Mar 02 2008
Gender equality group members mandhandled by MIC
JAG just started a day ago, and already creating problem for Samy Vellu. If these ladies go house to house and campaign, SV will have more headache. Its hard for JAG to be viewed as apolitical since their “targets” all come from one side of the camp only. Does it mean that the opposition MPs were more gender-sensitive. Maybe JAG can add some “targets” from Kelantan’s ruling party (if they can find one) to make it more balanced and apolitical.
Women activists manhandled by MIC workers
http://malaysiakini.com/news/79004
B Mahendran | Mar 2, 08 3:22pm
A group of woman rights activists today took their campaign for gender equality right to the doors of MIC president S Samy Vellu in Sungai Siput, only to be forcibly removed from the scene.
The incident happened this morning when three activists from the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) arrived at the Convention Hall in Sungai Siput after learning that Samy Vellu was to conduct a press conference at the venue. They were originally slated to hold the own press conference in the nearby Jalong Market to highlight their campaign for gender equality among those chosen to contest in this general election as well as to call for the removal of sexist members of parliament. However when they learnt that Samy Vellu, the incumbent Sungai Siput representative, would be holding his own press conference, some of the activists decided to join in and seek the support of the politician for their campaign.
Samy Vellu was not at the scene when the activists arrived but they were met by a group of angry party workers who were not happy with the presence of these newcomers. These party workers attempted to remove the three activists before Samy Vellu’s arrival and in the process had manhandled at least one of the activists. They also damaged the placards and banners carried by the three women.
“We are Malaysians who want to meet our MP. We wish to ask him on certain issues of gender equalities… that’s all! Why can’t we?” shouted one of the activists Meera Samanther to the party workers.
The activists were still there when Samy Vellu walked into the hall but he ignored them. The activists shouted questions to him on matters relating to gender equality but Samy Vellu retorted by stating that he would not answer them. He then went into the hall and the main door was closed, stopping the activists from entering and asking questions at the press conference. At the press conference, Samy Vellu lambasted the group, saying that they did not care about the major issue of single mothers and were creating a scene as a “political ploy”.
Issue of single mothers
Meanwhile, back at Jalong Market, the remaining members of JAG continued with the press conference, explaining that they were in Sungai Siput to provide education for the voters on gender issues. Stating that they were apolitical, the group said that they were disappointed with the presence of several sexist MPs in Parliament. “We feel that the party political leaders have failed to make the right decision, so we want the rakyat to make it for them instead,” said a spokesperson for the group.
Samy Vellu’s challenger Dr D Jeyakumar, the PSM candidate standing on the PKR ticket, was also at the JAG press conference. He added that in Sungai Siput, the main issue involving women was the state of single mothers. “Most of them earn only about RM18 per day, and there is no childcare services here. This causes social problem within the community,” he said, adding that Samy Vellu had not done enough to look into the problems of the single mothers.
In recent weeks, Samy Vellu’s public appearances have been marred by unprecedented mocking and anger shown by the members of the Indian community over his failures to uplift them in his capacity as a party leader and cabinet minister. He is expected to face a tough fight from Jeyakumar in Sungai Siput and faces another challenger in the form of an independent candidate Nor Rizan Oon. Samy Vellu has been the Sungai Siput representative since 1974.
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JAG please lah, just stop pretending and declare your support for the Opposition instead of this sandiwara.
If you want to make a difference, go East to Kelantan and fight the sexist party. But instead you go to Samy Vellu and attack him just because he is vulnerable politically now.
This Malaysiakini report is so-one sided, they break the cardinal rule of journalism by presenting one sided view of the story and a completely false news.
People on the ground tell me a very different story. If they just want to SV you think he won’t talk ?
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can you tell what is the story??
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MP: edited.
Killer please lah, stop pretending and declare yourself as a MIC and BN goon instead of crapping here.
If you want to make a difference, go to your BN masters and fight the sexist bocor + tunnel MPs and Islamic Family Bill. So what if we want to kick Samy Vellu when he is vulnerable? Are you his bodyguard kah, or his hired killer, Killer?
Oh yeah? Then go on and read the fantasy land of Bernama, TV3, RTM, The Star, Utusan, NST etc. Remember to wake up once in a while oh!
Which people on the ground are you talking about? Go and watch the video and don’t talk nonsense here lar! Oops, maybe you think the video is doctored right? Correct, correct, correct!
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Me MIC goon ? There is no such thing as MIC goon. Perhaps you have confused it with Makkal Samadhi goons…
I don’t want to fight with sexist politicans, too many of them. I just want to nuke PAS…a lot easier.
Go and watch the video yourself with open eyes and ears without prejudice and then you will see the TRUTH
Aligah Makkal Samadhi !
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Hah! Now he says there is no such thing as MIC goon. Then let me ask you this, who were the people in the Maika AGM manhandling and shouting at people who ask questions at Samy Vellu’s son?
Nuke PAS? Whatever. It is you who need to open your eyes and ears.
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