Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Poor & Homeless Indians, denied DBKL flats in Sentul
Poor & Homeless Indians, denied DBKL flats in the Sentul area where they have been working. For the past four months they have been living at a community hall. (Starmetro 21/12/2009 at page M4)
Poor and working class Indians living among snakes, mosquitoes and centipedes.
Indians living among snakes, mosquitoes and centipedes - read the report below. (Refer The Star 21/12/2009 at page N 49). This is the continuing plight of the poor and working class Indians and what we see in the press and in these columns are just the tip of the iceberg of the problems of the poor and working class Indians – which is being ignored by the UMNO and PR governments. They do not have the political will to address these problems squarely. By highlighting these problems regularly we want to join the dots and show the big picture on these problems. We do not quite appreciate the true magnitude of the problem when we see them individually. As we highlight in our columns we want to continuously bring to the fore those individual problems reported here and there and build an aggregate picture - joining the dots.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE LEADERS OF PAKATAN RAKYAT ON THE COMMON POLICY FRAME
Let me first first quote from Dato Zaid Ibrahim’s speech
“Pakatan rejects policies that allow for corruption and other financial crimes and abuse of power. In order to ensure sustainable growth, oppressive policies that had only enriched the few should be replaced with a policy that ensures that the poor are assisted regardless of race.”
And I also quote from the CPF Section (3) Social Justice, subsection (B) on religion, with a focus on para 5
3. SOCIAL JUSTICE
B. Religion
Religion and other beliefs practiced by Malaysians should form the basis of unity that is founded on good universal values.
Malaysians have almost fallen into the boiling pot of discord and tension that was caused by manipulation of religious differences.
This should not happen in a genuinely democratic Malaysia, with Islam occupying a special position whilst the rights of other religions are guaranteed.
Pakatan vows to:
…..
…….
5. Ensure suitable areas for places of worship and burial grounds for all religions.
Now let me pose this situation to the leaders of PR and see what the PR leaders would like to do on the matter. This is one issue, may not be large in its scope, but it will be telling about seriousness of the PR leaders in relation to their pronouncements in the CPF. We do not expect a written response. We are interested in seeing the CPF spirit being applied in the situation. This is a test of the pudding, so to speak. Do they really mean what they say in the CPF document or are there some fine print we may all be missing out on.
In Kuala Ketil, Kedah, a Hindu Burial Ground that has been there from before independence is on the verge of being demolished by the Kedah State PR Government because the PR government there wants to build a Kolej around it now. This is development effort, we applaud it. But it is about the method they have chosen to go about this, that raises some questions in relation to the Common Policy Frame. Basically we want to see how the Common Policy Frame relates to the needs, interests and rights of the poor and the marginalized.
1) This Hindu Burial Ground was obviously not considered for preservation at the outset of the Development project by the Kedah State PR government. Otherwise we would not have a problem here now.
Now that the CPF says - ensure suitable areas for places for burial ground for all religions. Should not the State government stop and reconsider what their decision should be now or should theyproceed with the demolishment nevertheless.
Surely “suitable areas” does not mean a definition of suitability for the developer or for the state only. Surely it must mean suitability for the people as well. Therefore the unilateral decision by the PR State Government of Kedah to demolish the existing burial grounds and to merge it with pre-existing other burial grounds is inconsistent with the CPF document. So, should the State PR government pause for a while to review the situation in light of the CPF.
This is a real opportunity for the demonstration of the inclusive values espoused in the CPF. The consideration of the interests and need of all the people and involvement of all the people in decisions affecting them is concrete expression of this inclusiveness. If this not to happen, it raises the question as to what the word “Common” in the Common Policy Frame really means – common to whom, common for what. Is it Common to the poor and marginalized as well or is that common for a select few only?
2) The Kedah State PR Government instead of resolving this issue with the proper representative Association, the Kuala Ketil Tamilar Association, it now calls it haram, (even though it has had several discussions with the association previously until a deadlock happened) is now trying to get around is offering a general offer to each of the poor families RM3,000 there to dig up the graves and move the remains over to the other pre-existing burial grounds.
This is already atrocious in itself. Now with the position of Pakatan on corruption as stated by Dato Zaid Ibrahima and let me quote
“Pakatan rejects policies that allow for corruption and abuse of power. In order to ensure sustainable growth, oppressive policies that had only enriched the few should be replaced with a policy that ensures that the poor are assisted regardless of race.” it makes it all the more urgent and necessary for the Kedah State Government to stop this corrupting act immediately and sit down with the legitimate representatives of the people there and hammer out an equitable and acceptable solution.
Does not the payment of RM 3,000 to each of the poor families while circumventing the Association not amount to corruption. When such inducements are offered to the poor, the response is a given, they are poor. This is exactly the method that has been used to usurp the basic entitlements of the poor and marginalized all these years since Independence. Give them peanuts and take away their fundamental rights.
The UMNO government used exactly this method of corruption by regularly offering inducements to the MIC Mandores and had them forsake the rights and opportunities of the Indians for the last 50+ years. This is what caused the big rebellion among the Indians. This is what the Pakatan seeks to change. So, here is an opportunity. Now what will Pakatan’s position be on this matter?
Sustainable growth and policies that ensure that the poor are assisted regardless of race surely means a permanent resolution to the question of land in so many areas relating to the Indian poor – burial grounds, places of worship, squatter settlements, Tamil schools to name the major areas. In this case, sustainable growth will translate to having a Master plan for all these issues, may be now starting withburial grounds for the Hindu dead in Kedah. This is the substance of sustainable growth – a consideration of all requirements and optimization for the various requirements at planning stages so nothing valuable is compromised, everything is considered and the
right balance is achieved.
This is our request to Pakatan. Please show us that you are serious about the Common Policy Frame. Please show us it is not just a vote-getting device. Show us now, before we vote. Show us you are different from the Barisan in Truth.
Narayanan Ganesan
Pro-Tem Central Committee Member and Advisor to the Human Rights Party
Batu Gajah Kaliaman Hindu temple to be demolished
Batu Gajah Kaliaman Hindu temple to be demolished. In the one year or so of P.R. rule of Perak land was never issued to this Hindu temple or all the other Hindu temples and in particular the 138 Tamil schools in Perak (refer Malaysia Nanban 9/12/09 page 4). And now the new UMNO Perak government wants to demolish it.
P. Uthayakumar
People want MACC to catch big fish, not small fry
(The Star) - The time has come for real action from the Government to fight corruption instead of pussy-footing around, said Transparency International Malaysia president Tan Sri Dr Ramon Navaratnam.
He said if the Government continued talking without real action, people would get frustrated and disillusioned and eventually they would lash back via the ballot box.“Don’t pussy-foot,” he said when commenting on recommendations in fighting graft at the two-day Government Transformation Pro gramme open day last week.
Many members of the public who attended the programme had questioned why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was only interested in catching the “small fry” and did not seemed to be interested in catching the jerung (sharks).
Corruption Lab leader Datuk Hashim Nordin, who is special officer to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, in his reply had said it was a lot harder to catch the big fish as they tended to be more sophisticated and more professional in their acts.
Ramon said the programme had generated some good recommendations, including calls for the MACC to investigate politicians and businessmen and those who were living beyond their means without waiting for public complaints and for it to report directly to Parliament.
He said the law would have to be amended quickly to reflect the Government’s urgency in fighting corruption.
He said until the “big fish” were taken to court and punished, people would continue to doubt the commission’s sincerity.
Ramon, who is MACC panel of presentation and consultation chairman, said so far no top political leaders have been charged and convicted for corruption.
Citing the Port Klang Free Zone scandal as an example, he said although former Port Klang Authority general manager Datin Paduka O.C. Phang was charged in court, she was not the real “big fish” as there were people in higher levels.
Social Care Foundation chairman Tan Sri Robert Phang concurred that in the PKFZ scandal, bigwigs were named by the Public Account Committee but none of them were brought to court.
“Those implicated must be given a chance to explain in the court, not in Parliament. The rakyat want to know the whole truth.”
He said the PKFZ scandal was an acid test for the Government and there was a need for political will to be executed without fear and favour.
Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye also said that despite many Government announcements to fight corruption, the people have yet to see real results.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Indians denied Fidloit cow land
Indians denied Fidloit cow land scheme 130 individual cow farming entrepreneurs and 180 contract farmers would be given opportunities to reduce the 72% beef import from overseas (refer BH 18/12/09 at page 20) but thousands of even third and fourth generation Indian cattles farmers have been denied upward mobility opportunities in these projects by Malay-sia’s UMNO government. UMNO would rather give RM 100.00 per month welfare help for the single percent Indian lady with five young children including her 8 month old baby (refer to our posting yesterday) instead of giving her an opportunity in these Fidloit cow projects, Felda, Felcra, Risda, Fama and Agropoliton land schemes to also help alienate poverty among the poor and working class Indians. I
MALAY-SIA??
P.Uthayakumar
Height of Malay-sian Indian poverty and atrocity.
Height of Malay-sian Indian poverty and atrocity. RM4.00 to feed 5 mouths 22 years old mother, I.Jeeva Santhrika. Her husband in jail (because of a poverty related crime) no water and electricity supply in her squarters abandoned house. Both she, her husband and all five children have been denied birth certificates (although they are third, fourth and fifth generation Malaysian born.
To the contrary a first generation Indonesian immigrant’s son Khir Toyo has become the Chief Minister of the state Selangor, the richest state in Malaysia.
Jeeva Santhrika earns RM 10.00 per day.Working in a second hand goods shop. She has to pay RM 3.00 for 10 pails of water from a neighbour and RM 3.00 to buy candles per.
Jeeva Santhrika has a balance of RM 4.00 per day to feed five mouths and also to feed herself. (The Star 18/12/09 page 51)
RM 4 Billion project for malay company.
RM 4 Billion project for malay company.
But almost zero such government contracts and projects are given out directly to the Indians. At the best the Indians get to do the sub or sub sub or sub sub sub contracts which merely keep them afloat but the malay muslim Project holder or the Main Contractor or a Chinese middleman gets a free ride from the blood and sweat of these hardworking Indians. Hundreds of thousands of Malaysian Indians are believed to be exploited and excluded from the national mainstream development of Malaysia in this way. (Refer UM 11/12/2009 at page 30).
PKR S’gor MB to demolish Rawang hindu crematorium.
PKR S’gor MB to demolish Rawang hindu crematorium. But he gets Indian Exco Mandore to represent and give them false hopes otherwise. This has been the modus operadi of the previous UMNOs’ MIC manddores who have been doing this “good” job for the previous 50 years before PKR came into power and now ably continuing under the PKR Indian EXCO Mandore. (Refer Makkal Osai 9/12/2009 front page)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Hindraf chief threatens to sue erstwhile comrades - Malaysiakini
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waythamoorthy has sent a demand letter to four of his former comrades asking them to retract defamatory statements made to the media, failing which he will exercise the right to sue them.
The four are Penang DAP Deputy Chief Minister 2 P Ramasamy, Sungkai assemblyperson A Sivanesan and two other Hindraf activists, V Ganabatirao and K Vasanthakumar. Ganabatirao is also a DAP member.
They were said to have made defamatory statements which were published in English and Tamil dailies as well as in news portals, including Malaysiakini.
The articles called in to question Waythamoorthy's sincerity and asked him account for an alleged RM700,000 that was collected for the Hindraf cause.
The articles included a Malaysiakini interview with Ganabatirao entitled, Hindraf: Where's the money, buddy? and one in which Sivanesan asked Waythamoorthy (right) to account for allegedly RM700,000 of Hindraf funds.
Following these statements, Waythamoorthy did threaten to sue all three DAP members in August this year.
The demand letter was sent to the four via his lawyers Kumar, Hashimah & Co. Waythamoorthy wants them to retract their statements and make an apology.
He also wants a written undertaking that the four would not make similar allegations in the future and want the respondents to pay indemnity costs.
Schism within Hindraf
Waythamoorthy, Ganabatirao and Vasanthakumar along with M Manoharan, P Uthayakumar and R Kenghadharan were key individuals behind the Hindraf rally on Nov 25, 2007.
All five, excluding Waythamoorthy, were detained under the Internal Security Act. Waythamoorthy was on a pilgrimage in India, before imposing self-exile.
During the ISA detention of the five, Waythamoorthy carried the Hindraf mantle in the international arena.
All of them have been given a week to to respond to the demand letter.
The four are Penang DAP Deputy Chief Minister 2 P Ramasamy, Sungkai assemblyperson A Sivanesan and two other Hindraf activists, V Ganabatirao and K Vasanthakumar. Ganabatirao is also a DAP member.
They were said to have made defamatory statements which were published in English and Tamil dailies as well as in news portals, including Malaysiakini.The articles called in to question Waythamoorthy's sincerity and asked him account for an alleged RM700,000 that was collected for the Hindraf cause.
The articles included a Malaysiakini interview with Ganabatirao entitled, Hindraf: Where's the money, buddy? and one in which Sivanesan asked Waythamoorthy (right) to account for allegedly RM700,000 of Hindraf funds.
Following these statements, Waythamoorthy did threaten to sue all three DAP members in August this year.
The demand letter was sent to the four via his lawyers Kumar, Hashimah & Co. Waythamoorthy wants them to retract their statements and make an apology.
He also wants a written undertaking that the four would not make similar allegations in the future and want the respondents to pay indemnity costs.
Schism within Hindraf
Waythamoorthy, Ganabatirao and Vasanthakumar along with M Manoharan, P Uthayakumar and R Kenghadharan were key individuals behind the Hindraf rally on Nov 25, 2007.
All five, excluding Waythamoorthy, were detained under the Internal Security Act. Waythamoorthy was on a pilgrimage in India, before imposing self-exile.
During the ISA detention of the five, Waythamoorthy carried the Hindraf mantle in the international arena.
All of them have been given a week to to respond to the demand letter.
Indian youth 28 beaten up in police custody (Malaysiakini)
A man detained on suspicion of sexual harassment was tortured and beaten despite the Police being aware that a false report was lodged against him.
S Isaikumar,28, lodged a report at the Seremban police headquarters. He was accompanied by his lawyer N Surendran.
The following day, on Dec 7, Isaikumar was told by the investigating police officer that the charges made against him were based on a false report.
Nevertheless, the police only released Isaikumar (right) on Dec 14, during which time Isaikumar alleged he was assaulted and subject to humiliation by the police.
“Isaikumar was slapped, abused and beaten with PVC pipes by a group of police officers,” said Surendran.
He claimed that at one stage a female police officer sat on Isaikumar’s chest and inserted a shoe she was wearing into his mouth.
The police, he alleged, also took photos of Isaikumar in the nude, including photos of his genitals.
Surendran further claimed that his client was denied medical treatment despite running a fever.
Though the lockup where he was detained held seven prisoners, Isaikumar alleged they were given only three packets of food to be shared among them.
‘He was innocent’
Chief investigating officer, Inspector Ahmad Sobri Amir Salim, cleared Isaikumar of any wrongdoing in a letter on Dec 14, on the day of his release.
“Despite his innocence, Isaikumar went through an unnecessary and unwarranted nine days of remand, coupled with abuse by police officers,” said Surendran.
The lawyer said the case should be investigated by Bukit Aman because he felt the Seremban police would not conduct a fair inquiry.
Surendran called on inspector-general of police Musa Hassan to ‘clean up his own house’ as there have been many cases and reports of police brutality.
Arutchelvam said that if there was no action within two weeks, PSM would take up the case with Bukit Aman.
He said the case clearly showed a “lack of police professionalism” where police were “victimising” an innocent citizen.
Isaikumar, Surendran and Arutchelvam were among a group who attempted to enter the IPK premises but were denied entry.
There was also an attempt to meet with the deputy chief police officer of Negri Sembilan, but an officer denied them permission.
Instead, the group was advised to lodge a report at the nearby Seremban town police station.
Among the political leaders present were Senawang state assemblyperson P Gunasekaran, Temiang assemblyperson Ng Chin Tsai, Negeri Sembilan PKR deputy chairman S Haridass and state PKR Youth deputy chief Norazizi Aziz.
Tamil school still waiting for building after two decades (Malaysiakini)
| Tamil school still waiting for building after two decades (Malaysiakini)
|
| It would have been a heart-warming view - a vernacular and a national school co-existing in the same compound. But that is where the feel-good story ends.
SJK(T) pupils have been denied access to the canteen. This was decided by SK Tok Pawang teachers after frequent quarrels between the pupils of the two schools. The SJK(T) PIBG then organised a makeshift canteen for the 170 Tamil school students at a corridor behind the building. Students of both schools also do not share classrooms. Twenty-three years ago the students of the Tamil school were accommodated at SK Tok Pawang after they had to abandon their own building due to pollution caused by the nearby Lee Rubber building. Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, accompanied by deputy P Ramasamy and the current state exco S Manikumar, attended the groundbreaking ceremony to a joyful atmosphere of excited schoolchildren and parents. At the event, he said that the state government is giving the land to the school without any premium charge. They have also waived the assessment and the school needed to pay only a token sum of RM10 for the land. This happened about eight months ago. The situation has not changed since then. ‘Education Ministry’s problem, not ours’ SJK (T) Tok Pawang students still share the school building with SK Tok Pawang pupils. There is no sign of a new building being built on the land that was given to the Tamil school. Azizan had, at the groundbreaking ceremony, clearly indicated that the state government had done their job by giving the land. It was now up to the school to negotiate with the Education Ministry to obtain the RM1.6 million needed to build the school. Jerai MP Mohd Firdaus Jaafar said that now the ball was in MIC’s court to “pressure the minister (of education) at the federal level to make sure the building gets built.” Balasingham, 35, says that he had been waiting for the school to be built since the day he left the school when he was 12. His daughter now attends the school in Standard 1, but nothing has changed. At the moment, students have no choice but to go about their familar routine of sharing the same compound and building, and having their meals under a a makeshift canteen. Thus far, there is not even a hint of a new school building emerging on the land provided to them. All you can see is the tractor used by the Kedah menteri besar during the groundbreaking ceremony. It sits forlornly by several oil palm trees, a sad reminder of what should have been. |
Sekolah Kebangsaan Tok Pawang and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Sg Tok Pawang share the same compound, but it’s a different story with the canteen.
AG & UMNO axis use Courts to stifle Hindraf 25th November 2009 Rally
At first count, 66 Hindraf supporters we prosecuted at the Shah Alam Sessions Court for even attempted murder of one policeman which even a first year law student would know is an impossible offence but Malay-sia’s Attorney General (AG) chooses not to know. To add insult to injury even the senior Sessions Court Judge denied bail to all 66 accused. But then again this is 1 Malay-sia. (The A.G later withdrew the attempted murder charge when an appeal was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High).
Then the Court fixes two weeks to even one month in a row for trial in a couple of months once to stifle these Hindraf supporters. Many Hindraf supporters lost their jobs, families broken up and suffered grave hardships.
Unlike in the US UK and in the Western Civil Society there is no state funded legal aid to cover these hardships on the Legal Principle that a man is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Finally all except nine succumbed to the UMNO state might and weight and ended up pleading guilty not because they are guilty but because of the aforesaid stifling, oppressive and unfair Malaysian Criminal Justice System. (Refer NST 17/12/2009 at page 12 below).
P. Uthayakumar
www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Special Branch Operative ASP Vasanthakumar in Action
Please see the video circulating in cyberspace showing how Vasanthakumar is playing out his role as a SB agent. I attach it below.
They call such agents like Vasanthakumar, E3M or something like that - people who have double roles in their lives. In this case this SB agent’s job is to create confusion among the Indians, create disunity among the Indians and destroy the unity that was built up after the 25th of November 2007.
Otherwise how do you explain the fact that he is working aginst the poor Indians there. If he were truly a Hindraf leader, why is he dpoing this. He should really be on their side against the authorities who want to demolish,
In addition he calls the organization that has been looking after the burial site for many years and now fighting the State government from robbing this land from the poor people an illegal organization.
Is Hindraf a legal organization till today. For his benefit he calls himself a Hindraf leader and then goes about decimating other truly people’s organization such as this one, Persatuan Tamilar Kuala Ketil.
This action truely exposes the fact that he is no Hindraf leader but someone who has a distinctly different objective like I have said above. See the video for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a7dMD-aod8
Regards
Namasivayam
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