Samy the CHAMELEON

S Samy Vellu’s call for the release of the Hindraf 5 from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention is a political ploy by the MIC president, alleged the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI) today.

“The demand made by the former works minister is dishonest and is apparently politically motivated,” said GMI president, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (right) in a statement.

He said the timing of Samy’s call for the release of the five was suspect as the MIC boss had never made such calls prior to the general election on March 8.

In a dramatic move, Samy, at an event at the party’s headquarters yesterday, publicly called for the release of the Hindraf ISA detainees as he said ‘there were no longer reason to detain them’.

The veteran politician said he would meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi soon to discuss this matter.

He also urged Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy – who is currently in London in self-exile – to return to Malaysia, saying he latter was not a political refugee.

Samy’s call came in as a shock to many as he was among the government and BN leaders who had vociferously criticised the Hindraf movement prior to the arrests of its key leaders on Dec 13.

Meanwhile the wife of ISA detainee and Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan today denied she had sought help from Samy Vellu for the release of her husband.

“I didn’t go and see Samy Vellu,” S Pushpaneela was reported by Star Online as saying.

Samy Vellu had on Sunday claimed that Pushpaneela had met him to discuss the matter.

Release all detainees

Hindraf has been credited for being partly responsible for the worst ever performance by the MIC in a general election following the March 8 polls.

Samy Vellu lost at his parliamentary constituency in Sungai Siput while the rest of the party’s top leadership fared no better, losing in all their respective constituencies they had contested.

Syed Ibrahim said Samy’s call for the release of the Hindraf 5 was a move necessary for him to regain the trust of the Indian community which saw Hindraf as a voice for their struggle against increasing marginalisation by the government.

“If he is really sincere about justice, why does he not call for the release of all 70 ISA detainees, all of which have been denied their basic right to a fair trial,” questioned Syed Ibrahim.

He said GMI would continue to insist that the government release all the 70 ISA detainees being held and not just the Hindraf 5 as the detention of all the 70 was unjust and a violation of their human rights.

As the MIC leaders try to rebuild the party,foundation is cracking

MIC branch dissolved, members become PAS supporters

By RASLAN BAHAROM

(STAR) TAIPING: The Kampung Jebong MIC branch in Simpang here was officially dissolved when 110 of its members quit the party to become members of “Kelab Penyokong PAS” (PAS Supporters Club).

Branch chairman M. Muninathan, accompanied by committee members, submitted their application forms to Bukit Gantang MP Roslan Shaharom at a village temple here on Saturday night.

Roslan said the welfare of the former MIC branch members and members of the Indian community would be taken care of.

“We will take care of you because any problems affecting the Indian community will also affect members of the other communities,” he said.

Roslan said he was indebted to the Indian community here as more than 95% of Indian voters within the Bukit Gantang parliamentary constituency had voted for him in the recently-concluded general election.

He said members of the community had every reason to rejoice as two of the three state seats in the constituency had been won by Barisan Rakyat, and the victors — Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (Changkat Jering) and Tai Sing Ng (Kuala Sepetang) — had been appointed exco members of the new Perak state government.

Anwar expressed support for families of ISA detainees

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (ES) – People’s Justice Party (KeADILan) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed his support for families of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees – an act which provided for detention without trial. He also lent support to KeADILan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail plan to focus on five issues of importance during the next parliamentary session which will see the opposition having the chance to play its role effectively for the first time. Wan Azizah, who is poised to become the country first woman opposition parliamentary leader had indicated that “laws that deprive Malaysians of their fundamental liberties must be abolished”. “I have met with wives and children of ISA detainees on the night (of March 25) to enquire on their well being and to express commitment to the statement made by Azizah,” Anwar said. “(A)mong her main proposals to be tabled in the next parliamentary sitting were for ISA detainees to be released without condition,” he said in a posting today on his blog. PAS opposes ISA The party – along with other opposition parties Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) – had indicated that the would repeal the Act should they come to power. PAS specifically had outlined in its election manifesto the need to amend or repeal draconian acts. During the March 8 general election, the opposition won 82 seats to deny the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi its two-third majority gripped on parliament for the first time in almost five decades.

Speculation is rife that a number of 30 parliamentarians from the ruling coalition had already expressed intention to join the opposition with KeADILan youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohamad Akin confirming the certainty for near half of number. Abdullah’s government is also in danger of collapsing due to internal rift within the party but the change in the leadership of the ruling government would not likely to change any laws that violates human rights, especially the ISA. The opposition fielded 17 ex-detainees of ISA in the March 8 election with 14 of them successfully winning seats. Eleven of the 14 candidates contested for parliamentary seats. – Saadon Aksah/ES

Samy calls for Hindraf 5’s release

In a dramatic about-turn, MIC president S Samy Vellu today called for the release of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders held without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The veteran politician said he will meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi soon to discuss this matter.

He also urged Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy – who is currently in London on self-exile – to return to the country and be reunited with his family, saying that the latter should not be a political refugee.

Samy Vellu was speaking to reporters after opening the MIC divisional leaders workshop at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The Hindraf leaders detained under the security law are Waythamoorthy’s brother, Uthayakumar, V Ganabatirau, M Manoharan, T Vasantha Kumar and R Kengadharan.

The five – four of whom are lawyers – were arrested shortly after organising a mammoth street rally in Kuala Lumpur which drew some 30,000 people on Nov 25 last year.

Approached by detainees’ families

Samy Vellu revealed that the families of Manoharan and R Kengadharan had approached him for assistance.

“Because they made an approach, I will talk to the PM (about securing their freedom),” he said, adding, “We also don’t want them to be kept inside.

“The government has to make a decision. Kenghadharan is very sick, Manoharan is an elected member. So I think it is quite reasonable. I am going to ask PM (to release them) and meet the Internal Security Minister (Syed Hamid Syed Albar).

“I made some moves on this earlier, but I didn’t tell anybody. I will now make a very strong move to see what can be done,” he added

Manoharan won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor under a DAP ticket in the March 8 elections.

In the past, Samy Vellu had been critical of Hindraf and the Nov 25 demonstration. The movement, in return, also accused MIC and its party boss of failing to uplift the status of the Indian community.

Not a publicity stunt

Responding to a question, Samy Vellu denied that the move to call for the five’s release was a publicity stunt.

Describing it as being motivated by “fairness”, he said: “At the same time, we feel that as Indians, we have to do something about this.”

The MIC president also revealed how he had helped secure the release of four students detained with scores others in the wake of the Hindraf rally.

Thirty-one detainees were later charged with the attempted murder of a policeman, but this was subsequently dropped.

Samy Vellu said this happened because he spoke to the prime minister and attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail.

“But one of the detainees’ fathers scolded me like hell… (the father said) ‘Who the hell are you?’, ‘Where were you when my son was arrested?’

“He ashamed me, it was very unreasonable. But I didn’t take it to mind, as long as the students were released and the (attempted murder) charge against the others was reduced,” he added.

The MIC president said “many had argued for them because they want publicity.” “We only want the truth,” he said.

Source: Malaysiakini 

Letter to Tan Sri Khalid from HINDRAF

Y.B. Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim

Selangor Menteri Besar

Selangor State Secretariat Office,
Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah,         Tel: 03 5544 7013
40503 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.                 Fax: 03 5519 0032

YAB,

Re: (1) Demolished Hindu Temple in Kg. Rimba Jaya, Kg. Karupiah, Kg Jawa Shah Alam was catalyst for Hindraf Peaceful Assembly on 25/11/2007 which led to 90% of Indians voting for Opposition in theMarch 8^th General Elections.

(2) PKR led Selangor State government has not properly rewarded Selangor Indians by merely repeating the 10,000 sq feet land and RM 40,000.00 promised by the previous UMNO led government.

With respect to the above mentioned matter we are disappointed at the mere reputation of what the previous UMNO government had previously already promised. (Tamil Nesan 18/03/08 pg 3). May we bring to your kind attention that it was the demolishment of this Temple that eventually led to 90% of the Indians in Malaysia voting for the Oppositions and as abovementioned. We hereby appeal that this Hindu Temple is retained at the existing and present site by the PKR led state government compulsorily acquiring the land (CPO) and awarding the same to the said Temple. This Hindu Temple is the heritage of the people of Kg Karupiah and means a lot to them.

 

In the alternative if this Temple has to be relocated it would only be fair and proper for the new Selangor State government to award the following:

1. Award a 1 (one) acre land for the reconstruction of this Temple.
2. This Hindu Temple should also have an adjoining wedding hall/community centre to serve the almost 10,000 Hindu community in the area.
   
3. The state government allocates RM 10 million for the construction of this new Temple and hall. (Note: Dato Seri S Samy Vellu allocated RM 8million for a mosque he personally designed and another RM 2 million for an Indian Muslim mosque both in Sungai Siput during the run up to the March 8^th General Elections).
4. The one acre land title is to be given to this Hindu Temple.
5. Please also rebuilt and give back to the people the kindergarden for the poor Indians that was ruthlessly demolished by the previous UMNO government.

By granting our appeal, the PKR government would prove it’s sincerity by putting into practice it’s election manifesto of a truly multi racial and multi religious Malaysian society and not merely preaching the same. Y.A.B. please prove that your government is different from the UMNO led government that has ruled Malaysia for the last 50 years.

We thank your goodselves in anticipation.

Thank you,

Yours faithfully

P.Waytha Moorthy

(Chairman)

cc: Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim      

Adviser                                          

National Justice Party

17, Jalan 16/2,

Petaling Jaya

46350, Selangor,

Malaysia

New politics and the Indian Malaysian

M Nadarajah | Mar 25, 08 12:21pm The facts of the 12th general election have been recounted several times, but not the meaning of events of the socio-political drama that unfolded and burst into the public arena over the last six months, leading up to polling day.

On the ground, the election results are the outcome:
(i) the history of what the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has actually done for the people and this nation since independence,
(ii) political and campaign strategies of the individual parties or their coalitions,
(iii) systematic manipulation of the voting system and constituencies and lastly,
(iv) easy access to new information and communication technologies by all political contenders.

Among the factors, it is in the history of this nation that we need to look closely and to identify definite trends that have given us what we are experiencing today. A few centuries ago, an European social commentator and revolutionary said ‘History moves forward qualitatively only on the side of and through the agency of the oppressed and marginalised. It is they who provide the social ground that offer History a new Future’.

In a sense, history had thrust upon the Indian Malaysian (specifically the Tamils) that special responsibility. The 12th general election was the temporal space where history conspired to give us the opportunity for that ‘an-other’ Malaysia to which many of us aspire.

Indian Malaysians have faired extremely well in that effort. They have pushed the agenda of a new politics for Malaysia. On hindsight, the rise of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and later Makkal Sakthi, is undeniably a critical turning point in Malaysian politics.

They represent not just organisational politics but really the spirit of a marginalised community aspiring for fairness. With this development, emerged a social instrument that has now given us all an opportunity to break the hold of ethnocracy in Malaysia and dismantle the ethnic model of politics. We have an opportunity to look beyond that model, the limits of which was reached by the end of the last century.

One of the main icons of ethnic politics in Malaysia, the MIC and its head S Samy Vellu, supposedly represented the Indians in BN. But the increasing problems of the community and the inability of the MIC leadership to deal with these adequately only led to the accumulation of disenchantment.

The frustration, humiliation and disappointment Indians (in particular the Tamils) felt intensely was bound to take a social and communal form and it did. Indeed, Makkal Sakthi (people power) has become conscious of itself and its role.

The mainstream media, BN national leaders and Samy Vellu dismissed all these critical developments. One editorial in New Straits Times trivialised the anger of the Indian/Tamil people expressed through Hindraf.

Samy Vellu did not see what was coming his way. He even thought the observation of Thaipusam at Batu Caves was a success when the community knew it was not. He thought the Indians/Tamil would vote in the MIC leaders to power without carefully listening to the murmurings on the ground even among once-staunch MIC supporters. But it is all to clear now.

The angry Indian/Tamil Malaysians have not only thrown Samy Vellu out of power but have also, directly and with help of other Malaysians, left the MIC in disarray. The party is now actually useless to the Indian Malaysian community, which also does not want MIC to represent it.

Common destiny

MIC cannot now claim to represent Indian Malaysians in the BN and the government. Whatever BN may do to include Indian Malaysians, the BN now cannot claim to run a successful ethnic consociational model of politics.

A new political language needs to be framed. And it must be framed by the new young parliamentarians who will now speak for all of us, including Indian Malaysians.

Along with many concerned citizens, the Indian Malaysian community has delivered to all Malaysians the opportunity for nurturing a new politics. And in this challenging interim period, they have done that at great risk and further marginalisation as a community, if those who have been elected to power i.e. the opposition, do not subscribe to a politics beyond the ethnic model and beyond ethnocracy or theocracy.

The Indian Malaysian community needs active intervention of parties like the DAP, PKR and PAS (if it really believes that the spirit of Islam is for all) to take up their cause. There is an urgent need to subscribe to politics that sees the problems and needs of Malaysians as the common problems and needs of a people governed by a common destiny.

While needs and problems can be specific to definite Malaysian communities like the Kadazans, Chinese, Indians or Malays, they need to be framed as national problems or needs and addressed with national concern and sensitivity. There is no room for ethnicisation and politicisation of the problems of the citizens, particularly when it involves access to basic goods and services, like water and housing.

For this orientation to really get rooted in Malaysia, we need that new political language of dialogue and inclusiveness urgently, knowing well that it is going to take some time and challenges to institutionalise it.

It is the responsibility of the opposition and the new set of young parliamentarians to give us this as soon as possible. They have to balance their social commitment, the demands of their parties and arrive at a workable minimum programme for inter-party relationship and cooperation.

We are at a threshold of a new future for the future generations and us. Can we nurture, shape and sustain it…together with single-mindedness?

---

DR M NADARAJAH is a sociologist by training. He belongs to the Asian Public Intellectuals Community, a community of filmmakers, theatre people, song writers, poets, activists and academics working in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Japan for a better Asia. His work focuses on cultural and sustainability issues.

HINDRAF seeks Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Y.A.B. DATO’ SERI ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI

Prime Minister of Malaysia

Block Utama,

Bangunan Perdana Putra,                                                                      Email: reduceredtape@pmo.gov.my

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,                                         Email: abdullah@kdn.gov.my

62502 Putrajaya                                                                                     Tel: 03 8888 8000

                                                                                                                   Fax: 03 8888 3444

YAB,

 

Re: Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the discrimination and Maginalisation of Malaysian Indians

 

May we firstly congratulate your goodself and your party in winning the 12th General Election held on 8/03/2008. As your goodselves have acknowledged the winds of change and the past mistakes, may we humbly propose that your goodselves form the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with regards to the very sad state of affairs, discrimination and maginalisation of especially the 80% Malaysian Indian poor. With the sincere formation of this commission we hope to move forward and grow together from now onwards in the True spirit of oneness, and equality and equal opportunity for all the poor especially the Malaysian Indian poor and mostly importantly humanity. The Malaysian Indians have persistently complained about the following:

 

1. Hardly any kindergartens in Tamil schools as opposed to Malay schools and the kemas kindergartens, which literally excludes Indians.

 

2. After 50 years of independence about two thirds of 523 Tamil schools in Malaysia are not fully aided.

 

3. Indians are not allowed into Mara Junior Colleges, Fully Residential Schools, Giat Mara Technical Schools, Matriculation Schools, Islamic Universities and many other educational institutions save and except the very few to show color.

 

4. All deserving Indians unlike their Malay Muslim brothers are denied places in the local public universities especially in the critical courses like medicine, dentistry,engineering, bio technology, accountancy etc. on an equal opportunity basis.

 

5. Overseas posting, training, scholarships, placements are denied to all deserving Indian students on an equal opportunity basis.

 

6. 30% of this Indian population can’t even properly read and write in the National language.

 

7. 60% of deaths in police custody (one in every two weeks) and by police shooting (one in every week) and detainees in police lock ups and prisons are Indians when they only form about 8% of the total population.

 

8. Indians have the highest suicide rate (for every 100,000 there are 35 Indians, 8Chinese and 5 Malays).

 

9. Civil service jobs for Indians have dwindled from about 60% in 1957 to about 2% today in 2008 with very little promotion prospects.

 

10. Top executive and managerial positions in the civil, corporate, banking, government linked companies, small and medium sized industries are denied to all deserving Indians on an equal opportunity basis.

 

11. Hindu Temples are indiscriminately demolished at the rate of one Hindu Temple in every three weeks.

 

12. 40,000 children are without even birth certificate in the first place, in the state of Selangor alone (Estimated at least 100,000 nationwide) which is their innate birthright.

 

13. Direct discrimination, marginalisation and racism from the counter level onwards both at the public and private sectors.

 

14. 60% of police abuse of powers cases are against the Indians (unlawful detention and torture etc).

 

15. Affirmative action programs e.g. PNB, Bank Pertanian, Felda, Felcra, Risda,UDA are completely closed to the Indians.

 

16. Licenses, permits, business opportunities are denied to all deserving Indians on an equal opportunity basis.

 

17. Distribution of contracts, projects, legal work, panel ship etc. both in private and public sectors almost always exclude Indians.

 

18. With this we hope from now onwards the Indians would be treated accordingly to Article 8 of the Federal Constitution (Equality before the Law). We hope for sincerity on your part. We hereby pray for an appointment to meet your good self with the sincere view to move forward.

 

Thank you,

 

Yours faithfully

P Waytha Moorthy

(Chairman)

Diversity and Multiculturalism: The New Racism

By Michael S. Berliner, Ph.D., and Gary Hull, Ph.D.

Is ethnic diversity an “absolute essential” of a college education? UCLA’s Chancellor Charles Young thinks so. Ethnic diversity is clearly the purpose of affirmative action, which Young is defending against a long-overdue assault. But far from being essential to a college education, such diversity is a sure road to its destruction. “Ethnic diversity” is merely racism in a politically correct disguise.

Many people have a very superficial view of racism. They see it as merely the belief that one race is superior to another. It is much more than that. It is a fundamental (and fundamentally wrong) view of human nature. Racism is the notion that one’s race determines one’s identity. It is the belief that one’s convictions, values and character are determined not by the judgment of one’s mind but by one’s anatomy or “blood.”

This view causes people to be condemned (or praised) based on their racial membership. In turn, it leads them to condemn or praise others on the same basis. In fact, one can gain an authentic sense of pride only from one’s own achievements, not from inherited characteristics.

The spread of racism requires the destruction of an individual’s confidence in his own mind. Such an individual then anxiously seeks a sense of identity by clinging to some group, abandoning his autonomy and his rights, allowing his ethnic group to tell him what to believe. Because he thinks of himself as a racial entity, he feels “himself” only among others of the same race. He becomes a separatist, choosing his friends—and enemies—based on ethnicity. This separatism has resulted in the spectacle of student-segregated dormitories and segregated graduations.

The diversity movement claims that its goal is to extinguish racism and build tolerance of differences. This is a complete sham. One cannot teach students that their identity is determined by skin color and expect them to become colorblind. One cannot espouse multiculturalism and expect students to see each other as individual human beings. One cannot preach the need for self-esteem while destroying the faculty which makes it possible: reason. One cannot teach collective identity and expect students to have self-esteem.

Advocates of “diversity” are true racists in the basic meaning of that term: they see the world through colored lenses, colored by race and gender. To the multiculturalist, race is what counts—for values, for thinking, for human identity in general. No wonder racism is increasing: colorblindness is now considered evil, if not impossible. No wonder people don’t treat each other as individuals: to the multiculturalist, they aren’t.

Advocates of “diversity” claim it will teach students to tolerate and celebrate their differences. But the “differences” they have in mind are racial differences, which means we’re being urged to glorify race, which means we’re being asked to institutionalize separatism. “Racial identity” erects an unbridgeable gulf between people, as though they were different species, with nothing fundamental in common. If that were true—if “racial identity” determined one’s values and thinking methods—there would be no possibility for understanding or cooperation among people of different races.

Advocates of “diversity” claim that because the real world is diverse, the campus should reflect that fact. But why should a campus population “reflect” the general population (particularly the ethnic population)? No answer. In fact, the purpose of a university is to impart knowledge and develop reasoning, not to be a demographic mirror of society.

Racism, not any meaningful sense of diversity, guides today’s intellectuals. The educationally significant diversity that exists in “the real world” is intellectual diversity, i.e., the diversity of ideas. But such diversity—far from being sought after—is virtually forbidden on campus. The existence of “political correctness” blasts the academics’ pretense at valuing real diversity. What they want is abject conformity.

The only way to eradicate racism on campus is to scrap racist programs and the philosophic ideas that feed racism. Racism will become an ugly memory only when universities teach a valid concept of human nature: one based on the tenets that the individual’s mind is competent, that the human intellect is efficacious, that we possess free will, that individuals are to be judged as individuals—and that deriving one’s identity from one’s race is a corruption—a corruption appropriate to Nazi Germany, not to a nation based on freedom and independence.

Abandonment of MIC – An open letter

An open letter to Dato S Subramaniam and others WHO want to resurrect the now dead MIC

The abandonment of MIC by Malaysian Indians is surely a reflection that MIC has failed itself significantly in representing the very people it serves.

MIC failed the Indians, when did barely nothing to prevent the temple demolitions. MIC failed when its leaders did not ensure that budgeted allocations actually went towards needy Tamil schools. MIC failed when it’s leaders did not negotiate for better salaries for Estate Workers, or find jobs for displaced Estate workers. May we ask what MIC did towards halting the rising rates of gangsterism within the Malaysian Indian community?

We did not hear a squeak from MIC leaders when time and again Indians died in police custody. Once again where was the voice of MIC leaders when our deserving students did not get placement in the Universities? Neither did we hear our MIC representatives clamour to give housing for poor urban Indians. Where were the MIC leaders when our community were deprived of jobs and when the number of Indians in Government dropped alarmingly?

Sir, sorry to say, that our MIC leaders together with the ruling Government wilfully neglected the Indian community. So now you tell us, why do we Indians need such category of self serving leaders?

Though we Malaysian Indians had MPs and other leaders in Government, rarely did anyone take up their cause, a case in point, the hundreds of Memos sent in by Hindraf went virtually ignored and unanswered by all in government. When in actual fact, the MIC should have taken onus to address the problems enumerated in the Hindraf demands, this being specific Indian issue. Instead leaders went all out to demonise us, resorting to all manner of name calling from penyangkak to extremists to murderers even to the extent of our esteemed police force’s vivid and imaginary terrorist links.

Why you too Sir, did not make any efforts to take up the Indian cause, surely with your connections you could have highlighted the Indian plight, but then I guess all of you very busy pursuing your own personal and business interests. Why did you not use your influence with the Government to speak on behalf of the thousands of Indians who came out on the streets in a voice of discontent? Were you lounging in one of the hotels on Jalan Ampang watching us Malaysian Indians being jetted with chemical waters and tear gas?

Consider the 12th General Elections and see for yourself how the Indians rallied with the opposition especially in constituencies where MIC candidates were contesting. Indians tirelessly worked to ensure that MIC candidates failed to get elected. Is that not proof in itself, that the very people MIC represents, in effect ensured its failure? Otherwise how do you attribute that even the CEO of MIC and his deputy failed to get elected, it was not by coincidence but the very intention of frustrated and marginalised Malaysian Indians.

One of the main reasons for the debacle of the BN in this elections, is that the Indians previously complacent openly came out in large numbers to assist the opposition candidates, be it DAP, PAS or PKR, it did not matter to them whether the candidates were Indian, Chinese, Malay or any other, nevertheless Indians gave their whole hearted support to any candidate other than BN.

By now you should know that the reason for the component parties’ devastation in the 12th GE was primarily because the minorities felt that their leaders failed to represent and voice out the discontent of the people. This in turn effected the rise of the elite UMNO and their racial policies. Just to illustrate, when the Keris was raised, those who mumbled and grumbled a bit, were seen in the next days papers, smiling and shaking hands, with the keris wielding leader who today unfortunately still sits in cabinet, while the rest of us were furious and feared our very future in this nation.

To your question on who will represent the Indians, there are enough Indians in Parliament and the State Assemblies to ensure the welfare of the Indians. Right now there is a strong Indian presence in five state governments, so to you we say we have sufficient representation of Indians in whom we have placed our trust and confidence.

For the development of respective Arts and Culture, there should not be a problem to initiate societies and associations for the promotion of language, literature, culture, arts, music and dance.

It is timely that big industrialists and entrepreneurs come forward to develop, train and mentor the younger generation. I am equally sure that you should not have a problem with your expertise and being a person of influence to establish ways to promote economic growth of marginalised and deserving Malaysians irrespective of race or religion.

To Samy Velu, who today said “who will represent the Indians”? Go and seek penance in Kasi and prepare yourself to meet your maker, your end is nearing. Be sure you have answers for your bad performance and your major role in the making of a powerful opposition, for certain, they have already thanked you for this. Meditate how your devious actions led to the sad demise of MIC. By raising the tolls, in amassing huge amounts of wealth. We ofcourse in the elections did not forget how the Hindraf assemblers were treated at Batu Caves and we gave you the answer by booting you out. Be gone. You have negated all the the efforts and the good done by the early founders of MIC, you have dragged all their work into the stinking muck.

By the way, Dato Subramaniam and others you could earn back some semblance of respect if you could get not just the Hindraf 5 but also all other ISA detainees released. However if you wish to serve,let it be all Malaysians, not just one community, that is our sincere advice to you.

We have now reached a mature stage whereby we the people, Malays, Chinese, Indians and others will directly involve ourselves with our elected representatives to ensure that all our interests are taken care of. We have made our voice heard in this elections and we say once and for all, be gone all yea who want to encourage racism and partisan politics in Malaysia, that was once and no more shall the people let self-serving politicians divide us.

Why have you not heard our loud “NO TO RACISM, NEPOTISM, WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE AND CORRUPTION.

Right now, there are stalwarts who are true patriots, working to ensure the success of the Barisan Rakyat.

Barisan Rakyat is the only way forward for Malaysia.

From:I am of one race – Malaysian

JOINT STATEMENT BY PKR, DAP and PAS

PAS, KeADILan, DAP setuju erat kerjasama, Wan Azizah Ketua Pembangkang

Dalam satu keputusan bersejarah malam tadi, para pemimpin KeADILan, PAS dan DAP bersetuju untuk membentuk satu barisan yang lebih padu bagi memenuhi tuntutan sebuah ‘kerajaan menunggu’ di peringkat Pusat dan negeri-negeri.

Sehubungan itu, parti-parti terbabit juga sebulat suara bersetuju mencadangkan Presiden KeADILan, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yang juga Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh sebagai Ketua Pembangkang Parlimen Malaysia sehinggalah Ketua Umum KeADILan, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim layak bertanding untuk kerusi Parlimen.

Berikut disiarkan kenyataan penuh tiga perenggan pemimpin-pemimpin parti terbabit:

Adalah diumumkan bahawa kami Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang dan Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang pagi pihak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KeADILan), Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) dan Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) bersetuju dalam satu pertemuan pada malam 18 Mac 2008 bahawa hasrat rakyat sebagaimana yang ditunjukkan dalam pilihanraya ke-12 baru-baru ini perlulah dihormati dan dilaksanakan oleh kami dan parti-parti kami.

Kami bersetuju bahawa kerjasama yang lebih erat perlu dipertimbangkan dengan serius dengan mengambil kira hasrat rakyat untuk mewujudkan kerajaan Persekutuan dan negeri-negeri yang baru dan boleh membawa perubahan-perubahan besar kepada rakyat.

Kami juga bersetuju mencadangkan YB Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Presiden Parti Keadilan Rakyat, iaitu parti pembangkang terbesar di Parlimen ke-12, sebagai Ketua Pembangkang Parlimen Malaysia yang baru, sehingga Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim layak bertanding untuk kerusi Parlimen

Anwar Ibrahim
Lim Kit Siang
Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang - tajdid

Source:Harakah Daily