Racial tension is boiling over at a crucial political moment.

The Wall Street Journal

Malaysia was once regarded as one of Asia’s most promising emerging economies, but over the last decade that story has soured. Output growth has cooled, and foreign investment plummeted from its peak in 2008. The government’s failure to speed up economic reform is partly to blame, but the underlying cause of the policy gridlock is social tension. With the United Malays National Organization at its head, the ruling National Front coalition maintains an uneasy peace between the country’s three main ethnic groups: Malays, Indians and Chinese.

Protests by Indian activists last month reveal just how fragile that peace is. The controversy arose late last year when the government announced the addition of "Interlok," a 1971 Malay-language novel, to the curriculum in some public schools. Cabinet ministers from the Malaysian Indian Congress, the largest ethnic-Indian party in the National Front, cried foul, saying that the novel depicted the Indian community in an offensive way.

The issue ignited furious debate in the Malaysian media but did not at first seem to threaten broader unrest. A group of ethnic-Indian NGOs undertook a formal investigation of the novel’s content and found that it did contain a number of historical errors and misrepresentations. In mid-January the Ministry of Education convened a committee to amend the novel’s offensive bits, apparently satisfying the MIC.

Protesters gather near Kuala Lumpur to urge the government to ban the controversial Malay-language book Interlok.

The situation intensified, however, when two Indian-rights organizations—the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, and a splinter group, the Human Rights Party—called for nationwide protests against both the book and what they say are UMNO’s "racist" policies generally. Hindraf was banned in 2008 for holding a massive antiracism rally the year before, at which hundreds of its supporters were jailed under the country’s stiff Internal Security Act. Last month, police denied the groups’ requests for public-assembly permits and threatened to charge anyone who attended protests with participating in unlawful organizations.

Undeterred, demonstrators took to the streets in several cities, first on Feb. 13 and then in greater numbers last Sunday. Police delivered on the promised crackdown, patrolling the protest route with trucks and keeping water cannons menacingly nearby. Around Kuala Lumpur, officers appeared to be accosting anyone even suspected of being a Hindraf sympathizer. On Sunday over 100 people were jailed, and though most were released the next day, 11 remain under investigation.

This sort of response to peaceful protests shows the troubled state of civil liberties in Malaysia. Since taking office in 2009, Prime Minister Najib Razak has clamped down on the press, jailed bloggers and suppressed public demonstrations, all in the name of maintaining unity and stability. In a speech early last month, he cautioned his countrymen against getting any ideas from the revolutions unfolding in the Arab world. "We will stop any attempt to bring such trouble into Malaysia," he said.

In part, it was the National Front that created the conditions for the present turmoil to begin with. Less well-off than Malaysia’s Chinese, Indians attribute their economic woes to affirmative-action rules that favor ethnic Malays in hiring and education. Groups like Hindraf accuse the ruling coalition of yielding too readily to nativist Malay voices that agitate against meritocratic reforms.

Political games seem also to be afoot in the Indian groups’ rabble-rousing, though. Hindraf and the HRP are likely using the present conflict to galvanize the Indian community ahead of a general election expected later this year. They may even calculate that an excessively harsh reaction by the government or ethnic-Malay factions to protests will win them additional public favor.

But the MIC has distanced itself from last month’s unrest, and even opposition parties like the National Justice Party, or PKR, appear uneasy about siding with the protesters. Addressing his supporters in January, PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim advised against using the "Interlok" issue to score political points. "It would be extremely useful for the Ministry of Education to listen to reasonable comments on ‘Interlok’ and not to turn it into a divisive political issue," he said.

Too late for that, it seems. Malaysia’s Indians have legitimate reason to feel marginalized in society and ignored by their own leaders. But the risk now is that political parties representing the three races will be steered by extremist groups that exacerbate conflict for their own gain. The past month’s events suggest that years of redistributive policies designed to paper over ethnic divisions have only perpetuated the strife instead.

Malaysia: Government Reveals Nearly 30,000 Foreigners Caned

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE

Malaysia should immediately halt the judicial caning of refugees and migrants, Amnesty International said after the government disclosed that almost 30,000 foreigners had been caned in five years.

In a response to a parliamentary question on 9 March, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein disclosed that Malaysia had caned 29,759 foreigners between 2005 and 2010 for immigration offences alone.

“The government’s figures confirm that Malaysia is subjecting thousands of people to torture and other ill-treatment each year,” said Sam Zarifi, Asia Pacific director at Amnesty International. “This is a practice which is absolutely prohibited under international law, no matter what the circumstances.”

“As a first step, the Malaysian government has to immediately declare a moratorium on this brutal practice.”

Amnesty International also called for a complete abolition of all forms or corporal punishment, which constitutes torture or other ill-treatment.

In December 2010, Amnesty International published an in-depth investigation into judicial caning in Malaysia. In each of the 57 cases it examined, Amnesty International found that the caning amounted to torture, as the authorities had intentionally inflicted severe pain and suffering through the punishment of caning.

While most countries have abolished judicial caning, Malaysia has expanded the practice. Parliament has increased the number of offenses subject to caning to more than 60.

Since 2002, when Parliament amended the Immigration Act 1959/63 to make immigration violations such as illegal entry subject to caning, tens of thousands of refugees and migrant workers have been caned.

At least 60 per cent of the 29,759 foreigners caned were Indonesians, according to Liew Chin Tong, the parliamentarian who submitted the question. In March 2010, Amnesty International documented how unchecked abuses by unscrupulous labour agents led to many migrant workers losing their legal immigration status and thus being subject to caning.

Refugees are also caned for immigration violations in Malaysia. Since Malaysia has not yet ratified the UN Refugee Convention, asylum seekers are often arrested and prosecuted as illegal migrants. Burmese refugees in Malaysia have told Amnesty International how they live in fear after being caned.

“Malaysia is subjecting thousands of people from other Asian countries to torture and other ill-treatment,” said Sam Zarifi. “Indonesia, which chairs the Association of South East Asian Nations and its human rights Commission this year, must press Malaysia to stop caning their citizens.”

For more information: In London, Lance Lattig (+44-7735-381672)

Hand Memorandum at Parliment

Interlok dan Kesannya

Tiga pelajar samseng

My Metro

NOREL AZMI...ambil keterangan tiga pelajar.

HULU SELANGOR: Tiga pelajar tingkatan lima sebuah sekolah menengah di sini, bertindak samseng dengan mengugut untuk membunuh seorang guru disiplin, kelmarin.

Difahamkan, kumpulan terbabit bertindak demikian kerana tidak puas hati apabila guru terbabit enggan menerima buku teks yang mahu dipulangkan mereka.

Berikutan itu, ketiga-tiga pelajar terbabit ditahan pihak berkuasa sejurus guru lelaki berkenaan membuat laporan polis berhubung insiden berkenaan.

Kejadian itu bermula kira-kira jam 11 pagi apabila tujuh pelajar sekolah berkenaan pergi ke pejabat sekolah bertemu pengetua untuk memulangkan buku teks yang enggan digunakan mereka.


Menurut sumber, tindakan tujuh pelajar itu yang berlagak samseng dengan meluru masuk ke pejabat sekolah tanpa meminta kebenaran bagaimanapun cuba dihalang guru berkenaan.

“Hairan dengan tindakan pelajar terbabit, guru disiplin itu bertanyakan tujuan mereka mahu berjumpa pengetua dan mereka memberitahu mahu memulangkan buku teks yang tidak mahu digunakan lagi.

“Guru itu menjelaskan kepentingan dan salah faham yang timbul mengenai buku berkenaan yang dianggap memberi ilmu pengetahuan kepada pelajar,” katanya.

Namun, pelajar terbabit tidak puas hati dengan penjelasan guru itu dan menganggap dia sengaja menghalang mereka bertemu pengetua dan mula bertindak biadab dengan meninggikan suara.

Sumber berkata, guru disiplin yang tergamam dengan tindakan pelajar terbabit cuba menenangkan keadaan dan menjelaskan perkara sebenar.

“Bagaimanapun, keadaan menjadi kecoh apabila tiga daripada pelajar terbabit mengugut guru itu kerana mendakwa dia menyinggung perasaan mereka,” katanya.

Bimbang keselamatan diri berikutan ugutan pelajar terbabit, guru berkenaan membuat laporan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Hulu Selangor, di sini.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Hulu Selangor, Superintendan Norel Azmi Yahya Affendy ketika dihubungi mengesahkan penahanan ketiga-tiga pelajar itu.

Menurutnya, semua mereka ditahan dalam tempoh 24 jam bagi mengambil keterangan berhubung insiden itu dan kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 506 Kanun Keseksaan kerana mengugut dan siasatan lanjut masih dijalankan.

Sementara itu, Bernama memetik Ahli Parlimen Hulu Selangor, P Kamalanathan, sebagai berkata beliau akan mengadakan perjumpaan dengan ibu bapa dan guru sekolah berkenaan esok berhubung isu buku teks itu.

“Saya akan pastikan pelajar menerima kembali buku berkenaan kerana itu arahan kerajaan yang mengekalkan novel berkenaan sebagai teks komponen sastera (Komsas) tingkatan lima,” katanya di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

Kamalanathan berkata, berikutan kejadian itu, guru berkenaan sudah membuat laporan polis kerana mendakwa diugut abang seorang daripada pelajar itu pada Isnin lalu, manakala pelajar terbabit turut membuat laporan polis kerana perkataan yang digunakan guru itu.

Interlok: School asked to submit report

The school embroiled in controversy over the Interlok novel has been directed to submit a report over the incident in which a teacher allegedly uttered a racial slur against ethnic Indian students in the school. 

An officer at the Hulu Selangor district education department (PPD), Mat Jah Roslan, said the authorities at the SMK Kuala Kubu Bharu will have by the end of the day today make the report ready for purposes of further investigation by the department. 

The report will be prepared by the school principal as well as the teacher concerned, Mat Jah toldMalaysiakini when contacted yesterday. 

“We are in the midst of trying to determine the causes of the incident, which quarters (are responsible). This is because each of the parties concerned are not satisfied. 

"We need to scrutinise the actual facts and in a clearer context," he said further. 

In the incident, three Form Five students were on Monday taken to the Kuala Kubu Baru district police headquarters and questioned for 10 hours after they had gone to the principal on Friday last week with the purpose of returning their copies of the novel Interlok. 

This happened after a group of them wanted to return the book because they were not happy with its contents, but were stopped by a discipline teacher who allegedly abused them verbally. 

Commenting further on the matter, Mat Jah said as the incident had been widely reported in the media, the district education department as well as the Education Ministry want to know the facts behind the episode. 

"They've asked the district education department. That's why we need clarification from those involved," said Mat Jah. 

It was reported yesterday that Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan has also stepped into the affair to expedite its resolution.

The future of education in multicultural Malaysia

What does 1Malaysia mean, not as an evolving concept that has undergone some kind of dialectical materialistic treatment and the cyclical theory of knowledge (thesis-anti-thesis-synthesis) but a branding, sloganising, hollow-fying concept of forced "oneness" pushed into public discourse and into public sphere? 
A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE
Dr Azly Rahman 
Notes on a Roundtable on Education and  Multiculturalism in Malaysia

Dr. Azly Rahman, Speaker

Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, commentator

Dr. Ibrahim Bajunid, moderator

UCSI Multipurpose Hall, UCSI, Cheras, February 24, 2011

Q: Being a multicultural society that Malaysia is, how should our education system be designed? Or, should it be designed at all?

A: Education is a deliberate attempt to construct human beings who will participate in society as productive citizens. The question whether our education system should be designed or not is quite irrelevant when education, schooling, training, indoctrination, and the spectrum of ways by which the child is "schooled" are all based on intentional design.

Schooling is the most contested terrain in any society; it is a battlefield or a conveyor belt for the creation of human beings. We go back one step before the question of design. In a multicultural society, who should be entrusted to design schooling - politicians or philosophers of education trained in the study of political economy and anthropology and alternative historicising?

Are those designing our schooling system equipped with the varieties of philosophical perspectives in education? We have essentialism, progressivism, romanticism, cultural rejuvenation, social reconstructionism, spiritual capitalism, technicism... or even cultural revolution.

These philosophies call for a different perspective of what a human being is and how to draw out the potentials in each and every human being. Hence the Latin word "educare", from which education comes from, meaning "drawing out".

My question for all of you: What philosophy of education will be suitable for a multicultural society such as Malaysia? And how do we translate such a philosophy into praxis (Paulo Freire, "Cultural action for freedom").

Q: The current design has created an eco-system wherein parents can choose between national schools, vernacular schools or Islamic schools. Is this healthy for nation building? The older model of primary education was with the strategic intent of laying the foundation for nation-building. Is that agenda now being sacrificed?
A: Choices emanate from how society has evolved, in this case Malaysia as a capitalist society with choices in education and schooling. We must consider what "nation-building" means in the context of schooling. Nation means one people, from the French scholar Ernst Renan. The kind of nation we want to create depends upon the schools we build.

How does one build an "American" school? It depends on the people's understanding and degree of the embodiment of the constitution of the United States and how America sees itself as a nation of immigrants, wherein schooling that separates religion and the state complicates less the process of "nation-building".

"All men are created equal, endowed by the Creator the inalienable rights ...", says the preamble to the US constitution. Every morning one hears these words in unison, across America in all classrooms, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic unto which it stands as one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all..." The meaning of 1Malaysia
What does 1Malaysia mean, not as an evolving concept that has undergone some kind of dialectical materialistic treatment and the cyclical theory of knowledge (thesis-anti-thesis-synthesis) but a branding, sloganising, hollow-fying concept of forced "oneness" pushed into public discourse and into public sphere?

What does a truly Malaysian school mean? Herein lies the evolution of ideological apartheid, especially in our public school system. Where is the locus of control? How are race-based ideological battles fought in this terrain? Herein lies the separate schools Malaysians build.

Q: But, should schools be seen as a tool for nation building at all? Isn't it the "nation-building" agenda that has created a divided society that we have now? Can nation-building not be simply the of sharing national values of some universal form that prepares student for a globalised world?

A: On schooling and nation-building; this is a question of the post-70s era in which the debates on nationalism, pluralism, socialism, national-socialism or even cosmopolitanism or millennialism rage. Countries or states were jumping onto the bandwagon of perceiving education from a post-colonial or neo-colonialist lens, arguing for the maintaining the race and ethnicity dimension of social and economic progress.

The creation of the precursor to the BN in the form of the Alliance Party in 1955 and subsequently, the dominance and hegemony of this race-based coalition party has enabled the creation of an education system based on race consideration.

Q: If given a choice, would parents choose schools based on the medium of instruction or would they choose quality? In other words, if choice is given in a multicultural society, would that cause society to break down further?
A: Multiculturalism is not an option, radical multiculturalism as an educational philosophy is even not an option. I may sound like Plato, Kung Fu Tze, Jean Jacques Rousseau or Marx - as "deterministic" - but there is a sense with phenomenological evidence in this country that this society is breaking down and we must seek solutions through education.

Consider these issues as I conclude: The protest over the selected reading Interlok, the rise of NGOs promoting dangerous ultra-nationalism, the suppression of free speech on campuses, the proliferation of indoctrination on campuses through the work of governmental outfits such as Biro Tata Negara, and the list goes on ...

But what is multiculturalism? Broader than what many of us here have conceived: "Many cultures", "many world views", "multiple perspectives", "multiple ways of knowing" - and to bring human beings from a variety of cultures of ability and disability to enable them to reach their fullest potential - the children of all races, physically, emotionally, technologically, emotionally challenged, the culturally deficient, and many more - all these to be brought into the process of being "educated through schooling" so that each may learn, prosper and grow as critical, creative, ethical human beings who will use their knowledge and power to transform others and not to plunder and oppress.

We need to embark on a long-term project of radical education transformation based on radical multiculturalism as our philosophy.
DR AZLY RAHMAN, who was born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Bahru, holds a Columbia University (New York) doctorate in International Education Development and Masters' degrees in the fields of Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 300 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience spans Malaysia and the United States, over a wide range of subjects from elementary to graduate education. He currently resides in the United States.

HRP appeals to India P.M & 3 C.Ms’ to stop RM 45.48 Billion infrastructure projects & contracts to Malay-sian companies on DPM Muhyiddin’s visit to India.

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com Email:info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Date: 9/3/2011
His Excellency Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister Of India
South Block, Raisina Hill, Fax : 91-11-23019545
New Delhi ,
Indian – 110101
His Excellency Shri Narendra Modi
Chief Minister Of Gujarat
1^st Block, 5^th Floor, Fax : 079-23222101
New Sachivalaya E-Mail: cm@gujaratindian.com
Ghandinagar
His Excellency Shri M.Karunanidhi Chief Minister of Tamilnadu
Chief Minister’s Office Fax: 044-25671441 Secretariat, Chennai 600009 Email: cmcell@tn.gov.in
His Excellency Shri Kiran Kumar Reddy
Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh
‘C’ Block, Fax : 04023452498
6^th Floor, AP Secretariat Email: cmap@ap.nic.in
Madam Susma Swaraj
Opposition Leader,India 8, Safdarjung Lane,
New Delhi –110011
Email:sushmaswaraj@hotmail.com
Your Excellencies,
Re: 1) Persecution of minority Indians in Malaysia from womb to tomb .
2) Last week alone 53 minority Malaysian Indians prosecuted for staging peaceful Hindraf Rally – three years jail.
3) Appeal to mother India to deny Malaysian companies the RM 45.48 Billion infrastructure jobs in India & diplomatic engagements.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We refer to the above matter.
An eight member delegation from Hindraf and HRP attended the Pravasi Bharathiya Divas Conference in New Delhi from the 7^th to 9^th of January 2011 where we had for the third successive year (and this year) submitted our “Malaysian Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations Annual report 2011”. This report outlining the persecution from womb to tomb of the mere 8% Indian minority in Malaysia was forwarded personally at a meeting with the Indian Overseas Affairs Minister Mr. Vylavar Ravi at his office, Prime Minister’s Office and the Indian External Affairs Minister. Kindly visit www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com for the current day to day documentation of the Malaysian state sponsored racism and religious extremism. On a people to people basis we have very little problems.
Within four days last week alone (1/3/11 to 4/3/11) some 53 Hindraf activists were prosecuted after some 300 (official figures being 109) were arrested for staging a peaceful assembly championing Human and Indian minority rights near KLCC the World’s Tallest Twin Towers.
We hereby appeal that the RM 45.48 Billion infrastructure projects in Gujrat, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh India (NST 9/3/2011 at page 4) is not granted to Malaysian companies during the current visit of our Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to India unless and until the persecution and prosecution of the poor and defenceless Indian minority in Malaysia is immediately stopped by the racist and religious supremacist UMNO led Malaysian government, the world’s most racist and religious supremacist regime and the world’s only remaining apartheid regime after the same ended in South Africa in 1989 but which has been very successfully hidden to the world.
We also hope your goodselves could diplomatically eengage Malaysia on a government basis.
We hereby also request for an urgent appointment for a meeting with your goodselves.
If we cannot appeal to Mother India where else can we go to.
Mother India please help us.
Thank you,
Yours faithfully,
……………….
P. Uthayakumar
Secretary General (pro tem)
+6013-3504711
c.c Shri Avinash Rai Khanna
Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha
202, Brahmputra Apartment,
Dr. B.D. Marg,
New Delhi
c.c Sudhir Aggarwal
National Convenor
Human Rights Cell Fax : 911123005787
BJP Email: sudhirkural@yahoo.com
11, Ashok Road,
New Delhi – 110001
c.c Vivek Goyal
Advocate Additional General Punjab
Suite No. 3,
Legal Cell, Email: vivekgoyaladv@hotmail.com
Punjab Bhawan
Copernicus Marg
New Delhi – 110001

Video : Terrorist links: Uthaya’s defamation suit dismissed

Interlok UMNO Racist Agenda Indian Student Arrested

Uthayakumar's defamation suit dismissed

The Court of Appeal has struck out Hindraf legal advisor P Uthayakumar's defamation suit against the former inspector-general of police (IGP) and attorney-general over their claims that he has links with terrorist organisations.

In a 2-1 decision, the three-member bench ruled that the statements by the two respondents were directed at Hindraf, and not at Uthayakumar (left in photo).

In addition, the court ruled that Hindraf has been declared an illegal organisation and it has no locus standi to pursue legal action.

Justice KN Segara pointed to two news reports published on Dec 7, 2007 before Uthayakumar's arrest under the Internal Security Act (ISA) six days later.

"It is blatantly clear that the alleged defamatory statements were not directed at him (plaintiff)," said Segara.

Justice Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim agreed with his view.

Dissenting judge Justice Hishamudin Mohd Yunus said a subsequent statement published by Star on Dec 15 had quoted then IGP Musa Hassan as referring to Uthayakumar as having links to terrorist organisations.

"The IGP was referring to the plaintiff and four others detained under the ISA," he noted.

Hishamudin added that he was not satisfied that the plaintiff's statement of claim was not sustainable, as ruled by the majority decision.

"The plaintiff ought to be given his day in the High Court to give evidence," he said.

Uthayakumar's counsel M Manoharan praised Hishamudin for his dissenting judgment.

"In view of this, we will appeal to the Federal Court," he told reporters outside the court.

read more

The police turned my brother into a criminal

I read with great interest the article in your portal entitled 'Cops, not protesters, are real threat to nation' and must say that I am in complete agreement.

I say this because of the ordeal my family and I went through recently which I dare say was mostly due to some unscrupulous police officers.

Our ordeal started on Feb 9 after I was involved in a quarrel with a neighbour who happens to be friends with two plainclothes detectives from the South Klang police headquarters.

Although my quarrel was with the women in that family, one of the women's husband entered my house and assaulted me. A youth from that family also came charging with a parang which he swung towards me.

Luckily, the parang missed me but hit the pillar of my gate and subsequently left a deep mark.

I went and made a police report, and so did the neighbouring family in addition to consulting their detective friends.

That night my younger brother, who is an assistant manager with a fast food outlet, came home at about midnight and learnt what had happened. Because of this, he then stood in our compound and shouted that hitting a woman was sheer cowardice and challenged them to take him on if they had the guts.

At about 5.00am that morning one of the neighbour's detective friends came to our house with two other policemen, and said my brother was under arrest for smashing our neighbour's cars' windscreens.

They would not listen to him when he said that he had nothing to do with the alleged crime. He also asked to be allowed to go to work and open-up the restaurant before reporting to the police. They refused, and obtained a remand order the same morning for my 24-year-old brother who has never been hauled-up for anything in his entire life.

He was kept there for four days and severely beaten-up by an inspector before he was released.

My brother was punched, slapped, kicked, hit with a rubber hose and a pair handcuffs and told that he would be killed if he complained about being beaten-up. He was also called names are subjected to racial insults by the inspector.

We are also furious that one of the neighbour's detective friends had seated my brother in a room with an alleged extortionist and asked the latter to convince my brother to 'admit his guilt'.

How dare this policeman ask this person, whom apparently had a mile-long police record, to attempt to force my brother into admitting to something he did not do.

My brother was released on Feb 13 and charged on Feb 16 for something the he did not do. We posted bail of RM3, 320 and my brother is required to go to the police station once a week to sign in.

Ironically no action has been taken against the man who assaulted me as well as the youth who swung a parang at me simply because they are friends with the detectives.

When we queried the police, they say there is no evidence. When we tell them that neighbours who had seen him coming with the parang were willing to give evidence, the police officer in charge of the case said he had no time to talk to them.

My brother lodged a report at the Selangor police headquarters on Feb 14 against the police inspector who had assaulted him. However, we have yet to hear from the police. Someone please tell the police that justice delayed is justice denied.

Our family is also hoping that the police top brass will take note of this letter and put right what has gone so wrong in the Klang South police station.

We also welcome offers of legal representation to look into this case as we are not able to afford a lawyer.

Bkt Jalil residents warn DBKL of legal action

The Bukit Jalil estate residents have given City Hall 48-hours to explain the eviction notices, failing which an application for an injunction will be filed.

(Free Malaysia Today) KUALA LUMPUR: Ladang Bukit Jalil residents are planning to file an injunction to stop the City Hall (DBKL) from evicting them on March 15.

At a press conference here, their legal adviser Fadiah Nadwa Fikri said a letter has been despatched to DBKL demanding an explanation over the eviction notice sent on March 1.

“We have given them 48 hours to respond. If there is no reply by tomorrow, we will go to court to get an injunction against them,” added the Lawyers for Liberty coordinator.

On March 3, the 41 families of the estate lodged a police report against Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail after receiving the eviction notice.

They claimed that the notice was illegal as it did not indicate under which regulation the eviction would take place.

The latest eviction notice came after Nong Chik met the residents on Feb 23 and announced that DBKL would only offer RM23,000 each to those who had worked in the rubber estate for more than 15 years and RM11,000 for the rest as compensation.

The minister then told them that the offer was final and eviction would take place whether they accept it or not.

Dismissing the new eviction notice, Fadiah said the the order had no legal standing as it did not comply with any known regulation.

“The notice did not indicate under which provision of the law they are being evicted. It seems to be an attempt to intimidate and threaten the residents to leave the land,” she said.

She said that the notice was misleading as it implied that the eviction was taking place based on what had been agreed upon in a meeting last month.

“The minister merely made an announcement that day and he has yet to give any written guarantee on his offer,” she added.

83 police reports lodged

Sharing his views, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arutchelvan criticised Nong Chik’s deputy M Saravanan for saying that the residents were only served with eviction notices, and not booted out of their homes under the Emergency Ordinance.

“It is illegal for them (DBKL) to just ask the residents to vacate the land. Only the court can give an eviction order.

“And the estate was originally 1,800 acres. They built highways, condominiums and a golf club but they can’t give four acres of land to the original inhabitants,” he said.

Estate resident, K Balakrishnan complained that the police had not taken any action against Nong Chik and DBKL despite the numerous reports filed against them for abusing their authority.

“To date, we have filed 83 police reports but none of the reports have been investigated. We want the police to take action immediately. We also want the police to provide protection for us if they come to evict us on March 15,” he said.

He added that the residents were now living in fear as there were strangers coming to the estate area and taking pictures of their homes.

“Even last night, three unknown cars entered our estate. We are fearful that they might just burn our houses,” he said.

Also present at the press conference was a representative from Kampung Berembang, which was torn down in 2006 after a stand off between the residents and the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council.

Norazlin Ali, who came to lend his support to the Bukit Jalil estate residents, reminded the authorities that the city was first inhabitated by squatters and estate workers before skyscrapers were built.

“These workers (Bukit Jalil residents) are our assets that helped build our country,” he said.

The NGOs present at the press conference were the Oppressed People Network (Jerit), Suaram, Selangor and Federal Territories Residents Association (Permas) and Lim Len Geok (LLG) Development Centre.

Cops question students for 10 hours over 'Interlok'

(Malaysiakini) Three Form Five students were yesterday taken to the Kuala Kubu Baru district police headquarters and traumatised by being questioned for 10 hours - all for wanting to return the novel 'Interlok' to their principal last Friday.

Initially, seven SMK Kuala Kubu Baru students, who wanted to return the book because they were not happy with its contents, were stopped by a discipline teacher who allegedly abused them verbally.

“All seven of us were walking calmly towards the headmaster's room when our discipline teacher stopped us and started making comments which hurt our feelings,” said one of the students, who was with four others at the Human Rights Party headquarters today.

According to the student, the discipline teacher said the students were purposely creating problems because of their race.

The teacher reportedly said, “Kenapa orang India garang? India memang suka rosakkan nama sekolah. Keling memang dasar pariah sejak sejarah lagi” (Why are the Indians so fierce? Indians really like to tarnish the school's name. The keling have been pariahs since historical times).

The 17-year-old students were not able to return the novel as the teacher told them to disperse immediately.

Yesterday, while the students were in school, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) head Baktiar Md Rashid, who is a police officer, took three of the teens to the police station for questioning, without the consent of their parents.

A parent, P Gomathi, 42 (left), said she was angry that her son had been taken to the station without her presence or permission.

“My son did not commit any crime. He just wanted to return a book that he didn't enjoy reading.

"Instead he was humiliated and taken to the balai like some kind of hardcore criminal, in a patrol car,” she said, adding that the school authorities did not inform her about this.

Gomathi was informed of her son's whereabouts at 10.30am by a classmate. When she reached the station, she said, she was told that her elder son A Sanjeevkumar, 19, had also been called in for questioning as the discipline teacher had made a police report against him.

“She (the discipline teacher) said in her police report that my elder son had brought 100 Indians from Kuala Lumpur, from the Gang 36, to threaten her and her family,” Gomathi added.

She sees this as a desperate move by the teacher because Sanjeevkumar was away in Kuala Lumpur the whole week when this issue started. 

Sanjeevkumar said: “I was a student in this school two years ago, and I have never been involved in any problem. No problem with the teachers or other students. 

“Therefore, it is not fair for the teacher to pin it on me on the ground that I was a former student who 'turned' into a gangster to influence my younger brother.”

Gomathi yesterday lodged police reports against Baktiar and the teacher.

“I am not happy with what has happened. It was a school drama that should have ended there. Baktiar was misusing his authority.

"He should have had his PTA hat on, as the matter concerned school children in the school compound... not putting on his 'DSP police hat' and arresting the children and taking them to the balai for questioning. After all it's just (about) a book."

'A night in jail' threat

Asked what took place at the police station, the teary-eyed student said the police threatened that he and older brother Sanjeevkumar would be spending a night in jail.

“I asked for permission to call my parents but they (the police) wouldn't let me, saying I was in only there for questioning, and that they were not going to arrest me. The other two of my friends were also not able to call their parents.”

Asked what he wants from the authorities, he said: “I want to go back to school macam biasa (as usual). Jumpa semua kawan (see all my friends).

“Sebab hari Jumaat, banyak cikgu lain yang dengar cerita ini, semuanya cakap sorry dekat kita. (Last Friday, most of the other teachers who heard of this issue, came and said sorry to us).

“So, all I want is the discipline teacher to apologise to us. That's it.”

HRP president W Sambulingam (left), who was present at the press conference, said it was unfair to put the students through such an ordeal at a tender age.

“This is what I say, harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi. The police are supposed to educate and keep the people from harm. Instead, they lock up students. And for what? For trying to return the novel.

“As we have been saying since the beginning, 'Interlok' must be removed immediately. Look at it today, see for yourself what it has done to this particular school.

“Malaysia is a beautiful country, with beautiful people, so please do not make it ugly with hidden racial agendas. Don't ever victimise the nation.”

'Interlok', written by national laureate Abdullah Hussein, made headlines recently as critics have argued that it portrays the Indian and Chinese communities in a negative light.

There have been protests since the Education Ministry's decision to use it as a literature textbook in secondary schools. This is the first case of students being taken to a police station and questioned over the book.

Statements taken

When contacted by Malaysiakini, Hulu Selangor district police chief Norel-Azmi Yahya Affendi confirmed the incident.

"Since last night, we have been taking statements from all parties, including our police officer, Baktiar," Norel said.

Norel also noted that the three students were taken from school to the police station solely for questioning and they were not being charged.

"This is all just a big misunderstanding and a miscommunication between the teacher and students. My understanding is, the teacher was just explaining the meaning and history of that word (pariah). There was no name calling whatsoever," Norel added.

He gave assurance that the police are taking this case seriously, as the students' parents are not happy with the teacher and Baktiar, adding that the 10-hour questioning the minors underwent was standard procedure.

"The students were at the police station for about 10 hours because we spent about three hours on each student questioning and getting clarification from them on what had happen.

"Apart from the parents, the teacher also lodged a report against one of the students elder brother for threatening her," he said adding that if found guilty, Sanjeevkumar would be charged under Section 506 of the Penal Code, which includes a maximum jail sentence of seven years or pay a fine or both.

Norel said those involved in this matter had tackled this issue wrongly.

Any form of questioning regarding 'Interlok' should be done by school authorities, in the school compound and not elsewhere, he said.

Norel also hoped that no third parties who make this issue into a racial matter.