Uthaya: No reason to rejoice over lifting of ban

Lifting the four-year ban on the Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) offers no cause for celebration because Malaysia’s racist policies still stand, said founding member P Uthayakumar.

The move, he said when contacted, is a mere political gimmick in light of the looming 13th general election.

The government lifted the ban last Saturday - on the eve of Thaipusam - but Uthayakumar noted that it has yet to meet the movement's 18 demands since Aug 12, 2007, and that many Indian Malaysians remain mired in hardcore poverty.

Uthayakumar further said that charges against him - for alleged sedition - and 54 Hindraf activists have yet to be dropped by the public prosecutor.

He said racial discrimination persists against Indian Malaysians in employment, education, business opportunities and entrance to certain professions.

“Many Tamil schools are still in a bad shape as they are not fully aided by the government. Some schools operate out of cargo containers, shophouses or dilapidated buildings,” he said.

“The government has been announcing big plans, about RM500 million-plus allocated in the budget. But how much of this reaches Tamil schools?

“There was one instance when the government announced an allocation of RM100 million, but in the end the money never reached the schools, and the Education Ministry said it was due to high building costs.”

Uthayakumar suggested that the government, rather than make big announcements, proves its commitment by carrying out its promises.

Referring to limited opportunities in business, he said it was difficult for members of the community to obtain trading licences.

He cited the case of a scrap metal dealer in Lembah Pantai who has been trading there since 2000 - the authorities recently seized his pick-up truck and weighing scale because he does not hold a licence.

“That has been a problem for Indian traders, for they are continuously marginalised by the Umno-led government,” said Uthayakumar.

At the same time, the authorities do not act against Malay traders who set up food stalls by the roadside, he claimed.

Backing for BN now?

Gaining admission to study medicine and law in local universities is another area of concern to the community, Uthayakumar said.

Uthayakumar raised the issue of the Certificate in Legal Practice qualification, where the passing rate for Indian Malaysians is only 10 percent. In contrast, Malays have a higher pass rate.

Indian students who want to study medicine must meet various conditions imposed by the government, where they must obtain at least 5Bs in their Maths and Science subjects for them to do foundation studies either, locally or abroad, he said.

Given these constraints, the youth are further displaced from the mainstream of opportunities and are pushed into social problems.

While acknowledging that such remarks may sound racist to some, he insisted that these area true reflection of the prevailing situation.

Asked whether the lifting of the ban would persuade Hindraf supporters to back the BN, Uthayakumar reiterated that the decision was merely a political gimmick.

Members of the community would also not fall for it, he said, as they would look at hard facts, such as the government's commitment in resolving pressing issues.

“There is nothing yet fulfilled by the government that the community can fully rejoice about. Lifting the ban will not alleviate the problems the community faces,” Utahayakumar added.

“This includes the denial of citizenship to some 450,000 stateless Indians. Only a few have been given citizenship.”
'I will not meet the PM'

Uthayakumar said lifting the ban on Hindraf was done without any cost to Umno and BN, and they expected Hindraf to be in gratitude for this.

“There are a more than 46,000 non-governmental organisations registered with the Registrar of Societies, but only Hindraf faces the problem of not being registered. The withdrawal of the ban is at no cost to Umno.

“Similarly with the granting of citizenship, as was done for a 17-year-old girl recently. It did not incur any cost to the BN government.

“However, it has affected the bright future of the girl, for she could not sit for school exams as she was not given a MyKad, despite her parents being born in Malaysia,” he added.

Uthayakumar  reiterated that the lifting of the ban would not translate into votes for the BN as the ruling coalition first had to be committed to fulfilling what Hindraf has been demanding for the last five years.

He also reiterated that he would not meet with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak despite the ban on Hindraf being lifted because the present government had not fulfilled the demands of the Indian community through Hindraf.

"The PM must deliver first and not make empty promises and talk. Only then will I consider whether to meet him," Uthayakumar added.

Lawyer M Manoharan (right) reiterated the call to to the authorities lift the sedition charge filed against Uthayakumar, arguing that the points the Hindraf leader raised were the result of the marginalisation of the minority Indian Malaysian community.

"If the BN government is sincere, lift the charge against Uthayakumar and also on veteran lawyer Karpal Singh, since the Sedition Act is to be repealed," said Manoharan, who is also the DAP assembylperson for Kota Alam Shah.