HIndraf Makkal Shakti

Friday, October 9, 2009

Waytha on the future of Hindraf

No Extra Deepavali School Holiday on 19/10/09

On 24^th September 2009 we have written to the Prime Minister and the Education Minister amongst others as follows:-

1) School and Public Examination date are even held one day after Deepavali but for Hari Raya and Chinese New Year it is school holidays for one whole week, every year.

2) Urgent Education and Higher Education Ministry Circular to direct a similar one week school holiday also for Deepavali from this year onwards and for all other public examinations not to be held during the week of the Deepavali celebrations.

3) This is a recurring problem year in and year out but only when it comes to Deepavali in One Malaysia?

In regards of the above we are disappointed with the Education Minister’s statement ( The Star 8/10/09 page N2) stating that the State education directors have been told to approve request from schools for an extra day off. The schools are to opt to take either event holidays (cuti peristiwa) which need not be replaced, or replacement holidays.

We question why when it comes to Deepavali it becomes a problem. Why during Chinese New Year and Hari Raya it is School holidays and why not Deepavali? For this year’s Hari Raya holiday we welcome this move. But when it comes to Deepavali, the schools have to write in to the State Education Directors for an extra day leave on Monday 19/10/09 as Deepavali holiday. We call upon the Education Minister to sent a directive to make Monday 19^th of October 2009 as an official school holiday for all government schools and educational institutions. This would at least the first step towards One Malaysia.

Thank you,

Yours truly,

—————————-

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Chief

012-6362287

UMNO only want’s Indian Voters

In the Bagan Pinang by election UMNO once again only wants the Indian voters. After the election are over these Indians will be forgotten. These estate workers are still earning wages of RM300 per month. Till today the UMNO led government refuse to set a minimum wage for estate workers. The Indonesian Embassy set minimum wage of RM500 for Indonesian maids working in Malaysia or they would not be granted extention of their pasports. Even foreigners have better deal then Malaysians.

Not only that Malaysian did not get minimum wage but they also left out from the mainstream development of 1 Malaysia such as Felda, Felcra, FAMA, Risda so on and so forth. For instantce Berita Harian dated 8/10/09 on special report on RISDA, Prime Minister Najib holding a mock cheque for dividend in the sum of RM 202,248,566.67 for RTBB ( Rancangan Tanam Baru Berkolompok and TSK Risda ( Tanam Semula Komersial). These RTBB and TSK land settlers had been given 10 acres of land for planting largely Rubber and Palm tree purpose. Why have the Malaysian Indians to the contrary given this opportunity to prosper like the Malay Muslims.

We are disappointed the UMNO led government come with the slogan of 1 Malaysia but in realty it is not implemented especially for the Indians.

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Chief

012-6362287

No Birth Certificate so no school for Indian children

Statement (No.50) to the Government of Malaysia for which we expect a reply:

2,203 (almost all working class Indian) children “to get” their right to attend school after they are issued with their birth certificates. So says Home Minister Hishammuddin (UM 08/10/09 at page 4) Primary school education is as of right and there is no compromise on this. So while processing their birth certificates with the target date of year end we ask the Home Minister for:-

1) The list of children who have been issued birth certificates from today onwards to be updated on a weekly basis in the Home Minister’s website to show sincerity that this UMNO Minister means what he said and is not a racist and that it is not merely the usual “UMNO paper politics”

2) What about the balance from the 93,360 applications for late birth registration at the latest by the end of the year that the National Registration Department has been ordered to clear? (The Sun 08/10/09 front page). Why is there no deadline to clear this Mr. Home Minister Hishammuddin. Because 98% of them are “merely” the poor working class and helpless Indian children? We urge your goodself to set a three month deadline and put up the names of those issued with their rightful birth certificates in the Home Minister’s Website within one week from today.

3) And finally issue an urgent Directive to all Primary and Secondary schools to with effect form 01/01/2010 to take in all Malaysian Indian children into all Tamil and National schools and Institutions of Higher learning even if they have been denied their birth certificates.

4) UMNO’s Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin should cancel the earlier Education Minister’s circular for 2008 onwards prohibiting Indian children from being admitted into Tamil schools and sacking existing Indian children from Tamil schools if they do not have birth certificates (actually denied their birth right to be issued their birth certificates) (P. Uthayakumar)

PKR Selangor government refuses to grant proper land for Indian cattle farmers

Statement (No.49) to the Govenment of Malaysia for which we expect a reply:

PKR Selangor government refuses to grant proper land for Indian cattle farmers. The land given is too rocky and hilly (NST 07/10/09 at page 23). It is about two years since the Selangor state government is governed by PKR and PR but hundreds of deserving Indian farmers, lifestock farmers have been denied land to even earn a decent living. The Selangor Agricultural and Development Corporation and Selangor Land Development Authority has thus far given almost zero land schemes to the Indians in Selangor under even the PKR/PR led state government. Just like how UMNO had denied hundreds of thousands of deserving Indians land in their Felda, Felcra, Risda, Fama and Agropolitan land schemes. By doing this UMNO has excluded these deserving Indians from the national mainstream development of Malaysia. These Indians especially the plantation workers are 52 years behind time or remain in almost the same state as they were during the British colonial days. How then is this PKR, DAP and PAS state government any different from the UMNO government which has for 52 years excluded the working class Indians form the national mainstream development of Selangor vis a vis Malaysia.

Bangsar Shan kidnapped by UMNO police UTK (suspected) Zero reply from Home Minister Hishamuddin

Statement (No.48) to the Government of Malaysia for which we expect a reply:

Bangsar Shan kidnapped by UMNO police UTK (suspected) Zero reply from Home Minister Hishamuddin. Shan was on 29/08/09 at a nursey with his family when he was kidnapped. How can this be allowed to happen in broad daylight in Malaysia. Three police reports have been lodged thus far. Even an official legal letter to Home Minister dated 02/09/09 has not been replied to even after 5 weeks the letter was sent to him. UMNO does not care. The crime rate in Malaysia has passed the alarming rate and is now In the critical rate. We need a new Inspector General of police and also a new Attorney General for Malaysia who can effect a corrupt free and crime free police force. Because what happened to Bangsar Shan can happen to any one of us. We are living in fear on a day to day basis especially when many of the police personnell themselves are suspected to be involved in crime or work hand in glove with criminals. (P. Uthayakumar).

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Waytha: I did not take any money

It certainly looks an increaingly lawless country, our country - Four more Indians murdered by Malaysian police in Kulim .

KulimFour 1.jpg

HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY (HRP)
NO.6, Jalan Abdullah,

Off Jalan Bangsar,

59000 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241

Fax: 03-2282 5245

Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Media Statement (6th October 2009)

RE: 1) Four (4) Indians murdered by Malaysian police in Kulim yesterday
(4 “robbers” killed in shoot-out- NST 06/10/09 at page 12).
Prosecute police for murder.
2) Two Indians charged with killing one policemen.
3) But the 21 suspected policemen who killed A. Kugan in a
police lock-up were never prosecuted for murder by UMNO’s
Attorney General and Inspector General of Police.

1) Four (4) Indians were shot dead and murdered by the Malaysian police in Kulim yesterday. Why is it almost always that it is the Indians who are shot dead by the Malaysian police. We have official statistics of 1.3 persons being murdered by the police every week (The Star 11/05/1999) and about 60% of the victims thereto are Indians. The Kedah Police Chief Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azlan said they were involved in “41 robbery cases”.

There are over one hundred thousand (100,000) policemen employed in Malaysia who could have easily captured these Indians alive. We also once again question why the police did not capture these Indians alive and prosecute them in a Court of law (if necessary) which is the due process of the law anyway. The law presumes a man innocent until proven guilty.

This is just the tip of iceberg of police victimization of in particular the Indians in Malaysia by either being brutally shot dead in cold blood, beaten up and tortured in police lock-ups, killed in police lock ups or thrown into jails and all this done with impunity.

2) To the contrary two Indians were charged with killing one policeman (The Star 6/10/09 at page N28- labourers charged with killing cop). “In Johor Bharu two odd job workers were charged with the murder of a policeman. S. Velo, 30 and S. Thavasilan, 21 were charged at the Magistrate’s Court with murdering constable C.Selva on 17th September 2009. Their offence was classified under Section 302 of the Penel Code”.

3) A. Kugan was tortured and beaten to death according to the second post-mortem report by Pathologist Dr. Prasanth of University Hospital. There were 21 police personnel who have had contact with A. Kugan while in detention but they were not prosecuted for murder by UMNO’s. Attorney General (AG) and Inspector General of police (IGP). We question the double standards practiced by the AG and IGP as opposed to A. Kugan’s case.

We demand that the 21 police personnel who had contact with A. Kugan similarly and by the same standards as in item 2 herein above be forthwith prosecuted under Section 302 of the Panel Code for the murder of A. Kugan.

We hereby protest this latest cold blooded police murder and call upon the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Attorney General and the Inspector General of police to similary as in item 2 hereinabove prosecute the responsible policemen for murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

Thank you.

Your faithfully,

____________________
S.Jayathas
Information Chief (HRP-Pro tem)
(H/P No : 012-636 2287)
HRP/06/10/09/r

C.C. 1) YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Block Utama Bangunan Perdana
Putra,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan
Persekutuan,
62502

Fax : 03-8888 3444
E-Mail: najib@pmo.gov.my

2) Y.B Dato Seri Hishamuddin Hussein
Home Minister,
Aras 12 Block D 1,
Complex Kerajaan Fasa D,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62546 Putrajaya.
Fax : 03-8888 4913
E-Mail: hishamuddin@moha.gov.my

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Waytha: I'm ready to face charges

Did Hishamuddin Hussein and Syed Hamid Albar lie about Waythamoorthy's passport? The complete Story from "The Malaysain Heart"

SAD FAREWELL: A picture of Waythamoorthy and his daughter, taken after their breakfast in Singapore,
before he departed for UK yesterday (photo and caption from this Malay Mail report datelined 28/9/09)

One of the standard responses of Umno/BN to any people's power movement that they find threatening, is to to impugn the movements motives and cast aspersions on the honour and credibility of its leaders via lies and propaganda. The Hindraf phenomenon have been (and still are) treated the same: they have been called terrorists, traitors, embezzlers and so on by our government and its mouthpieces. One such smear was the attempt to paint Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy, who is in exile in the UK, as a dishonest man who exiled himself just to enjoy a comfortable life in London living on Hindraf's money. Part of that smear is the lie that Waythamoorthy had willingly surrendered his passport to the Malaysian High Commission in London, and lied about it having been revoked by the Malaysian authorities.

These are the news articles that reported what Syed Hamid Albar (the former home minister) and Hishamuddin Hussein (the present one), said:

Hindraf leader ‘still has his passport’ - 17 May 2008
Waytha's passport still active: Syed Hamid - 26 May 08
Syed Hamid: Hindraf chief's passport never revoked: - 26 May 2008
Syed Hamid: Waythamoorthy free to travel - 27 May 2008
Hindraf Leader P. Waytha Moorthy's Passport Was Never Revoked: Syed Hamid - 22 October 2008
Balik-lah, says Syed Hamid: - 28 September 2009
Home Ministry says Hindraf man's passport not cancelled - 30 September 2009
Waythamoorthy claim over withheld passport untrue: Hishammuddin - 30 September 2009
iKDN: P.Waythamoorty Masih Warganegara

These are some of the specific things they said:

Hishamuddin showing a copy of Waythamoorthy's passport to the media (photo from here).

Hishamuddin has said the following:

Reported here: "Dia sendiri yang datang serahkan dan bukan kita yang pergi rampas. Bahkan paspot itu masih lagi sah digunakan dan di dalam simpan pejabat Pesuruhjaya Tinggi kita di London," and added, "Beliau sewajarnya berhenti dari menuduh kita macam-macam...beliau boleh ke pejabat kita (Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia) untuk ambil paspot yang dipulangkan oleh beliau sendiri itu pada bila-bila masa. Mungkin beliau merasa malu sendiri" .

Reported here: “Yes, he was the one who surrendered the passport,” he [Hishamuddin] confirmed. He added that Waythamoorthy should stop claiming that the government is stopping him from getting his passport. “Why should we apologise to him? Would you? Of course, not,” he said. Hishammuddin also added that Waythamoorthy could be too ashamed to go and get his passport because he had surrendered the document himself. “Maybe he received a better offer at that moment, he felt that the grass is always greener on the other side but when he went to the other side, he felt that it was not worth it. "Maybe he was ashamed because he himself surrendered the passport. That is why he claimed that we did not allow him to have his passport,” he said.."

Syed Hamid Albar (photo from here)

Syed Hamid has said the following (reported here):

"In other words, the Malaysian government has never made any cancellation to the mentioned travel document," said Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar Syed Hamid in a statement today.

On 3 October 2009, Waytha's wife Mrs. Shanti, his brother P. Uthayakumar and lawyer N. Surendran held a press conference at Hindraf's office where they (again) presented evidence to prove that Malaysian authorities had informed the British authorities that Waythamoorthy's passport had been cancelled, and had requested them to impound and return it to the Malaysian authorities.

Here is the letter they gave reporters, which you can download in pdf format from the link below:

UK Border Agency Letter to Waytha's Lawyers

I reproduce here the 4 questions asked by Waytha's lawyers, and the answers received from the UK Border Agency:

1. The precise date when the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was notified of the cancellation?
A: The letter from the Malaysian authorities to the High Commission was dated 14 March 2008.

2. Which Malaysian authority notified the British Embassy (was it, for example, the Immigration authorities, Foreign Office or Home Ministry, or any other department)?
A: l can confirm that the Home Office does hold information that is relevant to this part of your request. However, we have decided not to communicate this information to you in accordance with the exemption under Section 27 (2) of the Freedom of Information (FOl) A[ct] 2000, which covers confidential information obtained from a State other than the United Kingdom or from an international organisation or international court. I have explained more about this exemption below.

3. Whether any particular reason was given for the said cancellation
A: The passport was cancelled as the Malaysian authorities were seeking your client’s arre[st] to face criminal charges.

4. When was the request made by the issuing authority for the return of the passport and was there any reason given for this request?
A: A request was made by the Malaysian authorities for the return of your client’s passport on 2 July 2008 no reason was given for why they wanted the passport returned to them, Malaysian passports are of the property of the issuing authority and not of the individual holder and therefore this is why we intend to return the passport to them.

Based on this and other evidence, we can draw a timeline of events surrounding the issue of Waytha's passport. I have emphasised our minister's statements in bold:

25 November 2007 - Hindraf rally in KL
28 November 2007 - Waythamoorthy leaves Malaysia to avoid possible detention under the Internal Security Act and to obtain international support for HINDRAF's cause. He goes to India, then to London.
13 December 2007 - Uthayakumar and 4 others detained under ISA
14 March 2008 - British High Commision in KL receives letter from Malaysian authorities, informing them that Waytha's passport had been cancelled because the Malaysian authorities were seeking Waytha's arrest to face criminal charges
17 April 2008 - Waytha goes to Geneva to brief the United Nations High Commissioner’s office on Human Rights
19 April 2008 - Waytha moorthy returned to London from Geneva (where he had ), but was and informed that the Malaysian government had revoked his passport, and therefore refused entry at Gatwick airport. Waytha asked the British authorities to seek a confirmation with the Malaysian government that my passport was, indeed, being revoked. Waytha spent 2 days at Gatwick.
21 April 2008 - UK Border Agency British immigration confirmed that Waytha's passport was revoked by the Malaysian government, and they (UK Border Agency) impounded his passport upon the Malaysian authorities' request. It was only then that Waytha decided to seek political asylum, which was duly given by the British authorities.
26 May 2008 - Malaysian Insider article: Syed Hamid: Hindraf chief's passport never revoked
2 July 2008 - Malaysian authorities requested the British authorities (in writing) for the return of Waytha's passport to them.
22 October 2008 - Bernama article: Hindraf Leader P. Waytha Moorthy's Passport Was Never Revoked: Syed Hamid

What are we to make of this? It seems to me that either the UK Border Agency is lying, or our ministers are. It's sad that some Malaysians have swallowed whole the disinformation and lies of Umno/BN, and parrot them in the online discussions and comments sections without question.

Sincerely,
Malaysian Heart

P.S. The only news organisations (which I could find) had reported the press conference were:
Malaysiakini: Proof of lies, claims Waytha's lawyer
Malaysian Insider: Uthayakumar claims proof Hishammuddin lied

What happened to the others? What's the point of paying them RM 1.50 or RM 1.20 every day if they choose not to report the news that matters?

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Indian issues: BN, Pakatan the same - Malaysiakini

Human Rights Party supremo P Uthayakumar has accused both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat of lacking the political will and determination to help poor Indians.

"Both treat Indians as insignificant. Both are virtually a lame duck vis-à-vis Indian issues," said the Hindraf leader and former Internal Security Act detainee.

He said Pakatan state governments could have resolved half of the Indian problems by allocating lands for Tamil schools, Indian settlements, Hindu crematoriums and temples.

NONE He brushed aside arguments by Pakatan leaders that the state governments were new to administrative politics, alleging that "they were quick to demolish Indian establishments, settlements and structures within a short period, but slow in fixing them."

Citing the Kampung Buah Pala fiaso in Penang as one of the examples, Uthayakumar said although PKR and PAS were not directly involved, "both parties watched silently while the DAP government executed the village's destruction."

He said the argument that Pakatan was new to administration does not hold water since the coalition, when ruling Perak, was quick to set aside land for Orang Asli, Malays and Chinese for their settlements, farms, temples and schools.

"But none for the Indians," he said, adding that the Kedah, Selangor and Penang governments practiced the same policies.

Boycott by-election

Inspired by Hindraf, Uthayakumar said Indians voted for change in the last general election hoping that Pakatan would provide the change they desired to end their predicament.

However, he said Indians felt shortchanged now, thus Hindraf had been put in a quandary because the community was now questioning the movement's strong electoral backing for Pakatan last year.

Uthayakumar said this was reason why his party has called on Indian voters in Bagan Pinang to boycott the by-election on Oct 11.

The by-election would see a straight fight between the BN's Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who is also former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, and Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, the Negeri Sembilan PAS commissioner.

Uthayakumar said HRP and Hindraf would never back the Umno-dominated BN but felt obliged to call on Indians not to vote for Pakatan as well.

"We want to send a message to both blocks that they cannot take Indian voters for granted - wooing therm during elections but abandoning them after that.

"We will explain our stand to the Indian voters in Bagan Pinang. It's up to them to accept or reject our arguments," he added.

Uthayakumar claims proof Hishammuddin lied

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

Hishammuddin claimed that Waythamoorthy had surrendered his passport to the Malaysian High Commission.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Human Rights Party leader P. Uthayakumar claims he has proof that Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had blatantly lied about the status of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) founder P. Waythamoorthy’s passport.

Uthayakumar, who is the elder brother of the self-exiled Hindraf leader, claimed to have a copy of a letter sent by the UK Border Agency indicating that Waythamoorthy’s passport had been confiscated by the British government following instructions from the Malaysian authorities.

Hishammuddin had said in a press conference on Sept 30 that Waythamoorthy had “surrendered his passport” to the Malaysian High Commission and refuted claims that the government was victimising the Hindraf leader by revoking his travel documents.

The letter, allegedly documented evidence of correspondence with the British immigration authorities dated Sept 23, stated that the Malaysian government had sent a letter dated March 14, 2008 to its High Commission instructing the confiscation of Waythamoorthy’s passport.

“The passport was cancelled as the Malaysian authorities were seeking your client’s (Waythamoorthy’s) arrest to face criminal charges,” the letter stated further.

No information was given as to which ministry or department had instructed the confiscation.

Copies of the letter were distributed to the media during a press conference held at the party’s office here today.

“The letter contradicts the statement made by the minister. He and Umno are liars and they have been doing that to the people for 52 years now,” said Uthayakumar.

Hindraf lawyer, N. Surendran, who was also present at the press conference, said the letter was of grave seriousness.

“This is a serious incident between the two countries if the government was really telling the truth about Waythamoorthy’s passport.”

“Why would the British government confiscate his passport without any reason? I don’t believe they would go as far as lying about this,” he added.