Waythamoorthy slams Utusan, TV3 and UMNO linked NGO

Waythamoorthy slams Utusan, TV3
Mkini- Oct 6, 08 12:25pm

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waythamoorthy has taken Malay daily
Utusan Malaysia and television station TV3 to task over their 'biased and invalidated' reporting.In a statement today, he said: "This was a clear to invoke racial tension."He was responding to reports regarding Hindraf's visit to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's open house at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday."The visit has been demonised and given the impression that a criminal act was committed and Islam insulted. "It is indeed shocking that federal ministers, senior professors and government officials do not have the intelligence to differentiate between a memorandum and greeting card," he said.Waytamoorthy, who is currently in self-exile in London, also noted that Hindraf's previous pleas for a dialogue with the prime minister have fallen on deaf ears."The open house is the only day in the year a commoner could make the acquaintance of the PM personally and Hindraf took the liberty to send a clear message- release all prisoners held unjustly without trial in spirit of forgiveness," he said.

Reveal photos and videos
The Hindraf chief also slammed Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar for interpreting the event as an insult to Islam. "We challenge Utusan (Malaysia) and TV3 to make public their photographs and video recordings to prove that Hindraf supporters behaved in an inappropriate manner."To the contrary we have evidence that the PM and his deputy were all smiles and accepted the greetings and card with an open heart," he added.Last December, five Hindraf leaders were detained under the Internal Security Act several weeks after they had organised a mammoth street protest in Kuala Lumpur. They remain incarcerated without trial at the Kamunting Detention Centre.Meanwhile, Waythamoorthy said the Umno-led government failed to realise that Malaysians were at a different wavelength now and could judge for themselves what truth, justice and equality means."Utusan Malaysia and TV3 can continue to act as an apparatus of the ruling government with their inept propaganda, but they fail to comprehend that most Malaysians are equipped with their own resources without any real need for their ultra bias commentary," he added.

Legal action
On Saturday, Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran said the movement would initiate legal action against Utusan Malaysia over its reports. According to him, Hindraf was disturbed by the reports which he claimed were 'tainted by lies and distorted facts.'He said the Utusan Malaysia front page report under the headline – 'Hindraf Keterlaluan' (Extreme Hindraf) was unfair and communal, and seemed to suggest that the movement was made of extremists out to disrupt Muslim festivals and pour scorn on Islam.Criticising another article - Baharom Mahusin's commentary in the same edition, Thanenthiran said the writer was unfair, attempted to incite racial hatred and instigate communal conflict.Among others, Baharom had penned that 'kalau penyokong Hindraf melakukan penghinaan seumpama itu di kawasan-kawasan pendalaman yang menjadi kampung halaman orang Melayu, mereka sudah pun diajar tentang makna dan akibat berperangai kurang ajar.' (If Hindraf supporters poured such insults in the interior areas dominated by Malays, they would have been taught a lesson on the meaning and consequence of misbehaviour.)

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Mkni- Hindraf lodges police report against HM Syed Hamid, Utusan and others

Hindraf lodges police reports against Syed Hamid, others

Mkni- Athi Veranggan Oct 6, 08 6:14pm

Fed up with false allegations and reports about its visit to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Hari Raya open house, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) today lodged police reports across the country against Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, newspaper
Utusan Malaysia and several Malay-based non-governmental organisations.Hindraf national coordinator RS Thanenthiran, 46, who lodged the first police report this afternoon, said the movement wanted police to take action on the home minister, Utusan and the NGOs for wrongfully accusing the human rights group of "creating chaos and insulting Islam" during the open house in Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur.“They should be charged under the Sedition Act for inciting communal hatred and instigating racial conflict and under the Penal Code for criminal intimidation by issuing threats to racial harmony,” said Thanenthiran, who with Nibong Tebal Hindraf coordinator Sanjeeviramah Subramani, 42, lodged the report in Butterworth police station at 12.50pm.That report was followed by a series of others lodged by Hindraf leaders and activists in George Town, Nibong Tebal, Simpang Empat, Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Alor Star, Sungai Petani, Jitra, Kulim, Lunas, Ipoh, Bagan Serai, Air Tawar, Parit Buntar, Taiping, Teluk Intan, Sitiawan, Muar, Tangkak, Skudai, Kluang and Johor Bahru.Reports were also lodged this evening in Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Terengganu, Seremban, Malacca and Tanah Merah.

Civil suit
Hindraf explained it lodged the police reports to initiate investigations into the home minister, Utusan and the Malay-based NGOs, whom Thanenthiran alleged were ‘linked to the Barisan Nasional.
The movement plans go ahead with a civil suit against the newspaper and home minister and if warranted against the NGOs as well.Thanenthiran told reporters that Hindraf had decided to raise the quantum of its claims from RM1 million ringgit to perhaps even as high as RM100 million. The movement is now discussing the matter with its lawyers and will file the suits soon. Last Friday, Utusan had front paged its report with the headline – ‘Hindraf Keterlaluan’ (Extreme Hindraf). Two more articles - Baharom Mahusin's commentary in his ‘Cetusan’ column and Zulkifli Bakar’s commentary in his ‘Pada Hemat Saya’ column - published in the same edition were unfair and intimidating, alleged Thanenthiran. “The reports and criticisms were inciting racial hatred and instigating communal conflict. The reports suggested that we trespassed the function when in truth, we were invited,” said Thanenthiran.
“The function was not held in a mosque not a buka puasa event. It was organised in a common public building with an open invitation to all Malayians. Suddenly open houses during festive seasons were given new definitions, thanks to Syed Hamid and Utusan," he added.The Hindraf leader also alleged this was not first time the Malay daily had played up communal hatred and conflict against various organisations and individuals in the country.

Last Wednesday, some 20 Hindraf activists who were allowed to greet Abdullah during the Hari Raya open house, pleaded with him to release the five Hindraf leaders - P Uthayakumar, 47, T Vasanthakumar, 35, M Manoharan, 47, R Kenghadharan, 41, and V Ganabatirau, 35, detained under the Internal Security Act without trial since December last year.Afraid of being accused again of “causing disturbances”, Hindraf cancelled plans to pay a visit to Abdullah’s open house in Kepala Batas last Saturday.Thanenthiran also challenged Syed Hamid, Utusan and the NGOs to speak the truth and apologise to the movement for “distorting facts and lying to the public.”

source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90781

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Hadi: Hindraf action a democratic right

By : Sean Augustin and Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah

via NSTOnline

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Pas chief said the action by the the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) at the prime minister's and cabinet's Hari Raya open house on Wednesday was part and parcel of democracy.Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said it signalled a change in the democratic practices in the country that should be viewed positively.
"I don't think it was rude. That's democracy. In the United States, people demonstrate in front of the White House. It's not like they caused a commotion or started fighting," he said after the party's Hari Raya gathering at the Tarbiyyah headquarters yesterday.
In the incident on the first day of Hari Raya, Hindraf supporters went to the open house at the Putra World Trade Centre and presented a card to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi asking him to release the organisation's leaders detained under the Internal Security Act.
The card was delivered by Vwaishnnavi, the 5-year-old daughter of Hindraf leader in exile, P. Waythamoorthy. The group was led by Waythamoorthy's wife, K. Shanti.About 20 bloggers also turned up at the open house, wearing T-shirts bearing the slogans "No to ISA" and "Free RPK", referring to the two-year detention order on Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
Both groups told journalists their sole intention was to send a message to Abdullah. They have been condemned for being "intimidating, disrespectful and inappropriate", with Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal saying he would raise the matter in cabinet.
In Pasir Mas, independent MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali called on political parties and non-governmental organisations to stop pressuring the government to release the Hindraf leaders.
He said MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and Hindraf should not get involved and let the government do its job.
"If the detainees are released following political interference, it will confirm allegations the ISA was being misused. Samy Vellu was a minister and he should know that the ISA is under the minister of home affairs. Even the prime minister cannot interfere."
Ibrahim was speaking at his Hari Raya open house at the Pasir Mas district hall. More than 5,000 constituents attended the event.

He warned that if Hindraf and other NGOs do not stop the pressure, he would use the Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa), which he heads, to counter their action.
"If these parties continue, we will organise a demonstration to show our displeasure. We are ready to fight off any interference in the administration of the country."

Orange Defiance - by Naragan

Sun, 05/10/2008 - 08:41 — naragan from hindraf.org

Several Hundred Hindraf supporters attended the PWTC Hari Raya Open House function. This has attracted attention from all sources - first and foremost to the grievances of the Indians.
Of course we all have our own ways of interpreting things and we interpret events according to our interests. Some have questioned the appropriateness of this and clearly they are the ones who want to portray Hindraf negatively. The UMNOPutras and their Cronies , and their Mandores, the MIC. See anybody else?

The UMNOPutras have decided to imprison the Indian Leaders – leaders of a significant section of Malaysian society. Since UMNO called the shot on this, they need to accept the consequences of this. They need to understand that there cannot be a normal functioning of Malaysian society under the circumstances of imprisonment of those that are revered by a section of the population. Look around in the world . Did the white South Africans win by imprisoning Nelson Mandela. They kept South Africa in a boil during the period he was in jail. There will always be something or other cropping up as long as they keep imprisoned, leaders of significant sections of the people. The situation will be in a constant boil. The UMNOPutras really need to understand this. There is a crisis. They created it and they have to accept the consequences of it.
All the Hindraf attendees to the PWTC function wore Orange T shirts. They have made it a symbol of this crisis. And we are going to see more Orange in the days to come. What also probably miffed the UMNO Tuans that day was the audacity of these Orange clad group to come in the numbers they did, in raw defiance of Authority – so blatantly and so purposefully. Are these people not afraid of authority anymore, are they not afraid of the Secret Police anymore, are they not afraid of the courts, the jails, the potential incarceration anymore. The UMNOPutras really have a problem on their hands when this fear is lost. Authority can have effect only when people are afraid. When they throw away their fear in large numbers the authorities begin to have trouble . The Indians used to be seen as a docile and unknowing community. Can this be said anymore. Definitely not, instead they have become the vanguard for change now. The world has indeed changed. UMNO cannot just parrot responses from an era gone.

Then look at how Utusan has been portraying the Hindraf attendance to the function. One day the headlines ran ‘HINDRAF KETERLALUAN” , the next day it ran “ HINDRAF DIBERI AMARAN” . We must only say thank you to the editors of Utusan, who have helped Hindraf achieve its objective of drawing attention to their issues – even though their story centred on some lies to create an image of an uncouth Hindraf. Whatever the editorial slant of their reports, the visibility of the grievances of a large section of Malaysian society continues to be kept visible , I must say very visible.

Then consider the largesse of the mandore - in – chief. He says his efforts in getting the release of the 5 Hindraf leaders will be impaired by this act of defiance. In the first place why is he intervening for the release when he worked hand in glove to get them arrested in the first place, not many months ago. Now in his vain attempt at what he calls a rebranding exercise he is trying to dispense from his unending store of “false generosity”.
In order to have the continued opportunity to express his generosity the Mandore must perpetuate injustice. An unjust social order is the permanent fount of this "generosity", True generosity consists precisely in fighting to destroy the causes which nourish such false charity. This is not the mandores objective. His is to continue to lie and cheat and continue to keep the people in darkness so he can continue to dispense his brand of generosity.
In summary the grievances of the Indian community are significant and cannot be wished away. Unless they are properly addressed there will continue to be open exhibitions of the grievances. Use of the ISA, the police, the courts only aggravate the matter, they do not make the problem go away. The colour Orange is here to stay.


UMNOPutras wake up to this!



United we stand!


United we act!

PS from Jayathas - Call for moderate Deepavali this year

Thu, 04/10/2008 - 20:25 — S.JAYATHAS

We want our Hindraf lawyers to be released soon as possible - before Deepavali. In the event the PM still does not want to release our heros then I urge all Malaysian Indian to celebrate Deepavali in a moderate way-no open houses. Everyone should go to the temple and pray for the release of our heros who fought for our rights and for our children's future. How can we celebrate Deepavali in a normal manner when our Hero's are in jail so that life can be better for us.
We hope the PM will release them soon.

Thank you.

S.JAYATHAS
HINDRAF National Information Coordinator
Valga Makkal SAKTHI

PS from WMP - Bias Report from Utusan, TV3 and other UMNO coolies regarding Hindraf visit to PM Open House

HINDRAF
135-3-A JALAN TOMAN 7
KEMAYAN SQUARE
70200 SEREMBAN


PRESS STATEMENT 5th October 2008

It appears of late, biased and invalidated reporting done by Utusan Malaysia and TV3 is a clear indication to invoke racial tension after the failure of the UMNO led government to create the racial tension that they were anticipating with the recent arrests under ISA.
The Hari Raya open house visit by HINDRAF has been demonised and given the impression that a criminal act was committed and Islam insulted. It is indeed shocking that Federal Ministers, senior Professors and Government officials do not have the intelligence to differentiate between a memorandum and a greeting card. What is wrong with HINDRAF supporters attending the open House. “Another time another date” – since when has the Prime Minister set a date to listen to the rakyat. HINDRAF has made numerous calls to the PM for dialogue but all fell in deaf ears. The open house is the only day in the year a commoner could make the acquaintance of the PM personally and HINDRAF took liberty to send a clear message- RELEASE ALL PRISONERS HELD UNJUSTLY WITHOUT TRIAL IN SPIRIT OF FORGIVENESS. Even more appalling the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar interprets this as an insult to Islam. We challenge Utusan and TV3 to make public their photographic and video recordings to prove HINDRAF supporters behaved in an inappropriate manner. To the contrary we have evidence the PM and his Deputy was all in smiles and accepted the greetings and card with an open heart.
The Malaysian led UMNO government fails to realize that it is 2008 where Malaysians are at a different wavelength and able to see and judge for themselves what truth, just and equality means for the society we live in.
The current crop of Malaysians are no longer intimidated nor unable to digest their own resources to judge for themselves why and how it is done to serve what the ruling government seeks to hold their power and abuse the system and the process of law.
Utusan Malaysia and TV3 can continue to act as an apparatus of the ruling government in their inept propaganda, but they fail to comprehend that most Malaysians are equipped with their own resources without any real need with their ultra bias commentary.
Journalism is the unofficial fourth institution to check and balance the officially elected bodies of the legislative (Parliament), executive & judiciary and address issues of public concern unbiased.
Utusan and TV3 has just shown us how well they are intertwined and fettered for the objective of the ruling government and its coolies with their hate journalism which is only one sided without even checking their facts or highlighting the other side of the story. It is indeed a sad day for journalism.
A despotic and desperate government and it's elected representatives will always voice out without any regard to the truth or what should be the truth or for the betterment of the society but for the benefit of the few Utusan and TV3 currently plays the lead role to enhance their cause.
The UMNO ruled administration with its coolies are currently like a headless chicken as they continue to fail to see the truth that lies before them to create a truly multicultural and equal society in Malaysia for the enhancement of the nation.
Democracy in Malaysia is growing at such speed that UMNO continuously fail and/or refuse to see its growth. HINDRAF will not be deterred by wild accusations, threat or intimidation and will continue its campaign until all draconian laws are abolished and its Lawyers and all others released unconditionally.

Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
Hindraf