Share |

Thursday, 22 January 2009

Query on Hindraf man's trip

NST, Jan 21 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: The Foreign Ministry is expected to raise with the British government its decision to give banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader, P. Wathya Moorthy, a travel document to attend the Bharathiya Divas conference in Chennai early this month.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said yesterday that last week's cabinet meeting had discussed the allegations made by the Wathya Moorthy against the Malaysian government at the conference.

"The foreign minister briefed the cabinet on what had happened and the allegations made by Wathya Moorthy."

Dr Subramaniam said it appeared the British authorities had issued Wathya Moorthy with a travel document. "He has surrendered his Malaysian passport to the High Commission in London."

In Chennai, Waytha Moorthy distributed a booklet alleging human rights abuses in Malaysia and that Indians have been "marginalised".
He called on the Indian government to impose trade sanctions on Malaysia.

Dr Subramaniam said much of the content in the booklet was "inflammatory and factually wrong". He had explained to the cabinet what the MIC was doing to counter the allegations.

"We are engaging the non-governmental organisations and other bodies to counter the claims and make known the measures taken by the government to help the Indian community."
********
themalaysianinsider.com

Dr M cause of Umno's destruction, says Hindraf

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 - Attempting to give him a taste of his own medicine, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has claimed former president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to be the cause of Umno's current crisis.

The former prime minister has spent much of the past few years criticising his self-appointed successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, culminating in acid attacks for causing the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional's (BN) setback in last year's general election.

Today, Hindraf chairman P Waytha Moorthy said that it was in fact Dr Mahathir who was the "architect" of "corruption, nepotism, prejudice and cronyism" to Umno.

Welcoming Pakatan Rakyat (PR)'s by-election victory in Kuala Terengganu as a sign that the public is disgusted with Umno, he said that the public has lost any faith in finding honest politicians within BN.

"With Mahathirism's tutelage, the whole Barisan National clan is out of touch with the reality and the needs of the public for governance that is based on equality and fairness for all Malaysians," Waytha said in a statement to the press.

He added that Dr Mahathir's leadership of Umno and BN saw it fail to serve competently and the governing coalition now lives on "past glories" in "blatant arrogance and ignorance" of the will of the people.

"The absence of these elements has prompted the will of change from the public to restore integrity in our basic institutions," he continued.

Waytha said that unless BN faces the reality and listens to the people on issues like abolition of the Internal Security Act and equality in socio-development, "it will be digging its own grave."

"Listening to Mahathir will only speed up the process."

No comments: