Groups threaten to burn 'Interlok' books

(Malaysiakini) A coalition of ethnic Indian NGOs have threatened to burn copies of 'Interlok', a literature book used in secondary schools, if the Education Ministry does not withdraw it. 

Coalition leader A Vaithilingam said that the book burning will be held during rallies in various parts of Malaysia should the ministry fail to heed the coalition's demand within one week. 

“If this book is not withdrawn, we will take drastic measures, we will run a road-show around Malaysia and we will burn the books,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today. 

The coalition is upset because of the way the book portrays the Indian Malaysian community, in particular the men's treatment of their spouses. 

Vaithilingam adds that the book also instills the idea among schoolchildren that the Indian and Chinese communities are 'pendatang (immigrants)'.

“It (the book) had made us look bad... it is degrading that we are labeled as paria, that we are poor struggling families and that we are immigrants,” he said.

Vaithilingam said that the book, meant for upper secondary students, would be implanting the wrong view of society among schoolchildren.

“If it is fiction, then it's fine... But making it seem real and to make it a literature book for the children to learn? This is not the way,” he said.

Does not reflect 1Malaysia

Vaithilingam also urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister, to read the book before making any comments. 

Vaithilingam added that that the book does not reflect Najib's 1Malaysia concept.

Vaithilingam also said the main contention with the book was not the word ' pariah' itself but because of the Indian stereotypes contained in the book. 

“It (Interlok) implies that all Malaysian Indians are off the lowest caste, which is the 'pariah'. But that is clearly not true. So are all Indians 'pariah' just because our ancestors are from mainland?” he asked. 

He urged the ministry to vigilantly scrutinise all required reading materials for schools, adding that he was surprised that the book was published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the national language authority. 

“It is vital to know how the writer gets it's information and how true it really is...before this, there were several books written by various writers about Indians coming here and the information was true, so there was no issues. But this (Interlok) is pure lies.

“If we, the country, wants division amongst the races as the main agenda, then by all means, don't withdraw this book”, he said.

Thus far, the education ministry claims that it will continue to gather feedback from the Indian community before deciding on the fate of the book.

Anwar Ibrahim must open Sivan temple within one week and not use his Indian mandores to make excuses for closing down this ancient temple.

(see The Star 31/12/10 at page N4)

HRP coming out with election manifesto

GEORGE TOWN: Human Rights Party (HRP) is finalising a 15-point election manifesto to face a possible snap general election this year.

The manifesto, among other things, will demand a minimum monthly wage of RM1,300 for all local workers.

HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar said the demand for minimum wage was not unreasonable given that even unskilled foreigners were earning more than RM1,300 per month in the country.

“A local worker cannot sustain a reasonably comfortable living standard under the current rapidly escalating cost of living.

“Our minimum wage demand is conservative,” Uthayakumar, a former ISA detainee, told FMT today.

The manifesto will also demand a round-the-clock social security (Socso) coverage for all contributing workers.

Currently, Socso only covers injuries or deaths that occurred to workers during working hours and when travelling between their homes and working places.

Uthayakumar said that Sosco was a poor man’s insurance policy and the workers regularly contributed to the scheme from their hard-earned monthly income.

“Hence, its coverage should be 24, not limited, hours,” he added.

Pension scheme

HRP will also demand that Socso policy include a pension scheme for all workers in the private sector, similar to the one enjoyed by ethnic Malay-dominated public sector.

Uthayakumar said that Socso should pay half of the last drawn monthly salary as a monthly pension to retired workers.

HRP also wants the Socso pension benefits to be extended to the widow or children under 21 of any deceased retirees.

“Socso shall be another retirement scheme, apart from the EPF (Employees Provident Fund), for local workers,” he said.

HRP believes that by expanding the coverage and benefits of Socso policy, private sector workers would not lose out due to the government privatisation policy on public enterprises.

Uthayakumar said the manifesto would demand the government convert the loans given out by the National Tertiary Education Fund Corporation into scholarships for all deserving students irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.

HRP will also demand a gazetted area to build places of worship for any religious ethnic community that has a minimum of 500 people residing in a particular residential area.

“HRP believes that each ethnic community has equal rights to co-exist and practise their respective religious beliefs.

“The government is duty-bound to legalise this right,” Uthayakumar said.

Candidates shorlisted

HRP has formed an eight-man election manifesto committee chaired by a ne Dr S Paraman to formulate and finalise the manifesto.

The manifesto will be unveiled officially after its central executive meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 22.

HRP predicts that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will call for only a snap parliamentary election, not state polls, within the next five months.

The party has already shortlisted candidates for 15 parliamentary seats that it planned to contest in the polls.

The seats are Padang Serai, Sungai Siput, Alor Gajah, Lembah Pantai, Batu Kawan, Ipoh Barat, Teluk Kemang, Rasah, Kota Raja, Cameron Highlands, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Klang, Bagan Datoh and Tebrau.

Uthayakumar urged Pakatan Rakyat to pave the way for his party candidates to face BN in straight fights in its designated federal seats.

Given that Umno and BN were the common enemies, he said it was inevitable for BN opponents to combine forces, and pool and mobilise their resources together to face the next general election.

He pointed out that no governments in the world, except in Malaysia, Singapore, communist China and military-ruled Myanmar, have survived for over half a century.

HRP has already sent letters dated Dec 19 to Pakatan leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Abdul Hadi Awang, offering an olive branch of cooperation in the next election.

But Pakatan leaders have not responded to it.

“People want change. I am sure Pakatan would not want to let slip the golden chance to displace Umno and BN.

“But if Pakatan refuses cooperation, we will contest on our own… there will be no more free lunches from us,” said Uthayakumar.

Even road to 80 year old Hindu cemetery in PKR ruled Kajang closed up (ethnically cleansed) by Selangor government.

HINDRAF & HRP wishing all a Happy 2011 New Year. “Rights not Mercy”!

HINDRAF & HRP wishing all a Happy 2011 New Year.
“Rights not Mercy”

HRPs’ Top Ten Newsmakers for the year 2010

1) Chakaraguna who torched himself to death to stop PKR Selangor demolishing Puchong hindu temple.

Chakaraguna, who set himself ablaze in a bid to stop a temple store demolition in Pusat Bandar Puchong on Nov 8, died in Hospital Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
M. Chakragunasegaran,52, who suffered severe burns to his body and face, died at 9.15am after 22 days in hospital. He leaves behind a wife and five children.
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/11/30/man-who-torched-himself-over-puchong-temple-store-demolition-dies/

2) Hindraf joins forces with indigenous group at House of Common in London
Joe Fernandez & Chen Yi Ling  (Malaysiakini)
It was a historic first in London on Tuesday when Hindraf joined forces with an indigenous group from Sabah
Continue Reading »
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/03/11/hindraf-joins-forces-with-indigenous-group-in-london/

3) Uthayakumar’s address in Pravasi Bharathiya Divas Meeting & distribute to some 2,000 worldwide Indian Diospara  The Malaysian Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2009

Uthayakumar Ponnusamy from Malaysia. The great Indian leaders, the Prime Minister, and the external Affairs Minister all spoke on business, social and cultural issues concerning the Indian Diasporas.  We regret that the Human rights issues of Indians especially in Malaysia, where the Indians are being denied their birth certificate and the citizenship even for the fourth and fifth generation Malaysian Indians.  Contineu reading:-
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/01/09/puthayakumars-address-in-pravasi-bharathiya-divas-meeting/
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/01/09/the-malaysian-indian-minority-human-rights-violations-annual-report-2009/

4) 1st Hindraf National Convention demands ‘rights not mercy’, from UMNO led Malay-sian government.

1st Hindraf National Convention demands ‘rights not mercy’, from UMNO led Malay-sian government.
K.L 8/8/2010. Hindraf creates another major history yet again after the 25th November
Continue Reading »
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/08/09/1st-hindraf-national-convention-demands-rights-not-mercy-from-umno-led-malay-sian-government/

5) Historic Buntong – First Indian majority seat. HRP on road to Project 15/38.

HRP will otherwise be at PKR, DAP and PAS’ mercy if no Project 15/38. (See The Star 10/8/10 at page N6)
The 1st Hindraf National Convention
Continue Reading »
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/08/10/historic-buntong-first-indian-majority-seat-hrp-on-road-to-project-1538-hrp-will-otherwise-be-at-pkr-dap-and-pas-mercy-and-mandores-if-no-project-1538/
6) Indian stateless elimination campaign at HRP Penang HQ. JPN officers will be present on 26/9/2010
Today was the happiest moment of some stateless people as clearly seen in the photograph above and these people have every reason to be so. Their applications for a birth certificate which was supposedly issued to them when they were born in this soil were systematically denied by the authorities but however with the interference and guidance of HRP Penang they were successful in submitting their application to the JPN at Bandar Baru Perda on this day.
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/09/26/hrp-all-smiles-on-stateless-people/

7) HINDRAF 18 Point Demands dated 12/8/2007 not fulfilled by UMNO prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

52nd year Merdeka (Independence) demands by the two (2) million ethnic minority Indians in Malaysia to Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak Prime Minister
Continue Reading »
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/11/26/hindraf-18-point-demand/


8 ) Complaint to U.N on 2, 237 top Indian students denied higher education in Malaysia

  RE: HRP Memorandum ON:-

 (1)      An estimated 2,237 top and high achieving Indian students have been segregated and denied JPA scholarships, PTPTN loans, Matriculation and University seats.

(2) Indian students in Public Universities systematically reduced from 28% to 0.27% in 40 years. Continue reading:-

http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/09/15/complaint-to-u-n-on-2-237-top-indian-students-denied-higher-education-in-malaysia/

 

9) Memo Freedom of Religion: Malaysian Police insults Sultan of Perak and attempted to assault HINDRAF leader

You can be forced into Islam when you are seven years old and there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT, there is no recourse for you – every body gangs up against you – the courts, the police, the administration, the politicians.
When some dare speak up against the injustice in all this, they are brutalized. Continue reading:–
http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/09/01/pdrm-insults-sultan-of-perak-and-attempted-to-assault-hindraf-leader/

10)  Last Indian village in KL, Bukit Jalil Estate including Hindu temple, cemetery and Tamil school to be “ethnically cleansed” to make way for Malay muslim cemetery.
UMNO’s DBKL Kuala Lumpur City Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad Ismail cheated and lied to the poor Indian estate workers that their Tamil School,
Continue Reading »

http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2010/12/05/racist-umno%e2%80%99s-dbkl-draft-city-plan-2020-bukit-jalil-tamil-school-hindu-temple-cemetery-and-indian-villagesettlements-and-hundreds-others-to-be-%e2%80%9cethnically-cleansed%e2%80%9d-but-al/

Merry Christmas and happy new year to all our well wishers

HRP to Pakatan: Give us 15 parliamentary seats

Hindraf-Human Rights Party (HRP) has issued an ultimatum to Pakatan Rakyat to back out and allow the Indian-based party to take on BN in straight fights in 15 parliamentary seats and 38 state seats in the next general election.

In a letter sent today to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Hadi Awang, HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar said that if Pakatan does not heed HRP's call, the opposition coalition will find itself in three-corner fights in the constituencies.

In return for giving way to HRP, pledging support and providing machinery assistance to HRP, Pakatan will get “unequivocal support and cooperation in all the other 207 parliamentary and 538 Pakatan state assembly constituencies” to win back the lot of ambivalent Indian voters.

“We have shown magnanimity in throwing our lot behind (Pakatan) in the 12th general election, now we ask you to return that favour.

“We hope Pakatan will not field candidates in these (constituencies) to become the spoiler and cause three-cornered fights against our common political enemy (Umno-BN),” he said in the letter.

Wanted: Ijok, Lembah Pantai, Padang Serai
Speaking at a press conference in HRP headquarters in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Uthayakumar said that the seats chosen had significant proportions of Indian voters and include seats currently held by Pakatan Rakyat such as Padang Serai in Kedah, Ipoh Barat in Perak, Kota Raja in Selangor and Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur.

They are also eyeing Sungei Siput, Perak, currently held by socialist party PSM central committee Dr D Jeyakumar.

He added that 15 loyal Hindraf activists have been short-listed as candidates.

“They have been tried and tested, have been part of Hindraf since day one, won't jump ship to another party and are as strong as PAS candidates,” he said.

When asked why HRP chose not to back Pakatan candidates in these chosen constituencies, Uthayakumar said that this is because the issues faced by the Indian poor in these areas have not made their way to Parliament under the present MPs.

“Yesterday, in his tweet to Anwar, (Padang Serai PKR parliamentarian) N Gobalakrishnan said that Indian poor in Ijok are sharing drinking water with ducks, even though water is under the jurisdiction of the Selangor Pakatan government,” he said.

'We'll join Pakatan if…'

However, HRP does not rule out the possibility of contesting under the Pakatan banner if they fail to register themselves as a political party with the Registrar of Societies by the next general election.

“We have given all the documents required by ROS on Nov 25, but whether we are registered or not we will contest…the worst case scenario is that we will contest as independents.

“MIC is given at least nine parliament seats and 20 state assembly seats on a silver platter. Why can't we be allocated some, too?” he asked.

When asked if this means that HRP is interested in joining Pakatan, party advisor N Ganesan (in photo, next to Uthayakumar) said this will only happen if the coalition is willing to incorporate into their mission HRP's goal of getting the working class into the mainstream.

“The ball is now in (Pakatan's) court. In a one-on-one (contest), we stand a better chance of beating BN than Pakatan (in these constituencies),” he said.

Parliamentary seats that HRP demands is:

1. Padang Serai (Incumbent: PKR - N Gobalakrishnan)
2. Batu Kawan (DAP - Ramasamy)
3. Sungei Siput (PSM - Dr D Jeyakumar)
4. Ipoh Barat (DAP - N Kulasegaran)
5. Bagan Datoh (BN - Ahmad Zahid Hamidi)
6. Cameron Highlands (BN - SK Devamany)
7. Hulu Selangor (BN - P Kamalanathan)
8. Kuala Selangor (PAS - Dzulkefy Ahmad)
9. Klang (DAP - Charles Santiago)
10. Kota Raja (PAS - Siti Mariah Mahmud)
11. Rasah (DAP - Anthony Loke)
12. Teluk Kemang (PKR - Kamarul Baharin Abbas )
13. Alor Gajah (BN - Fong Chan Onn)
14. Tebrau (BN - Teng Boon Soon)
15. Lembah Pantai (PKR - Nurul Izzah Anwar)

Book lauch tonight

Tonight, Uthayakumar is also due to launch the second book that he wrote during his 514 days of detention under the Internal Security Act.

Entitled 'Nov 25 Hindraf Rally 2007', the 400-page book is his personal account of the events leading up to the historic rally that saw some 30,000 people take to the streets protesting discrimination against ethnic Indians, and his experiences under the ISA.

HRP has since built a 'replica' of Uthayakumar's Kamunting cell at its headquarters as a memorial, including a dummy of the lawyer dressed in his prison uniform.

“This book tells you the story of Hindraf. We have printed 1,000 copies each in both (English and Tamil) and will print more depending on sales,” the author said.

Further slashing down on Malaysian Indian Doctors. Racist UMNO/BN orders five year stop on all medical courses locally and overseas.

(The Star Headlines 12/12/10)

UMNO started on this racist and religious extremist and supremacist policies led by the Secretary General of the Health Ministry Dato Dr.Ismail Merican who in 2002 onwards derecognized the world renowned Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) etc simply because hundreds of Malaysian Indian students were studying there and elsewhere in Ukraine and Russia.

And today the final clamp down on the 12 local private medical schools and 50 overseas. But UMNO would never agree to a Common Exams for all local University and foreign medical students with foreign external examiners to produce the best doctors. Why not? The UMNO fear factor?

This is the very same methodology UMNO used to “ethnically cleanse” Kill, stop and hamper thousands of Malaysian Indian students from becoming lawyers through the racially motivated CLP exams. Why not all Malaysian students including from all local Universities sit for this CLP exams also with foreign external examiners.

A medical lecturer who declined to be named said that the criteria of the qualifying examination should be made known in advance so that students know what was required of them.

Highlighting the case of a top student from a Ukrainian university who failed the exam, the lecturer said that the different methods of training was an obstacle too big for some.“No matter how diligent and conscientious students are, the chances of them passing the exam seem next to impossible, he said. (The Star 12/12/10 at page E13).

Welcome to UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malay-sia and Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Hadi Awang all not questioning this UMNO racism and religious extremism simply because almost all the victims are the Indian poor (wanting a better life for their children by even spending their lifelong savings, EPF, gratuity selling their houses and land and life savings.

HRP’s Project 15/38 is the only way forward.

Would you still vote for UMNO/BN?

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Ethnic dominance in the Malaysian civil service

 

By Dr Lim Teck Ghee and Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

This was written as a commentary in response to an article by Datuk Shagul Hamid Abdullah, Director-General of Biro…

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By Dr Lim Teck Ghee and Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

This was written as a commentary in response to an article by Datuk Shagul Hamid Abdullah, Director-General of Biro Tatanegara that recently appeared in a national daily.

Since the paper has declined to publish it, we are making the commentary available to other media outlets in the hope that it will be widely read and the subject of the racial composition of the Malaysian civil service is given the serious analysis and policy attention that it deserves.We consider this issue of paramount importance to our future as a united country.

The article ‘Emphasis on raising standards’ by Shagul in The Star (Jan 30, 2010) seems to be aimed at ensuring that the situation of Malay dominance in the civil service should remain unchanged and unchallenged.

The Director-General’s analysis fails to point out some very important reasons why a representative and multi-racial civil service should remain a key national priority, especially in the context of building 1Malaysia.

One crucial reason is that the second prong of the New Economic Policy (from 1970) – the reduction in the identification of economic function with ethnicity – was intended to apply to both the private and public sectors.This second prong has been deemed to be so vital to the cause of national unity that the restructuring of the private sector continues until today (nearly 20 years after the NEP was supposed to have ended in 1990).

What has happened to the restructuring of the civil service that was part of the original NEP?

Although great strides have taken place towards a more multiracial private sector, the reverse has happened in the civil service.

According to available statistics for the year 2005, the proportion of Malays in the civil service had grown from 60% to 77% from 1970 to 2005 whilst the Perkhidmatan Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD) had 85% Malays in its staffing, or six Malays for one every non-Malay.

The situation of Malay dominance of the civil service, especially for the higher level service groups, is likely to have been enhanced since.

It is not simply the issue of Chinese under-representation mentioned by the DG that is of concern. Representation of other communities and the East Malaysia native communities in the civil service at all levels is of as much concern.

Data absent

Official statistics such as racial and regional breakdown of civil service staffing by ministries, agencies and departments and categorized according to top management group, management and professional group and support group and other key variables can provide us a better understanding of the representational issue. From it we can draw related racial, regional and other ramifications and implications.

Though easy to collate, analyze and make publicly available, these data are conspicuously unavailable.

Many government leaders have acknowledged that we need more transparency in government to raise public confidence. Should these data and the relevant analysis be made publicly available, we are confident that they will agree with the concerns of many Malaysians that current Malay over-dominance of the civil service is unhealthy and undesirable and that it adversely affects national unity, social cohesion and economic competitiveness.

Another important reason why the civil service in Malaysia needs to be made fully representative of the country’s racial make-up is that in all modern governments, civil servants are fully engaged in formulating and implementing public policies on behalf of, and in the interests of, all the communities.

Democratic norms call for a representative, impartial and neutral bureaucracy, not only to ensure that public policies are responsive to the legitimate needs of all citizens in a fair and equitable fashion but also to ensure that there is an absence of racial bias in the individual or collective manner that the civil servants formulate policies and conduct their work.

In February 2006, a study titled “Towards a representative and world class civil service”was presented to the Government as part of the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) proposals for the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

The study contained a full set of arguments as to why the civil service needs to pursue an appropriate and racially diverse representation policy in its staffing.

It also provided practical suggestions on how this policy could be implemented in the form of a quota system in recruitment and career advancement. The quota system would be similar to the quota systems long used by the government in sectors such as education and commerce to bring about Malay advancement.

The civil service quota system – in this case specifically used as a temporary affirmative action tool to increase non-Malay numbers and reduce marginalization – could be formulated in such a way as to meet with the constitutional provisions providing for the special position of the Malays and bumiputera groups of Sabah and Sarawak.

This 60-40 recruitment system would be relatively easy and painless to implement.It would ensure Malay dominance but not over-dominance by helping bring a gradual increase in the number and proportion of non-Malay civil servants in the country.

Since that CPPS study aforementioned, the growing number of racial profiling allegations aimed at the police and various other ministries and agencies is a clear danger sign that changes in recruitment of new staffing and racial composition at the higher levels are urgently needed if these allegations are not to spiral out of control.

Sidelining non-Malays

The Director-General has emphasized that “there has never been any deliberate and conscious effort to discourage the non-Malays from entering and staying in public service”.

The veracity of this statement can be questioned.

If a full and open inquiry is held on the issue of whether or not bias exists in terms of recruitment and promotion in the civil service (and this includes staffing in the public universities and many strategic ministries and agencies), we are sure that many conflicting views – including those based on personal experience – are likely to dominate the proceedings.

Even if we accept as largely true the statement that there are no “deliberate and conscious” attempts to discourage non-Malay participation in the civil service, it does not absolve the government from its responsibility of ensuring a fully representative civil service – a national objective which it has long pledged to pursue but has cynically ignored instead.

In fact, if only a miniscule fraction of the public resources that has gone into the restructuring of the private sector had been allocated towards the restructuring of the civil service, we would have long ago achieved that goal and arrived at a higher stage of national unity, resilience and competitiveness.

Instead what we have had is a lot of rhetoric, foot dragging, attempts to ‘blame the other side’, and now another garbled attempt at explaining why the status quo in terms of the civil service composition has to remain the same.

That is why the contrasting statement by the Second Minister of Finance, Ahmad Husni Mohd Hanadzlah, that the civil service should be more multiracial is most welcome.

In order to fulfill this noble aspiration, we hope that Husni and his colleagues in the Barisan Nasional will support the introduction of a quota system reflective of the country’s racial composition and for the system to be introduced as soon as possible for all civil service recruitment and promotion.

It is important for the Government to change its mindset on the issue and not to view the issue of a representative civil service in zero-sum game terms.It is not simply the interests of the non-Malay communities presently under-represented that would be enhanced with more equitable representation. Malay interests would also benefit in many ways.

Implementation of reforms providing for the recruitment and career advancement of non-Malays in the civil service will help ensure that national unity and the goal of 1Malaysia will be more quickly realized.

Dr Lim Teck Ghee is Director, Center for Policy Initiatives and Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam is former President, Transparency International Malaysia.

Juvenile Mugelen (14) sent to jail for in accidentally touching another young Malay girl in swimming pool. Cannot afford RM1,700.00 bail, so put in UMNO jail.

Juvenile Mugelen (14) sent to jail for in accidentally touching another young Malay girl in swimming pool. Cannot afford RM1,700.00 bail, so put in jail.

And cannot afford a lawyer…

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Juvenile Mugelen (14) sent to jail for in accidentally touching another young Malay girl in swimming pool. Cannot afford RM1,700.00 bail, so put in jail.

And cannot afford a lawyer so forced to plead guilty. This predicament happens to scores of thousands of the Indian poor, not necessarily because they are guilty but simply because they cannot afford the bail and have no money to pay lawyers. So they go to jail. UMNO/BN denies them the Legal Aid. And it is from prison that they may actually learn and become the real criminals.

“Rights not Mercy”

S.JAYATHAS

Information Chief

Hindraf leaders sue gov't over unlawful arrest

(Malaysiakini) Lawyers and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders P Uthayakumar and M Manoharan today filed suits against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and five others over their arrest under…

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(Malaysiakini) Lawyers and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders P Uthayakumar and M Manoharan today filed suits against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and five others over their arrest under the Internal Security Act in 2007 and detention for 514 days in Kamunting, Perak.

Uthayakumar (wearing tie), who is also Human Rights Party leader and Manoharan, who is Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson, are each seeking RM100 million from six defendants for their unlawful detention.

The other defendants are former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan, the commandant of the Kamunting detention camp where they had been detained, and the government.

The two lawyers filed the suit today to coincide with International Human Rights Day, which falls tomorrow.

They were arrested on Dec 13, 2007, after they organised the Hindraf rally in the heart of Kuala Lumpur to highlight the plight of the Indian community, which they say is being marginalised by the government.

It was during his detention that Manoharan won the March 8, 2008, general election and according to the lawyer, this proves he was no threat to national security as alleged. As a result of this, he had to take his oath of office while in detention in Kamunting, near Taiping.

The government had publicly alleged that Hindraf leaders were linked to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka, accusations they had strongly denied.

The Hindraf group claimed that they were merely fighting for the human rights of Malaysians, particularly the Indian community, which faced persecution, threats, isolation and discrimination from Umno and BN-led government.

As a consequence of the defendants' action in detaining them, Uthayakumar and Manoharan (right) said, they had to bear pain, losses and damages, for which they were seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages.

Uthayakumar claimed that as a result of his detention, he had to close his law firm in Mutiara Bangsar, as his practice suffered a 95 percent drop.

Following this, both of them sought RM100 million in general damages each, special damages to be assessed by the court, interests and costs of the action.

Uthaykumar denied medical treatment

Uthayakumar also claimed that he was denied his diabetes medication while in detention, and he had to be warded at the Taiping Hospital instead of being taken to the National Heart Institute to enable him to undergo a heart examination.

The lawyer also claimed that his left leg suffered a fracture, as a result of walking in the detention camp, which he said was improperly maintained.

A total of 80 police reports were also filed against the government during this time, but despite this, Uthayakumar said, he continued to be persecuted.

He and Manoharan claimed that 2.5 million people from the Indian community had sought, and even held campaigns, for their release, but the plaintiffs continued to be detained without trial.

Uthayakumar said as a lawyer, he has had many clients who complained of being discriminated, but the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) was the penultimate in discriminating the civil rights of the people in the country, resulting in unlawful detention of the citizens.

He maintained that the claims he had made about ethnic cleansing were correct as the Indian community was forced to move out when Putrajaya and Bukit Jalil were developed.

Manoharan: Najib delayed release

Manoharan said Najib was personally named because as prime minister, he had delayed their release. The two were released from the Kamunting detention camp in May last year.

The Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson said this was the first suit where Najib (left) was personally named.

Manoharan said despite being released in May, an order not to move out of the Travers area had been slapped on Uthayakumar, while he had been ordered not to move out of Klang.

The order against Uthayakumar was lifted in July this year, while that against Manoharan was lifted in September.

Manoharan said since Najib became prime minister, he had pledged to review the controversial ISA law, but nothing had been done so far.

“It is certainly a cruel legislation that should be removed and in light of International Human Rights Day (Dec 10), we are again calling for the repeal of this law,” he added.

Yayasan Selangor wants more applications from non Malays

Senator Dr. Ramakrishnan

Yayasan Selangor under the stewardship of UMNO since 1970 was turned into a Malay domain. It is state financed and set up to help improve the educational…

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Senator Dr. Ramakrishnan

Yayasan Selangor under the stewardship of UMNO since 1970 was turned into a Malay domain. It is state financed and set up to help improve the educational performance of all poor Selangor born or Selangor residing Malaysians. Its residential schools, loan receivers and scholarship benefiters are 99% Malays.

See the table below to ask what MIC, MCA, GERAKAN and PPP were doing all this while? The table below shows the number of student taken loan from Yayasan Selangor from the year 2000 to 2010. 

	2000	2001	2002		2003		2004		2005		2006		2007		2008		2009		2010
KAUM
MELAYU	198	279	374		353		341		468		193		234		320		502		483
CINA	6	1	5		7		3		3		3		3		−		−		2
INDIA	14	6	9		4		11		20		8		1		4		2		20
BIL. BERJAYA	218	286	388		364		355		491		204		238		324		504		505
BIL. PERMOHONAN		620	547		627		446		957		511		360		604		1001		1096

   

Yayasan wants more applications from non Malay students. Loans are given to Selangor residing students studying in local public institutions. More information can be obtained from www.yayasanselangor.org.my. Students who maintain consistently high CGPAs, their loans will be converted to scholarships.

Besides Yayasan Selangor also provide residential schools for Selangor residing students. Students who score a minimum 4 A and 1 B in UPSR are eligible to apply. Below are the numbers of students residing in their hostels all over Selangor! More information can be obtained from the above mentioned website.    

STATISTIK PERMOHONAN BERJAYA MENGIKUT PECAHAN KAUM
TAHUN 2007 - 2011
PERKARA			TAHUN
			2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
JUMLAH PERMOHONAN			1169	1559	1573	1129	1220
BUMIPUTERA			498	535	535	543	KIV
KAUM LAIN			2	10	7	2	KIV
PERMOHONAN BERJAYA			500	545	542	545	KIV
PERMOHONAN TIDAK BERJAYA			669	1014	1031	584	KIV

A meeting was held recently to make the hostel accommodation more conducive for non Malays students to stay. The management has agreed and I call upon all parties concern to make these transformation successful. The presence of more non Malay students will enrich both the Malay and non Malay students. If the prime minister is really serious about 1Malaysia all hostels all over Malaysia must be made multiracial and multi religious. Mr Prime Minister, the test of your 1Malaysia is in its implementation and not in political rhetoric in front of UMNO.  

Hindraf duo to file suit against Najib

Two lawyers and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders, P Uthayakumar (below, right) and M Manoharan, are scheduled to file a RM200 million suit against Prime Minister Najib…

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Two lawyers and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders, P Uthayakumar (below, right) and M Manoharan, are scheduled to file a RM200 million suit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak tomorrow over their allegedly unlawful detention under the draconian Internal Security Act law for 514 days.

They will also name former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan and the government as the other defendants.

Manoharan(above, left) told Malaysiakini that they decided to cite Abdullah as a defendant as it was during the former premier's tenure that they were detained, while it was during Hishammuddin's tenure that they were finally released.

They also named Musa as he was the IGP who may have ordered their detention.

They claimed that their detention which began on Dec 13, 2007 was unlawful, where they had been kept for 514 days.

According to them, this was the first suit filed against Najib in his personal capacity as it was during his premiership that he had earlier decided to release some ISA detainees, and later released three Hindraf detainees including the two in May 2009.

The two, who are seeking RM100 million each, are scheduled to file the suit tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur High Court civil registry.

Rulers’ Conference needs to also protect minority’s rights

It seems that the Rulers' Conference fail to comprehend that as rulers they are also duty bound to the second limb of Article 153 of the Federal constitution as the…

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It seems that the Rulers' Conference fail to comprehend that as rulers they are also duty bound to the second limb of Article 153 of the Federal constitution as the minority’s interests also need to be safeguarded in the current polarized state of affairs between the Muslims and the non-Muslims.

By R.Shan (Human Being)

Bearing the escalation of conversion rows (latest involving Yi Min in Penang), including 'body-snatching' cases where Islamic authorities have battled with relatives over the remains of the alive and dead when religion is disputed encouraged the cabinet to table proposed amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993 and Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984.

Initially when the Rulers’ conference was approached in June 29, 2009, it was decided by them that matter of the conversion and religion must be referred to the state religious authorities before proceeding with it.

The proposed changes would involve procedures on the dissolution of marriage, right to custody of children when coversion happens after marriage, maintenance of children and wife, and division of matrimonial assets.

Now the current reluctance by the Rulers' Conference to consent to the proposed amendments although the proposals are only reflective of a person’s rights prior to becoming a Muslim. It seems that the Rulers' Conference fail to comprehend that as rulers they are also duty bound to the second limb of Article 153 of the Federal constitution as the minority’s interests also need to be safeguarded in the current polarized state of affairs between the Muslims and the non-Muslims.

In no instance do these proposals diminish the rights of either a Muslim or their obligations but rather to ensure the minority rights are not neglected in contrary to Federal constitution on unreasonability and installation of fear through religion as we have seen at a rampant stage in Malaysia of late.

As Rulers, they have the natural duty to safeguard and protect the Islamic faith, but not in a retrospective manner prior to them embracing the Islam faith or how it is forced upon without their natural consent.

The consensus requested by way of these bills will no doubt weather the storm of the currently strained race relations in Malaysia and enhance the position of the Rulers that they are indeed concerned with the second limb of Article 153.

As for the UMNO & PAKATAN state governments, it is obvious that they are trying to do a balancing act to ensure their vote counts in their typical political manner whereas the public continues to suffer in silence. By pushing the buck to the Rulers, it does nothing but undermine the faith of the people on how ineffective they have become when the public’s interest is at stake when the constitution is crystal clear that minorities are to be protected to ensure their own freedom of practice.

This indeed would be a clear indication that the Rulers’ Conference is equally concerned to ensure justice, reasonableness and fair play is afforded in their role as the rulers for each and every Malaysian besides only serving what is politically expedient.