears – for now – to be prophetic in discerning future developments. He noted that “the struggle for equal historical space and place by ethnic minorities in Malaysia has been argued on the basis of multiculturalism, i.e., the idea that different, disadvantaged minorities and cultural groups in society have equally valid perspectives on historical truth.”

Whilst recognizing that it is necessary “to empower these groups in the face of the dominant concept of historical truth held by the ruling ethnic group”, he realistically noted that “if the grounds used to prefer one vision or one interpretation of the past over another are political and if the persuasiveness of a historical interpretation is simply a matter of the power of its advocates within society and within the historical profession, then it does not follow at all that history is necessarily a democratic, fair or tolerant enterprise.”

Reflecting his pessimism, Cheah concluded that “[t]he controversies over Malaysian history textbooks have focused largely over the issue of national history textbooks being easily indoctrinated or manipulated by the ruling ethnic group, or by state-commissioned historians for mainly political interests – usually in the interests of ethno-nationalism, in favour of the majority ethnic group, the Malays, over the others.”

It is evident that the struggle for a democratic, fair and representative history in Malaysia will be a long and protracted one with the odds stacked in favour of the ruling establishment and their well rewarded apologists.

Now that another opportunity has emerged in the recent decision to review the history curriculum, it is imperative that Malaysians from all communities rouse themselves from their stupor and come together to correct past wrongs. Working to ensure that the full complexity and richness of our history – rather than a caricature of our past – is reflected in the curriculum and textbooks has to be a collective and multiracial responsibility if it is to have any hope of success.

*******************
Footnote:
¹ The book, Glimpses of Malaysian history, was a collection of essays by Malaysian historians and was edited by Zainal Abidin bin Wahid and published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
² See R. Santhiram, “Curriculum Materials for National Integration in Malaysia – Match or Mismatch”, Asia Pacific Journal of Education Volume 17, Issue 2, 1997, pp.7-18
³ For his analysis, Santhiram posed two questions to provide a general direction for analysing the curriculum materials. They were as follows: 1) To what extent do these textbooks help promote the development of national unity among the various races with specific reference to the Indians? 2) To what extent do these textbooks provide suitable role models for the minority ethnic groups, especially the Indians, to emulate?
Based on these two questions, the analysis concentrated on visual presentation, focus and themes in the stories and passages and the depth of treatment given to racial, cultural and religious diversity. Conspicuous stereotyping and omissions which would reinforce the identification of race with occupations and promote prejudice were also noted and assessment was also made of positive values and attitudes that were inculcated.
⁴ All four authors involved in writing this book came from academia with the first two being professors of History at Malaysian universities, and the other two, lecturers in local universities.
⁵ Cheah Boon Kheng, “Ethnicity, Politics and History Textbook Controversies in Malaysia”, Vol. XXI, No.4, Winter, 2003, pp.229-52.

Mahendran: "Pemaju lebih besar kuasanya dari Menteri Besar Selangor?"

2011-06-08T03:08:00.000+08:00

7 laporan polis terhadap PM, TPM dan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi

2011-06-08T03:07:00.000+08:00

‘I want my flat or I’ll stay here till I die’

2011-06-07T04:22:00.002+08:00

The two longhouse residents who had their homes demolished vow to stay near the rubble until developer delivers on pledge

PETALING JAYA: The two residents of PJS 1 longhouses, whose homes were demolished last Friday, vowed to stay put at the site until a promise made to them by the developer is honoured.

V Mahalingam, a 56-year-old disabled man and A Pushparani are living in a makeshift tent where their homes once stood pledged to stay put until Peter Brickworks provides them the low cost flat it promised eight years ago.

“I want my flat. If not I will stay here until I die,” said Mahalingam, a 56-year old disabled. “Life as a disabled is hard enough and Peter Brickworks has made it worse for me. They must answer for the misery I’m going through.”

After nearly a week-long tussle with the residents, Petaling Jaya City Hall (MBPJ) and the state government, Peter Brickworks ignored numerous pleas and demolished their homes on June 3.
Mahalingam and Pushparani received eviction orders from the developer on May 23 and given a seven-day deadline to make way for a condominium project.

The eviction was postponed after MBPJ issued a stop-work order against Peter Brickworks in an attempt to compel the developer to find an amicable solution with the residents.

Mahalingam said today that the MBPJ had offered him a low cost flat at Lembah Subang on June 1 but he rejected the offer because it was a temporary solution to his predicament.

“Lembah Subang is too far away. I receive medications from a nearby medical facility. How am I to travel all the way from there to PJS 1 if I take up the unit there?”asked Mahalingam.

As both he and his wife S Tamilchelvi were not working, Mahalingam said he relied a lot on assistance from friends and well-wishers who live near PJS 1. Tamilchelvi, 53, is partially blind.

“I also receive monthly provisions from a nearby spiritual organisation. Who will help me in Lembah Subang?” asked Mahalingam, who gets a monthly RM110 from the Welfare Department.

Mahalingam said he had no other place to go. “We have a son but we lost contact after he got married four years ago,” said Mahalingam who was reluctant to delve into the matter.

Pushparani, 44, lamented that the developer went ahead with the demolition despite promising not to at a meeting with Selangor state exco Iskandar Abdul Samad on June 2.

“We can only hope that the state government will help us now,” said a teary Pushparani.

‘We fear for our safety’

Pushparani, who ekes out living ferrying children to school by a mini van to make ends meet said she had to send her six children to stay with friends.

“My husband V Balakrishnan and I now camp out in the makeshift tent or in our van,” said Pushparani.

She added that she also feared for her safety as several unidentified men were lurking around the area where their homes once stood.

“I hold Peter Brickworks responsible should anything untoward happen to us,” said Pushparani.

Residents action committee chairman, M Sugumaran, said he received a text message from Iskandar this morning saying the state government would seize the land from Peter Brickworks.

During a walkabout this morning, FMT team saw two individuals taking pictures of the makeshift tent of the two families and the FMT journalists.

Sugumaran said that one of them was the general manager of Peter Brickworks while the other was the project manager of the condominium project.

Sugumaran urged the state government to speedily provide alternative housing for the residents, especially for Mahalingam.

“I also hope the state assemblyman (Haniza Talha) and the MP for Petaling Jaya Selatan Hee Loy Sean will continue with their effort to assist the residents,” said Sugumaran.

In a latest development, Sugumaran said several men started baricading the area with wire fencing around the demolished area at about 2pm.

Meanwhile, Iskandar, who is in charge of the state housing portfolio, said that the state would acquire the three plots of land at the site because of Peter Brickworks’ defiance.

“The mentri besar (Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) had instructed state secretary Khusrin Munawi to acquire the plots under state laws on Friday,” said Iskandar.

However, Iskandar could not confirm whether the notice has been issued to the developer.

Another example of how the UMNOPutra’s operate behind the scenes.

2011-06-07T04:15:00.000+08:00

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Haris Onn Hussein is well connected – his cousin is the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, and his brother is Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who is expected in Canberra soon to sign the deal under which Australia will transfer 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia and accept 4000 refugees in return.
By Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie, The Age.Melbourne
THE Reserve Bank firm Securency hired a company owned by a close relative of Malaysia’s Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister – the two men with whom the Gillard government is negotiating to swap asylum seekers – to help win banknote contracts.
The revelation comes amid growing sensitivity within the federal government about the Australian Federal Police investigation of Securency and the potential for Australia’s international relations to be harmed if foreign officials allegedly linked to the RBA firm’s bribes are named.
The Age has learned that Securency signed Kuala Lumpur firm Liberal Technology as its Malaysian agent in 2009. The biggest individual shareholder in Liberal Technology is businessman Haris Onn Hussein.
Haris Onn Hussein is well connected – his cousin is the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, and his brother is Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who is expected in Canberra soon to sign the deal under which Australia will transfer 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia and accept 4000 refugees in return.
Securency hired Haris Onn Hussein in the hope he would offer it access to, and influence over, Malaysia’s top politicians.
It is a common in parts of Asia for the relatives of politicians to be hired by foreign companies as agents.
The Age understands that some officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other agencies are keen for the AFP not to identify certain foreign dignitaries or their relatives who are alleged to be linked to Securency in order to protect Australia’s broader overseas interests.
Securency, half-owned and supervised by the Reserve Bank, has for two years been investigated by the AFP and the British Serious Fraud Office for allegedly bribing public officials in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria to win banknote supply contracts.
Under Australian law, it is a criminal offence for a company or individual to pay, or offer a benefit to, a foreign government official or their close relatives to obtain a business advantage.
Australia is yet to prosecute a foreign bribery case, but Securency – which has four RBA-appointed directors on its board – may be the first, given the two-year AFP investigation and the arrest and questioning of some employees and agents last year. No charges have yet been laid.
Haris Onn Hussein and Hishammuddin Tun Hussein are political royalty in Malaysia. Their father, the late Tun Hussein Onn, was Malaysia’s prime minister between 1976 and 1981. He was succeeded as prime minister by Mahathir Mohamad. Their grandfather, Dato Onn Jaafar, was the founder of Malaysia’s ruling United Malays National Organisation political party.
Hishammuddin Tun Hussein is vice president of UMNO.
Haris Onn Hussein owns shares in or sits on the board of several companies that have benefited from Malaysian government concessions.
In 2006, the Malaysian finance ministry told cigarette and alcohol manufacturers that they would need to buy security labels provided by Haris Onn Hussein’s Liberal Technology to legally sell their products. Haris Onn Hussein is also associated with a company given a 34-year concession to operate a major Malaysian toll road.
Under Securency’s corporate structure, its board should have been informed and approved of Mr Haris Onn’s company being signed as an agent.
The Age can also reveal Securency engaged Malaysian state MP and a former UMNO branch treasurer, Dato Abdullah Hasnan Kamaruddin, as another agent. Mr Kamaruddin was the UNMO party treasurer in Dr Mahathir’s home state of Kedah, a position that gave him substantial influence.
Despite engaging the extremely well-connected Liberal Technology as agent in 2009, Securency is believed not to have won any further banknote supply contracts.
The company won its last major Malaysian contract in 2004. At that time, Mr Razak was the country’s defence minister and Hishammuddin Tun Hussein the education minister. It also won a smaller contract in 1998.
The Age is not suggesting Mr Razak nor Hishammuddin Tun Hussein were involved in Securency’s deals.
The company’s 1998 and 2004 contracts involved another Malaysian agent, businessman, arms broker and former UMNO official, Abdul Kayum Syed Ahmad.
He has since been arrested and questioned by Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission over the Securency deals and his use of commissions paid by the RBA firms.
The AFP began investigating Securency in May 2009 after The Age revealed its payment of tens-of-millions-of-dollars in commissions to politically connected middlemen to win contracts in Nigeria, Vietnam and India.
The company wired millions of dollars into tax haven bank accounts in an effort to conceal the beneficiaries of its payments in an apparent breach of the RBA’s rules.
The AFP and Britain’s Serious Fraud Office have conducted several raids on the offices of Securency and its British half-owner, Innovia Films. Properties owned by serving and former executives and agents have been raided and several arrests made. No charges have been laid yet.
Securency’s managing director, Myles Curtis, and chief financial officer, John Ellery, were forced out of the company in March last year. Securency’s deputy chairman, English businessman Bill Lowther, resigned in October following his arrest by the Serious Fraud Office.
RBA governor Glenn Stevens has defended his bank’s appointees who have chaired and sat on the Securency board since 1996, telling a federal parliamentary committee in November that he had not seen any evidence to suggest they had acted inappropriately.
The RBA plans to sell Securency.
EDITOR’S NOTE:

Dato’ Haris Onn Bin Tun Hussein is also a Director of Scomi Berhad
Dato’ Haris Onn, a Malaysian, is an Independent Non-Executive Drector of the Company and was appointed to the Board on 5 April 2006. Dato’ Haris Onn graduated from Cambridge University, United Kingdom, with a Bachelor of Art Degree in Economics.
Dato’ Haris Onn started his working career with Touche Ross & Co, London, an accounting firm, in 1989. In 1992, Dato’ Haris Onn returned to Malaysia to work with D & C Sakura Merchant Bankers Berhad (now known as RHB Investment Bank Berhad) and he subsequently joined Rohas Sdn Bhd as the General Manager. Dato’ Haris Onn then became a director of Bell & Order Berhad (now known as Scomi Engineering Bhd) in 1996. Currently Dato’ Haris Onn is the Managing Director of Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara-Timur KL Sdn Bhd and the Chairman of Lembah Sari Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Liberal Technology Sdn Bhd). Other Malaysian public company in which he is a director is Shangri-La Hotels (Malaysia) Berhad.
Dato’ Haris Onn is a member of Audit and Risk Management Committee of the Board.

PKR Selangor “play acting”, demolishes disabled Indian poor and partially blind wife’s home. Kampong Muniandy “ethnically cleansed”.

2011-06-05T06:28:00.002+08:00

Despite Human Rights Party ’s (HRP) SOS letter to PKR Menteri Besar Tan sri Khalid Ibrahim way back in March 2011 at Parliament House, today the Selangor PKR Government allowed the UMNO linked developers actually demolish even a disabled Indian poor old man Mahalinggam Veeriah’s and his partially blind jobless wife Pushparani Balakrishnan home.

Just observe the similar fact evidence between this case and how the DAP Penang in collaboration with UMNO Neusmetro “ethnically cleansed” Kampong Buah Pala, the last traditional Indian village in Penang.

Last week the racist PKR Selangor Menteri Besar like racist Lim Guan Eng play acted that a stop work order had been issued against Peter Brickworks but on a day to day basis the building works are going on under the PKR Menteri Besar’s watchful eyes.

Then his racist DAP Exco Ronnie Liu, Exco Iskandar and PKR MP Hee Loy Sian and ADUN Hanizah all kosong “turun padang”. (Note DAP Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng similarly promised to get a High Court Order to stop the transfer of the Kampong Buah Pala land to UMNO’s Neusmetro based on the trust the Brown family gave the Indian poor of Kampong Buah Pala.

And in today’s Malaysiakini.com (4/6/2011) this very same PKR Selangor M.B. says that the Selangor Government would kosong seize Peter Brickwork’s land.

And after the dust settles down, PKR would get their coffers and pockets filled like how Lim Guan Eng got the new DAP head quarters on the Kampong Buah Pala “blood money” and “tears money” in addition to his pocket filled.

Win win win for PKR, DAP and the UMNO developers yet again.
And lose lose lose for the Indian poor who are politically and economically weak, vulnerable and the soft targets.

Karunainithi @ Compassionate Justice
(Malysiakini.com 4/6/2011 & Malaysia Nanban 4/6/2011 front page)

PJS1 longhouses demolished.. disabled man homeless

2011-06-04T04:00:00.002+08:00

PSD scholarship denied to 2,237 Indians HRP NS lodges police report

2011-06-04T03:57:00.002+08:00

HRP Negeri Sembilan lodges police report against UMNO, PM Najib, DPM and Higher Education Minister.
(Tamil Nesan Friday 3/6/2011 pg 2 and Malaysia Nanban Friday 3/6/2011 pg 9)

HRP lodges report against PM Najib, DPM & Higher Education Minister on PSD Scholarships denied to Indian poor.

2011-06-01T03:35:00.002+08:00

Fill in the blanks PSD scholarships. Year in and year out it is the same old set of UMNO racist facts.
Laporan Susulan:- TRAVERS/005189/10 (24/6/2010)
Police Report against- 31st May, 2011
Datuk Seri Najib Razak (Prime Minister of Malaysia)
Tan Sri Muyhiddin Yassin (Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister)
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin (Higher Education Minister)
I, JAYATHAS A/L SIRKUNAVELU (IC.No: 670430-04-5341) Information Chief of the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) hereby lodge a police report against the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muyhiddin Yassin (Education Minister) and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin on the race based disbursements of JPA Scholarships, PTPTN study loans, Matriculation and University seats.
Article 8 of the Federal Constitution 8(1) provides that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law and Article 8(2) provides that there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent of place of birth. Article 12 of the Federal Constitution – rights in respect of education. Article 12(1) read, "Without prejudice to the generality of Article 8, there shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the grounds only of religion, race and descent of place of birth." in the admission to any higher education institution that is government funded.
We hereby once again this year lodge this police report that there are an estimated 2,237 Malaysian Indian bright and intelligent students who scored up to 12A’s, 11A’s, 10A’s, 9A’s, 8A’s, 7A’s but who were denied their rights from receiving the 10,500 local and 1,500 overseas JPA scholarships, 40,000 Matriculation seats (Utusan Malaysia 2/11/08 page 4) and 847,485 Public University seats (NST 7/8/08) and also places in critical courses such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Accountancy, Law, Bio Technology etc. While Malaysian Indian students had been denied their rights, malay muslim student with a mere 2A’s and 3A’s are given places choices of their course and seats which is in contradiction with Article 8 and 12 of the Federal Constitution.
We hereby also lodge a police report that medical students studying in Russia, Romania, Ukraine, India and Indonesia have had their valid and lawful medical degrees maliciously derecognized on racial and supremacist grounds and with the intention of reducing the number of Malaysian Indian medical doctors when Malaysia is on the contrary facing a shortage of Medical doctors by 100%.
Government PTPTN study loans have also been denied to almost all Malaysian Indian students studying Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Law, Accountancy, Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering etc overseas and also even at the local Aimst University and other local private Universities and Higher Education Institutions.
The Certificate of No Objections requirement by the racist and supremacist UMNO led Malay-sian government for Malaysian Indian and Chinese students to study overseas is void, illegal, unconstitutional and an abuse of powers by the PM, DPM and the Higher Education Minister. We also question how and why then were 360 students allowed to study medicine in Egypt in 2007 with only their SPM qualifications (The Star 31/5/07).
From the RM 212 Billion 2011 Budget we call upon the UMNO led Malay-sian government to grant all 5As’ above students to be grant PSD Scholarships, Matriculation and Universities places as of right. And not limit it to only malay muslim students
For all students scoring 8As’ and above they must be granted PSD Scholarships and must be given the course of their first choice as of right.
All students including law students in private colleges locally and Medical students in Ukraine, Russia, Indonesia, India etc all be given PTPTN loans.
Finally we call upon the UMNO led Malaysian government to end all race and religious based award of PSD, Yayasan, Sime Darby, Petronas ect scholarships and PTPTN loan.
We want the police to investigate PM Najib Razak, DPM Muyhiddin Yassin, the Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khalid Nordin and the UMNO led Malay-sian government on especially the violations of Article 8 and Article 12 of the Federal Constitution for denying the Malaysian Indian students of even their very basic right to education. This level of racism, religious extremism and supremacy does not exist in any other part of the world except in Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia. Today Malaysia is the most racist and supremacist country in the world.
Please investigate this and reply to me in writing within two (2) weeks failing which I shall assume the contents of this police report to be true.
This is my report
JAYATHAS A/L SIRKUNAVELU
Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP)
Information Chief
012 6362287

Indian youth (20) clobbered by racist Polis Raja Di Malay-sia: allowed to reign supreme by racist UMNO AG Gani Patail

2011-06-01T03:34:00.000+08:00

For causing all these injuries these policemen will not be prosecuted by the racist UMNO Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail. Simply because the criminal is a Malay muslim and the victim a soft target and vulnerable Indian poor.
But if it is the other way round the Indian youth would have been prosecuted for attempted murder like what he did to the 40 or so Hindraf activists who on 25/11/20077 allegedly threw a stone and injuring a police man’s head. How can 40 Indians have the common intention to attempt to murder one Malay muslim policeman can only happen in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia.
(see Makkal Osai 25/5/2011 at 1st page)
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

HRP eyes six seats in Kedah

2011-05-31T03:00:00.002+08:00

Of the six, five are state seats. The sole parliamentary seat targeted is Padang Serai, held by N Gobalakrishnan.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Party (HRP) plans to contest in five state seats and one parliamentary constituency in Kedah which have 20% and above Indian voters.

The party’s secretary-general P Uthayakumar said the five state seats were Bukit Selambau (29.5%), Lunas (22.5%), Merbau (22%), Sidam (20%) and Gurun (18.4%).

The sole parliamentary seat was Padang Serai, currently held by former PKR strongman, N Gobalakrishnan.

“PAS is ruling by a majority of a mere two seats when compared to 14 seats held by Umno/BN and PKR having five seats, DAP one seat and one Independent in the 36-seat Kedah state assembly.

“So if HRP wins in these five state seats, they will be the real ‘kingmakers’ and can seriously push for change vis-a-vis the Kedah Indian poor at the highest political level,” said Uthayakumar.

He added that the Indian poor have to be politically empowered to effect changes at the highest political level as both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have refused to address the pressing Indian problems.
Uthayakumar asked PKR, DAP and PAS to make way for HRP candidates in these six seats in Kedah for a one-to-one contest with BN.

“Unless and until the Indians are politically empowered like Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) in Kubang Pasu (95% Malay-Muslim voters) with at least the creation of 51% Indian majority constituencies under HRP’s ‘Project 15/38′, the Indian poor are doomed.

“They are destined to become the 19th century ‘negros’ as in the US,” he added.

HRP to contest five Kedah DUN & one Parliament. PAS ruling by 2 seat majority to UMNO: 350 attend Kulim dinner in recognition of 54 activists prosecuted.

2011-05-31T02:56:00.002+08:00

The event began at 8.00 p.m. with a one minute silence for the late Sg Petani Hindraf leader Raj Manian who passed away on 26/5/11, about one year after his opposing the demolishment of the near 0.9 hectares 100 over year old Ladang Batu Pekaka Hindu cemetery on 29/1/2010 (Thaipusam day) by no other less than PAS “for all muslims” to build the 832 acres University Insaniah. We have been made to understand that Raj took this “ethnic cleansing” very badly that contributed to his untimely death. The Chinese cemetery within the compound of UPM was however preserved when the Serdang Agriculture College expended to become UPM. And to add insult to injury tens of acres are being made into recreation for students and hundreds of acres were retained as the University Insamiah reserve land. So why the haste in exterminating this Hindu cemetery?
Kedah HRP and Hindraf Chief R.Ramu spoke on how at the last general elections both the traditional Indian reserve DUN seats of Bukit Selambau and Lunas were refused to be given to Opposition Indian candidates but snatched up by the greedy and racist PKR just to field malay muslim “winnable” candidates. UMNO/BN at the very least stuck by giving these seats to Indian candidates.
Hindraf & HRP National adviser N.Ganesan spoke about how 12A+ top most science student Kugnethran a/l Parmusuan who could not have possibly scored any higher, was denied his first choice to pursue a medical degree (overseas) but instead was offered a mere Diploma in “cow grazing”.(animal husbandry) at UPM. How the racist UMNO reduces this potential Cardiologist into a “cowherd”.
Further to HRPs’ Project 15/38, P.Uthayakumar outlined and announced before the 350 attendees, HRPs’ plan to contest in 5 State Assembly ( DUN) seats in Kedah with 20% and above Indian voters namely:-
1) Bukit Selambau 29.5%
2) Lunas 22.5%
3) Merbau 22%
4) Sidam 20%
5) Gurun 18.4% (exception)
The sole Parliamentary seat in Kedah is Padang Serai (22.28%).
P.Uthayakumar reiterated that this is the only way forward in facing the 13^th General Elections which is expected in July 2011. He pointed out that in Kedah, PAS is ruling by a majority of a mere two seats when compared to 14 seats held by UMNO/BN and PKR having 5 seats, DAP 1 seat and one Independent in the 36 seats Kedah State Assembly. So when HRP wins in these five DUN seats, they would be the real “kingmakers” and could seriously push for change vis a vis the Kedah Indian poor at the highest political level.
This is like HRP’s decision to contest in seven (7) DUN seats of Buntong with 54% Indian voters, Hutang Melintang (33%), Jalong and Changat Jong each with 27%, Jelapang (21%), while Pasir Panjang and Sungkai each with 20% and three Parliamentary seats of Ipoh Barat 22.5% and Bagan Datoh 23.3% and Sungai Siput 22.6% that P.Uthayakumar had announced at a similar dinner in Ipoh on 14/5/11.
And similarly the Sri Andalas/ Kota Raja seats in Selangor, Port Dickson/ Teluk Kemang seats in Negeri Sembilan, Tanah Rata/Cameron Highlands seats in Pahang and Puteri Wangsa/ Tebrau seats in Johor as the first phase of HRPs’ Project 15/38 in seven (7) frontline states..
The Indian poor have to be politically empowered to effect changes at the highest political level as both BN and PR have refused to address the pressing Indian problems.
P.Uthayakumar asked PKR,DAP & PAS to make way for HRP candidates in these 5+1 seats in Kedah for a one to one contest with B.N. as part of HRPs’ strategy in ousting UMNO from it’s 54 year old hegemony of Putrajaya.
Unless and until the Indians are politically empowered like Dr Mahathir in Kubang Pasu (95% malay muslim voters) with at least the creation of a 51% Indian majority constituencies under HRPs’ Project 15/38, the Indian poor are doomed. They are destined to become the 19^th century “negros” as in the USA.
S.Jayathas
Information Chief
(012-6362287)

Polis Bodoh: Though true , Gani Patail maliciously prosecutes and jails Nur Shafa (20).

2011-05-31T02:55:00.000+08:00

Just watch CSI and you will see the high level quality and standards of police investigations before even arresting, let alone throwing someone in jail.
But racist UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sian Polis Raja Di Malay-sia takes advantage of especially the Indian poor.
Having no money for bail, no legal fees for lawyers (with zero or a wayang kulit RM 5 million Legal Aid to 28 million Malaysians), no family support, thousands of the Indian poor are deemed guilty in the eyes the Malay-sian law and spend years in jails irrespective of whether they are guilty or not.
And then only to “graduate” as the real criminals having mixed with the real criminals.
And with this set of facts the Malay-sian government says that some 45% of the country’s crime are committed by the Indian poor when they form only 8% of the population (disproportionate by about 600%). Thus the UMNO creation or “social engineering” by default of the new “criminal class” Indians within the last 20 years.
Give these Indian youths equal business opportunities, licences, permits, projects and contracts and we will see at least a 95% drop in these Indian crimes.
(see The Star 30/5/2011 at page 20)

BANNER OF ETHNIC CLEANSING

2011-05-29T23:44:00.000+08:00

By Johnson Doss,

This is the banner of hatred towards Indians which doesn't reflect the sincerity of 1Malaysia slogan. We are considered "OUT CASTE" in our own motherland . This banner is a prove of what we are all commenting about .. True enough what Mr. Utayakumar has been saying from the beginning about "ETHNIC CLEANSING" of the Indian community in Malaysia.

The Freedom of Religion does exist anymore in Malaysia as article 11 of the Federal Constitution have been ignored by the "Ketuanan Melayu". Artidle 11 of the Federal Constitution provides for religious freedom, which includes the right to establish and maintain places of worships and own and acquire property. minority religious groups reported that state authorities sometimes blocked construction using restrictive zoning and construction codes.

For this reason, I ask all Indians to be UNITED and stand firm against this form of "Barbarian Act "of the Malays Racist . We will not bow down again to this kind of threat. Let us fight for our freedom to worship .

“Semua 8 A + dapat JPA scholarship” 54 years old UMNO and PM Najib Razak lie. Only U.N led Equal Opportunities Commission will ensure fairness. (See Berita Harian Headlines 28/5/2011)

2011-05-29T05:48:00.000+08:00

Year in and year out, it is the same old story. The UMNO and the Prime Minister Najib Razak makes the kosong media propaganda that all students scoring 8 A+ and above for SPM will be granted full JPA scholarship locally and overseas.

But when top most Indian science students scoring even 12 A+ e.g Kugnethran a/l Parmusuan, he is offered a mere animal rearing Diploma course at UPM. The racist UMNO P.M will say “Oh, the policy was good, it was the implementation that was bad”. This is what we have been hearing from UMNO for the last 54 years since Independence.

Thus, far in our list that we have compiled we have the following top and high achieving students denied PSD scholarships and in the course of their first choice by not less than the racist and religious supremacist UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak as follows :

1) Kugnethran a/l Parmusuan (12A+)
2) Asunta top Student ( 8A+ 2A- 1A 1B)
3) Inthran s/o Manickam (10A “3A+ 2A 5A”)
4) Shamala d/o Sundar (8A and 2 B+)
5) Rubanesh s/o Ramachandran (9 A and 1 B+)
6) Sasiskalaregal s/o Selvaraja ( 9A 1B+)
7) Asogan (7A)
8) Rukaslini (4A, 1A-, 3 B+, 1C+, 1B)
9) Kavita a/p Sriraman (6A 4B)
10) Rubanesh Ramachandran (9A 1B+)
11) Heamanthaa Padmandan (10 A+ 1A)

The implementation of the UMNO racist policies have always excluded and segregated the top and high achieving Indian students save and except for the 0.1 % to 1% top Indian students showpieces who are flaunted to the brim to create the impression that the UMNO and via their MIC and SMC Indian mandores are in fact giving all top and high achieving Indian students and are getting their rightful PSD and other scholarships.

Mr Prime Minister Najib Razak, this kosong wayang kulit does not sell anymore especially after the 25^th November 2007 Hindraf rally Indian poor awakening. UMNO has to stop this degrading level of racism and religious supremacy done with impunity. We no longer trust you or the UMNO PSD, government machinery or your newspaper headlines and by lines or your T.V and Radio propaganda. Only a truly independent Equal Opportunities Commission to also be encompassing of at least 51% United Nation Commissioners is the only way forward against UMNO racism.

Then and only then will we see some semblance of fairness, equality and equal opportunities. The racist UMNO is not going to give it on a silver platter to the Indian poor. We have to fight for it using people power a la 25^th November 2007 Hindraf Rally.

P. Uthayakumar

A poem for Malaysian Indians

2011-05-29T05:47:00.000+08:00

By Arivananthan Marimuthu

Yenada Tamizha Unakkenna Aachu,
Sinthikka Maranthu Rombe Naalaa Aachu
Veeram Miguntha Thevaiyillaa Veechu,
Seyalai Kaanom Yen Vetti Pechu,

Padippille Konjam Vegatthe Kaattu,
Illaaatti Sotthukku Vaippaane Vettu,
Tiruttu Adithadi Katthi Vettu,
Ithuthaanaa Nammudaiya Parambarai Sotthu,

Kaasu Panamillai Kaiyenthum Nilamai,
Kaiyum Kaalirunthum Yen Inthe Kodumai,
Kaadu Medu Azhicha Perumai,
Ellaam Marainthu Ippo Verumai,

Pettha Kuzhanthaikku Pirappu Patthiramillai,
Pannirendu Vayasilum Pallikoodam Pogavillai,
Pattapadippumillai Velaiyum Seiyavillai,
Oorumillai Uravumillai Pechukku mattum Kuraichalillai,

Kai Katti Velai Venam Vayiru Katti Velai Venam,
Nalla Velai Ennaa Ingge Vaanatthilaa Porakkum??
Sonthamaage Yosichi Suyakaalil Nindralthaan,
Sugamaaga Vaazhalaamne Nambikkai Pirakkum,

Etthanai Kaalamthaan Poraadi Vaazhanum,
Arasiyal Katchiyin Kaalile Vizhanum,
Thanmaanam Unakkethum Unda Illaiyaa,
Thalai Vithiyai Maatre Nee Ezhuvaai Tamizha,

Katchi Kodi Pidikka Vanthavanillai,
Ottukku Pichai Ketka Vanthavanillai,
Saathikka Piranthavanda Tamizhaa- Nee
Saathi Pethanggalai Maranthiduda..

Solvathu Purinthaal Malarum Puthumai,
Ithellaam Solvathu Ennudaiya Kadamai..

Racist UMNO Labu ADUN’s son & gang calls paria, attacks & breaks Indian boy’s hand, break fingers and injured girl’s neck. Zero police & AG Gani Patail prosecution.

2011-05-28T03:26:00.002+08:00

The racist UMNO introduces Interlok in secondary schools which calls Indians as Paria under UMNO’s racist and religious supremacist policies to subjugate especially the Indian poor to be preserved as the poor and create the future Indian poor.

This is not the first time this is happening. Two months ago a Malay muslim boy punched Thaneswaran with a buku lima in school.
The six school boys who dared to return the Interlok book to the SMK Rawang headmaster were instead arrested and jailed at the Rawang police station.
Malay muslim school boys called Indian students paria at the SMK and held a demonstration outside the school in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam.
The racist UMNO attorney general took zero action. He refused to prosecute the Malay boy who injured the Indian boy with a dangerous weapon inside the school compound.
And today no less than the son of Labu ADUN Dato Hashim bin Rusdi’s racist and hate crime against the 25 Indian students in this SMK Dato Shahrdin school which has 400 over Malay muslim students.
Thanindran Thanabalan (17) was attacked and broke his left hand. Adrian Crystal’s (17) two fingers on his right hand was broken and Thacayani Vijayan (17) was caused injuries to her neck.
Had it been the other way around, the Indian boys would have been prosecuted for attempted murder, denied bail and with no money for lawyers or bail they would be forced and arm twisted to plead guilty and spend years in jail by the racist UMNO Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail. So as to subjudicate and to entrench, kow tow to the Malay muslim Tuans generally and mindset among the Indians especially when they come out of jail.
Hindraf & HRP N. Sembilan Chief Sivakumar was at the Seremban IPD police station till about 10.00 p.m last night to protect the interest of these victimized students.
As usual the DAP Indian ADUN and MP mandores after their brief appearance and having addressed the especially Tamil dailies do their usual disappearing act (see Tamil Nesan headlines 27/5/11).
Sivakumar was chased out from the first floor of the IPD by the Chief Police Officer of N. Sembilan Dato Osman Bin Salleh when he demanded criminal prosecution against the said LABU ADUN Dato Hashim bin Rusdi’s son and his gang and that Malay muslim criminals are not above the law under the racist UMNO regime.
The irony of all these is the Malay muslim headmaster and teachers continued with the teachers day celebrations with all the Malay muslim students and chased the Indian students who were the victims to stand under the hot sun outside the school gates.
Do we know of another more racist and religious supremacist country in the world than Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia?

‘Cops beat me, told me to die’

2011-05-27T04:18:00.002+08:00

A 20-year-old student claims that he was assaulted and verbally berated after knocking into a policeman's motorcycle.

PETALING JAYA: “The policemen kept beating me and called me ‘keling’. They also shouted at me, saying I should just die so that they can close the case.”

A 20-year-old student was allegedly beaten up and verbally berated when he knocked into a policeman’s motorcycle at a roadblock in Rembau, Negri Sembilan, during the wee hours of the morning.

After the Monday incident, S Ganesan was also warned against lodging a complaint before he was put into an ambulance and sent to the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital.

However, Ganesan summed up the courage to lodge a report with the Chembong police station on the same day.

In the report, he stated: “I want the authorities to take action against the errant policemen. I don’t understand why they treated me like an animal although I repeatedly apologised for the accident.”

Ganesan said that he fell to the ground when his motorcyle collided with the policeman’s bike, and an officer identified only as Hisham allegedly started raining blows on him.

“Soon, several other officers joined him to beat me up,” he added.

Ganesan claimed that he was kicked in his stomach, arms and back. The policemen, who also used a

helmet to assault him, then allegedly tore his shirt, threw him into a drain and stomped on him.

Apart from the beating, the student claimed that the policemen had also hurled racial insults, among others, calling him “keling” (a derogatory term used on Indians).

“They also said I should just die so that they can close the case,” he alleged.

Despite several attempts, FMT failed to reach Negeri Sembilan CID chief ACP Hamdan Majid for comments.

‘Put an end to this now’

Commenting on the matter, Indian-based NGO Aastivaram Foundation said it was high time for the government to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

“The commission is long overdue. Currently, the police themselves investigate cases of police abuse and I believe they tend to cover up such cases,” said its vice-president R Sri Sanjeevan.

Citing the example of a lorry driver’s assistant in Bahau being allegedly threatened and beaten by policemen, he said the police had not been able to provide any updates to the victim to date.

On April 13, S Devan was handcuffed and beaten by several plainclothes individuals claiming to be policemen after they failed to locate his friend, known as Thiagu.

One of them had allegedly shoved a gun into Devan’s mouth.

Sanjeevan called upon Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar to put an immediate end to such brutality.

“If left unchecked, it may bring the downfall of the (Barisan Nasional) government,” he warned.

High achiever's PSD scholarship dreams dashed

2011-05-27T04:12:00.002+08:00

(Malaysiakini)Every year, we hear stories of high achievers not being able to secure government scholarships to pursue the courses of their choice despite fulfilling the necessary requirements.

Heamanthaa Padmanaban was among those who had suffered this setback to follow her ambition to study medicine abroad and also did not qualify to take up a course in biotechnology locally.

The 17-year-old from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, scored 10A+ and 1A in last year's Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations and was an all-rounder in extra-curricular activities.

"I qualified for cross-country runs and played hockey at state level, and was a school champion in chess and badminton.

"In April last year I was among those chosen to participate in the Malaysia-America Soccer Exchange programme with 12 other women," Heamanthaa (right) told Malaysiakini.

All these, besides her academic qualification, were means to secure a Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor.

"I got the letter from PSD on May 13 and when I saw it I was happy thinking I must have qualified.

"After reading the contents of the letter I felt as if all my efforts and everything I had strived for had shattered.

"I cried and when I told my mum about it she broke down crying, too, she couldn't take it," she recounted.

Instead of an opportunity to study medicine or biotechnology, the petite and athletic looking Heamanthaa was offered a Diploma course in English at University Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).

"If it was my ambition to teach English, I would have taken up the offer but I want to be a doctor. It doesn't make sense," she said.

'I believed in the govt'

Although disappointed, she has appealed for an alternative offer as she is determined to become a doctor, specialising in oncology.

But without a scholarship, Heamanthaa's chances of achieving her dream are bleak as her family may not be able to sustain and fund her tertiary education if she decides to pursue medicine privately.

Her father deals in health products and her mother is a primary school teacher while her younger brother is in Form 4.

"Private institutions have offered scholarships but they are only enough to pay tuition fees. I worked hard to study overseas and I believed in the government's word that students with 9A+ will be given scholarships and also to study the courses of their choice," said Heamanthaa.

In July last year, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced that PSD scholarships would be awarded to all students, regardless of ethnicity, who managed to score 9As or higher, for either local or overseas studies.

On May 4, the cabinet decided that all students who scored 8As and above in the SPM would be eligible for PSD scholarships and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz reiterated that the promise will be kept.

Later, Nazri had rubbished Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong's allegations of malpractice in the PSD's selection of scholarship recipients.

The minister also said the PSD's focus includes medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, science and technology and several areas under social sciences.

"Two of my peers were offered medicine, one at a medical college in New Zealand and another at the International Medical University (IMU).

"We all got more less the same grades but why didn't I get any such offers? I want to do medicine and it is one of the critical courses under PSD," said Heamanthaa.

'Think about our feelings'

She related that during her 45-minute interview with four PSD panel members on April 13, she was asked several perplexing questions.

"They asked me why doctors don't want to work in rural areas; why PSD scholars don't want to come back to the country to work; and what inspires me to be successful."

In PSD's merit category - 85 percent is based on academic excellence, 10 percent on co-curricular activities and five percent on the interview.

Heamanthaa's father Padmanaban opined that it is unlikely for his daughter to fail her PSD interview, as she had received good remarks from the US Embassy visa approval officer when she attended an interview last year.

At a press conference yesterday, Heamanthaa said she had appealed to MCA and MIC as well as to several NGOs.

"Please give it to those who are worthy - that's all I ask, give scholarships to all those who deserve them," she added.

Imagine the anguish when their applications are rejected or not offered the courses they want, she said.

Another who suffered the same fate as Heamanthaa was Chai Sheng Min from SMK St Joseph in Kuching, Sarawak who obtained 10As. He said he was only offered a scholarship to study engineering at Universiti Technology Petronas, while his two friends with 4As and 5As respectively were awarded scholarships to pursue science degrees in the United States.

"I hope this doesn't get repeated again in the coming years and the issue is addressed once and for all," Hemanthaa said.

PSD Scholarships: PM Najib’s another wayang kulit at meeting tomorrow as racist UMNO did for 54 years in segregating top Indian poor students.

2011-05-27T04:09:00.000+08:00

At tomorrow’s meeting with the PSD, the racist UMNO Prime Minister will announce a blanket but kosong propaganda in the print and electronic media that in his 1Malaysia all students must be given the opportunity to peruse higher education but giving rural (read Malay muslim) students a handicap.
Thereafter behind the scenes Najib will direct the racist BTN trained PSD to go full steam in segregating and excluding top and high achieving Indian poor students from perusing higher education.
PM Najib Razak has refused to reply to HRP’s letter dated 24/5/2011 where we pointed out the case of Kugnethran Parmusuan, a Science stream student who produced the best of the best 12A+ in SPM but denied a scholarships to persue medicine overseas but insulted by giving him an animal husbandry diploma course to do at UPM. Imagine the devastation of this student whose ambition is to be a cardiologist.
And after giving them peanuts Najib gets his SMC MIC mandores Dato Thambirajah to do the kosong Tamil media dailies on this top student giving the false impression that all is well for all top Indian students in the country .
But Malay muslim students getting 4A+ and 5A+ were offered places to do pure science in the USA on a full One Malay-sian government scholarships. This level of state sponsored racism and segregationist policies does not take place in any part of the world except in One Malay-sian racist UMNO Prime Minister’s One Malay-sia.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the disgraceful level of racism inflicted on the Indian poor in every facet of life from womb (denial of birth certificates) to tomb (destruction of Hindu cemeteries).
The only way forward is the passing of the Anti Racial Discrimination Act and the Equal Opportunities Act and an Independent Commission consisting of 51% of UN appointed Commissioners.
Even radical Indonesia has moved forward against racist by the passing of the Anti Racism Act in 2008.
But in One Malay-sia, racism is the order of the day and done with impunity .
(see NST 26/5/2011 at page 2)
Karunai Nithi @ Compaasionate Justice

HINDRAF activist Raj Manian of Sungai Petani passes away at 6.30pm on 26/5/11. Raj as he is fondly called was the prime mover for the biggest of the nationwide HINDRAF forums at Lunas and Sg.Petani,Kedah in the prelude to the 25th November 2007 HINDRAF Rally. Our Condolences to Mr.Raj’s family. Om Shanthi.

2011-05-27T04:07:00.000+08:00

Mr.Raj Manian, 61yrs, funeral at 1.00pm 27/5/2011 at their house No.122, Taman Batu Pekaka, Kuala Ketil and to the crematorium at Sungai Petani, Kedah.

A.G. Gani Patail has no sense of logic. A real criminal would not bring in a flick knife into police station. AG & police racial profiling Indian boy (19) & Indian youths.

2011-05-26T03:40:00.000+08:00

We do not know which law school the Malay-sian Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri Gani Patail went to. Logic would dictate that a real criminal would not bring a flick knife into of all places the racist UMNO Polis Raja Di Malaysia police station.

Nineteen year old Vinodkumar, a wireman whose main tool is a flick knife to cut wires met with an accident while on his motorcycle. He went to the police station to lodge a police report. He says the knife was found by the police in his motorcycle basket.

The police are saying that Vinod panicked and threw the flick knife at the Setapak police station enquiry counter. Assuming even if Vinod threw the knife when he suddenly realized that he was in the racist UMNO police station who have long history of racially profiling Indian youths, what is his offence?

So as for the AG to prosecute him with the view to send him to jail for two years. What a bully, cruel and racist Malaysian Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail.
This is despite Vinod’s lawyer Uthayakumar’s 3 page legal firm letter dated to the A.G. dated 23/5/2011 outlining the purpose of the flick knife used by Vinod as a wireman to :-

a) To mark a hole at partition board
b) To cut the wire
c) To cut the wire box
d) To mark the ceiling

Despite the above submissions the Malay-sian UMNO Court Magistrate Zulkpli bin Abdullah set bail at RM 1,500. This Magistrate however stated that he would not record Uthayakumar’s submission and concern on the Polis Raja Di Malay-sia’s sharp rise in racial profiling of Indian youths as criminals as is evidenced by this Vinod’s case.

Uthayakumar also submitted on general public policy of the thousands of Indian youths nationwide who are maliciously prosecuted as in this case. And having no bail money, no family support, no lawyers fees no legal aid, end up forcing to pleading guilty and spend months if not years in jail. And they learn to become the real criminals in jail by joining the hard core criminals.

This cannot be the law and justice of this country.

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Video : KDN Hipokrit, kata Hindraf – TV Selangor

2011-05-26T03:35:00.002+08:00

HRP saves the day pro bono for young Malay muslim girl (18) at K.L. Magistrates Court who burst into tears

2011-05-26T03:33:00.002+08:00

Norhaslinda bt Bakar (18) was charged by DPP Loh for stealing things worth RM 43 from a supermarket and was today (25/5/2011) today prosecuted at the K.L. Magistrates Court.

P. Uthayakumar who was attending to another case stood up and addressed Magistret Zuklpli bin Abdullah and as amicus curie (a friend of the Court) for Norhaslinda and submitted on her behalf that she be cautioned and discharged without a criminal record under Section 293 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) taking into consideration her age, she has no family support as even her father would not bail her out (family problems), no bail money, no money for legal fees, no legal aid and should not go to jail for one year for this circumstances.

Uthayakumar urged the Court to show mercy and to be compassionate and release this young girl under Section 293 CPC after a Caution and without a criminal record being endorsed which the Magistret agreed to. At 3.45 our Mr. Ganesan called the Court and spoke to the Court Interpreter Mariam who confirmed that this young Norhaslinda was released by Court without a criminal conviction after a warning. HRP must have made her day.

When explained of this after court proceedings, Norhaslinda burst into tears as she least expected someone to sympathies and speak up for her.

P. Uthayakumar

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

RACIAL QUOTA?

2011-05-25T02:55:00.003+08:00

I will never agree with that.. If we are talking about racial quota, then we are just another racist. What we are fighting for is EQUALITY. All racial barriers should go..

1.When all Malay schools and Sekolah Agama are fully aided, why not Tamil Schools and Chinese Schools? We are not requesting racial quota, but equality.

2.When all Malay-Bumiputera can start freely apply for government projects, why the non-Malay-Bumiputera needs to be qualified in racial requirement in getting government projects. We are not asking our shares. But we need equality.

3.When we buy a house by paying 100%, why should a Malay-Bumiputera given 7% off, regardless of whether they earn 3, 4, 5 or 6 figure income. We don't want discount. But we want equality.

4.When special programs like FELDA, created for poor Malays, why not such programs open to ALL. We are not asking racial quota in it. But just requesting them to be fair.

5. MARA's Standard and STPM standard is no way comparable. Yet, MARA student easily get into universities. But STPM students who obtained excellent results denied a course in Local Uni. They were also denied scholarship, when students who obtained just an average results got FULL PSD scholarship to further their studies abroad. We are not begging for scholarship. But just don't understand, why there are double standard?

Above are just a few example of what is happening in current system. If our government is transparent, non-racist, fair to all, then Malaysian Community will exist. As long as, racist policies exist, Indians wants to secure themselves as Indians. Chinese as Chinese. and the Malays will remain Malays.

The fault is not with the people. But with the system. People are ready for changes. But the system never change. We are looking for assurance. Once we are assured of EQUALITY, then I'm sure people will come out from this racial network. We need to strengthen the community first, before we build a strong nation.

We can't forever sit in a comfort zone as Indians. This is just temporary shelter. We have to breakthrough racial shell in future. Before that, we shall seek for betterment. Lets improve our community in EDUCATION and ECONOMY. That will give us confidence to set free. We require no allocations and quotas to CHANGE OURSELVES. We just need few seconds to THINK. So, invest your time, Use your Brain, Arise, Awake and Act!!

Arivananthan Marimuthu

Video : Tan Sri Muhyiddin should resign as the Education Minister if all he will say for the Scholarship allocation fiasco is that the PSD is responsible!.

2011-05-25T02:43:00.000+08:00

1)Cabinet Meeting on 25/5/11 must decide on Royal Commission of Inquiry into unfair and race based JPA scholarships award. 2) All 5A’ and above students must be awarded JPA scholarships.

2011-05-25T02:41:00.000+08:00

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245 Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com Email:info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
24^th May 2011
To: The Hon’ble Prime Minister
Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Bin Haji Tun Abdul Razak
Pejabat Perdana Menteri
Blok Utama
Bangunan Perdana Putra
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Y.B Dato Seri Mohd Khaled Bin Nordin
Minister of Higher Education Malaysia,
Aras 7, Block E3, Complex E,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62505 Putrajaya.
Dear Sirs,
Re : 1) Cabinet Meeting on 25/5/11 must decide on Royal Commission of Inquiry into unfair and race based JPA scholarships award.
2) All 5A’ and above students must be awarded JPA scholarships.
3) Denial of Rightful Educational Opportunities to Brightest Young Indian Children
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Dato’ Seri Najib,
Yet one more time, we want to bring to your attention the ridiculous manner in which your Government is handling the issue of allocating higher education opportunities or to put it better, not allocating earned higher education opportunities to bright young Indian students in the country.
Before you accuse us of sensationalism, let me place one telling case here for you. This really should come as no surprise to you, as it is after all, only an outcome of the operating policies of your government.
Mr. Kugnethran a/l Parmusuan, IC # 930610105741 scored 12A+ s in the 2010 SPM examinations. He took 12 subjects and he scored A+s in all. That is 100%. One cannot do better than that. He applied to the UPU for an overseas University Scholarship to do Medicine which is his guaranteed right under Article 12 of the Federal Constitution but he was given an insulting “ Diploma Kesihatan Haiwan dan Peternakan” admission at the Universiti Putra Malaysia.
This is utterly revolting. Your government continues to insult Indians in the country. The most recent example was the insistence of your government to go ahead with the Interlok novel inspite of the demeaning stereotype of the Indians and inspite of screaming protests from Indians across the country. Now, with this kind of offer to Kugnethran, you show again how cavalierly your government treats Indians. You award the brightest of the bright young Indian children with this insulting “Diploma in Animal Husbandry”. In Tamil folklore, the job of herding cattle is meant for those who are mentally retarded. Can there be a worse insult for you to cast upon us Indians in the country?
So many questions can be asked, but I will limit myself to just a few;
1) NST of the 22^nd of May 2011, quoted the Human Resources Minister as saying that your government is awarding 360 scholarships to the top Indian Students this year. So if the very best among these top Indian students, this 12A+ scoring Kugnethran is given a scholarship to do Diploma in Animal Husbandry, what are the other 359 students getting? I am afraid of what your answer may be!
2) Your Human Resources Minister further says that of the 4,000 scholarships awarded, 9% are to Indian children, but what he fails to say is the composition, program-wise of the 9%. And that too if it indeed is the 9% in the first place. Is it your implicit assumption that the Indians should be thankful with the 9 % overall and ask no more – since they have been given their share.
3) Why does your government continue to keep a cloak of secrecy over the issuance of scholarships?
4) Why does this situation repeat itself year after year. Is it plain incompetence on the part of the PSD as your Higher Education Minister would like us to believe or is it like everything else, a clear case of complicity between UMNO and the Administration and then a cover-up with this very convenient excuse of Administrative screw-up.

Finally,
We, from the Human Rights Party of Malaysia, demand two things urgently from the UMNO led Government as this type of situation has the largest impact on the Indian poor minority in the country :
1) On the UPU website, to identify all the UPU applicants, their SPM performance, the courses they had applied for and what they finally got. This must be done in a transparent manner by publishing the same in the Higher Education Ministry website, for the cloak of secrecy is one of the main reasons for annual recurrence of this problem.
2) We hereby call for the instituting of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into why this problem resurfaces every year at this time – what the criteria are for the award of the scholarships and other tertiary educational opportunities for the brightest of our children. It is too shortsighted a policy to play around with a strategic aspect of our nation.
Rights not Mercy!
Thank You.
Sincerely,
N.Ganesan
National Advisor
Human Ruights Party
Cc: Y.A.B. Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Muhyiddin Bin Haji Mohd. Yassin
Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education
Block E8, Complex E,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62604, PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA

Media Event 25/5/11 (Wednesday): Filing of civil suit against Prime Minister, Home Minister, ROS KL & ROS Putrajaya to register Hindraf Makkal Shakti as a legal NGO.

2011-05-25T02:39:00.002+08:00

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com Email:info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Media Event 25/5/11 (Wednesday)

Filing of civil suit against Prime Minister, Home Minister, ROS KL & ROS Putrajaya to register Hindraf Makkal Shakti as a legal NGO (Note : 46,870 NGOs’ and 31 political parties can be approved except for Hindraf Makkal Shakti and HRP.
Date : 25/5/2011 (Wednesday)
Time : 11.00 a.m .
Venue : Ground Floor Lobby, Court Complex, Jalan Duta, K.L.
For more information please call P.Ramesh 0124696068
Note : Hindraf supporters would be present

“Rights not Mercy”

Thank you.
S. Jayathas
(Information Chief)
012-6362287

Extremist Perkasa on Human Rights Advocates

2011-05-24T04:37:00.000+08:00

Temerloh Tamil school “ethnically cleansed” by racist UMNO regime.

2011-05-24T04:18:00.002+08:00

(see Malaysian Nanban 20/5/2011 at page 5)

Photo gallery 22 May 2011:UMNO PM Najib Razak orders “ethnic cleansing” of PPR Air Panas,Setapak KL Hindhu temple but HRP stopped same

2011-05-22T15:02:00.002+08:00

Event: 29/5/2011: Official Opening of Sri Singaval Muneswara Hindu Temple at PPR Kg Baru Air Panas, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur that racist UMNO DBKL wanted to demolish and “ethnically cleanse” last week

2011-05-21T03:49:00.002+08:00

HINDRAF, HRP & P.Uthayakumar will be present to witness this event.
Venue: PPR Kg.Baru Air Panas, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
Time: 11.00 am (Sunday)
For more information please contact:-
Siva Setapak – 0176781335, Raj – 014-9706125, Rishi – 016-2744673
“Rights not Mercy”
S.JAYATHAS
Information Chief
HINDRAF HRP

Warning against Polis Raja Di Malay-sia brutality against Indian youths: Simpang Ampat police beat base burnt down.

2011-05-21T03:47:00.002+08:00

The racist UMNO denies these Indian youth business opportunities, licences, permits, contracts, projects proper job opportunities equal rights and equal upward mobility opportunities in both the government sector, and the private sector which is jointly controlled by the Chinese capitalists.

This denial is the main cause of Indian youths being pushed into crime. And when brutalized in police lock ups they retaliate seriously by burning down a police beat base which we had thought could be a possibility but has today opened the floodgates.

We do not condone crime of any kind especially by the almost absolute power abusing police force and ably aided and abetted by the racist UMNO Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail who has refused to prosecute the tens of thousands of policemen.

(see NST 20/5/2011 at page 21 and The Sun 20/5/2011 at page 4)

Attorney General Gani Patail and police unlawfully deny Indian parents right to see their children after being beaten up at USJ 8 police lock up.

2011-05-20T03:24:00.002+08:00

Ampun Tuanku, Social Contract does not exist, Islam as religion of Federation is no license to “ethnically cleanse” Hindu temples and cemeteries

2011-05-19T02:10:00.000+08:00

By Second Limb of Article 153, Tuanku has constitutional duty to also protect the legitimate interests of the Indian poor
HRP and Hindraf had conducted a thorough research way back in 2007 even at the Public Records Office (National Achieves) in law London. But the word social contract does not exist in writing in Malay-sia, London or any other part of the world.
IIU law lecturer Prof. Dr Abdul Aziz Bahri said although the social contract was not written as a document of its own, it was amply manifested in various provisions of the Federal Constitution including Article 153. This is not a legal agreement. It’s a political philosophy.
The word Social Contract was coined in early 1970’s after the 13^th May 1969 racial tragedy by Abdullah Ahmad, the then UMNO Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas to enforce Malay muslim racism and religious supremacy by UMNO who is getting from bad to worse right up to this day. At a day when even a first generation Indian Sir Anand Satchinand can rise to become the present day governor General (equivalent to Agong ) of New Zealand but in Malay-sia, anm Indian cannot even become an office boy in any government department.
While Islam is the Religion of the Federation, this does not give the racist and religious supremacist UMNO a carta blanca ( blank cheque) to go on demolishing and socially “ethnically cleansing” hindu temples, hindu cemeteries, tamil schools and Indian villagers in Malay-sia.
Even “extremist” Indonesia had outlawed racism by the passing of the Race Discrimination Act 2008.
But by the day One Malay-sia is becoming more and more racist under One Malay-sia racist UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

HRP sets terms for Pakatan ahead of polls.

2011-05-19T02:05:00.000+08:00

(see The Star 18/5/11 at page N49).

The Price of Malaysia’s UMNO Racism – Revisited by John Malott (Malaysia Chronicle)

2011-05-18T02:53:00.002+08:00

EXCLUSIVE When my op-ed appeared in the Asian Wall Street Journal last February, all hell broke loose in Malaysia. My thesis was that the highest levels of the government were tolerating or even provoking racial and religious tensions in order to shore up their political base among the Malay community.
I also pointed out that there is an economic price to pay for that political calculation, namely, that members of the minority communities increasingly will feel unwelcome in their own country and continue to emigrate overseas, taking their talents and skills with them.
Now, three months later, I don’t think that there is any doubt at all about what I said. It’s not a thesis any more, it’s a fact.
A very comprehensive report by the World Bank has described the exodus of talent from Malaysia in great detail, pointing out the reasons for the migration and the economic consequences for Malaysia.
It is shocking to think that two out of every ten Malaysian college graduates now lives (and works) overseas. Malaysia’s loss is Singapore’s (and America’s) gain.
On racial and religious tensions, not only do they continue, but they seem to have gotten worse.
Najib says that Islam is superior to all other religions. Mahathir says that Malaysia is Tanah Melayu. Talk ofKetuanan Melayu – the Malays as the Master Race, rather than as a people with a special position, which is what the constitution says – has grown. The Home Ministry desecrates the Holy Bible with government stamps and serial numbers.
When Utusan undercuts the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia policy and calls for 1Melayu, Muhyiddin says that Utusanis the voice of the Malays. Utusan then goes on to say that the Chinese are trying to take over Malaysia, and that the Christians are conspiring to abolish Islam as the national religion, and so on. All complete fabrications.
But Utusan – owned and controlled by UMNO – gets away with it. This is the clearest example of what I meant when I said that the Government – at the highest levels – is tolerating this in order to strengthen its base among the Malays in preparation for the next General Election.
I find all this very frightening. To strengthen its base, the Government is pandering to the basest elements – some of the most racist, least educated, most gullible, and most intolerant segments of society.
Those elements are constantly conjuring up threats – that the Malay race and Islam, which are the majorities in Malaysia, are under seige by the minority, which is a demographic impossibility.
And rather than say it isn’t so, the Government goes along with Perkasa, Pembela, racist bloggers, Utusan, and so on. - Malaysia Chronicle
- John Malott is the former US ambassador to Malaysia