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Badawi does not respect the Indians! That’s the message from Hindraf’s rep. Not even sending a representative or acknowledging HINDRAF, but now talking about them.

Instead of apologising for the insulting and violent treatment dished out to the Indian community on the 16th, he has the gall to brand Hindraf as “extremists”! Well, its still better then the “terrorist link” nonsense raised earlier.

The only blockades created on the 16th was by the police. It created jams all over Klang Valley, whereas the number of people who gathered were about 2000 – 3000 people only.

Looking at the way things are going, people may soon say that the “extremists” are the ones who wield the water cannons and tear gas canisters, and the ones who control them.

And it is most ridiculous to even think that HINDRAF or their supporters will be putting up blockades to prevent people from voting. I mean, come on! Who has the time to dream up all this nonsense? Disrupting the election he says, how can when the Rose event was SET before the parliment was dissolved. If anything, this looks like as if looking for excuses to do something else.

I think for once, the authorities must allow a peaceful demonstration/rally/march etc to happen. Like the Lawyer’s March in Putrajaya last year. The only ones who will be jumping up and down protesting any kind of public show of feeling is the political parties and their leaders. And they try to make a mess of it by adding tear gas an chemical water as the ingredients.

 

 

 

 

Abdullah lashes out at ‘extremist’ Hindraf

http://malaysiakini.com/news/78151
Feb 16, 08 9:44pm
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today labelled the Hindu Rights Action Force as an extremists group which aimed to disrupt the general election. According to a Bernama report today, Abdullah said that Hindraf’s illegal assembly in Kuala Lumpur this morning was an attempt to raise fear in the people and disrupt the polls which would be held on March 8. “People who disrupt the elections do not respect the democratic process. When there is disorder, the people do not come out to vote for fear of getting caught in fights,” he said after attending a function in Yan, Kedah.

This morning the police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse about 300 Hindraf supporters who had gathered along Jalan Raja Laut to hand in roses to Abdullah. Calling it the rose protest, Hindraf had wanted to give the flower to the premier, asking him, among others, to release the five Hindraf leaders presently held under the Internal Security Act.

The police arrested about 200 people, of which all but nine were released later in the day. The nine are held overnight on a one-day remand for failing to disperse despite repeated request by the police.

Commenting on the gathering, which had been declared illegal by the police yesterday, Abdullah said the action of the Hindraf supporters was not a culture of Malaysians who loved peace. He added that the people would definitely not agree with such action aimed at creating chaos in the country. He also did not rule out the possibility of the Hindraf supporters resorting to blockade roads to prevent people from going to the polls.

Use of children condemned

On the use of children in the illegal assembly, the prime minister said it was most regrettable as the children’s safety was put at risk. “We regret that they (Hindraf supporters) use children to bring pressure to bear on their demands. This is not the way. The action endangers the children,” he said. He also said that the authorities would not hesitate to use provisions of the legislation on child protection on those using children at such assemblies.

Meanwhile Hindraf’s national coordinator R Thanenthiran said that he was disappointed with the police action as well as with Abdullah. A highly-charged Thanenthiran told reporters that Abdullah should not be claiming to be representing the needs and welfare of all races in this country. “We wanted to have 200 children to peacefully give Abdullah flowers but we were tear-gassed and water-cannoned by police,” he said. Thanenthiran also said organisers decided it was unsafe for the children to take part in the protest and they were bused away from the scene.

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