Oct 17, 08 10:34am
‘Syed Hamid can declare Hindraf illegal if he wishes but an organisation does not live or die at the whim of the government. They live and die by the will of the people.
'On Gov't declares Hindraf an illegal organisation
Vetrivel: This is a Deepavalli gift for the Indians from BN after giving them a heartbreak last year.BN is lucky as Hindraf follows Gandhi's peaceful ahimsa (non-violence) way but even then Hindraf is demonised and made to look as pure evil terrorists though everyone knows better.If they were a terrorist group do you think their struggle will be peaceful and full of love while abiding by the laws of the land?The Hindraf leaders are the only ones keeping the community in check after Indian families were beaten, mothers and children were tear-gassed and after baton sticks were used on grandfathers on that fateful day in history as the community stood in the streets like beggars only to be kicked and pushed further away.From the first tear gas fired, the Hindraf leaders have taken responsibility for the community and for that some are in ISA and another is in self exile.Indeed, BN is lucky, the intellectuals guiding the community are using all peaceful methods to move but how patient can this community be? Only time will tell.
Spirit Fox: Syed Hamid can declare Hindraf illegal if he wishes but an organisation does not live or die at the whim of the government. Like governments are supposed to - but in Malaysia, do not - organisations live and die by the will of the people.
An organization that loses credibility, no matter how much official backing it receives, can no more sustain itself than a man can live without food. It can just squeak along for a few months. But in the end, it dies a natural and ignominious death.The alternative is an organisation that, while officially illegal, retains its credibility as a vehicle for the aspirations of the people. Such an organisation can survive indefinitely in a multitude of forms despite the harshest repression.Witness the PLO and its struggle against the Zionist regime or the wartime Edelweiss Pirates against the odious apparatus of the Third Reich.
These organisations can be declared illegal, their members hunted and hounded.But they survive so long as they continue to embody the spirit and goals of the populace.Syed Hamid can continue to blather but if the majority do not wish him to succeed, he cannot succeed.
This would entail the endurance of the resistance - for all their empty strength, the government still has brute force at its beck and call - but I have no doubt that if the people are strong and willing, the government will fail.Then Syed Hamid will have plenty of time to contemplate the words of a wise man, written over two centuries ago - that governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed.
As for me, I have a little Hindraf flag which I got from our September 27 outing. I will wave that banner proudly until which time Syed Hamid sees fit to revoke this illegal and fatuous ruling or when the sinister agents of this fascist government pry it from my fingers.
Millionth Citizen: Do not think we are born yesterday, Syed Hamid. We can see and are used to seeing you and your cronies trying to divert our attention from the helicopter scandal -good try.We can smell it coming a mile away. If you think what Hindraf did was wrong, by comparison, more of BN cronies should be in jail now. Correct Syed?
Marginalised: Mr Syed Hamid Albar, I'm very convinced that you never think. Let me tell you this. Your action is as good as banning the Indians.And the conclusion is BN has now lost almost all of the Indian Malaysians' votes. Let's see what is the MIC's role in this. Pakatan, I would like to see your response too.
Crazy Nutty: If Hindraf is only now an illegal organisation, why put the Hindraf leaders under ISA last year?Syed Hamid Albar's talk doesn't make sense. All Malaysians should judge for themselves what type of leaders we are having.Simply putting people under the ISA. Shall we put him under the ISA instead?Just World: Hindraf folks, continue with your struggle (for Malaysias democracy). Ban or no ban, do what is right for all Malaysians. Just change your name to ‘Hindraf Baru' (like what Mahathir did to Umno did in 1988 - from Umno to Umno Baru).
John Johnson: Just wonderful, the home minister has done it again. He has decided that Hindraf is an illegal society.
When are we going to wake up?Here is a society that is only fighting for the rights of the marginalised Indians and this minister wants to ban it. His reasons? It is an ‘illegal' society and it is a ‘threat' to the nation. ...What rubbish. These people are only fighting for equality, justice and equal opportunities. If the home minister is going to continue in this way, it is time to replace him.He has stuck his foot in his own mouth at every opportunity he gets and he is actually an embarrassment to us all.
Sang Kancil: Syed Hamid Albar has made another stupid mistake by banning Hindraf. The government has labelled Hindraf as ‘racist', ‘terrorist' and regarded this group of innocent Malaysians as a ‘national threat'.I put it to Syed Hamid, that you are the primary threat to national security. Umno is the most racist party in the world. Umno practices discriminatory laws. Umno leaders are confused between Umno, Malays, Utusan Malaysia and Islam.That is the reason why Umno's Cheras Division has launched a fund called Tabung Azan. They claim that a case against Utusan Malaysia is humiliating Islam. How can this be?challenge you Syed Hamid to sacked the Umno Cheras division chief.
On Hindraf's exiled leader lashes out at ban
Aiyaphaa: Yes, I too agree - the government's decision to ban the movement as a cowardly act. My only message is this:To my belief, what was the first reason why BN fared very badly in the recent elections? Answer?: HindrafAnd why? Their huge demonstration opened not only many eyes of the Indians eye but also th eyes of many others.And with this ban, does the government think they have solved the problem? The frustration will only increase.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Silent protest by Malaysian Indians against the ban
All planned HINDRAF activities be suspended,
pending further instructions.
As a mark of silent protest to the ban
we urge all supporters to wear orange
T-shirt during the weekends
(Sat & Sunday)
- Waytha Moorthy –Hindraf-
Let us be united and send this sms / email accross to all Malaysian show our solidarity in this silent protest against the act of suppression by the UMNO led govt.
Malaysia ban on Hindu rights group sparks outcry
Malaysia ban on Hindu rights group sparks outcry
Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:11pm IST
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's government on Wednesday outlawed Hindu rights group Hindraf which held a massive anti-government protest last year against alleged discrimination of minority ethnic Indians.
Malaysia is holding five leaders of Hindraf or the Hindu Rights Action Force under the harsh Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial, after they led the protest last November.
Ethnic Indians make up 7 percent of Malaysia's 27 million population and, like ethnic Chinese, have expressed growing resentment against decades-old government policies giving majority Muslim-Malays preferential treatment.
News agency Bernama said the Home (Interior) Ministry clamped down on Hindraf after it found evidence that the group posed "a threat to public order and morality".
"The decision to declare Hindraf an illegal organisation is not based on one or two of its activities that are in contravention of the law but covers all the actions it has taken since it was formed," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.
"Hindraf has also tried to secure support from foreign countries for the purpose of pressuring the government to bow to its demands," he said.
The opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) condemned the ban. "The banning of Hindraf by the Home Minister must be deplored in the strongest possible terms," DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said. "It will only aggravate the disaffection among the Indian community."
Malaysia has long been wary of anything that might upset racial harmony in the multicultural and relatively prosperous Southeast Asian nation.
Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:11pm IST
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's government on Wednesday outlawed Hindu rights group Hindraf which held a massive anti-government protest last year against alleged discrimination of minority ethnic Indians.
Malaysia is holding five leaders of Hindraf or the Hindu Rights Action Force under the harsh Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial, after they led the protest last November.
Ethnic Indians make up 7 percent of Malaysia's 27 million population and, like ethnic Chinese, have expressed growing resentment against decades-old government policies giving majority Muslim-Malays preferential treatment.
News agency Bernama said the Home (Interior) Ministry clamped down on Hindraf after it found evidence that the group posed "a threat to public order and morality".
"The decision to declare Hindraf an illegal organisation is not based on one or two of its activities that are in contravention of the law but covers all the actions it has taken since it was formed," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.
"Hindraf has also tried to secure support from foreign countries for the purpose of pressuring the government to bow to its demands," he said.
The opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) condemned the ban. "The banning of Hindraf by the Home Minister must be deplored in the strongest possible terms," DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said. "It will only aggravate the disaffection among the Indian community."
Malaysia has long been wary of anything that might upset racial harmony in the multicultural and relatively prosperous Southeast Asian nation.
Hindraf's exiled leader suspends all activities
Oct 16, 08 3:24pm
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Waythamoorthy today said that he was suspending all activities of the movement as a result of the ban by the government.
MCPX
"I have instructed our coordinators to suspend all activities. I am also urging all our sympathisers and supporters not to take part in activities that is claimed to be organised by Hindraf from today onwards," he told Malaysiakini.
He urged them to await further instructions from him on the movement's next course of action.
"We are presently taking legal advice on this matter as well," he said.
Waythamoorthy also urged supporters to wear orange-coloured t-shirts over the weekends to show their support for Hindraf
Earlier in a statement, Waythamoorthy described the government's decision to ban the movement as a cowardly act.
“It is meant to suppress and oppress the minority Indian (Malaysian) community and the prime minister should step in and revoke the decision,” he said in a statement from his London base.
“Hindraf represents a very deep feeling experienced in the hearts and souls of millions of Indians both locally and internationally,” he added.
Waythamoorthy said the action proves that the government is running out of ideas in dealing with Hindraf and it underscores the notion that Malaysia is a police state.
The self-exiled leader said Hindraf’s struggle is to highlight the plight of Indian Malaysians who have been systematically marginalised, adding that the government does not understand this.
“Hindraf represents the Indian commoner, the hardworking oily-faced man who is made fun of in the streets, the man whom people step on, the man who walks past you, yet you notice him not.
“They all do not wither away with this illegal declaration. The government obviously has a primitive understanding of the situation. They cannot see a genuine problem within a significant section of Malaysian society."
ROS investigated Hindraf
The lawyer compared the movement with the French and American civil revolutions and, more pertinently, with the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.
He claimed that Hindraf’s struggle had raised the self-worth of all Malaysians.
“We demand dignity and equality for each and every Malaysian, which cannot be abandoned and diluted for the glory of the Umno-led government intent on stirring racial tension and maintaining the status quo,” Waythamoorthy added.
The government, however, has rejected claims that the ban is about the ethnicity or the faith of Hindraf followers.
“The government denies racial or religious bias in banning Hindraf. It is up to the police to decide what action to take against those associated with the movement,” English-language daily Star today quoted Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar as saying.
Announcing the ban yesterday, the minister explained that the decision was made after the Registrar of Societies investigated the movement, and his ministry found that “Hindraf had (been) and was being used for unlawful purposes and posed a threat to public order and morality".
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, president of the national human rights society Hakam, said the ban was unnecessary and showed a lack of sensitivity to the minority community which shunned the government in March elections.
"Hindraf is more a wave of consciousness than an organisation and in declaring it illegal the government has possibly alienated the Indian community even more," he told AFP.
Koh: Listen to their woes
In a related development, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon expressed hope that despite the ban on Hindraf, the cause of the movement will be given due attention by the authorities.
"The issues affecting the Indian community brought up by Hindraf and other NGOs should be quickly and properly addressed," he told a press conference at Parliament House today.
He said a cabinet committee on the Indian Malaysian community chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has already implemented a few policies, although the outcome will take time to be seen.
"We hope this (ban) will not stifle the freedom of expression by individuals, groups and legally registered organisations. It is an important hallmark for the society to allow for freedom of expression and association" stressed Koh.
He was met by reporters after attending a BN management committee meeting chaired by Najib. The deputy premier and other BN leaders left without speaking to reporters.
The meeting had discussed the rebranding of BN among other aspects, but Koh declined to reveal details
Oct 16, 08 3:24pm
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Waythamoorthy today said that he was suspending all activities of the movement as a result of the ban by the government.
MCPX
"I have instructed our coordinators to suspend all activities. I am also urging all our sympathisers and supporters not to take part in activities that is claimed to be organised by Hindraf from today onwards," he told Malaysiakini.
He urged them to await further instructions from him on the movement's next course of action.
"We are presently taking legal advice on this matter as well," he said.
Waythamoorthy also urged supporters to wear orange-coloured t-shirts over the weekends to show their support for Hindraf
Earlier in a statement, Waythamoorthy described the government's decision to ban the movement as a cowardly act.
“It is meant to suppress and oppress the minority Indian (Malaysian) community and the prime minister should step in and revoke the decision,” he said in a statement from his London base.
“Hindraf represents a very deep feeling experienced in the hearts and souls of millions of Indians both locally and internationally,” he added.
Waythamoorthy said the action proves that the government is running out of ideas in dealing with Hindraf and it underscores the notion that Malaysia is a police state.
The self-exiled leader said Hindraf’s struggle is to highlight the plight of Indian Malaysians who have been systematically marginalised, adding that the government does not understand this.
“Hindraf represents the Indian commoner, the hardworking oily-faced man who is made fun of in the streets, the man whom people step on, the man who walks past you, yet you notice him not.
“They all do not wither away with this illegal declaration. The government obviously has a primitive understanding of the situation. They cannot see a genuine problem within a significant section of Malaysian society."
ROS investigated Hindraf
The lawyer compared the movement with the French and American civil revolutions and, more pertinently, with the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.
He claimed that Hindraf’s struggle had raised the self-worth of all Malaysians.
“We demand dignity and equality for each and every Malaysian, which cannot be abandoned and diluted for the glory of the Umno-led government intent on stirring racial tension and maintaining the status quo,” Waythamoorthy added.
The government, however, has rejected claims that the ban is about the ethnicity or the faith of Hindraf followers.
“The government denies racial or religious bias in banning Hindraf. It is up to the police to decide what action to take against those associated with the movement,” English-language daily Star today quoted Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar as saying.
Announcing the ban yesterday, the minister explained that the decision was made after the Registrar of Societies investigated the movement, and his ministry found that “Hindraf had (been) and was being used for unlawful purposes and posed a threat to public order and morality".
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, president of the national human rights society Hakam, said the ban was unnecessary and showed a lack of sensitivity to the minority community which shunned the government in March elections.
"Hindraf is more a wave of consciousness than an organisation and in declaring it illegal the government has possibly alienated the Indian community even more," he told AFP.
Koh: Listen to their woes
In a related development, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon expressed hope that despite the ban on Hindraf, the cause of the movement will be given due attention by the authorities.
"The issues affecting the Indian community brought up by Hindraf and other NGOs should be quickly and properly addressed," he told a press conference at Parliament House today.
He said a cabinet committee on the Indian Malaysian community chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has already implemented a few policies, although the outcome will take time to be seen.
"We hope this (ban) will not stifle the freedom of expression by individuals, groups and legally registered organisations. It is an important hallmark for the society to allow for freedom of expression and association" stressed Koh.
He was met by reporters after attending a BN management committee meeting chaired by Najib. The deputy premier and other BN leaders left without speaking to reporters.
The meeting had discussed the rebranding of BN among other aspects, but Koh declined to reveal details
PS from WMP - Cowardly Act by UMNO lead govt to suppress Malaysianb Indian
PRESS STATEMENT
RE: COWARDLY ACT BY THE UMNO LED GOVERNMENT TO SUPPRESS AND OPPRESS MALAYSIAN INDIAN MINORITY
Declaring Hindraf as an illegal organization will in any case not banish the spirit that created Hindraf . Hindraf represents a very deep feeling experienced in the hearts and souls of millions of Indians both locally and Internationally.
This dastardly and ludicrous attempt by the Home minister to declare HINDRAF as an illegal organisation clearly indicates that the UMNO led government is at the end of their wit and shows that Malaysia is indeed a police state under the pretext of democracy.
The UMNO led government continued use of the sanctity of illegitimate laws such as ISA, Sedition Act, and now the Societies Act with their predatory acts against HINDRAF is a desperate attempt to silence legitimate voice of democracy.
The UMNO led government enjoys demonizing and bullying us on the pretext of law, public order, National security when all we are fighting for is to address the true and real condition of the downtrodden Malaysian Indians who have been systematically marginalized, suppressed and oppressed.
The UMNO government is not able to understand the phenomenon of Hindraf. Hindraf represents the Indian commoner, the hard working oily faced man who is made fun of in the streets, the man who people step on, the man who walks past you yet you notice him not. These are the people whom Hindraf represents – the marginalized and downtrodden Indians. They all do not wither away with this illegal declaration. The Government obviously has a primitive understanding of the situation, they cannot see a genuine problem within a significant section of the Malaysian society.
Look at the annals of history – when the people begin to demand what is truly theirs no governing elite have been able to stop them – take the French revolution, the American revolution, the anti-colonial and liberation movements through the first half of the 20th century and then the liberation of Africa in the late 20th century culminating in the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.
HNDRAF is peoples’ mass movement that seeks the moral and spiritual truth for the oppressed Malaysian Indians against the tyranny of the UMNO led government.
HINDRAF's movement has raised the self worth of every individual in Malaysia and demand that the dignity and equality for each and every Malaysian cannot be abandoned and diluted for the glory of the UMNO led government whose only intention is to stir racial tension and maintain their status quo.
HINDRAF will not flinch with these threats and will continue its struggle against the UMNO regime in Malaysia as we can no longer be cowed nor are we any longer afraid. It is the people's mass movement for moral and spiritual truth on the basis of humanity against the tyranny of the current ruling government.
It is only fair for the Prime Minister to advise his Home Minister to revoke the order.
Waytha Moorthy
HINDRAF – CHAIRMAN
RE: COWARDLY ACT BY THE UMNO LED GOVERNMENT TO SUPPRESS AND OPPRESS MALAYSIAN INDIAN MINORITY
Declaring Hindraf as an illegal organization will in any case not banish the spirit that created Hindraf . Hindraf represents a very deep feeling experienced in the hearts and souls of millions of Indians both locally and Internationally.
This dastardly and ludicrous attempt by the Home minister to declare HINDRAF as an illegal organisation clearly indicates that the UMNO led government is at the end of their wit and shows that Malaysia is indeed a police state under the pretext of democracy.
The UMNO led government continued use of the sanctity of illegitimate laws such as ISA, Sedition Act, and now the Societies Act with their predatory acts against HINDRAF is a desperate attempt to silence legitimate voice of democracy.
The UMNO led government enjoys demonizing and bullying us on the pretext of law, public order, National security when all we are fighting for is to address the true and real condition of the downtrodden Malaysian Indians who have been systematically marginalized, suppressed and oppressed.
The UMNO government is not able to understand the phenomenon of Hindraf. Hindraf represents the Indian commoner, the hard working oily faced man who is made fun of in the streets, the man who people step on, the man who walks past you yet you notice him not. These are the people whom Hindraf represents – the marginalized and downtrodden Indians. They all do not wither away with this illegal declaration. The Government obviously has a primitive understanding of the situation, they cannot see a genuine problem within a significant section of the Malaysian society.
Look at the annals of history – when the people begin to demand what is truly theirs no governing elite have been able to stop them – take the French revolution, the American revolution, the anti-colonial and liberation movements through the first half of the 20th century and then the liberation of Africa in the late 20th century culminating in the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.
HNDRAF is peoples’ mass movement that seeks the moral and spiritual truth for the oppressed Malaysian Indians against the tyranny of the UMNO led government.
HINDRAF's movement has raised the self worth of every individual in Malaysia and demand that the dignity and equality for each and every Malaysian cannot be abandoned and diluted for the glory of the UMNO led government whose only intention is to stir racial tension and maintain their status quo.
HINDRAF will not flinch with these threats and will continue its struggle against the UMNO regime in Malaysia as we can no longer be cowed nor are we any longer afraid. It is the people's mass movement for moral and spiritual truth on the basis of humanity against the tyranny of the current ruling government.
It is only fair for the Prime Minister to advise his Home Minister to revoke the order.
Waytha Moorthy
HINDRAF – CHAIRMAN
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Malaysian Indian Society in Ferment - A research material
by Dr. V. Suryanarayan
The unprecedented demonstration by Malaysian Indians before the British High Commission in Kula Lumpur at the end of November 2007, under the sponsorship of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), has brought into sharp focus the pathetic situation in which the Indian community finds itself today. The HINDRAF is a coalition of 30 non-governmental organizations, committed to the preservation and promotion of the Hindu identity. The coalition had been agitating against what it calls the unofficial policy of temple demolition and the steady introduction of Sharia-based law.
The Memorandum, submitted to the British High Commission, demanded that the United Kingdom should move an emergency resolution in the United Nations condemning the “ethnic cleansing” taking place in Malaysia. It also appealed that the issue should be referred to the World Court and International Criminal Court of Justice for crimes against its own ethnic minority Indians. In August 2007 the Malaysian Indians had approached the Royal Court of Justice demanding compensation of US Dollars 4 Trillion, which works out to US Dollars one million to every Malaysian Indian, for bringing their forefathers as indentured labourers and failing to protect their rights and interests on the eve of Malayan independence.
The Malaysian Government, true to its authoritarian traditions, refused permission to hold the rally, arrested the leaders and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the nearly 35,000 demonstrators. The leaders of the HINDRAF should know that historical wrongs perpetrated during the colonial era, like the indenture system, cannot be undone. Presumably their objective was to highlight the increasing marginalization of the Indian community in the social, economic, political and cultural life of Malaysia. A Malaysian Indian student, Ananthi, a Rhodes Scholar, reading for her PhD in Oxford University, echoed the feelings of the overwhelming majority of her community, in a letter widely circulated in Malaysia.
To quote Ananthi, “It was about being neglected, about not having a seat at the table to bargain, about having a national and communal leadership that we do not trust and is utterly discreditable. It is about saying no to being the forgotten Indians, and not enough of us in our comfortable houses, those of us who worked to manage to work the system to our benefit – stood with the other Indians, who are not so different from us”. For the first time, the marginalized Malaysian Indians displayed the power of Makkal Shakti (people’s power).
This paper is divided into two sections. The first deals with the changing political dynamics in Malaysia and the second analyses the factors that have led to the marginalization of the overwhelming sections of the Malaysian Indian community. It has been rightly said that every issue in Malaysia, whether political, cultural or economic, had always been and would continue to be dominated by ethnic considerations. The entire political system is based on communal politics. The ordinary Malaysian grows up and lives under a pervasive communal atmosphere. While ethnicity would continue to dominate, the nature of political discourse is changing from time to time, depending upon the changing political dynamics. In order to put the issues in proper perspective, it is necessary to highlight certain political realities.
The Malays feel that they are the indigenous people (Bhumiputra) and, therefore, they have a special claim for dominance in the political and cultural life of the country. The British colonialists upheld this claim and ruled the country in the name of Malay Sultans, on whom sovereignty vested. At the same time, as part of imperialist objectives, the British also encouraged large-scale immigration of Chinese and Indians for the economic exploitation of the country’s natural resources.
The existence of a plural society prevented the growth of anti-British feelings and a sense of common nationalism in Malaya before the Second World War. As the English novelist Somerset Maugham wrote, “Malaya was a first rate country for third rate English men”.
The political awakening of the Malays, in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, following the introduction of the Malayan Union Proposals (a unitary state to which the Sultans were to cede their sovereignty) and the unity that they forged under the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) had far reaching consequences. Not only did it compel the British to withdraw the Malayan Union proposals, it also clearly revealed that the Malays would never give up their pre-eminent position in the political life of Malaya.
While in later years, the Malay leaders did co-operate with the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC), in the larger interests of Malaya as a whole, the dynamic leadership of Malayan nationalism has always remained in Malay hands. The Alliance, which was voted to power in 1955, was not an alliance of equal partners; it was an alliance in which the supremacy of the Malays was clearly established.
The transformation of the Alliance into Barisan Nasional in the 1970’s, with the incorporation of various Malay and non-Malay political parties, further reduced the political clout of the MCA and the MIC. On the eve of independence in August 1957, the Malays and the non-Malays were roughly equal in numbers (Malays 49.8 per cent, Chinese 37.1 per cent, Indians 11.1 per cent and the others 2.0 per cent). Over the years the demographic structure has radically altered to the advantage of the Malays. Higher rate of natural increase and large scale immigration of Indonesian Malays have contributed to the burgeoning of Malay population.
The Bhumiputras (Malays plus the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak, which were incorporated into Malaysia in 1963) constitute nearly two thirds of the population; the Chinese constitute 23.7 per cent and the Indians 7.1 per cent. An important clue to the understanding of the political economy is the social and political contract arrived by the elite of the three communities on the eve of independence. It was assumed that the economic predominance of the Chinese would be offset by the political supremacy of the Malays.
It was believed that with the passage of time this equilibrium would give way to a more balanced one, the Malays would play a greater role in the economic life and the Chinese and the Indians would play a greater role in politics. The pre-eminent position of the Malays was enshrined in the Constitution – the retention of the Malay Sultanate, the acceptance of Islam as the State Religion, constitutional provisions safeguarding the “special rights” of the Malays and the acceptance of Malay as the national and official language.
The major concession made to the non-Malays was the conferment of citizenship on them. The fragility of the Malaysian political system came out into the open on May 13, 1969, when following the reverses suffered by the Alliance in the general elections, large-scale Sino-Malay clashes took place in Kuala Lumpur. Emergency was proclaimed and when democratic process was restored after amending the Constitution, Malay political power was further entrenched. The Royal Commission appointed to enquire into the riots was of the view that the crisis was due to the disenchantment and frustration of the Malays, who had not enjoyed the fruits of independence. In 1970, Malay corporate ownership was a meager 2.4 per cent, compared with 63.3 per cent enjoyed by the foreigners, 22.4 per cent enjoyed by the Chinese and 10.0 per cent by unknown parties.
While the overall poverty incidence was high, 51.2 per cent in 1970, 76.0 per cent of them were Malays. A New Economic Policy (replaced by National Integrity Plan in 2004) was launched to bring about economic transformation, with particular emphasis on the development of the Malays. In the political sphere, democratic rights were curtailed, it was made a seditious criminal offence to challenge the special rights conferred on the Malays, the language provisions in the Constitution, institution of Sultanate and citizenship laws.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Mahathir (1981-2003) Malaysia underwent a fundamental transformation. From being a producer of primary commodities, it had become an industrialized country, virtually an economic power house in the ASEAN region. Despite occasional hiccups, for example, during the Asian economic crisis, the country registered an economic growth averaging 8.0 per cent. The absolute poverty level came down from 51.2 per cent in 1970 to 7.0 per cent in 2000. By 1990, the Malay share in the corporate capital went up to 19.2 per cent, Chinese 46.8 per cent and the Indians 1.5 per cent, the nominee companies 8.5 per cent and the balance owned by the foreigners.
What further endeared Dr. Mahathir was his strong criticism of American foreign policy in West Asia and Southeast Asia. The negative side of the story was increasing authoritarianism. In addition to continuing criticism of the non-Malays about the pro-Malay and pro-Islamic policies of the government, the discontent also spread to Malay middle class. T
he first to raise the banner of revolt was Tunku Razaleigh Hamzah, who in 1987 formed a secular Malay party, Parti Sengamat 46 (Spirit of 46). Subsequently Razaleigh was readmitted into UMNO. Far more important was the revolt led by Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, who formed a political party called Kedilan (Justice Party) under the leadership of his wife.
The unfair trial of Anwar Ibrahim, coupled with the third degree treatment meted out to him, has earned him considerable good will in Malaysia and abroad. After his release, Anwar Ibrahim started speaking in a more democratic idiom, for widening the democratic space, tolerance of dissent and the establishment of a truly pluralist society, with emphasis on redistributive justice. He was prepared to champion the non-Malay cause when he promised to abolish the New Economic Policy and to promote equality for all.
The cumulative effect was the ruling Barisan Nasional suffered serious reverses in the general election held in March 2008. In the 12th general election, the UMNO and its coalition partners in the Barisan Nasional suffered unprecedented reverses. It lost its two third majority in parliament. What is more, it was removed from power in four states – Kedah, Perak, Penang and Selangor – besides failing to regain power in Kelantan. What is more, Anwar Ibrahim re-entered parliament by winning the by election in the Permatang Pauh, with a huge majority. Anwar Ibrahim is openly making a bid for power by enticing ruling party members of parliament into his fold. Another important consequence was the decision of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to expedite the transfer of power to his deputy Najib Abdul Razak.
An important political reality must be highlighted. It is extremely difficult for opposition parties to function in Malaysia. The dracnonian Internal Security Act, which provides for detention without trial, has been frequently used against opposition leaders, Malay and non-Malay alike. The Internal Security Act is inhuman, because it denies the victim a fundamental human right, the right to a fair trial. Anwar Ibrahim underlined some of the evils of the Malaysian political system in an international conference in New Delhi, few months ago, “What is an election if the political parties in the opposition do not have access to freedom of speech, assembly and movement, necessary to voice their criticisms of the government openly and to bring alternative policies and candidates to the voters?
Where I come from, the opposition is barred from the air waves, rallies are not allowed and opposition newspapers operate underground”. Prof. Harold Crouch, an astute observer of the Malaysian political scene, has remarked, “It is hard to place Malaysia in a clear cut category between democracy and authoritarianism”.
He concludes “Malaysia is neither democratic nor authoritarian … as the Malaysian political system has been oscillating between repression and responsiveness”. Let me now take up the second part of the essay dealing with the complex issues relating to the marginalization of the vast majority of Malaysian Indian community.
At the end of the Second World War, the Indians (the term today includes Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans) constituted about 14.0 per cent of the population of Malaya. Number of them returned to India during the years of the communist insurgency and the dark days following the communal riots in May 1969.
By 2,000, Indians numbered 1.8 million, representing 7.7 per cent of the total Malaysian population of 21.89 million. According to the Singhvi Committee Report, the total number of Indians in Malaysia is 1,665,000, of which 1,600,000 are Malaysian citizens, 15,000 are non resident Indians and 50,000 are stateless people. Approximately, 80.0 per cent of them are Tamils; followed by North Indians (mainly Sikhs) 7.7 per cent; Malayalis 4.7 per cent; Telugus 3.4 per cent; Sri Lankan Tamils 2.7 per cent; Pakistanis and Bangladeshis 1.1 per cent and others 0.4 per cent. As far as religion is concerned, Hindus number 81.2 per cent; Christians 8.4 per cent; Muslims 6.7 per cent; Sikhs 3.1 per cent; Buddhists 0.5 per cent and others 0.1 per cent.
In the specific context of Malaysia, where Islam, the religion of the Malays, is the State religion, sections of the Muslim community of Indian origin have got assimilated into the Malay society.
We should make a distinction between the middle class (mainly non-Tamils and Sri Lankan Tamils) whose standard of living is fairly high and the working class (mainly Tamil) who are poor and getting marginalized. The working class belongs to the lower castes of the Hindu society like Adi Dravidar, Vannan, Maruttuvar, Nadar, Vanniyar etc.
The Indians, especially Tamils from the Madras Presidency, were the preferred labourers to develop the rubber plantations, because they displayed unquestioned loyalty and obedience, content with what they earned and were non-rebellious by nature. Most of them continue to be weighed down by low esteem, which is worsened by lack of interaction between the well-off and the less well-off sections.
A notable feature of the Indian community is its changing socio-economic profile. In 1970, 47 per cent of the Indians were engaged in agriculture, 74 per cent of them in the plantations. With rapid economic expansion and diversification of the economy, the plantations have been converted for other purposes, including the construction of luxury homes. The uprooted Indians were only paid a pittance as compensation. They naturally migrated to urban areas and joined the squatter population.
Few years ago, Samy Velu, the President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), deplored the plight of thousands of estate workers “living in squalor in slums in dozens of long-houses and squatter settlements all over Selangor”.
Aliran, the well-known journal of the Malaysian reform movement, provided statistical details, few years ago, which made alarming reading. 40 per cent of the serious crimes in Malaysia are committed by the Indians; there are 38 Indian based gangs with 1,500 active members; during the 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 the Emergency Regulations and banished to Simpang Rengamm prison.
In the field of social woes, it is the same story. In Kuala Lumpur, 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.
The communal clashes that took place between the Indians and the Malays in Kuala Lumpur in March 2001 sent shock waves throughout Malaysia. It was the worst ethnic riots since the communal clashes in May 1969. Ethnic tensions in Malaysia are mainly due to Sino-Malay rivalry; but the Indian involvement in 2001 riots (five of the six killed were Indians and the other was an Indonesian) was a sad reminder that in Malaysia’s progress towards prosperity, the Indians were being left behind.
The disadvantaged status is clearly visible in the economic sphere. The Chinese are firmly entrenched in trade, business and industry. They are reconciled to the subordinate status in the political life of the country; at the same time, they have sharpened entrepreneurial skills and have become indispensable.
The status of the Malays has steadily improved as a result of the energetic drive of the Malaysian Government since the introduction of the New Economic Policy. In 1970, the Indians owned only 1.0 per cent of the share capital in limited companies, while the Chinese controlled 22.5 per cent, Malays 1.0 per cent and the rest being held by the foreigners. At the turn of the century, the Indians held only 1.5 per cent, compared to 19.4 per cent of the Malays and 38.5 per cent of the Chinese, the balance being held by the foreigners.
The deplorable status of the Tamils is directly related to poor educational attainments. Though the Malaysian Government has expanded educational facilities in a big way since independence, the fruits of education have not percolated to the disadvantaged sections of Indians population. The importance of education in the development of disadvantaged sections of population has been highlighted by many writers.
It is a means of upward social and economic mobility; an avenue of modernization; an instrument to enrich cultural life and, above all, in the Malaysian context, a means of national unity and integration. The Indians continue to be the most disadvantaged section at all levels of education. The Tamil medium primary schools are in a deplorable stage. Single teacher handling multiple classes; ill equipped schools with teachers having no commitment and high drop rates are some of the serious drawbacks. The family life is characterized by alcoholism, violence against women and addiction to Tamil TV Channels.
They do not provide a congenial atmosphere for study. As a result, only limited number of Tamil students reaches the university stage. The current intake of Indian students in Malaysian universities is only 6.2 per cent, most of these students hail from non-Tamil and Sri Lankan Tamil sections; the few Indian Tamils, who are lucky to get admission in the Universities, are also from relatively affluent families.
Compounding the complex situation is the general perception that increasing Islamisation of the country and destruction of Hindu temples are posing grave threats to the Hindu way of life. Given below are two illustrations which took place in 2003. The first related to Shyamala Sathiaseelan. Shyamala’s husband got converted to Islam, he gained custody of their two children and had them converted to Islam without the permission of his wife. Shyamala’s appeal for help from authorities went unheeded. The second case involved Murthy Maniam, a convert to Islam, whose dead body was buried according to Muslim rites by the religious authorities despite his widow’s claim that he had remained a practicing Hindu until his death.
The non-Muslim members of the Malaysian cabinet requested the Prime Minister to provide constitutional guarantees for religious freedom, but their appeal was ignored by Prime Minister Badawi. Many Hindus also were deeply hurt when, for the first time, the UMNO General Assembly was held during Deepavali. As Dilip Lahiri, former Indian diplomat has written the UMNO youth leaders brandished and kissed the Kris (dagger) and threatened to shed Chinese and Indian blood if Malay supremacy was challenged. The Hindus also began to feel that the Government was lukewarm on the sensitive question of destruction of Hindu temples. As a result, the HINDRAF and allied organizations began to take deep roots in the Hindu community. In the preservation of the Hindu identity, in the prevailing atmosphere of increasing Islamisation, the temples do play a very big role.
The temples and religious festivals are the only visible attachment to traditions and the Hindus cling to them tenaciously. Needless to say, there is a close nexus between religion and Malay politics. The policies of the Malaysian Government have been double edged. On the one hand the leaders of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) are committed to the promotion of Islam in all possible ways. Dr. Mahathir has mentioned several times that Malaysia is an Islamic State and the Islamic identity is projected in a big way both within the country and outside. Such a policy is necessary to mobilize the Malays under the UMNO banner.
Otherwise, the Malays will flock to Parti Islam (PAS) for leadership and inspiration. At the same time, the realities of Malaysia and the needs of modernization dictate that the Government must encourage a less exclusivist approach towards Islam. When the desecration of the Hindu temples began in 1978, the most horrendous being the destruction of the Murugan temple in Kerling, Prime Minister Hussein Onn came down heavily on the Islamic extremists. But the situation has been allowed to drift during recent years.
In its Memorandum, the HINDRAF has pointed out that in every three weeks one Hindu temple is destroyed in Malaysia, the most significant being the demolition of the Mariamman temple in Shah Alam. The Government maintains that most of these temples have been constructed in government owned lands without proper authorization. But the temples have been functioning for many years; strangely there are no reports of the destruction of Chinese places of worship. Is it because the Chinese are more organized and will hit back if their religious beliefs are tampered with?
The question should legitimately be asked – to what extent has the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), which represents the Indian community in the government, has succeeded in its primary objective of safeguarding the interests of the Indian community? An Indian observer of the Malaysian scene comes to a dismal conclusion. Factional struggle and disunity had been the major curse of the Indian community.
Since its inception in 1946, fight for power, petty politicking and mud slinging had been its major attributes. The rivalry between Devaser and Sambandan; between Sambandan and Manickavasagam; Manickavasagam and Sami Velu; and among Sami Velu, Padmanabhan, Subramaniam and Panditan – it brings no laurels to the Indian community. Samy Velu is more interested in ingratiating himself with the Malay leadership rather than championing legitimate Indian interests and aspirations. What is more, self-help measures, initiated by the MIC, with much fanfare, have not led to desired results.
For example, the Maika Holdings Bhd, started in 1982, as an investment vehicle for the Malaysian Indians, incurred heavy losses, resulting in the loss of savings of large number of poor Indians. Frustration and anger against the leadership found expression when the Indian youth began to disturb the functions organized by the MIC; very often Samy Velu was booed and jeered. How distant the MIC was from the ordinary Indians became evident when the results of the 2008 parliamentary elections were announced.
Of the nine MIC candidates of the Barisan Nasional, only three could win their seats, and that too with slender margins, those who were defeated included Samy Velu, the President of the MIC, who lost the Sungai Siput constituency in the Perak State. The emergence of the HINDRAF has to be viewed in the backdrop of the alienation of large sections of Indians, coupled with a non-performing MIC. The unfortunate events in Malaysia naturally attracted the attention of Indian leaders. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee and Chief Minister Karunanidhi have expressed concern and regret over the turn of events in Malaysia.
Their objective is not to interfere with the internal affairs of a friendly country, but to influence the Malaysian Government to initiate immediate steps for the redressal of long pending grievances. The Malaysian response has been unfortunate. Representatives of the Malaysian Government, including the Prime Minister, have demanded that the Government of Tamil Nadu should keep off from what it considers to be an internal matter of Malaysia.
What is the record of the Malaysian Government in this respect? As a leading member of the international Islamic organization, the Malaysian Government has sharply criticized many governments for pursuing policies, which have adversely affected the Moslem communities. The UMNO and the PAS, the two leading Malay parties, have, on several occasions since independence, criticized the policies of the Thai Government which has led to the alienation of the Malay minority in Southern Thailand.
The Malay leaders have also criticized the Government of Singapore for pursuing discriminatory policies against the Malay minority in the island. The Malaysian criticism of India, to say the least, is an illustration of the pot calling the kettle black. The increasing intolerance of the Malaysian Government and its vocal advocacy of OIC sponsored causes have cast a long shadow over India – Malaysia relations. As the former Indian diplomat, Dilip Lahiri has pointed out, on a range of issues affecting India-Southeast Asia relations, Malaysia had been the “most difficult” among the member states of ASEAN.
The Malaysian Government is preparing itself to crack down on the HINDRAF; few government spokesmen have started leveling the unsubstantiated charge that the HINDRAF has links with the Tamil Tigers. The perceptive Indian observers of the Southeast Asian scene remember that when General Rabuka began systematically to discriminate against the Indian community in Fiji, in order to justify himself, he was quoting chapter and verse from Dr. Mahathir’s book, The Malay Dilemma.
Few years ago, in Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, few Indian expatriates, who were working in the IT industry, were rounded up and detained as illegal immigrants, though they had proper documents to prove that they had entered Malaysia through legal channels. The shocked Indian diplomats immediately protested, and the Malaysian Government had to tender an apology for its inhuman behaviour.
Turbluent times are ahead in Malaysia and for the Malaysian Indians. The Malaysian Indian community is at the cross roads today. If the present situation is allowed to drift and deteriorate, the community would suffer untold damages and would be left behind in the economic and educational advancement of the country. If the present hardships are to be overcome, it is important the Indian community must re-evaluate its role and chalk out a new destiny by sinking its differences and working as a team.
The minority character of the Indian community and its vulnerable position makes such a task all the more urgent and imperative. The Malaysian Government must also view the marginalized and impoverished Indian community with greater sympathy and understanding and ensure that the Indians, to begin with, at least obtain a share equal to their proportion in the population.
(Dr. V. Suryanarayan is Senior Professor and Director (Retd), Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras. This paper was presented in the International Seminar on India and Asia-Pacific: Convergence and Divergence at the Centre for Southeast Asian and Pacific Studies, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati on 13th October 2008).
The unprecedented demonstration by Malaysian Indians before the British High Commission in Kula Lumpur at the end of November 2007, under the sponsorship of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), has brought into sharp focus the pathetic situation in which the Indian community finds itself today. The HINDRAF is a coalition of 30 non-governmental organizations, committed to the preservation and promotion of the Hindu identity. The coalition had been agitating against what it calls the unofficial policy of temple demolition and the steady introduction of Sharia-based law.
The Memorandum, submitted to the British High Commission, demanded that the United Kingdom should move an emergency resolution in the United Nations condemning the “ethnic cleansing” taking place in Malaysia. It also appealed that the issue should be referred to the World Court and International Criminal Court of Justice for crimes against its own ethnic minority Indians. In August 2007 the Malaysian Indians had approached the Royal Court of Justice demanding compensation of US Dollars 4 Trillion, which works out to US Dollars one million to every Malaysian Indian, for bringing their forefathers as indentured labourers and failing to protect their rights and interests on the eve of Malayan independence.
The Malaysian Government, true to its authoritarian traditions, refused permission to hold the rally, arrested the leaders and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the nearly 35,000 demonstrators. The leaders of the HINDRAF should know that historical wrongs perpetrated during the colonial era, like the indenture system, cannot be undone. Presumably their objective was to highlight the increasing marginalization of the Indian community in the social, economic, political and cultural life of Malaysia. A Malaysian Indian student, Ananthi, a Rhodes Scholar, reading for her PhD in Oxford University, echoed the feelings of the overwhelming majority of her community, in a letter widely circulated in Malaysia.
To quote Ananthi, “It was about being neglected, about not having a seat at the table to bargain, about having a national and communal leadership that we do not trust and is utterly discreditable. It is about saying no to being the forgotten Indians, and not enough of us in our comfortable houses, those of us who worked to manage to work the system to our benefit – stood with the other Indians, who are not so different from us”. For the first time, the marginalized Malaysian Indians displayed the power of Makkal Shakti (people’s power).
This paper is divided into two sections. The first deals with the changing political dynamics in Malaysia and the second analyses the factors that have led to the marginalization of the overwhelming sections of the Malaysian Indian community. It has been rightly said that every issue in Malaysia, whether political, cultural or economic, had always been and would continue to be dominated by ethnic considerations. The entire political system is based on communal politics. The ordinary Malaysian grows up and lives under a pervasive communal atmosphere. While ethnicity would continue to dominate, the nature of political discourse is changing from time to time, depending upon the changing political dynamics. In order to put the issues in proper perspective, it is necessary to highlight certain political realities.
The Malays feel that they are the indigenous people (Bhumiputra) and, therefore, they have a special claim for dominance in the political and cultural life of the country. The British colonialists upheld this claim and ruled the country in the name of Malay Sultans, on whom sovereignty vested. At the same time, as part of imperialist objectives, the British also encouraged large-scale immigration of Chinese and Indians for the economic exploitation of the country’s natural resources.
The existence of a plural society prevented the growth of anti-British feelings and a sense of common nationalism in Malaya before the Second World War. As the English novelist Somerset Maugham wrote, “Malaya was a first rate country for third rate English men”.
The political awakening of the Malays, in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, following the introduction of the Malayan Union Proposals (a unitary state to which the Sultans were to cede their sovereignty) and the unity that they forged under the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) had far reaching consequences. Not only did it compel the British to withdraw the Malayan Union proposals, it also clearly revealed that the Malays would never give up their pre-eminent position in the political life of Malaya.
While in later years, the Malay leaders did co-operate with the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC), in the larger interests of Malaya as a whole, the dynamic leadership of Malayan nationalism has always remained in Malay hands. The Alliance, which was voted to power in 1955, was not an alliance of equal partners; it was an alliance in which the supremacy of the Malays was clearly established.
The transformation of the Alliance into Barisan Nasional in the 1970’s, with the incorporation of various Malay and non-Malay political parties, further reduced the political clout of the MCA and the MIC. On the eve of independence in August 1957, the Malays and the non-Malays were roughly equal in numbers (Malays 49.8 per cent, Chinese 37.1 per cent, Indians 11.1 per cent and the others 2.0 per cent). Over the years the demographic structure has radically altered to the advantage of the Malays. Higher rate of natural increase and large scale immigration of Indonesian Malays have contributed to the burgeoning of Malay population.
The Bhumiputras (Malays plus the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak, which were incorporated into Malaysia in 1963) constitute nearly two thirds of the population; the Chinese constitute 23.7 per cent and the Indians 7.1 per cent. An important clue to the understanding of the political economy is the social and political contract arrived by the elite of the three communities on the eve of independence. It was assumed that the economic predominance of the Chinese would be offset by the political supremacy of the Malays.
It was believed that with the passage of time this equilibrium would give way to a more balanced one, the Malays would play a greater role in the economic life and the Chinese and the Indians would play a greater role in politics. The pre-eminent position of the Malays was enshrined in the Constitution – the retention of the Malay Sultanate, the acceptance of Islam as the State Religion, constitutional provisions safeguarding the “special rights” of the Malays and the acceptance of Malay as the national and official language.
The major concession made to the non-Malays was the conferment of citizenship on them. The fragility of the Malaysian political system came out into the open on May 13, 1969, when following the reverses suffered by the Alliance in the general elections, large-scale Sino-Malay clashes took place in Kuala Lumpur. Emergency was proclaimed and when democratic process was restored after amending the Constitution, Malay political power was further entrenched. The Royal Commission appointed to enquire into the riots was of the view that the crisis was due to the disenchantment and frustration of the Malays, who had not enjoyed the fruits of independence. In 1970, Malay corporate ownership was a meager 2.4 per cent, compared with 63.3 per cent enjoyed by the foreigners, 22.4 per cent enjoyed by the Chinese and 10.0 per cent by unknown parties.
While the overall poverty incidence was high, 51.2 per cent in 1970, 76.0 per cent of them were Malays. A New Economic Policy (replaced by National Integrity Plan in 2004) was launched to bring about economic transformation, with particular emphasis on the development of the Malays. In the political sphere, democratic rights were curtailed, it was made a seditious criminal offence to challenge the special rights conferred on the Malays, the language provisions in the Constitution, institution of Sultanate and citizenship laws.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Mahathir (1981-2003) Malaysia underwent a fundamental transformation. From being a producer of primary commodities, it had become an industrialized country, virtually an economic power house in the ASEAN region. Despite occasional hiccups, for example, during the Asian economic crisis, the country registered an economic growth averaging 8.0 per cent. The absolute poverty level came down from 51.2 per cent in 1970 to 7.0 per cent in 2000. By 1990, the Malay share in the corporate capital went up to 19.2 per cent, Chinese 46.8 per cent and the Indians 1.5 per cent, the nominee companies 8.5 per cent and the balance owned by the foreigners.
What further endeared Dr. Mahathir was his strong criticism of American foreign policy in West Asia and Southeast Asia. The negative side of the story was increasing authoritarianism. In addition to continuing criticism of the non-Malays about the pro-Malay and pro-Islamic policies of the government, the discontent also spread to Malay middle class. T
he first to raise the banner of revolt was Tunku Razaleigh Hamzah, who in 1987 formed a secular Malay party, Parti Sengamat 46 (Spirit of 46). Subsequently Razaleigh was readmitted into UMNO. Far more important was the revolt led by Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, who formed a political party called Kedilan (Justice Party) under the leadership of his wife.
The unfair trial of Anwar Ibrahim, coupled with the third degree treatment meted out to him, has earned him considerable good will in Malaysia and abroad. After his release, Anwar Ibrahim started speaking in a more democratic idiom, for widening the democratic space, tolerance of dissent and the establishment of a truly pluralist society, with emphasis on redistributive justice. He was prepared to champion the non-Malay cause when he promised to abolish the New Economic Policy and to promote equality for all.
The cumulative effect was the ruling Barisan Nasional suffered serious reverses in the general election held in March 2008. In the 12th general election, the UMNO and its coalition partners in the Barisan Nasional suffered unprecedented reverses. It lost its two third majority in parliament. What is more, it was removed from power in four states – Kedah, Perak, Penang and Selangor – besides failing to regain power in Kelantan. What is more, Anwar Ibrahim re-entered parliament by winning the by election in the Permatang Pauh, with a huge majority. Anwar Ibrahim is openly making a bid for power by enticing ruling party members of parliament into his fold. Another important consequence was the decision of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to expedite the transfer of power to his deputy Najib Abdul Razak.
An important political reality must be highlighted. It is extremely difficult for opposition parties to function in Malaysia. The dracnonian Internal Security Act, which provides for detention without trial, has been frequently used against opposition leaders, Malay and non-Malay alike. The Internal Security Act is inhuman, because it denies the victim a fundamental human right, the right to a fair trial. Anwar Ibrahim underlined some of the evils of the Malaysian political system in an international conference in New Delhi, few months ago, “What is an election if the political parties in the opposition do not have access to freedom of speech, assembly and movement, necessary to voice their criticisms of the government openly and to bring alternative policies and candidates to the voters?
Where I come from, the opposition is barred from the air waves, rallies are not allowed and opposition newspapers operate underground”. Prof. Harold Crouch, an astute observer of the Malaysian political scene, has remarked, “It is hard to place Malaysia in a clear cut category between democracy and authoritarianism”.
He concludes “Malaysia is neither democratic nor authoritarian … as the Malaysian political system has been oscillating between repression and responsiveness”. Let me now take up the second part of the essay dealing with the complex issues relating to the marginalization of the vast majority of Malaysian Indian community.
At the end of the Second World War, the Indians (the term today includes Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans) constituted about 14.0 per cent of the population of Malaya. Number of them returned to India during the years of the communist insurgency and the dark days following the communal riots in May 1969.
By 2,000, Indians numbered 1.8 million, representing 7.7 per cent of the total Malaysian population of 21.89 million. According to the Singhvi Committee Report, the total number of Indians in Malaysia is 1,665,000, of which 1,600,000 are Malaysian citizens, 15,000 are non resident Indians and 50,000 are stateless people. Approximately, 80.0 per cent of them are Tamils; followed by North Indians (mainly Sikhs) 7.7 per cent; Malayalis 4.7 per cent; Telugus 3.4 per cent; Sri Lankan Tamils 2.7 per cent; Pakistanis and Bangladeshis 1.1 per cent and others 0.4 per cent. As far as religion is concerned, Hindus number 81.2 per cent; Christians 8.4 per cent; Muslims 6.7 per cent; Sikhs 3.1 per cent; Buddhists 0.5 per cent and others 0.1 per cent.
In the specific context of Malaysia, where Islam, the religion of the Malays, is the State religion, sections of the Muslim community of Indian origin have got assimilated into the Malay society.
We should make a distinction between the middle class (mainly non-Tamils and Sri Lankan Tamils) whose standard of living is fairly high and the working class (mainly Tamil) who are poor and getting marginalized. The working class belongs to the lower castes of the Hindu society like Adi Dravidar, Vannan, Maruttuvar, Nadar, Vanniyar etc.
The Indians, especially Tamils from the Madras Presidency, were the preferred labourers to develop the rubber plantations, because they displayed unquestioned loyalty and obedience, content with what they earned and were non-rebellious by nature. Most of them continue to be weighed down by low esteem, which is worsened by lack of interaction between the well-off and the less well-off sections.
A notable feature of the Indian community is its changing socio-economic profile. In 1970, 47 per cent of the Indians were engaged in agriculture, 74 per cent of them in the plantations. With rapid economic expansion and diversification of the economy, the plantations have been converted for other purposes, including the construction of luxury homes. The uprooted Indians were only paid a pittance as compensation. They naturally migrated to urban areas and joined the squatter population.
Few years ago, Samy Velu, the President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), deplored the plight of thousands of estate workers “living in squalor in slums in dozens of long-houses and squatter settlements all over Selangor”.
Aliran, the well-known journal of the Malaysian reform movement, provided statistical details, few years ago, which made alarming reading. 40 per cent of the serious crimes in Malaysia are committed by the Indians; there are 38 Indian based gangs with 1,500 active members; during the 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 the Emergency Regulations and banished to Simpang Rengamm prison.
In the field of social woes, it is the same story. In Kuala Lumpur, 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.
The communal clashes that took place between the Indians and the Malays in Kuala Lumpur in March 2001 sent shock waves throughout Malaysia. It was the worst ethnic riots since the communal clashes in May 1969. Ethnic tensions in Malaysia are mainly due to Sino-Malay rivalry; but the Indian involvement in 2001 riots (five of the six killed were Indians and the other was an Indonesian) was a sad reminder that in Malaysia’s progress towards prosperity, the Indians were being left behind.
The disadvantaged status is clearly visible in the economic sphere. The Chinese are firmly entrenched in trade, business and industry. They are reconciled to the subordinate status in the political life of the country; at the same time, they have sharpened entrepreneurial skills and have become indispensable.
The status of the Malays has steadily improved as a result of the energetic drive of the Malaysian Government since the introduction of the New Economic Policy. In 1970, the Indians owned only 1.0 per cent of the share capital in limited companies, while the Chinese controlled 22.5 per cent, Malays 1.0 per cent and the rest being held by the foreigners. At the turn of the century, the Indians held only 1.5 per cent, compared to 19.4 per cent of the Malays and 38.5 per cent of the Chinese, the balance being held by the foreigners.
The deplorable status of the Tamils is directly related to poor educational attainments. Though the Malaysian Government has expanded educational facilities in a big way since independence, the fruits of education have not percolated to the disadvantaged sections of Indians population. The importance of education in the development of disadvantaged sections of population has been highlighted by many writers.
It is a means of upward social and economic mobility; an avenue of modernization; an instrument to enrich cultural life and, above all, in the Malaysian context, a means of national unity and integration. The Indians continue to be the most disadvantaged section at all levels of education. The Tamil medium primary schools are in a deplorable stage. Single teacher handling multiple classes; ill equipped schools with teachers having no commitment and high drop rates are some of the serious drawbacks. The family life is characterized by alcoholism, violence against women and addiction to Tamil TV Channels.
They do not provide a congenial atmosphere for study. As a result, only limited number of Tamil students reaches the university stage. The current intake of Indian students in Malaysian universities is only 6.2 per cent, most of these students hail from non-Tamil and Sri Lankan Tamil sections; the few Indian Tamils, who are lucky to get admission in the Universities, are also from relatively affluent families.
Compounding the complex situation is the general perception that increasing Islamisation of the country and destruction of Hindu temples are posing grave threats to the Hindu way of life. Given below are two illustrations which took place in 2003. The first related to Shyamala Sathiaseelan. Shyamala’s husband got converted to Islam, he gained custody of their two children and had them converted to Islam without the permission of his wife. Shyamala’s appeal for help from authorities went unheeded. The second case involved Murthy Maniam, a convert to Islam, whose dead body was buried according to Muslim rites by the religious authorities despite his widow’s claim that he had remained a practicing Hindu until his death.
The non-Muslim members of the Malaysian cabinet requested the Prime Minister to provide constitutional guarantees for religious freedom, but their appeal was ignored by Prime Minister Badawi. Many Hindus also were deeply hurt when, for the first time, the UMNO General Assembly was held during Deepavali. As Dilip Lahiri, former Indian diplomat has written the UMNO youth leaders brandished and kissed the Kris (dagger) and threatened to shed Chinese and Indian blood if Malay supremacy was challenged. The Hindus also began to feel that the Government was lukewarm on the sensitive question of destruction of Hindu temples. As a result, the HINDRAF and allied organizations began to take deep roots in the Hindu community. In the preservation of the Hindu identity, in the prevailing atmosphere of increasing Islamisation, the temples do play a very big role.
The temples and religious festivals are the only visible attachment to traditions and the Hindus cling to them tenaciously. Needless to say, there is a close nexus between religion and Malay politics. The policies of the Malaysian Government have been double edged. On the one hand the leaders of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) are committed to the promotion of Islam in all possible ways. Dr. Mahathir has mentioned several times that Malaysia is an Islamic State and the Islamic identity is projected in a big way both within the country and outside. Such a policy is necessary to mobilize the Malays under the UMNO banner.
Otherwise, the Malays will flock to Parti Islam (PAS) for leadership and inspiration. At the same time, the realities of Malaysia and the needs of modernization dictate that the Government must encourage a less exclusivist approach towards Islam. When the desecration of the Hindu temples began in 1978, the most horrendous being the destruction of the Murugan temple in Kerling, Prime Minister Hussein Onn came down heavily on the Islamic extremists. But the situation has been allowed to drift during recent years.
In its Memorandum, the HINDRAF has pointed out that in every three weeks one Hindu temple is destroyed in Malaysia, the most significant being the demolition of the Mariamman temple in Shah Alam. The Government maintains that most of these temples have been constructed in government owned lands without proper authorization. But the temples have been functioning for many years; strangely there are no reports of the destruction of Chinese places of worship. Is it because the Chinese are more organized and will hit back if their religious beliefs are tampered with?
The question should legitimately be asked – to what extent has the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), which represents the Indian community in the government, has succeeded in its primary objective of safeguarding the interests of the Indian community? An Indian observer of the Malaysian scene comes to a dismal conclusion. Factional struggle and disunity had been the major curse of the Indian community.
Since its inception in 1946, fight for power, petty politicking and mud slinging had been its major attributes. The rivalry between Devaser and Sambandan; between Sambandan and Manickavasagam; Manickavasagam and Sami Velu; and among Sami Velu, Padmanabhan, Subramaniam and Panditan – it brings no laurels to the Indian community. Samy Velu is more interested in ingratiating himself with the Malay leadership rather than championing legitimate Indian interests and aspirations. What is more, self-help measures, initiated by the MIC, with much fanfare, have not led to desired results.
For example, the Maika Holdings Bhd, started in 1982, as an investment vehicle for the Malaysian Indians, incurred heavy losses, resulting in the loss of savings of large number of poor Indians. Frustration and anger against the leadership found expression when the Indian youth began to disturb the functions organized by the MIC; very often Samy Velu was booed and jeered. How distant the MIC was from the ordinary Indians became evident when the results of the 2008 parliamentary elections were announced.
Of the nine MIC candidates of the Barisan Nasional, only three could win their seats, and that too with slender margins, those who were defeated included Samy Velu, the President of the MIC, who lost the Sungai Siput constituency in the Perak State. The emergence of the HINDRAF has to be viewed in the backdrop of the alienation of large sections of Indians, coupled with a non-performing MIC. The unfortunate events in Malaysia naturally attracted the attention of Indian leaders. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee and Chief Minister Karunanidhi have expressed concern and regret over the turn of events in Malaysia.
Their objective is not to interfere with the internal affairs of a friendly country, but to influence the Malaysian Government to initiate immediate steps for the redressal of long pending grievances. The Malaysian response has been unfortunate. Representatives of the Malaysian Government, including the Prime Minister, have demanded that the Government of Tamil Nadu should keep off from what it considers to be an internal matter of Malaysia.
What is the record of the Malaysian Government in this respect? As a leading member of the international Islamic organization, the Malaysian Government has sharply criticized many governments for pursuing policies, which have adversely affected the Moslem communities. The UMNO and the PAS, the two leading Malay parties, have, on several occasions since independence, criticized the policies of the Thai Government which has led to the alienation of the Malay minority in Southern Thailand.
The Malay leaders have also criticized the Government of Singapore for pursuing discriminatory policies against the Malay minority in the island. The Malaysian criticism of India, to say the least, is an illustration of the pot calling the kettle black. The increasing intolerance of the Malaysian Government and its vocal advocacy of OIC sponsored causes have cast a long shadow over India – Malaysia relations. As the former Indian diplomat, Dilip Lahiri has pointed out, on a range of issues affecting India-Southeast Asia relations, Malaysia had been the “most difficult” among the member states of ASEAN.
The Malaysian Government is preparing itself to crack down on the HINDRAF; few government spokesmen have started leveling the unsubstantiated charge that the HINDRAF has links with the Tamil Tigers. The perceptive Indian observers of the Southeast Asian scene remember that when General Rabuka began systematically to discriminate against the Indian community in Fiji, in order to justify himself, he was quoting chapter and verse from Dr. Mahathir’s book, The Malay Dilemma.
Few years ago, in Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, few Indian expatriates, who were working in the IT industry, were rounded up and detained as illegal immigrants, though they had proper documents to prove that they had entered Malaysia through legal channels. The shocked Indian diplomats immediately protested, and the Malaysian Government had to tender an apology for its inhuman behaviour.
Turbluent times are ahead in Malaysia and for the Malaysian Indians. The Malaysian Indian community is at the cross roads today. If the present situation is allowed to drift and deteriorate, the community would suffer untold damages and would be left behind in the economic and educational advancement of the country. If the present hardships are to be overcome, it is important the Indian community must re-evaluate its role and chalk out a new destiny by sinking its differences and working as a team.
The minority character of the Indian community and its vulnerable position makes such a task all the more urgent and imperative. The Malaysian Government must also view the marginalized and impoverished Indian community with greater sympathy and understanding and ensure that the Indians, to begin with, at least obtain a share equal to their proportion in the population.
(Dr. V. Suryanarayan is Senior Professor and Director (Retd), Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras. This paper was presented in the International Seminar on India and Asia-Pacific: Convergence and Divergence at the Centre for Southeast Asian and Pacific Studies, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati on 13th October 2008).
Hindraf did not and will not ever insult our Malay Brethren - we are all one - Anak Bangsa Malaysia.
Two similar occasions, one was the PWTC Open House hosted by our PM, the other Hari Raya Open House hosted by Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and yet how different the treatment…
The very same 6years old Vwaishnavi, daughter of Hindraf chairman P.Waythamoorthy with the almost similar home made, Hari Raya greeting card carrying the same message accompanied by a teddy bear. The same Hindraf supporters of approximately 200 members, in their now familiar, orange Tee shirts. The very same occasion of Hari Raya open house but only this time hosted by the opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur on 12th October 2008.
As the supporters began to gather outside Sultan Sulaiman Club, our Muslim brothers who were passing by smiled and waved at us. In return Hindraf supporters wished them "Selamat Hari Raya bang”. Police officers on duty too were greeted Selamat Hari Raya by the Hindraf supporters, some of them wished us back while some just smiled and waved. What a contrast from the reception we got from the policemen on duty at PWTC? Were these officers the same ones who stopped and bullied us at PWTC? On whose orders?
Similar to our attendance at PWTC on the 1st of October 2008, Vwaishnnavi and her mother Mrs.Shanti took the lead into the club together with the Kapar MP YB Manikavasagam. The moment we stepped into the compound YB Zuraida Kamaruddin, the Ampang MP welcomed us . There was an announcement made to mark our presence and thousands of our Malaysian Muslim brothers cheered, clapped and welcomed us into the hall. Among the MPs who welcomed us were YB Tian Chua , YB Sivarasah ,YB Nurul Izzah and I might have missed some of the other hospitable YB's. Minta Maaf.
YB Anwar Ibrahim and Datin Wan Azizah who came in after prayers welcomed the hundreds of the Hindraf supporters with a welcoming smile .They shook hands with each and every one of us. We greeted them "Selamat Hari Raya, Release all ISA detainees and Abolish ISA". Datuk Seri confidently said "sure I will" to me and I believe to the rest as well. To digress a bit, no body says "Makkal Shakti" with so much conviction, encouragement and yet these powerful words of "Peoples'Power" is expressed with gentleness by Kak Wan – truly a woman of substance!! They accepted the same home made card and the teddy bear from little Vwaishnnavi.
Yet what a difference on how we were received by the two hosts and how it was reported by media, Hindraf had been demonized for attending the PWTC open house on 1st October 2008.
Frankly, we never anticipated the shameful way we were treated during the Hari Raya Open House hosted by none other than the PM of Malaysia and his cabinet ministers at PWTC.
Malaysians were fully aware of intentions of getting our Hindraf leaders out before Deepavali so that they may celebrate this auspicious occasion with their family. We are also serious about getting our brother RPK and other ISA detainees released. All of which was turned, twisted , manipulated and propagated by the powers that be.
Hindraf was accused as "Biadap" , "Kurang Ajar" "Pengacau" and the most heart breaking "Insulting Islam and Muslims of this country". This was further compounded with 4 Hindraf supporters being summoned to the Dang Wangi Police station for merely attending the open house of the Prime Minister.
They were charged for illegal gathering?? and trespassing?? at PM's Open House. By the way, we even informed Senior Officers in Putra Jaya on 22nd Sept 2008, that Vwaishnnavi and some of us Hindraf supporters would be at the Open House, PM's secretary assured us that we would be welcome at the open house. Additionally, wasn't the PM's invitation to the open house extended to all Malaysians?
So then why PM Sir, were we consistently provoked ever since we stepped into PWTC premises? You yourself saw how the hand made Hari Raya card by six years old Vwaishnnavi was torn by your officials? This wasn't a petition or a memo. A simple self made Hari Raya Greeting card offered to you by a Malaysian Child was taken over by dozens of police officers who stormed in to confiscate and rip it apart, what an insult to the Indian children and the entire Malaysian community!!
Why then did you say we did not greet you? You and your advisors, the police insulted us Indians, every step of our way in the Open House. Are we not correct to assume that the Hari Raya Open House was paid by us Malaysian Tax payers? So then, why were we so badly treated at our own Malaysian open house? Mr PM, don't you consider us Hindraf supporters as Malaysians?
Is it wrong for us to ask you to release our Hindraf leaders, RPK and other ISA detainees, who are in prison, without you giving us any valid reasons for their imprisonment? So many Malaysians of all races concur with us that the draconian ISA law should be abolished, even members of your own cabinet voiced it out, so what's so wrong about us voicing our democratic right at our own Malaysian Open House??
Then again, why didn't Datuk Seri Anwar , Datin Wan Azizah , rest of the YBs and VIPs present at Sultan Sulaiman Club think that Hindraf as Biadap , Kurang Ajar , pengacau. Our Malay brothers there never commented or felt that Hindraf had insulted theMuslims, by attending this open house in our orange colored Tee shirts with a simple home made Raya greeting card and a teddy bear?? By the way we still asked that ISA be abolished and detainees released, yet what a contrast in treatment we received at PWTC ?
The Main stream media especially the Malay newspapers under your control has blamed and accused us for unruly behavior, labeled our women and children as trouble makers and said Hindraf supporters never respected Hari Raya. The Almighty God knows the truth and you too should let all Malaysians know the truth, that we conducted ourselves with decorum, even though we were initially stopped and not allowed to meet you.
You all with your propaganda had Hindraf demonized, some of you even wanted the society deregistered, do you think you can kill the spirit of Hindraf?? Sorry, we are not just a society, we are a united in spirit, not just Indians, but every Anak Bangsa Malaysia, and this spirit can never die, it will continue until we are accorded due respect as Malaysian citizens.
One may ask why we chose the Hari Raya Open House, our answer Mr Prime Minister is that you have just avoided all our calls to meet you in your office or elsewhere. We have no other choice but to state our request at this open house, we wanted you to look us in the eyes so that we can directly tell you to release our leaders, RPK and other detainees. That's all. So cut out the condemnation and lies about our behaviour.
Many guests who were at the PWTC open house did not even know that we were present. Categorically we did not create any ruckus or commotion, full familes came in support. We are the ones who feel insulted that you did not treat us Malaysian citizens with due respect of a courteous host, especially as one would expect from a person of your stature.
I might not be a scholar on religion, but I can definitely say what the Prime Minister , the deputy prime minister, the home minister , the information minister, the tourism minister, Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister and rest of the ministers have said against Hindraf on and after the 1st of October 2008 Hari Raya Open House at PWTC - untruths, insincerity and lies are never condoned and unacceptable by any religion!!
Sambulingam Wisvalingam
Hindraf National Co-ordination team
Comments (20) from Malaysia Today
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written by DreamLady, October 14, 2008 21:37:28
Hindraf, hats off for your dignity, your bravery to speak the truth, your openess to confront the evils...My heartwarm love for all the Hindraf and the family, and ISA detainees.. May God bless our country !!!
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written by PAKRAK, October 14, 2008 21:52:12
Put it this way: The Hindrafs were not welcome to the HR open house. If DAP, PAS, or PKR were to attend in big groups, I am sure 'they' (UMNO) would even protest. Next time we will not go to any BN/UMNO HR open house. Happy Deepavali in advance. Hindraf, this time stay away from MIC (Samy Velu) open house.
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written by sonofmalaysia, October 14, 2008 21:59:23
Dear Hindraf,
All decent Malaysians are behind you to face adversity and to fight evil . Our country history will remember your courage and endeavour to fend for the poor, the oppressed and the deprived.
Soldier on , victory will be yours and ours, the new bangsa Malaysia !!
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written by kennyeu, October 14, 2008 22:03:44
What a wonderful piece of writing, so pure in its truth and emotions. I'll stand with Hindraf like I would stand with RPK any day. We should all stand for what is right and what is just in this World and to me Hindraf is right.
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written by LAL, October 14, 2008 22:07:25
The God whom we serve is a fair and just God. Truth will prevail. As Deepavali approaches, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
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written by Proud_2b_Malaysian, October 14, 2008 22:11:04
When the aspiration is different to the Government, it is considered anti-establishment, no matter how dignified and noble that aspiration may be. Malaysians have lost the right to demand accountability to the tax money collect as if those taxes entered into the twilight zone known only to those in the know. PM Open House is paid by Malaysian tax payers but hey, who cares after money changes hands.
When things are said and done that may not appeal to the Government, please examine the motivation. Is it terrorism or is it patriotism? And patriotism is for the country, its freedom and its dignity, not blind support to Government policies.
Same actions at two different places of the same Hari Raya Open House event, we get two opposing reactions. What happened? Unless there's something to hide, we are all Malaysians celebrating together. And each bears a message, whether it's about "Abolishing ISA" or "Pak Lah I support you", they are messages brought by Malaysians of differing views.
Nevertheless, different in views but still MALAYSIANS.
http://proud2bmalaysian.wordpr...esnt-care/
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written by Amicus Curia, October 14, 2008 22:22:01
My Hindraf Brothers, it is apparent that the MIC is scared of your capabilities and is behind much of the negativity that is being propaganded by the BN. Your objectives are being ignored on purpose to satisfy their political thirsts and by doing so support for your cause is multiplying. Push on.
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written by jammary88, October 14, 2008 22:26:36
PM and BN/UMNO share their joyous occasion with their cronies only not with the rakyat. It's a cultural shock to them.
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written by New Malaysian, October 14, 2008 22:30:14
Kudos to you Mr Sambulingam and gang for soldiering on against rowdy, untruthful, arrogant leaders who only make a show of invitation to their "Open House". The comments from the PM, which were very clear that you made him "kecewa" then degenerated into, "I don't know if they wished others as I had gone off for prayers!" It was all hearsay from then on! Really, Mr PM, you are working alone........ and no wonder!
Did the 4th floor boys advise you that this can be turned to advantage?
Hope you can take a cue from Pakatan on how to treat your guests - even if they were all clad in orange T-shirts with a message to give!
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written by Fatcat, October 14, 2008 22:39:46
The Guilty will always be defensive and abusive.
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written by Spear Bing, October 14, 2008 22:45:57
Hindraf officials should not be condescending. The PWTC open house issue is just a storm in teacup. Why continue to harp so long as your conscience remains truthful?
Move on.... there are more important issues to tackle.
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written by future, October 14, 2008 22:50:22
To All Hindraf Supporters,
The truth is the govt.is 'Kurang Ajar and Biadap' and what a shame even the PM
and his cabinets misbehave seperti orang yang tahu adat.
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written by Jit Dharma, October 14, 2008 22:58:33
Brother Sambulingam,
Kudos all around for doing the Indian community a great service and rendering
the Traitor Samy Velu irrelevant and impotent.Glad to hear you refer to the
Malays as our Brethren. They are and so too are the rest of humanity.They tried to fan the flames but of course they have failed. They will, of course,try harder and may Lord God frustrate and foil their plans. For they are unjust,
and the unjust must fail for our nation to prosper.
Happy Deepavali to all at HINDRAF and all our Malaysian Brethren.
Makkal Sakti. Om Shanti.
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written by hanisma, October 14, 2008 23:04:13
MSM should telecast and give report on the open house of DSAI at Kg Bahru and Ceruk Tok Kun. Alas, they are biased when truth is concerned, what more if it would lead to the rakyats losing faith on BN/Umno's regime. Shame on you Pak Lah and all the Muslim ministers for the unkind and unjust treatment given to HINDRAF on the first day of Syawal. I, a Muslim, am shameful to have a PM and his bunch of ministers who are all idiots and morons!!!
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written by Margeemar, October 14, 2008 23:05:03
It is very clear here from what happened at the Hari Raya open house of Badawi and DSAI, TV3, Utusan Malaysia and Syed Hamid Albar were not only demonizing Hindraf but also trying to cause racial and religious unrest. To you Syed Hamid, the Muslim editors of Utusan Malaysia, the Muslim management and news readers of TV3, you clowns are all MURTAD (APOSTATES)!!! Seksa dalam kubur menanti hang semua!!!...More http://margeemar.blogspot.com
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written by msiaman, October 14, 2008 23:07:27
HINDRAF seem to bring out the true colors of our leaders. Now why is it so?
They thought with their high mighty power, they can do whatever they could. They have ignored the people power. We shall see how this leads us....
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written by dassky2000, October 14, 2008 23:17:32
Only the guilty will shy away, like what the Pee Em did at his Hari Raya open house. He is guilty guilty guilty. no mistake this time. He and his croonies will go to hell and the gate keys will be disposed so that they will never step foot into this beutiful earth ever in another life.
Seems like even god/allah won't want to accept them. God/allah is afraid that these BN UMNO theives will take over god's/ allah's place in heaven or hell.
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written by picadilly, October 15, 2008 01:14:36
BN is lucky their nemesis is HINDRAF.
Stupid BN dont know, Hindraf is following good principles and using righteousness and good values in their struggle.
If not for the leaders who are following vivekananda's teachings,
Malaysia would have seen a worse situation.
Hindraf leaders controlled the entire 20000 plus crowd to calm down when grandfathers and granmothers were running haywire when the first tear gas bomb hit us you BN morons. Hindraf leaders stopped the youths from attacking police and making a mess.
BN should be thankful. If they had tried this on any other Indian Group, they would have got hit by slippers, They would get back the treatment that was asked by rahim Tamby kecik and they would have got an extreme uncontollable scenario.
BN is lucky that its the educated and civilised Indians are in charge of Hindraf. Until now the leaders are patiently negotiating and fasting and talking.
You try this with any other Indian groups, BN would be having nightmare.
You are lucky BN, You are very lucky. IF for good people you try to make into Hooligans, what would you have if the Hooligans turun padang???
You are lucky BN, very lucky. The entire community is in submission to waytha and the Hindraf 5. other than few MIC scumbags, Even Hooligans are patient not to revoke anger of the Indian community by retaliating.
knowing Hindraf Patience, MIC & BN are trying to create a lashback, will not happen as long as the top leaders are following the principles of Hindraf.
BN you are unlucky because for generations the Indians vote will never come back to you. we will never ever vote for you again. We remember alot
we remember our children being hit by tear gas, our mothers being stampeded by people, oour fathers beaten by your batons. we remember.
we will teach our children and their children.
This is Our history.
You made it: BN
HIDUP RAKYAT!
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written by 1351, October 15, 2008 04:12:40
Only now have I been able to catch up with some reading so heads up Sambulingam for the unpleasant encounter hosted by one Dollah Badawi. And indeed most disheartening to note, the home made card and teddy were confiscated and ripped up.
I have just these plain words for them foul mouth, most ungracious mongrels disguising themselves as PM, Ministers, ranking UMNO shitheads etc. The six year old kid exemplifies better mannerism in her conduct in celebration an occasion not of her faith - clearly, the enemies of the state, the enemies of Islam ALL reside within UMNO. Poster margeemar in her most eloquent Bahasa Malaysia says it best.
MAMPUS UMNO
Casper
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written by 1351, October 15, 2008 04:28:14
Dollah Badawi
You are a disgrace to your father's name. You and your ministers are nothing more than thieving rats and going about the plunder by incitement. Many have not fallen for that and for that, I am doubly proud of my Malay brethens. And since the race bait is not biting, you the so-called anak alim have sanctioned the use of Islam to advance your politics of hate but to pick on a six year old girl has to be a new low for you corrupt UMNO monkeys. I dare say, even the Tun himself would not stoop to such standards.
Go ahead and continue to victimise Hindraf Dollah. Each and every time you do that, I will remind public at large the treatment you afforded six year old Vwaishnavi. I'm almost certain, if Kak Endon were around, she will kick you where it hurts. Celaka punya PEE M. Makkal Sakti.
Casper
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..[[]]..
The very same 6years old Vwaishnavi, daughter of Hindraf chairman P.Waythamoorthy with the almost similar home made, Hari Raya greeting card carrying the same message accompanied by a teddy bear. The same Hindraf supporters of approximately 200 members, in their now familiar, orange Tee shirts. The very same occasion of Hari Raya open house but only this time hosted by the opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur on 12th October 2008.
As the supporters began to gather outside Sultan Sulaiman Club, our Muslim brothers who were passing by smiled and waved at us. In return Hindraf supporters wished them "Selamat Hari Raya bang”. Police officers on duty too were greeted Selamat Hari Raya by the Hindraf supporters, some of them wished us back while some just smiled and waved. What a contrast from the reception we got from the policemen on duty at PWTC? Were these officers the same ones who stopped and bullied us at PWTC? On whose orders?
Similar to our attendance at PWTC on the 1st of October 2008, Vwaishnnavi and her mother Mrs.Shanti took the lead into the club together with the Kapar MP YB Manikavasagam. The moment we stepped into the compound YB Zuraida Kamaruddin, the Ampang MP welcomed us . There was an announcement made to mark our presence and thousands of our Malaysian Muslim brothers cheered, clapped and welcomed us into the hall. Among the MPs who welcomed us were YB Tian Chua , YB Sivarasah ,YB Nurul Izzah and I might have missed some of the other hospitable YB's. Minta Maaf.
YB Anwar Ibrahim and Datin Wan Azizah who came in after prayers welcomed the hundreds of the Hindraf supporters with a welcoming smile .They shook hands with each and every one of us. We greeted them "Selamat Hari Raya, Release all ISA detainees and Abolish ISA". Datuk Seri confidently said "sure I will" to me and I believe to the rest as well. To digress a bit, no body says "Makkal Shakti" with so much conviction, encouragement and yet these powerful words of "Peoples'Power" is expressed with gentleness by Kak Wan – truly a woman of substance!! They accepted the same home made card and the teddy bear from little Vwaishnnavi.
Yet what a difference on how we were received by the two hosts and how it was reported by media, Hindraf had been demonized for attending the PWTC open house on 1st October 2008.
Frankly, we never anticipated the shameful way we were treated during the Hari Raya Open House hosted by none other than the PM of Malaysia and his cabinet ministers at PWTC.
Malaysians were fully aware of intentions of getting our Hindraf leaders out before Deepavali so that they may celebrate this auspicious occasion with their family. We are also serious about getting our brother RPK and other ISA detainees released. All of which was turned, twisted , manipulated and propagated by the powers that be.
Hindraf was accused as "Biadap" , "Kurang Ajar" "Pengacau" and the most heart breaking "Insulting Islam and Muslims of this country". This was further compounded with 4 Hindraf supporters being summoned to the Dang Wangi Police station for merely attending the open house of the Prime Minister.
They were charged for illegal gathering?? and trespassing?? at PM's Open House. By the way, we even informed Senior Officers in Putra Jaya on 22nd Sept 2008, that Vwaishnnavi and some of us Hindraf supporters would be at the Open House, PM's secretary assured us that we would be welcome at the open house. Additionally, wasn't the PM's invitation to the open house extended to all Malaysians?
So then why PM Sir, were we consistently provoked ever since we stepped into PWTC premises? You yourself saw how the hand made Hari Raya card by six years old Vwaishnnavi was torn by your officials? This wasn't a petition or a memo. A simple self made Hari Raya Greeting card offered to you by a Malaysian Child was taken over by dozens of police officers who stormed in to confiscate and rip it apart, what an insult to the Indian children and the entire Malaysian community!!
Why then did you say we did not greet you? You and your advisors, the police insulted us Indians, every step of our way in the Open House. Are we not correct to assume that the Hari Raya Open House was paid by us Malaysian Tax payers? So then, why were we so badly treated at our own Malaysian open house? Mr PM, don't you consider us Hindraf supporters as Malaysians?
Is it wrong for us to ask you to release our Hindraf leaders, RPK and other ISA detainees, who are in prison, without you giving us any valid reasons for their imprisonment? So many Malaysians of all races concur with us that the draconian ISA law should be abolished, even members of your own cabinet voiced it out, so what's so wrong about us voicing our democratic right at our own Malaysian Open House??
Then again, why didn't Datuk Seri Anwar , Datin Wan Azizah , rest of the YBs and VIPs present at Sultan Sulaiman Club think that Hindraf as Biadap , Kurang Ajar , pengacau. Our Malay brothers there never commented or felt that Hindraf had insulted theMuslims, by attending this open house in our orange colored Tee shirts with a simple home made Raya greeting card and a teddy bear?? By the way we still asked that ISA be abolished and detainees released, yet what a contrast in treatment we received at PWTC ?
The Main stream media especially the Malay newspapers under your control has blamed and accused us for unruly behavior, labeled our women and children as trouble makers and said Hindraf supporters never respected Hari Raya. The Almighty God knows the truth and you too should let all Malaysians know the truth, that we conducted ourselves with decorum, even though we were initially stopped and not allowed to meet you.
You all with your propaganda had Hindraf demonized, some of you even wanted the society deregistered, do you think you can kill the spirit of Hindraf?? Sorry, we are not just a society, we are a united in spirit, not just Indians, but every Anak Bangsa Malaysia, and this spirit can never die, it will continue until we are accorded due respect as Malaysian citizens.
One may ask why we chose the Hari Raya Open House, our answer Mr Prime Minister is that you have just avoided all our calls to meet you in your office or elsewhere. We have no other choice but to state our request at this open house, we wanted you to look us in the eyes so that we can directly tell you to release our leaders, RPK and other detainees. That's all. So cut out the condemnation and lies about our behaviour.
Many guests who were at the PWTC open house did not even know that we were present. Categorically we did not create any ruckus or commotion, full familes came in support. We are the ones who feel insulted that you did not treat us Malaysian citizens with due respect of a courteous host, especially as one would expect from a person of your stature.
I might not be a scholar on religion, but I can definitely say what the Prime Minister , the deputy prime minister, the home minister , the information minister, the tourism minister, Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister and rest of the ministers have said against Hindraf on and after the 1st of October 2008 Hari Raya Open House at PWTC - untruths, insincerity and lies are never condoned and unacceptable by any religion!!
Sambulingam Wisvalingam
Hindraf National Co-ordination team
Comments (20) from Malaysia Today
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written by DreamLady, October 14, 2008 21:37:28
Hindraf, hats off for your dignity, your bravery to speak the truth, your openess to confront the evils...My heartwarm love for all the Hindraf and the family, and ISA detainees.. May God bless our country !!!
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written by PAKRAK, October 14, 2008 21:52:12
Put it this way: The Hindrafs were not welcome to the HR open house. If DAP, PAS, or PKR were to attend in big groups, I am sure 'they' (UMNO) would even protest. Next time we will not go to any BN/UMNO HR open house. Happy Deepavali in advance. Hindraf, this time stay away from MIC (Samy Velu) open house.
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written by sonofmalaysia, October 14, 2008 21:59:23
Dear Hindraf,
All decent Malaysians are behind you to face adversity and to fight evil . Our country history will remember your courage and endeavour to fend for the poor, the oppressed and the deprived.
Soldier on , victory will be yours and ours, the new bangsa Malaysia !!
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Votes: +41
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written by kennyeu, October 14, 2008 22:03:44
What a wonderful piece of writing, so pure in its truth and emotions. I'll stand with Hindraf like I would stand with RPK any day. We should all stand for what is right and what is just in this World and to me Hindraf is right.
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Votes: +43
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written by LAL, October 14, 2008 22:07:25
The God whom we serve is a fair and just God. Truth will prevail. As Deepavali approaches, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Votes: +26
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written by Proud_2b_Malaysian, October 14, 2008 22:11:04
When the aspiration is different to the Government, it is considered anti-establishment, no matter how dignified and noble that aspiration may be. Malaysians have lost the right to demand accountability to the tax money collect as if those taxes entered into the twilight zone known only to those in the know. PM Open House is paid by Malaysian tax payers but hey, who cares after money changes hands.
When things are said and done that may not appeal to the Government, please examine the motivation. Is it terrorism or is it patriotism? And patriotism is for the country, its freedom and its dignity, not blind support to Government policies.
Same actions at two different places of the same Hari Raya Open House event, we get two opposing reactions. What happened? Unless there's something to hide, we are all Malaysians celebrating together. And each bears a message, whether it's about "Abolishing ISA" or "Pak Lah I support you", they are messages brought by Malaysians of differing views.
Nevertheless, different in views but still MALAYSIANS.
http://proud2bmalaysian.wordpr...esnt-care/
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Votes: +8
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written by Amicus Curia, October 14, 2008 22:22:01
My Hindraf Brothers, it is apparent that the MIC is scared of your capabilities and is behind much of the negativity that is being propaganded by the BN. Your objectives are being ignored on purpose to satisfy their political thirsts and by doing so support for your cause is multiplying. Push on.
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Votes: +18
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written by jammary88, October 14, 2008 22:26:36
PM and BN/UMNO share their joyous occasion with their cronies only not with the rakyat. It's a cultural shock to them.
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Votes: +12
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written by New Malaysian, October 14, 2008 22:30:14
Kudos to you Mr Sambulingam and gang for soldiering on against rowdy, untruthful, arrogant leaders who only make a show of invitation to their "Open House". The comments from the PM, which were very clear that you made him "kecewa" then degenerated into, "I don't know if they wished others as I had gone off for prayers!" It was all hearsay from then on! Really, Mr PM, you are working alone........ and no wonder!
Did the 4th floor boys advise you that this can be turned to advantage?
Hope you can take a cue from Pakatan on how to treat your guests - even if they were all clad in orange T-shirts with a message to give!
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Votes: +11
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written by Fatcat, October 14, 2008 22:39:46
The Guilty will always be defensive and abusive.
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Votes: +6
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written by Spear Bing, October 14, 2008 22:45:57
Hindraf officials should not be condescending. The PWTC open house issue is just a storm in teacup. Why continue to harp so long as your conscience remains truthful?
Move on.... there are more important issues to tackle.
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Votes: -18
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written by future, October 14, 2008 22:50:22
To All Hindraf Supporters,
The truth is the govt.is 'Kurang Ajar and Biadap' and what a shame even the PM
and his cabinets misbehave seperti orang yang tahu adat.
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Votes: +14
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written by Jit Dharma, October 14, 2008 22:58:33
Brother Sambulingam,
Kudos all around for doing the Indian community a great service and rendering
the Traitor Samy Velu irrelevant and impotent.Glad to hear you refer to the
Malays as our Brethren. They are and so too are the rest of humanity.They tried to fan the flames but of course they have failed. They will, of course,try harder and may Lord God frustrate and foil their plans. For they are unjust,
and the unjust must fail for our nation to prosper.
Happy Deepavali to all at HINDRAF and all our Malaysian Brethren.
Makkal Sakti. Om Shanti.
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Votes: +14
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written by hanisma, October 14, 2008 23:04:13
MSM should telecast and give report on the open house of DSAI at Kg Bahru and Ceruk Tok Kun. Alas, they are biased when truth is concerned, what more if it would lead to the rakyats losing faith on BN/Umno's regime. Shame on you Pak Lah and all the Muslim ministers for the unkind and unjust treatment given to HINDRAF on the first day of Syawal. I, a Muslim, am shameful to have a PM and his bunch of ministers who are all idiots and morons!!!
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Votes: +8
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written by Margeemar, October 14, 2008 23:05:03
It is very clear here from what happened at the Hari Raya open house of Badawi and DSAI, TV3, Utusan Malaysia and Syed Hamid Albar were not only demonizing Hindraf but also trying to cause racial and religious unrest. To you Syed Hamid, the Muslim editors of Utusan Malaysia, the Muslim management and news readers of TV3, you clowns are all MURTAD (APOSTATES)!!! Seksa dalam kubur menanti hang semua!!!...More http://margeemar.blogspot.com
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Votes: +12
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written by msiaman, October 14, 2008 23:07:27
HINDRAF seem to bring out the true colors of our leaders. Now why is it so?
They thought with their high mighty power, they can do whatever they could. They have ignored the people power. We shall see how this leads us....
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Votes: +8
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written by dassky2000, October 14, 2008 23:17:32
Only the guilty will shy away, like what the Pee Em did at his Hari Raya open house. He is guilty guilty guilty. no mistake this time. He and his croonies will go to hell and the gate keys will be disposed so that they will never step foot into this beutiful earth ever in another life.
Seems like even god/allah won't want to accept them. God/allah is afraid that these BN UMNO theives will take over god's/ allah's place in heaven or hell.
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Votes: +4
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written by picadilly, October 15, 2008 01:14:36
BN is lucky their nemesis is HINDRAF.
Stupid BN dont know, Hindraf is following good principles and using righteousness and good values in their struggle.
If not for the leaders who are following vivekananda's teachings,
Malaysia would have seen a worse situation.
Hindraf leaders controlled the entire 20000 plus crowd to calm down when grandfathers and granmothers were running haywire when the first tear gas bomb hit us you BN morons. Hindraf leaders stopped the youths from attacking police and making a mess.
BN should be thankful. If they had tried this on any other Indian Group, they would have got hit by slippers, They would get back the treatment that was asked by rahim Tamby kecik and they would have got an extreme uncontollable scenario.
BN is lucky that its the educated and civilised Indians are in charge of Hindraf. Until now the leaders are patiently negotiating and fasting and talking.
You try this with any other Indian groups, BN would be having nightmare.
You are lucky BN, You are very lucky. IF for good people you try to make into Hooligans, what would you have if the Hooligans turun padang???
You are lucky BN, very lucky. The entire community is in submission to waytha and the Hindraf 5. other than few MIC scumbags, Even Hooligans are patient not to revoke anger of the Indian community by retaliating.
knowing Hindraf Patience, MIC & BN are trying to create a lashback, will not happen as long as the top leaders are following the principles of Hindraf.
BN you are unlucky because for generations the Indians vote will never come back to you. we will never ever vote for you again. We remember alot
we remember our children being hit by tear gas, our mothers being stampeded by people, oour fathers beaten by your batons. we remember.
we will teach our children and their children.
This is Our history.
You made it: BN
HIDUP RAKYAT!
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written by 1351, October 15, 2008 04:12:40
Only now have I been able to catch up with some reading so heads up Sambulingam for the unpleasant encounter hosted by one Dollah Badawi. And indeed most disheartening to note, the home made card and teddy were confiscated and ripped up.
I have just these plain words for them foul mouth, most ungracious mongrels disguising themselves as PM, Ministers, ranking UMNO shitheads etc. The six year old kid exemplifies better mannerism in her conduct in celebration an occasion not of her faith - clearly, the enemies of the state, the enemies of Islam ALL reside within UMNO. Poster margeemar in her most eloquent Bahasa Malaysia says it best.
MAMPUS UMNO
Casper
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Votes: 1
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written by 1351, October 15, 2008 04:28:14
Dollah Badawi
You are a disgrace to your father's name. You and your ministers are nothing more than thieving rats and going about the plunder by incitement. Many have not fallen for that and for that, I am doubly proud of my Malay brethens. And since the race bait is not biting, you the so-called anak alim have sanctioned the use of Islam to advance your politics of hate but to pick on a six year old girl has to be a new low for you corrupt UMNO monkeys. I dare say, even the Tun himself would not stoop to such standards.
Go ahead and continue to victimise Hindraf Dollah. Each and every time you do that, I will remind public at large the treatment you afforded six year old Vwaishnavi. I'm almost certain, if Kak Endon were around, she will kick you where it hurts. Celaka punya PEE M. Makkal Sakti.
Casper
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Votes: 1
..[[]]..
Monday, October 13, 2008
TheStar Letter -PM should abolish the ISA
Monday October 13, 2008
THE decision by Datuk Sri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as Prime Minister by March, though surprising was not unexpected.
Many may feel let down by his premature exit from the political arena especially when there country is plagued with numerous problems.
They would have preferred him to defend his post and remain as PM for a short while more and pursue his promised reforms with more vigour and zeal.
Similarly there are those who are pleased that he finally agreed to make way for others to take over and manage the affairs of the nation more effectively in facing the current challenges.
Nevertheless it was magnanimous of him to give in to the calls of the people to relinquish his post and make way for someone new to succeed him especially when the country is facing tremendous political and economic uncertainties.
Whoever succeeds him will have a monumental task at hand to rebuild the nation to its past glory.
He will have to possess not only all the skills of political manoeuvring but above all the integrity, courage and whole-hearted commitment to bring bold changes for the benefit of the people and nation. Abdullah promised many changes when he took over the premiership in 2003. Despite his honesty and sincerity in wanting to bring changes and reforms for the benefit of the common man, Abdullah met with limited success.
The hardcore political realities prevented him from succeeding in realising his dreams as he would have wanted.
Abdullah has admitted his shortcomings and plans to continue with his unaccomplished tasks during the remaining short period of six months.
He plans to continue with his attempts to reform the judiciary by establishing a Judicial Appointments Commission and a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to strengthen and empower the anti-corruption body.
He wants to set up a Special Complaints Commission to improve the effectiveness of enforcement agencies and organise a Barisan Nasional convention to tackle head-on sensitive inter-communal problems that are threatening to disrupt the peace and harmony in our multi-racial country.
These may be honourable and praiseworthy aims on the part of the outgoing prime minister but time constraints may not allow him to complete these noble tasks before he leaves.
Nevertheless he should boldly push through these reforms with more vigour and zeal in the remaining time he is in office and impress on his successor the need to continue with them fearlessly.
While these reforms may meet tremendous resistance in their implementation and have limited chance for success, one thing that he can definitely succeed in the short time he has is abolishing the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and releasing all those detained under the Act.
Repealing the law is not an option but a must as the vast majority of the people oppose it.
Pak Lah still has the time to demonstrate that he listens to the people, whom he claims to love so much.
What the people want now is the immediate release of all ISA detainees and the abolition of the Act altogether.
If he can do that he will at least go done in history as the prime minister who restored greater democracy to the nation and freed the people from the clutches of a repressive law.
THE decision by Datuk Sri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as Prime Minister by March, though surprising was not unexpected.
Many may feel let down by his premature exit from the political arena especially when there country is plagued with numerous problems.
They would have preferred him to defend his post and remain as PM for a short while more and pursue his promised reforms with more vigour and zeal.
Similarly there are those who are pleased that he finally agreed to make way for others to take over and manage the affairs of the nation more effectively in facing the current challenges.
Nevertheless it was magnanimous of him to give in to the calls of the people to relinquish his post and make way for someone new to succeed him especially when the country is facing tremendous political and economic uncertainties.
Whoever succeeds him will have a monumental task at hand to rebuild the nation to its past glory.
He will have to possess not only all the skills of political manoeuvring but above all the integrity, courage and whole-hearted commitment to bring bold changes for the benefit of the people and nation. Abdullah promised many changes when he took over the premiership in 2003. Despite his honesty and sincerity in wanting to bring changes and reforms for the benefit of the common man, Abdullah met with limited success.
The hardcore political realities prevented him from succeeding in realising his dreams as he would have wanted.
Abdullah has admitted his shortcomings and plans to continue with his unaccomplished tasks during the remaining short period of six months.
He plans to continue with his attempts to reform the judiciary by establishing a Judicial Appointments Commission and a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to strengthen and empower the anti-corruption body.
He wants to set up a Special Complaints Commission to improve the effectiveness of enforcement agencies and organise a Barisan Nasional convention to tackle head-on sensitive inter-communal problems that are threatening to disrupt the peace and harmony in our multi-racial country.
These may be honourable and praiseworthy aims on the part of the outgoing prime minister but time constraints may not allow him to complete these noble tasks before he leaves.
Nevertheless he should boldly push through these reforms with more vigour and zeal in the remaining time he is in office and impress on his successor the need to continue with them fearlessly.
While these reforms may meet tremendous resistance in their implementation and have limited chance for success, one thing that he can definitely succeed in the short time he has is abolishing the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and releasing all those detained under the Act.
Repealing the law is not an option but a must as the vast majority of the people oppose it.
Pak Lah still has the time to demonstrate that he listens to the people, whom he claims to love so much.
What the people want now is the immediate release of all ISA detainees and the abolition of the Act altogether.
If he can do that he will at least go done in history as the prime minister who restored greater democracy to the nation and freed the people from the clutches of a repressive law.
DR CHRIS ANTHONY,
Butterworth.
..{{}}..
PS from WMP - Challenge to TV3, Utusan, Syed Albar to prove
KENYATAAN AKHBAR
HINDRAF mengutuk TV3 dan Utusan dan Menteri Dalam negeri Syed Hamid Albar yang hanya melemparkan tomahan dan tuduhan melulu dan tidak berasas terhadap niat baik, murni dan ikhlas penyokong HINDRAF yang menziarahi YAB Perdana Menteri di majlis Rumah terbuka sempena meraikan Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Pada 22hb September 2008 suatu permintaan ikhlas telah dibuat untuk menziarahi YAB Perdana Menteri di pejabat beliau dan Setiausaha beliau mengesahkan YAB PM tiada bantahan atas permintaan tersebut.
Seramai lebih 500 orang penyokong HINDRAF telah menghadiri majlis tersebut tetapi kurang daripada 50 penyokong dibenarkan bersalaman dengan YAB PM. Kami datang dengan niat ikhlas dengan semangat Maaf Zahir Batin disamping merayu supaya PM membebaskan semua tahanan ISA di hari mulia ini. TV3 dan Utusan dengan sengaja mengapi-apikan semangat perkauman dengan tujuan menimbulkan kebencian masyarakat Islam terhadap masyarakat India. Sekiranya benar tohamah tomahan mereka mengapa mereka tidak berani menayangkan gambar dan klip yang kononnya penyokong HINDRAF bersikap biadap dan kurang ajar.
Disebaliknya kami mempunyai bukti kukuh yang menunjukkan yang YAB Perdana menteri , Timbalan beliau dan ramai lagi menteri-menteri kabinet yang senyum panjang dan menerima salamam penyokong Hindraf dengan hati terbuka dengan semangat maaf zahir dan batin.
Memang benar disamping ucapan ikhlas tersebut penyokong Hindraf merayu agar semua tahanan ISA dibebaskan. Apakah rayuan ini boleh dianggap mencemar agama Islam? Motif Utusan dan TV3 mengapikan sentimen perkauman dan agama harus dikutuk oleh semua lapisan masyarakat Malaysia.
HINDARF membuat rayuan bagi semua tahanan ISA termasuk mereka yang dituduh kumpulan extremis dan pengganas Islam JI. HINDRAF mengambil kira kebajikan semua masyarakat apabila membuat rayuan tersebut kepada YAB PM.
Tahanan kami cuma 5 orang tetapi ramai anak-anak Islam, isteri-isteri Islam, bapa dan Ibu Islam yang menyambut hari Raya tanpa anak, bapa dan suami terkasih mereka. Apakah niat murni HINDRAF ini harus diputar belitkan dengan tuduhan yang kami mengancam dan menghina Agama Islam??
Kami mencabar Utusan dan TV3 agar menayangkan rakaman mereka dengan segera bagi membuktikan tuduhan mereka atau sebaliknya meminta maaf kepada masyarakat berbilang kaum di Malaysia kerana menimbulkan ketegangan perpaduan.
Yang anehnya berpuluh puluh lagi wartawan asing dan dalam negeri dengan krew TV mereka langsung tidak memaparkan atau menuduh HINDRAF biadap dalam laporan mereka.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Pengerusi
HINDRAF
Friday, October 10, 2008
Mkini letter- Abolish ISA, the reform-killer
Collin Abraham Oct 9, 08 11:27am
It is well established that the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be abolished on grounds of violation of fundamental human and legal rights, enshrined for the legal and constitutional protection of Malaysians.
However, it is considered insufficient and indeed unrealistic, to call for its abolition purely on these grounds alone.For these basic rights to be effectively and meaningfully implemented through the apparatus of government and bureaucratic system, it is a necessary condition that avenues for social reforms should be facilitated and enhanced.The ISA, in being used by the government as an instrument to deny and suppress possibilities for reform, has laid the authorities open to the accusation that they have deliberately stifled social change to maintain the status quo in the interests of the ruling class We do not need to be reminded that even in a practising democracy, it is said that ‘all power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely’ .
Therefore, there is no question that on this basis alone - because it is essentially a reform-killer - the ISA must be abolished in toto.But there is also an equally important dimension to take into account - that the use of the ISA to block and suppress reform is inimical to the effective functioning of a multi-cultural society where reforms are inherently essential and fundamental to nation-building. Given the complex process of accommodating inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic interests that overlap and override social class and racial identities in such societies, it can be fatal to their maintenance and even survival if such permutations and combinations fail to be satisfactorily overcome. Indeed, some published works have drawn attention to situations in contemporary Malaysia where such accommodations have failed to achieve the desired objectives because of the use of the ISA.I have previously written about two important ‘cases’ as being particularly relevant.
I am grateful to (former de facto law minister) Zaid Ibrahim for including these situations in his Open Letter to the Prime Minister calling for the ISA to be abolished. By so doing, he has given credibility and indeed legitimacy to these situations in a manner that only he could give.
The two scenarios are the cases of Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmi and that of certain leaders of the reform movement known as Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). In both situations the ISA was used to detain them.Each situation essentially involved leaders calling for reform in the political economy and it is important to present the cases in some detail, as an analysis within a wider perspective of the ISA.
Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmi
(Former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrote the lead foreword to my book ‘The Finest Hour: Malaysian - MCP Peace Accord in Perspective’. In it, he emphasised the defining and pivotal role played in the independence struggle by leaders of Islamic political parties such as Burhanuddin.
Mahathir recognised that these anti-colonial resistance movements were “unanimous that despite the negative impact that the immigrant communities had in working within the colonial economy against that of the indigenous economy, this was due to no fault of their own, and that therefore, the non-Malay should find a place in an independent free Malaya”.But more importantly Burhanuddin clearly argued that reforms were essential to forge a sense of common identity among Malayans if political independence was to be meaningfully achieved. Therefore the status of ‘non’ applying to any locals would be unacceptable. He accordingly called for a distinction to be made between bangsa (race) and kebangsaan (nationality) so that the citizenship status of ‘Melayu’ becomes jointly available to both Malays and non-Malays.
Burhanuddin’s call for such reforms for the “integrity of our national existence’ was unanimously endorsed by the Constitutional Commission comprising Putera and AMCJA (interestingly including Tan Cheng Lock representing the Chinese Chambers of Commerce).The calls for reform will be recognised in the forthcoming publication of my Malaysian Chapter of the World Wide Encyclopedia on Protest and Revolution by Blackwell (Oxford) in January.
Hindraf movement
In his ‘open letter’ Zaid also made the comment that the government had yet to provide any evidence that the detained leaders of Hindraf movement had anything to do with “terrorist activities”. On this basis, and considering the enourmous negative public concern over their continued detention, the government has opened itself to the charge that they are being held due to the widespread call for reform, particularly for the marginalised and powerless groups among low-income groups in all communities.However, it needs to be pointed out in no uncertain terms that the demand for such reforms is not new. There has been a consistent and significant amount of published material on the need for reforms that pre-date to at least the early 1960s.The problem is that neither the government nor its delegated agencies - such as the former ministry and department of national unity - seem to have given any attention to these well researched reports and recommendations because of their lack of capacity and capability to meaningfully implement these, let alone understand the meaning and significance for nation-building and national unity.It is not proposed to repeat details of some of the more important publications here for the simple reason that anyone seriously concerned and interested in calling for a review of the continued detention of the leaders with a view to their unconditional release had better do their home work before presenting the case to the prime minister.Zaid himself had made an excellent case on the meaning and significance of the Hindraf movement in his article entitled ‘Fresh Thinking Needed’ in his recent book titled ‘In Good Faith’. I have also attempted a holistic appraisal of the entire ‘Indian Question’ and Hindraf, with particular reference to the dire and urgent need for reforms in the books titled ‘Speaking Out: Insights into Contemporary Malaysian Issues’ (Utusan 2006) and ‘Speaking Out Loud For National Unity: Social Change and Nation-building in Contemporary Malaysia’ (Sird 2008).I believe that the titles of the topics covered especially in the Utusan publication will give readers an insight into the nature and extent of the problems, with suggestions and recommendations as to what might be done to hopefully overcome some of the problems.
The titles are:
- The Curtain Falls on the Malaysian
- Indian Estate Community: From Coolie Rubber Tapper-to-Squatter-to-Gangster
- Evacuation from the Estates: A Case for Urban Proletarianization?
- Indian-Malaysian ‘Gangsterism’: Reform the Estate Stucture
- New Thinking Vital to Create a Viable Plantation Sector
Relevant articles in the SIRD publication are;
- Uprising Against the System
- Not the Government- Help All Deprived Groups
- Open Letter to the Prime Minister
This is not the place to enter into a deliberation on the question of ‘predicting’ or ‘prescribing’ certain outcomes in social issues and problems. However, I am taking the liberty of suggesting that had the government should have given serious consideration to the plight of the marginalised low-income and powerless groups. Had it done so, the Hindraf movement would not have evolved the way it has.
_______________________________________________________________
DR COLLIN ABRAHAM holds a doctorate in race relations from Oxford. Initially a civil servant attached to the welfare ministry, he later undertook research projects with the rural development ministry and economic planning unit. He was seconded to Universiti Sains Malaysia as associate professor in sociology and, more recently, visiting fellow. He is currently pro-tem president of the Malaysian Association of Social Impact Assessors.
It is well established that the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be abolished on grounds of violation of fundamental human and legal rights, enshrined for the legal and constitutional protection of Malaysians.
However, it is considered insufficient and indeed unrealistic, to call for its abolition purely on these grounds alone.For these basic rights to be effectively and meaningfully implemented through the apparatus of government and bureaucratic system, it is a necessary condition that avenues for social reforms should be facilitated and enhanced.The ISA, in being used by the government as an instrument to deny and suppress possibilities for reform, has laid the authorities open to the accusation that they have deliberately stifled social change to maintain the status quo in the interests of the ruling class We do not need to be reminded that even in a practising democracy, it is said that ‘all power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely’ .
Therefore, there is no question that on this basis alone - because it is essentially a reform-killer - the ISA must be abolished in toto.But there is also an equally important dimension to take into account - that the use of the ISA to block and suppress reform is inimical to the effective functioning of a multi-cultural society where reforms are inherently essential and fundamental to nation-building. Given the complex process of accommodating inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic interests that overlap and override social class and racial identities in such societies, it can be fatal to their maintenance and even survival if such permutations and combinations fail to be satisfactorily overcome. Indeed, some published works have drawn attention to situations in contemporary Malaysia where such accommodations have failed to achieve the desired objectives because of the use of the ISA.I have previously written about two important ‘cases’ as being particularly relevant.
I am grateful to (former de facto law minister) Zaid Ibrahim for including these situations in his Open Letter to the Prime Minister calling for the ISA to be abolished. By so doing, he has given credibility and indeed legitimacy to these situations in a manner that only he could give.The two scenarios are the cases of Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmi and that of certain leaders of the reform movement known as Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). In both situations the ISA was used to detain them.Each situation essentially involved leaders calling for reform in the political economy and it is important to present the cases in some detail, as an analysis within a wider perspective of the ISA.
Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmi
(Former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrote the lead foreword to my book ‘The Finest Hour: Malaysian - MCP Peace Accord in Perspective’. In it, he emphasised the defining and pivotal role played in the independence struggle by leaders of Islamic political parties such as Burhanuddin.
Mahathir recognised that these anti-colonial resistance movements were “unanimous that despite the negative impact that the immigrant communities had in working within the colonial economy against that of the indigenous economy, this was due to no fault of their own, and that therefore, the non-Malay should find a place in an independent free Malaya”.But more importantly Burhanuddin clearly argued that reforms were essential to forge a sense of common identity among Malayans if political independence was to be meaningfully achieved. Therefore the status of ‘non’ applying to any locals would be unacceptable. He accordingly called for a distinction to be made between bangsa (race) and kebangsaan (nationality) so that the citizenship status of ‘Melayu’ becomes jointly available to both Malays and non-Malays.
Burhanuddin’s call for such reforms for the “integrity of our national existence’ was unanimously endorsed by the Constitutional Commission comprising Putera and AMCJA (interestingly including Tan Cheng Lock representing the Chinese Chambers of Commerce).The calls for reform will be recognised in the forthcoming publication of my Malaysian Chapter of the World Wide Encyclopedia on Protest and Revolution by Blackwell (Oxford) in January.
Hindraf movement
In his ‘open letter’ Zaid also made the comment that the government had yet to provide any evidence that the detained leaders of Hindraf movement had anything to do with “terrorist activities”. On this basis, and considering the enourmous negative public concern over their continued detention, the government has opened itself to the charge that they are being held due to the widespread call for reform, particularly for the marginalised and powerless groups among low-income groups in all communities.However, it needs to be pointed out in no uncertain terms that the demand for such reforms is not new. There has been a consistent and significant amount of published material on the need for reforms that pre-date to at least the early 1960s.The problem is that neither the government nor its delegated agencies - such as the former ministry and department of national unity - seem to have given any attention to these well researched reports and recommendations because of their lack of capacity and capability to meaningfully implement these, let alone understand the meaning and significance for nation-building and national unity.It is not proposed to repeat details of some of the more important publications here for the simple reason that anyone seriously concerned and interested in calling for a review of the continued detention of the leaders with a view to their unconditional release had better do their home work before presenting the case to the prime minister.Zaid himself had made an excellent case on the meaning and significance of the Hindraf movement in his article entitled ‘Fresh Thinking Needed’ in his recent book titled ‘In Good Faith’. I have also attempted a holistic appraisal of the entire ‘Indian Question’ and Hindraf, with particular reference to the dire and urgent need for reforms in the books titled ‘Speaking Out: Insights into Contemporary Malaysian Issues’ (Utusan 2006) and ‘Speaking Out Loud For National Unity: Social Change and Nation-building in Contemporary Malaysia’ (Sird 2008).I believe that the titles of the topics covered especially in the Utusan publication will give readers an insight into the nature and extent of the problems, with suggestions and recommendations as to what might be done to hopefully overcome some of the problems.
The titles are:
- The Curtain Falls on the Malaysian
- Indian Estate Community: From Coolie Rubber Tapper-to-Squatter-to-Gangster
- Evacuation from the Estates: A Case for Urban Proletarianization?
- Indian-Malaysian ‘Gangsterism’: Reform the Estate Stucture
- New Thinking Vital to Create a Viable Plantation Sector
Relevant articles in the SIRD publication are;
- Uprising Against the System
- Not the Government- Help All Deprived Groups
- Open Letter to the Prime Minister
This is not the place to enter into a deliberation on the question of ‘predicting’ or ‘prescribing’ certain outcomes in social issues and problems. However, I am taking the liberty of suggesting that had the government should have given serious consideration to the plight of the marginalised low-income and powerless groups. Had it done so, the Hindraf movement would not have evolved the way it has.
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DR COLLIN ABRAHAM holds a doctorate in race relations from Oxford. Initially a civil servant attached to the welfare ministry, he later undertook research projects with the rural development ministry and economic planning unit. He was seconded to Universiti Sains Malaysia as associate professor in sociology and, more recently, visiting fellow. He is currently pro-tem president of the Malaysian Association of Social Impact Assessors.
Mkini Letter -Hindraf has just causes to be aggrieved
Stephen Ng Oct 10, 08 5:23pm
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Hindraf-bashing 'politically motivated'.I am not a Hindraf activist nor am I condoning their actions over what was allegedly a commotion that they had caused during the festive celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre.However, as a fellow Malaysian struggling to understand why certain people behave in a certain manner, I can fully understand why they are an aggrieved lot.
It is reported that 27 Hindu temples, which are sacred to them, have been demolished over the years. In their opinion, the government has sidelined them, and unless they create some ‘noise’, no one would even pay attention to their plight.Five of their leaders are still under ISA detention. Muslims are told to forgive each other in the spirit of the Raya celebrations but as Deepavalli is round the corner, the families of the five Hindraf activists have to embrace the prospect of not being able to celebrate Deepavalli with these detainees.
Sadness will be turned into anger, and many observers like us would throw our arm around them and say, ‘Yes, we understand your predicament. We are with you, brothers!
’Politics aside, when the Hindraf supporters turned up at the prime minister’s open house, they had good intentions else, they would not have brought flowers and bring the daughter of one of the ISA detainees to present them to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.No matter how good their intentions are, a slight provocation may have caused some of them to lash out; hence, the commotion which is what we see happening.
For Umno Youth Selangor to call for stern action against the Hindraf supporters, it is again a show of arrogance and intolerance. It is this same attitude that has distanced Umno from the majority of Malaysians, as seen from the last political tsunami. Just as the Hari Raya celebrations are important to any Muslim, the demolition of Hindu temples has indeed caused grievances to the Indian community in the past.
It is time that the government solve this issue by approving proper land for non-Muslim religious groups as what the Selangor government has done recently. Without this, it is no point of talking about respecting each other’s religion. If the Pakatan state government can immediately remedy this situation, what more at the federal level. The issues should be dealt with more care and tact.
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I refer to the Malaysiakini report Hindraf-bashing 'politically motivated'.I am not a Hindraf activist nor am I condoning their actions over what was allegedly a commotion that they had caused during the festive celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre.However, as a fellow Malaysian struggling to understand why certain people behave in a certain manner, I can fully understand why they are an aggrieved lot.
It is reported that 27 Hindu temples, which are sacred to them, have been demolished over the years. In their opinion, the government has sidelined them, and unless they create some ‘noise’, no one would even pay attention to their plight.Five of their leaders are still under ISA detention. Muslims are told to forgive each other in the spirit of the Raya celebrations but as Deepavalli is round the corner, the families of the five Hindraf activists have to embrace the prospect of not being able to celebrate Deepavalli with these detainees.
Sadness will be turned into anger, and many observers like us would throw our arm around them and say, ‘Yes, we understand your predicament. We are with you, brothers!
’Politics aside, when the Hindraf supporters turned up at the prime minister’s open house, they had good intentions else, they would not have brought flowers and bring the daughter of one of the ISA detainees to present them to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.No matter how good their intentions are, a slight provocation may have caused some of them to lash out; hence, the commotion which is what we see happening.For Umno Youth Selangor to call for stern action against the Hindraf supporters, it is again a show of arrogance and intolerance. It is this same attitude that has distanced Umno from the majority of Malaysians, as seen from the last political tsunami. Just as the Hari Raya celebrations are important to any Muslim, the demolition of Hindu temples has indeed caused grievances to the Indian community in the past.
It is time that the government solve this issue by approving proper land for non-Muslim religious groups as what the Selangor government has done recently. Without this, it is no point of talking about respecting each other’s religion. If the Pakatan state government can immediately remedy this situation, what more at the federal level. The issues should be dealt with more care and tact.
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Mkini- Hindraf Raya visit: 'Stop whining' said Charles Santiago
Oct 8, 08 11:47am
DAP parliamentarian Charles Santiago today called on political leaders to stop whining about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders and supporters being present at the premier’s Hari Raya open house last week.The opposition politician also found it amusing that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - who holds the top job in the country - is disappointed that a group of people approached him to request for the release of the Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees during the open house."But when the prime minister laments that Hindraf supporters failed to shake hands and extend Hari Raya greetings to him and his cabinet colleagues, he sounds downright pathetic."Abdullah needs to understand that the action of Hindraf activists is part of the democratic process. He must also be educated that the chanting of slogans by Hindraf supporters is all about the freedom of expression, which is in short supply in Malaysia," he said in a statement today.
Santiago also took a swipe at MIC president S Samy Vellu who expressed concerned that the activists had undermined his efforts to secure the release of the ISA-detained Hindraf leaders."Instead of being an apologist for Abdullah and his government, Samy Vellu should gather enough courage to demand for the repeal of the ISA which allows for indefinite detention without trial, following the examples of MCA, Gerakan and the PPP," he said.
'Not an Indian issue'
Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general deputy minister Dr S Subramaniam had also irked the Klang MP by saying that the presence of Hindraf members at the open house went against Indian culture."This is an absolutely ridiculous assertion, more so as it comes from a smart man like Subramaniam. Since when does fighting for basic rights and liberties violate any culture?" he asked.
Santiago then turned his attention to independent MP Ibrahim Ali, who had threatened to protest over the Hindraf visit."Maybe he does not realise that resorting to the ancient tactic of racial politics has no place in Malaysia anymore."I urge Ibrahim to stop seeing the detention of Hindraf leaders as an Indian issue but a Malaysian one and request Muslim groups not to regard the attendance of Hindraf members at the open house as a sign of disrespect to Muslims," he said."
Let's not start twisting the real issues and fashion them to instigate racial problems in the country. The ISA is way off its expiry date and redundant in a modern democracy. "But the ruling government uses it as an easy tool to create a climate of fear and head off threats to its leadership," he added.
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Mkini- Revoke Utusan's permit, PM urged
Oct 10, 08 4:15pm
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Waythamoorthy has written to premier Abdullah Ahmad Abdullah to complain that Umno-owned daily
Utusan Malaysia has been “inciting hatred” against Indian Malaysians.And he has demanded that the annual publishing and printing permit of the Malay-language daily should be revoked, using ministerial powers in the Printing and Publications Act 1984.
Waythamoorthy, who is living in London in self-imposed exile, was reacting strongly to a series of articles in the newspaper since a group of Hindraf supporters made their presence felt during the ministerial Hari Raya ‘open house’ on Oct 1.
Abdullah has since reprimanded the group for being noisy and causing “a lot of unhappiness” among guests by allegedly demanding the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and release of detainees including five of the movement’s leaders.Utusan and private television station TV3 have been singled out by the movement’s supporters as having been unfair in their coverage of the event and subsequent comments by Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar among others.“Utusan Malaysia has been doing this for years and (it) is the main stumbling block to racial unity, racial integration, co-existence and a peaceful and harmonious Malaysia,”
Waythamoorthy alleged in his letter, a copy of which was made available to Malaysiakini.“It is plain and obvious that Hindraf’s (attendance at) the prime minister’s Hari Raya open house… is a case of making a mountain out of an ant [sic] hill… “Utusan is trying to incite Malay Muslim hatred for Indians. (It) is threatening the Indian minority with violence by the Malay Muslim majority or setting the tone for the same.”He also claimed that the newspaper is carrying out a vendetta against Hindraf in order to “divert attention from Umno’s leadership tussle”. “
The headlines, front page stories, editorials, articles and letters indicate incitement of racial and religious sentiments against the Indians, when all we asked for was the release of all the detainees and for the ISA to be abolished,” he said.
Nevertheless, Waythamoorthy said the daily’s efforts to portray Hindraf in negative light will not succeed as the majority of the Muslims understand “the genuine reason” for the Hari Raya visit.He noted that Indian Malaysian minority groups are fighting for their rights, equality and equal opportunities in a peaceful manner.
'Broadcast the footage'
Waythamoorthy said that, on Sept 22, “a sincere request to visit the prime minister” had been submitted to his office and that the secretary assured that there was no objection to the visit.“More than 500 supporters attended the function but less than 50 were allowed to greet the prime minister. We went there with sincere intentions in the spirit of forgiveness and to appeal to the premier to release all ISA detainees.
“TV3 and Utusan purposely exacerbated racial sentiments…if the allegations are true why (isn’t TV3) brave enough to play the video clip that supposedly showed Hindraf supporters behaving insolently?”“We challenge (TV3) to show their video recording to prove their allegations or seek forgiveness from the people of Malaysia for straining our unity.”Hindraf, he said, has strong evidence to show that the premier, his deputy and many others were “smiling widely” and “accepted greetings” from the supporters.
“Hindraf took the (opportunity) to appeal for (the release of) all ISA detainees inclusive of those accused of extremism and terrorism,” he added.“There are only five of our detainees but many more Muslim children, Muslim wives and Muslim parents who celebrated Hari Raya without their parents, spouses and children.”
The Hindraf 5, arrested on Dec 13 last year, are among some 80 detainees being held for at least two years without trial at the Kamunting detention camp in Perak. The ISA provides for the detention order to be renewed indefinitely.
When contacted, an editorial assistant from Utusan refused to comment, instead asking for a written request. No one from TV3 however could be contacted for comment.
Police record information
In a related development, blogger P Surind Raj said he had reported, as requested, to the Jalan Dang Wangi police station this afternoon where he was asked about the conduct of the Hindraf supporters at the ‘open house’.
“The police officer, Sydney Clyde Jeremiah, said the information is to assist with investigation into the incident,” said Surind.He also said lawyers Amarjit Sidhu and Haris Ibrahim had been similarly questioned today.“We were basically asked simple questions like whether we saw them (Hindraf) and whether there was any commotion,” said Surind.Surind said he had gone to the event as an individual, even though he was wearing a T-shirt with a ‘Free RPK’ slogan, in reference to blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who has been detained for two years under the ISA
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Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Waythamoorthy has written to premier Abdullah Ahmad Abdullah to complain that Umno-owned daily
Utusan Malaysia has been “inciting hatred” against Indian Malaysians.And he has demanded that the annual publishing and printing permit of the Malay-language daily should be revoked, using ministerial powers in the Printing and Publications Act 1984.
Waythamoorthy, who is living in London in self-imposed exile, was reacting strongly to a series of articles in the newspaper since a group of Hindraf supporters made their presence felt during the ministerial Hari Raya ‘open house’ on Oct 1.Abdullah has since reprimanded the group for being noisy and causing “a lot of unhappiness” among guests by allegedly demanding the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and release of detainees including five of the movement’s leaders.Utusan and private television station TV3 have been singled out by the movement’s supporters as having been unfair in their coverage of the event and subsequent comments by Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar among others.“Utusan Malaysia has been doing this for years and (it) is the main stumbling block to racial unity, racial integration, co-existence and a peaceful and harmonious Malaysia,”
Waythamoorthy alleged in his letter, a copy of which was made available to Malaysiakini.“It is plain and obvious that Hindraf’s (attendance at) the prime minister’s Hari Raya open house… is a case of making a mountain out of an ant [sic] hill… “Utusan is trying to incite Malay Muslim hatred for Indians. (It) is threatening the Indian minority with violence by the Malay Muslim majority or setting the tone for the same.”He also claimed that the newspaper is carrying out a vendetta against Hindraf in order to “divert attention from Umno’s leadership tussle”. “
The headlines, front page stories, editorials, articles and letters indicate incitement of racial and religious sentiments against the Indians, when all we asked for was the release of all the detainees and for the ISA to be abolished,” he said.
Nevertheless, Waythamoorthy said the daily’s efforts to portray Hindraf in negative light will not succeed as the majority of the Muslims understand “the genuine reason” for the Hari Raya visit.He noted that Indian Malaysian minority groups are fighting for their rights, equality and equal opportunities in a peaceful manner.
'Broadcast the footage'
Waythamoorthy said that, on Sept 22, “a sincere request to visit the prime minister” had been submitted to his office and that the secretary assured that there was no objection to the visit.“More than 500 supporters attended the function but less than 50 were allowed to greet the prime minister. We went there with sincere intentions in the spirit of forgiveness and to appeal to the premier to release all ISA detainees.
“TV3 and Utusan purposely exacerbated racial sentiments…if the allegations are true why (isn’t TV3) brave enough to play the video clip that supposedly showed Hindraf supporters behaving insolently?”“We challenge (TV3) to show their video recording to prove their allegations or seek forgiveness from the people of Malaysia for straining our unity.”Hindraf, he said, has strong evidence to show that the premier, his deputy and many others were “smiling widely” and “accepted greetings” from the supporters.
“Hindraf took the (opportunity) to appeal for (the release of) all ISA detainees inclusive of those accused of extremism and terrorism,” he added.“There are only five of our detainees but many more Muslim children, Muslim wives and Muslim parents who celebrated Hari Raya without their parents, spouses and children.”
The Hindraf 5, arrested on Dec 13 last year, are among some 80 detainees being held for at least two years without trial at the Kamunting detention camp in Perak. The ISA provides for the detention order to be renewed indefinitely.
When contacted, an editorial assistant from Utusan refused to comment, instead asking for a written request. No one from TV3 however could be contacted for comment.
Police record information
In a related development, blogger P Surind Raj said he had reported, as requested, to the Jalan Dang Wangi police station this afternoon where he was asked about the conduct of the Hindraf supporters at the ‘open house’.
“The police officer, Sydney Clyde Jeremiah, said the information is to assist with investigation into the incident,” said Surind.He also said lawyers Amarjit Sidhu and Haris Ibrahim had been similarly questioned today.“We were basically asked simple questions like whether we saw them (Hindraf) and whether there was any commotion,” said Surind.Surind said he had gone to the event as an individual, even though he was wearing a T-shirt with a ‘Free RPK’ slogan, in reference to blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who has been detained for two years under the ISA
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