Freedom of Speech

Aftermath : Happy Birthday !!

2008-03-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

2008 polls - interesting facts

2008-03-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Barisan Nasional only gained about 51 percent of the popular vote from the 7.9 million ballots cast on Saturday.

However, it took 63 percent of the seats contested - or 140 of 222 seats in Parliament.

Interestingly, its peninsula-wide popular vote was only 49.79 percent, which effectively means that the opposition received the majority vote in this part of the country.

However, when converted to parliamentary seats, BN has 85 of the constituencies in the peninsula, while the opposition bagged 80.

Almost 40 percent of the BN's seats are in Sabah and Sarawak - 55 out of 140.

In 2004, BN won about 64 percent of the popular vote nationwide and 92 percent of the 219 parliamentary seats on offer then.

As the dust settles on the 12th general election, we highlight a number of quirky facts and figures.

Election trivia

The youngest candidate was PKR’s Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who is 26. He defeated Seri Setia incumbent Seripa Noli Syed Hussin.

The oldest candidate was grandma Maimun Yusuf, 89, who contested in the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat. She lost her deposit.

56 also-rans from opposition parties and independent candidates lost their deposits after failing to secure one-eighth of the votes cast.

The largest majority was won by DAP’s Teresa Kok against BN’s Carol Chew, by 36,492 votes in the Seputeh parliamentary seat in Kuala Lumpur.

The smallest majority was just 14 votes for BN’s Hamdi Abu Bakar who beat Abu Bakar Haji Hussain of PAS in the Pengkalan Baharu state seat in Perak.

Four pivotal players in the Lingam tape scandal also won: Loh Gwo Burne (who recorded the footage), Wee Choo Keong (lawyer who represented VK Lingam’s brother during the inquiry) and R Sivarasa and Sim Tze Tzin (listed as witnesses but eventually not called). All four are from PKR.

There will be two ‘lone rangers’ in Parliament: Zulhasnan Rafique, the sole BN survivor in Kuala Lumpur’s 11 parliamentary seats - he took Setiawangsa; and DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen who won Bandar Kuching in Sarawak - the remaining 30 parliamentary seats went to BN.

The biggest number of candidates was in the Sukau state seat, Sabah, where eight candidates ran, including five Independents.

Debutant politicians

Prominent blogger Jeff Ooi - whose campaign was done online and funds were raised through his website - won the Jelutong parliamentary seat in Penang for DAP.

Other bloggers are Tony Pua (DAP, Petaling Jaya Utara parliamentary seat), Elizabeth Wong (PKR, Bukit Lanjan state seat) and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PKR, Seri Setia state seat).

Civil society activists who succeeded were Charles Santiago (DAP, water-privatisation issues), Edward Lee (DAP, local community), Elizabeth Wong and R Sivarasa (PKR, human rights).

Biggest blows

The losses in BN component parties will result in vacancies in various ministries, forcing a cabinet reshuffle.

Ministers

S Samy Vellu (Works Ministry)
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (Women, Family and Community Development Ministry)
Zainuddin Maidin (Information Ministry)
Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin (Rural and Territory Development Ministry)

Deputy ministers

Chia Kwang Chye (Information Ministry)
G Palanivel (Women, Family and Community Development)
Tan Chai Ho (Home Ministry)
V Veerasingam (Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry)
S Sothinathan (Natural Resources and Environment Ministry)
Donald Lim (Tourism Ministry)
Fu Ah Kiow (Internal Security Ministry)
M Kayveas (Prime Minister’s Department)

Parliamentary secretaries

Chew Mei Fun (Women, Family and Community Development Ministry)
P Komala Devi (Education Ministry)
Lee Kah Choon (Health Ministry)
Ng Lip Yong (Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry)
S Vigneswaran (Youth and Sports Ministry)
Rahman Ibrahim (Home Ministry)
Dr Mohd Ruddin Ab Ghani (Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry)
Yew Teong Look (Federal Territories Ministry)
The full team from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry all lost in the polls.

All top MIC leaders were wiped out - president, deputy presidents, two vice-presidents, women's chief and youth chief (one of the three vice-presidents, KS Nijar, did not contest).

Controversial politician Zakaria Deros dies

2008-03-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

Former Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros died after suffering a heart attack early Tuesday morning.

The controversial 62-year-old politician was dropped from the Selangor Barisan Nasional line-up for the general election.

He was replaced by his daughter-in-law Roselinda Abdul Jamil as the candidate for the seat, which she did not win.

Also a former Klang municipal councillor, Zakaria hogged headlines last year when he had a run-in with the law for not submitting building plans for a mansion that was described as a virtual “istana” (palace) by his critics.

He was also found to have not paid the assessment for another property for 12 years, while his family was caught operating an illegal satay restaurant on government reserve land.

Due to these controversies, Zakaria gave in to mounting pressure and withdrew from being a municipal councillor.

His mansion has 21 bathrooms and 16 bedrooms, including 11 that are occupied by each of his children, as well as a VIP room, three living rooms, a dining hall and a prayer room.

The house also has a swimming pool, several gazebos, an orchard, a two-hole golf lawn, an office, a storeroom, two rooms for maids as well as a wet kitchen and a dry kitchen.

He is expected to be buried in Malacca

PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN

2008-03-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

Q. Who is a GURU of Franchise Sales?
A. Manish Adhiya

Q. Who is the GM of Hewlett Packard (hp) ?
A. Rajiv Gupta

Q. Who is the creator of Pentium chip (needs no introduction as 90% of the today's computers run on it)?
A. Vinod Dahm

Q. Who is the third richest man on the world?
A. According to the latest report on Fortune Magazine, it is Azim Premji, who is the CEO of Wipro Industries. The Sultan of Brunei is at 6 th position now.

Q. Who is the founder and creator of Hotmail (Hotmail is world's No.1 web based email program)?
A. Sabeer Bhatia

Q. Who is the president of AT & T-Bell Labs (AT & T-Bell Labs is the creator of program languages such as C, C++, Unix to name a few)?
A. Arun Netravalli

Q. Who is the new MTD (Microsoft Testing Director) of Windows 2000, responsible to iron out all initial problems?
A. Sanjay Tejwrika

Q. Who are the Chief Executives of CitiBank, Mckensey & Stanchart?
A. Victor Menezes, Rajat Gupta, and Rana Talwar.

We Indians are the wealthiest among all ethnic groups in America, even faring better than the whites and the natives. There are 3..22 millions of Indians in USA (1.5% of population). YET,

38% of doctors in USA are Indians.
12% scientists in USA are Indians.
36% of NASA scientists are Indians.
34% of Microsoft employees are Indians.
28% of IBM employees are Indians.
17% of INTEL scientists are Indians.
13% of XEROX employees are! Indians.

Some of the following facts may be known to you. These facts were recently published in a German magazine, which deals with WORLD HISTORY FACTS ABOUT INDIA.

1. India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.

2. India invented the Number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.

3. The world's first University was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4 th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

4. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.

5. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.

6. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty striken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was once the richest empire on earth.

7. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 5000 years ago. The very word 'Navigation' is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH.

8. The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is now k! nown as the Pythagorean Theorem. British scholars have last year (1999) officially published that Budhayan's works dates to the 6 th Century which is long before the European mathematicians.

9. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India . Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11 th Century; the largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Indians used numbers as big as 10 53.

10. According to the Gemmological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.

11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.

12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.

13. Chess was invented in India

14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient India .

15. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley ( Indus Valley Civilisation).

16. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.

Quotes about India

We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made

- Albert Einstein.

India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition.

- Mark Twain.

If there is one place on the face of earth where all dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India

- French scholar Romain Rolland.

India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border.

- Hu Shih (former Chinese ambassador to USA )

Hindraf: Make ISA detainee S'gor deputy MB

2008-03-10T02:00:00.001-07:00

The Hindu Rights Action Force wants its legal advisor M Manoharan to be appointed as a deputy menteri besar in Selangor under the new state government to be formed by the opposition.

The opposition yesterday toppled the BN government by winning 36 seats out of 56 in the state. BN won the remaining 20 to be in the opposition in the state legislative assembly.

PKR’s secretary general Khalid Ibrahim, who won the Ijok state seat, is expected to be named as the new Menteri Besar to replace BN-Umno Mohd Khir Toyo.

Hindraf’s chairperson P Waythamoorthy said that it was time for the opposition to repay the Indian community for their huge support in turning the wave in favour of the opposition in yesterday’s general election.

“Nationwide, the Indian community has shown its dissatisfaction towards the BN government and had voted them out.

“The opposition has been riding on the wave of makkal sakhti (people’s power) in the run up of the general election.

“And it is no secret that the Indian voters have delivered their votes for the opposition,” said Waythamoorthy who spoke to Malaysiakini from New Delhi, India.

He added that now it was time for the opposition to repay the trust placed on them by the Indian community and not to betray that trust.

“As such we hope that Manoharan will be appointed as a deputy menteri besar in Selangor. Likewise, we hope the opposition parties will appoint an Indian representative as a deputy menteri besar or deputy chief minister in the other states that they have won,” he added.

The Hindraf factor

Apart from Selangor, the opposition has also taken control in Perak, Kedah and Selangor - all states which have a large number of Indian voters.

Waythamoorthy said that Hindraf had played a vital role in awakening the silent angst in the Indian community over their socio-economic sidelining.

Last week Waythamoorthy urged all Hindraf supporters to vote for the opposition to ensure that the plights of the Indian community are addressed.

Hindraf also organised a mass rally o Nov 25 last year in Kuala Lumpur, attracting some 30,000 ethnic Indians, to express their discontent with the government.

As a result five Hindraf leaders - including Manoharan -have been detained for two-years under the Internal Security Act, for allegedly being involved in terrorism activities.

Manoharan contested for the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Klang and managed to wrest the seat from BN with a 7,184 majority. In his forced absence, his wife S Pushpaneela undertook the task of campaigning for him.

Apart from Manoharan, many other Indian candidates representing the opposition nationwide were elected in an unprecedented manner.

And in a total reversal, the Indian votes rejected almost all MIC candidates, resulting in heavy defeats for MIC president S Samy Vellu and his entire party top leadership.

Dr M calls for Pak Lah to resign

2008-03-10T01:58:00.000-07:00

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today his successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has "destroyed" the ruling coalition after disastrous weekend elections.
Mahathir, who led the ruling Umno which helms the Barisan Nasional coalition for 22 years before stepping down in 2003, lashed out after its worst performance in history.

"My view is he has destroyed Umno, destroyed the BN and he has been responsible for this," Mahathir told reporters.
He suggested Abdullah should resign, and said he had made a mistake in selecting him as prime minister.

"I think he should accept responsibility for this. He should accept 100 percent responsibility," he said.

"I am sorry but I apparently made the wrong choice."

Mahathir has previously said he never intended for Abdullah to serve more than one term, and that he should have opted instead for influential Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak who is now leader-in-waiting.

Worst ever result

BN suffered its worst ever result in Saturday's polls, losing its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time since 1969 and conceding four more states to a resurgent opposition.
Abdullah was punished over rising crime and inflation in an election also tinged by rising racial tensions between majority Muslim Malays and minority ethnic Chinese and Indians.

"I think the people must have been very angry, all the races, Chinese, Malays and Indians," Mahathir said.

"The problem is we (the government) have become so arrogant. We suppress any opinion that we do not like and they begin to believe in their own reports which are not actually consistent with what is happening in the country."

Abdullah was Mahathir's hand-picked successor when he stepped down, but after the new leader dumped several of his pet projects he began launching accusations of economic mismanagement, nepotism and corruption.

KLSE Index Down 10%

2008-03-10T01:49:00.001-07:00

Malaysian stocks tumbled the most in a decade today with government-linked companies hardest hit after the weekend’s political upsets. At 2:58pm, trading was stopped for an hour as the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) fell by 10 percent or 130.01 points to 1,166.32, from the previous day’s closing level. This was the biggest one-day percentage loss in recent years. The turnover was valued at RM2.47 billion.State-owned banks like Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd and government-linked companies such as Malaysian Resources Corp, UEM World Bhd and Sime Darby were among counters that registered falling prices.According to a statement from Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd, the decision to halt trading is to maintain market stability and allow traders to consider new information before making investment decisions. When the KLCI registers a 10 percent drop from the previous day’s closing level, the circuit breaker is automatically triggered. Trading resumed at 3:58pm. However, as investors unloaded local stocks, credit rating agencies Fitch and Moody’s maintained their sovereign ratings on Malaysia. Despite acknowledging that the level of political uncertainty in the country had increased, the agencies said the economy is still on solid ground.

2008 Malaysia Election Result

2008-03-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

Opposition party took over Kelantan, Penang , Kedah, Selangor , Perak and Federal Territory state.

Opposition has apparently denied the ruling Barisan Nasional its crucial two-thirds majority by winning up to 82 parliament seats (PKR - 31, DAP - 28, PAS - 23). To deny the government two-thirds majority, the opposition must win 75 seats. On the other hand, BN has won 140 seats. (Total 222)

DAP confirmed that its secretary general Lim Guan Eng will be the next Penang Chief Minister. He said that DAP would form the state government with PKR. “It will be a government for all Malaysians.

PKR secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim said they will meet with the Selangor Sultan "soon" regarding the formation of the new state government.However, he told that he did not wish to jump the gun when asked whether he would be the new mentri besar. The deputy mentri besar is likely to be DAP’s Teng Chang Khim, who is former state opposition leader.

Parliament Seat
===============

Barisan Nasional - 140

PAS - 23

DAP - 28

PKR - 31

Bebas - 0

State Seat
==========

Barisan Nasional - 304

PAS - 83

DAP - 73

PKR - 40

Bebas - 2

MIC Voted Out !!!!!!!!!

2008-03-08T11:09:00.002-08:00

MIC president S Samy Vellu has suffered a shock defeat at the hands of PSM’s Dr D Jeyakumar for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat which he has held for nine terms.In the previous polls four years ago, Samy Vellu defeated the latter with a majority of 10,349 votes. This time around, Jeyakumar, who stood on PKR ticket, garnered 16,874 votes to Samy Vellu's 14,408.

Another BN big gun, PPP’s M Kayveas, who is a deputy minister, has lost his Taiping parliament seat.

Hindraf leader and ISA-detainee M Manoharan, on a DAP ticket, obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority

Parliament Seat
----------------

1. P140 SEGAMAT (Johor)

Subramaniam K.V. Sathasivam (BN - MIC) - 15921
Pang Hok Liong (DAP) - 12930
Maj: 2991

2. P132 - TELOK KEMANG (N.Sembilan)

Sothinathan Sinna Gounder (BN - MIC) - 20544
Kamarul Bahrin Abbas (OPP - PKR) - 23348
Mohd Rashid Arshad (IND - IND) 601
Maj: 2804

3. P78 - CAMERON HIGHLANDS (Pahang)

Apalasamy Jataliah (OPP - DAP) - 6047
Devamany S. Krishnasamy (BN - MIC) - 9164
Maj: 3117

4. P62 - SUNGAI SIPUT (Perak)

Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (OPP - PKR) - 16458
S. Samy Vellu Sangalimuthu (BN - MIC) - 14637
Maj: 1821

5. P72 - TAPAH (Perak)

M. Saravanan (BN - MIC) - 14084
Tan Seng Toh (OPP - PKR) - 11064
Maj: 3020

6. P107 - SUBANG (Selangor)

Murugesan Sinnandavar (BN - MIC) - 28315
Sivarasa K. Rasiah (OPP - PKR) - 35024
Maj: 6709

7. P109 - KAPAR (Selangor)

Komala Devi M Perumal (BN - MIC) - 35899
Manikavasagam Sundaram (OPP - PKR) - 48196
Maj: 12297

8. P111 - KOTA RAJA (Selangor)

S. Vigneswaran M. Sanasee (BN - MIC) - 17879
Siti Mariah Mahmud (OPP - PAS) - 38630
Maj: 20751

9. P94 - HULU SELANGOR (Selangor)

Palanivel Govindasamy (BN - MIC) - 22979
Zainal Abidin Ahmad (OPP - PKR) - 23177
Maj: 198

State Seat
------------

1. N9 - GAMBIR (Johor)

Asojan Muniyandy (BN - MIC) - 8190
Kasim Ibrahim (OPP - PAS) - 5727
Maj: 2463

2. N31 - KAHANG (Johor)

Abdul Halim Mohamad Dawam (OPP - PKR) - 3948
Vidyananthan Ramanadhan (BN - MIC) - 9272
Maj: 5324

3. N33 - TENGGAROH (Johor)

Murukasvary Thanarajan (BN - MIC) - 11789
Shahar Abdullah (OPP - PAS) - 3556
Maj: 8233

4. N43 - PERMAS (Johor)

Munusamy Mareemuthu (BN - MIC) - 13878
Syed Othman Syed Abdullah (OPP - PAS) - 11860
Maj: 2018

5. N25 - BUKIT SELAMBAU (Kedah)

Arumugam Vengatapakoo (IND - IND) - 13225
Krishnan Subramaniam (BN - MIC) - 10863
Maj: 2362

6. N34 - LUNAS (Kedah)

Mohd Razhi Salleh (OPP - PKR) - 17836
Ananthan Somasundram (BN - MIC) 7513
Maj: 10323

7. N10 - ASAHAN (Malacca)

R. Perumal (BN - MIC) - 5950
Amdan Sudin (OPP - PAS) - 3772
Maj: 2178

8. N7 - JERAM PADANG (N.Sembilan)

Manoharan Kannan (OPP - PKR) - 2377
Mogan Velayatham (BN - MIC) - 4185
Maj: 1808

9. N33 - PORT DICKSON (N.Sembilan)

Ravy Munusamy (OPP - PKR) - 4475
Rajagopalu Thamotharapillay (BN - MIC) - 3742
Maj: 733

10. N35 - SABAI (Pahang)

Kamache Doray Rajoo (OPP - DAP) - 3159
Davendran Murthy (BN - MIC) - 3304
Maj: 145

11. N16 - PERAI (Penang)

Ramasamy Palanisamy (OPP - DAP) - 7668
Krishnan Letchumanan (BN - MIC) - 2492
Maj: 5176

12. N54 - HUTAN MELINTANG (Perak)

Kesavan Subramaniam (OPP - PKR) - 7804
S. Thangasvari (BN - MIC) - 6083
Maj: 1721

13. N57 - SUNGKAI (Perak)

Sivanesan Achalingam (OPP - DAP) - 6323
S. Veerasingam (BN - MIC) - 4869
Maj: 1454

14. N59 - BEHRANG (Perak)

M. Ramasamy (BN - MIC) - 5744
Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (OPP - PKR) - 6771
Maj: 1027

15. N51 - PASIR PANJANG (Selangor)

S. Vasan (BN - MIC) - 7520
Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (OPP - PAS) - 11994
Maj: 4474

16. N10 - BUKIT MELAWATI (Selangor)

K. Parthiban (BN - MIC) - 4444
Muthiah Maria Pillay (OPP - PKR) - 4741
Maj: 297

17. N16 - BATU CAVES (Selangor)

Mohan Thangarasu (BN - MIC) - 7376
Amirudin Shari (OPP - PKR) - 11015
Maj: 3639

18. N49 - SERI ANDALAS (Selangor)

Kamalam Annasamy (BN - MIC) - 10055
Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam (OPP - PKR) - 20258
Maj: 10203

19. N9 - BAGAN DALAM (Penang)

Subbaiyah Palaniappan (BN - MIC) - 4546
A. Tanasekharan (OPP - DAP) - 7599
Maj: 3053

In total MIC had lost 6 out of 9 Parliament seat and 12 out of 19 state seat it contested.

What a Shame.....MIC & Tamil schools...!!!!

2008-03-05T23:25:00.000-08:00

Photo taken 2nd March 2008.

Is this what Sothinathan , MIC candidate for this area can do for the
Tamils in Lukut?????
He is seeking reelection, after having brought the local Tamil school to a
shoplot!!!!!
In fact, his bilik gerakan is just beside the Tamil "School" shoplot......3
shops to the left.... perhaps he is showcasing his proud achievment to
everyone....
Please vote MIC OUT...... This is the only way we can teach these scumbags
that they cannot cheat the Indians anymore....
We all know how Sothinathan helped Semi-Value hijack 9 million Telekon
shares...... 3 million went to a company registered under Sothinathan's
name.... With that RM120 million, we could have built 20 world-class Tamil
Schools and could have sponsored 450 poor Indian students to complete their
medical degree anywhere in the world!!!

Mahathir: Samy Vellu stifled Indian voices

2008-03-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

by Malaysiakini

The problems plaguing the Indian community could be resolved by removing MIC president S Samy Vellu who stifled Indian voices, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.

In the second part of an exclusive interview with the Malaysian statesman, Mahathir said removing the MIC leader would allow more Indian voices to be heard.

"I know their main grouse is not with me, their main grouse is with Samy Vellu because with him there, another Indian has been deprived of the chance to come up," he said.

Speaking to Malaysiakini at his Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya, Mahathir deflected allegations that the root cause of the Indian community’s strife was due to his pro-Malay focus during his tenure as PM.

"So they want to blame me? It is not that. Samy Vellu did not ask for assistance. The problem is that he is preventing other Indians from having a say.

"(Indian Progressive Front president MG) Pandithan was got rid of, (former MIC deputy president S) Subramaniam was got rid of, K Pathmanaban died but of course before that, he was (former MIC vice president).

"That is his (Samy Vellu) way of doing things and of course the other voices cannot reach me. And of course, he doesn’t say there is this battling among the Indians," he explained.

Pandithan, who was formerly with MIC, started IPF in 1990 after falling out with Samy. The two parties have been at odds with each other despite being in the BN coalition.

Both Subramaniam and Pathmanaban have a history of bad blood with Samy in their failed attempts to challenge for the party presidency.

Mahathir also said in jest: "You know Indians are very political. Tunku Abdul Rahman used to say if there is one Indian, there is one political party. If there are two Indians, there are two political parties."

‘Don’t stay too long’

In the interview that lasted almost an hour, Mahathir also alluded that people should not stay in power for too long and chances should be given to others.

"It is up to him to decide (to step down). A lot of people will say "if you step down, we will step down" and they will cry and all that. But when I step down, nobody stepped down," he mused.

Samy Vellu who is the works minister and the longest serving Cabinet minister has been the MIC president since 1979 for 10 consecutive terms.

Mahathir also criticised Samy for creating excuses about bringing up Indian issues at the Cabinet level.

"That is his excuse. I know how much he talks in the Cabinet. Don’t (say) something that others cannot prove because nobody heard him in Cabinet except us.

"He talks, but these things were not the issues that he raised - like the recovery of money for the Indian community who were brought here by force and all that.

"He never mentioned that, I’ve never heard him. He never said that the Malays were committing genocide and ethnic cleansing. He never said that. Why didn’t he say that?" he asked.

Asked to comment on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the former PM said their demands were unreasonable.

"Quite a lot of their demands were quite unreasonable - practically denying the position of the Malays as the indigenous race on this country. You know this is something very sensitive to the Malays.

"If the government tell the Malays ‘sorry you’ve got the same status is the Indians’ I think there will be a dig drop of support for the government from the Malays", Mahathir added he added.

Riddle of 'pure Hindu' candidate for Parti Islam

2008-02-29T23:18:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-28T15:58:00.001-08:00

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'

2008-02-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-20T01:58:00.000-08:00

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 ?

2008-02-19T23:19:00.000-08:00

'Phantoms' rock electoral rolls in Penang

2008-02-19T22:48:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-19T01:23:00.000-08:00

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

More Makkal Sakti GE 2008 VIDEOS (Click Here)

In Pictures - HINDRAF Rose Rally

2008-02-18T01:31:00.001-08:00

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'

2008-02-18T01:25:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-18T01:11:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-11T04:32:00.000-08:00

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 !!

2008-02-09T01:45:00.000-08:00

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.

Gaza: Malaysian condemnation unjustified

2008-01-24T19:24:00.001-08:00

Hanan Leshnovolsky, Israel

Allow me to quote your Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi:

‘Malaysia condemns the blockade imposed by the Israelis and the closing of all border crossings between Israel and the Palestinian territory in Gaza. The blockade has exacerbated the already worsening humanitarian crisis in the area and this will cause a humanitarian catastrophe. The Palestinians have the right of access to food, fuel and medicine. The inhumane action by the Israelis would make the living conditions of the Palestinian people even more unbearable.

‘The Israeli action contravenes international law and the collective punishment of the innocent civilian population of Gaza is unacceptable under any circumstance. Malaysia calls on the international community to force the Israelis to lift the blockade immediately and end the sufferings of the people in Gaza. Malaysia also calls on the UN secretary-general to hold an open ended session of the UN Security Council to enable other UN members to participate in the debate on the grave situation in Gaza’.

Firstly, how does he know that there is a blockade on Gaza? Has he visited that place? Or is his information from guided rumours supplied by Palestinians and the pro-Palestinian and Muslim media? Is he an eyewitness to the facts?

Secondly, let's assume that there is a blockade on Gaza by the Israelis. What do you expect from us? To supply fuel and electricity to the milling machines that are manufacturing rockets to kill Israeli civilians in Sderot, Ashkelon and the villages around there? Is he expecting the Israelis to feed the people that are wanting to slaughter us and voted for a terror organisation like Hamas?

Instead of using their engineering capabilities to improve their own lives, they prefer to use that skill to kill. They are sainting death instead sainting life and your prime minister is the most proactive supporter for that human shame.

As usual, you people are always condemning one side for what they are doing and it is always the Israeli side. Why aren't you condemning Hamas and the terrorists which are launching rockets on civilian towns .What would you do if Singapore launched rockets on Malaysian soil and on your people? Would you feed them with the water and agriculture products?

Malaysia is treating Israel as the worst enemy of human beings. Are you so sharp in reaction to condemn specifically Muslim terror organisations as you are so quick to condemn the Jewish state? Why aren’t you condemning the Al-Qaeda? I think that you are wise enough to understand that by condemning Al-Qaeda, you are risking your own head being executed by your own Muslim brothers.

I'm sorry to say that Malaysia’s contribution to achieve peace in the world is worthless because you are all one-sided and all your activities are just words and more words. Do you think that someone is counting the statements of your prime minister that are published from time to time? Statements are good for the papers but doing things proactively is valuable for the people.

Your prime minister is the last person on earth to teach the Israelis about humanity and equality while his regime is discriminating Malaysian minorities like the Indians in your country. I can prove many cases.

I wish I could have an opportunity to have a debate with your prime minister on the Israeli- Palestinian issue and may be afterwards Malaysian opinion will change.

Continue boycott of Batu Caves temple

2008-01-24T17:28:00.001-08:00

I wish to salute those who gave a ‘pass’ on Batu Caves for Thaipusam this year to protest against the way the temple’s committee behaves like an MIC stooge. Devotees instead went to other temples to pray to Lord Muruga or simply prayed at home.

After all, prayer is a silent conversation between God and the devotee. Hindus believe that God is everywhere.

The MIC and BN and its spin media can say a million lies but the truth is a significant number of devotees avoided Batu Caves. Truth is defined as something that never changes and the truth will unavoidably come out in the end.

MIC president S Samy Vellu knows this and so do his goons in the Batu Caves temple committee.

The point I wish to make is that the Hindus should continue to boycott the Batu Caves temple and choose alternate places of worship until the current committee is forced out and a new, clean and God-fearing is set up - one with no ties to the MIC.

But if Hindus still wish to continue visiting Batu Caves, please do so as temples and prayers are individual and democratic choices. But make sure your cars are parked outside the temple premises to avoid payment of the parking fee to the temple committee.

Do not spend a single sen for any type of ‘pooja’, food and drinks, etc. Just pray to your hearts' content and go back.

According to Samy, Indians are ‘not fools’. He is absolutely right so let the Indians prove him right by withdrawing their support for MIC and BN.

Batu Caves temple committee has to go

2008-01-24T00:35:00.001-08:00

MIC should stop using the Batu Caves temple or any other temple in Malaysia as a place for their political campaigns. Yesterday, during his speech at the Batu Caves temple, Samy Vellu mentioned that he was the one who built everything for the temple and only Barisan Nasional and the MIC could bring all the development needed for the Indian community.

He also said the opposition parties could dream on in their bid to win the general election and eventually form a new government. Looks like Samy already knows the result of the coming elections.

Obviously with so many election frauds like postal and army votes and phantom voters, even I'm sure there will never be a day the opposition will be the ruling party.

I won't deny the fact that recent renovations at the Batu Caves temples are via the initiative of Samy Vellu and the temple committee but then were they using their own pocket money for Samy to be bragging about it?

It was the money collected from the devotees via donations and also allocations received from government which is actually our tax money. It looks like MIC is so desperate of late that they have to talk about the BN and MIC at every gathering. Samy, stop crying in public!

Politics and religion should not be mixed. The very first thing that should be done is to elect a new committee for the Batu Caves temple - one which is not a crony of any political party. Spare our gods from politics.

Samy even told the local media that the crowd for this year's Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves was the same with no drop in numbers. Samy, are you day dreaming or what? I live around Batu Caves and I was there almost all the time for past two days and I witnessed myself that the crowd was much less than previous years. So why lie Samy?

Lingam - The Real Slim Shady

2008-01-23T19:49:00.000-08:00

Hindu devotees boycott Batu Caves

2008-01-23T02:43:00.000-08:00

by Malaysiakini,

Thaipusam festivities at the Batu Caves Temple in Kuala Lumpur have been somewhat lackluster this year, marred by a below-average turnout believed to be attributed to an apparent boycott campaign.

Visitors to Batu Caves yesterday evening and this morning reported that the crowds were relatively thinner this year - numbering only in their tens of thousands - unlike previous years where devotees could reach more than one million.

One seasoned visitor, businessman S Babu, 32, said he was at the temple at 6am this morning and was surprised by the lack of congestion at the temple.

“Previous years, we can’t even walk. This morning however, it was as easy as an evening stroll,” said Babu.

Another visitor to Batu Caves said an unusual message was played repeatedly on the public announcement system, referring to a boycott or sorts.

“The message express gratitude to those who came to Batu Caves despite SMS messages flying around (calling for a boycott),” he said.

Samy: No change in crowd

According to AFP, one SMS message had called on Hindu devotees who did turn up at Batu Caves to use their sandals to pelt political leaders including S Samy Vellu, leader of Indian-based MIC.

The veteran politician, who has sided with the government and been accused of neglecting the interests of his constituents, however insisted there were at least half a million people at the complex and a million the day before.

"I have come to Thaipusam since I was 11 years old. I know the crowd. It is the same as before," he told reporters at Batu Caves.

"I don't think religious people who went to pray to Lord Murugan will listen to all the naughty fellows," he said of the SMS campaign.

"Who can threaten us? Anyone who threatens us, we can find out where he is. It takes only five hours to find out where he is. They can't run away from us."

Since the Hindraf rally on Nov 25, calls to boycott Batu Caves temple committee have been making rounds through SMS.

The MIC-linked temple managers were blamed for allegedly assisting police who cracked down hard on a demonstration by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters there last November, using tear gas and water cannons.

When contacted, Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran denied suggestions that the movement was behind the boycott.

“No, we can’t tell people to boycott Lord Murugan... we can’t tell people to forgo their annual vows,” he said.

On the lower turnout at Batu Caves, Thanenthiran said it was a sign that people have not forgiven the Batu Caves temple committee.

“There were thousands at Batu Caves on Nov 25. They witnessed what happened and they will tell thousands more,” he added.

Lower fees

Till now, the actual events surrounding the Nov 25 incident are still unclear.

Some quarters claimed that the police locked several thousand ‘Hindraf supporters’ in the Batu Caves compound in the early hours of Nov 25 before firing tear gas and chemical-laced water on them.

The crowd had gathered at the famous temple before moving to the city to join other participants in the mammoth Hindraf rally later that day.

In an apparent reaction to the boycott campaign, the temple committee has made the RM10 fee to carry offerings in the temple optional.

“It’s up to you. But, if no one pays, how are we to celebrate Thaipusam? We need money for organising the celebrations and for cleaning up the temple surroundings,” said temple secretary M Devarajoo, according to The Sun.

Devarajoo added that the fee for children to carry offerings - milk pots (paal kudam) or kavadi - has been slashed from RM10 to RM5.

Several stallholders and devotees lamented the small turnout and said ethnic Indians should work together to promote their cause.

"The crowd is normally double or triple this size. Now it's so small, so there is not so much of a great mood this time," said N Kumaran, 41, a civil servant who has taken part in the festival for the past 14 years.

Sweet seller Joga Singh said that with the crowds so thin he and other vendors were not making any money this year.

"I think many people are afraid to come because of the SMS to boycott. Our business is suffering because of it," he told AFP.

Indians must not be hoodwinked

2008-01-23T02:39:00.000-08:00

by Concerned Malaysian

The general elections are expected to be held between March 8 and 15. Surprisingly, our often too busy prime minister suddenly has so much time for the minority, marginalised Indian community as evidenced by the report above.

My questions is this: Is the Indian community so naïve and blind that it can be easily hoodwinked by such government tactics?

The prime minister said, ‘Indians can judge the MIC and BN through their track records’. What track records he is talking about? Does he mean the fact that Indian equity in national wealth had dropped from 3% to the present 1.3%?

Does he mean the fact the intake of Indians for government-sponsored higher education is a mere 1%?

Does he mean the fact that Indian representation in the government workforce is less than 5%? Has The MIC president himself managed to increase Indian representation in his own Works Ministry to above 5%?

In the first place, does he have real power like an Umno minister or he is just merely an Umno ‘mandor’ as declared by the Hindraf leaders?

PPP president M Kayveas PPP recently said that S Samy Vellu and MIC have failed the Indian community. Are MIC and Samy alone to be blamed? If all Indians joined the PPP, would our problems be solved?

Why doesn’t Kayveas blame the ruling BN government as a whole for the woes of the Indian community? Who is actually this Kayveas? Has he been placed there by Umno to split the Indian community with the aim of weakening our bargaining power?

Only action will bring results, not mere words or empty promises. Why has our PM never set up and ‘Indian Development Unit’ under the Prime Minister’s Department to act as an effective channel to overcome Indian community’s problems?

My Indian brothers and sisters, please do not let yourselves be fooled and swayed by all these empty political promises. Fifty years is enough. Your action in our coming elections is very crucial.

Do not jeopardise the future of our beloved younger generations. Please exercise your voting right wisely.

Hindraf funds: ISA detainee denies misuse

2008-01-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

Hindu Rights Action Force secretary T Vasanthakumar has denied that public funds collected by the movement have been misused by its legal adviser P Uthayakumar.

Vasanthakumar, who is being detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), also denied lodging a police report to that effect at the Kamunting detention camp in Perak on Jan 10.

The five had responded immediately to the report with a statement issued through their lawyers, also denying that there was a split in their ranks.

“The report was lodged to place on record as to who holds all the money that was collected from the public. It was not an accusation of embezzlement against Uthayakumar,” said Vasanthakumar through a message carried by his wife K Vikneswary, 35.

She told Malaysiakini yesterday: “He told me that the report was made as an insurance policy to protect themselves against police claims that they are seeking funds from terrorist organisations.”

She said their plan was to make it clear that funds collected locally was not used for any alleged terrorism activities, but rather for the community activities.

“He was shocked by (the news report stating) that he had lodged a report against Uthayakumar. He wants to stress that he only named Uthayakumar in the report as a strategy for the five detainees not to be arrested and charged for funding alleged terrorism,” she said without elaborating.

“All five of them agreed that such a report was to be made and my husband was chosen to make it.

“He wants everyone to know that they are very united - there have been no open arguments as claimed in certain (text-messages). And that the report was made in consideration for their own safety in the future.”

Vasanthakumar, Uthayakumar and three other Hindraf leaders - M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabathirau - were detained on Dec 13 on grounds that they were a threat to national security. They are serving out a two-year detention order.

‘Not a cop’

Vikneswary further denied that her husband is a police Special Branch officer who has been tasked with undermining Hindraf, as alleged by some supporters after the news report was published.

“That’s not true at all. If he was a police (officer), he would not be in Kamunting. He quit his full-time job in the private sector to concentrate on Hindraf. He was truly passionate about helping the community,” she said.

She said that four of the Hindraf ISA detainees have started their hunger strike, with the exception of Uthayakumar.

“Uthayakumar is unwell and he has diabetes. The four managed to convince him that he should not be putting his health at risk by taking part in the hunger strike,” she said.

The five-day hunger strike began at 7.30am yesterday and will end at 7.00pm on Saturday.

Vikneswary revealed that her husband, too, is not in good health but has insisted on observing the fast.

“He is under tremendous pressure. I can see that he is being mentally tortured, but he is putting on a brave front. His friends there have also been a help to him,” she said.

A habeas corpus application is before the Kuala Lumpur High Court for the five detainees and is scheduled to be heard on Thursday.

“They are confident that the decision will be in their favour,” said Vikneswary.

Plea to the PM

Vikneswary also made an emotional plea to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to release her husband.

“Please release him. He is not a criminal. He is not a terrorist. He was only involved in fighting for the (Indian Malaysian) community. I visited him last Sunday. He looked tired and unwell. I am worried for him. He is innocent,” she said.

“I hope the prime minister will show some mercy and release him. They must know that he is innocent. His detention has been a nightmare for me and our two daughters.”

She said the children - aged five and three respectively - miss their father and are longing to be with him.

“I can’t explain to them why he was detained. I have to lie to them that he is in hospital. But when we visited him on Sunday, my elder daughter wondered why there were policemen,” she said.

Vasanthakumar’s absence has also placed a huge burden on her finances.

"He was the main earner. With him not around, it is very difficult,” she said.

Vikneswary visits Vasanthakumar every Sunday and is disappointed that she can’t even offer him home-cooked food.

“They do not allow us to bring food for them. We can’t even have a private conversation as there is always someone there with him,” she added.

“I miss him. I am also emotionally affected. I need my husband. My daughters need their father. I hope the prime minister will release him and the other four Hindraf leaders as well.”

MIC's An Evening With Prime Minister "Made Possible By HINDRAF" ?

2008-01-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

Since the HINDRAF mass rally protest over allegations of marginalization of Indian communities in Malaysia by the government , Barisan National politicians seems to be working hard to win back Indian support/vote for the coming election.

Samy Vellu who in his 28 years as the sole cabinet Minister had never arranged for such a gathering with our country premier previously and only now after feeling threatened and exposed by HINDRAF he had arranged for this event. Kudos goes to the organizers of HINDRAF rally for being the eye opener of Indian's plight.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s announcement yesterday of Thaipusam as a public holiday is seen as highly opportunistic and self-serving to salvage Samy Vellu’s political life and Barisan Nasional’s political fortunes in the coming polls than the start of a serious and genuine national commitment to end the long-standing marginalization of Malaysian Indians as the new underclass in the country.

I was there yesterday at the Stadium and had actually witnessed the whole event.
The only reason I went there was because a good friend of mine needed to fulfill his quota. As a MIC branch chairman my good friend needed to bring a number of people for the event. This rule applies to every branch/division chairman and committee members. They had actually been forced to act and obviously this people who are very ambitious in being somebody in MIC in future could not resist.

By now everyone should be able to make out on how MIC manage to gather the crowd for this event and believe me the whole crowd was less than 10,000 but our media had actually announced/published it to be more than 20,000.Most of the crowd members were old citizen and some children’s who tagged along with their parents. There were also few of them who were talking about HINDRAF who later got removed from the stadium by the event security.

The sad part is how Media's in Malaysia seems to be misguiding us on their reports. Everything that been shown to public or projected in the newspaper/television is always beneficial to the ruling party.

At this point I would like emphasize I’m not a member of any political party neither opposition nor BN and what I say here is as a concerned citizen and as tax payer who have the right to voice out my dissatisfaction .

After the event many people actually lined up to meet our Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Samy Vellu but due to security concerns, police and Rela had to take control of the situation. At this time I had also witnessed few people waiting in the line to pass some memorandum to Pak Lah but too bad all this memorandums were collected by Police officers who told them that this letters need to be screened and only then it will be passed over to PM. Only GOD KNOWS if it will end up in PM's hand or at our local Municipal garbage collection centers. PM is not aware of these memorandums as he was still in the press conference during this time.

Lastly I wonder how many people like me who had actually been in the event yesterday just because their friends are MIC member.

Like Air Asia…Now Everyone Can Vote !!!!

2008-01-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

Phantom Voters

Check here

http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/

Check these IC below and yourself,or your parents one;

IC: 991214740101
IC: 910815750017
IC: 981231081137

Hey what the hell is this? the IC number provided here are
the people who were born after 1991 in which their ages are 8
year old, 16 year old and 9 year old, how is this happening?
I checked on the website and their names are registered as
eligible voters. Whats is happening in our Election Commission ?

Political meddling in Penang Hindu temples

2008-01-10T19:21:00.001-08:00

A Hindu organisation has taken the Penang Hindu Endowments Board to task for acting beyond its jurisdiction and becoming a political tool of the MIC and Gerakan.

The United Hindu Religious Council (UHRC) president S Mugunthan alleged that the board's nine commissioners were appointed yearly based on their political affiliation rather than their knowledge on Hinduism and administrative skills.

He said that the political-based appointment for the board's commissioner position had become a norm since the 1980's.

"It is obvious that the present commissioners were appointed due to their political allegiance with certain parties or leaders notably the MIC and Gerakan,” he said.

Sources close to the endowments board told Malaysiakini that MIC president and Works Minister S Samy Vellu and Gerakan president and Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon were the most powerful influence behind the appointment of the commissioners.

The source revealed that MIC and Gerakan had been using the commissioners’ position as a political gift to their local leaders.

The present chairman of the endowments board is the state MIC deputy chairperson and executive councillor PK Subbaiyah.

Over the past 20 years or so, many commissioners were appointed from political ranks of MIC and Gerakan.

"This is unwarranted," added Mugunthan.

The statutory powers

Under the Section 3(1) of the Hindu Endowment Ordinance 1906, the state governor on the advice of the state executive council shall appoint a board of commissioners, in which one of whom shall be a government officer.

Under Section 6 of the HEO, the board of commissioners shall appoint an endowment management committee consisting members of public professing the religion applicable to the endowment.

UHRC deputy president K Suppayah, who was appointed as assistant secretary to the commissioner board for more than 20 years (1970-1993), said there was no provision under the ordinance that empowered the board to appoint the management committees to manage any Hindu temples, organise Hindu religious festivals, govern tanneer panthals (refreshment sheds), collect donations and charge devotees with prayer fees of any form.

"The board is only a trustee of Hindu endowments of five temples," he said, while stressing that he had clarified the matter with the Attorney-General Chambers.

At present Hindu endowments belonging to the Waterfall hilltop Sri Balathandayuthabani Kovil , Sri Ramar Kovil in Dhoby Ghaut, Sri Kunj Bihari Krishan Mandir, Lebuh Queen's Sri Maha Mariamman Kovil and Butterworth Sri Maha Mariamman Kovil come under the jurisdiction of the endowments board.

Although it's merely a board of trustees to safeguard and manage the endowments of the five Hindu temples, the statutory body has, however transformed itself into a religious authority to appoint, control and dictate the management committees of the five temples, religious festivals and tanneer panthals (refreshment sheds).

"This clearly contravenes Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which was unambiguous that the government shall not handle religious affairs pertaining to religions other than Islam.

"Since the board is a statutory body, it shall not encroach into Hindu religious affairs," said Suppayah, while adding that the management of the five temples should be left to Hindu public, especially Hindu organisations.

Legal action possible

If the letter of law were to be enforced strictly, the board had no powers to manage temples, interfere in organising of the Thaipusam or Chitra Paruvam festivals and tanneer panthals.

As such, the board would have no authority to stop tanneer panthals from playing their own music during the Thaipusam festival and install a 3km-long single public address system between the Waterfall hilltop temple in Jalan Air Terjun and the Jalan Brown – Jalan Utama.

It also cannot impose charges on devotees for prayers of any form at the five temples.

Technically and ideally, said Suppayah, either existing Hindu organisations shall be allowed or new independent organisations shall be registered to manage each of the temples and organise religious festivals and functions associated with the temples.

"However, the board has now usurped a non-existent power by directly interfering with Hindu religious," he said.

Mugunthan said his council would carry out awareness campaign on the real position and powers of the endowments board since many Hindus were either ignorant and naive about the whole issue.

He did not rule out legal redress on the issue to stop the board from overstepping its judicial boundary thus committing unlawful acts.

"We have to take court action to right the wrong then we will do it," he said.

No freeze on Indian workers, says gov't

2008-01-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

By Malaysiakini,

Malaysia has today denied it had frozen the recruitment of workers from India, after reports quoted officials saying a ban was in place as the government cracks down on dissent by ethnic Indians.

"Let me categorically state that the Ministry of Home Affairs has never come out with any rulings or circulars that we have stopped taking foreign workers from India," Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad told a press conference.

Radzi said he was shocked at news reports of the freeze, which quoted a Home Ministry official who cited government documents and said the measure covered unskilled labourers as well as priests, sculptors and musicians.

The news caused waves in India, which has already expressed concern over the heavy-handed treatment of ethnic Indian activists in Malaysia.

Religious leaders had condemned the apparent decision, which came after unprecedented protests by ethnic Indian Malaysians last year and the jailing of prominent activists under laws that provide for detention without trial.

Radzi said that the intake of workers from Bangladesh was frozen last October "because it did not benefit us and many agents cheated the workers."

But he insisted that "we are not also tightening the intake of workers from India. There is no decision to stop taking workers from India."

The nation's top non-Muslim religious body - the Malaysian Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism - said yesterday the government had already been refusing to issue new visas for foreign priests.

Foreign priests already in the country have only been given six-month renewals and told they must leave after expiry, it said, complaining there would now not be enough Hindu priests to conduct prayers at important temples.

No applications from foreign priests rejected

Radzi insisted that no applications from priests had been rejected, but admitted the government was trying to reduce foreign labour, with 2.1 million foreign workers already here among a population of 27 million people.

"Our policy is we want locals to take up the jobs as priests, musicians and sculptors," he said.

"We need to take action to ensure there are not too many foreign workers, and at the same time ensure our industry does not suffer. The government target of foreign workers in the country is 1.8 million."

A row over race and religion has gripped Malaysia in recent months, triggered by a mass rally last November when protesters alleged ethnic Indians faced discrimination at the hands of majority Muslim Malays.

Indian workers are the third-largest foreign workforce in Malaysia, numbering almost 140,0000, most of them hired by restaurants.

About 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims while the rest are mostly ethnic Indians and Chinese who are largely Hindu, Buddhist or Christian.

Cops go after Hindraf donors

2008-01-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

Malaysikini.com,

If you have made a donation to the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) movement, the police may be knocking on your door soon.

The Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) has sent letters to individuals summoning them to give statements at the Bukit Aman police headquarters over a possible offence of funding a terrorist organisation.

The letter stated that the police are investigating this offence under Section 130N of the Penal Code - the funding of terrorist activities.

If found guilty, the person can be punished with death (if the terrorist act results in death), imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years but not exceeding 30 years and a fine.

“The police believe that you can provide a statement about funds given to Hindraf Enterprise,” read the letter signed by investigating officer ASP Rozeni Ismail.

A donor who received the letter and was quizzed by the police recently said references were made to a RHB bank account registered under the name ‘Hindraf Enterprise’.

The donor, who requested anonymity, said the police recorded statement in relation to some other offence - non-terrorism related - committed by the company.

“It is odd that the matter is being dealt by the Commercial Crimes Department because during questioning, they made no reference to the terrorist offences. They said the company could be charged for impropriety in soliciting donations and funds.

“It is also very alarming that the banks can give information about their clients and their transactions to the police without the need for a court order.”

Under the Section 16A of the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 1958, banks are permitted to convey any information in relation to any offences to the police or affected financial institutions.

Many being summoned

However, the donor pointed out that the recording of the statement took only 30 minutes and the police were pleasant throughout the period.

“I don’t think I am the only one. When I asked if there were others, the officer said there were many other people being summoned,” the donor added.

Hindraf gained fame when it organised a protest that saw 30,000 people hit the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 last year.

This was followed by the movement’s leaders and supporters being charged for a slew of offences including sedition, causing mischief and attending an illegal assembly.

On Dec 8, 2007, the Companies Commission of Malaysia revoked the registration of Hindraf Enterprise for using the company for unlawful purposes and purposes prejudicial to national security and public order.

The company at that time had set up a bank account for the public to donate money to the cause and for those incarcerated in need of bail money.

At the height of enforcement action, enigmatic Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar with R Kenghadharan, M Manoharan, V Ganabathirau and T Vasanthakumar were arrested under the Internal Security Act on Dec 13 last year.

They have been detained for two years without trial.

CCID director ACP Mohd Kamarudin Md Din was unavailable to comment on this investigation when contacted.

Conflict of interest alleged over police choppers

2008-01-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan and a member of the powerful Police Force Commission (SPP), Othman Talib, have been implicated in allegations of power abuse involving a company linked to the latter.

Web Power Sdn Bhd, a company that lists Othman as one of their directors, is said to be currently engaged in negotiations with the police to rent 31 helicopters - a lucrative business deal that will generate RM400 million annually for the company if sealed.

In making the charge, DAP MP Teresa Kok said she had run a check with the Companies Commission of Malaysia and confirmed that Othman is indeed one of the four directors of Web Power.

She said that there was suspicion of foul play as Othman was appointed as a member of the SPP last year after he became the director of the company on June 2, 2006.

The SPP is the body responsible for the appointment, confirmation, promotion and transfer of all members of the police force. Disciplinary action against errant policemen also comes under its purview.

The commission has four permanent members including the IGP and the Internal Security Minister, his secretary-general and a member of the Public Services Commission. There are up to six non-permanent members appointed by the King on advice of the government.

“Those who appointed him as an SPP member knew from the beginning that Othman had a stake in Web Power and yet approved of his appointment,” said Teresa at a press conference held at party headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

IGP’s ‘enthusiasm’

Aside from that, Web Power is also alleged to have been picked by the police force as the service provider the latter’s sophisticated e-Police Force Solution, a digital wireless networking system.

This system is said to be able to provide voice, data, graphic, biometric and DNA data and assist the police in solving and preventing crime.

Though having the system is a positive move, Kok said there was suspicion over the police chief’s “... display of unrelenting enthusiasm to have a company owned by a member of SPP appointed the service provider for the e-Police system”.

Kok said this ‘enthusiasm’ was evident as the IGP did not undertake the necessary procedures when awarding the e-Police system to Web Power.

“Musa had addressed the Letter of Intent and Letter of Award directly to the prime minister when he was supposed to have addressed it to the chief secretary of the government,” noted Teresa.

According to her, the procedure for a business transaction involving the Internal Security Ministry - under which the police force is under - is for it to first write a Letter of Intent to the chief secretary.

The latter will send the Letter of Intent to the finance minister and only after approval by the finance minister can the Internal Security Ministry begin to announce the tender.

No answers

Kok, member of parliament for Seputeh, said Musa (right) bypassed this procedure and had asked Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to directly issue a Letter of Award handing over the tender to Othman’s company.

She also said she had requested answers from the Deputy Internal Security Minister Foo Ah Kiow during Parliament’s sitting in December last year but has yet to receive any explanation regarding the discrepancies.

“I questioned whether a conflict of interest is implied when a member of the SPP whom is listed as a director of the company is currently in business talk with the police?”

During the last Parliament sitting, Kok had also demanded explanations for why was there a need for the police to rent 31 helicopters when they had only asked for eight under the Ninth Malaysian Plan.

Kok said the deals involving the police choppers and computer system were a blatant case of power abuse and said the prime minister himself should look into the matter.

“I urge Abdullah recommend to the King to terminate Othman’s services as a member of the SPP,” she said.

Who is Khairy to tell everyone including Ministers to stop speculating on when the general election would be held?

2008-01-07T23:27:00.000-08:00

Who is Khairy Jamaluddin to tell everyone, including Ministers, to stop speculating on when the general election would be held when he has not even been elected as Member of Parliament?

Of course, everybody knows that he is the most powerful man in the country, presiding over the fourth storey of Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya and who controls and manipulates the Prime Minister’s moves and decision-making.

But such unaccountable and even unconstitutional exercise of power should not get to his head to make him publicly rebuke Ministers for speculating when the next general election would be held, although his statement was specifically directed at the Election Commission and made no mention of Cabinet Ministers.

However, when Khairy called on all parties, including the Election Commission Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman , to stop speculating on when the general election would be held, claiming that “it was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s sole prerogative on when to call for the election”, it was clear that he was carrying out an Umno proxy war and his target was not Rashid but Cabinet Ministers like the Home Minister and Umno Secretary-General Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid.

It was only three days ago that Azmi said publicly that the general election was near – and in the past ten days, Radzi had been declaring that “It’s time for a leadership change in Perlis”, openly advocating that the current Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim should be replaced by Azmi.

However, standing in the way of Radzi and Azmi is Khairy, who is aligned with Shahidan as the Umno warlord in Perlis who could deliver what Khairy needed in Umno power stakes – to the extent that the scandals of Shahidan which Radzi had brought to the personal attention of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had been completely neutralized by Khairy.

Khairy is wrong however when he claimed that everybody should stop speculating on when the next general election would be held. This is because it is the right and even prerogative of every Malaysian to speculate as to when the next general election would be held, although it is the Prime Minister’s prerogative to decide when to call for the election.

The Prime Minister’s prerogative does not extend to denying Malaysians, in whatever capacity, the right to speculate as to when the next general election would be held.

Of course, there will be those who will argue that this prerogative of the Prime Minister to decide when to call for election has been usurped by Khairy. Whatever the truth, there can be no doubt that next to Abdullah, Khairy would be the first to know when the next general election would be held.

Why should the date as to when Parliament would be dissolved for general election to the held be kept in such high secrecy, causing enormous inconveniences all round – when in first-world developed countries where there is more developed sense of fairplay and justice, like the United Kingdom and Australia, greater notice is given as to when a general election would be held.

Since Abdullah is a proponent of a “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” concept, is he prepared to adopt such best international practices and give proper and adequate notice to all concerned about the holding of the next general election?

Considering that the Umno general assembly could be held on Deepavali, utterly insensitive of the religious festival of the Hindus, I do not rule out Parliament being dissolved during the Chinese New Year, even before Chap Goh Mei on February 21, 2008.

Samy Vellu response on Hindraf to India NDTV TV

2008-01-07T22:22:00.000-08:00

In an exclusive interview to NDTV Malaysian Indian Congress leader and Public Works Department Minister Dato Samy Vellu admits that his government has no concrete evidence to suggest that Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force), a coalition of 30 Hindu organisations in Malaysia, has links with the LTTE and explains his Cabinet colleague’s recent outburst against the Tamil Nadu chief minister.Following is the excerpts from the interview

NDTV:Do you have any evidence to back your government’s charge that the Hindraf has links with terrorists?

D S Vellu:Hindraf said they would fight like the Tigers, the way the Tigers are fighting in Sri Lanka. It was by Vedamurthy. After he talked like that, we did an investigation and it was felt that he may have gone there for training.

NDTV: Do you have evidence of this?

D S Vellu: No. It is our suspicion.

NDTV: The Tamils were protesting with pictures of Mahatma Gandhi. It was a peaceful demonstration.

D S Vellu: I don’t think it was peaceful. They started at 4 am and broke the temple door and shops and stoned policemen and broke the heads of 4 policemen. Is that called peace?

NDTV:Do you think the statement of your colleague in the Cabinet asking the Tamil Nadu CM to lay off, could have been avoided?

D S Vellu:When two or three opposition parties got up in Parliament and said the Tamil Nadu government wants the Indian government to interfere in Malaysia’s internal affairs, my colleague had answered them, and interference is different from using diplomatic channels.

NDTV:But the Tamil Nadu CM didn’t ask the Indian government to interfere.

D S Vellu: My colleague didn’t mean any disrespect.

Hindu Sangam to Khir: What about us?

2008-01-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

The Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) is the rightful body for the Selangor state government to consult in regards to Hindu temples, said its deputy president Thiagaraja Ratnasamy today.

Thiagaraja was responding to news reports that Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had a meeting “700 temple representatives” to discuss the controversial state demolition of temples.

Formed in 1965, MHS is the biggest Hindu temple umbrella group in the country and had a track record of handling such issues, said Thiagaraja.

This includes liaising with the late K Sivalingam who was a Selangor state exco member in charge of non-Muslim affairs and drawing guidelines for Kuala Lumpur City Hall regarding demolition of temples.

“Before the Menteri Besar implements any guidelines in Selangor, he must first have an actual and meaningful dialogue with the actual representatives of temples.

“With 1,802 temples nationwide as members of the MHS, it would appear that we are best placed to assist the state government in this,” said Thiagaraja in a statement today.

Politically motivated?

MHS’ role as an umbrella body for Hindu organisations looks shaken with the establishment of the Malaysian Hindu Council (MHC) and its influence on Hindu temple affairs.

MHC is headed by Jalan Bandar Maha Mariamman temple and Batu Caves temple president R Nadarajah. Nadarajah is a notable businessman who is also known for his close links with MIC president S Samy Vellu.

The meeting with the temple representatives was facilitated by the MHC yesterday, where Khir announced that the state government would not demolish any Hindu temples over the next six months.

During that time frame, the temple committees within Selangor have to form a self-regulatory body to deal directly with the state government on erecting, demolishing and relocating temples.

Observers note that the move by MHS and Khir to set up the committee was likely to drum up support for the Barisan Nasional in the upcoming general election.

Catholic weekly in quandary over permit

2007-12-20T01:10:00.000-08:00

The organ of the Catholic Church, Herald is facing problems in renewing its yearly publishing permit allegedly over the use of the word ‘Allah’ in the weekly’s Bahasa Malaysia section.

According to Church sources, the government is not happy with the use of the word ‘Allah’ by the weekly when referring to ‘God’ in Bahasa Malaysia.

The use of ‘Allah’ outside of Islam has previously stirred controversies in Malaysia. Four years ago, the Bible in Iban language was banned because it translated the word ‘God’ as Allah Taala, which resembles Islam’s name for God, ‘Allah’.

The ban was however lifted after protests from the Christian community.

The Herald, which is published in four languages - English, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil - has a circulation of 12,000. The weekly’s permit is due to expire in two weeks.

The Herald - which publishes news and information for Catholics in Malaysia - have previously received written warnings pertaining to the content of their articles primarily those which touch on religious and political issues.

Most recently, the Herald frontpaged both the Bersih and Hindraf rally which saw tens of thousands protesters hitting the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

Remove BM section

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement yesterday said the Home Ministry has imposed a new condition for the renewal of the Herald’s publication permit - that the BM section of the weekly be removed altogether.

This is confirmed by sources close to the Catholic weekly.

Lim has described Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration as one which has promoted religious polarisation the most as compared to four previous prime ministers.

Examples that the DAP veteran included are the demolition of the Sri Maha Mariaman Temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam one week before Deepavali.

“This was followed by the disrespect and insensitivity when the Umno General Assembly was held on Deepavali – imagine the protest and outrage if the MCA or MIC had held their general assemblies during the Hari Raya holidays,” he said.

In addition, during the party assembly, Umno Youth deputy chief and prime minister’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin blamed the Indian news vendors for taking a holiday during Deepavali which resulted in Abdullah’s speech as Umno president not being prominently reported by the media.

Lim also noted the incident when two Umno parliamentarians - Syed Hood Syed Edros (BN-Parit Sulong) and Mohamad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) demanded the removal of the cross and demolition of Christian statues in mission schools.

“The PM must take urgent measures to arrest the worsening of inter-religious relations in the country and halt the growing number of incidents of disrespect and insensitivity felt by non-Muslim Malaysian,” he added.

No need for non-Muslim affairs dept

Meanwhile, Abdullah yesterday said it was not necessary to set up a non-muslim affairs department because an effective special committee is already in place.

He said this after Indian non-governmental organisations requested the government to set up the department to handle the affairs of non-Muslims in the country.

The premier explained that the existing committee in the PM's Department comprised of
Minister in the PM's Department Bernard Dompok (handling Christian matters), Works Minister S Samy Vellu (Hindu) and Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting (Buddhism).

Abdullah also said that the National Unity Department has a similar committee with a minister (Dr Maximus Ongkili) entrusted with matters pertaining to solidarity, religions and beliefs.

Hindraf supporters shave heads to protest detention

2007-12-20T01:04:00.001-08:00

More than a dozen ethnic Indian activists shaved their heads outside Batu Caves temple today to protest the detention of their leaders under the tough Internal Security Act (ISA).

Five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), calling for an end to alleged discrimination of Indians in multi-racial Malaysia, were held last week under the ISA which allows for indefinite detention without trial.

More than 100 Indians gathered on the banks of a river near a temple at Batu Caves, just outside Kuala Lumpur, where 16 people shed their hair.

"The 16 of us have shaved our heads as a protest against the detention of the five leaders of Hindraf who are being held under the ISA," said activist S Jayathas.

"We do not believe they are a threat to national security and we think the ISA should be abolished," he added.

According to rights group Suaram, 89 people are currently being held under the ISA with almost half of those held being alleged Islamic militants.

Gandhi posters

The group then carried pictures of Indian non-violence Independence leader Mohandas K Gandhi as they headed towards the temple where prayers were held.

"In the Hindu religion, people shave their heads as a sign of mourning," said opposition PKR leader Sivarasa Rasiah, who was present at the event.

"Here, it reflects the sadness over the detention of the leaders and that protests against their detention and the fight against discrimination will continue," he told AFP.

Hindraf enraged the government last month by mounting a mass rally alleging discrimination in Malaysia, which is dominated by Muslim Malays.

Police used tear gas, water cannon and baton charges to break up the street protest, which drew 30,000 people and came just two weeks after another rare demonstration organised by electoral reform campaigners.

Why should I go back to Malaysia?

2007-12-19T02:37:00.000-08:00

Discordant Duke | Dec 19, 07 4:36pm
I am an ordinary Malaysian who has been living in United Kingdom for almost half a year now. I have never felt more Malaysian until I reached the UK. I take pride in my identity as a Chinese Malaysian, in that order. It never tires me to point out that being Chinese does not automatically mean that I come from China, Hong Kong or Taiwan.

In the course of my work in a hostel here, I recently encountered verbal abuse which was racial and religious in nature from a resident. Not realising the gravity of the situation, I briefly recorded the incident in the logbook.

The next day I received a call from my immediate boss telling me to see the deputy housing manager as my complaint was viewed very seriously. To cut a long story short, the deputy housing manager assisted me in filling out an official hate crime/incident report that resulted in the resident being booted out from the hostel a few weeks later.

Just when I thought that the whole matter was over, I received a note from a police officer today leaving me his contact number. He asked if I wished to pursue the matter further and told me that in the future such abuses can be reported directly to him if I do not feel comfortable going through the channels in my workplace.

As a non-citizen, I felt amply protected by the laws of this country. It’s not that UK has a perfect system or that racism does not exist in this society. At least I am institutionally protected from overt discrimination such as racial and religious prejudices.

It has never occurred to me that racism was taken so seriously as per my case. This is probably because I grew up in an environment where racial discrimination is institutionalised and accepted as part and parcel of our life in Malaysia. After 50 years of independence, our education system, economic policy and political sphere are still ruled according to the dictates of race. It seems to me that we have not been freed after all from the shackles of colonial mentality divide-and-rule..

Maybe I am not seeing the bigger picture of our country’s laws and policies. But I am not the only one. Contrary to the landslide election results cited by our government every time criticisms are mounted, I can confidently say that the realities around me are very different.

I know of brilliant overseas students who refuse to return to Malaysia upon graduation. There are diligent local graduates working their way out of the system and dissatisfied friends and family who have no other recourse but to spend their time grumbling at mamak stalls. To say the least, our laws and policies are damaging the psyche of our nation.

How can we supposed that the general election results represent our public and political consciousness when the minister in the prime minister’s department so bluntly said in an Al Jazeera interview that the views of opposition members carry no weight?

This is contrary to the tenets of democracy. How can we reasonably believe in clean and fair elections when efforts to publicly debate such issues were reduced to childish name-calling and trivial bickering?

Yes, I am making a comparison between UK and Malaysia. The prime minister recently said that public security is of paramount importance but I cannot help but feel more secure and protected by a foreign country’s rule of law of a foreign country rather than my own. My short stint in the UK has exposed me to a law enforcement that takes the extra mile to assuage me of my fear of discrimination while my many years of encounters with the Malaysian police force was of intimidation and bribery.

All these are compounded by the discrepancy between what our mainstream newspapers report and the personal realities around me. The media tells me that the disgruntled are only a small segment of Malaysian society but everyone around me seems to be dissatisfied. The media says that only a minority in the police force are corrupt but everyone I know has at least one bad tale to tell. The media’s estimates of participants in recent demonstrations were hard to reconcile with what I saw on Youtube.

I am not saying that Malaysia should emulate her past colonial master all-and-sundry. No doubt we have much to learn. If I may take the comparisons one step further, the UK treats me, a migrant worker, more like a human being than we in Malaysia treat our migrant workers.

How can our migrant workers be more than a commodity when we have legislation against their love lives and none to provide them with more humane conditions of labour? Given the way we alienate our Indonesian neighbours in our country, no wonder they do not see that we share the same cultural roots.

Dear prime minister, I have been asking myself again and again why I (or anyone else in my shoes) should go back to Malaysia? An ordinary Chinese Malaysian like myself is more protected by the law, has more merit-based opportunities and can live a more comfortable life in the UK.

The only reason I tell myself is that Malaysia is where I belong - the people, the culture, the history and all. Tanah tumpah darahku. This is my society. This is where I want to contribute my productive and creative energy.

The recent events have distanced me from such sentiments altogether. Honest and loyal citizens struggling for a better Malaysia have been made to look like the worst traitors, charged with attempted murder and accused of conspiring with terrorist groups. The rhetoric of Ketuanan Melayu is getting louder by the day, nurturing a cultural and political system that I am becoming more and more estranged with. People in positions of power to affect change remain in absurd denial of a reality that all sane people know to be true.

Dear prime minister, I am writing and expressing my thoughts simply because I still believe and hope. Despite the many who have chosen to opt out of Malaysia, I still want to be optimistic about the possibilities for change. I trust that you still hold on to your promise of working with and for the people.

I am just an ordinary Malaysian who wants to see a better Malaysia. I pray that you will hear the concerned voices and reinforce my conviction that Malaysia is a country for all - regardless of race, religion or creed.

I told PM the truth

2007-12-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

As citizens of Malaysia, Indians have the right to enjoy equal opportunities and must not be treated like third-class citizens.

This was the crux of Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar's hard-hitting speech during the special meeting between Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last Friday.

"In the past, only the educated and middle-class Indians were unhappy about the difference in treatment. But over the last three years, every Indian in the country is unhappy and angry over the way we are treated," he said.

Sivakumar told Malaysiakini yesterday that at the onset of his speech, he sought permission from Abdullah to speak without fear or favour and to tell him the truth.

To this, he said, the premier replied: "Yes, please tell me the truth."

Following this, Sivakumar continued: "As you (Abdullah) are aware, the communities in Malaysia are affluent and very much matured after 50 years of Independence."

"The term bumiputera and non-bumiputera literally means 'son of the soil' and 'not son of the soil' (respectively). That means the Indian community was born where - in the sky?" he said, telling Malaysiakini that Abdullah tittered at this remark.

Sivakumar said in the past, the New Economic Policy (NEP) won the support of all three communities because it was initiated to address the socio-economic position of all races.

"So what is happening?" he asked the premier.

"What (is) 40,000 Indians? You should have given the (police) permit, there would have been more than 300,000 Indians on that day," he added in reference to the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The urban poor

Citing the agriculture sector, Sivakumar said there more than 70 percent Indians were involved in this sector.

"When the policies changed, what measures did the government take to address the thousands of Indians chased and driven out of the estates, with nowhere to go, and no housing left," he added.

The Miba president said this led to the emergence of urban poor, resulting in serious social problems like gangsterism.

"Indians killing each other for a living, who is to be blamed?" he asked.

"If only a Felda-type (scheme) had been extended to these Indians, with proper nurturing and with land given to develop small holdings and animal husbandry, they would have contributed well to the economy and even cut down our import bill, especially on dairy products. We need not depend so much on foreign workers," he said.

On the issue of funding, Sivakumar pointed out that MIC recently held seminars by calling Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who promised the Indian community help and support.

"But what happened? Let's take Johor for example, I personally followed up with the (state) Agriculture Department after Muhyiddin reminded the director to help the Indians.

"Nothing, not a single ringgit was given to the Indians," said the Johor-based businessman.

"Let's take other funding agencies, like MIDF, SMIDEC and SME. Yes, all (of them) like to hold seminars, (produce) good paper work. But nothing for the Indians," he added.

No help extended

As for privatisation, Sivakumar once again cited the situation in Johor.

He said the state government identified 43 projects. "The community was offered only one project, only to be retracted after two weeks. Why?"

Apart from this, the Miba president also reminded the premier that the latter had pumped RM100 million into a fund to help single mothers embark on business ventures.

"I checked with them (the fund), nothing was extended to Indian single mothers in Johor," he said.

Turning to the construction sector, Sivakumar said: "You (Abdullah) had offered 30,000 jobs, (but) when a group of Indians went to apply for tender, they were told to leave because it was only for bumiputeras.

"They had to leave the place with shame and tears. Is this fair? Aren't they citizens (too)?" he added.

Moving to the civil service, Sivakumar quoted Abdullah as saying that Indians make up five percent of the civil service.

"But our population is nine percent, what about the balance four percent? At least, place Indians where help is needed. For example, EPF in JB (Johor Baru), only one Indian, Socso none, post office none," he said.

The Miba president also highlighted that the scrap metal business, which involves many Indian businessman, is now under threat of licences not being renewed.

"Who will take care of their families and children if they cannot perform?" he asked.

Three-percent equity

On the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), Sivakumar noted that it has been three years since Abdullah announced the three percent equity target for Indians.

"What are the steps and measures that you have initiated, please tell us. Even now, it is not too late, we have initiated an independent co-op for the community without any political group’s control. PM can help by funding this.

"I have even given (MIC president) S Samy Vellu a project paper on where Indians can go into - bio-tech business as a self-help programme. Why not help us because the Indians need the government's help. The Indians need opportunities," he said.

Sivakumar also highlighted the issue of temple demolitions and asked for temples constructed before Merdeka not to be demolished.

On that note, he also urged Abdullah to review the detention of five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and called for them to be charged in court.

He also called for the release of the 31 people charged for the attempted murder of a policeman in connection with the Hindraf rally. Yesterday, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail withdrew the charge.

Sivakumar told Malaysiakini that he wrapped up his speech by apologising to Abdullah if he had offended the latter with his remarks.

According to him, the premier replied: "Not at all, Thank you for telling me the truth."

The special meeting between the NGos and the prime minister was called following widespread debates on the allegation raised by Hindraf that Indians in Malaysia are being marginalised.

Hindraf 31: AG drops attempted murder charge

2007-12-17T02:45:00.001-08:00

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail today dropped the attempted murder charge against the 31 individuals - dubbed the Hindraf 31 - who had allegedly taken part in an illegal assembly and were also accused of causing severe injury to a policeman at the Batu Caves temple on Nov 25.

He also withdrew all charges against six others - five of them students - while the remaining 25 pleaded guilty to charges including illegal assembly and causing mischief.

Shah Alam Sessions Court judge Nursinah Adzmi fixed bail at RM500, with one surety each, until she delivers sentence on Dec 27. They face up to five years in prison or a fine, or both, when they are sentenced next week.

Approached to comment on why the charges were dropped, Abdul Gani said it was difficult to pinpoint exactly who threw the brick that had injured officer Dadi Abdul Rani.

“I could be very strict but not this is not the time. This is not a goodwill gesture (to them). This is the fairest thing to do,” he said briefly.

He also said the 31 had written to him, disassociating themselves from the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) - which had organised the rally in Kuala Lumpur - and undertook to not participate in an illegal assembly again.

The Hindraf rally saw 30,000 disgruntled Indians taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Police had used chemical-laced water and tear gas to disperse them.

Family-members present

Family members of the accused had initially gathered at the Shah Alam High Court as early as 9am, to hear the outcome of a bail revision hearing that had been postponed last Thursday.

Abdul Gani told justice Zaharah Ibrahim that lawyers for the accused had decided not to proceed with the revision, and the matter reverted to the Sessions Court.

The crowd of close to 150 then packed into Sessions judge Azimah Omar’s court and waited for an hour before they were informed that the judge was on leave.

The matter was transferred to Nursinah’s court. The crowd almost brought proceedings to a halt in the courtroom, while police tried to restore order.

With hardly any room to move, family members remained standing to catch a glimpse of the accused when they were brought into court. Relatives, who were in tears, managed to embrace some of them.

When the court adjourned, the crowd cheered as the 31 were released. Many family members were seen thanking lead defence counsel, GK Ganesan.

Plea bargain

Ganesan (right) told Malaysiakini that he was happy with the AG’s decision.

“The AG showed extreme compassion and understanding. The parents of the accused are all very grateful that the charges have been withdrawn,” he said.

He also affirmed that he had made representations for plea bargaining to the AG on behalf of his clients last Thursday, to have the attempted murder charge withdrawn.

“I wrote to the AG to state that my clients are sincerely remorseful and deeply regret the event. All they want to do is to go back to work and be reconciled with their families,” he added.

Another lawyer for the accused, A Sivanesan (left), ticked off MIC for seeking to take credit in the dropping of the attemped murder charges.

"(MIC leader S) Samy Vellu was misleading to make such statements. The representation was made by the lawyers, not MIC," he said.

S Ramash Kumar, 22, one of the students who was discharged, described his time in Sungai Buloh prison as “hell”.

“The treatment was bad, the food was bad. I just want to thank all the Indians for their support,” said the soft-spoken first-year civil engineering student of the Universiti Industri Selangor.

Vasanta Rao, a 19-year old student at a teacher's training college, was one of the five released unconditionally.

"I thank the government. I only went to the temple ... for prayers that day and was arrested. I'm now very happy to be free," he told reporters.

PM urged AG to drop charges

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had earlier urged Abdul Gani to drop the murder attempt charges after appeals by family members.

But Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (right), who was present in court today, called for all the charges to be withdrawn.

"Although I welcome the dropping of the attempted murder charge against the 31, I'm disgusted that the attorney-general had not withdrawn all the charges against the other 26," he told AFP.

Abdullah said those detained were misled by ethnic Indian rights group Hindraf, who had organised the Nov 25 rally that drew at least 30,000 people to the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

Abdul Gani said most of the 31 accused had submitted affidavits saying they did not support Hindraf and many vowed not to take part in future illegal assemblies.

Families visit Hindraf 5 at Kamunting

2007-12-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

About 30 relatives were able to meet five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) this morning at the Kamunting detention camp, where they are being detained for two years under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar, lawyers M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau and organising secretary T Vasantha Kumar were arrested yesterday afternoon and immediately sent to the camp in Taiping, Perak.

Family members rushed in a convoy from Kuala Lumpur this morning to visit them.

Officers set up two tables in a room where the detainees were brought out two at a time to meet between five to six family members each.

Manoharan’s family members were the first to enter the visitation room.

“He said he was okay,” said a close friend of the family who also got a glimpse of him.

Lawyers were also allowed in, including N Surendran who had accompanied family members of Uthayakumar and Ganabatirau during the simultaneous visits.

“They are in very high spirits and determined to last it out,” he said when contacted.

He added that the five, who had arrived at the detention camp about midnight, appeared to be in good health.

A close relative of Uthayakumar told Malaysiakini that a handful of Hindraf supporters had gathered in front of the detention camp.

“We’re not asking anyone to gather here. Instead, we have encouraged them to continue their prayers for the safety and well being of the detainees,” she said.

Immediate visits upon detention under ISA are a departure from procedure.. Typically, family members are only allowed to visit detainees after two months of detention.

Video - Uthaya Parting Message 1 & 2

2007-12-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Hindraf arrests: Use of ISA slammed

2007-12-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

Several opposition leaders and civil society groups have unanimously condemned the arrest of five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan confirmed that they were arrested under Section 8(1) of the ISA, for allegedly carrying out activities that threaten national security.

The five were arrested at various locations in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Seremban. They are Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar, lawyers M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau and organising secretary T Vasantha Kumar.

They were sent to the Kamunting detention camp in Taiping, Perak for a two-year detention, without this being preceded by the 60-day investigation period.

Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader and DAP MP for Ipoh Timur

ISA, detention without trial, the infamous and notorious law whereby a person can be detained indefinitely without any grounds of offence, I think, is something which never should have been enabled.

I think if they are guilty of sedition or whatever it is, they should be charged in court and let their guilt be established after an open trial (where they are) allowed to defend themselves.

Karpal Singh, DAP national chairperson and Bukit Gelugor MP

I think the use of the ISA under these circumstances cannot be justified, or (even) under any circumstances. He should be given an opportunity to face trial in an open court if there is evidence. I think the home minister is going too far in having invoked the ISA.

Our men are inside, M Manoharan and V Ganabatirau, (are) members of DAP. We will definitely take the necessary action not only for both of them, even the others. In the public interest, action should be taken by DAP to make sure nobody is victimised by the provisions of ISA.

Ambiga Sreenevasan, president, Bar Council

I am very shocked and saddened by the announcement of ISA arrests. The Bar Council has always been against detention without trial. It is our view that they should be brought to trial.

In the meantime, we trust that they will be treated humanely, that their families will be kept informed as to their whereabouts and that they will receive proper care including medical treatment. The Bar Council calls for their immediate release.

S Arutchelvan, pro-tem secretary-general, Parti Sosialis Malaysia

We are not surprised by the arrest of Uthayakumar and the four others under the draconian ISA.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is no different from the previous prime ministers who resorted to ISA whenever they were unable to handle political storms.

It is time for Barisan Nasional and ISA to go. Only with the Barisan Nasional’s defeat can we also defeat ISA which has been ruling our lives for the last six decades.

Yap Swee Seng, executive director, Suara Rakyat Malaysia

We condemn the use of ISA against the five Hindraf leaders.

This is a gross human rights violation. It is a shame that Malaysia, which is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, has to resort to this draconian law to curb political criticism.

We call for the release of detainees or for them to be charged in court if the government feels that they have committed any crime. There are ample laws to take action against them if indeed they have committed any crime. To use ISA is certainly unjustifiable and indefensible.

These people will not be given the right to defend themselves against charges including the alleged terrorist link. They will be denied the right to trial and to legal counsel.

Shanon Shah Mohd Sidik, executive director, Amnesty International Malaysia

Amnesty International Malaysia is extremely regretful that after 50 years of independence and in the 20th anniversary year of Ops Lalang, the government has yet again resorted to using the ISA to suppress peaceful political, academic and social activities, and legitimate constructive criticism by NGOs and other social pressure groups.

Today's ISA arrests are clearly meant to limit the political space for important debates on issues of economic policy, corruption and other social challenges.

Amnesty International Malaysia is also extremely concerned at this juncture because the ISA is also an indisputable symbol of torture, as confirmed by the court judgment on former ISA detainee Abdul Malek Hussin.

We hereby call on the Executive to abolish the ISA and rectify the culture of impunity that exists in Malaysia. We also call on the Executive to implement the royal commission's recommendations and to implement the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct
Commission to investigate such abuses in the future.

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami)

CIJ and the Wami are deeply disturbed that the government has resorted to the draconian ISA to arrest five leaders of Hindraf.

The arrests indicate that the government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has lost all respect for the mandate that the people gave him based on his promises for reform and greater accountability.

CIJ and Wami are concerned that such a blatant crackdown will lead to instability which the government says it is trying to prevent. The use of ISA spreads terror and unrest among citizens and seriously mars the standing of the country internationally.

We urge the government to release the five immediately or give them the recourse to a trial in court.

Norhayati Kaprawi, programme manager, Sisters in Islam (SIS)

SIS strongly urges the government to review its decision to use the ISA against five Hindraf leaders; (we) call for their immediate release.

SIS wishes to remind the government that the use of the ISA, which denies citizens the right to defend themselves in a court of law, is against the principles of democracy, good governance and Islam Hadhari.

The use of the ISA clearly contradicts and brings disgrace to the international image of Malaysia, especially since Malaysia sits on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Aliran Executive Committee

Aliran condemns the arrest of five Hindraf leaders under the obnoxious ISA. These arrests are certainly a huge step backwards for democracy.

When the Barisan Nasional detains its citizens under the draconian ISA, it concedes that it has lost its moral authority and has no justification to frame a valid charge and take them to court under the existing laws.

Hindraf leaders, like many other (detainees) before them, do not deserve the unjust ISA. Nobody should be detained without trial.

Detaining them under this undemocratic law will not resolve the underlying causes of the grievances and disillusionment that have been expressed by the Hindraf leaders and which have struck a chord among Indian Malaysians.

Malaysians will know that what the BN is trying to protect is its own security and interest and the survival of the (BN component party) MIC. It is the fear of the eroding loss of confidence that has driven the BN to take this desperate action.

Aliran calls on the government to immediately charge all of them in a court of law if they have flouted any law or release them unconditionally.

Uthayakumar's parting message

2007-12-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P Uthayakumar saw it coming - that he would be arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), a tough law which allows detention without trial. In a video message recorded two weeks ago, Uthayakumar called on Hindraf supporters to continue the struggle despite should he be detained under ISA. “We knew what we were getting into from the beginning of our struggle. We knew this can happen to us. “We’ve come a long way - we’re fighting a just cause (and for) justice by using peaceful means to succeed,” he said. “By arresting us under the ISA, the issue of the marginalisation and the permanent colonialisation of Indians in Malaysia will take a higher profile. “We must look at it positively because that way we (can) get the government and international attention.” The video was recorded on Nov 29 in Kuala Lumpur High Court - the day when Uthayakumar applied for a revision of the restraining order obtained by the police against the mammoth Hindraf rally. Today, Uthayakumar and four others - lawyers M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau and organising secretary T Vasantha Kumar - were arrested under Section 8(1) of the ISA. In a rare move, the five were sent straight to the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, Perak, to be detained for two years, without undergoing the usual 60-day investigation period.

Link to terrorist groups

According to inspector-general of police Musa Hassan, the ISA arrests were made against the five for carrying out activities that threaten national security. The charismatic activist had been expecting the ISA arrest after Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi threatened to use the security law against Hindraf leaders. Last week, Musa claimed that Hindraf was linked to terrorist groups and was active in fanning racial sentiments among the Indian community by stirring up their anger and arousing hatred against the government. Uthayakumar, who said he had no regrets, added that the sacrifice he had made for the struggle was worth it. “If that means we have go into ISA for the betterment of the Indians, for them to be treated with dignity and for them to be respected as human beings and as Malaysian citizens [...] then so be it,” he asserted. The jovial lawyer ended the video with a smile and waved goodbye - an image of Uthayakumar which many will not be seeing for a while.

US demands due process for arrested Malaysian activists

2007-12-13T19:18:00.001-08:00

The United States demanded that Malaysia provide fair treatment to five leaders of a rights group held under a security law that allows for indefinite detention without trial.

The five from the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), pushing for an end to discrimination of ethnic Indians in multi-racial Malaysia, were picked up yesterday and ordered held under the feared Internal Security Act (ISA).

"Our expectation as a government is that these individuals would be provided the full protections under Malaysian law, that they would be given due process, that they would be accorded all the rights accorded to any other citizen, and that this be done in a speedy and transparent manner," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Hindraf enraged the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last month by mustering at least 30,000 people to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to highlight various issues facing ethnic Indians, including lack of economic opportunities and destruction of Hindu temples.

Police used tear gas, water cannons and baton charges to break up the protests.

"It is our firm position that those individuals who want to peacefully express themselves in a political forum or any other forum should be allowed to do so," McCormack told reporters.

Human rights groups have campaigned for the abolition of the ISA, a law that they say has been abused by the authorities.

The ISA is currently being used to hold more than 100 people, including about 80 alleged Islamic militants.

Human Rights Watch, a US group, said the arrest was "outrageous."

"We have said over and over again that the ISA should be abolished and there is no room for holding people, never mind indefinitely, without charge and trial," said Mickey Spiegel, the group's Asia division senior researcher.

Erasing Hindu heritage

The Malaysian government has always used deadly race riots in 1969 as a reason for controls on freedom, even though some groups believe that after 50 years of independence, Malaysians are matured enough to discuss their grievances openly.

"Malaysian authorities are obligated, like any sovereign countries' government, to balance the need for public order with equally important need for robust and free debate of issues important to Malaysian citizens," a State Department official said.

"It is our hope that the Malaysia government will allow the freest possible debate," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a US non-profit law firm that helps defend freedom of all religions, charged that the destruction of Hindu temples - some built before the start of the British colonial period almost two centuries ago - could be an attempt to erase Hindu heritage in Malaysia.

Hindraf claimed one temple was being demolished every three weeks.

"What I have heard from people is really that in destroying these temples, they are trying to destroy evidence of how long the Hindu faith has been a part of Malaysia, particularly in the context of advancing Islamisation and of the equation of Islam with nationalism in Malaysia," said Angela Wu, the Fund's international law director.

Hindraf has filed a four trillion dollar lawsuit against Britain for alleged atrocities suffered by Indians whose forefathers were brought as indentured laborers to Malaysia during colonial rule.

Remain calm, Waytha tells supporters

2007-12-13T18:51:00.000-08:00

Malaysiakini 14 Dec 2007

Hindu Rights Action Force chairperson P Waythamoorthy today urged the movement’s supporters to remain calm in the face of the police swoop on five key leaders which aimed to cripple the movement.

“Don’t get emotional. Let’s remain calm and continue with our struggle,” said Waythamoorthy who contacted Malaysiakini from London.

He is presently in that city to rally international support for the movement which wants the Malaysian government to stop marginalising the Indian community.

His absence from Malaysia prevented him from being arrested under the Internal Security Act today. Five other Hindraf leaders, including Waythamoorthy’s brother Uthayakumar, were detained under the tough security law today

The five have been immediately sent to the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, Perak, on a two-year detention without trial.

“Let not anyone tell you that Hindraf is without leadership as a result of the police act today,” said Waythamoorthy, who is expected to take the helm from his detained elder brother.

He added that he would continue to lead Hindraf from London to achieve their aims in bettering the plight of the Indian community

“I will be issuing statements from here and will be in touch with others in Malaysia on our next step,” he said.

Protect our struggle

He also warned his supporters not to allow any political parties to hijack the movement’s struggle.

“We will remain apolitical though we are politically sensitive,” said the 41-year-old lawyer.

“I know there will be political parties who will try to move in after the arrest of the five key leaders today. My message to our supporters is not to let them hijack our struggle.”

He added that he would be calling for a tele-conference press meeting tomorrow at Uthayakumar’s office to explain Hindraf’s next move.

“Till then, please remain calm and if you want to do anything, just offer prayers for us,” he said.

Internal Security Act (ISA) - !!!

2007-12-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

Under Section 73 (1) of the ISA, the police can detain any individual for up to 60 days without a warrant, trial and without access to legal counsel if he was suspected to have “acted or is about to act or is likely to act in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia or any part thereof or to maintenance of essential services therein or to the economic life thereof."

After 60 days, the Minister of Home Affairs can extend the period of detention without trial for up to two years, without submitting any evidence for review by the courts, by issuing a detention order, which is renewable indefinitely

5 Hindraf leaders arrested under ISA

2007-12-12T23:43:00.000-08:00

Five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) were arrested by the police this afternoon under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows detention without trial.

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan said the arrests, under Section 8(1) of the ISA, were made against the five for carrying out activities that threatened national security.

In a rare move, the five were sent straight to the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, Perak, to be detained for two years, without undergoing the usual 60-day investigation period.

Those arrested are Hindraf legal advisers P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau and organising secretary T Vasantha Kumar.

Musa said that the five were arrested between 12.30pm and 2.30pm in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Seremban.

Kenghadharan was the first to be picked up at his office in Petaling Jaya at around 12.30pm by a police team from from Bukit Aman. Next was Ganabatirau who was nabbed in Seremban. Vasantha Kumar was detained about 2pm in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

According to Ganabatirau's brother Raidu, the lawyer was arrested by a police Special Branch team led by ASP Zairulnain Lamat from Bukit Aman.

“When asked why he was being arrested, he (Zairulnain) said that it was under the ISA,” Raidu told Malaysiakini.

He added that Zairulnain said the police had information that Hindraf was planning another rally like the one organised in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25.

Meanwhile, Manoharan was arrested near his legal firm in Jalan Pantai, Kuala Lumpur whereas Uthayakumar was the last to be detained at 2.30pm from his legal firm in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Struggle to continue

Earlier today, Uthayakumar told Malaysiakini that he suspected more Hindraf leaders would be rounded up following Kenghadharan's arrest.

The lawyer also revealed that a police team had followed him from his house to the office and that Ganabatirau was also tailed from Shah Alam to Seremban.

In a related development, Hindraf member S Jayathas said the arrests will not hamper Hindraf’s struggle.

"Regardless of the arrests this struggle will move on. We have many leaders who are waiting to take over and we will not go backwards but move ahead to fight for the rights of Indians in Malaysia," he told AFP.

Under the police radar

The police have been targeting Hindraf lawyers over the past few weeks. The crackdown started with the arrest of chairperson P Waythamoorthy, Uthayakumar and Ganabatirau on Nov 23. They were then charged with sedition in Klang.

On Tuesday, Uthayakumar was again arrested and charged on another count of sedition in Kuala Lumpur. He was arrested once more on the same day and kept overnight in remand before being released yesterday without being charged.

Both Waythamoorthy and Ganabatirau were also re-arrested over the past week and released after being held for some hours.

Waythamoorthy, who is Uthayakumar's younger brother and also a lawyer, is currently in London on a mission to lobby for support from international groups.

Hindraf has come under the police radar after organising nationwide talks in which they are alleged to have made seditious speeches in relation to the marginalisation of the Indian Malaysian community.

Hindraf's rally in Kuala Lumpur attracted some 30,000 people. The police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Thirty-one of the protesters have been charged with attempted murder and causing mischief with some facing a third charge of illegal assembly.

The government has been threatening to use the ISA against Hindraf leaders for some weeks now.

Last week, Musa claimed that Hindraf was linked to terrorist groups and was active in fanning racial sentiments among the Indian community by stirring up their anger and arousing hatred against the government.

He added that the police had been monitoring the group - helmed by six prime movers comprising five lawyers and a senior executive of a private company - since July 28.

Law used against gov't critics

The ISA is not thought to have been used against government critics since 2001, when Malaysia was under the iron grip of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who used it to quell a reform movement triggered by the arrest of his deputy Anwar Ibrahim.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang condemned the government's move and said that if the Hindraf leaders had committed any offence they should be charged and tried in an open court.

"It is deplorable, the use of the ISA is completely indefensible," he said.

"To resort to detention without trial is a regression to the dark days of human rights violations and is something that will bring further shame to Malaysia's international image and reputation."

Abdullah has for several weeks been threatening to invoke the draconian legislation against Hindraf, which authorities have accused of having links with Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers. The group denies the charges.

Earlier this week the premier alluded to the use of the ISA by saying that he considered public safety to be more important than public freedom.

Lawyers and human rights group have warned that the use of the ISA will only inflame the protest movement, which is airing grievances that have been bottled up for many years.

Malik Imtiaz Sarwar from the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) said the government's move was regrettable and unnecessary.

"The ISA detention will have the unfortunate effect of now stopping genuine attempts on the part of the marginalised Indian community to have their grievances addressed," he told AFP.

The legislation - which dates back to the British colonial era when it was used against communist insurgents - provides for two-year detention periods that can be renewed indefinitely.

After 'missing' for 24 hrs, Uthayakumar is freed

2007-12-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz (Malaysiakini.com) | Dec 12, 07 5:50pm

Lawyer P Uthayakumar was released from police custody at 5pm today - exactly 24 hours after he was arrested yesterday.

“They kept me for the full maximum period allowed by the law but took no steps to charge me,” he told Malaysiakini.

Uthayakumar was arrested yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur court complex as soon as he had posted RM50,000 bail in relation to his sedition charge.

The arrest yesterday was due to an allegedly seditious statement made by him regarding the arrest and of 31 people at Batu Caves on Nov 25 for attempted murder, he said.

Uthayakumar was kept overnight at the Kuala Lumpur remand centre in the old Pudu prison.

His lawyers and the media had been waiting at the Jalan Duta courts since early morning today for him to be brought to face fresh charges as alluded by the prosecution in their case yesterday.

However, news got out at about 5pm that the lawyer has been released without being charged. A small crowd of about 100 gathered outside the remand centre to welcome Uthayakumar, with a about 30 policemen keeping watch about 10 meters away.

Several of his supporters, some with tears in their eyes, came to hug him or shake his hand while he was feted with flower petals. One admirer bent to kiss his feet, as others chanted “Long live Uthaya!”

Speaking the truth

At the press conference held at the entrance of the remand centre, Uthayakumar said the repeated sedition charges to which he has been subjected to will not deter him from “speaking the truth” to power.

“They say it is sedition. To me, it is the truth, and as long as it is the truth, I will continue speaking it,” he said.

“You can lay 10 sedition charges against me. I will (continue to) speak the truth,” he added.

He also blasted Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail and Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan for ‘needlessly’ detaining him overnight.

Uthayakumar also said although he was not physically assaulted during his overnight detention, the ordeal nevertheless amounted to ‘torture’.

“Just to punish me, the AG and the Badawi government put me inside (jail) and released me just about 5pm, before 24-hour deadline came up,” he said.

“Last night, they did not release me, but chose to ‘torture’ me by detaining me overnight,” he added.

Hand injury

His lawyer M Manoharan said that Uthayakumar’s release was due to the “fear” the authorities had of his supporters.

“They must have been frightened of the supporters (who had gathered at remand centre last night) that they released him,” he claimed.

According to Uthayakumar, he refused to answer any questions the police posed to him during interrogation regarding the statement he made about the arrests at Batu Caves.

“I told them, ‘You are the criminals. I cannot answer your questions full stop. I will give my statement in court and to the (yet to formed) IPCMC (Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission),” he said to a cheering crowd.

Uthayakumar also said he had filed a police report against the police officer who arrested him yesterday at the Jalan Duta Court Complex.

Showing the ‘injury’ he sustained when he was handcuffed and pulled to the police van which brought him to the remand centre, he said the police’ initial plan to take him to the hospital for treatment had to be called off because of the sight of his supporters waiting for him on the road outside.

“They have a guilty conscience. They know what they’re doing is wrong (that) they’re so frightened of the people,” he said.

The crowd walked from the remand centre to a nearby temple for prayers before dispersing peacefully.

Car burnt: Bersih activist blames cops

2007-12-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

Syed Jaymal Zahiid (Malaysiakini.com) | Dec 12, 07 4:27pm

Labour Resource Centre coordinator Abdul Razak Ismail was in the thick of action yesterday, as members of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) were stopped from entering Parliament House to submit a protest memorandum.

He had driven his green Proton Tiara to Parliament House with a key Bersih leader - PKR information head Tian Chua.

As they tried to move past a police roadblock near the building, they were stopped, dragged out of the car and arrested.

The next time Abdul Razak saw his car, the entire front part had been damaged by fire. He suspects that the police did this deliberately.

Police, however, told him that the vehicle had caught fire - due to a short-circuit in the battery - while being towed to the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters in Jalan Hang Tuah.

“The reason is ridiculous. How would the battery short-circuit when the car cannot operate without ignition, and I was holding the car key,” he asked, when contacted.

“This is clearly (a form of) retaliation by the police because we did not cooperate. We gave them a hard time when they wanted to arrest us. And I think the police were even more infuriated when one of them got bitten by Tian.”

Both Abdul Razak and Tian have lodged separate police reports at the contingent police headquarters.

Cause being probed

When contacted, Sargeant Roslan Awang, the operational activities chief with the Tun HS Lee police station, said a report from the Fire and Rescue Services Department is pending.

Police will wait for the cause of the fire to be verified before investigating if there was any foul play involved, he added.

Outside Parliament House yesterday, 26 Bersih leaders and members were arrested but later released after having their particulars recorded.

All roads to the building were blocked, and a heavy police presence was mounted in and around Kuala Lumpur to prevent members from gathering in the vicinity of Parliament - action which was reinforced by a restraining order obtained from the KL Magistrate’s Court.

On Nov 10, Bersih had organised a mass rally in the city, drawing some 40,000 protesters despite prior police intervention. The coalition of 67 NGOs and five opposition parties was able to submit a memorandum for electoral reform to the King’s representative at the national palace.

Uthayakumar arrested, freed on bail, and rearrested

2007-12-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Soon Li Tsin (Malaysiakini.com)| Dec 11, 07 5:40pm

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P Uthayakumar was rearrested at the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur court house at Jalan Duta as soon as he had posted RM50,000 bail for a sedition charge which was filed against him earlier today.

Lawyer M Manoharan told Malaysiakini that Uthayakumar was being taken to the Cheras police contingent headquarters (IPK Cheras).

“The police officers said they were rearresting Uthayakumar under orders from the Inspector General of Police (Musa Hassan).

“It is most probably for another sedition charge,” he briefly said.

This morning the social activist was arrested and immediately charged with sedition at the Jalan Duta Sessions Court.

He was accused of publishing seditious material in a letter written between Nov 15 and Dec 8 and posted in the Police Watch website.

The letter, dated Nov 15, 2007, was from Hindraf and addressed to Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom at No. 10, Downing Street, London.

Held at Pudu

Later when contacted, Uthayakumar said that he was being detained at the Kuala Lumpur remand centre at the old Pudu jail.

“They told me that they want to take a statement from me. I was told that I would be brought to the Cheras IPK.

“However since I am here, I think I am about to be detained overnight to face fresh charge tomorrow,” he said.

He added that he was not told as to why he was arrested and but thinks he might face another sedition charge.

He also said he was unhappy with the “brute” manner the police used to arrest him, causing injury to his hand.

"I am asking them to allow me to lodge a police report against the manner they arrested me," he said, adding that he was mentally prepared to face "anything".

About 300 supporters have gathered ourside Pudu jail this evening and held a candlelight vigil. The police have not allowed lawyers to meet with Uthayakumar.

Sedition charge in Klang

This morning Uthayakumar was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 which carries a maximum punishment of not exceeding RM5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both.

The jail term will increase to a maximum period of five years for a subsequent offence.

Uthayakumar claimed trial and Sessions Judge Sabariah Othman set bail at RM50,000 with one surety, which was immediately posted by a relative of Uthayakumar.

He also faces another sedition charge in Klang over a speech made during a Hindraf gathering in Batang Berjuntai on Nov 16.

Uthayakumar arrested this morning

2007-12-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz (Malaysiakini.com)| Dec 11, 07 10:18am

Lawyer P Uthayakumar was arrested this morning in Bangsar and taken to the Jalan Duta Sessions Courts in Kuala Lumpur.

His fiancee S Indradevi who was with him during the arrest told Malaysiakini that Uthayakumar was not informed of the reason of his arrest.

She said two police cars stopped Uthayakumar’s car at about 9.20am opposite the Bangsar Shopping Complex and four plainclothes policemen rushed at him before grabbing him.

“They just told us that he was being taken to Jalan Duta. I was really scared. I am still trembling in fear from what happened this morning,” she said by telephone.

Lawyer M Manoharan said the arrest could be related to Uthayakumar’s role in the rally organised by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) on Nov 25.

“I believed he will be charged for illegal assembly. There could be more arrests coming later in the day,” he said when contacted.

At the same time, Manoharan is also not ruling out a charge under the Sedition Act for Uthayakumar, over a speech he had made in July at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. This was Hindraf’s first public gathering.

Uthayakumar is Hindraf’s legal adviser. The rally - to highlight the marginalisation of the Indian Malaysian community - attracted about 30,000 people.

Last week, 31 of the protesters were charged with the attempted murder of a policeman. They were also charged with causing mischief. Sixteen of them were charged with illegal gathering as well.

Another round of arrests has been threatened by the police.

Uthayakumar and two other Hindraf leaders - P Waythamoorthy and V Ganabatirau - are currently out on bail on a sedition charge. Yesterday, the Shah Alam High Court ruled that the discharge order for the trio made two weeks ago was made in error.

All roads to Parliament blocked

2007-12-10T21:23:00.000-08:00

Dec 11, 07 10:35am

By Malaysiakini.com

The police have closed all entries to Parliament since this morning, ostensibly to block members of polls reform group Bersih from submitting a [protest memorandum against a proposed constitutional amendment.

Federal Reserve Unit trucks and police personnel have also been positioned along Jalan Parliament, the main road leading to the Parliament from the city centre.

Roadblocks have been set up in various spots in and around Kuala Lumpur, causing massive traffic jams. Police personnel are stationed along main roads to monitor crowd movement.

Yesterday the police had obtained a court order to restrain Bersih and its supporters from gathering at Parliament today.

The order - the second of its kind following a similar order to ban the Nov 25 Hindraf rally - prohibited four named individuals and other Bersih supporters from attending or taking part in any gathering.

Those named are PAS leaders Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, Mohamad Sabu and Adenaan Saad and Malaysian Trade Union Congress chief Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud.

The order also stipulates that "other interested parties" are similarly prohibited from taking part.

Bersih, the Coalition for Clear and Fair Elections, wants the government to withdraw the Constitutional Amendment Bill scheduled to be tabled today which, if passed, will see the current Election Commission (EC) chairperson’s tenure being extended by a year, to the new age limit of 66.

Despite the court order, Bersih leaders have said that they would proceed their plan to hand over the memorandum.

Police have warned that anyone disobeying the court order will be arrested. In addition, they have also warned that Bersih has failed to obtain a police permit, making any gathering illegal.

Bersih memo: Six top opposition leaders, 12 others arrested

2007-12-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

Dec 11

Six top opposition leaders were among 18 arrested this morning for trying to deliver a Bersih memorandum to Parliament on the extension of the Election Commission chief's retirement age.

Among those arrested were PKR information chief Tian Chua, party secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim, PAS treasurer Dr Hatta Ramli and party committee member Dr Lo'Lo' Ghazali, and Parti Socialist Malaysia pro-tem chairperson Dr Nasir Hashim and secretary-general S Arutchelvan.

According to eyewitnesses, the police surrounded Tian Chua’s vehicle and forcibly removed him before arresting him at about 10.40am. Another person in the car was also detained.

Chua had failed to stop at the roadblock and had insisted on moving forward before the police swooped in on him.

About 10 minutes later, Arutchelvan and another identified person were arrested for trying to break the police cordon. The PAS leaders were arrested shortly after.

At about noon, Khalid arrived in Jalan Parliament where he talked briefly to the press gathered just outside the Parliament gates.

"I don't think we will be able to submit a memorandum today. Our main piority now is to help those detained,' he told journalists.

A plainclothes police officer showed him the restraining court order which the Sentul police had obtained yesterday and ordered Khalid to leave.

Subsequently Khalid went to his car. While on his way there, Sentul district police chief ACP Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin instructed one of his men to arrest the PKR leader.

All those arrested have been sent to the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters. Bersih activists said that those arrested include a teenager aged 13.

Rare restraining order

It is further learnt that the police have surrounded opposition party PAS headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut to stop people from leaving the building for Parliament.

According to a statement this morning by the party, five patrol cars and a Federal Reserve Unit have been positioned around the building.

The police also pasted a copy of the restraining order at the building to warn people not to participate in today's event.

The police have blocked all roads leading to Parliament to prevent members of polls reform group Bersih from submitting a protest memorandum against a proposed constitutional amendment.

Yesterday, they obtained a rare restraining court order - the second of its kind following one to ban the Nov 25 Hindraf rally - prohibiting four named individuals and other Bersih supporters from attending or taking part in the gathering.

The named persons are PAS leaders Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, Mohamad Sabu and Adenaan Saad and Malaysian Trade Union Congress chief Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud.

The order also stipulated that "other interested parties" are similarly prohibited from taking part in the gathering. It allows the police to 'arrest on sight' those found in the vicinity of Parliament House.

US tells M'sia to allow freedom of expression

2007-12-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

AFP | Dec 11, 07 1:04pm

The United States called on Malaysia to allow freedom of expression and assembly as the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi widened its crackdown on dissent.

"We have repeatedly raised with Malaysian authorities our belief that citizens of any country should be allowed to peacefully assemble and express their views," State Department spokeswoman Nancy Beck told AFP yesterday.

"We also stated in our annual human rights report our belief that the Malaysian government places significant restrictions on the right to assemble peacefully," she said.

Police permits are required under Malaysia law for public assemblies, defined as a gathering of five or more persons, but the State Department's rights report says senior police officials and political leaders influenced decisions on granting or denying some permits.

It said "a more restrictive policy" was applied with government critics, opposition parties, and human rights activists.

Beck's remarks on Monday came after Kuala Lumpur widened a crackdown on dissent following two mass rallies last month, with three legal actions taken Monday that rights groups and opposition leaders condemned as anti-democratic.

Ahead of elections, dozens of Malaysian government critics have been rounded up and now face trial on counts including attempted murder and sedition.

Abdullah has threatened to invoke draconian internal security laws that allow detention without trial, citing past racial violence in the multicultural nation dominated by Muslim Malays as reason for restricting street protests.

"If the choice is between public safety and public freedom, I do not hesitate to say here that public safety will always win," he said in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Court actions

The United States often hails Malaysia as a moderate Muslim democracy but the image took a knock when a series of indiscriminate destruction of Hindu temples were highlighted by some groups recently.

A US Congress-appointed commission expressed concern last week at the destruction of the temples and other alleged discrimination faced by religious minorities in Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia's more developed economies.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom also urged the administration of President George W Bush to raise the matter with Kuala Lumpur and "insist that immediate measures be taken to protect sacred sites and prevent further destruction."

The government, which cracked down on two mass rallies last month, took three separate legal actions Monday that rights groups and opposition leaders condemned as anti-democratic.

Among them was a revival of sedition charges against three leaders of ethnic Indian rights group Hindraf, which organised a November anti-discrimination protest that drew 30,000 people. The court had earlier allowed them to walk free on the charges, which carry a penalty of three years in jail.

Lawyers and their supporters were also charged in connection with a human rights march that they mounted in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday which was broken up by police.

Another prominent lawyer, Edmund Bon, was also charged with obstructing a city official who tried to remove protest banners from Malaysia's Bar Council building.

Twelve opposition figures were rounded up over the weekend in connection with an electoral reform rally last month which drew nearly 30,000 people who police dispersed with tear gas and water cannons.

Umno comedy corner - we're not laughing

2007-12-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

FCCM | Dec 10, 07 4:37pm

Why do Umno members keep stating that all Malaysian citizens are equal and that the Indian Malaysians have equal opportunities? Can’t they read or see what’s going on around them? Have they all been hypnotised into believing that racism does not exist in this apartheid-style country?

Former Barisan Nasional secretary-general Mohamed Rahmat has now come out to echo the familiar Umno mantra of denial. He said, “The Indians were brought into the country during the colonial era and were accorded citizenship following independence. So what more is needed? They have become citizens and enjoy the same as what the Malays get, so what else is not right?” He added, “They also get education opportunities, healthcare and employment like the rest. In Malaysia, whoever works hard can become rich."

Has he been sleeping for as long as our prime minister or has he gone senile? Is it enough to give a person citizenship? If so then why are the Malays who came from Indonesia accorded citizenship and given so much extra? Citizenship should be enough, right Mr Rahmat? That Indians enjoy the same things as the Malays - if this is not the most comical statement I’ve heard then maybe it is police chief Musa Hassan’s claims that the Hindraf movement is linked with terrorist groups.

Actually, the most comical comment may be Nazri saying, “Don’t worry, Zaki’s a ‘straight fellow’.” Were people saying that Zaki is gay? Nazri has so many comical statements that it is difficult to decide which is the most hilarious. He said, “I stand by the other two million Indians.” I am one of the “other two million Indians”, Mr Nazri and I certainly do not want a racist hypocrite like you standing beside me. Come to think of it, the funniest comment may be the one by Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Zainal Abidin Osman in saying that “Indians are better off than Malays.”

No, no, no, I think our prime minister leads this category when he said, “I am angry.” Mr Abdullah, the parents of the Indians who die regularly in your prisons are angry. The non-Malay children who miss out on educational opportunities, scholarships and jobs to the privileged Malays with lesser qualifications are angry. The small businessman who cannot get a licence or a contract unless more than half of his company is “given” to a Malay is angry. The shops that are regularly harassed by the authorities for not employing Malays are angry. The non-Malays who lose out on opportunities merely because of their race are angry. The list of apartheid-style governance by your administration, Mr Abdullah goes on and on and you tell us that you are angry? This is truly funny.

Anyway, it’s good to know that comedy is not the forte of only the Instant Café Theatre.

Attempted murder: Prosecutors cast net too wide

2007-12-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

Richard Teo | Dec 10, 07 4:42pm

Malaysians, particularly Indians, must be appalled at the attorney-general’s charge against 31 Hindraf protestors for the dubious crime of attempted murder.

Surely the charge can only be valid if the perpetrator of the crime can be identified. If the crime was committed by a single individual, there is no justification to detain the 31 members. The prosecutor cannot expect the court to believe that the 31 perpetrators were responsible for throwing an object which specifically caused injury to the police officers. How could the prosecutors cast a net so wide and hope per chance that it may catch the culprit amongst the 31 protestors?

Obviously not all 31 of them were responsible for the injury caused to the officer. If the law punishes the 31 Hindraf members simply because one of them caused injury to an officer, will justice be served? Is our justice system be so vicious that 31 individuals must pay the price for a crime committed by one person? In essence, that is what the attorney-general is doing and in doing so, he has made a mockery of our judicial system.

In reality, what was the crime committed by the 31 protestors?

There were several protestors who suffered head injuries when the police fired tear gas canisters laterally at the crowd. Video clips filmed on that day confirmed that. By the same logic, the police officers who fired the tear gas canisters can also be charged with attempted murder. The video clips also showed some protestors flinging the canisters back at the police in retaliation thus causing injury to the police officer.

If such a scenario did occur, how could any one be charged with attempted murder? Throwing the canisters back in retaliation was merely a natural response to the police’s actions. Is it acceptable for the police to fire indiscriminately at the crowd, possibly causing them injury whilst it is against the law for victims to retaliate in a similar fashion?

Perhaps what is even more shocking is the judge’s refusal to grant bail for the 31 protestors. The 31 Hindraf members, whose guilt has not even been established, will now have to start serving time before the actual trial commences. Anyone familiar with our legal system will tell you that it will be years before they see justice in the court. The charges against the 31 protestors by the attorney-general is not only a travesty of justice but serves to confirm the lingering suspicions that the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the judiciary are beholden to the executive.

What a difference a sad event in someone's life makes

2007-12-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember:

- Spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

- Say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

- To give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

- To say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

- To hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

- Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

- Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

~ George Carlin

LTTE expert rubbishes Hindraf link to terror

2007-12-09T23:41:00.000-08:00

An expert on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has rubbished allegations that the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has ‘terror links’ with the national liberation movement in Sri Lanka, as claimed by the Malaysian police chief.

P Ramasamy - who in 2003 served on the LTTE’s Constitutional Affairs Committee to draft proposals for an interim administration in Sri Lanka's northeast - said the claim shows that the government is sidestepping legitimate grievances of Indian Malaysians.

“Don’t bring terrorism into this, because there is no link. There is no LTTE involvement,” said the former professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysian’s Centre for History, Political Science and Strategic Studies.

Ramasamy, now the DAP international secretary, was responding to claims by Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan that Hindraf is soliciting support from terrorist groups.

Musa’s allegation, contained in a press statement issued yesterday, follows a similar claim by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail in court on Wednesday when he alleged that Hindraf had met with LTTE members.

Hindraf legal advisor P Uthayakumar - one of those behind the Nov 25 rally in Kuala Lumpur to protest against alleged discrimination and marginalisation of the Indian community - has dismissed the claims as false.

‘Where’s the evidence?’

Ramasamy said the government should own up to the problems faced by the Indian community instead of resorting to such smear campaign tactics.

“Look at the Indian problem and find a way to resolve it. That’s all. What does this have to do with the LTTE? Nothing,” he said when contacted today.

“By trying to link them with terrorism, they’re trying to demonise Hindraf. It’s a well known smear campaign to sidestep resolving a problem. It’s utter nonsense, and there’s no basis for it.”

He also challenged Musa to come up with evidence.

“There is no LTTE (support). LTTE itself needs support. What support can they give us? They themselves are appealing to the Tamil diaspora in Europe and US. We don’t need their support. This is a Malaysian problem,” he noted.

He said there is very little to link the Tamils in Malaysia, the majority of whom originate from south India, to issues in Sri Lanka.

Ramasamy describes himself as an ‘international peacemaker’, on the basis of having contributed to peace negotiations between liberation movements and governments in Indonesia, Philippines and Colombia. He is not the same P Ramasamy who is linked with Uthayakumar’s Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia.

Bail denied for 31 Hindraf protesters

2007-12-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

The Shah Alam Sessions Court today denied bail to 31 Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) protesters charged with the attempted murder of a police officer during an illegal gathering at the Batu Caves temple in the early hours of Nov 25.

Judge Azimah Omar said she was denying bail for national security reasons and based on the severity of the charges, which also included causing mischief.
Twelve of the 31 are also charged with participating in the illegal assembly.
Azimah fixed Jan 14-18 to hear the matter. Those accused will remain in remand at the Sungai Buloh prison until the disposal of the case.
Yesterday, Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail objected to bail on grounds that the offences of attempted murder and causing mischief are not bailable.
He also told the court that the accused were dangerous to public order.
In her judgement, Azimah stressed that she had carefully weighed the facts of the case and that her decision was not based on racial and religious considerations.

Review application soon

Lead defence counsel GK Ganesan said he was "unhappy" with Azimah’s decision and that a review would be sought soon at the high court.
Another defence lawyer P Uthayakumar told reporters later that the case had angered the Indian community.
"They are already being pushed to the wall. Now, they want to push us beyond the wall," said Uthayakumar, who is one of Hindraf’s key leaders.
He alleged that the case brought against the 31 was a political decision and that the AG had practiced selective prosecution.
He reiterated his stand that the AG had acted on the Hindraf rally and their supporters because the group was made up of Indians.
He said the AG did not act on other major rallies without police permits this year with a Malay-majority participation, such as the Bersih rally on Nov 10.
Uthayakumar also slammed Abdul Gani for linking Hindraf with a Sri Lankan separatist group during bail application proceedings yesterday.
"The AG is trying to divert the issue by linking us to a terrorist organisation," he added.

Families shocked

When the court decision was announced this morning, it was met with shock and surprise by family members, some of whom broke into tears. Two women fainted outside the courtroom.
The crowd jeered at passing policemen while some told members of the press to report the truth.
"Watch what you write. We’re not gangsters. Don’t tarnish our names," shouted one man to reporters. "We’re not part of Hindraf. Why are they doing this to us?" exclaimed another.
Earlier, as the court was fixing a hearing date, Uthayakumar lost his cool and accused the prosecution team of purposely choosing a later date.
He angrily accused the AG of being "scared." This prompted AG’s Chambers prosecution department chief Yusof Zainal Abiden to shoot back with "we’re not!" and a heated exchange ensued.
Once Azimah restored order, she warned Uthayakumar that she had been patient with him over the last three days of proceedings

Forum : Malaysia After the Hindraf Rally

2007-12-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

Organised by the Civil Rights Committee of the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

Details:

Date: 11th,December,2007

Time: 7.30 pm

Venue: Auditorium, 1st Floor, KLSCAH (Next to the Monorail Maharajalela station)

Language: English

Tentative Panelists:

P.Uthyakumar, legal adviser, HINDRAF
Dr. Kumar,Central Committee member,PSM
Representative from PAS
Haris Ibrahim, human rights lawyer; initiator, People’s Parliament project
Nathaniel Tan , Information Bureau , PKR (http://jelas.info/ )
Chair: Wong Chin Huat (vice chairman,CRC)

Police report against Rahim's fiery speech

2007-12-04T23:09:00.000-08:00

Police report against Rahim's fiery speech
Dec 5, 07 2:01pm

An opposition youth leader from Malacca today lodged a police report against the state’s former chief minister Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik for allegedly inciting racial hatred against non-Malays. The state’s DAP youth leader Tey Kok Kiew based his report on an article which was published by Chinese daily China Press on Sunday which quoted Abdul Rahim as saying: “The Malays have never taken the street so do not force us to do so as we will draw our parang (machete) to defend the Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) in this country.” Abdul Rahim is said to have made the statement in his speech as the chairperson of the Malay Economic Body (Gabem) during a ceremony in Malacca last Saturday. In his police report lodged at the Melaka Tengah police station, Tey accused Abdul Rahim of attempting to use violence in order to defend the Malay supremacy by delivering the seditious speech. He added that Abdul Rahim was trying to influence the Malay public to act violently against non-Malays street protesters. He also said that Abdul Rahim was encouraging violence in his speech. Tey said the police must investigate and act against Abdul Rahim if he is found to have said the seditious remarks. Indians on streets Abdul Rahim’s speech is believed to have been made in light of the recent street protests in Kuala Lumpur. On Nov 25, about 30,000 Indian Malaysians brought the busy Jalan Ampang to a standstill for about six hours, as they attempted to march to the British High Commission to submit a petition claiming they have been marginalised since being brought to Malaya as indentured labourers. The police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd. Government leaders later attacked the rally - organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force - as being racially motivated. The organisers have also been accused as “liars and extremists” following their claims that the Indian community had suffered from government-endorsed “ethnic cleansing”.

Malaysian Indian forced to speak against HINDRAF

2007-12-03T23:56:00.000-08:00