On the fourth anniversary of his incarceration under the ISA, the Kota Alam Shah assemblyman reminisces about the price he had to pay to fight injustice
GEORGE TOWN: Heads of government departments and agencies should be picked from among ethnic Indians, Chinese and other minority communities, said DAP’s Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan.
He said the positions to be considered included the chief secretary to the government, heads of public service departments, police and armed forces, attorney general, auditor general and even chief justice.
“Only when this happens we can claim the country as true 1Malaysia,” he said.
These were among his wishes on the fouth anniversary of detention without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). He was arrested in 2007 and released on May 9, 2009.
He said both federal and state governments, including Pakatan Rakyat administrations, should provide more jobs and career opportunities for non Malays in the civil service.
He called on the authorities to abort current piece-meal recruitments and liberalise the civil service employment system.
He also said the government should ensure a minimum 8% interests on EPF savings to give private sector employees worthy retirement benefits.
Manoharan, 51, was among four Hindraf lawyers – P Uthayakumar, R Kenghadharan, V Ganabatirau, and another person, K Vasanthakumar, detained on Dec 13, 2007 pertaining to Hindraf activities.
Manoharan called on the government to immediately release all persons detained without trial under various draconian legislations.
“It was an extremely painful experience being kept in solitary confinement for 514 days in Kamunting Detention Centre away from family, relatives and friends.
“I must thank all those who have fought my release,” he told FMT here today.
Najib’s hand in Hindraf detentions
A lawyer by profession, Manoharan reserved special praises for his mentor, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh and Hindraf activists for relentlessly campaigning for his release.
“Karpal and Hindraf were always there for me from day one when I was detained and until even after my release in May 9, 2009,” said Manoharan.
He is disappointed that Umno-BN federal government had still not abolished ISA and other draconian laws like the Emergency Ordinance (EO) despite promising to do so.
He said many, especially minors and Indian youths, have been detained without trial in detention centres in Johor’s Simpang Renggam, Perak’s Batu Gajah and Kelantan’s Machang.
He accused the police of having wielded the EO at will to detain many Indian youths for even minor scuffles on unproven grounds of gangsterism.
He argued that the police’s unabated malicious EO detentions was part of Umno’s racist policy to brand ethnic Indian youths as gangsters and hooligans.
“As a result, the people have lost confidence in the legal and justice systems,” said Manoharan, who hopes all draconian laws repealed by the 5th anniversary of his detention.
He called on Hindraf supporters and ethnic Indian community not to forget that current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak also had a hand in the detention of Hindraf lawyers four years ago.
He said being the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president then, Najib was part of the decision making process to send Hindraf lawyers to Kamunting.
He said despite four years after the Hindraf rally, the government had not taken any affirmative action to address all core issues raised by the civil rights movement.
He said the government had not implemented any religious policy in accordance with the essence of Article 121 (1a) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.
Until today, he said the Syariah Court was usurping the constitutional powers of federal civil courts pertaining to religious cases such as conversion, marriage and child custody.
“Everyone, especially the government of the day, must address and tackle all issues that contravened Article 121,” said Manoharan, formerly the Selangor DAP chairman.
Remove Interlok
He also called on the government to convert all education loans into scholarships to avoid students turning into permanent debtors.
He said the government should provide proper and free education to all regardless of their racial and religious backgrounds.
He chided the government for deploying illegal means and arm twisting tactics to force defaulters to repay their education loans.
He said for instance the government tactic to stop defaulters from leaving abroad at airports ran foul with the law.
He said the law only provided authorities to disallow a person declared bankrupt, charged with tax evasion or had his passport impounded by court from leaving the country.
Manoharan called on the government to also be transparent on the public university intakes and courses offered to students.
He said it was time to get rid of the double standard policy of capital-aided and fully aided vernacular schools due to land ownership.
He said both federal and state governments, including Pakatan Rakyat administrations, should have resolved the problem by now by allotting free land for these schools.
Lastly, he called on the DPM and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yasin to remove the controversial Interlok novel from school shelves for the next school term.
“The novel insulted non-Malays Muslims … it’s unsuitable for students,” he said.
GEORGE TOWN: Heads of government departments and agencies should be picked from among ethnic Indians, Chinese and other minority communities, said DAP’s Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan.He said the positions to be considered included the chief secretary to the government, heads of public service departments, police and armed forces, attorney general, auditor general and even chief justice.
“Only when this happens we can claim the country as true 1Malaysia,” he said.
These were among his wishes on the fouth anniversary of detention without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). He was arrested in 2007 and released on May 9, 2009.
He said both federal and state governments, including Pakatan Rakyat administrations, should provide more jobs and career opportunities for non Malays in the civil service.
He called on the authorities to abort current piece-meal recruitments and liberalise the civil service employment system.
He also said the government should ensure a minimum 8% interests on EPF savings to give private sector employees worthy retirement benefits.
Manoharan, 51, was among four Hindraf lawyers – P Uthayakumar, R Kenghadharan, V Ganabatirau, and another person, K Vasanthakumar, detained on Dec 13, 2007 pertaining to Hindraf activities.
Manoharan called on the government to immediately release all persons detained without trial under various draconian legislations.
“It was an extremely painful experience being kept in solitary confinement for 514 days in Kamunting Detention Centre away from family, relatives and friends.
“I must thank all those who have fought my release,” he told FMT here today.
Najib’s hand in Hindraf detentions
A lawyer by profession, Manoharan reserved special praises for his mentor, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh and Hindraf activists for relentlessly campaigning for his release.
“Karpal and Hindraf were always there for me from day one when I was detained and until even after my release in May 9, 2009,” said Manoharan.
He is disappointed that Umno-BN federal government had still not abolished ISA and other draconian laws like the Emergency Ordinance (EO) despite promising to do so.
He said many, especially minors and Indian youths, have been detained without trial in detention centres in Johor’s Simpang Renggam, Perak’s Batu Gajah and Kelantan’s Machang.
He accused the police of having wielded the EO at will to detain many Indian youths for even minor scuffles on unproven grounds of gangsterism.
He argued that the police’s unabated malicious EO detentions was part of Umno’s racist policy to brand ethnic Indian youths as gangsters and hooligans.
“As a result, the people have lost confidence in the legal and justice systems,” said Manoharan, who hopes all draconian laws repealed by the 5th anniversary of his detention.
He called on Hindraf supporters and ethnic Indian community not to forget that current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak also had a hand in the detention of Hindraf lawyers four years ago.
He said being the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president then, Najib was part of the decision making process to send Hindraf lawyers to Kamunting.
He said despite four years after the Hindraf rally, the government had not taken any affirmative action to address all core issues raised by the civil rights movement.
He said the government had not implemented any religious policy in accordance with the essence of Article 121 (1a) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.
Until today, he said the Syariah Court was usurping the constitutional powers of federal civil courts pertaining to religious cases such as conversion, marriage and child custody.
“Everyone, especially the government of the day, must address and tackle all issues that contravened Article 121,” said Manoharan, formerly the Selangor DAP chairman.
Remove Interlok
He also called on the government to convert all education loans into scholarships to avoid students turning into permanent debtors.
He said the government should provide proper and free education to all regardless of their racial and religious backgrounds.
He chided the government for deploying illegal means and arm twisting tactics to force defaulters to repay their education loans.
He said for instance the government tactic to stop defaulters from leaving abroad at airports ran foul with the law.
He said the law only provided authorities to disallow a person declared bankrupt, charged with tax evasion or had his passport impounded by court from leaving the country.
Manoharan called on the government to also be transparent on the public university intakes and courses offered to students.
He said it was time to get rid of the double standard policy of capital-aided and fully aided vernacular schools due to land ownership.
He said both federal and state governments, including Pakatan Rakyat administrations, should have resolved the problem by now by allotting free land for these schools.
Lastly, he called on the DPM and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yasin to remove the controversial Interlok novel from school shelves for the next school term.
“The novel insulted non-Malays Muslims … it’s unsuitable for students,” he said.
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