Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Maybe some HR or legal expert can verify on the legality of the action taken by the employer. So far, what is mentioned is that a SMS saying 7 DJs took part in the Hindraf gathering.
So, action taken based on hearsay? This is like poison letter (surat layang). How to belief? Looks like convicted before trial. Unless there's more to it than meets the eye.
| 'Lift suspension of Tamil radio deejays' http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75647 |
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State-owned Tamil radio station Minnal FM has been urged to lift the suspension imposed on several presenters over their alleged involvement in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally.
Media watchdogs Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) said they were concerned that suspected involvement in the rally has been used as a basis to suspend the presenters. “The action taken against the presenters only creates the perception that the government is intolerant (of) the democratic rights of its employees,” they said in a joint statement today.
“CIJ and WAMI would like to stress that freedom of assembly is a right guaranteed under the Federal Constitution and the radio presenters should not be discriminated against the right due to their professional relation to the government,” they said. “We call upon Minnal FM to suspend the investigation and reinstate the presenters immediately.” When contacted by CIJ for comment, station director M Raja Sekaran declined to confirm the matter and answer questions, according to the statement. Allegation by SMS Yesterday Malaysiakini reported that seven Minnal FM presenters have been taken off the air over alleged involvement in the Nov 25 rally and for their support for Hindraf. Sources said several of the presenters, some of whom are hugely popular, were sacked while others were suspended pending investigations. Attempts to contact Raja Sekaran have proved futile. However Tamil-language daily Makkal Osai today quoted popular presenter K Meenakumari as confirming the suspension of the seven presenters, including herself.
“We have been accused of taking part in the Hindraf rally, which is not true. We have been asked not to enter the broadcast room until the probe is completed,” she was quoted as saying. She added that Minnal FM decided to take action against them based on a short message service (SMS) which claimed that the seven presenters were supportive of Hindraf and were at the rally. The Hindraf rally attracted about 30,000 people, who marched to the British High Commission to submit a petition claiming they have been marginalised since being brought into Malaya as indentured labours. The government has condemned the rally as illegal and dismissed claims that the community is marginalised. |
The groups said the suspension indicated that Minnal FM viewed as an offence, the involvement of its staff in their personal capacity in public assemblies. 
The daily also named the remaining six presenters: K Sillalee (left), V Jamuna (right), Mahendran Veluplay, Kavirajan Jagarajan, Vijayan Muruti and Dhayalan Sharmugan. 
