Lobby group fast-tracking ‘apartheid’ case to US Congress

Hindraf chief Waythamoorthy's current tour of US to highlight Malaysia's discriminatory policies, prompts powerful Hindu American Foundation to set up early date.

GEORGE TOWN: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an influential lobby group, is setting up a comprehensive US Congress briefing on the Malaysian government’s marginalisation policies on minority communities, the organisation said in a statement today.

Hindraf Makkal Sakti supremo P Waythamoorthy’s current briefing to various US departments and officials on the alleged ‘Institutionalised Racism and Religious Discrimination in Malaysia’ has prompted HAF to brief the US Congress sooner than later.

HAF indicated that US officials were convinced that Malaysia has hallmarks of a racist state which has been virtually overlooked by the international community.

HAF human rights coordinator Dr Ramesh Rao said the Malaysian government must amend policies that disadvantaged citizens economically due to race and religion if the country wished to be part of today’s global economy.

He has also called on the US State Department and Congress to engage Malaysian counterparts to uphold democratic values.

“This is imperative if the US stance on freedom of religion and human rights is not to be jeopardised in Southeast Asia and to ensure that the seeds of religious extremism are not planted in Malaysia,” said Ramesh.

Waythamoorthy, accompanied by HAF’s associate director Jay Kansara and Ramesh, has thus far briefed representatives from 10 House and Senate offices, including key subcommittees, the Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights and the US State Department.

Waythamoorthy also briefed senior officials of the American Jewish Committee. He also addressed a group of students, professors and ordinary people at a special forum organised by NGO, Sanatana Satsang, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

One briefing was held in the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee hearing room in the Rayburn House Office Building which was attended by congressional staffers, think tank and human rights activists, and embassy officials.

Waythamoorthy is on a mision to generate awareness among US officials on human rights violations faced by Hindus, Christians, and other ethnic minority groups in Malaysia.

“I thank HAF for sponsoring and organising the congressional briefing and arranging meetings with staff members of strategic offices,” Waythamoorthy told FMT.

If HAF succeeds in convincing the US Congress and the White House that the Umno-helmed Putrajaya administration was indeed practicing discriminative policies against minorities, Malaysia could be slapped with Washington-initiated economic sanction.

This may even lead to sanctions imposed by the European Community and economic powers.

Waythamoorthy received a death threat ahead of his briefing in the US on the deteriorating human rights condition, especially violations on the minority ethnic Indian community.

Article 153 of the Federal Constitution

HAF said Waythamoorthy told US officials that the state control of government administration, educational institutions, and economic programmes have all been designed to favour and enrich only the majority Malay-Muslim community.

The thrust of Waythamoorthy’s briefings was that ethnic Indians and other minorities who have been living in Malaysia for generations before independence, should be treated as equals and be enabled to take part in mainstream Malaysian society.

HAF’s recent annual human rights report prominently featured the discrimination faced by Malaysian Hindus in education, economic and social advancement opportunities.

A powerful US lobby group, HAF contended that the Malaysian government had sanctioned destruction of Hindu temples, monuments and settlements.

HAF also claimed that the Putrajaya administration has tolerated various acts of criminal intimidation, violence and death threats against minority communities.

HAF said Waythamoorthy briefed US officials on Bumiputera policies which provided overwhelming economic and social benefits to ethnic Malay-Muslim citizens, while discriminating against minorities vis-a-vis Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

He had also highlighted that religious minorities were increasingly subjected to Islamic syariah laws despite the country having a parallel secular judicial system.

Waythamoorthy said countless ethnic Indians were denied citizenship and legal documents by the Malaysian government, in spite of their roots dating back several generations.

As a consequence, they have been unable to obtain driver’s licenses or passports, acquire property, attend school, and seek medical care, rendering them virtually stateless.

“Article 153 is a deep-rooted racist provision in the Constitution which sanctions racist policies to the disadvantage of the minority non-Malay population,” said Waythamoorthy.

He said that the Malaysian government had wielded draconian laws like the Internal Security Act (ISA) to detain anyone, who questioned Article 153.

“The current Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers had openly threatened non-Malays with violence should this provision be questioned,” the statement quoted Waythamoorthy as saying.