Saturday, January 8, 2011
Photos @ Hindraf & HRP’s talk at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi
Some 80 participants who are mostly doctorate and research students at the university attended the talk by Mr. P. Uthayakumar who spoke on the Malaysian Indian Minority & & Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2010, 7th –9th January 2011 Pravasi Bharathiya Divas International Conference Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi.
There were some 20 questions from the floor. Most of the participations were shocked at the atrocities taking place in Malaysia.
Some expressed interest to independently conduct a research from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
In conclusion P. Uthayakumar explained that Malaysia is the world’s only failed Indian diaspora.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Video: Batu Kawan Barn like Tamil School documentary (Part 1 to 4)
Providing for education is the first and foremost duty of any government and never that of the citizens! When the UMNO’s Najib Razak One Malay-sia government has billions of ringgits for all sorts of white elephant mega projects, why are the poor Malaysian Indians made to suffer even to provide basic education for their children?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (10 December 1948), proclaims:
Article 26.
· (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
· (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
· (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights (CRC) proclaims:
Article 28: Education
The child’s right to education and the State’s duty to ensure that primary education at least is made free and compulsory. Administration of school discipline is to reflect the child’s human dignity. Emphasis is laid on the need for international co-operation to ensure this right.
As a signatory to the UDHR and the CRC, Malaysia has failed miserably in showing any commitment in upholding the Malaysian children’s rights to education. Leaving it to the schools and the poor Indian parents to fund the school buildings and equip the schools with the basic amenities (as is the case with most Tamil schools in Malaysia) is a gross disregard to the children’s rights and humanitarian principles. It is very unbecoming of Malaysia as a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council member.
“Rights not Mercy”
Please circulate.
S.JAYATHAS
Information Chief.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Book burning is, oh, so retrograde
(Malaysiakini) Book burning is the second most severe act of censorship; book banning is the severest.
The threat by several Indian NGOs to go on a nationwide road show that would have as its highlight the burning of the Malay novel 'Interlok' is a retrograde step that will stifle literary creativity, promote a herd mentality, and dry up the wellsprings of artistic endeavor.
The NGOs say the novel defames Indian Malaysians and is not a suitable literary work for upper secondary school Malaysians to read and contemplate.
Further, the NGOs claim that the tenor of the novel, by one-time national laureate Abdullah Hussein, is against the spirit of 1Malaysia, the supposedly national unity building concept introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak.
In addition, the NGOs hold that the novel disparages the contributions to nation building of Chinese and Indian Malaysians who are described as immigrants or birds of passage. Therefore, the NGOs want the novel withdrawn from being part of the Malay literature syllabus that fifth formers in the arts stream are encouraged to offer.
It is difficult to talk about the novel when one has not read it. A check at popular book stores earlier this week revealed that copies had not yet arrived which was surprising because the school year was set to begin and adequate stocks of texts should have been requisitioned and kept.
Whether this apparently was not done because of the controversy that started to flare last week, with the implied threat that the novel could be withdrawn from the syllabus of SPM-sitting students, could not be confirmed.
In the event, 'Interlok' is set to become a literary work whose sales - if the book is not withdrawn - are expected to soar, not just from purchases by examination-sitting students but also from people who are naturally drawn to find out what the hubbub is all about; nothing like the lure of the illicit to stimulate the tastes of the curious.
Contributions unappreciated
The book's critics among Indian Malaysians are, no doubt, prompted by the long burgeoning sense of alienation among sections of the community, stemming from its slumping economic prospects and the feeling that its contributions to national development are not properly valued.
There is the feeling among the community that it has contributed to nation building in ways that require a lot of hard work which because it is unseen, is under appreciated.
Somebody the other day pointed out that the three best football coaches in Malaysia are Indians – K Rajagopal (left), who coached the national team to an unprecedented Asean Cup triumph; B Sathianathan, who led soccer-mad Kelantan to once again tilt at national football prominence; and K Devan, who coached Negeri Sembilan and Selangor to national excellence.
The fact that football is these days almost exclusively played by Malays only serves to underscore the Indian Malaysian feeling that, not just in sport, their labour is what sets the stage for the euphoria of others.
Just to emphasise the point, some years back, Malaysia's soccer achiever of the moment, Rajagopal, coached Selangor to domestic honours. The following season he had to make way for a Malay coach for Selangor.
Kelantan, at that time an underachieving team, reacted by hiring Rajagopal who went on to pull them out of the doldrums in an exhilarating run that had the football-passionate Kelantanese hailing the coach as a favourite son.
A self-defeating step
The episode underlined the Indian Malaysian sense of alienation stemming from underappreciated merit.
The reaction to 'Interlok' must be seen against the background of how these 'realities' resonate among Indian Malaysians: Indian Malaysians feel they are trapped in the cleavages of a national social engineering scheme whose rules are rigged against their upward mobility.
But sections of the community, by reacting in ways such as calling for the banning of a seemingly risqué literary work, are unwittingly helping to forge the manacles by which the negative effects of this engineering scheme cascade through Malaysian society.
Malay literary society is capable of rising above parochial concerns to give effect to the witness and moral assignment of literary creation which can only endure by transcending sectarian barriers. One recalls poems of the late national laureate Usman Awang as testimony to this fact.
The Indian Malaysian NGOs that threatened to go on a book burning road show should desist from what would ultimately be a self-defeating step.
Instead it should encourage Indian Malaysian writers in Bahasa Malaysia – there are some promising ones out there – to write the great Malaysian novel by simply concentrating on an enduring theme which is the human heart in conflict with itself.
That theme, by its very nature, would transcend the downward pulls of the parochial and is certain not to leave readers unaffected by that which is most disaffection-causing to Indian Malaysia: unrequited labour.
The threat by several Indian NGOs to go on a nationwide road show that would have as its highlight the burning of the Malay novel 'Interlok' is a retrograde step that will stifle literary creativity, promote a herd mentality, and dry up the wellsprings of artistic endeavor.
The NGOs say the novel defames Indian Malaysians and is not a suitable literary work for upper secondary school Malaysians to read and contemplate.
Further, the NGOs claim that the tenor of the novel, by one-time national laureate Abdullah Hussein, is against the spirit of 1Malaysia, the supposedly national unity building concept introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak.In addition, the NGOs hold that the novel disparages the contributions to nation building of Chinese and Indian Malaysians who are described as immigrants or birds of passage. Therefore, the NGOs want the novel withdrawn from being part of the Malay literature syllabus that fifth formers in the arts stream are encouraged to offer.
It is difficult to talk about the novel when one has not read it. A check at popular book stores earlier this week revealed that copies had not yet arrived which was surprising because the school year was set to begin and adequate stocks of texts should have been requisitioned and kept.
Whether this apparently was not done because of the controversy that started to flare last week, with the implied threat that the novel could be withdrawn from the syllabus of SPM-sitting students, could not be confirmed.
In the event, 'Interlok' is set to become a literary work whose sales - if the book is not withdrawn - are expected to soar, not just from purchases by examination-sitting students but also from people who are naturally drawn to find out what the hubbub is all about; nothing like the lure of the illicit to stimulate the tastes of the curious.
Contributions unappreciated
The book's critics among Indian Malaysians are, no doubt, prompted by the long burgeoning sense of alienation among sections of the community, stemming from its slumping economic prospects and the feeling that its contributions to national development are not properly valued.
There is the feeling among the community that it has contributed to nation building in ways that require a lot of hard work which because it is unseen, is under appreciated.Somebody the other day pointed out that the three best football coaches in Malaysia are Indians – K Rajagopal (left), who coached the national team to an unprecedented Asean Cup triumph; B Sathianathan, who led soccer-mad Kelantan to once again tilt at national football prominence; and K Devan, who coached Negeri Sembilan and Selangor to national excellence.
The fact that football is these days almost exclusively played by Malays only serves to underscore the Indian Malaysian feeling that, not just in sport, their labour is what sets the stage for the euphoria of others.
Just to emphasise the point, some years back, Malaysia's soccer achiever of the moment, Rajagopal, coached Selangor to domestic honours. The following season he had to make way for a Malay coach for Selangor.
Kelantan, at that time an underachieving team, reacted by hiring Rajagopal who went on to pull them out of the doldrums in an exhilarating run that had the football-passionate Kelantanese hailing the coach as a favourite son.
A self-defeating step
The episode underlined the Indian Malaysian sense of alienation stemming from underappreciated merit.
The reaction to 'Interlok' must be seen against the background of how these 'realities' resonate among Indian Malaysians: Indian Malaysians feel they are trapped in the cleavages of a national social engineering scheme whose rules are rigged against their upward mobility.But sections of the community, by reacting in ways such as calling for the banning of a seemingly risqué literary work, are unwittingly helping to forge the manacles by which the negative effects of this engineering scheme cascade through Malaysian society.
Malay literary society is capable of rising above parochial concerns to give effect to the witness and moral assignment of literary creation which can only endure by transcending sectarian barriers. One recalls poems of the late national laureate Usman Awang as testimony to this fact.
The Indian Malaysian NGOs that threatened to go on a book burning road show should desist from what would ultimately be a self-defeating step.
Instead it should encourage Indian Malaysian writers in Bahasa Malaysia – there are some promising ones out there – to write the great Malaysian novel by simply concentrating on an enduring theme which is the human heart in conflict with itself.
That theme, by its very nature, would transcend the downward pulls of the parochial and is certain not to leave readers unaffected by that which is most disaffection-causing to Indian Malaysia: unrequited labour.
TERENCE NETTO has been a journalist for close on four decades. He likes the occupation because it puts him in contact with the eminent without being under the necessity to admire them. It is the ideal profession for a temperament that finds power fascinating and its exercise abhorrent.
Indian anger mounts over Interlok
KUALA LUMPUR: The Tamil Foundation has given the Education Ministry an ultimatum: withdraw the controversial SPM literature text Interlok or face nationwide street demonstrations.It also urged Indians who are ministers, deputy ministers, MPs and senators to quit their positions to express their anger.
Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Tamil Foundation president K Uthayasurian complained that the Education Ministry had been unresponsive to calls for the withdrawal of the novel, which is compulsory reading for Malay literature students in Form Five.
Interlok, published in 1971, was written by national laureate Abdullah Hussain. It is about
the daily struggles of the Malays, Chinese and Indians in pre-independence Malaya. Many Indian groups have said they found it offensive because it contains derogatory references to the community.
Uthayasurian said students who read the book would have a negative perception of Indians.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should read it before talking about 1Malaysia, he added. Muhyiddin is also the Education Minister.
A Vaithiyalingam, a former Hindhu Sangam president, also spoke at the press conference. He said the Indian community was disappointed with the Education Ministry for allowing the book to be used.
He noted that it refers to Indians as “black people” and “pariah” and claimed that some passages give the impression that Indians are dirty and make irresponsible husbands.
MIC Youth has also called for the book’s withdrawal. Its leader, T Mohan, said in a press statement that its inclusion in the literature list could be part of a hidden agenda to rewrite Malaysian history.
Mohan also said the book could undo the 1Malaysia campaign.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
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.
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.
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 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)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
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
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
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/
Saturday, December 25, 2010
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