The police should stop harassing and intimidating donors of Hindraf on the spurious ground that they are funding a terrorist organization.
Malaysiakini reported two days ago that the police are summoning donors of Hindraf “over a possible offence of funding a terrorist organization”, grounding their investigations under Section 130N of the Penal Code on the “funding of terrorist activities”.
The penalty for the offence are 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.
This is most absurd, especially as the MIC President and sole Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had admitted in his recent visit to Tamil Nadu that the Malaysian government did not have any evidence that Hindraf had connection with Tamil Tigers or terrorists.
This is the Q & A on the NDTVG.com where Samy Vellu admitted that there is no evidence that Hindraf has terrorist links:
“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.”
In view of Samy Vellu’s admission that there is no evidence that Hindraf has any terrorist links, two steps must be taken immediately:
• DROP all police harassment and intimidation of Hindraf donors on the spurious grounds of funding a terrorist organization or this will be a most blatant and flagrant abuse of police powers to use the “terrorist” provisions in the Penal Code to create police “terror” of their own; and
• IMMEDIATE and unconditional release of the Hindraf Five, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasantha Kumar now that they have been officially cleared of any terrorist links – even without having to wait for the Advisory Board hearings over their appeal against the ISA detention fixed on Monday.
#1 by k1980 on Saturday, 12 January 2008 - 9:08 pm
& Criteria when voting for your rep
Criteria No 1: The elected representative must be available. In this time of technology it means that he is contactable by email or hand phone. Well I would understand if he is too busy to pick a call on his hand phone but the minimum expectation is that he is to have a dedicated local comunity website that carries his email address. I expect him to read and to reply emails. On occasion he must on a regular planned scheduled meets the people who lives in his area ireespective who they had voted and their political believes
Criteria No 2: The elected representative must have compassion. The elected representative representative must show his compassion for the people beyond the color of race and party. He must show greater compassion for those that did not vote for him/her than those who vote for him/her. He must go out of his way to assist the people especially those in the opposition
Criteria No 3: The elected representative must treat his/her fellow malaysians equally. The elected representative must see malaysians as one race i.e. Malaysian and not by the difference in skin color. He or she must appreciate that all of us are visitors to this land – some earlier than others. The only true Bumiputeras are the the natives i.e. orang asli. If they understand this than they are no different from others. There is only one race. He must make a stand openly on this matter.
Criteria No 4: The elected representative must have a clear mesurable target for the people.The elected representative must present a clear measurable goals for the people to judge his performance in his area. Let people decide on your mesurable promises. Dont tell us the what you can do for the world.. start small and tell us what you can do for us.. the people living in your constituency. This is far more important to us than what is happening in Iraq or palestine. What is the point of going overseas to help others when you dont do enough at home.
Criteria No 5: The elected representative must work towards community bonding. There is a need to go back to basic. People who lives in major towns, spent their time working and isolating themselves in their home. There is very little communal activity that force people to come out an interact. We live in the age of not knowing what our neighbors does and in some cases they dont even know their names.My elected representative must focus on this areas. It must use its resources in uniting and encouraged people to get together.
Criteria No 6: The elected representative is free from corruption. I think this is self explanatory.
Criteria No 7: The elected representative must show character of serving others before serving himself. By the nature of the job which has long hours and service orientatated, I expect the person must show strong character in defining social service. He must at least an active member of various social related organization. Joining politics is not about gaining wealth or enriching your family members or having a title. This is a service orientated job. If you dont have what it takes, dont do it.
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/1077/36/
#2 by undergrad2 on Saturday, 12 January 2008 - 9:24 pm
“Our constitution guarantee the right of free assembly …” Bigjoe
No. Our Constitution does not guarantee the right to assemble peaceably and without arms (to use the language of the Federal Constitution of 1957).
If it does then there is no need for Clause 2(b).
For comparison, the U.S. Constitution reads “Congress shall make no law…prohibiting the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”.
#3 by DarkHorse on Saturday, 12 January 2008 - 9:37 pm
Dawsheng,
Which part of the following is wrong”
“This appeal to Queen Elizabeth and Mahatma Ghandi is a mistake. The banners scream ‘We are Malaysians’. To the other Malaysians, it seems to be that the protesters are Indian Hindus first and Malaysians second. The ethnic, religious identity is pushed forward. The name ‘Hindraf’ is also exclusive. It excludes Indians who are Christians, Sikhs and Muslims.â€
The appeal to Queen Elizabeth and Ghandi – fact
The banners read “We are Malaysians” – fact
The protectors were not non-Hindus – fact
Indian Hindus and Malaysians second – opinion
The ethnic and religious identity is pushed forward – fact/opinion
The name Hindraf is exclusive and excludes Indians who are not Hindus – fact/opinion
#4 by DarkHorse on Saturday, 12 January 2008 - 9:38 pm
…ooops rather “Which part of the following is untrue?”
#5 by DarkHorse on Saturday, 12 January 2008 - 9:48 pm
“What has the writer done for the marginalized Indian community in Malaysia for him/her to judge what is right or wrong? Ridiculously irresponsible!” Dawsheng
It is not relevant to the issues whether ‘Karamchand’ or Karam Singh whatever his real name is. I don’t think the writer is judging anybody. What is wrong if he does? We should address the issues he raised – if any.
#6 by DanR on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 12:18 am
Read this carefully. Who is Samy blaming?
source: http://news.my.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1187091
Samy Vellu said at the moment some members of the Indian community were creating anti-MIC feeling.
“They write as though the people hate us a lot. When people think we are no longer useful, perhaps a shoot to kill can occur,” he said.
#7 by limkamput on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 2:35 am
dawseng, i fully agree with you. it is nonsensical the opinion put forward by darkhorse.
“I don’t think the writer is judging anybody. What is wrong if he does?” darkhorse
if the writer is not judging, then what was he doing, playing marble is it? If he did, then he is entirely wrong!!! got it?
#8 by DarkHorse on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 7:39 am
Yes, Sir. I got you. I apologize for having littered the blog with my nonsense. Shall I leave the blog?
#9 by Tickler on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 9:59 am
Cracks appear in Malaysia’s multi-ethnic settlement
Source : Financial Times
By John Burton in Singapore
When at least 10,000 ethnic Indians gathered late last year in Kuala Lumpur to demonstrate against alleged racial discrimination, it triggered political tremors in multi-ethnic Malaysia. Not only did the protest defy a state edict against unauthorised outdoor assemblies, it also broke a taboo against publicly questioning the country’s long-standing policy of preferential treatment for majority Muslim Malays.
[ ]
Many observers were surprised that the protest was mounted by ethnic Indians, Malaysia’s smallest and most quiescent racial minority, who have been the strongest supporters of the National Front coalition government since it came to power in 1957. But dissent has grown among Indians recently with the destruction of Hindu temples that officials said were built illegally and court cases that ruled that Muslim-born Indians could not convert to the Hindu faith.
http://yennamike.blogspot.com/2008/01/cracks-appear-in-malaysias-multi-ethnic.html
#10 by shortie kiasu on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 1:05 pm
Teaching professions in Malaysia: teachers, headmasters, principals… are not infiltrated by the religious lunatics. Whether the schools or colleges is co-ed or not, it is immaterial to these lunatics and fanatics. They are one tracked mind and they see only tunnel-vision.
So the pupils & students churned out by these lunatics and fanatics cannot not be better off; can only be worse off.
In time to come, the Malaysian society will be flooded with such characters. One can guess the type of future in the country without much difficulties.
We need a strong opposition or an alternative government to bring “Change” – the key words now being thrown around in the current Primaries of the American Presidential election!
#11 by dawsheng on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 1:37 pm
First of all, the fact about Hindraf is that it was the first protest of its kind we have seen in this country, so instead of saying what Hindraf did was right or wrong, we should focus on why it happened in the first place, we should focus on the reasons why more than 30,000 Indians took their grievances to the street, the numbers of Hindraf’s supporters speak volumes, they came from all walls of lives and no way we can say these 30,000 peoples are wrong.
The first question came to mind, besides Hindraf who can help the Indians and make known their grievances and problems? Who can they count on to stop Indian temples from being demolished?
Secondly, why didn’t they carry the posters with potrait of Abdullah Badawi or Tunku Abdul Rahman but instead that of Gandhi, and appealed to the queen instead of Agong? Will the results be different then?
Thirdly, is it wrong for Hindraf to gather its supporters to rally behind race and religion when the ruling party is also doing the same thing for supports in order to cling on to power, what more when the reality is that they (Indians) are the victims of marginalization?
Fourthly, if Hindraf is a mistake, does that means BN is right?
There’s only questions, there’s no answers, there’s no right and there’s no wrong. But at least, what Hindraf did can only be described as action speaks louder than words, and it didn’t change the fact that they are the new underclass in this country, and that’s a problem, we should do more and help.
#12 by kaybeegee on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 10:52 pm
Before the Police go roundharassing people whom they claimed have donated funds to Hindraf, I DARE the IGP to investigate his officers and all other Government Officers, and Judges who have free often called Honorary Golf club memberships. YB Lim Kit Siang, I humbly suggest you ask in Parliament the Chief Secretary of the Government to declare how many government servants have Honorary memberships of clubs belonging to business personages (Sultan of Perak in his address to the Malaysian Law conference cautioned judges about being pally with such people).
Why did these Government servants accept these free golf club memberships? Anti Corruption Act section 8 is clear as to meaning of gratification.Than when Musa has ascertained how many of his officers play golf weekends when it is most expensive to play golf at clubs he should ask his officers who paid for their golf clubs, golf games and the bangsats also accept free meals!
Leave Hindraf alone, go and wipe out corruption in your Foarce
Tell your men to have some dignity. If teachers cannot even accept a pencil on Teachers Day, non teachers government servants can accept Golf club memeberships worth thousands of ringgit. Protection la, otherwise why should people give?
#13 by DarkHorse on Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 11:04 pm
“First of all, the fact about Hindraf is that it was the first protest of its kind we have seen in this country, so instead of saying what Hindraf did was right or wrong, we should focus…” dawsheng
Which was what the writer ‘Mohandass Karamchand’ was addressing to among others. Unfortunately, the cut and paste (like all cut and paste) takes the statement out of context. Please read his article in its entirety.
As an Indian albeit a non-Hindu the writer felt there should be a movement which involves all Indian Malaysians. Hindraf involves only Tamil hindus and therefore represents an exclusive approach to what is a wider Indian issue.
It appears to him that hindraf leaders had overplayed their cards with their appeal to the monarch of a foreign country and to the New Delhi government, and the use of Ghandi’s posters makes them vulnerable to accusations that their supporters owe their allegiance to a foreign country.
The writer apparently shows empathy if not sympathy for all Indians marginalized by the UMNO led government. How could he not show empathy because he is an Indian himself. He himself may be a Malayalee , Gujerati or a Sinhalese who does well as a lawyer or banker or doctor.
He is entitled to his opinion. Don’t you think so? Your first posting did not raise any issues except to say it was ‘nonsense’ which prompted me to ask which part of the statement by the writer that you do not agree.
#14 by dawsheng on Monday, 14 January 2008 - 12:29 am
Everyone is entitled to their opinions and I think he (not you) is nonsense.
#15 by limkamput on Monday, 14 January 2008 - 7:38 am
As an Indian albeit a non-Hindu the writer felt there should be a movement which involves all Indian Malaysians. Hindraf involves only Tamil hindus and therefore represents an exclusive approach to what is a wider Indian issue. Darkhorse
This is precisely the problem, waiting, contemplating and procrastinating for the best ideal situation before taking certain action. Hello, Hindraf made things happen, period. To wait for all Indians to act, we may have to wait till the cow come home. Besides other Indians may not have the problem the Hindu Tamil faced. In life, we should have done this and that. But that is not real. Most often that not, we do the best we can under the circumstances. This is what Hindraf did.
#16 by Tickler on Monday, 14 January 2008 - 9:25 am
In any event, most MIC members are formed of those from the estates and those that enetered malaysia under the then indentured system. These are hindus from Tamil Nadu.
It doesn`t matter if Hindraf represents all hindus or is `exclusive`. They single handedly did what no one else (no matter how much they rant and rave, but at elections swing BN) could or would do.
For that they have my respect.
#17 by Colonel on Monday, 14 January 2008 - 9:52 pm
“To wait for all Indians to act, we may have to wait till the cow come home.” limkamput
Only one cow?? Why are you looking down on the Indians?
#18 by aiD_kamikuP on Monday, 14 January 2008 - 10:10 pm
He meant that solitary cow is none other than Sami to come home from India.
#19 by limkamput on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 - 12:04 am
Why are you looking down on the Indians? colonel
I never look down on Indians, unlike you and your friend. I only look down on you, colonel@private
#20 by Count Dracula on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 - 12:57 am
“I only look down on you, colonel@private” limkamput
Why are you looking on the Colonel? Why must you look down on posters? Why are you putting down Dark Horse?
Every time Indians are discussed, you think of cows. Does it not say something about you and your Kg. Attap education?
#21 by laifoong on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 - 2:44 am
“Only one cow?? ” Colonel
ha..ha..ha! ‘cow’ translated means ‘lembu’….one ‘cow’ translated is ‘lembu’ but many ‘cows’ is till ‘lembu’ ….so “wait till the lembu (cow) come home”… comes out as “wait till the cow come home”…. looks like the only lembu here is limkamphut….lol
#22 by limkamput on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 - 8:45 am
laifoong, you are pathetic, you can’t even write one complete sentence. What is this… here and … there. Typical no class people. Quick, write me one para in continuos prose.
Dracula, Oh yes, I look down not just on Colonel, you too. Afterall, you two are the same right? Two in one person, sometimes you get confused also, don’t talk about others.
#23 by Colonel on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 - 9:44 pm
Limkamphut, lai foong is merely educating you on the finer points of the English language. Those who think in Malay and writes in English like yourself should take heed of her advice.
#24 by limkamput on Wednesday, 16 January 2008 - 12:06 pm
“Those who think in Malay and writes in English like yourself should take heed of her advice”. Colonel
Can you find a grammatical error in your sentence? Talking about educating me the finer points! Pathetic.