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Suhakam commissioner in charge of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria was commenting on the fact that the urban poor are not being provided with financial assistance from government departments and other entities. He also said the Welfare Department should deploy more officers to do housecalls instead of waiting for the poor to approach them.

“Some of them are not aware of the assistance provided by these agencies, so it is best if the Welfare Department or other relevant agencies can go to the ground and check on these people and at the same time they can also update their data.”

He said because of the present situation many urban folk were turning anti-establishment as they felt neglected by the government.

“I have met so many of these people and they told me they are Bumiputera and yet had nothing. I thought this problem was only among the Indians, but it seems that I am wrong.”

He said the authorities such as the Welfare Department should rebuild their networks with community heads like the surau chairman for people living in these low-cost flats to use as a referrence point in order to provide assistance.

“In kampungs, the Welfare Department has a link with the village head, but for those living in urban areas they don’t have such contact. That is why it is important to have a reference point. With such a reference point, the Welfare Department can then have a liaison person to speak to and find out more about the situation on the ground.”

I’m not sure if NST quoted him correctly, but Denison seems to have admitted that the Indians have been neglected, and he now realises that the urban poor Malays are also being neglected. By the way, there are many funds and channels to help Malay Muslims - either through welfare or religious agencies. How about funds or channels to help others?

Below is the letter by Denison (published in NST):

Poverty Levels: Show them the way to a better quality of life
By : DATUK DR DENISON JAYASOORIA,
Chairman Economic, Social and Cultural Working Group, Suhakam

SITI Nurbaiyah’s report “Poor Muslims slipping through the zakat net” (NST, Sept 18) highlights the plight of 30 hardcore poor families in Taman Sentul Utama who have not been able to access welfare assistance, either through religious institutions or through the Welfare Department.

This is shocking, especially when the government has made poverty eradication its No 1 priority and also has set a target of zero hardcore poverty by 2010.

There is a major gap between policy makers, service delivery and implementation institutions on the one hand and the very poor at the bottom of society. The poor are alienated and distant from the very institutions that were established to help them.

The poverty-line income, or income measure for the hardcore poor and the poor, is unrealistic. Take the plight of the family of Rosnaini Abu Hassan, whose only income is from her son who earns RM850. This family is statistically “non-poor” and definitely not hardcore poor.

But, look at their predicament: Their house rent is RM450. She has a mother who is 88 and a son who is disabled.
By official statistics they are “non-poor”. In reality, they are very poor in an urban environment of increasing prices and rising cost of living.

This is a common problem for many low-income families living in urban areas. Their life is hard and often the opportunities to build their capability and capacity are not there.

There are similar cases, not just among poor Malays but also among many displaced Indian plantation workers.

A key issue has been why these families are unable to access the Welfare Department for direct assistance or unable to access the poverty-eradication programmes meant for the urban poor.

Access and inclusion are the keys to empowering the poor. It is not through handouts but by being shown the way to a better life that these families can break the cycle of poverty.

Why are the cries of the poor not heard or entertained? Is there some form of discrimination because they are poor or powerless? Why is this so when so much funds are being set aside, both by the public and private sector?

Suhakam calls on the relevant public sector agencies, especially the Welfare Department and the social-development section of Kuala Lumpur City Hall, to review this situation and ensure that these poor families in Taman Sentul Utama are not further marginalised.

The right to development is a fundamental right and the poor must have opportunities to enhance their economic and social rights.

Suhakam also calls on the government to immediately establish a task force, especially in the urban areas which are under the purview of local governments, to identify the poor and ensure they have access to a better quality of life.

Also, the government’s Economic Planning Unit should review the poverty line income and methodology in identifying the real poor. In addition to the income measure, other qualitative or quantitative indicators must be used to ensure greater inclusion and access.

We must establish fair and equitable mechanisms in addressing the root issues and concerns of the urban poor.

There has been repeated calls to reevaluate the poverty line because its ridiculous to set it between RM600 and RM700. The poverty index should include location, number of dependents (and their status) and income.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Probably Hindraf should sue all those ministers who commented as well Waytha dares the media to publish proof of the unruly behavior of Hindraf supporters who attended the Hari Raya open house at PWTC. So, far photos in Malaysiakini and those received via email paint a different story compared to the yarn spun by Utusan.

Waytha says:

So visiting the PM on a Hari Raya (Eid) is a grave sin committed by HINDRAF. An act of betrayal and insult to the Islamic religion. the masterminds should be arrested under the ISA or prosecuted under the existing Laws - so say the Malay extremist and fundamentalists organisations. Cabinet Ministers claim HINDRAF was extreme in barging into the PM’s open house and presenting a memorandum. Their seditious criticisms. were carried out by the none other than the UMNO controlled daily Utusan and TV3.

So it was a grave sin. I challenge these fools to obtain evidence from over 30 odd TV crews and pressmen (both local and International media) and the numerous Police Special Branch units who covered , recorded and filmed the entire episode to make public their recordings so that the whole world could see the foolishness and low mentality of Malaysian politicians and their UMNO coolies who stir up racial sentiments for their own political survival.

There is no doubt that whenever there are serious problems within UMNO, the best solution (idiotic though) is to stir racial tension among races. UMNO creates problems and misleads the public with the strength and might of their media.

Let us see the pictures below which our supporters recorded.

It is for you to judge whether HINDRAF presence at PM’S OPEN HOUSE IS as an INSULT TO ISLAM ?

This card is interpreted by the Cabinet Ministers as memorandum. I wonder if they know what they are talking about. The simplest greeting card prepared by a 6 year old with the help of adult to express the feeling of HINDRAF supporters to the PM-And this is interpreted as an insult to the Islamic faith???

Salam Aidilfitri
Semoga di hari mulia ini YAB akan diberkati rahmat Tuhan dan membebaskan semua tahanan ISA dan mendengar rintihan masyarakat India di bumi tercinta Malaysia. Maaf Zahir batin.

P.Waythamoorthy
Hindraf Chairman
Currently in London

Note: The images are in this PDF file (3MB).

Now, there’s a possibility of Utusan getting a RM1 million lawsuit soon. Malaysiakini reports that the issue is being discussed by HINDRAF lawyers. National coordinator RS Thanenthiran said that HINDRAF was very disturbed by the Utusan reports which he claims were tainted by lies and distorted facts.

A commentary in Utusan by Baharom Mahusin deserves a police investigation or even detention under ISA due its contents. I guess the writer may need police protection.

Hindraf was particularly offended by Baharom’s comment which stated that ‘ Kalau penyokong Hindraf melakukan penghinaan seumpama itu di kawasan-kawasan pendalaman yang menjadi kampung halaman orang Melayu, mereka sudah pun diajar tentang makna dan akibat berperangai kurang ajar.’ (If Hindraf supporters pour such insults in the interior areas dominated by Malays, they would have been taught a lesson on the meaning and consequence of misbehaviour.)

Thanenthiran asked, “What is the writer trying to instigate here?
‘Communal conflict? Racial hatred?”.

“Baharom’s comment was most unprofessional and unethical”, Thanenthiran told a press conference in Butterworth.

HINDRAF also chastised and ridiculed the Home Minister and others who did not understand the difference between Hari Raya card and a memorandum.

Charles Hector raised a similar question to mine in his blog - Why no coverage of the Free RPK group nor a warning to them in Utusan and NST? Is it discrimination? He also wrote few more important points.

Utusan, meanwhile, continuous with its tirade. The protection and freedom given to this paper is unprecedented. If this was some other paper, it would have closed shop ages ago. On Saturday, Utusan says “Hindraf diberi amaran” (HINDRAF warned) which reported on Home Minister hinting that the illegal organization (no other paper uses the word “illegal”) HINDRAF faces police investigation over the Raya visit. The article in Utusan is really an insulting peice of work. I won’t bother reproducing it here lest people start to burn Utusan paper in public or throw cocktails (Is it the trend nowadays?). I guess even ISA may be used against the key persons. Among the names being bandied about was Shanti, Waytha’s wife and Thanenthiran, the National Coordinator. I guess even the 6 year old daughter may be detained as potential future threat! Other articles in Utusan with similar hateful words are here and here. Take a deep breath before reading them.

Meanwhile Samy says he will continue to fight for the release of Hindraf 5 even with the “problem” given by HINDRAF.

He said he was taking “other action” besides appealing to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and the BN supreme council that the Hindraf leaders be set free from their detention under the Internal Security Act.

Samy Vellu however declined to give details. He said he was only trying to help the family of the detained men.

He said their wives were happy and hopeful since he began to work for their release.

“MIC is going all out until we get them released. We are getting help from others to get them out. When they are released, I don’t need anything from them. I’m not doing this for popularity, I’m doing it for the community.”

He also said that MIC won’t pressure the Home Minister or place any conditions. He said he will meet Syed Hamid next week to discuss further.

According to Samy Vellu, the MIC’s effort is in line with its objectives to defend and protect the rights of the Indian community in this country.

“The MIC also wants to pursue this on humanitarian grounds as the families of those involved are suffering and need assistance,” he said.

He added that it was mischevious to suggest the party’s effort was to gain publicity or become popular.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Their plans for a march to the palace was cancelled following advice from the police, but the Orang Asli group have some serious grouses that needs attention.

The march organised by Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia) to the palace this morning was called off following ‘advice’ from the police.

The group of more than 100 was unable to start their march from the Central Market Annexe at 10.15am when the police stopped them.

Suaram’s S Arutchelvan and Orang Asli activist Colin Nicholas had an argument with the police team led by ASP Sydney Clyde Jeremiah of the Dang Wangi police district.

The organisers claimed they had permission from the police for today’s event two weeks ago and were unhappy that they were prevented from carrying it out this morning.

However, ASP Sydney advised them to disperse failing which the police would have no choice but to arrest those taking part in the march.

The organisers then decided to call it off and held a press conference at 10.45am instead to make public their demands and recommendations contained in a memorandum, meant to be submitted to the palace.

Colin told the press conference that the march was never granted a permit but they received verbal “permission and approval” from the Dang Wangi police.

Their written application was originally rejected but when they appealed for permission, it was given verbally on the understanding that there would be no political sentiments involved in the event.

When asked if the police gave any reason to stop the march, Colin replied: “No, but he (ASP Sydney) said the march has to be stopped because of latest political development in the country.”

Yesterday, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok were detained under the Internal Security Act.

The march this morning was organised to submit a memorandum to the king seeking recognition of the rights of indigenous groups as espoused in the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Similar to Hindraf, they also have their memorandum:

Despite calling off a march to the King’s palace to submit a memorandum, our spirits are not broken and we will continue to voice our disappointment towards the government, the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia) said today.

In the memorandum, the network had protested the non-recognition of their customary lands, forced resettlement, non-recognition of cultural rights, unfair policies of assimilation and integration, and outright disregard for judicial decisions.

The march was planned in conjunction with the first anniversary of United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the memorandum, the group highlighted several violations including Orang Asal rights as the land-owners.

“The federal and state governments have acted maliciously against the Orang Asal by forcibly taking our lands, territories and resources without our free, prior consent,” executive director of Borneo Resources Institute, Mark Bujang, told a press conference following the cancellation of the march this morning from police ‘advice’.

Reading out the memorandum, Mark said in Selangor alone, about 7,000 hectares of Orang Asal reserves were degazetted without their knowledge. Neither were they informed when, where and how the areas were taken from them.

“In Sabah and Sarawak, an increasing number of communities are now finding out the hard way that their native customary lands have been given to oil palm and industrial tree plantation companies or leased to logging companies - again without their prior consent,” he added.

Furthermore, the Orang Asal have been subjected to force for involuntary resettlements because of government’s non-recognition of their native titles.

Mark cited as an example the forced resettlement of Chewong-Orang Asli community in the Kelau Dam project in Pahang where the indigenous people were intentionally misrepresented by the agents of the government and forced to resettle.

“To make matters worse, the indigenous community concerned need not be resettled as their village would not have been affected by the projects,” Mark explained.
Among their demands, the Orang Asal have requested that customary land be returned and appropriate legal processes be taken for the restitution of the land obtained.

“The government must immediately halt the legal process to gazette land which indiscriminately acquire the indigenous customary lands,” said Mark.

He added the courts should prioritise cases involving customary land dispute and urged the government to provide legal assistance for their cases.

According to findings in the memorandum, the Orang Asal consist of more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups, each with its own culture, language and territory, totalling up to four million or 15 per cent of national population.

“In the context of Malaysia, however, no law or policy was found that mentions the right to self-determination for indigenous peoples, let alone, accord us that right,” said Mark.

According to him, the Orang Asal have suffered from injustices by previous regimes and governments since the formation of the government of Malaysia.

“Therefore, the government must apologise for all these injustices and prejudices that have happened throughout the history,” he stressed.

Popularity: 1% [?]