HINDRAF Press Statement “Whom to Vote”

HINDRAF
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square 70200
Seremban N.Sembilan

PRESS STATEMENT 31st January 2008

RE: HINDRAF URGES SUPPORTERS NOT TO BE BLINDED WITH POLITICAL OPINIONS /OPPOSITION

HINDRAF CALLS FOR TALKS ON MALAYSIAN INDIANS’ FUTURE WITH POLITICAL PARTIES.

HINDRAF has always maintained it’s non-partisan stand and has always steered clear of party politics or align itself with any political party including the opposition

However HINDRAF cannot deny it has “Political Friends” both from within the ruling as well as opposition parties who have supported us in our cause for the protection of the ethnic minority Indian rights in Malaysia.

Hence taking into consideration of the upcoming general election, HINDRAF is now forced to advice the Malaysian Indians on “Whom to Vote”.

HINDRAF calls upon the Indian community not to blindly assume that by voting for the opposition political party in the next upcoming General Elections would solve the problems of oppression, suppression, marginalization and permanent colonization of the ethnic Indian community.

HINDRAF urges the political parties to:

a) Be transparent, fair and equitable in the distribution of seats to the Indian candidates both Parliamentary as well as State seats.

b) Make their manifesto extremely clear as to their commitment for advocating and implementing Indian rights should they be elected to lead the next Government. The 18 Point Demands made and submitted by HINDRAF to the Prime Minister are crystal clear on the needs and thirst of the Indian community to undo 50 years of Political and Socio Economic violations of the UMNO led Malaysian Government. These points should be the paramount consideration in respect to the Indian needs.

I call upon the interested political parties to immediately engage in talks on the above two crucial aspects as soon as possible so that we can advice the Malaysian Indian community “ Whom to Vote”.

Malaysian Indians have been cheated in the political arena for 50 years by the UMNO led BARISAN Government. HINDRAF’s leaders have made great sacrifices to relate this message to the Malaysian Indian community.

We will not betray the trust of Malaysian Indian community on HINDRAF’S leadership and will not advice the Malaysian Indians to place “a blind hope” on either BARISAN or the Opposition party unless we are satisfied the above two issues are adequately addressed.

HINDRAF is also happy to engage in dialogue with BARISAN subject to releasing the 5 HINDRAF leaders and accepting HINDRAF as a pressure group.

P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
Currently in London

18 Point demands of Hindraf Supporters

1. Realizing the five leaders from the ISA because they were arrested for Malaysian Malay political purpose

2. Realizing or acquittal the Hindraf people charged by AG /PM Charges against for political purpose
3. 18 POINT DEMANDS OF THE MALAYSIAN INDIANS TO

1. Whereas:
The Reid Commission was appointed by her Majesty the Queen of England  and the Conference of Rulers in 1956 with the view to Malaya (and now Malaysia) achieving independence by August 1957.Among the primary terms of reference of the Reid Commission were a Common Nationality for the whole of the Federation.

2. And whereas
The overwhelming of the 131 written memoranda submitted to the Reid Commission as evidenced by the declassified documents from the Public Records Office, Kew, London, United Kingdom which represented the will and wishes of the then Malayan population were primarily equality and equal opportunities etc for all Malayans irrespective of
race or religion as follows: –

2.1 In the grant of state land,
2.2 Admission to public and administrative service;
2.3 To trade and do business, licences, permits etc
2.4 Primary, secondary, skills Training, university and overseas university education.
2.5 No special privileges for the Malays,
2.6 No discrimination of any ethnic community based on race or religion,
2.7 The retention of all their places of worship in particular Hindu temples, crematoriums and burial sites,
2.8 Freedom of Religion,
2.9 Malaya is to be a Secular State and not an Islamic state,
2.10 Right to mother tongue education in particular Tamil schools to be fully aided,
2.11 Minimum wage for the lowest paid, and
2.12 Equal recognition as sons of soil for all Malayan born.

3. And whereas
Based on the aforesaid proposals the Malaysian Federal Constitution, which is the supreme law of Malaysia as drawn out by the Reid Commission in 1957 was passed by the inaugural Malayan Parliament and which formed the basis of independent Malaysia.

4. And whereas
Over the last 50 years since independence on the 31st day of August 1957, the United Malays Organisation (UMNO) controlled Malaysian government with their majoritarian might, and backed by police, Attorney General’s Chambers, Judiciary, civil service and the media continuously violated the Malaysian Federal Constitution by their racist and Islamic extremist policies and which in effect have created an apartheid system ala Malaysia and especially resulting in the degeneration of at least 70% of the ethnic minority Indians to become the underclass of Malaysia who end up in the poor and hardcore poor category. The rest of the 29% raised above the poor and hardcore poor category wholly and/or substantially through their own efforts, sacrifices and labour with no or very little assistance by the UMNO
controlled government. The 1% of the cream thrives anyway.

5. And whereas
The plight of the Indians have been made worse by the racist UMNO mindset having spilled over to even almost all of the Opposition parties, NGOs’, Civil society, Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), Bar Council, the media etc who do not take up the Indian plight for they are deemed to be lacking “political mileage” (race based) and/or no funding.

6. And whereas
The Indians having no or very little opportunities for upward mobility or hope either turn to crime (60% of Malaysian detainees are Indians though they are only 8% of population-Suhakam 2005) or end up committing suicide which is 1000% higher than Malays (Utusan Malaysia 12.9.2005).

7. And Whereas at a public forum attended by 1,000 over Indians on 28.7.2007 at 7.00p.m at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, the participants unanimously resolved to forward their 18 point demands and which this peaceful assembly gathered here today on the 12th day of August 2007 at Putrajaya once again unanimously resolves to demand as hereinbelow outlined.

And now it is hereby demanded for and on behalf of the two (2) Million ethnic minority Indians in Malaysia from the UMNO controlled Malaysian Government their 18 point demands as follows: –

(1) End 50 years of violations of the Malaysian Federal Constitution.

(2) End Racism, end Islamic extremism and end Malay privileges on the 50th year golden jubilee mega Independence celebrations of Malaysia on 31st August 2007.

(3) Call for affirmative action plans for all poor Malaysians especially the ethnic minority Indians. A Protection of Ethnic
Minority Malaysian Indian Act 2007 be passed to secure and safeguard the interests of the poor and defenceless ethnic Indian Minority Community.

(4) All 523 Tamil Schools in Malaysia be made fully aided government schools with immediate effect and to have equal and same facilities as granted to national schools especially in terms of financial allocations, sufficient graduate teaching staff, financial allocation for extra tuition, ample computers, Information Technology facilities, school fields, sports, recreational facilities, air conditioned library, textbook loans, kindergarden, school uniforms and pocket money for poor pupils, nutritional food programmes, teaching aids, school building, infrastructure, film screening room and facilities, financial assistance for poor students, rehabilitation classes, non Muslim religious classes, etc. A RM 100 Billion grant @ 20 Billion per year with effect from 2007 be allocated to Indians under the 9th Malaysia Plan (5 years) for refurbishing the existing 523 Tamil schools and rebuilding of the 300 Tamil schools demolished over the last 50 years.

(5) Extend and implement with immediate effect to Indians the affirmative action plans, grants, scholarships, loans etc as extended to Malay Muslim citizens with the view to providing equal opportunities for higher education, university education, admission to foreign universities, post graduate studies locally and overseas, Trade and Skills Training Institutions, Science Colleges especially for each and every Indian student from the 70% poor and hardcore poor
Indian category.

(6) Extend and implement with immediate effect affirmative action plans as extended to Malay Muslim citizens with the view to provide equal opportunities in acquiring wealth, venturing into business, trade, industries, medium and small scale industries, government linked companies, corporate sector, procurement of direct government contracts, in acquiring licenses for contractors, blue chip and / or guaranteed return shares, lorry, taxi and bus permits, loans and licenses to venture into trade, business banking and the corporate sector for each and every Indian from especially the 70% poor and
hardcore poor Indian category. To this effect the UMNO controlled government allocates RM100 Billion at RM20 Billion per annum with effect from 2007 and implements successful strategic schemes in investments for the Indians as implemented for the Malay Muslims with the view to the Indians acquiring at least 10% of the nation’s equity.

(7) All the aforesaid is to be handled directly by the UMNO controlled government and UMNO is to stop “playing politics” through the “Mandore” (supervisor) system by dishing out on a piecemeal and/or peanuts basis or merely public and/or newspaper announcements and declarations by the Malaysian Indian Congress ( M.I.C) who have no or very little power or say in the UMNO controlled Malaysian government.

(8) 20% of the Government top most level postings (Secretaries Generals), Middle level Management (Directors) and management level (Managers) postings, and the same for the Private Sectors, and positions of District Officers; Foreign and Diplomatic Service positions, civil service positions are reserved for Indians for the next 15 years.

(9) The UMNO controlled government makes public and is transparent on all of the aforesaid affirmative action plans i.e. the aforesaid education places, licenses, scholarships, grants, loans, permits, licenses, opportunities etc by publishing the same in the official website of the Government of Malaysia as and when the same is granted and/or on a monthly basis specifying the Indian beneficiaries thereto.

(10) Stop the indiscriminate unconstitutional and unlawful demolitions of Hindu temples, crematoriums and burial sites in
Malaysia. All existing Hindu temples, crematoriums and burial sites be granted state land and permanently gazetted as Hindu temple reserves as has been done for all Islamic places of worship and burial sites. Compensation at RM10 Million per temple be paid by the UMNO controlled Malaysian Government for the 15,000 Hindu temples demolished up to date over the last 50 years.

Every individual given the Right to practice and profess Religion/s of his/her choice in accordance to Standards adopted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948. The State and its Authorities barred from interfering in the personal beliefs and conscience of individual citizens . Disputes between Muslims & Non Muslims should be adjudicated in the Civil Courts.

(11) Stop the victimization and direct discrimination by the Police and all other state authorities of the Indians. All Malaysians earning RM 3,000.00 and below are to be fully borne by state funded legal aid for any criminal charges they face.

(12) The UMNO controlled government forms with immediate effect a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Kg Medan Mini Genocide, condemns the violence thereto, apologises to the Indian community on this mini genocide, undertakes not to repeat the same in future and pay a compensation of RM1,000, 000.00 for each and every citizen killed, permanently maimed, maimed or injured in this tragedy.

(13) Each and every Indian especially the Indian poor in the aforesaid 70% Indian poor and hardcore poor category is paid
compensation which is to be adjudicated and determined by the United Nations Secretary General for the aforesaid 50 years of Constitutional violations by the UMNO controlled government.

(14) All homeless Malaysians are to be provided affordable homes and not low cost flats by law. A minimum wage of RM1,000.00 for each and every Malaysian be made law.

(15) A Royal Commission of Inquiry is initiated to report on the aforesaid constitutional violations by the UMNO controlled government and appropriate recommendations for amongst others further affirmative action plans for especially the 70% Indian poor and hardcore poor category.

(16) All forms of racial and religious discrimination, oppression and suppression of the Indians / Hindus in both the public and private sectors are stopped with immediate effect and a Race Relations Commission Act 2007, an Equal Opportunities Commission Act 2007 and a Freedom of Religion Commissions Act 2007 be passed and powerful Commission thereto be put into force to give effect to anti racism, anti Islamic extremism and anti direct discrimination practices by the UMNO controlled government in both the public and private sectors.

(17) The UMNO controlled government passes specific laws to give effect to the Independence of the Judiciary, the Attorney General’s Chambers, Civil service, Police Force, Army, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission and the Malaysian media and for the Opposition parties, NGOs’ Civil Society groups, Bar Council and the media not to
discriminate and side step Indian issues but instead to voice out the same without fear or favour. The Malaysian media is also to be legislated to report the real happenings especially on the 70% Indian poor and hardcore poor without fear or favour.

(18) A minimum of 20 Opposition members of Parliament are elected exclusively by the Indian Community to represent their interest at the highest political level and also as a Parliamentary Democracy check and balance and the same is safeguarded and entrenched into the Federal Constitution and which is to be increased proportionately with the increase in Parliamentary seats.

Samy velu is not preffered by MIC Sg Siput as a leader.

Read More Here

Government easily eliminated 17000 mostly opposition votes

17,000 people wont be able to vote for the upcoming election. They said that the public is aware that those only registered before September’07 are eligible to vote.

or those names which register BEFORE september 2007… you can check yr status here… (http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/daftarbi.asp)…

For those names which register AFTER september 2007… (http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/rang.asp)…

One more thing i would advise is that.. do print out a copy of the confirmation and keep it with you…

As you all know,anything can happen in this bolehland…

Government sucks and the erection commission sucks the governments…

Malaysian Constitutional rights violated by Government

Makkal Sakthi fever hits Penang

Anil Netto

“Makkal Sakthi (People Power)!” thundered speaker after speaker.

“Valga (Long live)!” roared back the crowd.

I thought I would check out the atmosphere at the DAP ceramah at the Penang Chinese Town Hall in George Town tonight to gauge the mood among voters. The theme: “Bebaskan Hindraf 5 (Free the Hindraf Five).”

When I arrived at the hall at around 8.00pm, it was full. More people were arriving and soon they were spilling out of the hall, where two screens had been put up for those outside to watch the proceedings.

The total turnout was around 3,000, including the few hundred outside the hall.

This was not your typical DAP ceramah. I had covered ceramahs in Penang, including those held at the Chinese Town Hall, for some years – but this was unlike anything I had seen. Instead of an 80 per cent ethnic Chinese crowd, this time Indian Malaysians made up more than 90 per cent of the crowd. Instead of speaking in English and Chinese, the DAP speakers spoke largely in Malay and Tamil and some English.

The Chinese Malaysians who turned up looked bemused and a bit taken aback to find themselve in a minority this time. One Chinese woman, a stranger, turned to me and remarked, “After 50 years of Independence, you have finally woken up” – which sounded a bit strange; she was talking as if I represented the entire Indian Malaysian community in the country!

I was more interested in observing the crowd. Of course, the middle-class were represented, but I saw many, many men and women who looked like they had come from tough or difficult backgrounds, the lower-income group. Were they manual labourers, casual workers, factory workers or unemployed, I wondered.

Many of them looked like they were coming to a political ceramah for the first time. How many of them were actually registered voters? All the same, they seemed eager to snap up reading material such as The Rocket and Aliran Monthly, which were being sold outside. I saw a few young Indian Malaysian men wearing the familiar red and pink Abolish ISA badges.

You could almost feel the air of excitement hanging over the crowd.

The DAP made a conscious effort to project the Indian Malaysian faces in their ranks such as Karpal, Kula, Prof Ramasamy, Guna, Sivanesan and Rayan. Also on stage were Kit Siang, Guan Eng, Chong Eng and was that Jeff Ooi?

Guan Eng told the crowd he had asked quite a few Hindus what they were praying for on Thaipusam and they replied, “For the release of the Hindraf Five.”

“But what did Abdullah Badawi give you?” he asked. “A public holiday!”

He also poked fun at Lingam’s “it looks like me; it sounds like me”.

The crowd laughed, knowingly, at the farce.

As for the detained Hindraf leaders who are now on a hunger strike, the joke going around is that if ever Uthayakumar, who is a diabetic, needed a blood transfusion, the authorities would be wary of appealing to the public for blood donations. That’s because they might have to call in the FRU to control the thousands who would turn up to donate blood!

All the DAP speakers received a rousing welcome as they entered the hall, including a big cheer for Karpal, who is the senior lawyer for the detained Hindraf leaders. Karpal, speaking while seated on stage, told the crowd the DAP was “adopting” Makkal Sakthi.

To me, there are pros and cons of a popular movement such as Makkal Sakthi being institutionalised as or within a political party. We saw that during Reformasi, when Keadilan was set up to institutionalise the movement and take the struggle to a political level.

An anonymous popular movement is spontaneous, dynamic and organic, representing “people power” from the bottom up.

In contrast, a political party tends to be structured and organised while decisions are made at the top. This makes it less spontaneous and more predictable. It also makes it easier for tacticians in the Barisan Nasional, who have mastered the art of our unfair electoral process and campaigning, to read and analyse and deal with during the general election.

That is why reformasi was exciting and unpredictable and dynamic, but once it was institutionalised within a political party (Keadilan), the movement lost some of its dynamism and spontaneity. In fact, my guess is that the BN would be much more comfortable dealing with opposition parties than with anonymous popular movements such as Reformasi and Makkal Sakthi.

Still, I suppose political parties have a role to play in putting across the people’s aspirations into the official policy formulation process. But it would be a great pity if the politicians were to take over in such a way as to leave the people – who have only just tasted a sense of liberation from their metaphorical shackles – feeling disempowered once again.

Okay, back to the ceramah: Karpal also informed the crowd that there was a high probability that Guan Eng would stand as a candidate in Penang in the general election.

Outside the hall, a couple of DAP volunteers at a desk were giving out forms to those who wanted to sign up as polling day volunteers to assist the party. About half a dozen young Indian Malaysians were busy filling up the forms.

I asked the DAP volunteer at the desk how many people had signed up. She flicked through the stack of forms and counted around 30. Others had taken forms, promising to return them later, she said.

From the back of the hall, I could see the a sprinkling of folks who had come in the orange attire of Makkal Sakthi, including the Makkal Sakthi T-shirts.

A visitor from KL marvelled at the mood here in Penang, which he said seemed more enthusiastic than in KL. “Perhaps it’s because the folks over in KL have quite a few different events to choose from.”

I left the ceramah before it ended, convinced that there has been a major swing within the Indian Malaysian community.

On my way back, I walked past the Pitt Street Corner Bar, a stone’s throw from the Chinese Town Hall. It is usually an oasis for those seeking “refreshments” on a Saturday night. Today, it looked rather quiet – a few empty seats around metallic tables inside – despite the presence of a large crowd nearby.

Even as more Malaysians were being detained in KL earlier today, the mood in Penang – at least among these 3,000 people – was one of newfound strength and solidarity in a community that has awakened from it slumber. More than that, a sense of empowerment has descended on the people – a feeling that I can and will make a difference, and what I do really does matter.

And this mood was infectious. Even the Chinese DAP volunteers outside the hall found themselves calling out, “Makkal Sakthi!“

Valga!

Source: Malaysia Today

HINDRAF PRESS STATEMENT 26th JAN 2008

HINDRAF
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square
70200 Seremban
Malaysia.

Re : SPECIAL BRANCH OFFICERS COLLUDING WITH DOCTORS TO PREMATURELY DISCHARGE UTHAYAKUMAR

ROYAL POLICE FORCE UNEASY WITH LARGE PRESENCE OF HINDRAF SUPPORTERS AT TAIPING HOSPITAL.

HINDRAF WOULD LAUNCH 1000 POLICE REPORTS AGAINST POLICE SHOULD UTHAYAKUMAR BE PREMATURELY DISCHARGED .

It has come to our attention the Police Special Branch is colluding and exerting pressure on doctors at Taiping Hospital to immediately discharge Uthayakumar from Hospital as they are “uneasy” with the large presence of HINDRAF supporters and steady flow of supporters throughout the day at Taiping Hospital.

25th and 26th January 2008 saw huge numbers of HINDRAF supporters holding candlelight vigil at the Hospital and hundreds of devotees held special prayers for Uthayakumar at most of the temples in Taiping vicinity.

We have received reliable insider information the Special branch officers are exerting pressure on Doctors to certify Uthayakumar is fit to be discharged despite doctors earlier informing Uthayakumar and his family members that he would be continuously monitored until he breaks his fast on Monday due to his health condition.

HINDRAF warns the Royal Police Force that we would have no choice but to lodge at least 1000 Police reports against the police should Uthayakumar be prematurely discharged and seek the urgent help of the International Red Cross to send a fact finding mission to Malaysia to assess the situation.

P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
Currently in London.

Indians without Birth Certificates / NRIC – URGENT

If you know of any children or Indians who have not taken Birth certificate or their IC, for whatever reason.

Please contact Ms T S Ambarasy at 03-51219809, hp- 016-3661117. Or go to her office at

No 14A, Jalan Feadah 25/86, Taman Sri Muda, Section 25, Shah Alam.

She is with the NGO that is arranging to get the documents. They are planning to have the registration soon before CNY. Please pass the
information around.

Pass this information to the peoples without internet, because they are the ones in this situation. Please do it now.

VIGIL 2 CONTINUE 4 UTHAYA

DEAR HINDRAF SUPPORTERS

PLEASE TAKE NOTE HINDRAF WOULD BE ORGANIZING DAILY CANDLE/VILLAKU VIGIL OUTSIDE TAIPING HOSPITAL UNTIL P.UTHAYAKUMAR COMPLETES HIS FAST SAFELY. PLEASE SEND OUT TEXT MESSAGES (SMS’S) TO YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN US AT TAIPING HOSPITAL DAILY UNTIL MONDAY 28TH JANUARY 2008 AT 6.30PM.

LET US KEEP UP THE SPIRITS OF OUR STRUGGLE AS THE 5 HAD DONE.

THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL STRUGGLE. IT’S THE STRUGGLE FOR THE ENTIRE INDIAN COMMUNITY OF MALAYSIA WHO REMAIN A PERMANENTLY COLONIZED COMMUNITY.

ITS NOW OR NEVER SO LET US NOT LET THE HEAT DIE.

THANK YOU.

P.WAYTHA MOORTHY

CURRENTLY IN LONDON

Cause of Samy Velu’s disappointment !!!

Malaysian Indians urged to pursue education, enterprise
Malaysia Sun
Thursday 24th January, 2008
(IANS)

Indians should stay united and work to improve their lot through education to ‘get on par’ with other races in Malaysia, a senior leader of the community has said. [ Thats what they are doing now after nov 25th ]

Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) leader and the country’s Works Minister S. Samy Vellu said Wednesday that education alone would help the community to be on its path to socio-economic development and parity with other communities.

‘We should be on par with other races and have thousands of graduates among us,’ he told the media during Thaipusam celebrations, a festival of Tamil Hindus, at Batu Caves. [ so,it was not until today – agreed ]

‘Don’t believe the opposition’s stories and accusations. Yes, there are areas in which we are lagging such as in the job market, in getting placement at universities and in getting government contracts,’ Vellu was quoted as saying by The New Straits Times. [ then which field is left,you stupid samy ]

‘But it is not as if we are not getting opportunities at all,’ said Vellu, citing examples of five Class-A Indian contractors who had successfully linked up with the Bumiputera (indigenous Malays) contractors to obtain government projects.[ its his cronies who got the project]

‘You can’t just sit at home and expect contracts to drop on your lap. You must be active and seek out opportunities,’ he said. [says other indian business man are lazy and not working for it]
Vellu said there were 3,000 Malaysian students of Indian origin overseas, 1,500 of whom were being supported by the MIC.[big lie, no proof]

Vellu brushed off a question on whether the recent declaration of Thaipusam as a public holiday in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya was a political ploy in view of the upcoming elections. ‘You think the Indian community is that foolish? Just because the holiday has been given, they will make a favourable decision? The Indian community is very smart now. They are not like before,‘ he said. [ This his major disappointment ]
The MIC that Vellu has been leading for long has been part of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.