Saturday, March 1, 2008

SV was not welcome in Lunas







Samy Vellu was not welcomed in Lunas yesterday ( 26/02/2008 ). More than 3000 people gathered with bannners to block Samy Vellu from entering Lunas. He was supposed to meet the people there and also attend a dinner organized by MCA Lunas and Pemuda MIC . Roads to enter the Chinnese hall was blocked with the poeple there.. and refused to let Samy Vellu in. He then had no choice.More than 100 policemen were placed there to control the situation. Yet they could not control the crowd, more than 12 FRU trucks complete with water cannons and tear gas launchers was brought to control the situation there.. No tear gas and water canons were used. But they are all in postion. Padang Serai Parliment candidate Gopalakrishnan was on the spot to ensure the safety of the people there and to calm down the situation there. His son was arrested by the police.

-posted by Supporter in Malaysian_Indian yahoogroup

Tamil Nesan (29.02.08) Misquote our Support to Anwar

Below is the explaination done by VK Regu - Makkal Sakthi Area Coordinator regarding the news in Tamil Nesan on 29.02.08.
The Tamil Nesan have written that Makkal Sakthi have no relation with ANWAR.
It was a total FALSE news as MAKKAL SAKTHI have been a strong supporter of all opposition this general election.
Mr RK Regu, Sri Ramaji and Kannan from Makkal Sakthi and HINDRAF were on the same stage with Datuk Seri Anwar, Pn Nurul Izzah Anwar, Sdr Deo Govind Karpal Singh and RPK supporting PKR on 28.02.08 at Brickfield PKR Campaign.
Makkal Sakthi is going throughout the nation to campaign for opposition in this election after 50 years of marginalization of UMNO lead government towards Malaysian Indians.

All this mislead information by BN control media are to further confuse the Indians in Malaysia.
Makkal Sakthi also pledge all the voters to uphold the AHIMSA way during the campaigning and show the People's Power thru ballot.

Thanks,


வி.கே. ரகு அப்படி சொன்னாரா?
ஜீவி காத்தையா, Feb 29 2008, 10:02 pm
“நேற்று அன்வார் நடத்திய கூட்டத்தில் கலந்து கொண்டேன்; இன்று ஜசெக தேர்தல் கூட்டத்தில் கலந்து கொள்கிறேன்” - வி.கே. ரகு
“வரும் மார்ச் 8 ஆம் தேதி நடைபெறும் பொதுத்தேர்தலில் குறிப்பிட்ட சில தரப்பினரை அல்லது வேட்பாளர்களை ஆதரிக்கும்படியோ அல்லது அவர்களுக்கு வாக்களிக்கும்படியோ மக்கள் சக்தி இயக்கம் எவரையும் கேட்டுக் கொள்ளாது. மாறாக வாக்காளர்கள் த்ங்களது விவேகத்திற்கு ஏற்ப அவர்கள் விரும்பும் வேட்பபளர்களுக்கு வாக்களிக்களாம் என மக்கள் சக்தி இயக்கத்தின் ஒருங்கிணப்பாளர் வி.கே. ரகு கூறினார்.” (த்மிழ் நேசன் 29.2.2008)
திரு. வி.கே. ரகு மேற்கூறியவாறு எந்த அறிக்கையும் வெளியிடவில்லை. “நான் நேற்று அன்வார் பிரிக்பீல்ட்ஸில் நடத்திய தேர்தல் பிரச்சாரத்தில் கலந்து கொண்டேன். இன்று (29.2. 08) ஜசெக நட்த்தும் கூட்டத்தில் கலந்துகொள்கிறேன்”, என்று வி.கே. ரகு மலேசியாஇன்று.கோம்மிடம் கூறினார்.
மேலும், கீழ்க்கண்ட விளக்கத்தை அவர் அளித்தார்:
1) பத்துமலை திருத்தலத்தில் மார்ச் 2 ஆம் திகதி நடைபெறவிருந்த சிறப்பு பிராத்தணை குறித்து முடிவெடுக்க மட்டுமே நாங்கள் கூடினோம்.
2) சிறப்பு பிராத்தணை வேறொரு நாளுக்கு ஒத்திப்போட முடிவெடுக்கப்பட்டது.
3) அந்த ஒத்திவைப்பு பற்றி மட்டுமே செய்தியாளர்கள் கூட்டத்தில் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது.
4) ” ‘மக்கள் சக்தி’ பெயரைப் பயன்படுத்தி வன்முறைகளா? ஏற்க முடியாது”, என்று நாங்கள் கூறவில்லை.
5) “விரும்புகின்ற வேட்பாளர்களுக்கு மக்கள் சக்தியினர் வாக்களிக்கலாம்”, என்று நாங்கள் கூறவில்லை.
6) “விரக்தியினால் குழப்பம் செய்வோர் மக்கள் சக்தி என்று கூறிக்கொள்வதா?”, என்று நாங்கள் கூறவில்லை.
7) “அன்வாருக்கும் எங்களுக்கும் எந்தவொரு சம்பந்தமும் இல்லை”‘ என்று நாங்கள் கூறவில்லை.
நாங்கள் கூறாததைக் கூறியதாகச் செய்தி வெளியிட்டிருப்பதின் உள்நோக்கம் என்ன என்பதை விழித்தெழிந்து நிற்கும் இந்தியர்கள் நிச்சயம் புரிந்து கொள்வார்கள் என்று வி.கே. ரகு கூறினார்.
நாங்கள் கூறாததைக் கூறியதாகச் சொல்வது கண்டனதுக்குறியது. வன்முறைகளை நாங்கள் ஏற்றுக்கொள்கிறோமா அல்லது இல்லையா என்பதை நாங்கள்தான் கூறவேண்டும். நாங்கள் கூறியதாக மற்றவ்ர்கள் கூறுவது அசிங்கமானச் செயலாகும் என்று வி.கே. ரகு இடித்துரைத்தார்.
நாங்கள் எப்போதும் அஹிம்சையைத்தான் கடைபிடிக்கிறோம்; நம்புகிறோம். யாருக்கு வாக்களிக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை மக்கள் என்றோ முடிவு செய்துவிட்டனர். அது விவேகமான முடிவாக இருக்கும் என்று அழுத்தம் திருத்தமாக வி.கே. ரகு கூறினார்.

Msia's Anwar vows to dismantle race policies - AFP


M'sia's Anwar vows to dismantle race policies

Feb 26, 2008


KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S opposition figurehead Anwar Ibrahim vowed on Tuesday to end race-based discrimination policies, lower fuel prices andfight corruption in a policy manifesto ahead of Mar 8 polls.Anwar, who was deputy prime minister until being sacked and jailed in 1998,said long-running policies favouring majority Malays had only benefitedcronies of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

'The New Economic Policy has been abused to enrich the family of Umnoleaders and their cronies,' said Mr Anwar who is campaigning for theKeadilan formally led by his wife.'If you really want to deal with the issue of poverty, why can't we just say we have an affirmative action policy helping the poor and the marginalised. ''It should not be racially based.

'Malaysia has pursued an affirmative action programme for Malays andindigenous groups known as 'bumiputras' since the 1970s to close a wealthgap with the minority Chinese community.

However, it has been criticised for failing to pull a large number of Muslim Malays out of poverty, and of ignoring the minority ethnic Indian community,which is also disadvantaged.


The manifesto entitled 'A New Dawn for Malaysia,' centred on battling rising inflation, which has triggered public anger and rare public protests as theprices of food and fuel edge higher.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said the government cannot affordto continue spending 43.4 billion ringgit (S$19 billion) annually to subsidise essential items.

Mr Anwar, who was heir apparent in 1998 to then-premier Mahathir Mohamad,spent six years in jail on sex and corruption charges. The sex charge was overturned but the corruption count bars him from taking public office until April.His wife has said she will stand aside to make way for Mr Anwar to contesther seat in a by-election after the March polls, in a plan that could seehim return to parliament within months.Mr Anwar said Mr Abdullah was 'in denial' over the state of the economy.'Keadilan promises to lower the price of petrol ... as well as manage the prices of basic goods to ensure a consistent supply. Tolls and tariffs will also no longer be raised,' he said.

Keadilan has forged a loose alliance with two other opposition parties whohave agreed to stand just one candidate against the government in eachconstituency, avoiding damaging three-cornered contests.The opposition hopes that gripes over inflation, rising crime rates andmounting ethnic tensions will enable it to reduce the government's thumpingmajority below two-thirds for the first time in history. -- AFP

Show Hindraf 5 our gratitude



Show Hindraf 5 our gratitude
KillBill07 Feb 26, 08 4:22pm

Before you lay yourself down to sleep tonight, take a moment to think of the Hindraf 5 currently being detained under the ISA in Kamunting. Just wonder what must be going through their minds, as they lie on their beds. Without doubt, they must be missing their wives and children. Take a moment to think of their children who cannot see, hug or play with their fathers.
The Hindraf 5 must be wondering how to support their families since they are out of work. They must be thinking how to continue the struggle for the Indians in this country since their freedom has been so unjustly taken away from them. They may even wonder if the Indian Malaysians have forgotten them.
Now, take a moment to think of our prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Think of him lying on his comfortable bed in Putrajaya. Do you think he feels an iota of guilt, since he was the one who signed the ISA instructions to wrongfully separate these men from their wives and children? Think of MIC President S Samy Vellu lying on his bed after a good dinner with his family.
Do you think he feels sorry for the plight of these men, since he was the one who boldly declared to the international media that they were detained under the ISA on mere suspicions that they had terrorist links? Both of them know in their hearts that these men are innocent, but they had to selfishly put them away to safeguard their political futures.
How can we continue to allow these kinds of men to be our leaders?
The MIC was supposed to take care of the Indian community¢s interests all these years, but only after the Nov 25 Hindraf rally do you see the government taking such a keen interest in this deprived community. Million of dollars have been ¡promised¢ for Tamil schools. The chief secretary to the government has been instructed to ¡look into¢ hiring more Indians for the civil service. An Indian boy falls to his death at a school in Puchong, and Umno Youth now sends an officer to visit the family and investigate!
Would all this have taken place if not for Hindraf? If your answer is ¡no,¢ take a moment to think about where their struggles and sacrifices have landed them.
How do we repay these men who put the interests of their community above themselves and their families? How do we give back for the sacrifices they have made?
The best thing we can do is to free them. How do we do it? The ISA is the tool of this government. If this government is replaced in the next elections, the ISA will fall, and the Hindraf heroes will be freed. Therefore, if you value the sacrifices these men, their wives and their young children have made for your interests, then all you registered voters should make a commitment to vote against the Barisan Nasional on March 8, election day.
Go out in force and urge your families and friends to go with you. Just remember that every vote counts. The government has taken us for fools by promising a lot of last-minute goodies and last-minute development plans. Let us show them that we are not fools.
Most importantly, come election day, let us show Uthayakumar, Manoharan, Kenghadharan, Ganabatirau, Vasantakumar and their families that we have not, and will never forget them.

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place-Mahatma
-taken from malaysian_indian yahoogroup

Open Letter - Appeal for a better Parliament

An Open Letter - Appeal for a better Parliament
Contributed by Yeo Yang Poh
Wednesday, 27 February 2008 10:59am

Dear Fellow Malaysians,
It is true that there are things that we Malaysians should be proud of, and be thankful for. It is equally true that many things are not well in our country. They have not been well for some time now. Matters of safety and security, price hikes, education, issues of equal opportunities and equal treatment, constriction of various forms of freedom, marginalisation of several segments of society, the failing justice system, corruption in the public sector, the rising denial syndromes, the arrogance of wrongdoers nourished by their repeated ability to get off scot-free, and the numbness of the public reaction towards misdeeds and the lack of accountability, just to describe a few.
Many of the ills that we complain about in our society are the symptoms of the underlying causes. Some of the major root causes are:
(a) epidemic corruption in a system that does little to prohibit or redress it,
(b) lack of a system of transparency and accountability,
(c) the suppression of various freedoms so as to turn a silent majority into a silenced majority, (d) a Government that is more interested in commanding than serving,
(e) a Parliament whose overwhelming majority cares more about power-consolidation than nation-building, and
(f) a weak “last bastion” in the form of a failing justice system.
Can things be allowed to go on this way?
Can we afford to do so? Should our future generations suffer the consequences of our permissiveness?It is quite obvious that we need a better Government and a better Parliament. But that will not happen if we, the citizens of Malaysia, do little more than blaming the Government and criticizing our Members of Parliament.
It is we who put our MPs in the Parliament. It is we who must take the ultimate responsibility. The buck stops at each and every one of us.
My earnest appeal to everyone is therefore as follows:
(i) discuss the need for a better Parliament and a better Government, with your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you;
(ii) make it a point to go and vote in the next election, and to vote for change and for betterment;(iii) discard the notion or excuse that your single vote will not matter;
(iv) discard the notion or excuse that politics is dirty and all politicians are the same, and therefore that there is no point in voting;
(v) influence and encourage as many of your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you as possible, to come out and vote for change and for betterment in the coming election.
It is meaningless for us to complain about our Parliamentarians and the Government, if we do not first discharge a simple but sacrosanct duty of choice.Let us all take the time to look into the beautiful but expectant eyes of our children, and of the children of many others for whom we care. The future of our nation is meant for them. But millions of them cannot vote. They put their fate in our hands. They rely on us not just for their present living and support.
They rely on us, too, to vote for a better future for them.And after discharging our duty to vote, we must continue to be vigilant, and ensure that our elected representatives account for their actions, and make good their promises.
I humbly suggest to you that change and betterment are not empty dreams, if all of us play our respective parts. I invite you, and I urge you, to answer my appeal as set out above.
Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Yeo Yang Poh
Advocate & Solicitor,& a concerned Malaysian

Who is Makkal Sakthi ( in Malay)

Mereka adalah Makkal Sakthi


Mereka Punya Harapan dan Matlamat
Mereka Miliki Kerjaya dan Keluarga
Mereka Berpendidikan Tinggi
Mereka Berpenggetahuan Luas
Mereka Pengamal undang-undang di Malaysia
Mereka Penuntut hak Rakyat Yang Tidak Terbela
Mereka Tidak Tunduk Kepada Kuasa Politik
Mereka Tidak Takut Kepada Pemimpin Berpengaruh
Mereka Berani Kerana Benar
Mereka Guna Sistem Yang Betul
Mereka Rayu Agar Hak Asasi Rakyat Dibela
Mereka Bukan Anti Kerajaan
Mereka Bukan Anti Mana-mana Bangsa Mahupun Agama
Mereka Bukan Anti Keamanan
Mereka Cuba Segala Cara Yang Ada
Mereka Pernah Kecewa Dengan Segala Pengabaian
Mereka Memilih Jalan Raya Sebelum Pilihan Raya
Mereka Hanya Mampu Memiliki Perhatian
Mereka Hanya Mampu Memiliki Tuduhan
Mereka Hanya Mampu Memiliki Hukuman
Mereka Hanya Mampu Memiliki Kata ‘Maaf’ Oleh Seorang Pemimpin
Mereka Kini Menanti Tindakan dan Perubahan
Mereka Tidak akan Berputus Asa
Mereka Berjanji Bersorak Terus Berjuang
Mereka Memilih Jalan Aman Damai
Mereka masih Ditindas dan Dikhianati
Mereka Takut Mempercayai Mana-mana Pemimpin
Mereka Kini Meletakkan Harapan Kepada Rakyat
Mereka Tetap Mereka Yang Ingin Mempertahankan Hak Asasi Manusia
Mereka Tidak Mempunyai Wang dan Harta Untuk Mengubah Kerajaan
Mereka Perlukan Sokongan Seluruh Rakyat Malaysia
Mereka Inginkan Kesedaran Di Kalangan Rakyat
Mereka Menanti Tarikh Keramat 8hb March 2008
Mereka Menanti Penggumuman Yang Positif
Mereka Sanggup Berkorban Demi Melihat Negara Bebas Dari Kezaliman
Mereka Bukan Parti Politik
Mereka Hanyalah Rakyat! (namun sentiada diabaikan)
Mereka Hanya Pembayar (namun duit yang dibayar disalah gunakan)
Mereka Hanya Pengundi! (Pilihlah dengan bijak agar dapat hentikan kezaliman)
Mereka Hanya Kuasa Rakyat (Usah memilih politik duit dan pentingkan kuasa)
Merekalah Makkal Sakthi (Peoples Power)

Apa lagi yang perlu dibuktikan?
Apa lagi yang perlu dipertikaikan?
5 orang peguam yang membela nasib rakyat telah ditahan dan dikurung dibawah Akta Keselamatan Negara.
Siapakah akan membela nasib anda sekiranya ada salah laku terjadi di dalam pentadbiran pihak berkuasa?
Mereka juga pernah mempertahankan hak asasi manusia tanpa menjulung Keris mahupun bendera Parti.
Mereka tidak pernah bertindak demi kepentingan diri mahupun keluarga dengan mengharapkan pulangan mahupun balasan.

taken from Hindraf yahoogroups
Bukankah mereka adalah contoh-contoh rakyat yang berani dan berjiwa perikemanusiaan? Lihatlah apa telah terjadi pada mereka yang berani meletakkan diri di dalam risiko demi membela hak rakyat!

Bukalah mata wahai teman-teman ku. Bukalah hati wahai specis manusia ku. Usahlah biarkan generasi kita menjadi mangsa hanya kerana kita gagal mengambil tindakan pada hari ini. Usalah menyesal di hari muka apabila kita sudah tidak mampu berbuat apa-apa.
Stand Up For Your Rights.....Its Now Or NEVER!

Saturday, February 23, 2008




Some of the Poster posted by HINDRAF Supporters.
Thanks to all and our struggle with continue in ahimsa path.
Rgds,
Moderator

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Monday, February 18, 2008

An exprience shared by a HINDRAF supporter (blog writers)

taken from http://www.roses4pm.blogspot.com/

JD says: This morning at 8.00pm B.Mahendran (Bolehland), Raaja (Raajarox) and I left my house and headed towards the DBKL building at Jalan Raja Laut to meet up with Seelan (Singapore) for the Campaign of Roses gathering.The roses were to be handed by children to the Prime Minister at the Parliament House. However this was not possible as the police had cordoned off the entire area. It was decided that the handing over of roses would be done at the Suhakam office which is near the DBKL building.

As the crowd began to gather, even though they were well behaved and civilized the police open fire with numerous rounds of tear gas and dye laced water on everyone. It was a good think that the leaders were able to anticipate that the police were going to react and asked that the children be quickly taken away from the area.Seelan was sprayed and had to change his shirt as it was soiled by the dye, his hands too were all green from it. We then proceeded to the Majid Jamek LRT area as we received SMS that the group was gathering at Dataran Merdeka.As the Dataran Merdeka area was blocked by FRU we had to make do of being around the LRT area. I saw the FRU and plain clothed police behaving very aggressively and abusively toward any Malaysian Indian standing around the area.

They were targeting individuals for arrest and had arrested a number of them. I personally saw two policemen push a man who was in an orange ‘MAKKAL SAKTI’ t-shirt on to the road and handcuffing him when he wasn’t even resisting. They treated him worst then an animal, at that point I thought to myself as Malaysian Indians this is the kind of respect we have in this country that we call home. In their eyes we are equal or worst then animals.At that moment, a plain clothed policeman was shouting to disperse and moving fast towards me. I immediately asked Raaja to move forward and turned around to get Mahendran to follow us. It was not to be as I saw two policemen grab Mahendran and dragged him away from us.Raaja and I stayed in contact with Mahendran thru SMS and learned that he was being taken to PULAPOL(Police Training Centre). I immediately contacted lawyer Mohan who told me that legal counsels are being sent to PULAPOL to see to the legal needs of those arrested.

Knowing that was all we could do for Mahendran for the time being, Raaja and I made our way to Court Pillayar Temple in the Pudu Raya area as we heard that the crowd was gathering there. When we arrived there, the crowd of around 1000 was shouting “Hindraf Valga” “Makkal Sakti Valga” when two trucks of FRU personnel arrived at the scene.

There was a stand off between the crowd and the police for around an hour where a few Hindraf leaders gave some speech on the current situation and requested that we continue the struggle and not give it up for any reason until our demands are met. Everyone was asked to disperse in an orderly fashion to which everyone complied.I seriously feel that the government is being intolerant and extremely harsh by using unnecessary force from the police when we can clearly see that the Malaysian Indians were totally non violent in requesting for our rights. Would it hurt to talk to us nicely and hear our grouses?

We were loyal to the BN government for years, is this how we are repaid for our loyalty? The BN government failed to realize that as a race the Malaysian Indians are the most loyal to them without asking for much in return.

As Raaja and I were leaving the area, I met Carol who has been a reader of my blog and who has kept me informed of various Hindraf activities. She was with her mother and I was so proud to see their commitment towards the Malaysian Indian cause. She introduced me to her brother who told me that they would be going to the Lock up Kuala Lumpur (former Pudu Jail) to protest the arrest of some group leaders. It is Malaysian Indians like these that give us hope for a brighter future.

When we arrived the Lock Up Kuala Lumpur area we found it totally secured by FRU personnel and it was then that I was informed by Carol that it would be better for us to move to PULAPOL to give support to all those who were arrested. We informed Seelan to meet us there and took a cab to PULAPOL.We checked with Mahendran and he informed us that he is being made to wait for statements to be taken and it would take sometime and we assured him that we and many others are waiting outside.I noticed buses loaded with Malaysian Indian passengers being driven into PULAPOL compound to have their particulars and statements recorded as to why they are in Kuala Lumpur. What kind of nonsense is this in a supposedly democratic country like Malaysia?

This is a blatant disregard of Human Rights and it is a shame that Malaysia is a country in the United Nations that endorsed The Human Rights Charter.

While waiting for Mahendran to be released we walked over to the Medan Selera opposite PULAPOL for a drink and were informed the Jayathas was just arrested there as he sat down for a drink. We then joined a number of Malaysian Indians who were there to give support.I was very pleased to have met these people who showed that all of us feel discriminated in our own country and that we are not treated fairly even though we have contributed so much in building this nation. Everyone I spoke to said they are standing up today so that our coming generations can have a better future. This is the true problem that the BN government should address instead of trying to squash the uprising as illegal and criminal.I felt very emotional to know and see that we Malaysian Indians are more so united and we have ever been before and sincerely one can feel the difference walking anywhere these days.Malaysian Indians acknowledge each other better and are much more willing to lend a helping hand to each other. The spirit of solidarity has begun. We achieved this without any government program or MIC propaganda, this came from our hearts and souls.

We remain there talking to people who came and went until Mahendran was released at 5.45pm. Everyone had a long and tiring day and had to part in our separate ways. I said my goodbyes to Mahendran, Raaja, Seelan and his friend before making my way home.Even though it was a harrowing day and I was really tired it felt good to know that by standing up today maybe one day my child and her child will benefit from all this.

To all the new friends that I met and for all the conversations and ideas that we shared I thank you for having the mind set that we can all make a change for the better if we are united in our stand.To my new brothers and sister Kartik,Suresh,Mohan,Kannan,Raja Bt.Caves,Sakthi,Ashok and Carol a big thank you from me to all of you for having the courage to stand up and make your voices heard. I hope to see all of you again real soon.

Until then Valga Makkal Sakti!

More comments from other blogs on Roses to PM Campaign

February 16, 2008 at 10:49 pm · Filed under Hindraf, Unnecsessary fear
Surprises, surprises and surprises. What a tragedy. A Prime Minister wailing that Hindraf is extremist. Before going further, MIC and its President Samy Vellu, submitted 7 proposals to the Government to improve the lot of the Indians. They were not termed as extremists. Perhaps Hindraf has 18 points, more in number and more complete proposals, if they had reduced it to less than 18 can they be referred to as another extension of MIC.
How can a small group disrupt the elections, is there some special indication that they were going to it. We have had many rallies in Kuala Lumpur, from November last. The latest one was by Bersih, and were they too, planning to disrupt elections. Frankly speaking, none of the rallies have raised fear in the people, contrary the Police have instilled fear in the people, that causes them to shiver in their pants, realising any group gathering can bring on chemical lazed water and tear gas. What a friend tells me any Police in vehicles rushing through the roads causes panic and discomfort to the people in Kuala Lumpur. Who created this.
You wail the democratic process, has been jeopardised, did the group that gathered had no democracy to speak of, they were just trying to give flowers to indicate their innocence in gathering and also to send the message please release the 5 Hindraf chaps in Kamunting. You could have received the flowers and said thank you for their gestures and thereafter decide on the ISA victims. This you did not do.
Disorders or orders the people will come out to vote, the general consensus being the ruling government must have their tails clipped. There is no way you can bring to the attention of problems to the Government unless you rally and gain attention. If the many letters by Hindraf were attended to, suitable replies given and action taken, do you think the people are stupid to rally and get arrested.
How many fights were recorded in the number of rallies held. The only sad point was people lazed with chemical water, tear gassed and dragged away by force by the Police. Did any thought was given to this.
Rallies are resorted to when the Government does not listen. Why must Bersih disturb the Agong if their grouses were attended to. Why must Hindraf gather a group if their grouses were the least, listened to and action/or no action was taken. Our Malaysian culture is slowing changing, Government does not listen, and the other alternative way is to gather and draw attention. By doing so, the Government gets rattled and action is taken. Remember Thaipusam holiday, will it come about without the Hindraf rally.
One relevant point, today was not election day, and whatever action taken by the group will not affect the polls on March 8.
This is just my preamble. R Thanenthiran has explained other things well I believe.

Voice from other media about Roses to PM campaign

What other Media are Saying on Roses Campaign???
Mon, 18/02/2008 - 09:47 — ds.gophekar.raaj
source by MakalVoice.com

Police sprayed water and fired tear gas after the crowd ignored warnings to disperse. At least 20 people, including a Hindraf leader S Manikavasagam, were detained on Saturday, said a police official, who declined to be named citing protocol. - by Sify News

With the Malaysian government concerned about street protests in the run-up to early general elections on March 8, around 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields, turned out to disperse a gathering of about 300 men, women and children. - by Reuters

A heavy police presence kept them in the city centre - preventing their planned march to parliament to give the flowers to the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi. - by BBC

Barricades were set up along main roads leading to Parliament but more than 200 people managed to gather nearby Saturday shouting "Long Live Hindraf" and "We want our rights." - by CNN

About 130 people, including one on the police wanted list, were arrested but most of them were released after their particulars were taken down. Only nine, including two women, all aged between 35 and 40, were remanded for repeatedly defying police instructions to disperse. by NST

Since Friday about 60 people, including two leaders of Hindraf who organised the protest, have been detained in a police crackdown, said N Surendran, a lawyer and Hindraf member. - by Al Jazeera

"It is an embarrassing attack on the Indian community and on people who just wanted to hand over flowers to the prime minister," said R. Thanenthiran, one of the rally organisers. - by ChannelNewsAsia

It was the first public gathering by the Hindu Rights Action Force since police used tear gas and water cannon to crush a Nov. 25 demonstration by at least 20,000 ethnic Indians in Kuala Lumpur. - by MSNBC

source by MakalVoice.com

PM labelled Hindraf as "extremist" !!

Abdullah lashes out at 'extremist' Hindraf
Feb 16, 08 9:44pm

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today labelled the Hindu Rights Action Force as an extremist group which aimed to disrupt the general election.According to a Bernama report today, Abdullah said that Hindraf’s illegal assembly in Kuala Lumpur this morning was an attempt to raise fear in the people and disrupt the polls which would be held on March 8."People who disrupt the elections do not respect the democratic process. When there is disorder, the people do not come out to vote for fear of getting caught in fights," he said after attending a function in Yan, Kedah.
This morning the police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse about 300 Hindraf supporters who had gathered along Jalan Raja Laut to hand in roses to Abdullah.Calling it the rose protest, Hindraf had wanted to give the flower to the premier, asking him, among others, to release the five Hindraf leaders presently held under the Internal Security Act.
The police arrested about 200 people, of which all but nine were released later in the day. The nine are held overnight on a one-day remand for failing to disperse despite repeated request by the police.Commenting on the gathering, which had been declared illegal by the police yesterday, Abdullah said the action of the Hindraf supporters was not a culture of Malaysians who loved peace.He added that the people would definitely not agree with such action aimed at creating chaos in the country.He also did not rule out the possibility of the Hindraf supporters resorting to blockade roads to prevent people from going to the polls.
Use of children condemned
On the use of children in the illegal assembly, the prime minister said it was most regrettable as the children's safety was put at risk."We regret that they (Hindraf supporters) use children to bring pressure to bear on their demands. This is not the way. The action endangers the children," he said.He also said that the authorities would not hesitate to use provisions of the legislation on child protection on those using children at such assemblies.

Meanwhile Hindraf’s national coordinator R Thanenthiran said that he was disappointed with the police action as well as with Abdullah.A highly-charged Thanenthiran told reporters that Abdullah should not be claiming to be representing the needs and welfare of all races in this country."We wanted to have 200 children to peacefully give Abdullah flowers but we were tear-gassed and water-cannoned by police," he said.Thanenthiran also said organisers decided it was unsafe for the children to take part in the protest and they were bused away from the scene.

http://www.malaysiakini.tv/video/15467.html

Comments from blog,
I wonder how he could relate the peace rose rally as extremist and disturbing the coming soon election process. For his information, since he keep forgetting that we had 2 personal invitations to join the rose campaign, this peace rose campaign were planne weeks ahead before the polls date were decided !!
People and children whom came with a stake of rose are extremist ??
Than what shall we call the police whom were brutal to women and men gathered to show LOVE to PM ?
Dear PM, please do what have you been claiming as PM for all race. Please listen to the 70% poor, depressed, oppressed and systematically marginalized Malaysian Indian cry for justice and love.
HINDRAF is an ahimsa movemant and it always bid to these practice.
Please stop labelling HINDRAF as extremist as even the previous label as terrorist also were not proved and you had let all the govt mights against HINDRAF.
Thanks

Ex DPM,Anwar criticises govt over peace rose rally crackdown




Anwar criticises gov't over rally crackdown
AFP Feb 17, 08 3:20pm

Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim today criticised the authorities for using water cannon and teargas against ethnic Indians protesting against alleged discrimination.
Saturday's rally was the latest in a series of street demonstrations that have rocked this multicultural nation as political parties manoeuvre to win the hearts and minds of voters ahead of general election on March 8.
More than 300 people defied a police ban, gathering in downtown Kuala Lumpur to present roses to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and protest against alleged discrimination before police fired tear gas and water cannon to break up the rally.
"This is clearly a police state," Anwar told AFP.
"I mean a group marching peacefully to present flowers to the prime minister, what kind of treatment did the government give to these people?" he asked.
"It was very high-handed," said the de facto opposition leader.
Police detained 160 people in scuffles during the rally and later outside a Hindu temple nearby, the capital's police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman told the official Bernama news agency.
Protester abused
Most have since been released but lawyers claimed a female protester - one of nine who are being held till Monday - was abused in custody.
"While being detained, she said she was beaten up by the police," lawyer Gobind Singh, who is representing the nine, told AFP.
"Although she was in pain, she did not receive any medical treatment," he added.
"These are not hardened criminals, they are normal people and should not have to face such violence at the hands of the police while in detention," said Singh, who is contesting as an opposition candidate in the upcoming polls.
The protest comes after the detention of five leaders of the Indian rights group Hindraf who enraged the government in November by leading a rally protesting at alleged discrimination against Indians.
The protest highlighted the grievances of Malaysia's Indians - descendents of labourers brought over by British colonial rulers in the 1800s - who say they are marginalised in terms of education, wealth and opportunities.
Ethnic Indians make up seven percent of Malaysia's 27 million population with Malay Muslims forming 60 percent and ethnic Chinese 26 percent.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Rose Campaign - Global Peace Campaign supporting Msian Indians




from Malaysiakini.com

Rose violence: Global demo against M'sia
Feb 17, 08 1:37pm

Indians across the world demonstrated outside the offices of Malaysian embassies and high commissions on Saturday to condemn the government and police, hours after tear gas and water cannons were fired in Kuala Lumpur at people bringing flowers to persuade Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to release five Hindraf leaders from detention.The demonstrations – which took place almost simultaneously in New York, Los Angeles, London, Belgium, Northern Island, Indonesia, New Zealand, New Delhi and Mumbai – were believed to be the first internationally-coordinated action in support of the Indian cause in Malaysia.Although there were no more than a few dozen people protesting in each of the cities, their action underlined the growing disgust among Indians all over the world at Abdullah and his police force, said organisers who e-mailed Malaysiakini with details and pictures of the demonstrations.

Videos were also posted on YouTube.


"Which sicko of a prime minister would allow his police to fire tear gas and chemical-laced water at people trying to bring him flowers?" asked Anantha Paskaran, one of those who led the demonstration outside the Malaysian Consulate General's office in New York."We talk about the Soviet Union, Chechnya and Burma when it comes to human rights violations," said Anantha. "What about this so-called moderate Muslim country Malaysia? It has a police force than can rival the Gestapo and KGB".


On Saturday, Malaysian police used teargas and water cannons to disperse about 300 Hindu Rights Action Force supporters who had gathered along Jalan Raja Laut to hand Abdullah hundreds of roses.Calling it a "rose protest", Hindraf had said it wanted to give the flowers to the premier, asking him, among others, to release the five Hindraf leaders held under the Internal Security Act.


The plan was initially to get a group of children to hand over the roses to Abdullah at Parliament. That, however, fell through when police blockaded roads leading to Parliament, forcing the supporters to group at Jalan Raja Laut instead.The police eventually arrested about 200 people and released all but nine whom they said defied repeated orders to disperse.Abdullah, in an immediate reaction, labelled Hindraf as group of "extremists" out to disrupt general elections scheduled on March 8.


Anantha said it was "most laughable" for the premier to link the incident with the upcoming polls in Malaysia."In what way can the Indians in Malaysia disrupt the electoral process that's underway? They are minorities, marginalised in every sense of the word, and don't even have enough resource to fend for themselves, let alone disrupt a national election," he said.

The 51-year-old former Malaysian-turned-US citizen who runs a financial consultancy in Queens, New York, also appeared to pre-empt any possible remark by Abdullah that Indians outside of Malaysia had no business with what was happening in the country."For the prime minister's information, I still have family members in Malaysia and they are paying income taxes too, so I have every right to speak on their behalf," Anantha said.


He said the weather in New York was below 32 degrees Farenheit (0 degrees Celcius) on Saturday and those who turned up outside the Consulate General's office in Manhattan, including women and children, braved icy winds for nearly 2 hours. "We were freezing on the outside but we were burning on the inside at what's happening to our fellow Indians in Malaysia," Anantha said.


Pictures received by Malaysiakini showed demonstrators carrying placards such as "Malaysia, Provide Equal Opportunity and Equal Treatment for All" and "All Malaysians, Act Now or Lose Your Freedom, Your Rights and Your Identity Forever."In New York, demonstrators even brought a mock coffin for MIC President S Samy Vellu, who has been fiercely criticised for failing the Indian community. A sign above the coffin read: "Samy Vellu – Traitor of Indian Malaysians, R.I.P. (Rest In Peace)." (photo above)

In another interesting picture, five people also wore cut-out pictures of the faces of the five detained Hindraf leaders, holding up their wrists in a symbolic sign of incarceration.A big shamAnd not all those who participated in the foreign demonstrations were Indians of Malaysian origin.

Fiona Lee (photo), an ethnic Chinese from Malaysia, said in comments to Malaysiakini that she decided to join the protest in New York "because these are issues affecting all Malaysians.""To me, the marginalisation of the Indian community is very real," said the 25-year-old, who has lived in the United States for seven years now and is pursuing a doctorate in English at the City University of New York. "I grew up in Cheras and I belonged to a church group that used to visit Indian slums where the children had little access to education, food and even clothing," Lee said. "To say they are being equally treated is the biggest sham.
"There were no officials from the Malaysian Consulate General's office in New York to receive ay memorandums from the protesters. However several officials were seen snapping photographs of the protesting crowd.

The Hindu- News on Roses to PM in M'sia

Hindraf protest thwarted
P. S. Suryanarayana

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Saturday quelled a protest “walk” organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force at a number of places here.

In a dramatic show of force, the police fired teargas and targeted water cannon at several hundred ethnic Indians, who assembled for a “roses campaign” demanding justice while offering flowers as a gesture to the authorities.

Following an overnight ban on this “campaign,” Hindraf abandoned its original plan of staging a short “walk” towards the Parliament House, with children in the vanguard and carrying roses for Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

Vwaishhnnavi, five-year-old daughter of the self-exiled Hindraf chairman P. Waytha Moorthy, was designated to lead the “walk” and greet the Prime Minister. Under guidance, she had earlier written a letter requesting him to accept such an offer.

In the final act on this day of “state power,” Hindraf followers raised an hour-long chorus of slogans about “people power” at a Vinayaka temple in the heart of the city, even as a lone woman walked up to a riot-control officer there and handed him a yellow rose. Another police officer was seen declining a similar offer even as Hindraf supporters began cheering her. The standoff near the shrine passed off without the police using water cannon that was on stand-by.


Hindraf urges ethnic Indians to vote against Badawi’s political grouping
P. S. Suryanarayana

Police cite “security concerns” for banning protest rally

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Coordinator of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), Thanenthiran Ramankutty, on Saturday asked the ethnic Indians in Malaysia to vote against the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, that had “failed” and “insulted” them.
A mid-term general election is due on March 8; and Saturday’s police-aborted campaign was a sequel to Hindraf’s mass protest rally here last November against a half-century of “marginalisation” of the people of Indian origin since independence.

Mr. Thanenthiran, who made a surprise appearance at a temple in the heart of the city where the ethnic Indians had gathered for a protest, later told The Hindu that he was now “on the run” under police surveillance.
He said almost all of Hindraf’s provincial coordinators and national leader such as Manickavasagam and Jayathas were among 300 activists and supporters arrested on Saturday.
Five top Hindraf leaders are already under detention without trial under the Internal Security Act.

The Malaysian police on Friday banned the “roses campaign” by describing as “a security concern” Hindraf’s original plan to deploy nearly 200 children as the star contingent of a “walk” to Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
These children, it was said, were being put in harm’s way in a game of testing the political will of the authorities to maintain law and order.
Another reason cited was Malaysia’s political “norm” of not allowing street protest of any kind, be it by the majority Malay-Muslims or ethnic Chinese or the people of Indian origin.

It was also stated that Hindraf, being a non-registered organisation, was not entitled to any permission for public events, more so of the protest kind.
The police-aborted “walk” to the Parliament House was planned to “test” Mr. Badawi’s attitude towards his ethnic Indian compatriots, according to Hindraf sources.

Yellow roses were selected by Hindraf to be presented to the authorities to convey its demand for a “fair deal” for the ethnic Indians. Red roses signified the colour of choice for “goodwill” towards the Prime Minister, and these were to have been carried by the children. Following the ban, Hindraf, according to its events coordinator Kannan Ramasamy decided against deploying children.

The first scene of street-side political action on Saturday was near the Parliament House. Hindraf said police chased away nearly 200 adult protesters who attempted to break the series of barricades along the routes to Parliament House.
Hindraf supporters raised aloft posters demanding the abolition of the Internal Security Act and the release of the group’s top leaders — P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganapati Rao, M. Manoharan, R. Kengadharan, and T. Vasanthakumar.
“People power [Makkal Sakthi]” slogans and chants in celebration of Hindraf rent the air throughout the standoff.