Hindraf to rally nationwide against racism

KOTA KINABALU: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi is planning a series of demonstrations against racism after its Feb 27 rally at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) against Interlok, the controversial novel that Form Five students use as a literature text.

Hindraf not only wants Interlok out of the schools, but also seeks to put related issues under public scrutiny, according to its chairman, P Waythamoorthy, who spoke to FMT last night from London, where he has political asylum.

The demonstrations would be held all over the country, he said.

“The series of rallies will be to educate the people against racism and racial polarisation, besides saying no to Interlok even in an amended form,” he added.

“We must not glorify anti-1Malaysia writers with the Interlok mindset.”

Waytha was elaborating on a statement released yesterday by Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam, who announced the Feb 27 rally.

Sambulingam lamented that Interlok, written by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, remained compulsory reading for Form 5 students despite attempts by the Indian community to have it dropped.

Several groups take offence at the novel’s alleged stereotyped and misleading portrayal of Malaysian Indians. The government recently said it would order amendments to the student edition.

Waythamoorthy said he doubted that the author would agree to his work being amended. “Any novelist worth his salt will demand that his novel be used in its entirety or not used at all,” he said.

He cautioned against caving in to closet racists. “Today, the focus is on a novel for Form 5. If we don’t put a stop to it, they will introduce similar trash in Form 3 and at the Year 6 level,” he said.

Strong attack

Waythamoorthy also disclosed that the Feb 27 rally had forced the Jan 23 Kuala Lumpur Gathering of the Marginalised and Minorities to delay the submission of their resolutions to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. The new date will be between the Feb 27 rally and the second rally, which is yet to be scheduled.

Sambulingam’s statement contained a strong attack against Umno. He accused it of racism, political hegemony and promoting an “artificial” Malay supremacy agenda.

“At a time when the world is moving away from racism in all forms, Umno and its allies are further encouraging racism,” he said. “Other countries are meanwhile engaged in nation-building.”

The statement dismissed Indians linked with Umno as “mandores” who helped to promote caste epithets, ethnic slurs, racial prejudices and communal stereotyping in the minds of the young.

“Interlok is nothing but an engineered plan by Umno to further plant the seeds of racism and segregation in schools and in the minds of the youths,” he said. “This is similar to the programme run by the Biro Tata Negara.”

The statement claimed that tolerance and co-existence had been abused and misused in Malaysia and patience taken for granted.

“It’s time to take the bull by the horns on racism in order to build national affinity and a shared destiny,” it said.

HINDRAF to organize People’s march for SOLIDARITY AGAINST UMNO/BN RACISM”.

Despite various repeated attempts by the Malaysian Indian community, the UMNO/BN government refuse to remove the “INTERLOK” novel as a compulsory read for the Form Fivers.    

Where countries are moving and building nationhood by abolishing racism, the UMNO government aided and abetted by their allies are encouraging racism further to extend their political hegemony through the artificial Malay supremacy agenda.

The absence of national affinity and shared destiny for all citizens of Malaysia is clearly obvious as we can see by arrogance of UMNO and its mandores in sidestepping the concern of the Malaysian Indian in regards to this controversial novel that promotes caste epithets, ethnic slurs, racial prejudices, and communal stereotyping in the mind of the young.

“Interlok” is nothing but an engineered plan by UMNO to further  plant the seed of racism and segregation in schools and in the mind of the youths similar to the programs that is run by the BTN (Biro Tata Negara).    

Tolerance and co-existence has been abused and misused, patience has been taken for granted endlessly. It is time to bury racism in Malaysia and it is the time to take the bull by the horn.

UMNO has to go. RACISM has to go.      

Please join us in our march to show solidarity against racism perpetrated by UMNO and its allies.   

W.Sambulingam

HINDRAF National Co-ordinator

+6010-2774096

Hindraf-HRP to be neutral in Merlimau

Seeing no difference between Pakatan and BN with regard to the Indian community, P Uthayakumar says a decision has been made to stay out of the contest.

GEORGE TOWN: The Human Rights Party (HRP) – Hindraf Makkal Sakti political axis will take a neutral stand in next month’s Merlimau state by-election.

HRP pro-tem secretary-general and Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar said the stance was adopted due to the indifferent attitude shown by Pakatan Rakyat towards the Indian community.

“We will not participate in the campaign to woo Indians for Pakatan. So long as we are not there, Pakatan will never secure the majority Indian votes,” he told FMT, adding that HRP-Hindraf would never back Barisan Nasional either.

The Election Commission fixed nomination day for the Merlimau by-election in Malacca on Feb 26 and polling on March 6.

The seat fell vacant after the death of its BN assemblyman Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hasaan, 54, on Jan 20. In the 2008 general election Hidhir defeated PAS candidate Jasme Tompang with a majority of 2,154 votes.

Merlimau has 10,679 registered voters consisting 64.69% Malays, 21.11% Chinese, 14.16% Indians and 0.04% others.

Indian support has shifted

Uthayakumar pointed out that the Bagan Pinang, Hulu Selangor and Sunday’s Tenang by-elections showed that Indian support had shifted from Pakatan.

He warned that the trend would continue in Merlimau unless Pakatan worked with Hindraf–HRP.

He insisted that Hindraf–HRP would never work with the Umno-led BN due to its “racist policies and massive discrimination” of the Indian community for the past 53 years.

But he said that did not mean Hindraf – HRP would support Pakatan blindly without securing any political and socio-economic concessions for the Indian community.

He said Pakatan had so far refused to acknowledge the strength of the Hindraf–HRP axis to galvanise Indian support.

Therefore, he said that Hindraf-HRP would continue to work on its own 15/38 political agenda and not help Pakatan to regain lost ground among Indian voters.

“We won’t back anyone in Merlimau,” said Uthayakumar.

Referring to the Tenang by-election in Johor, he pointed out that 62.6% of Indian voters moved from Pakatan to BN.

His calculation was based on balloting results in the Indian-dominated Ladang Labis Timor, in which only 40 voters backed Pakatan on Sunday, a huge dip from 107 in 2008.

He claimed that the Ladang Labis Timor voting trend was a reflection of current Indian sentiments nationwide.

He stressed that only the Hindraf–HRP political axis could check and reverse the trend, as in 2008.

“But Pakatan leaders are not interested because they know we will never become their mandores,” he said, adding that there was no difference between BN and Pakatan with regard to Indians.

“If this attitude continues until the next general election, Pakatan can never end BN’s reign,” he said.

Boycott Interlok panel, Indian reps told

Calling it a futile exercise, an Indian business group leader says the demand is crystal clear – withdraw the book.

PETALING JAYA: Representatives of the Indian community slated to sit on the panel tasked with making amendments to the controversial Interlok novel should boycott the appointment.

In making this call, Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar said the panel was an exercise in futility, when the community’s stand on the issue was crystal clear.

“We want the book to be withdrawn. How many times do you have to meet over a school book? The last meeting went on for two hours,” he told FMT.

Sivakumar also reminded politicians that the issue concerned the shaping of young minds and should not be viewed from a ballot box perspective.

“Politicians should not turn schoolchildren into a vehicle for political mileage. It’s about doing the right thing, so the book must be removed from the syllabus,” he said.

However, he warned that the government’s adamant stand in retaining the book could court political repercussions for Barisan Nasional (BN), with regard to Indian votes in the next general election.

“The decision to retain the book albeit with some changes to the offensive parts is not the desired remedy as the book has left bitter memories in the minds of the Indian community,” he said.

“The community is disappointed; we expected nothing short of a complete withdrawal,” he added.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister, said the book would be retained but would only be distributed to students after a panel, comprising literary experts and Indian representatives, made the necessary amendments.

Interlok, penned by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, was introduced as a component for the Malay literature subject for Form Five students this year.

However, Indian groups, including MIC, objected on the grounds that the book contained inaccurate and disparaging information about the community.

Disappointed with MIC
Elaborating on the yet-to-be formed panel, Sivakumar said: “This is perceived as a design to further frustrate the Indians and somehow force them to come to terms with the authorities’ decision.”

“It is feared that the representatives from the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and from groups aligned to the DBP would impose their views and compel the panel to accept some shoddy changes.

“In the final analysis, the book would leave much to be desired and would turn out to be a bitter pill for the Indian community to swallow,” he added.

Sivakumar said that he was bewildered by the government’s “insensitivity” towards the feelings of the Indian community and its inability to see eye-to-eye with MIC on the matter.

The Miba president also expressed disappointment with MIC for bowing to pressure and compromising on its stand.

“We expected MIC to remain firm in its call to have the book withdrawn,” he said.

Sivakumar stressed that Miba would work with other NGOs to continue pressuring the government to withdraw the book.

Cikgu! Penari Kathakali tidak pakai topeng

Sebagai individu yang diakui sudah ‘dewasa’ dan ‘matang’, pelajar perlu berani bersuara semasa perbincangan di kelas. Adik-adik sekalian,

COMMENT

Kita sambung perbincangan yang ditangguhkan semalam. Sebagai pelajar dan remaja yang sudah diberi lesen ‘dewasa’ dan ‘matang’ oleh pelbagai persatuan penulis mewakili kaum tertentu dan NGO kaum tertentu, anda boleh membaca secara terperinci kisah di halaman 210-284, novel Interlok edisi murid dan mencatatkan jati diri Maniam, jika ada.
Maniam hanya ‘menyaksikan pawai gajah yang dihiasi dalam perayaan Onam di pekan Tricur’ (halaman 211). Tiada apa-apa bukti menunjukkan identiti keturunannya sebagai seorang Malayali (Malayalam); termasuk namanya!
Upacara perkahwinan Maniam-Malini di Malaya disempurnakan mengikut budaya keturunan Tamil, iaitu keturunan Perumal (bapa Malini) yang berasal dari Madras, Tamil Nadu, India. Malah, ‘pesta perkahwinan’ itu digambarkan sebagai ‘upacara yang meletihkan’ (halaman 229).
Sejak masih berada di ‘sebuah desa yang terletak berdekatan dengan Tricur, Kerala, sebuah negeri di pantai barat India Selatan’ (halaman 210) hinggalah ke saat Maniam ‘hanya berdoa dalam hatinya, untuk keselamatan anaknya’ (halaman 288), tidak ada apa-apa penanda dan petanda yang nyata untuk menunjukkan Maniam ada sebarang jati diri sebagai seorang Malayali (Malayalam) beragama Hindu; kecuali bahawa – syukur, segala pujian hanya bagi-Mu, Tuhan! – ‘Sebagai orang Hindu, lembu tidak boleh disembelih dan dimakan dagingnya’ (halaman 215).
Sebenarnya, ‘alasan’ mengenai sebab kaum India tidak makan daging lembu seperti digambarkan dalam Interlok edisi murid lebih berciripurana dan bukannya fakta. Siapakah agaknya ‘a scholar from University of Malaya’s Indian Studies Department’ (New Sunday Times, 23 Januari 2011) yang menjadi ‘pakar rujuk’? Entahlah, segalanya masih menjadi ‘misteri nusantara’ (common noun).
Sekurang-kurangnya anda tahu bahawa Maniam bukan Paria (proper noun) atau paria (common noun) kerana istilah itu sudah terbukti merujuk secara khusus kepada ‘kumpulan manusia yang makan daging lembu’ (common noun). Ini baru fakta, dan ini juga mungkin fakta baru untuk anda.
Dramatari Kathakali
Adik-adik sekalian,
Maniam juga tidak tahu apa-apa mengenai budaya Malayali walaupun dia lahir dan membesar di Kerala sebelum menjadi ‘pendatang’ di Malaya pada usia 30 tahun. Ops, maaf! Pendatang(proper noun), bukan pendatang (common noun).
Maniam sangat suka melihat penari-penari Katha-kali yang memakai topeng dan melakonkan kisah-kisah lama. (halaman 211)
Petikan di atas menunjukkan bahawa Maniam – atau Sasterawan Negara Datuk Abdullah Hussain (Pak Lah)? atau pakar runding/rujuk penuh ‘misteri nusantara’ dari Jabatan Pengajian India, Universiti Malaya? – tidak tahu apa-apa mengenai Kathakali iaitu suatu bentuk dramatari yang mula ditarikan di Kerala oleh orang Malayalam (Malayali) mulai abad ke-17.
Salah satu kehebatan dan keunikan Kathakali adalah bahawa penari/pelakon mengenakan solekan (mekap) yang tebal pada muka. Saya mengkaji Kathakali semasa mengaji di Universiti Malaya (1993-1998) serta menulis makalah dan cerpen mengenai dramatari itu, serta pelbagai aspek budaya kaum India. Maka, saya tahu bahawa watak Maniam dalam novel Interlok edisi murid tidak tahu apa-apa mengenai Kathakali.
Dalam hal ini, seorang pensyarah, penyair dan penterjemah terkemuka dalam kosmos sastera Melayu tempatan tampil mempertahankan kesalahan fakta mengenai Kathakali (baca: menegakkan benang yang basah) dengan mengatakan ia berciri faksyen (faction) dan ‘the author wanted to incorporate something new or different into his story’ (New Sunday Times, 23 Januari 2011).
Bukan model yang sesuai
Adik-adik sekalian,
Ringkasnya, watak Maniam dalam novel Interlok edisi murid bukan model yang sesuai untuk dijadikan ‘cerminan’ jati diri kaum India beragama Hindu di Malaysia; khususnya generasi muda yang mahu tahu mengenai sejarah nenek-moyong yang datang dari India.
Segala perkara berkaitan Maniam dan kehidupannya (termasuk budaya) seperti yang diangkat dan dijulang dalam novel Interlok edisi murid hanyalah imaginasi liar seorang pakar runding/rujuk penuh ‘misteri nusantara’ dari Jabatan Pengajian India, Universiti Malaya yang mungkin boleh dianggap sebagai ‘tangan halus’ (common noun) yang berjaya menyesatkan Pak Lah yang tidak bersalah.
Sayang sekali tiada kisah terperinci mengenai 119 Paria lain yang datang bersama-sama Maniam menaiki kapal ke Pulau Pinang pada Julai 1910. Mungkinkah ada dalam kalangan mereka yang lebih ‘berjaya’ berbanding watak Maniam?
Analisis kritikal dan waras seperti ini – ‘you need to look at it in the context of history, sociology and social linguistics to get the right message’ (New Sunday Times, 23 Januari 2011) – perlu anda lakukan sendiri tanpa berkiblatkan buku-buku panduan menjawab soalan peperiksaan yang membantutkan niat murni Kementerian Pelajaran (baca: Kerajaan, proper noun) menjadikan anda benar-benar ‘dewasa’ dan ‘matang’ menerusi pembacaan novelInterlok edisi murid yang dijadikan teks Komsas di Zon Tengah.
Semoga panduan yang saya berikan selama ini membantu anda menjadi pelajar yang benar-benar ‘dewasa’ dan ‘matang’ serta berani menyerap reformasi dalam pemikiran.

Why I will vote for HRP/Hindraf and not PAS/PKR/DAP or BN/Umno

I cannot get a job in the government, a scholarship, a job with Ah Pek Sales and Marketing Bhd, a place in MARA, a cheap home that I can afford, a meager 10 acres in some FELDA scheme somewhere, a loan from the bank, or teachers that won't call me Pariah to my face during sastera lessons, and I know that only HRP/HINDRAF finds that this is simply not acceptable.

By Indian MALAYSIAN

I am a Malaysian. But that statement needs to be qualified 99% of the time in this country.

I am an Indian Malaysian; and the only two times the fact that I am of the Indian persuasion did not matter was when I cast my vote. As an Indian Malaysian, my vote is counted as one, just like the vote of a Chinese Malaysian or any other; and when I slap down my passport in some foreign land.

I would love to vote on the basis of who will lead this country better and reduce the wastage and corruption that has become endemic in this land I love, but I cannot do that for a few simple reasons.

1. I am more likely to be killed by the authorities, either when and if I find myself in custody, or when some dude in blue decides to get some target practice done on the roads. Now, I have followed enough extra judicial killings to know that PAS/PKR/DAP will not raise much of a fuss if I am the victim but I do know for a fact that HINDRAF/HRP will.

2. I get thrown in the slammer for some reason or other, maybe I had witnessed a fellow Malaysian (Indian Malaysian to be exact) get beaten to death and decided to open my big mouth. Once again I know that PAS/PKR/DAP won't even pick up the phone, but HRP/HINDRAF will.

3. I had knocked some girl up before I was thrown into jail, and the poor girl now cannot get a birth certificate for the baby, as the daddy (yours truly) is busy learning how to survive on 800 calories a day behind bars. I know PAS/PKR/DAP won't even find out the name picked out for the baby, but HRP/HINDRAF will. Now if the girl decides to give up the baby, or she dies giving birth to it, PAS/PKR/DAP will have no issue with the baby now having a Bin/Binti in its name, but HRP/HINDRAF definitely will.

I believe you get my drift now.

I cannot get a job in the government, a scholarship, a job with Ah Pek Sales and Marketing Bhd, a place in MARA, a cheap home that I can afford, a meager 10 acres in some FELDA scheme somewhere, a loan from the bank, or teachers that won't call me Pariah to my face during sastera lessons, and I know that only HRP/HINDRAF finds that this is simply not acceptable.

So you say I should vote for PAS/PKR/DAP because of the greater good. Okay I will, with a couple of conditions.

Give it to me in writing that the next time I am at risk of getting shot or beaten to death by the police, one of you will come and take my place. Tell me that the next time I apply for a job in the private or public sector, you will give up yours so that I can have means of livelihood. Tell me the next time someone decides that I am not entitled to what another Malaysian is, because I am an Indian Malaysian, you will march on the streets and hound those responsible until things change for the better.

Tell me that, and I will give your beloved PAS/PKR/DAP my vote. If you cannot do that, there is an easier way for you to get my vote. Tell your PAS/PKR/DAP to sit down and talk to HRP, MCLM, KITA, UBF, SNAP and whoever else is out there who is anti BN. If you cannot even do that, I suggest you take your opinion on who I should vote for and stick it where the sun don't shine.

RIGHTS NOT MERCY

Video: 14 year Mughilan in jail 3 months now

14 year Mughilan in jail 3 months now because can not afford RM 1,700 bail & lawyer. Vindictive police prosecuted him because he lodge police report against bully police for beating him up. 

An analysis of the Tenang by –elections from the Indian perspective.

Here is an initial analysis of the Indian votes in Tenang:

	2008	2011
Total Indians voted	1104	694
Indian votes for BN	550	555
Indians voted for PR	554	144

This analysis is very telling.
1) What BN got in 2008, it was able to defend in 2011.
2) PR lost support of almost 400 Indian voters 2008- 2011.
3) But that did not mean BN got those lost votes. These Indian voters very smartly just abstained from voting either PR or BN– they just stayed home on a rainy day. The rains make more difference to them than either BN or PR.
Now, playing HRP and HINDRAF into this Tenang election could produce a picture like this –
1) 90%,of the Indians would have come out to vote if HRP/Hindraf were a factor in this election- in spite of the rain.
2) That will be 1500 voters who would have voted.
3) All those who abstained would very likely have voted HRP/HINDRAF.
4) That is already about 950 voters.
5) Then add about half those who voted BN vote for HRP, that will be another 275.
6) That makes for a total of 1,200 votes.
7) A swing of over 1000 votes would have occurred.
 If PR takes HRP as its equal partner then all these votes would have gone to PR.
9) The margin here would not have been 3707, it would have been 1707.
All fthe above does not even consider the “oomph” factor that HINDRAF/HRP would have introduced into this election, hed they been a factor.
Does PR have the vision to see where HRP/HINDRAF stands or will they foolishly keep repeating that the HINDRAF factor is all but lost.
Clearly there is a serious leadership vacuum for the Indians that only HRP and HINDRAF can fill . No amount of screwing around this idea by PR or anyone else is going to help PR in the least. Getting to Putrajaya seems to be an increasingly receding vision for PR, the more they screw around. Latest, is their attempt to get Surendran on their side. Did that help? They still lost Indian support, big time,in Tenang.
What we see increasingly in these by elections is a sample from which to conclude about what could happen in a General Election. If PR wants to get to Putrajaya there is no alternative for them but to sit down and hammer out a deal with HRP/HINDRAF, before the window shuts

Best Regards

Naragan

Police Report against the Minister of Education of Malaysia Tan Sri Muhyiddin Bin Yassin for including the book ‘Interlok’ into the SPM curriculum 30th Jan 2011

I N.Ganesan i/c # 510725715223 would like to make this Police Report against the Minister of Education of Malaysia Tan Sri Muhyiddin Bin Yassin for including the book ‘Interlok’ written by Abdullah Hussain into the SPM curriculum for the Malay Literature subject. This book contains demeaning and degrading statements about the Indian community. This whole book has a very subtle sense of disrespect and disregard for the feelings of the Indian community and is in my opinion intended to remind us Indians in Malaysia that we are still “pendatangs” and we should be grateful to the UMNO Government for allowing us citizenship in Malaysia. This is in gross violation of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

Let me quote some of the offensive and demeaning statements in the book:

In page 211

Mereka yang dari arah ke utara sedikit bercakap bahasa Malayalam atau Telugu, tetapi hampir semuanya tahu bahasa Tamil. Malayalam dan Telugu pun berasal dari satu rumpun bahasa Dravidia. Satu perkara besar yang membuatkan mereka senang berkaul adalah kerana mereka tergolong dalam satu kasta Paria.

Also in page 211

Mereka tidak perlu takut akan mengotori sesiapa kalau bersentuhan.

In page 218

Maniam seperti orang India yang lain, tidak pernah khuatir tentang keselamatan isterinya.

Also in page 218

Dia gembira hidup di negeri ini kerana untuk pertama kali dalam hidupnya dia berasa dirinya sebagai manusia seperti orang lain.

In pages 218 and 219

Disini dia tidak sahaja bebas bercampur gaul dengan orang lain sama sebangsanya, malah dia tidak takut dengan pantang larang yang terdapat di negaranya apabila seorang India daripada kasta rendah menyentuh orang India daripada kasta tinggi.

In page 219

Di negeri ini, orang daripada keturunan kasta tinggi, kasta Brahma memakai punul yang

melintang di tubuh, tetapi dia tidak takut menyentuh orang itu

Dia boleh membeli barang daripada penjaja dengan memberikan wang dari tangan ke tangan; tidak seperti seperti di negaranya, dia mesti meletakkan wang itu di suatu tempat dan penjaja itu akan menyiram wang itu dengan air sebelum diambil dan dimasukkan ke dalam petinya.

In page 220

Apatah pula lembu ialah binatang suci bagi orang Hindu; dan kalau binatang itu mati, seperti ibunya sendiri yang mati.

In page 224

Tidak makan tengah hari tidak mendatangkan masalah, asalkan dia dapat mengunyah

sirihnya seperti lembu atau kambing memamah biak

In page 229

Setelah menjalani beberapa upacara yang meletihkan, maka pesta perkhawinan Maniam dan Malini pun berakhir.

In page 253

Dia gertak sahaja, orang kulit hitam ini tentu takut kecut

In page 256

Suppiah menerpa ke hadapan dan sujud di kaki orang putih…… Lantas, dia menendang

Suppiah. Suppiah terjungkir.

It is not just these statements but also the overall sense that this book projects that I find totally objectionable. Making it a compulsory text for the SPM Malay Literature language inspite of clear disapproval from the Indian community tantamounts to sedition on the part of the Minister of Education according to the Seditions Act.

1) Section 3.1.e which states that seditious tendency is “A “seditious tendency” is a tendency to promote feelings of ill will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia and

2) 4. (1) Any person who— (a) does or attempts to do, or makes any preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do, any act which has

or which would, if done, have a seditious tendency; and shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable fora first offence to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both, and, for a subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; and any seditious publication found in the possession of the person or used in evidence at his trial shall be forfeited and may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the court directs.

I would like you to prosecute the Minister of Education Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for violating the above sections of the law in particular by authorizing the said book to be continuously used in schools pending the amendments if any and which is undefined. We also want criminal prosecution for sedition against the author, the syllabus panel of which approved the book for use in school and the relevant Education Ministry officials inspite of hundreds of Police Reports lodged nationwide against the said book.

▲

Kugan’s mom: Give me back my son

The family's lawyer also urges the government to form a Royal Commission of Inquiry to probe the youth's death in police custody two years ago.

PETALING JAYA:  Crushed by the court’s decision to free a policeman charged with causing grievous hurt to her deceased son, N Indra broke down in tears at a press conference here.

When asked to speak, the 42-year-old housewife could not find the words, and muttered to her lawyer N Surendran amid sobs, “I want my son back… give me back my son.”

Kugan’s aunt S Renuga, who was also present, said that the family was saddened by the Session Court’s decision to acquit Constable V Navindran this morning.

“When his death was highlighted, (Attorney-General) Abdul Gani (Patail) said there were 11 suspects. Now, not even one has been convicted. So where did his injuries come from?” asked the ashen-faced woman, urging the public to support the family’s call for justice.

Meanwhile, Surendran urged the government to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the 21-year-old youth’s death in police custody two years ago.

“The commission must be given wide powers to find out who murdered Kugan,” he said.
Kugan, whose body was found riddled with scars, was detained to facilitate investigations into a car theft syndicate.

While the initial post-mortem concluded that he had died of fluid accumulation in the lungs, a second post-mortem commissioned by the family claimed that he was beaten, starved and burnt with a hot iron.

Surendran, who is also PKR vice-president, called on Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to resign for failing to secure a conviction.

“Gani should be held personally responsible for the prosecution’s incompetence. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should personally answer for this,” he said.

MIC urges Najib to form IPCMC
Meanwhile, MIC information chief S Murugesan said a proper mechanism must be put in place to check the alarming number of death in custody cases.

“The acquittal in Kugan’s case just goes to show that we do not have a proper mechanism to monitor and bring to book those responsible for such deaths.

“At the moment, the police investigate death of inmates in its custody. Justice must not only be done but seen to be done as well,” he added.

Murugesan pointed out that in circumstances where the investigators were from the same agency under whose watch death occurred, the issue of impartiality and transparency arose.

Furthermore, he added, the number of convictions secured for death in police custody cases spoke volumes on the ineffectiveness of the current system.

In view of this, Murugesan urged Prime Minister Najib to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

“The commission should have full powers to receive complaints, investigate, publish reports and prosecute those responsible in cases of death in custody.

“It will help restore public confidence in our police force and show the seriousness of the government in dealing with the issue,” he added.

No prima facie case
This morning, Justice Aslam Zainuddin said that Navindran was not required to enter his defence at the end of the prosecution case.

He added that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the constable.

Navindran, 28, faced two counts of causing grievous hurt to Kugan, 23, at the D9 interrogation room at the Taipan police station, Subang Jaya, at 7am on Jan 16, 2009. The offences carry a maximum 10 years jail and a fine upon conviction.

Navindran also faced two alternative charges of causing hurt to Kugan at the same place and time, which carry a maximum seven years jail and a fine on conviction.

Interlok retention condemned

PETALING JAYA: Various groups have condemned the government decision to retain the novel Interlok as a Malay literature text in schools, and their anger is directed mostly at Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Education Minister.

Klang MP Charles Santiago called it a “slap” on the face of Malaysian Indians and accused Muhyiddin of pandering to ultra-Malays to win votes in the Tenang by-election.

Muhyiddin, who announced the government decision today, said there would be amendments to the Abdullah Hussain novel to avoid hurt to Indian sentiments. Many groups are offended by what they describe as the novel’s stereotyped and misleading characterisation of Indians in Malaysia.

“He is pandering to the conservatives within Umno to secure his position in the party at the expense of the Indian community,” said Santiago.

This morning, Santiago led a group of 25 people representing non-governmental organisations and opposition parties to the Tenang police station, where they lodged a police report against the Education Minister and demanded complete withdrawal of the novel from schools.

Government misled?

The International Movement for the Preservation of Tamils, one of the NGOs, said it would hold a special prayer tomorrow in response to the Muhyiddin’s announcement.

“We will hold the prayer in Subramaniyar temple in Labis,” said the group’s public relations officer R Suresh Kumar.

He urged MIC to condemn the decision, saying this was the best time for the party to prove its mettle.

“If the MIC president has any clout in BN, he should act now,” he said.

The chairman of the Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs, A Vaithilingam, said the decision went against the government’s 1Malaysia campaign.

“I believe the government has been misled,” he said.

The Malaysian Indian Business Association also condemned the decision, with its president P Sivakumar arguing against the establishment of another panel to amend the novel.

He added that the Indian community’s view on the matter was very clear.

“The book should be taken out from schools,”said Sivakumar, who warned that the Indians may punish the ruling government for this in the next polls.

P Uthayakumar, the secretary-general of the Human Rights Party, meanwhile said he would respond only after seeing the amendments to the novel.

Kavyan welcomes it

However Kavyan Writers Association welcomed Muhyiddin’s decision to retain Interlok with necessary amendments.

“The decision is proof that the government is willing to listen to the plight and voices of the Indians,” said its president Uthaya Sankar SB.

He also reiterated the association’s stand that it was the Education Ministry and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka(DBP) that should take the blame, instead of National Laureate Abdullah Hussain since the copyright for the students’ edition was held by DBP.