Company Director Sues Nallakaruppan For RM 10 Million

PENANG, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- A company director today filed a RM10 million defamation suit against Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) president Datuk S. Nallakaruppan over a police report lodged during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election on Aug 21 which he claimed was false.

The suit by L.Balasupramaniyam was filed at the High Court registry here by his counsel, R.S. N.Rayer.

In his statement of claim Balasupramaniyam said that the report lodged at the Seberang Jaya police station accused him and several others of threatening Nallakaruppan and his workers at the MIUP operations room between 9pm and 10pm on Aug 19.

He said that he was on a business trip to Thailand between Aug 18 and 20.

As a result of the report, he was detained for investigation at the Bandar Perda police station and released on Aug 23 on police bail.

Balasupramaniyam claimed that the detention had affected his image as a company director and subjected him to mental and emotional stress.

He is seeking special damages totalling RM10 million besides general, aggravated and exemplary damages.

Rayer told reporters that a notice of demand dated Sept 9 was sent to Nallakaruppan seeking a retraction of the allegation in the police report and a public apology.

The suit was filed after Nallakaruppan failed to do meet the demand within the specified period, he said.

-- BERNAMA

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MIC To Continue Efforts To Have Detained Hindraf Leaders Freed

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- MIC will continue efforts to secure the freedom of five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) who have been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since December last year, said its president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu.

He said MIC was pursuing the matter on humanitarian grounds and also because of requests from the detainees' families.

"We are sympathetic to their plight," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of MIC's central working committee (CWC) at the party's headquarters here today.

Samy Vellu said this in response to the government's action in banning Hindraf yesterday.

The five detained are R. Kengadharan, 41, M. Manoharan, 47, V.Ganabatirau, 35, P. Uthayakumar, 47, and K. Vasantha Kumar, 35.

Asked if the ban would further erode support for the party, Samy Vellu said MIC had its own strength in fighting for the interests of the Indian community.

"I don't think anything will push the Indians away," he said.

He also disagreed that the ban had caused the community to "lose their voice", saying the government had formed a cabinet committee specifically to hear grievances and solve problems the community was facing.

Samy Vellu said he would be raising to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak several matters concerning the community including the situation of 22 Tamil schools planned to be built at a cost of RM30 million but now had encountered problems because the cost had risen to over RM100 million.

He added that the MIC would hold its Deepavali open house on Oct 27 at Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre here from 10am to 1pm.

-- BERNAMA
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Action On Hindraf Should Be Example To Others

TAWAU, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The government's move to outlaw the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) should be a signal to organisations in the country to always follow the nation's laws, said Sabah Assistant Finance Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan.

Supporting the action, although he felt it was late in coming, the Apas state assemblyman said if the government had not acted more serious problems could have arisen later.

"If the government did not act, it could lead to a bad situation, as the group can spark racial and religious tensions," said Tawfiq, who is also Tawau Umno division chief. He was speaking to Bernama here today.

He was commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar's statement that Hindraf had been banned.

According to Tawfiq, Hindraf supporters' disturbance at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Hari Raya open house was not Hindraf's first such act and it could cause racial and religious tensions if not dealt with early.

"Actually the government should have acted earlier but its give and take attitude was taken advantage of by Hindraf to become bolder," he said.

-- BERNAMA