‘We won’t be stopped,’ says Hindraf’s UK lawyer

Deportation of lawyer Imran Khan irrational and an attempt by Malaysian authorities to scupper suit against the British.

KLANG: UK lawyer Suresh Grover who’s is in Malaysia to gather evidence for Hindraf’s US$4 trillion civil suit against the British government, condemned the deporation of his fellow colleague Imran Khan last Saturday.

Khan, the legal advisor to Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy, was stopped at the KLIA when he arrived at 1.50pm on Friday and put on plane back to the UK early Saturday morning. Grover who was also on the same flight with Khan, was however, allowed entry.

Khan was deemed a security threat by the Malaysian authorities.

“It is irrational for him to be excluded. The real reason is they (Malaysian government) want the suit to fail. It will not stop us from going about our work and we will challenge his deportation.

“It does not make sense to exclude Khan when I’m here to do the same thing – gather evidence for the suit. They are afraid of you and your tenacity,” Grover told about 1,500 Hindraf supporters and Indians at a gathering in Klang.

Grover said the civil suit was filed against the British government because it failed to guarantee minority rights as recommended by the Reid Commission before independence in 1957.

He also elaborated on the evidence that he was seeking from Malaysia’s Indians.

“We want to speak those denied citizenship, to individuals and groups not allowed their religious freedom, people who are forced to convert (to another faith), businessmen not allowed to be part of the national economy,” said Grover.

“I’m willing to meet the people here if they want to be claimants in the suit,” said Grover who was a victim of racism in UK in the 1960s.

Grover told the eager crowd that Waythamoorthy had already collected thousands of documented evidence from the Public Records Office in London.

On the filing of the suit, he said that it was filed on Aug 30, 2007 and it will have to be heard before Aug 30, 2013.

The suit which named the British Crown and government as defendants, is seeking redress for the victimisation of Indians, whose ancestors were brought to Malaya as indentured labourers.

Possibility of intimidation

During a moderated Q&A session, Grover said that it was impossible to charge the Malaysian government for crimes against humanity.

“It depends on the response from the British government,” said Grover “as it only possible if the Malaysian government is named as the second defendent by the UK.

Grover was also asked about the possibility of intimidation by the Malaysian government if people become claimants.

“There is no compulsion to give names and addresses to court. You can remain anonymous, only giving details to me.”

Hindu Rights Party’s (HRP) pro-tem chairman, N Ganesan, who chaired the session said the exposure on rights violations against Indians would be bring about changes.

“The apartheid system exposed in South Africa led it to be made an outcast nation. If we can do this, we will bring about changes,” said Ganesan.

Waythamoorthy originally filed the class action suit on Aug 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, in London.

However, the suit was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and arrest of its lawyers under the Internal Security Act (ISA).