Explain action against Tamil NGO, police told

The police have been asked to explain why they acted against members of a Tamil NGO in Kulim, Kedah, for taking part in a ceremony to mark the birthday of the deceased Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) chief V Prabhakaran.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy went on to condemn Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar for accusing those who took part in the event in Paya Besar as "inviting people to glorify terrorism".

A Dec 18 Bernama report quoted Khalid as saying that police saw the event as "an act or attempt to influence or incite people to believe in terrorism".

"Does he know what he is doing? He seems to have over reacted in this matter. I call on him to stop his force from harassing the Indian community," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.

On Monday, a participant in the birthday event, said to be a member of a local NGO called Tamil Progressive Team, was arrested under the Sedition Act.

He is being investigated under Section 4 (1)(a) of the 1948 Act for inviting members of the public to attend the ceremony to pay tribute to the late Prabhakaran.

Another six who also took part in the gathering have been told to surrender themselves to the police.

Ramasamy said such events are common in Malaysia and have been celebrated annually, without any fuss.

The Perai assemblyperson added that it was a harmless function as Prabakharan is dead and the LTTE no longer exists.

"The group that took part in the event poses no threat to the country," added Ramasamy, who is Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairperson.

Sri Lankan authorities behind this?

"As far as we know, there is no ban on LTTE in Malaysia and the event was just a memorial," he added.

"I have also taken part in such events. It is to pay homage to Indian heroes. The group came to see me and invited me to join but I could not go as I had a prior engagement."

Sri Lanka crushed the LTTE, killing Prabhakaran in 2009, ending a three-decade struggle for an independent homeland for minority Tamils.

"Perhaps the Sri Lankan authorities are behind this?" asked Ramasamy.

He recalled that this may be similar to the case where Pusat Komas programme coordinator Lena Hendry was charged under the Film Censorship Act 2002 for the screening of the documentary 'No Fire Zone: In the Killing Fields on Sri Lanka" in Kuala Lumpur on July 3.

The investigative documentary exposes the massacre of Tamils by the Sri Lankan Army during the final weeks of the bloody and lengthy civil war.