Police report against racist FB postings

wo Indian NGOs want the authorities to haul up one Hanum Hizan for her racist remarks on the Indians and Chinese.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two NGOs, the Tamilar Action Force (TAF) and WargaAMAN, lodged a police report against one Hanum Hizan for posting derogatory comments over a news report in FMT yesterday.

TAF assistant secretary R Kannan said the comments posted by Hanum Hizan under a report headlined, ’71% gang members Indian because of racial profiling’ belittled the Indians and the Chinese.

“She also insulted the way Hindus perform their rituals at the Ganges in India,” said Kannan, who was accompanied by WargaAMAN sec-gen S Barathidasan and PKR Puchong division leader S Murali.

“We are very disturbed and angry over her comments. We want the police to take action,” added Kannan after lodging the report at 1.45pmat the Jalan Travers police station off Jalan Bangsar.
Hanum Hizan’s comments labeled the Indians as “kurang ajar pendatang”, and called them “pigs”. She also said that “150,000 illegal in the country should be pushed out of the sea before it is causing more trouble”.

Engaging other commentators who chided her, she hit back at them: “Low you are very dumb. The White American, The Australian and NZ will laugh at you. By the way Chinese has taken over from the white Australian and Sydney. I can smell trouble is coming if decide to migrate please dont go there.”

One FMT commentator, Contest Chris, reported her profile to the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Meanwhile FMT has barred Hanum Hizan from posting comments in the news portal.

Police report against DPM for insensitive remark

Malaysian Indian Progressive Association lodged a police report against Muhyiddin Yassin for accusing non-Muslims of insulting Muslims.

KUALA LUMPUR: An Indian-based NGO today lodged a police report against Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for accusing non-Muslims of insulting Islam.

“We are surprised that the deputy prime minister for all races can come up with such a statement,” said Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) secretary-general S. Barathidasan after lodging the report at the Sentul police station.

Last week, Muhyiddin accused non-Muslims of insulting Muslims after a reporter asked him to comment on dog trainer Maznah Mohd Yusof’ s Youtube video, which depicted her celebrating Hari Raya with her three dogs.

Bernama has reported Muhyiddin as saying that:“Muslims do not insult the religion of non-Muslims … but non-Muslims are insulting our religion.”

On Monday, Taman Segamat DAP branch chairman Yew Jia Haur lodged a police report against Muhyiddin for the remark, saying that the deputy prime minister should be investigated under the same laws that were used on Maznah.

Barathidasan said as the second in command of the government, Muhyiddin should be more careful when commenting on issues.

“Muhyiddin is the deputy for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is working on uniting the country. He should be more responsible when giving statements,” he said.

On the same matter, MIPAS’ president A. Rajaretinam accused Muhyiddin of spewing nonsense without understanding the facts of the case.

He also said there were times when non-Muslims were insulted by several Muslims but no action is taken against them.

“Is the DPM trying to say that Perkasa officials Zulkifli Noordin who insulted the Hindu religion and Ibrahim Ali who wanted to burn the Malay bibles are not Muslims?” asked Rajaretinam.

Custodial deaths: Street rally mulled

WargaAman and S Vell Paari are considering holding a rally to drive home the point that custodial deaths cannot be tolerated and that the IPCMC must be formed.

PETALING JAYA: A MIC leader and a coalition of Indian-based NGOs are mulling a street rally to protest against custodial deaths.

Speaking to FMT, WargaAman secretary-general S Barathidasan said that the idea was mooted by MIC strategy director S Vell Paari.

“We held a discussion on the matter and both WargaAman and Vell Paari agree that custodial deaths are becoming rampant and require drastic action. If we can hold rallies for political, religious and racial reasons, why not this?” he added.

Barathidasan said that WargaAman would meet with other NGOs and invite them to participate in the protest as well.

He stressed that both WargaAman and Vell Paari also wanted this to be a bi-partisan effort, with the involvement of Pakatan Rakyat politicians as well.

“Political differences must be set aside for this issue. This is also not a racial matter. It is a Malaysian issue and Malaysians of all races must come together.

“We must send a strong message to the authorities that we do not condone such violence, and the police must learn to investigate crimes as opposed to beating suspects to death,” he added.

Barathidasan said the protest wold also highlight the need to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

“This is simply disgusting. Are the lives of Indians in this country so cheap and worthless that at least one Indian should die in police custody every other day?” he asked.

“During the arrest, the detainees were in good health, after being remanded in a police lock-up, the families are informed that the detainees died of heart failure, due to illness and so on,” he added.

Barathidasan said since Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was appointed home minister, there have been a spate of custodial deaths.

“He has failed in his duty, Zahid must resign if he cannot solve this problem,” he added.

‘Why is the probe taking so long?’

Recently, the police landed in the limelight following the death N Dhamendran, 32, whose remains were found to be covered in bruises, while his ears and ankles were stapled.

Following the post-mortem report that the victim died from blunt force trauma, the police classified the case as murder, and those involved have been re-assigned to desk duties.

On Saturday, a 42-year-old former engineer P Karuna Nithi suddenly died while in police custody in Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, and bruises were found on his body.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Hindu Movement leader S Sanjay also pledged support for the protest and vowed to mobilise the people.

“This is a serious issue and all Malaysians must lend their support. We must take to the streets to seek justice,” he added.

On the same note, Sanjay said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Deparment P Waythamoorthy must resign for failing to take a stronger stand apart from asking for the policemen involved to be suspended.

“He used to make so much of noise about custodial deaths when he was on the ‘outside’ but now, when he is on the ‘inside’, he seems to have toned down,” he added.

Sanjay also criticised the police for dragging its feet in the investigation concerning Dharmendran’s death.

“Why is it taking the police so long to investigate? Why don’t the police beat up the cops involved to extract a confession… Isn’t that their stand procedure,” he said.

The Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) has also backed the call for a protest, stating that Malaysian police do not conform to international standards.

Its president P Sivakumar said that the police showed little if no signs of changing despite the high number of custodial death cases.

“There is no change despite the pledges from the police and home minister… it seems the prevailing attitude is like ‘after all, only Indians have died,” he added.

Why the double standard?

Contacted later, Vell Paari said he was disappointed with the authorities and therefore decided to push for the protest.

“Custodial deaths are becoming a constant event. They are always followed by a big hue and cry… Then all is forgotten until another death happens. Is there no respect for life?

“Our government can grief for Palestinians, can demand the United Nations to intervene and even risk death by sending ships with aid through the Israeli naval blockade. But it can’t seem to do or feel the same for our citizens who die in custody. Why this double standard?

“In what way is the grief of the mothers of those custodial death victims different to the cries of the mothers of Palestinian victims?” he asked.

Vell Paari said that it was the Hindraf rally that changed the government’s attitude towards the community.

“So if it takes another rally to bring about the setting up of IPCMC, so be it. I have spoken to WargaAman to coordinate this rally and I would support and work with them,” he added.

Commenting on Zahid’s statement that the police must not be demoralised, Vell Paari said: “The demoralised can be ‘re-moralised’ but can a life lost be returned, Mr Minister?”

The MIC leader also reiterated his stand that those involved in Dhamendran’s case must be suspended and arrested pending investigation.

On the same note, he questioned if outside parties, with an interest in the respective cases, were influencing these policemen to mete out violence on the victims.

Reject Waytha and vote Pakatan, say Indian NGOS

‘Hindraf is not Waytha’s personal property, it belongs to the tens of thousands who rallied in 2007.’
VIDEO INSIDE

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of Indian based NGOs, pledging to vote for Pakatan Rakyat candidates in the May 5 election, has accused Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy of claiming personal absolute right over the Hindu group.

“Hindraf does not belong to any particular person; it belongs to the tens of thousands of Indians who rallied in the streets in 2007,” former Hindraf coordinator R Kannan told reporters today after a forum at Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, where the NGOs made their pledge.

“The organisation he registered is called Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, not Hindu Rights Action Force, which yields the acronym Hindraf.

“It is thus clear that Waytha has no power over the original Hindraf movement.”

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia was registered last month, years after the name Hindraf had been stamped onto the public mind as a movement fighting for the rights of Malaysian Indians, particularly those members of the community who have been sidelined in the nation’s economic and social development.

According to news reports, Waythamoorthy has warned that he would sue anyone claiming a right to Hindraf.

One of the NGOs at today’s forum was the National Indian Rights Action Team (NIAT). Its chairman, Thasleem Mohamad Ibrahim, said the memorandum of understanding signed recently by Waythamoorthy and BN chairman Najib Tun Razak was “nothing but a farce”.

Citing the four points in the agreement, Thasleem said that there was nothing in them that was not covered in a blueprint that MIC submitted to the government in 1974.

Thasleem showed the 1974 document to reporters, pointing out that Waythamoorthy’s demands were already in it. That document was prepared by former MIC vice-chairman K Padmanathan.

“So, what is BN’s point in inking a new MOU with Waythamoorty when it has already received those demands?” he asked.

A Rajaretnam, who leads WargaAMAN, urged Malaysian Indians to vote out BN in the coming election.

WargaAMAN is coalition of 20 civic groups representing Malaysian Indians.

“By fielding Zulkifli Noordin as a BN candidate, Najib has sent a clear message that he is a Perkasa supporter,” he said.

Zulkifli, notorious for his racially insensitive statements, is a vice president of Perkasa, a group that is equally notorious for the same reason. He is fighting PAS’ Khalid Samad in Shah Alam as a candidate sponsored directly by BN instead of one of its component parties.

Rajaretnam also urged the Christian community to vote for Pakatan to show their disappointment with BN for similarly sponsoring Perkasa supremo Ibrahim Ali for Pasir Mas.

Ibrahim came under fire recently following his call on Muslims to burn copies of the Bible that use “Allah” as God’s name and contains other religious terms derived from Arabic.

Indians not interested in Anwar’s personal life

Several Indian-based NGOs are backing Anwar Ibrahim, saying that the Indian community has no interest in the opposition leader's personal life.

PETALING JAYA: Several Indian-based NGOs have voiced their support for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat, saying that sexual allegation levelled against Anwar “is just Umno propaganda”.

WargaAMAN secretary S Barathidasan said that the Indian community has no interest in Anwar’s personal issues and that these issues would not sway Indian support for the opposition pact.

“First of all, we do not think he is a gay. It is just an Umno ploy,” he said, adding that he came to the conclusion that Anwar was not gay “after taking the public views into account”.

“As a NGO, we do a lot of ground work. We met people almost everyday. And the feedback from them is very clear: Anwar is innocent. Indian do not believe the sodomy charge against Anwar… it is a trick to undermine Anwar’s reputation,” the leader of the pro-Pakatan NGO told FMT.

Anwar was charged with sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a condominium in Damansara Heights here in June, 2008.

He was, however, acquitted of the charge in January last year by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, after a lengthy legal battle.

It was the second time he has been prosecuted for sodomy after being convicted in 1998 soon after then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad sacked him as deputy prime minister.

In the latest case, an Umno-linked blogger released 13 pictures, from a video garb, of a man resembling Anwar kissing and fondling another man in a hotel room. The blogger has promised to upload more of the video by 8pm today.

Anwar has since denied that the man in the video was him and has said that this was the work of Umno. The opposition leader also sued the blogger for RM100 million.

“We do not care if he is gay or otherwise. We are just interested in his contribution to the country,” he added.

So what?

Sharing the same view, R Kumaresan, the Serdang Welfare Association president, said people should not confuse politics with personal life.

“If Anwar is gay… so what! At least, he is a gay, not a murderer like few other politicians. The young generation is only looking at Anwar’s leadership,” he said.

Meanwhile, another NGO from Kedah claimed that the Indian community is fed up with Umno’s non-stop attack against Anwar.

“Basically, Indians are very sensitive to gutter politics, currently played up by Umno,” said V Kathiravan, a representative of the Pendang Indian Club.

He claimed that his fellow NGOs from Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan were also angry at the injustices against Anwar.

‘Govt practising selective prosecution’

An NGO is wondering why it's Tian Chua who's being charged and not Ibrahim Ali, Ridhuan Tee and Dr Mahathir Mohamad who said 'worse things'.

PETALING JAYA: The charging of PKR vice-president Tian Chua under the Sedition Act proves that the government practises selective prosecution, said a coalition of Indian NGOs.

Angkatan Warga Aman (WargaAman) secretary-general S Barathidasan questioned the government’s rationale in suing Tian Chua while turning a blind eye to those who spew racist comments.

“We lodged several police reports against academician Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“They said worse things, insulting other races and one even threatened to burn Malay language Bibles. Why no action is taken against them?” asked Barathidasan.

This morning, Tian Chua, who is also Batu MP, was charged at the Sessions Court under the Sedition Act 148 for allegedly accusing Umno of being behind the Lahad Datu intrusion by armed Filipino Sulu forces.

He was also charged with describing the Sulu gunmen’s incursion as a government plot to frighten the people and an attempt by Umno to divert people’s attention from the issuance of MyKads to foreigners in Sabah.

If found guilty, Tian Chua could face a fine of RM5,000 or three years jail or both upon conviction. He had since pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Barathidasan reminded the police and the Attorney-General Chamber’s (AGC) that the people are watching and they could see the double standard being practised.

“It shows that there are people above the law in the eyes of the present government. We have lost our confidence in the police and the AGC,” he said.

NGO backs Vell Paari’s ultimatum

WargaAMAN says he did right in calling for action against Ibrahim Ali and Ridhuan Tee.

PETALING JAYA: A group claiming to represent the interest of Malaysian Indians today declared its support for MIC strategy director S Vell Paari in his threat to leave the party over president G Palanivel’s inaction against insults to the community.

WargaAMAN, which calls itself a coalition of 20 Indian-based NGOs, said the MIC central executive committee (CWC) member was right in calling for a censure of Perkasa president Ibrahim Ai and academic Ridhaun Tee Abdullah for “vicious racist” remarks.

Vell Paari issued his ultimatum last week in the wake of Tee’s publication of an article that disparaged Hindus. In a letter to Palanivel, he repeated a threat he had directed at Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein—that he would quit MIC and call on Indians to support Pakatan Rakyat in the general election.

The letter also recounted Ibrahim’s threats against non-Muslims. Vell Paari complained that BN had not seen it fit to act against the Perkasa chief and was now showing a similar reluctance to punish Tee.

WargaAMAN secretary-general S Barathidasan said his organisation was proud of Vell Paari in his show of courage.

“Vell Paari is very bold and brave,” he said. “He is not afraid of being sacked from his party. He is more interested in the wellbeing of the Indian community.”

Barathidasan also defended Vell Paari against an attack by his CWC colleague, KP Samy.

Samy had commented that Vell Paari’s ultimatum was “unethical”.

“Samy says that Palanivel plans to take the issue up in a cabinet meeting,” Barathidasan noted. “When will this happen? After GE13? After BN becomes an opposition party?”

He said Vell Paari had distinguished himself in standing up for the Indian community. “So far, nobody in MIC has shown such courage.

“Furthermore, we believe that Vell Paari is also campaigning for free and fair elections, in line with Bersih’s demands.”

Barathidasan affirmed that WargaAMAN was non-partisan, saying it would continue to work in the interest of the public instead of for the benefit of politicians.

“We supported Pakatan Rakyat because we wanted to see changes,” he said. “But the BN government, realising that the opposition has a lot of support, has begun to transform.

“We now have BR1M, TR1MA, SARA and BL1M and so on. The people are definitely benefitting from these programmes and this is what we need.”

Meanwhile Samy said it was important that the party concentrated on the impending general election instead of causing distractions for themselves.

“I am defending the image of the party and BN on the whole. In my 40-years in the party, I have not asked for positions.

“I put a lot of effort to make the party lively and ensure it helped the Malaysian Indian community. We do not want this in the run-up o the general election.

“Instead of talking about this, we should be concentrating on the general election. Not only us, all component parties should also do this,” he added.

Why single out Ambiga, Dr M?

A coalition of Indian NGOs is asking why the former premier did not train his guns on others in Bersih.

PETALING JAYA: Is Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga being targetted by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad because she is an Indian?

“Why not call for A Samad Said’s (Bersih co-chairperson) citizenship to be stripped as well? Why single out Ambiga? Is it because she is a woman and an Indian by heritage?” asked Angkatan Warga Aman secretary-general S Bharatidasan.

Recently, the former Umno president called upon voters to give Barisan Nasional a two thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat so that the government could amend the Constitution to revoke the citizenship of people such as Ambiga.

Mahathir received brickbats for his calls, with former DAP senator S Ramakrishnan saying that the former should be stripped of his citizenship instead for his involvement in Project IC in Sabah.

Training his guns against the octogenarian, Barathidasan accused Mahathir of belittling the Indian community with his remarks.

“Is it alright for you (Mahathir) to say anything against the Indian community? Have we become so cheap to you? Remember that your father was an Indian as well,” he said.

The NGO leader urged Mahathir to stop attacking Ambiga and Pakatan Rakyat and focus on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) proceedings in Sabah, which has implicated his administration in giving instant citizenship to foreigners.

He also said that Mahathir was just trying to divert the people’s attention from the RCI proceedings by making such irresponsible statements.

“While the so-called statesman gave away free citizenship to Indonesians, Bangladeshis and Philippinos, the stateless Indians were left in the doldrums under his 22-year watch.

“Probably this is Mahathir’s way of ‘rewarding’ the Indians for being staunch supporters of BN before the 2008 general election,” he said.

NGOs protest against Sri Lanka president’s arrival

An NGO say they will use all means to prevent Mahinda Rajapaksa, whom they deem have committed genocide against the the Sri lankan Tamil minority, from entering the country.

KUALA LUMPUR: A PKR-linked NGO leader has vowed to use force if necessary to prevent the Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa from entering Malaysia for an international Islamic forum from Dec 4 to 6.

The People Welfare and Rights Organisation (Power) president S. Gobi Krisnan issued the threats after lodging a police report against Rajapaksa’s arrival with other NGOs leaders today.

The NGOs were upset that the government has planned for a red carpet welcome for Rajapaksa, whom they deem have committed genocide against the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

“The government has been hurting the Indians’ feeling in this country, and now the invitation is an insult to Indians .

“We will use all means, including force if necessary, to stop him from coming,” he said.

The group would stage a protest outside of the parliament building on Tuesday, and have planned for similar rallies at the forum’s venue in JB.

The 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka ended in 2009 with the government army’s quashing Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and re-established control of the northern part of the country.

It was reported that some 100,000 civilians including 40,000 of Tamils were killed while more than 300,000 people were displaced during the long-standing conflict.

The United Nations Human Right Council had on March adopted a resolution to urge the Sri Lankan government to take all steps necessary to ensure accountability for alleged serious violations committed during the final stages of the country’s civil war.

However, Malaysia was among the eight countries that abstained in a vote that saw 24 in favour and 15 against the resolution.

AP Raja Retinam, member of the NGOs umbrella group Sri Lanka War Victim Concerned Team (Api), has taken Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to task for the abstention.

“He is a real hypocrite. When the Israelis launched attacks against the Palestine, he tabled a motion to condemn the violence.

“But when it is about Sri Lanka war crimes, he abstained, despite knowing very well that there was a great pressure on him to vote against Sri Lanka,” he said.

He urged the government to stop its double standard and prevent Rajapaksa from entering the country.

“Rajapaksa and (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu are the same people. If you say no to Benjamin, then you must also say no to Rajapaksa.

“If they say the forum was meant for business discussions, then I challenge them to invite the Jews to attend, they are the richest people in the world,” he said.

The NGOs held a protest at the Sri Lanka embassy in Ampang this afternoon while MIC Youth has also lodged a police report against Rajapaksa’s arrival.

Power turns the screw on Palani

NGO threatens to lodge report with the MACC if the MIC chief does not come clean on Dr S Vijendran's employment status.

PETALING JAYA: An NGO is pressuring MIC President G Palanivel to reveal the employment status of Dr S Vijendran, who has allegedly been passing himself off as the former’s political secretary.

“Palanivel said he would give Dr S Vijendran a week to resign. The Indian community wants to know if the man has been removed from office,” said S Gobi Krishan, chairman of the People’s Welfare and Rights Organisation (Power).

“It’s been already more than a week since he told us that he would ask Dr S Vijendran to quit. If Palanivel does not come out with an official statement, Power will lodge a report with the police and MACC,” he added.

In a reply to Gobi Krishnan recently, Palanivel who is the lead Minister of Indian Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department, said that he had asked Vijendran to resign within a week.

A Tamil daily questioned his appointment to the post, claiming that Vijendran was a bankrupt. According to documents shown to FMT, the Department of Insolvency had declared Vijendran a bankrupt on March 1, 2011.

‘Resignation letter sent’

Subsequent to the report in the Tamil paper, Vijendran clarified that he was a private secretary to Palanivel, not his political secretary. He also denied that he was a bankrupt.

MIC observes questioned Vijendran’s right to distribute name cards indicating his position as political secretary when he has not taken the oath of secrecy before the prime minister.

Meanwhile, in a related matter a party source claimed that Vijendran has already sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister’s Department.

Talking on the condition of anonymity, he said the prime minister has received Vijendran’s resignation letter. However, he said was not aware when he submitted the letter.

“But, Vijendran is still working in Palanivel’s office where his salary is paid by Palanivel himself,” he said.

FMT has been unable to obtain a clarification from Vijendran.

NGO serah memorandum