Malay force to say Keling babi

Hindraf’s support for Anwar Ibrahim, PKR & PR only when Hindraf 18 point demands fulfilled in Kedah, Penang and Selangor. Indian mandore role rejected. HRP to go solo with Project 15/38 irrespective – P.Uthayakumar.

(Media Statement 10/2/2011)

Online newsreports and the Tamil media have in the last three days reported on whether Anwar Ibrahim will engage Hindraf in the next general elections.

For 50 long years an Indian mandore political party for personal gains sold out the Indian community to UMNO and gave on a silver platter for “free” some 90% of the Indian votes to UMNO/ B.N of which Anwar Ibrahim had once upon a time served as the No 2.

In the aftermath of the 25th November 2007 100,000 people Hindraf Rally, believing that PKR, DAP and PAS would “save” the Indian poor, Hindraf gave unconditional political directions and some 90% of the Malaysian Indians broke the 50 year pro B.N loyalist mindset, “turned turtle” and voted for PKR, DAP and PAS when P.R unprecedentedly won in five West Coast states (including Wilayah Persekutuan of Kuala Lumpur where P.R. won ten out of the 11 Parliamentary seats) and broke UMNO/BNs’ 50 year monopoly on their two thirds majority in Parliament.

But alas P.R was very little different from UMNO in particular in the three P.R. states of Kedah, Penang and Selangor and in their role vis a vis the Opposition benches at the Federal level.

Having come to power, P.R. refused to even address the land for all Hindu temples and cemeteries, all 58, 28 and 98 Tamil schools in Kedah, Penang and Selangor and Indian villages/settlements deemed squatters problem all in one go which they have 100% powers to deliver. This would in effect have solved half the Indian poor problems in at least Kedah, Penang and Selangor.

In a blatant act of betrayal, within months of coming to power the DAP Penang state government “ethnically cleansed” the defenseless Kg Buah Pala Indian poor, the last Indian traditional village in Penang.

What we regretfully saw in the post March 8th 2008 General Elections was in effect a continuation of the UMNO agenda of especially using the P.R. Indian mandores to circumvent addressing even the most pressing Indian poor problems. Thus HRP’s Project 15/38 as per P.Uthayakumar’s book “Indian Political Empowerment strategy – the way forward” which was launched on 19/7/2009.

For the records Hindraf and HRP had from the word go never asked from P.R. and neither were we offered any appointed positions like Senators, Directors of state G.LCs’, Councillors, Village Heads etc. Because our struggle ab initio was in the public interest Hindrafs’ 18 point demands and never the aforesaid showcase and showpiece Indian mandore positions or anything for personal gain.

And when P.R refuses to fulfill at least even one of Hindrafs’ 18 point demands in at least the three P.R ruled states are they going to do so when they get to Putrajaya? ….. is plain and obvious!

It is our unwavering political agenda to end UMNOs’ racist and supremacist 54 year old continuous grip of power. In the present circumstances we would very much like to support P.R. taking over the seat of power at Putrajaya and for Anwar Ibrahim to be the next Prime Minister. But we are not prepared to trust Anwar Ibrahim, PKR, DAP, PAS or PR with a “blank cheque” or a “rain cheque” for that matter to Putrajaya.

Neither will we take up the Indian mandores role in P.R a la MIC vis a vis UMNO/B.N. We want to be an empowered part of the decision making process at Putrajaya with the view to spearhead policy changes at the highest political level and to do so without fear or favour to at the very least undo the injustices having been inflicted on especially the Indian poor in over the last 54 years.

If Anwar Ibrahim rejects this our political agenda, we will be left with no alternative but to go solo with HRP’s Project 15/38. The least we ask is for P.R. not to be spoilers in these 15/38 seats but to make way for HRP in our common political agenda to oust UMNO out of the seat of power at Putrajaya.

Rights not Mercy.

_______________

P.Uthayakumar

Secretary General (Pro tem)

No reason to keep temple closed

HRP files notice under the Freedom of Information Act 2010, demanding explanation from the Selangor government.

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Party today sent a legal notice to the Selangor government seeking clarification on steps taken to reopen the Bukit Gasing Sivan Temple in Petaling Jaya.
Its pro-tem secretary-general, P Uthaya Kumar, wants the state government to disclose the reasons for the stop-work order on the temple in 2008 and other details under the Freedom of Information Act 2010 (Selangor).
“We act for the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and the scores of devotees of the Bukit Gasing Sivan temple in Petaling Jaya.
“According to a recent news report in Tamil daily Makkal Osai, the state government announced that the temple will remain closed, contradicting a state assemblyman’s earlier statement,” said Uthaya in the letter.
Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan had said on Monday that the hilltop temple will be re-opened to the public after the deities have been moved to a new shelter built just beside the main building. The temple was ordered to be closed by the state government for safery reasons
Uthaya said the state government has no legal basis to keep the temple closed as it was in contravention of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
He also questioned if there was a bona-fide concern over safety and why there were mansions on the way down from the temple propped up by 100-feet safety beams visibly protruding on the sides.
He pointed out that based on safety reasons, then scores of other hill slope houses and condominiums in other areas in Selangor with such reinforcements should been closed down.
He also said that there have been no cases of other places of worship ever being closed or issued a stop-work order by the state government.
“I cannot understand how the new temple (in the new shelter) can be dangerous to the public. Are there devotees in the thousands going up and down the temple daily to justify saying that the place is not safe?” asked Uthaya.
“Is this an attempt by the Selangor government to close down this temple in collusion with the nearby millionaires who reside in their mansions along Bukit Gasing?”
Popular place of worship
The lawyer-turned-politician also said that he was suspicious of the Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) delay in getting the safety works, which started in 2008, completed.
The Bukit Gasing Sivan temple has been a popular place of worship in the Klang Valley and the temple management even provided shuttle service for devotees during festival time.
“The erosion near the Sivan temple is small and I suspect the state government has a hidden agenda by deliberately raising safety issue to stall the opening of the temple,” he added.
“If the state is sincere on the temple issue, then Mentari Besar Khalid Ibrahim should get the matter sorted out immediately and grant the land title and at the same time gazette the Sivan temple as a permanent place of worship.”
Uthaya said HRP will give the state government 30 days to come with a permanent solution to the temple issue.

Interlok row and BN´s sinister motives

While the burning of the novel 'Interlok' is heavily debated, PAS' Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud shown her empathy for those against the book, even while she also does not condone the book-burning.

Not only does she put Indians at ease with PAS but also brings into questions the role played by self-proclaimed custodians of various races, the BN, and the PM and DPM's role in engineering our society into the future.

Anwar Ibrahim meanwhile has lost an excellent opportunity to appease and sympathise with the Indians in dismissing the novel as not racist. He clearly misses the mark here. Hence he will become fodder for bashing as being anti-Indian and strengthen the belief that Pakatan is no better than BN.

Without touching on the 'P' word and circumstances surrounding the controversy, let us analyse the motive behind making the book compulsory for SPM students.

The Interlok issue speaks volumes on BN's motive in indoctrinating our nation into the 1Malaysia frenzy. Looking back, the 1Malaysia prime minister and his 'Malay first' deputy are both responsible for the overzealous fake application of 1Malaysia while stressing that pendatangs should not question the status quo. Let's see what has been implemented since March 8, 2008.

The abolition of teaching maths and science in English in all schools amidst protests by many NGOs is one. Results have shown that Tamil school students had improved since implementation of English as the teaching medium, but the so called 'Indian leaders' just toed the line without any clue. What seems to be important is that BN gets its brownie points from the Malay voters.

And attacking non-Malays has been sub-contracted to other groups, yet does this absolve the blame from BN?

Next we see the overzealous implementation of 1Malaysia camps amongst which has resulted in a tragedy and death of students.

And we have the education minister declaring he is a Malay first. This proves the failure of 1Malaysia, that really says we are equal when we really are not.

Another policy that was bulldozed into implementation was the compulsory pass in history for SPM students, while the subject itself is being scrutinised for being a BN propaganda tool. Is the syllabus historically accurate or just the viewpoint of one party? For example where is mention of past heroes such as Youth Corps P Veerasenan and 'Malaya' Ganabathy who died fighting the British insurgency? There are many more heroes and incidents that the current history schoolbooks choose to ignore, this is being tolerated by BN component parties who share the blame.

After 50 years of successful brainwashing and propaganda from young to believe the only eligible government to rule our country is BN, the Indians will never forget the gifts of tear gas canisters and chemical rain the government of the day gave us in 2007.

The torture, blame, and hardships we continue to endure in the last 50 years have created an awareness amongst us. Since that day in 2007, the Indian community has become sensitive and alert. It has now become a volatile community suspicious of every move by any political party.

With pressure groups ready to strike at anyone, each issue is being suspiciously looked upon. Both BN and Pakatan has to be on their toes, as benefit of the doubt is given to neither. Issues of Kugan, Kg Buah Pala, demolitions of temples and now 'Interlok' are all looked upon as being an attack by the ruling party and discriminatory to Indians.

So why does 'Interlok' matter? Because it could have been any other novel with a 1Malaysia recipe. So why now? Why not another novel?

The story's premise is in 1910s at a time when the pendatangs came to Malaysia. Perkasa would surely have loved this notion of telling things as it is - the Indians and Chinese as pendatangs.

Without doubt Perkasa has celebrated the author. Utusan Malaysia carried front page headlines with a large photo of the author in tears. Knowing the role of Utusan Malaysia, we should get an idea of the direction all this is heading.

From an Indian viewpoint it's very simple: why put our children in a lower pedestal of self esteem to others? Do we need to be told to feel grateful to be in this country? That we are pendatangs whose ancestors were glad to be here as socially, Malaya was a viable country compared to India?

Taking it further and generalising most Indians as coming from the lowest caste is indeed mischievous. Are African American students made to watch 'Roots' and read about Kunta Kinte as literature?

To look back at how our ancestors arrived and the struggles they endured has to be seen accurately and in a positive light. When the African Americans read about Kunta Kinte they will also read about Martin Luther King and in the future about Barrack Obama.

So does our history books have many positive Indian figures who were part of our nation building? Are our children taught about them? It's a myth if someone thinks there are only four castes in India, as there are many castes according to profession and hundreds of sub caste from different regions.

So how does the sentence 'most people from Dravida south are of lower caste' sound to readers? Does it mean false statements such as 'the colour of the skin determines the caste' should be accepted? Is calling Indians 'keling' not enough to insult us? Do we need more insults?

Do they take us to be fools who are naïve an unable to see that behind the friendly handshake the hand at the back approves religious conversion, body snatching, little Napoleans, discriminating policies, insincere promises, lack of equal opportunities for education, ongoing marginalisation, fourth class treatment, subtle polarisation ... I could go on.

Spending millions to upgrade Batu Caves and doing some cosmetic changes and colourful paintings with ugly fat dancing statues in Brickfields and hanging a board called Little India there does not solve even a single grouse of the Indian community.

These are smokescreens to keep BN with their 1Malaysia rhetoric in power.

What the Indians need is acknowledgement of marginalisation, sincere efforts to eradicate our problems, amendment of discriminating laws and policies, keeping the little Napoleans in check, reigning back overzealous officers, sincere willingness to listen and to come up with an royal commission of inquiry on various problems among the community.

With its wealth of resources BN only needs to start implementation with discipline and a heart with a willpower to do what is right. MIC is definitely not what the Indians need. They are clueless people, as they are part of BN.

Has the government attempted to solve 53 years of grievances that was highlighted by 30,000 people in the streets of KL? More activist groups will rise if these issues are not solved. What is going to stop another demonstration?

It is no wonder Indians are seeking other countries that offer them equality and unity in diversity. What more when disunity and racial hatred is being sown in front of our eyes!        

Hindraf Activists to hand over memo to UN on racism – Article from www.malaysiakini.com

Susan Loone
Feb 8, 11
3:28pm
Hindu rights activists are planning to hand over a memorandum on the inclusion of controversial novel Interlok into the Malaysian high school curriculum to the United Nations.
The group, led by the Human Rights Party, would hand in the memorandum to the UN office in Damansara this Friday.
According to Human Rights Party advisor N Ganesan (left), the memorandum is specifically about the inclusion of the novel which stereotypes minority Indians in very negative images into the the school curriculum.
“It is also generally about the anachronistic, subtle, pervasive racist system of the Malaysian government – very much like the Apartheid system,” he told Malaysiakini.
“In that memo we plan to elaborate on how this inclusion of Interlok into the school curriculum is not an isolated move on the part of the government but is actually the tip of the iceberg of a system that systematically excludes the minorities of the country – the Indian poor being the most impacted,” he added.
Ganesan said the group was hopeful that by raising the issue with the UN, Malaysia will be called to account by the international community for its blatant racist policies and practices.
He added that the the world needed to know what was really happening in Malaysia.
“In South Africa the Apartheid system was an overt system of control by the minority over the majority. However, in contrast here in Malaysia it is a subtle and I daresay covert system of control by the majority over the minority,” he said.
“It is probably the only country in the world with such an arrangement still. The world needs to know nevertheless,” he added.
The issue first surfaced at the end of last year when Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T Murugiah registered his protest after his ministry discussed the novel with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Several rallies for and against the novel and the Education Ministry move have taken place, with the latest being more than 100 NGOs under the Malay Consultative Council coalition vowing not to support any ethnic Indian leader from any political party in the general elections.
On Jan 27, Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the novel will remain as the textbook for the literature component of the Bahasa Melayu subject for Form Five, but with amendments to those parts deemed offensive by the Indian community.
Solidarity march on Feb 27
However, Hindu activists are still unsatisfied with the remedy and are planning a rally dubbed the ‘People’s March in Solidarity Against Umno’s Racism’ on Feb 27 in Kuala Lumpur.
Ganesan said the plan to hold the march was triggered by the decision by the Malaysian government to include the novel into the curriculum despite loud opposition from the entire Indian community .
He added that the objective of the march is to say in “clear and unequivocal terms that the time has come for the racist regime of Malaysia to be be dismantled”.
“The constant utterances by the muftis, educators at various levels, Perkasa the Umno outsource, mainstream media, by reminders wherever you turn in Malaysia, the reinforced concrete structure of racist control, the constant harassment, the constant threats of prosecution for sedition are all nothing but sheer manifestations of this pervasive system,” he said.
“This system has to be met head-on”.
Ganesan extended an invitation to participate in the march to all political parties, NGOs and civil society organisations who wish to see an end to a racist system.
He also called on PKR and PAS supporters, who recently demonstrated in solidarity with the people of Egypt, to participate in the rally.
Simultaneous demonstrations are also planned in London in Trafalgar Square and in New York, presumably in front of the UN, on the same date, said Ganesan.

Ex-US envoy launches broadside at M'sia's racism

Former United States ambassador to Malaysia John Malott has lambasted Prime Minister Najib Razak's hypocrisy over his 1Malaysia slogan in a scathing article published today in the Asian Wall Street Journal.

Malott (left), a frequent critic of the government since ending his three-year tenure as US ambassador in 1998, told Najib to take “a long look in the mirror” if he was serious about achieving his 1Malaysia goal.

“Despite the government's new catchphrase, racial and religious tensions are higher today than when Najib took office in 2009.

“Indeed, they are worse than at any time since 1969, when at least 200 people died in racial clashes between the majority Malay and minority Chinese communities,” said Malott in his AWSJ commentary. 

He blamed the recent escalation of tensions on the government for “tolerating, and in some cases provoking, ethnic factionalism through words and actions”.

Malott cited a number of examples, including the incident where a top Najib aide, Hardev Kaur, had suggested thatno crucifixes be displayed during the premier's Christmas Day open house visit at the residence of the Catholic archbishop of Kuala Lumpur.

“Ms Kaur later insisted that she 'had made it clear that it was a request and not an instruction', as if any Malaysian could say no to a request from the prime minister's office,” lamented Malott.

Other examples of insensitivities, said Malott, included Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussiendefending the actions of a group of residents who paraded a cow's head to protest the relocation of a Hindu temple to their neighbourhood, and Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi questioning the“lack of patriotism” of ethnic Chinese and Indian Malaysians.

Malott also slammed Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia for stoking racial hatred by regularly attacking “Chinese Malaysian politicians, and even suggested that one of them, parliamentarian Teresa Kok,should be killed”.

As a result of the growing racism, as many as 500,000 Malaysians left the country between 2007 and 2009, more than doubling the number of Malaysian professionals who live overseas, decried Malott.

The economic price tag of racism

He also said Najib is enamoured to right-wing groups such as Perkasa, which are against economic reforms in the name of 'Malay rights'.

“But stalling reform will mean a further loss in competitiveness and slower growth. It also means that the cronyism and no-bid contracts that favour the well-connected will continue.” 

Malott said that while Najib may not actually believe the rhetoric emanating from his party and his government's officers, he allows it because he needs to shore up Malay votes.
“It's politically convenient at a time when his party faces its most serious opposition challenge in recent memory - and especially when the opposition is challenging the government on ethnic policy and its economic consequences.” 

The steady erosion of tolerance, warned Malott, had become an economic problem as well.
“To meet its much-vaunted goal of becoming a developed nation by 2020, Malaysia needs to grow by 8 percent per year during this decade. 

“That level of growth will require major private investments from both domestic and foreign sources, upgraded human skills and significant economic reform. Worsening racial and religious tensions stand in the way.”

The former US ambassador argued that while the government might find it politically expedient to stir the racial and religious pot, such opportunism comes with an economic price tag. 

“Its citizens will continue to vote with their feet and take their money and talents with them. And foreign investors, concerned about racial instability and the absence of meaningful economic reform, will continue to look elsewhere to do business.”

Anti-Indian Interlok campaign will backfire

Plans by two NGOs to campaign against Indian reps in the coming polls will cost Barisan Nasional dear, says Klang MP Charles Santiago.

KUALA LUMPUR: If the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) and National Writers Association (Pena) go ahead with their plan to campaign against Indian candidates in the 13th general election, then it will be Barisan Nasional which will suffer.

According to DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago, since MPM and Pena were aligned to BN, the coalition’s Indian-based parties would receive the worst brunt of the campaign.

“It is the Indian BN parliamentarians who would be more affected, especially the MIC. MIC would suffer more.

“It is the first time that organised groups within BN are going against its framework.

“In the recent by-election, the Malays did not vote Pakatan Rakyat Indian leaders because of the Interlok controversy,” he told FMT.

Santiago was commenting on MPM and Pena’s statements vowing not to support any Indian candidates in the upcoming election.

Their assertions were part of two memorandums which were handed over, albiet separately, to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Both MPM and Pena had reportedly felt that Indian leaders had successfully manipulated and convinced the government to bow to the demands of the Indian community over the Interlok book.

Respect decision

Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor parliamentarian P Kamalanathan, who could not be reached, wrote in his blog that he stood by the government’s decision on the Interlok issue although “it did not please everyone”.

“It is imperative that the leadership makes a decision that is firm, fair and addressed the fundamental role of the government to uphold peace and unity in the nation at all times.

“We are all aware that no decision will please everybody but we must respect and believe in the wisdom of our leaders chosen in a democratic process,” said the MIC man.

Kamalanathan also pledged to serve his constituents “without any bias on their religious, political or social standings”.

Selangor state councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, meanwhile, has called for the issue to be looked at from a Malaysian perspective.

He said it was the responsibility of all races to maintain harmony in the country.

Warning groups not to “play the racial game”, the Selangor state exco member said Indians were not challenging the free will of the author Abdullah Hussein.

Instead the community merely wanted the Form Five book replaced with another one that promoted racial harmony.

The Interlok book has been shrouded by controversy over the usage of the term “pariah”, which is considered deragatory to the Indian community.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had on Jan 27, announced that an independent panel would be set up to amend the book.

Ex-Hindraf leaders declare Bukit Gasing temple 'open'

(Malaysiakini) The Sivan Temple atop Bukit Gasing in Petaling Jaya is now open to the public. So declared two former leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) who had once been detained under the Internal Security Act.

The duo - DAP's Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan and Human Rights Party secretary-general P Uthayakumar - called on all Hindu devotees and everyone to come back to the temple.

"It is safe... the landslide more than two years was not caused by the temple," Uthayakumar said at the temple compound yesterday.

In April 2008, the Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya city halls ordered the closure of the Sivan Temple after extension work on the temple was deemed to have caused a landslide on the Petaling Jaya side.

Uthayakumar claimed that it was not a landslide but erosion of the topsoil. 

There were more dangerous construction projects and high-rise buildings in much steeper areas of Bukit Gasing that could easily trigger landslides, he said, claiming that the 'unsafe' excuse was used to permanently close down the temple.

'Constitutional right to religion'

"No mosque, surau, church or Chinese or Buddhist temple was ever closed down in Malaysia. Why does this happen only to Hindu temples?" he asked, describing the action on the temple as contravention of freedom of religion as guaranteed under Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

Uthayakumar (right) also called on the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government to alienate the land the temple was sited on to the temple trustees within 30 days and to gazette it accordingly, instead of resorting to temporary solutions provided all along by the former BN state government.

Manoharan said the Sivan Temple has been very close to his heart since his student days in University Malaya more than 20 years ago.

A pioneer volunteer at the temple, M Maharathan, said no one should be deprived of their rights in religion.

"I do not care about politicians or about politics. I just do not want to be deprived of my religious practice. No one has the right to shut down temples... I have been coming here for many years," he said.

Some 30 people gathered at the temple about noon yesterday to show their support for its re-opening.

Uthaya and Manoharan: We declare Bukit Gasing Sivan temple open to public from today

WikiLeaks: Waytha may seek legal redress

GEORGETOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti chairman P Waythamoorthy has declined to elaborate on details of his meeting with American officials that was leaked by whistleblower WikiLeaks last week.

He, however, confirmed that the meeting was held on June 25, 2008 over his application seeking a temporary political asylum in the United Kingdom.

“But it would be better for me not to go into details of the meeting,” the London-based Hindaf supremo told FMT.

It’s learnt that he is now seeking legal advice on his next step to deal with the issue.

Details of his meeting with American officials from political and intelligence units in the US Embassy in London were leaked via the London WikiLeaks cables.

The details which were cabled from the embassy to the US State Department in Washington DC were leaked to UK’s newspaper, The Telegraph.

It was revealed that Waythamoorthy had raised suspicion to US officials that his temporary asylum application could have been stalled due to a pending arms deal between London and Putrajaya.

The Telegraph in its online portal article on Saturday revealed that Waythamoorthy had speculated that the London Home Office may not want to aggravate the Malaysian government by granting him even temporary asylum.

He had cited the high volume of trade, including a lucrative pending arms sale between the two countries, for his fear.

The US officers, however, expressed doubt over his accusation that the UK was dragging its foot over his temporary asylum application.

Political asylum

The officers reported that it was too early to determine the accuracy of Waythamoorthy’s suspicion that the UK government was stonewalling the asylum application.

They said that the UK Home Office, which would determine matters of political asylum, would move very slowly as a “general rule”.

Consequently, they thought that Waythamoorthy might attribute the UK action as “bureaucratic inertia”.

Waythamoorthy applied for political asylum vis-à-vis the Geneva Convention to the British government after his Malaysian passport was revoked by the Malaysian government in 2008.

The WikiLeaks details revealed that the human rights lawyer was concerned that his application for temporary asylum status had been put on hold, leaving him without documentation to travel.

It was leaked that he had requested financial assistance for his human rights work, claiming that his international lobby was focused on minority rights for the non-Muslim communities in Malaysia.

He had claimed that Malaysia was increasingly relying on Islamic syariah law either alongside or in place of Malaysian common law, and that “Hindraf was the only Malaysian group working to combat such changes to the legal system”.

He stressed that he did not want permanent asylum in UK as he wanted to return to Malaysia, citing his family and his stalled law practice as reasons.

However, he had insisted that he would return only after the other imprisoned Hindraf leaders have been released.

Waythamoorthy has also complained that his Malaysian passport was revoked by Putrajaya to prevent him from travelling to the US to further the Hindraf cause.

Human rights violation

He believes that it was Putrajaya’s tactic to force him to eventually be deported back to Malaysia where he fears arrest.

The WikiLeaks revealed that Waythamoorthy had then enquired whether the US government can issue a travel document so that he could travel to the US or Canada to pursue his advocacy works on a temporary basis.

He had told American officials that he planned to set up a mission to monitor and document human rights violations in Malaysia.

He had apparently also told the officials that the mission was also to train Malaysian citizens in the investigation of human rights abuses.

Waythamoorthy was also compelled to clarify Hindraf’s non-political position when the American officials told him that the US government would not back politically-partisan organisations.

He explained that although Hindraf remained a predominantly Hindu advocacy group, it was focused on the expansion of democratic rights for all Malaysians.

He also clarified that Hindraf was particularly involved in the advocacy of freedom of religion, educational equality, and equal rights for minorities.

The officers then told Waythamoorthy that they were not in position to offer assistance or determine whether Hindraf was a partisan organisation or provide a travel document.

But they assured him they would convey an account of his status and Hindraf’s objectives to Washington and the American embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The officials have explained that they were unaware of the existence of such a travel document, and that they were doubtful that Waythamoorthy could be accommodated.

No passport

Waythamoorthy then clarified that he did not want a permanent asylum, either in the UK or US.

He left the country during a police clampdown on Hindraf activities in the aftermath of its landmark Nov 25 anti-government rally in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) in 2007.

His elder brother Uthayakumar, three lawyers and another person were detained without trial on Dec 13 under the draconian Internal Security Act.

The five have been released in early 2009.

According to Waythamoorthy, until today, the Malaysian government does not want him to return home and had refused to return his passport, which had been handed over to the Malaysian embassy in London.

Malay NGOs to withhold support for Indian leaders

(Malaysiakini)More than 100 NGOs under the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) coalition have vowed not to support any ethnic Indian leader from any political party in general elections after this.

This is because, according to the coalition, Indian leaders and activists have distorted and influenced the government into bowing to threats and pressures over the 'Interlok' novel controversy. 

“This is our first step in spreading awareness of this movement so that Malays do not give their support to any ethnic Indian leader, whether in the BN or the opposition, starting this general election,” said the coalition in a memorandum they submitted yesterday to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Yesterday, MPM and National Writers' Association (Pena) submitted by hand a memorandum each to Najib in Kuala Lumpur in protest against the government's decision to direct that certain parts of the novel, by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, be amended following objections by MIC and Indian NGOs.

Among those present when the memorandum was submitted were Pena president Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad and two steering committee members of MPM, Kamaruddin Kachar and Helmi Ismail.

In the memorandum, the coalition of 138 NGOs - made up, among others, of artists, intellectuals, businessmen, students and teachers - also said it believes following the pressure affected on the government that it would from now on be swayed by all manners of threats and influence.

“This shows how weak the government is, that it has overly compromised with these people to the point of setting aside rational analysis in order to blunt their threats and demands,” said the seven-page memorandum.

However, the coalition insisted, their's is not an incitement to racial hatred but an expression of disappointment with the weakness of the government in cowing to blackmail.

Unfortunately, no action has been taken against those that had burned copies of the Interlok novel and pictures of its author, which they said suggested of sedition, the memorandum read.

Mohamad Saleeh, meanwhile, was reported to have said their requests expressed the "voice of the Malays” and is not ill-motivated or a threat against the government.

“We are only upholding the interests and dignity of the Malays as a sovereign people (pemilik ketuanan), and (the dignity) of this country and land of ours,” Berita Harian quoted him as saying.

Waytha's meeting with US officials in WikiLeaks

(Malaysiakini) Details of Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy's meeting with American officials from the London embassy has been leaked by whistleblower website WikiLeaks today.

The information, contained in a cable from the United States embassy in London to the US State Department in Washington DC, was released by WikiLeaks through the British newspaper,The Telegraph.

According to the secret cable, Waythamoorthy did not intend to seek political asylum in the US, but was seeking “temporary” asylum in the UK.

“(Waytha) Moorthy also requested financial assistance for his human rights work, which, he claims, focuses on minority rights for the non-Muslim communities in Malaysia,” said the cable.

“He said that his work is especially important today, as Malaysia increasingly relies on Islamic shariah law either alongside or in place of Malaysian common law, and that Hindraf is the only Malaysian group working to combat such changes to the legal system.”

The cable summarised what took place at a June 25, 2008 meeting between Waythamoorthy, who was in self-imposed exile in London, and political officers from the US embassy.

He had stressed that he did not want permanent asylum as he wanted to return to Malaysia.

“He said that he hopes to return to Malaysia as soon as possible, as his family and law practice remain there, but will only return after the other imprisoned Hindraf leaders have been released,” said the cable.

The final three of five Hindraf leaders who were detained without trial under the Internal Security Act, including elder brother Uthayakumar, were freed two years ago.

According to the cable, he requested financial support to enable him to continue advocating Malaysian minority rights while abroad.

He also planned to set up a mission “to monitor and document human rights violations in Malaysia and to train her citizens in the investigation of human rights abuses”.

At the meeting, Waythamoorthy complained that his Malaysian passport was revoked by Kuala Lumpur, preventing him from travelling to the US. 

“Moorthy believes that the Malaysian government revoked his passport to prevent him from furthering his and Hindraf's cause, and so that he would eventually be deported back to Malaysia.

“He asked whether the US would issue a travel document so that he may travel to the US (or Canada) to pursue his advocacy work on a temporary basis.”

US not in a position to offer help

He also claimed that London was slow in processing his asylum application so as not to upset the Malaysian government.

Wathamoorthy took pains to clarify Hindraf's position when the American officials told him that the US government did not support “politically-partisan organisations”.

“He ... explained that although Hindraf remains a predominantly Hindu advocacy group, it focuses on the expansion of democratic rights for all Malaysians, and is particularly involved in the advocacy of freedom of religion, educational equality, and equal rights for minorities.”

“Poloffs (political officers) explained that they were not in a position to offer assistance, determine whether Hindraf was a partisan organisation, or provide a travel document, but pledged to convey Moorthy's account of his status and the purpose of Hindraf to Washington and American embassy, Kuala Lumpur.”

The political officers who met Waythamoorthy also expressed doubt about his accusation that the UK was dragging its foot over his asylum application.

“It is too early to determine the accuracy of Moorthy's suspicion that HMG (Her Majesty's Government) is stonewalling his political asylum application. 

“The (UK) Home Office (which determines matters of political asylum) moves very slowly as a general rule. Consequently, what Moorthy might view as a 'decision not to decide' may simply be bureaucratic inertia.”