Archive for category Indians
Najib kata, ‘gua caya lu, lu caya gua’
Posted by Kit in Elections, Indians, Najib Razak, UMNO on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
7 FEB — “Lu caya gua, gua caya lu!”….. itulah maksud kata-kata Najib kepada kaum India semasa melawat Batu Caves sempena hari Thaipusam pagi tadi. Najib menyeru kaum India supaya mempercayai beliau dalam usaha memperbaiki kehidupan kaum India dan memberikan beliau sokongan dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang. “Tuan-tuan tolong saya, saya akan tolong tuan-tuan” kata Najib lantang dan jelas.
Janji seperti ini telah dibuat setiap pilihanraya tiba sejak tiga puluh tahun yang lalu. Janji ini bukan sahaja dibuat kepada kaum India tetapi semua kaum termasuk kaum Najib sendiri, iaitu kaum Melayu yang merupakan kaum terbesar di negara ini. Janji ini jugalah yang akan ditabur dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang kerana kita tahu segala janji yang dibuat pagi tadi tidak akan kemana.
Tetapi kepada siapa yang masih yakin dan percaya kepada janji itu terpulang kepada mereka. Setiap rakyat berhak untuk memilih untuk dibohongi terus-terusan atau mengelak dari pembohongan tersebut. Sebagai seorang Perdana Menteri yang mengetuai Kerajaan Persekutuan, janji yang dibuat secara peribadi itu merupakan tindakan ‘desperate’ dan kata-katanya itu tidak melambangkan beliau seorang pemimpin yang ‘magnanimous’ yang memimpin rakyat yang berbilang kaum itu.
Orang Melayu telah dijanjikan bermacam-macam setiap pilihanraya, tetapi kita lihat apa yang berlaku sekarang ini adalah terlalu jauh dari menepati janji-janji yang telah dibuat kepada mereka. Umno telah menjadikan orang Melayu hanya sebagai dahan bongkok untuk ‘kera-kera’ meniti dan digunakan untuk memberikan sokongan dalam pilihanraya sahaja. Orang Melayu dan rakyat hanya diberikan RM500 upah sebelum pilihanraya ini untuk mendapatkan kuasa dan terus menjajah pemikiran bangsanya sendiri. Read the rest of this entry »
Hindraf lawsuit to correct historical and recent wrongs
Posted by Kit in History, Indians, Lim Teck Ghee on Thursday, 11 August 2011
by Dr Lim Teck Ghee
11 August 2011
CPI
A UK-based solicitor and lawyer – appointed by Hindraf Makkal Sakthi – is scheduled to meet with members of the Malaysian public this Sunday (Aug 14).
His fact-finding mission is to help him better understand the situation on the ground and interview those participating in the Hindraf class action suit. This lawsuit against the British government seeks to correct historical injustices inflicted on Indians who were brought to the peninsula by the white colonialists.
The Hindraf move is almost certain to court a fresh storm of controversy and criticism from Umno, the party that will be most embarrassed when full details of the Indian marginalization emerge. The extent to which the local Indian community, particularly Hindus of Tamil stock, is excluded from the nation’s progress and wellbeing can only reflect badly on the Malaysian government. Read the rest of this entry »
Does MIC Deserve Three Ministers?
Posted by Kit in Indians, Kee Thuan Chye, Najib Razak on Thursday, 4 August 2011
By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
04 Aug 2011
PRIME Minister Najib Razak is being cavalier with taxpayers’ money in making MIC president G. Palanivel a full minister. His promotion from deputy minister will incur increases in Palanivel’s salary, perks, claims and pension – and the rakyat will be paying for them. Is it justifiable?
The MIC has only four Members of Parliament, but it now has a line-up of three ministers and two deputy ministers. How is that proportionate?
If T. Murugiah had not lost his senatorship last April and thereby his deputy minister position, there would be three MIC deputy ministers now. Read the rest of this entry »
Palanivel makes dubious history – the first “I help you, you help me” barter Cabinet appointment in nation’s 54 year history
Posted by Kit in Indians, Najib Razak on Sunday, 31 July 2011
MIC President Datuk G Palanivel has made dubious history – being the first, unashamed and most blatant “I help you, you help me” barter Cabinet appointment in the nation’s 54-year history, nothing to do whatsoever with his personal merit or quality!
It must rank as the most cynical Cabinet appointment ever made in Malaysian history under six Prime Ministers.
Palanivel also made dubious history in other aspects. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib vows to help Indians if MIC secures their vote
Posted by Kit in Indians, Najib Razak on Sunday, 31 July 2011
By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 30, 2011
PUTRAJAYA, July 30 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak pledged to do all he can to bring the Indian community back into the “mainstream of development” but asked that MIC redouble efforts to secure the community’s vote.
The prime minister said there must be “quid pro quo” between Barisan Nasional (BN) component party MIC and the ruling coalition if both wished to benefit from their relationship as “loyal friends”.
“There must be an understanding. Can you all deliver for Barisan Nasional? You can deliver and we will deliver,” Najib (picture) told delegates at the 65th MIC general assembly here today. Read the rest of this entry »
Just what Malaysia needs: Another minister
– Jacob Sinnathamby
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 30, 2011
JULY 30 – I hate to spoil the party but the last thing this country needs is another minister.
In fact, what we need is not quantity but quality. The last couple of months has shown up the inadequacies and incompetence of a number of ministers and exposed the paucity of talent in the Cabinet.
We have a Home Minister who did not know that EU citizens do not need a tourist visa (French lawyer Michael Bourdon had to educate him); a de facto Law Minister who misinterpreted a key fact in the Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry and a Defence Minister who sounds shaky whenever he speaks.
And I have not even touched on the Agriculture Minister, Unity Minister, etc. Read the rest of this entry »
Maybe the ‘mamak’ leaders can help Indians?
Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | May 31, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
Its perhaps time for Malaysian Indians to emulate their Chinese brethrens and dump MIC.
COMMENT
The Malaysian Indians should emulate their spirited Chinese brothers. Once a leading member of the Chinese business community declared that the Chinese don’t need Chinese politicians and ministers to represent them.
That statement sapped the smugness off the MCA. Really, Indians too don’t need to be representation by the MIC.
Maybe they can do so through Nor Mohamad Yakob, Naina Merican, Azeez Rahim, Zambry Kadir?
They too can also talk direct to Malay leaders the way the Chinese do.
Just see how Tony Fernandes (AirAsia) does it and Ananda Krishna (Measat) seems to know how to do it. So to does Ravi Menon (Ara Corporation), Arumugam and G.Gnalingam (Westport). Even the one time driver Kenneth Eswaran (Maicci president) knows how too.
They ALL know how to talk to Malay leaders. So, forget MIC and forget its president G Palanivel. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Beng Hock and Interlok will not derail BN’s target’
Posted by Kit in Indians, Islamic state, Muhyiddin Yassin, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, Teoh Beng Hock on Saturday, 22 January 2011
by Regina Lee
Malaysiakini
Jan 22, 11
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is unfazed by the opposition’s attempts to raise the issues of Teoh Beng Hock’s death and the controversial textbook ‘Interlok’ at the Jan 30 by-election in Tenang.
Muhyiddin said he is confident that it will not dent the BN’s efforts to regain the 5,000-vote majority it had at the 2004 general election.
The BN’s by-election commander-in-chief said the opposition would be hard pressed in finding real issues during the contest, and would thus resort to spreading lies.
“There are not many issues in Tenang. The land demands by the second generation of Felda settlers is being considered by the government,” said Muhyiddin during a press conference after this morning’s nominations.
“In any by-election, there will always be new issues repeatedly played up by the opposition. They will look for one or create one that includes lies and slander.
“Although I don’t think it will effect us but we cannot keep quiet. If they make false statements, we will have to explain ourselves, lest the voters believe them,” he said when asked about Teoh Beng Hock and the novel ‘Interlok’. Read the rest of this entry »
Thank Malaysian Indians for nation-building with deeds in the country by ending their marginalization and status as the new underclass and not go to Chennai to make beautiful-sounding but meaningless tribute
Posted by Kit in Indians, Najib Razak on Sunday, 24 January 2010
I was flabbergasted by the Bernama report yesterday of what the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in Chennai on Friday, as follows:
January 23, 2010 18:48 PM
Najib Visits Chennai To Thank Malaysian Indians For Nation-Building
By P. VijianCHENNAI, Jan 23 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, who made a historic trip to Chennai, said it was to honour Malaysian Indians as a vast majority had cultural bonds with Tamil Nadu from where they originated.
“My trip ends in Chennai, it is not coincidental but intentional because Chennai, Tamil Nadu is the original state where many Malaysian Indians originated from.
Read the rest of this entry »
Sinking in solidarity with Samy
Posted by Kit in Indians, Mahathir, Martin Jalleh on Wednesday, 7 October 2009
By Martin Jalleh
7 Oct. 2009
Samy Vellu is here to stay – as long as he wants. He has been made indispensable, invincible…even immortal. He will remain as the “Saviour” of the Indians in Malaysia – a god-like status his “devotees” have strenuously bestowed upon him.
This strong message that Samy still reigns supreme was delivered by the majority of the 1,464 delegates at the triennial election of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) held recently. It appears that they would prefer to sink with Samy – rather than swim in the current of change.
Dr M says “MIC is scared stiff of Samy Vellu”. But it is their very own political survival they are shivering and sweating over! Ironically, they felt very secure even if it meant strengthening Samy’s political stranglehold and further suffocating the whole Indian community!
With their future at stake the delegates were not prepared to stick their necks out. In fact, as Dr M once described the members of the MIC, they are “not even ready to stick their little finger out”. Such is the sordid state of affairs in the second oldest political party in the country.
“Everybody is playing safe. If I go against the chief, he’s going to hammer me. Then I won’t get contracts, I won’t be ‘ketua bahagian’ (party division chief),” Dr M succinctly described the sad scenario – which was very similar to Umno when Dr M was its president for 22 years. Read the rest of this entry »
The 30 votes that changed Samy Vellu/MIC history?
26-vote margin still fresh in my mind, says Subra
The Star
Wednesday September 9, 2009
PETALING JAYA: Datuk S. Subramaniam has hit out at his nemesis MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for claiming that the 30 “pocketed votes” in the 1977 party elections was an impossibility.
The former party deputy president also brushed off Samy Vellu’s claim that he and Datuk V. Govindaraj were “pathological liars”.
“Govindaraj told me he did it. He was Samy Vellu’s man and led his campaign then.
“I can’t recall off-hand the total number of votes cast in 1977 but I know that the difference was 26. That is still fresh in my mind.”
Govindaraj told an English daily recently that he took the 30 votes cast for Subramaniam during the party polls that saw Samy Vellu defeating Subramaniam for the deputy president’s post by a mere 26 votes. Read the rest of this entry »
Remove restrictive ISA release conditions, lift ban on Hindraf and appoint Uthayakumar as member of Royal Commission of Inquiry into marginalisation of Malaysian Indians
Posted by Kit in Hindraf, Human Rights, Indians, Najib Razak on Saturday, 9 May 2009
I am calling this media conference on the release of the three Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, DAP Selangor Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah M. Manoharan and K. Vasanthakumar from Kamunting Detention Centre under the Internal Security Act (ISA) two hours ago.
The formation of Hindraf, the arbitrary, undemocratic and unjust detention of the five Hindraf leaders in December and the Makkal Sakti phenomenon were important factors resulting in the March 8 “political tsunami” in last year’s general election.
The time has come for the Barisan Nasional government not just to release the three remaining Hindraf leaders under the ISA today but to come to terms and address the root causes for the alienation and marginalisation of the Indian community in the country after half-a-century of nationhood.
Neither the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak nor the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should entertain any notion that the Malaysian Indians should “membalas budi” for the release of the Hindraf leaders, as they should not be detained without trial under the ISA in the first place.
To realistically and boldly address the root causes of the Hindraf and Makkal
Sakti phenomena, I call on Najib to implement three measures: Read the rest of this entry »
MINDRAF: Does Malaysia Need Another Sectarian Political Party?
Posted by Kit in Farish Noor, Indians on Sunday, 26 April 2009
By Farish A. Noor
As if the political landscape of Malaysia wasn’t overcrowded already, there has come into the fray yet another sectarian community-based party, Mindraf (Malaysian Indian Democratic Action Front). Ostensibly set up by ‘good samaritans’ concerned about the plight of their community, Mindraf has announced its political ambitions with the aim of representing Malaysian citizens of South Asian origin.
Now allow me to be blunt here: In the opinion of this writer, Malaysia does not need another communitarian party that caters to the primary concerns of a particular ethnic or religious community. We are already forced to work on a contested landscape where there are too many parties that are based on ethnic and religious loyalties, and yet another sectarian party will hardly bring us any closer to realising the notion of a Malaysia where identity is based on universal citizenship and equal rights.
If anything, the tendency of such sectarian parties is to further add to the process of divide and rule and to further entrench sedimented notions of ethnic-racial differences. This comes at a time when a younger generation of Malaysians have demonstrated their ability to transcend the ethnic divisions that once haunted the generation of their parents. So while we hope and pray for a better, more united and colour-blind Malaysia, whose idea was it to create another ethnic-based party? Read the rest of this entry »
Ai-yo-yo Samy
Nobody would have been surprised by the following newsflash:
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu retained the post of MIC president uncontested for the 11th consecutive term at the close of the party’s presidential nomination in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, according to sources.
The nomination papers of his challenger Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan were rejected.
ISA release of Hindraf 5 – test whether Najib will be PM for all Malaysians
Posted by Kit in Hindraf, Indians, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 2 December 2008
I was interviewed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation this morning on the recent BBC interview of Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who said that he will do more to address the grievances of minority groups when he becomes Prime Minister in March.
Najib acknowledged that Malaysian voters would want to see changes when he took office and that he needed to regain the trust of non-Malays in particular.
He promised “further measures to tackle the problems of the ethnic Indian minority” but “warned that the Hindu activist network, Hindraf, which has organised large public protests, has complicated attempts to tackle the problems of ethnic Indians”. Read the rest of this entry »
Syed Hamid Albar vs. Hindraf on Indian marginalization
by H Lee
So Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar – in a decision, as he puts it, of self-sacrifice for the sake of protecting society – has banned Hindraf.
Similar home ministerial valour must have been present when he chose to detain Raja Petra, Teresa Kok, Tan Hoon Cheng and hundreds of others under the ISA.
Many Malaysians have expressed their outrage at the latest cruel and callous act of repression against a civil group which has highlighted the continuing plight of marginalised Malaysian Indians.
I would like to examine an aspect: the assertion that Malaysian Indians are not marginalised and are actually doing better than Bumiputera Malaysians, and thus, they have no grounds to feel
aggrieved, let alone angry. This is a cynical and specious claim.
We should first take note of the often ignored fact that the Malaysian Indian community is diverse, stratified and complex. Like any other. Read the rest of this entry »
Deepavali greetings – 3 Makkal Sakti wishes
Posted by Kit in Hindraf, Human Rights, Indians on Monday, 27 October 2008
Deepavali wishes to Hindu Malaysians and all Malaysians – Makkal Sakti so that good can triumph over evil in our motherland.
For the second consecutive year, Malaysian Hindus as well as Malaysians generally will be celebrating Deepavali in a somber mood.
Malaysian Deepavali this year has again made international news particularly in India over the arrest and release of P Vwaishhnnavi, the six-year-old niece of detained Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, her mother K Shanti, as well as the Deepavali-eve release on bail of ten persons after two days in police custody, over Vwaishhnnavi’s attempt on Friday to submit a letter to the Prime Minister in Putrajaya appealing for the release of the five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Malaysian Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar cannot be more wrong when he said in a recent Malaysiakini interview that he has got the support of peace-loving members of the Indian community for the government’s ban on Hindraf. Read the rest of this entry »
Tamil Makkalosai suspended for a week – beginning of crackdown post-March 8?
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Indians, Media on Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Popular Tamil daily, Tamil Makkalosai, has been suspended for a week by none other than the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar himself for giving too much coverage of Pakatan Rakyat news.
With immediate effect, Tamil Makkalosai will not appear in the streets until next week, awaiting the fate of its appeal to the Home Minister.
Is this the first sign of repression and crackdown on human rights and the little space opening up in the printed media after the March 8 “political tsunami”?
It is clear that the decision to stop the publication of Tamil Makkalosai, which is still awaiting for its KDN this year, has got the “green-light” from the Cabinet meeting this morning.
Why did the Ministers, particularly from Umno and other Barisan Nasional component parties, particularly from the MIC, who have promised to end their subsidiary and subservient role in Cabinet , agreed to such a repressive measure as to immediately close down Tamil Makkalosai?
Samy Vellu’s days are numbered – Subra as next MIC leader
Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has become the most unpopular politician in the country and probably in Malaysian history, being booed, jeered, car blocked, thrown stones, rotten eggs and even slippers almost every day in public places.
This public rejection of Samy Vellu has spread to MIC and Barisan Nasional (BN) functions, with other MIC and BN leaders becoming also the target of public resentment and fury, as illustrated by the meet-the-people session led by Perak Mentri Besar and Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali in Buntong, Ipoh yesterday.
The political days of Samy Vellu, MIC President and sole Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years, are numbered. Moves in fact are afoot for the former deputy president, Datuk S. Subramaniam, to become the next MIC leader as Samy Vellu is slowly phased out of the political scene.
I expect Subra to make a political comeback on Sunday on his nomination as a Barisan Nasional candidate for the 12th general election and preparatory to his joining the Cabinet – something Subra had been denied and been waiting for nearly three decades. Read the rest of this entry »
Freedom of the press
By Ishwar Nahappan
Dr Mahathir thrust a deep dagger into the heart of fundamental and civil liberties of Malaysia. This is the legacy that he will be known best for. Progressively under his rule the concept of “Free and Fair” elections were thrown out of the window.
The expression “Free and Fair” incorporates many underlying principles including legal, ethical, and internationally accepted historical conventions. It does not just mean the freedom to vote. An open free press to express its views without duress and manipulation is a fundamental liberty which is the absolute right of ALL MALAYSIANS OF ALL RACES.
The newspapers and visual media (government controlled) are blanketed and filled with goodies and ang pows from the barisan government and all opposition activities are blocked and blacked out by a pliant press and media under the control and ownership of the constituent parties of barisan. UMNO or UMNO members control the New Straits Times, Berita Harian, The Malay Mail, the Utusan, etc. MCA control the Star and Nanyang Siang Pow and Datuk Samy Vellu’s personal family members control the Tamil Nesan.
Freedom of the press in Malaysia is like a wayang kulit, now you see it now you don’t. Or a water tap which can be turned on and off or reduced to a trickle whenever the government so chooses.
The press deliberately ignores:
• Any mention by the opposition of continuing breaches of civil liberties, the incidents of endemic corruption, acts of wasteful expenditure, the list could go on and on but I will save that for another day.
• It now appears that Bukit Bintang has 5,000 new postal voters who have suddenly appeared without any logical or legitimate rhyme or reason. One should ask WHY and the reason being is to neutralise one community’s voting strength.
• The leadership of the MIC is fast losing any residual credibility with the Indian community. Its great leader Datuk Samy Vellu has been harassed on two occasions in the last few days and just yesterday with eggs and slippers. Consequently more and more Indians are joining the DAP, totally frustrated with Samy Vellu’s self-centered and self-aggrandizing leadership. Last Thursday evening, at a dinner I hosted in Klang, 250 ordinary Indians, many of them from the MIC openly joined the DAP.
• Samy Vellu can’t even speak out and on behalf of 300 men, women and children who were demonstrating peacefully and calling them criminal to boot. Perhaps he should look at a mirror himself and adjust his coiffeur (hairdo), it might help him see things more clearly. A meaningful response to this horrendous act by the police was made by Datuk Anwar yesterday. His speech was reported in The New Paper.
Fortunately for us today and what makes this election a watershed is the power of electronic media communication both through the internet and the sms. The Thaipusam celebration which was boycotted by the Indian community at large resulted in the number of devotees visiting Batu Caves reducing to a generous estimate of approximately 250,000 people as opposed to the usual 800,000 – 1 million people. Samy’s days are numbered. It could not happen sooner. He will be the fourth of a pack of rotten apples who came to power in the seventies who so spoiled Malaysia. I wish him a peaceful retirement.
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