KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), while welcoming the Pas offer to mediate on its behalf to lift the ban on the movement, has called on political figures to do the same.
"We would like to invite matured and seasoned politicians like Tun Musa Hitam, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan to mediator for Hindraf," said its chairman P. Waytha Moorthy, who is living in exile in Britain.
"We trust they are able understand the problems faced by Malaysian Indians as a minority and may be able to reach out to the Umno-led government in lifting the ban on Hindraf," Waytha Moorthy said in a statement released today.
This represents a softer stance from the group which has continued to attack the government despite being outlawed on Oct 15 in the aftermath of its presence at the Cabinet Hari Raya open house at Putra World Trade Centre.
On Oct 23, just prior to Deepavali, 11 leaders of the group, insisting they were there as ordinary citizens, were arrested as they attempted to submit a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi demanding the release of five Hindraf leaders currently held under the Internal Security Act.
Two days later, Pas offered to act as mediator in resolving the problems Hindraf supporters had with the government.
The offer was made by two Pas leaders, vice-president Datuk Husam Musa and Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub, who met about 40 Hindraf supporters in front of the Putrajaya police headquarters where the 11 were being held.
The group was released on bail the next day.
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