Hindraf is Not Thankful for the Release of our Lawyers

By P.Waytha Moorthy

I was woken up by a senior journalist today at 5am who conveyed the good news about the release of the remaining HINDRAF Lawyers. It was unbelievable and the first thing that crossed my mind was to inform my mother who had all along suffered in silence and in a very peculiar way.

Thereafter I rang my closest friend and then within minutes as expected calls from Malaysia started pouring in.

Let us all be very clear about this announcement. Firstly it is definitely a manoeuvre to divert the attention of the Malaysian public from the ugly episode in Perak’s State assembly. What happened in Ipoh on May 7, 2009 was a disgrace to the purported guise of democratic practice in Malaysia under the UMNO-led government.

The whole system and its institutions in Malaysia are corrupt. from right at the top to the bottom. When I say this, I mean exactly what all of you are aware of.

Let me not repeat what RPK said yesterday but to continue, from the Judiciary, Attorney General, Inspector General of Police, Civil servants. The whole machinery of the country is corrupted with the goodies often offered by the UMNO Government to suppress the public.

Our country is not ruled by a coalition of Barisan Nasional which has 14 component parties but dictated and ruled with an iron fist by none other than the racist and facist UMNO. They have immersed into such power in their illusion and arrogance that whatever they do, they would expect the peace loving rakyat to accept with an open heart. “For them all these people could be bribed with goodies and in time they would forget their misdeeds”.

The release of the earlier batch of the HINDRAF lawyers along with the others upon Najib’s appointment was a sweetener and they keep the others for an anticipated Perak fiasco.

HINDRAF is a society’s struggle for just and truth against an oppressive government and not some piecemeal affair to appease as and when it warrants to survive politically.

Do they expect the release of another batch of 13, including the remaining HINDRAF Lawyers, are meant to create an “euphoria” of gratitude and thankfulness among the community after the public witnessed the manhandling of the speaker in the Perak state assembly???? Yes, the community would be glad that the messengers of truth and conscience have finally been released but nonetheless the Indians, and the rakyat at large can’t be taken for granted that their support would revert to the Government or its coalition partners as the public has wised up on the atrocities by the ruling government.

Indians and the Malaysian Rakyat still have a long way to go. The war to uphold justice and truth in Malaysia is not over yet. What about the marginalisation of the Indians over the last 52 years. What about the demands that were submitted in 2007?

Well, the Government can live in the illusion that the Indian community would forgive them for what they did to us on November 25th 2007. What about the hundreds who were gassed, had chemical water sprayed on them, stepped upon, beaten, arrested, humiliated, their clothing torn, jailed etc for seeking the truth?

The Malaysian Indians are not so ignorant or stupid to forget all these easily as stark reality faces them as well as the Malaysian society at large for the future with the UMNO-led government’s joyride with their power and arrogance with the public.

Well UMNO, you are erroneous in your thinking that we will yield to your ploy in fear that we would work with Pakatan for a unified, fair and just Malaysia and as for Mini Mandore - MIC can dream on that this will drum up the Indian support.

We have simply entered a second phase of our struggle. And what is the second phase all about??? Well UMNO, wait and see. We have been a community that have been oppressed and suppressed for far too long on our blind loyalty on your mandate to rule fairly and justly for every segment of the Malaysian society but you have failed us miserably.

Oh yes, lets wait and see what Uthaya would say about his release. He is committed to his struggle. Over the last 16 months, he had never cooperated with the Police Special Branch and other “mind rehabilitation courses” conducted to bring the detainees to the “UMNO’s path of truth”.

Everyone knows he insulted the Ex-Home Minister Syed Botak by refusing to meet him and insisted he does not wish to see him even though the Minister had made a personal request. So he is never going to agree to any conditions imposed for his release. It’s a do or die battle for him as it is for the Malaysian Indians and the conscience of Malaysian society as a whole.

LET US WAIT FOR WHAT UTHAYA HAS TO SAY TOMORROW. I now attach below my brief statement that was issued this morning on the news of the release order by the Home Minister.

BRIEF STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF REMAINING HINDRAF LAWYERS

8th May 2009.

Whilst HINDRAF is glad the unjust incarceration of its lawyers has finally come to an end, it is blatantly obvious that the release ordered is to divert the attention of the Malaysian public of the ugly episode in Perak State Legislative Assembly yesterday. There are other issues that the Government of Malaysia under the leadership of PM Najib has to resolve and we wish to state the following :

1) We are not thankful for the release of our lawyers under ISA unless and until the Government fulfils the 18 point demands that was submitted to the Government in 2007.

2) The Government acknowledges the neglect and positive marginalisation of particularly the Malaysian Indians over the last 52 years and apologizes for its wrongdoing to the Malaysian Indians.

3) All ISA detainees have to be released unconditionally (immediately) and the Government orders the closure of Kamunting detention camp and the repeal of ISA.

4) The Government takes positive steps to uphold Rule of Law and the Federal Constitution.

5) The Government with immediate effect sacks the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General who have played a major role in suppressing democracy , fairness and truth, revamp the whole Judiciary system which is flooded with its cronies.

6) The Government immediately orders the Perak State “Government” to seek an immediate audience with the Perak Ruler to dissolve the state Legislative Assembly and allow the People of Perak choose the next State Government.

7) All persons unjustly arrested and charged under various illegal assembly/sedition and other politically motivated criminal charges be released and charges levelled against them be immediately withdrawn.

P.Waytha Moorthy
CHAIRMAN
HINDRAF