Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email We can expect the support from the Indian community for the government to continue sliding downwards if the hearing problem is not rectified. As Lim Kit Siang challenged, would the Gerakan, MCA and MIC ministers and MPs talk “behind doors” or openly to demand for release of the 5 people? Or would they continue with their old style?
I think the reps won’t have any success. They are a minority in the parliment and cabinet. Then, there’s the matter of the Whip in the parliment as well.
Lim: PM didn’t get the people‘s message
source
Mar 29, 08 5:30pm
The government’s refusal to release the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under the Internal Security Act is proof that the administration has not heard the “message” of the people in the March 8 political tsunami.
This was the view of DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang who criticised Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar for denying the five – P Uthayakumar, V Ganabatirau, K Vasantha Kumar, R Kengadharan, and M Manoharan – their freedom.
“Hamid’s explanation is completely unacceptable. (His refusal shows) that the second (Prime Minister) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) administration has not really heard the voice of the people in the March 8 political tsunami for change towards a more democratic, accountable, just and progressive Malaysian society,” he said in a statement.
On Friday, Hamid said the government cannot simply react to political parties’ call in releasing Manoharan who won the Kota Alam Shah state seat by a 7,184-vote majority over incumbent Ching Su Chen of Barisan Nasional. “We have to react towards what is public safety and peace and will make due considerations if there is no threat to national security,” he reportedly said.
No proof of links
Lim commented that Hamid’s reluctance to release the detainees is because the ISA detention of the Hindraf quintet last December, was the result of calls by Barisan Nasional component parties and had nothing whatsoever to do with national security.
After the Hindraf rally on Nov 25, the five were subjected to a slew of charges for sedition and illegal assembly. They were eventually detained for being linked to terrorist organisations. However the police or the PM has yet to disclose any proof of these links.
“Having myself being detained twice for a total of 35 months under the ISA, I can vouch that ISA detentions had been used as political instruments to suppress dissent which have no relationship whatsoever with national security,” the DAP stalwart asserted. In 1969, Lim was detained under the ISA for 18 months. He was again victim to ISA during Operation Lalang in 1987 and was held without trial for 17 months.
Lim also said that releasing the Hindraf five will serve as a litmus test whether BN component parties will speak up against the arrogant, undemocratic and unjust policies and attitudes forced on them by Umno Ministers and leaders.
“Let the immediate and unconditional release of the Manoharan and the other four Hindraf leaders from ISA detention be the first test of MCA, MIC and Gerakan post-March 8 political tsunami.
“Firstly, whether the MCA, Gerakan and MIC ministers and deputy ministers are prepared to ask the Cabinet next Wednesday to end the ISA abuse and detention of the five Hindraf leaders.
“Secondly, whether MCA, Gerakan and MIC national leadership are prepared to submit a joint memorandum to the prime minister for the immediate and unconditional release of the Hindraf five from ISA,” he challenged.
Forget about UMNO. Their ketuanan mindset will be their undoing in the next election. They will desist any change to the status quo.
It is up to the MIC, MCA, GERAKAN and PPP to speak up and tell in no uncertain terms that the election debacle faced by the BN was the fault of UMNO and its partisan policies.
It is now or never for these parties to speak up and show that they had enough of UMNO’s authoritarian, hegymonic and condescending attitude.
They should reveal their findings for the demoralising defeat of their leaders in the 12th GE to the BN and demand that henceforth they be accorded equal partership.
They should demand (memorandum to the PM and UMNO) that the HINDRAF 5 be released immediately and policies favourable to all communities be set in motion.
If UMNO and the PM fail to do so then the above component parties should openly demand their release through press statements.
The release of the HINDRAF is mandatory for any national reconciliation to take place and for the country to move forward. As it is, it is mired in ‘ketuanan’ and racial bigotry.
While I agree that the HINDRAF goondas should be released from ISA, they should be charged in open court for sedition.
And to suggest that the release of these goodas is mandatory for national reconciliation is plain stupid. There are so many other important things to than these 5 agitators.