Riddle of 'pure Hindu' candidate for Parti Islam

by Malaysia-Today

The story of Kumutha Rahman begins with a misspelling on a birth certificate 29 years ago.

And then – for those of us who still believe in fairytales – her destiny would be reinforced when she sat for her exams, went to the doctor's, took her driving licence, enrolled for college – and joined Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).



Well, not quite joined.

Technically the daughter of Mr Raman, she is a “pure Hindu” – not the first or last time she'd confuse racial and religious terminology – and as such, is constitutionally not allowed to be a member of PAS.

Yet the pan-Malaysian Islamic Party has entered her in the Tiram state seat in her own backyard of Tebrau, Johor. How, is perhaps just as interesting as why.

“I came upon this opportunity via the PAS Supporters Club for Indians. The president is my brother and I'm the Wanita president,” she explained.

However, she is unable still to contest under a PAS ticket and under some kind of election pact, has been permitted to submit her candidacy under PKR. It would be prudent to take note, at this point, that this non-Muslim fanclub has been around for only a month.



Certainly when you put two and two together, the opinion that Kumutha is the poster child for PAS' newfound moderation would be a valid if cynical one.

First, there is the replacement of the word “Islamic” with “welfare” every time it appears before “state” in the party manifesto for the coming elections.

Featuring her – at age 29 and running alongside 13 other women in the coming elections – one could certainly say that the party is responding to one the main criticisms of their policies so far.

Then there is the obvious influence of Indian dissatisfaction which correlates with the Hindraf movement. The fact that the club was only recently established and that the Chinese arm is as yet, a minute body, certainly lends weight to this particular factor.

But perhaps the most gleefully noted by said cynic is the fact that Tiram, like much of the rest of Johor, is a BN stronghold.

Meaning, there is little chance that PAS will have to worry about dealing with the conundrum of Kumutha actually becoming an elected representative. For now, this remains an excellent PR exercise, no matter the motive.

Should she achieve the miraculous though, Kumutha the law graduate has no doubt that she will be given equitable rights in the party hierarchy.

“When the party has a meeting, both Muslims and non-Muslims come together. Everybody is treated equally. Club members can vote on issues and have a say. It's all democratic,” she insists.

Johor PAS commissioner Mahfodz Mohamed concurs and says that by breaking a 61-year-old Muslim-only policy, the party is practising what it preaches about tolerance towards other religions and races.

Yet if there is no practical distinction, why has the door not opened for non-Muslims to join the party proper? Surely this only lends weight to the common presumption that PAS' recent compromise in their hardline conservative stance is a front and they will take any encouragement to Islamise the country.

After all, it appears that they still would like to introduce Hudud law nationwide and also the death penalty for apostates, as stated under Syariah law.

“We have a slogan which goes ‘PAS for All’. The emphasis is that all races are equal,” she answered, proceeding to exhibit another example of muddling issues of race and religion: “We want to cooperate with all and everyone will benefit economically. Just because you're Hindu doesn't mean you have to convert. The goal is that everyone understands each other's religious customs – what are Malay customs, Chinese customs and Indian customs to create silaturahim.”

Well then, she's already started to learn the language of PAS. But there is an obvious question which hasn't been answered in any news article anywhere.

PAS' two main brethren in the Opposition also preach such gospels of understanding and unity. So why does a Hindu decide to go with PAS instead of the other partners? Again, there are possible cynical answers but we'll resist indulging in this exercise this time.

“You can say that the other parties say the same thing. But PAS has a proven track record. In Kelantan, there is no demolishing of Hindu or Chinese temples. But this happens elsewhere like in Klang. They've shown that when they run a state, they can be fair to everyone.”

In contrast to her faith in PAS, there was uncertainty in the party when her candidacy was announced. Too new, too young, too much burden.

Within the Indian party, MIC, they're obviously unimpressed, and the local division chief believes that PAS is destroying her political career by turning her into a publicity sideshow.

For sure, she's collected her clichéd 15 minutes of fame. Whether that extends to a happily ever after, well, we're still too early in this fairytale.

RM1m spent in poll ads first 3 days

The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition has spent RM1 million in print media advertising in the first three days of the election campaign, said corruption watchdog Transparency International-Malaysia.

“In the first three days of the period under monitor - Feb 25 to 27 - BN was projected to have spent a cumulative total of RM1.049 million,” said TI president Ramon V Navaratnam.

The amount does not include TV advertisements in which TI conceded were where the “lion's share of election advertising monies are believed to go”.

However, the organisation will begin monitoring political parties' expenses for TV election advertisements beginning today.

According to Ramon, the TI study was part of a regional project to promote transparency in political financing.

Over the 13-day campaigning period, TI is monitoring election advertisements in six English dailies, five Malay newspapers, four Chinese titles and three Tamil dailies.

Ramon said that TI’s estimated advertisement cost is based on normal advertisement rates quoted by the various publications surveyed.

If the cost of advertisements was to be divided proportionally among BN candidates, TI said that each parliamentary contestant would have spent RM2,220, while each state candidate, RM1,103 on print advertising alone.

Scrutinise candidates expenses, EC told

Ramon argued that this cost should be reflected in the candidates’ expenses where under the law a parliamentary candidate can spend only up to RM200,000 while a state candidate RM100,000, in election campaign expenditure.

This means that BN candidates have only RM197,780 (for parliament seat) and RM98,897 (state) left to spend for the remaining 10 days of the campaign period.

“TI urges all (political) parties to declare all their advertisement expenses and to require their candidates to report their respective share of such expenses,” said Ramon.

“TI also urges the Election Commission to closely scrutinise the candidates' expenses report and be prepared to lodge police reports for any under-reporting found.”

According to TI, there was no election advertising by opposition parties - PAS, DAP and PKR - over the first three days of the electoral campaign in the 18 monitored newspapers.

“This is the first time that campaign expense monitoring is being monitored,” said Ramon, who is a former top civil servant.

“This is a new addition to election process monitoring and media content monitoring that had started from previous elections and is being performed in this election as well.”

If you don't vote MIC, 'prepare to pay price'

The Barisan Nasional ruling coalition today warned the disenchanted minority Indian community that they would "pay the price" if they vote for the opposition in March 8 elections.

MIC, part of the BN coalition, took out full-page newspaper ads which said Indians' prospects would "disintegrate" if they deserted the government.

The message is aimed at winning back the support of the community, which accuses the government dominated by Muslim Malays of insensitivity and discrimination.

"If you don't vote for MIC, then be prepared to pay the price," it said in bold red letters, urging Indians not to cast a protest vote for PAS, which rules impoverished Kelantan.

"Vote for PAS and see where Kelantan is today. If you think that you are not progressing under MIC, then you can now imagine getting disintegrated under PAS," it said.

Ethnic Indians have become a political force for the first time in the March elections, after an anti-discrimination rally last year that led to the detention without trial of five activists from rights group Hindraf.

Samy's act of desperation

Hindraf coordinator R Thanenthiran said the ads were a sign of desperation from MIC chief S Samy Vellu, who has been heckled and jeered for supporting the government and condemning the protesters.

"Samy Vellu is definitely threatening Indians," he said. "This shows that he has lost all of his avenues to woo votes and is flexing his iron muscles to win."

"But the Indians are educated. They are not cowards. They will be not be intimidated by the threats. Indians want their rights that has been denied for 50 years," he added.

Ethnic Indians complain that they are disadvantaged by policies aimed at boosting majority Muslim Malays, and the community has also been angered by the destruction of hundreds of Hindu temples in recent years.

Pollsters say they expect the multi-racial coalition, which has ruled for half a century, to be victorious on March 8, but with a smaller majority as it loses the support of ethnic Indian and Chinese voters

Devotees mull legal action over unlawful detention

by Malaysiakini,

Hindu devotees from Penang are mulling legal action against the police for allegedly detaining them for almost eight hours at the Kuala Lumpur police training centre (Pulapol) last Saturday.

Their lawyer SN Rayer said the unlawful detention - which took place when the KL police were taking steps to prohibit people from taking part in the Hindraf’s rose protest - was a violation of basic human rights and blatant abuse of power.

“We demand immediate investigation and action by the police. Otherwise, we would file a legal suit for criminal damages,” he told Malaysiakini after accompanying his clients to lodge police report on the unlawful detention in Jalan Patani police station in Georgetown on Tuesday.

A complainant, SK Jothi, 33, from Bayan Baru said she and 35 other passengers, all Hindu devotes, were travelling in a tour bus during an overnight trip from Penang to visit a temple in Kuala Lumpur when the police stopped the coach in Selayang, just outside the Kuala Lumpur city centre.

The police then seized their identity cards and re-directed them to Pulapol in Kuala Lumpur.

“We were detained together with about 300 people between 8.30am and 4.30pm at Pulapol for questioning and our luggage was searched.

“We were disallowed to have legal representation and were forced to undergo urine test.

“Men and women were forced to share the same unhygienic toilet facilities at the place,” she told Malaysiakini.

Another complainant, K Palanitharan, 32, said several elderly women fainted while being forced to wait under the hot sun during their eight-hour ordeal.

Sharing unhygienic toilets

Policemen even refused to supply drinking water to the detainees when requested, he added.

”We were not told the reasons for our unlawful detention and were told to go back to Penang immediately after eight hours,” he said.

It is learnt the police have detained these devotees together with hundred others passengers and questioned on their participation in the “Rose Campaign” organized by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) last Saturday morning.

Rayer said the police owe a public explanation on the reasons behind the unlawful detention of his clients and others as well.

“No drugs or weapons were found, they were disallowed to have their lawyers present.

“They were forced to share unhygienic toilets and undergo urine tests.

“Surely the police need to probe and reveal its findings,” he said.

When contacted, Georgetown deputy OCPD Supt Mohd Soaihami Rahim said the city police would refer the case to relevant police departments to probe.

“It happened in Selayang and Pulapol, therefore the case would be referred to police departments there,” he said.

Uthayakumar: Not my signature

by Malaysiakini,

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P Uthayakumar, currently detained under the Internal Security Act, has denied signing a document seeking the removal of the movement’s national coordinator.

“On Feb 14, I did not sign any document saying that Thanendran is not a coordinator of Hindraf as stated in media reports,” he said in a statement dated Feb 17 and which was released to Malaysiakini through his fiancé.

He also affirmed that Thanendran is still the coordinator of the movement.

On Feb 14, a document was circulated bearing the signatures of Uthayakumar and four other Hindraf leaders under ISA detention, stating that they had not appointed Thanendran to take over the reins in their absence. (The five are being detained at the Kamunting detention camp in Perak.)

The two-page statement cited Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, V Ganabatirau, R Kenghadharan and T Vasantha Kumar as saying that they had not put Thanendran in charge.

Denying his involvement, however, Uthayakumar said his signature could have been forged by someone.

“A few (visitors for) Ganabatirau and Vasantha told me to sign an A4 paper containing the other signatures, but I refused to sign it. They later said it is just (for an) autograph,” he said.

“I believe my signature is forged and it is not my signature.”




Uthayakumar also provided a sample of his signature in his statement, which he believes is not the same as that in the Feb 14 statement.

His brother and Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoothy also rejected the contents of the Feb 14 document.

He said he has appointed a 10-member interim committee to run the day-to-day affairs of Hindraf and confirmed that Thanendran is the movement’s national coordinator.

"I believe this is a ploy by irresponsible individuals to tarnish Thanendran’s image," he said, expressing surprise that Uthayakumar would sign the document.

Thanendran also told Malaysiakini that the document was a move by the other four to destabilise Hindraf and isolate Uthayakumar.

Hindraf’s election appeal

In his statement Uthayakumar also stressed that opposition parties should not field non-Indian candidates in MIC-contested seats, or “Umno would be seen to be fairer to the Indians in terms of allocation of seats”.

Waythamoorthy, meanwhile, urged all opposition parties to state clearly in their manifesto that they will take up the predicament of the Indian Malaysian community.

“We also urge the opposition to allocate an equitable number of seats to ensure fair representation of Indians in both parliamentary and state seats,” he said.

He said that Hindraf will be able to channel the support it has received from the community to the opposition, if the parties are sincere in their commitment on achieving equal rights for all Malaysians.

Hindraf rose to national prominence after organising a rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, amassing a crowd of 30,000 ethnic Indians to protest against ‘150 years of discrimination and marginalisation’ since colonial times.

The five Hindraf leaders were arrested under the ISA on Dec 13 on grounds that they are a threat to the national security.

Pak Lak Working Hard ?

'Phantoms' rock electoral rolls in Penang

by Malaysiakini,

For several years now, the Army Div 2 Base in Georgetown, Penang, has been deserted apart for the presence of a single security guard.

Based on the electoral rolls, however, there are 500 voters registered to the address in Jalan Sultan Ahmad - now just a collection of derelict buildings and overgrown vegetation.

The division has long moved to the new base in Bukit Gendung in the Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency, about 20km away. Even while it was in use, there were no residents - only offices, halls and a mess.

Polls watchdog Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) - accredited as official observers for the first time by the Election Commission (EC) - exposed the discrepancy.

The shocking discovery comes just days before Sunday when the 12th general election kicks off with the nomination process - and after several assurances by the EC that its documentation is in order.

Northern region coordinator BK Ong, who described it a mockery of democracy, has lodged a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency.

"It’s a blow to the EC’s integrity and its (claims that) the electoral roll (is not ambiguous). This is scandalous and compromises the principles of free and fair elections," he said.

"Many parties have told Mafrel that unfair electoral practices are rampant in Penang. This is clear proof."

Ong also called for the elimination of the names registered to the army camp, in the interests of sustaining the integrity of the electoral rolls and accountability of the EC.

He urged the public to come forward to expose all such problems, saying Mafrel has received numerous complaints that Penang, a predominantly anti-establishment state, has a large number of ‘phantom’ voters in several opposition-held areas.

The army base, for example, is in the Tanjung parliamentary seat held by Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow since 1999 and Padang Kota state constituency held by Gerakan’s three-term incumbent Teng Chang Yeow.

Significantly, the Padang Kota seat has been a stronghold of the Gerakan since it stormed into power in 1969.

Its stranglehold was breached only once when then DAP secretary-general Lim Kit Siang defeated Lim Chong Eu in 1990, subsequently sending the latter into political retirement.

According to the electoral roll as at last December, the Tanjung seat has 53,188 voters, including 1,437 postal votes, while Padang Kota has 577 postal votes.

The other two state seats are Komtar, with 16,976 registered voters (860 postal voters) and Pengkalan Kota with 19,508 voters.

The Election Commission has explained earlier that cases of voters providing the same addresses are because when they don't have a home address and a common address was used for convenience

Makkal Sakti GE 2008

50 years of marginalisation of MALAYSIAN INDIANs. The Truth Revealed.

More Makkal Sakti GE 2008 VIDEOS (Click Here)

In Pictures - HINDRAF Rose Rally

Malaysian police have broken up a demonstration against alleged government discrimination by about 2,000 ethnic Indians in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.



Demonstrators carried the portrait of Malaysian King Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and carried roses to symbolise what they said was a peaceful demand for justice.



Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse Saturday's protesters, who had gathered despite a government ban.



Chemical-laced water was sprayed on some protesters. They argue the government systematically favours the Malay majority in jobs and education.



More than 120 people were detained, although most have now been released.



The demonstration was organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is demanding the release from jail of five of its leaders.

'MIC Youth head owes me RM500,000'

by Malaysiakini,

A businesswoman has accused MIC Youth chief SA Vigneswaran of breaching a sales agreement with her and withholding more than RM500,000 of her money.

D Ramaswree, 43, also claimed that he had fraudulently signed a document using her signature to enter into another agreement.

She now wants MIC president S Samy Vellu to drop him from the party’s list of candidates for the general election on March 8.

Vigneswaran is the incumbent in the Kota Raja parliamentary seat in Selangor. In 2004, he polled 24,376 votes to beat Dr Mariah Mahmud of PAS by 8,239 votes, in a three-way tussle fight that also involved Independent T Krisnasami.

"He should not be allowed to contest (in the next polls on March 8). How can he contest for the post of member of Parliament when he is dishonest?" she asked.

Ramaswree, who runs a human resources agency, said she had asked the MP on numerous occasions to repay the money but that he has continued to ignore her.

As a last resort, she filed a suit against Vigneswaran on Feb 1, seeking the return of her money.

She has also written to Samy Vellu and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, explaining her predicament.

"I have spoken to Samy Vellu before this and told him everything. So far no action has been taken against him," she told Malaysiakini.

"And it looks like he will be allowed by the party to (defend) his seat for this election. He should not be allowed to contest."

House deal gone wrong

Explaining the source of the problem, Ramaswree said she had agreed to purchase Vigneswaran’s house in Klang for RM1.3 million in 2005.

"I gave to him RM665,713 as part-payment but he suddenly cancelled the agreement to sell the property," she said.

He then returned RM150,000, leaving a balance of RM515,713 to be paid.

"Despite several requests and written reminders, he has ignored me or refused to pay me back," she said.

She also claimed that he had forged her signature to state that she had agreed to re-sell the house to him for RM1 million.

"This is totally untrue. I have even lodged a police report over this false document," she said.

Vigneswaran was not available for comment but his aide said the politician would not want to comment the matter as it is pending in court.

"And we think she is backed by someone as a last-minute attempt to derail our MP’s chance of being nominated for the seat," he added.

Rose violence: Global demo against M'sia

by Malaysiakini

Indians across the world demonstrated outside the offices of Malaysian embassies and high commissions on Saturday to condemn the government and police, hours after tear gas and water cannons were fired in Kuala Lumpur at people bringing flowers to persuade Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to release five Hindraf leaders from detention.



The demonstrations – which took place almost simultaneously in New York, Los Angeles, London, Belgium, Northern Island, Indonesia, New Zealand, New Delhi and Mumbai – were believed to be the first internationally-coordinated action in support of the Indian cause in Malaysia.

Although there were no more than a few dozen people protesting in each of the cities, their action underlined the growing disgust among Indians all over the world at Abdullah and his police force, said organisers who e-mailed Malaysiakini with details and pictures of the demonstrations. Videos were also posted on YouTube.

"Which sicko of a prime minister would allow his police to fire tear gas and chemical-laced water at people trying to bring him flowers?" asked Anantha Paskaran, one of those who led the demonstration outside the Malaysian Consulate General's office in New York.



"We talk about the Soviet Union, Chechnya and Burma when it comes to human rights violations," said Anantha. "What about this so-called moderate Muslim country Malaysia? It has a police force than can rival the Gestapo and KGB."

On Saturday, Malaysian police used teargas and water cannons to disperse about 300 Hindu Rights Action Force supporters who had gathered along Jalan Raja Laut to hand Abdullah hundreds of roses.

Calling it a "rose protest", Hindraf had said it wanted to give the flowers to the premier, asking him, among others, to release the five Hindraf leaders held under the Internal Security Act. The plan was initially to get a group of children to hand over the roses to Abdullah at Parliament. That, however, fell through when police blockaded roads leading to Parliament, forcing the supporters to group at Jalan Raja Laut instead.

The police eventually arrested about 200 people and released all but nine, whom they said defied repeated orders to disperse.

Abdullah, in an immediate reaction, labelled Hindraf as group of "extremists" out to disrupt general elections scheduled on March 8.

Mock coffin

Anantha said it was "most laughable" for the premier to link the incident with the upcoming polls in Malaysia.

"In what way can the Indians in Malaysia disrupt the electoral process that's underway? They are minorities, marginalised in every sense of the word, and don't even have enough resource to fend for themselves, let alone disrupt a national election," he said.

The 51-year-old former Malaysian-turned-US citizen who runs a financial consultancy in Queens, New York, also appeared to pre-empt any possible remark by Abdullah that Indians outside of Malaysia had no business with what was happening in the country.

"For the prime minister's information, I still have family members in Malaysia and they are paying income taxes too, so I have every right to speak on their behalf," Anantha said.

He said the weather in New York was below 32 degrees Farenheit (0 degrees Celcius) on Saturday and those who turned up outside the Consulate General's office in Manhattan, including women and children, braved icy winds for nearly 2 hours.

"We were freezing on the outside but we were burning on the inside at what's happening to our fellow Indians in Malaysia," Anantha said

Pictures received by Malaysiakini showed demonstrators carrying placards such as "Malaysia, Provide Equal Opportunity and Equal Treatment for All" and "All Malaysians, Act Now or Lose Your Freedom, Your Rights and Your Identity Forever."



In New York, demonstrators even brought a mock coffin for MIC President S Samy Vellu, who has been fiercely criticised for failing the Indian community. A sign above the coffin read: "Samy Vellu – Traitor of Indian Malaysians, R.I.P. (Rest In Peace)."

In another interesting picture, five people also wore cut-out pictures of the faces of the five detained Hindraf leaders, holding up their wrists in a symbolic sign of incarceration.

A big sham

And not all those who participated in the foreign demonstrations were Indians of Malaysian origin.

Fiona Lee, an ethnic Chinese from Malaysia, said in comments to Malaysiakini that she decided to join the protest in New York "because these are issues affecting all Malaysians."

"To me, the marginalisation of the Indian community is very real," said the 25-year-old, who has lived in the United States for seven years now and is pursuing a doctorate in English at the City University of New York.

"I grew up in Cheras and I belonged to a church group that used to visit Indian slums where the children had little access to education, food and even clothing," Lee said. "To say they are being equally treated is the biggest sham."

There were no officials from the Malaysian Consulate General's office in New York to receive ay memorandums from the protesters. However several officials were seen snapping photographs of the protesting crowd.

Silent Protest in London for HINDRAF 5 on Feb 1st 2008

Photos send by: John Silva from London crowd of more
than 1000 Malaysian Indians protested in front 10 Downing Street, London
today with police permit and later at 2pm, a group of 5 representatives
which included Mr Wathya Moorthy were allowed audience with the Prime
Minister H.E. Mr Gordan Brown's representative to present a Petition
requesting the British Government, who were responsible for bringing the
Indians to work in the rubber plantation and to seek their assistance to
ensure that the Malaysian government does not continue to discriminate
and marginalise the Indian community any further.
Later at 3pm, the same crowd gathered at the Indian High
Commissioner office in London and 5 representatives including Wathya
Moorthy were give audience by the Indian High Commissioner to United
Kingdom , who was glad to receive the said Petition. ..

Zip it? What a laugh !!

Zip it, critics of MIC told

It is a great joke that MIC’s Federal Territory chief has challenged the opposition to list down what they have done for the Indian community and Tamil schools.

TCM: Mr Saravanan, have you joined our beloved PM in his deep sleep, or have you been instructed to come out with a face saving statement for Samy Vellu? We all know your (lack of) background but you don’t have to prove everyone right by coming out with silly statements. What do you think Hindraf has done? What do you think so many Indians have tried to do but are threatened? You use the government machinery to suppress Indian voices and you now asks such silly questions.

Mr Saravanan, MIC is the Indians’ representative in the government. The government is supposed to give equal rights to all citizens of Malaysia regardless of ethnicity. MIC’s role within the BN government (remember, MIC stands for Malaysian INDIAN Congress) is to ensure the rights accorded to Indians. It is NOT to siphon off the little crumbs thrown by Umno to the Indians into their own pockets.

The role of the opposition in a democratic society Mr Saravanan, is to act as a check and balance to government. The government has control of the funds, not the opposition. The opposition is there to ‘oppose’ any misuse and abuse by the government. Thus the term ‘opposition’. Get it?

Pukal: Where’s MIC’s Deputy President G Palanivel? Is he still around? Why has he never defended his boss S Samy Vellu? The MIC Info Chief says that MIC has done a lot but what was it doing before this? Why did they have to wait till Hindraf brought up all the matters? Whatever MIC says, they only trying to take care of their own backs. They never learn from their mistakes. Look at the MIC Info Chief, they still have the attitude of finger-pointing if they fail.

It’s pointless for Saravanan to blame others for MIC’s failure. Be independent and show what you can do. Don’t talk. Show us the results. We have lost trust in you on your MIC, Saravanan.

KSN: Actually I am not surprised by statements like that from MIC’s Saravanan. When the opposition has no access to public funds, what can the opposition or NGOs do to help marginalised Indians and any other community for that matter? What the opposition is saying is that when they form the government, when they have control of public funds, they will use it fairly and without discrimination, not practising cronyism etc.

Please Saravanan,do not ask silly questions and do not make silly statements. It is like saying when people point out the uncontrolled rise in prices affecting daily life, that our costs are still cheaper than neighbouring countries,conveniently foregetting to say that their average income is five times than ours, like Singapore for example.

So folks in BN, ensure whatever you say ensure it is intelligent and sensible. Malaysians are not stupid, not any more.

Venugopal: The response M Saravanan gives a bad impression of leaders holding positions in MIC. No organisation created by humans is free from criticism and at the same time MIC is the only organisation that has survived after colossal failures over the last 30 years.

Failed people cling on the positions and take the entire community down the drain. People must have dignity and pride to be leaders of a community and to serve the needs of the needy people. Here we have people jostling for power, position and datoship at the expense of the poor people. Time will tell the how far it goes.

Concerned Malaysian: Hello, Mr Saravanan, you are wrong to say opposition won't be able to do anything and they can't get a single thing done. The rakyat knows and understands that the role of opposition at present is merely as a ‘watch dog’ and pressure group. Why? They do not have the money and power.

Why not give the opposition one term and test them on whether they are just good for empty promises or are able to deliver? Yes, you are right, ‘... the government has acknowledged that the Indian Malaysian community has some legitimate grievances and is now looking into these’.

But why only after the pressure came from Hindraf? The government admitting Indian grievances without an affirmative action plan is meaningless.

Maran: It is a great joke for Saravanan, MIC Wilayah Persekutuan's chief to challenge the opposition to list down what they have done for the Indian community and Tamil schools. The BN and MIC are ruling parties and they have all kind of resources/finance to help the rakyat.

But the opposition is financially weak and they don’t have the mandate to upgrade the Tamil schools. It is government’s duty to take care of the voters - not the opposition’s. If Saravanan doesn’t know this simple theory, how he is going to help the community? Shame and pity on him.

Mooshie Mooshie: Hey Saravanan, Federal Territory MIC chief or whatever you are known as. Do you know what you are talking about? Asking what the opposition has done for the Indians and Tamil schools. Here’s a question to you - how can you be so blind? How can the opposition be doing anything when the government is collecting the taxes?

It is the government's responsibility then to provide development - do not blame the opposition for your mistakes. I am a Chinaman but cannot tahan when you say this things about the opposition. Do not bark up the wrong tree Mr Ex-Senator. Stay cool.