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MK report on Hindraf trio discharged from sedition

November 27th, 2007
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Hindraf trio discharged from sedition
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75273
Soon Li Tsin
Nov 26, 07 12:45pm

Three key leaders of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) were today discharged without being acquitted by the Klang Sessions Court from the sedition charge they faced. 

Judge Zunaidah Mohd Idris ordered the discharge as the prosecution had failed to submit the original Tamil transcript of the alleged seditious remarks made by P Uthayakumar, P Waythamoorthy and VS Ganapathy Rao.

The prosecution led by DPP Ishak Yusoff has also failed to get the Malay translation of the allegedly seditious speeches officially certified by relevant bodies.

“The court and the (defence) lawyers are not convinced that the speeches were seditious because the Malay translation is not clear.

“What is important is the actual Tamil text with a certified translation (into Malay). Is the prosecution basing the offence on the original words in Tamil or the translated version in Malay?

“I believe the gist of the offence is not stated here. I cannot see what (allegedly seditious words) the prosecution is focusing on,” Zunaidah said, before discharging the trio.

She, however, said the prosecution can recharge the three once the documentation has been sorted out.

They were originally charged last Friday under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act, based on police investigations pertaining to reports lodged against them in relation to their speeches made between 8.30am and 11.15pm at a forum in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor on Nov 16.

The offence is punishable with a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or a maximum jail sentence of three years, or both.

‘Return bail money’

Zunaidah had also ruled that bail money held by the court over the weekend was to be returned.

Hindraf legal adviser Uthayakumar and lawyer Ganapathy had posted bail of RM800 each on Friday, but chairperson Waythamoorthy had refused the bail offer as a mark of protest.

The trio were represented by a team of lawyers including M Manoharan, A Sivanesan, S Surendran, Gobind Singh Deo, R Kenghadaran and M Kulasegaran.

Amer Hamzah Arshad and Ramdas Tikamdas appeared for the Bar Council and National Human Rights Society respectively.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng were among political leaders who were present in court today.

A crowd of about 100 inside the courtroom erupted in cheers when the judge discharged the trio. They were then hoisted on the shoulders of supporters and paraded victoriously down Jalan Dato Hamzah – also known as Little India – bringing traffic to a standstill.

A larger crowd – estimated to be around 4,000 – had gathered at the nearby Padang Chetty watched by an equally strong presence of the Federal Reserve Unit. The crowd dispersed after several speeches were made by the Hindraf leaders.

During an impromptu press conference in front of the Sri Nagara Thandayuthapani temple adjacent to the field, Waythamoorthy broke his three-day hunger strike amidst cheers from supporters.

“It (fasting) was a good experience,” he told Malaysiakini with a smile.

His brother Uthayakumar insisted that he will “continue to speak the truth” and said he was not deterred by the sedition charge.

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selangor govt provide more info on padang jawa temple status

November 27th, 2007
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follow the link given earlier by a reader in my blog, i also found the following entry at the website of selangor MB. hop  hindraf can verify or provide more information on this.

Info & Fakta Isu Setinggan Rimba Jaya, Shah Alam
Thursday, November 08 @ 12:14:22 MYT

source

1.0 Latarbelakang Setinggan Rimba Jaya Setinggan Kampung Rimba Jaya, Seksyen 16 Shah Alam terletak di kawasan seluas 69.170 ekar di atas tapak tanah kepunyaan Ken Rimba Jaya Sdn. Bhd. Bilangan keseluruhan unit setinggan di Kampung Rimba Jaya terdiri daripada 1121 struktur setinggan iaitu (1117 unit kediaman, 1 unit surau, 2 unit kuil kecil dan 1 unit kuil besar).

2.0 Latarbelakang Proses Perobohan dan Tindakan Mahkamah Yang Berkaitan 2.1 Perobohan pertama Pada 15 dan 16 November 2003, pihak Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) telah mengeluarkan notis meroboh berdasarkan kepada (Peraturan 10 di dalam Peraturan-Peraturan Perlu (Pembersihan Setinggan) 1969 yang memberi kuasa kepada Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan untuk merobohkan setinggan atas dasar kepentingan awam) kepada 110 unit kediaman setinggan sahaja.

Walaubagaimanapun 12 penduduk setinggan yang terlibat telah mendapatkan perintah injunksi interim daripada Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam untuk menghalang MBSA daripada merobohkan kediaman mereka sementara menunggu Saman Pemula bagi mencabar kesahihan (legality) notis perobohan yang telah dikeluarkan oleh pihak Majlis. Daripada 110 unit kediaman hanya 99 telah berjaya dirobohkan pada ketika itu.

Pada 7 Julai 2004, Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam telah membuat keputusan bahawa notis yang telah dikeluarkan oleh MBSA tidak sah dan Majlis dilarang daripada mengusir setinggan dari tapak tersebut.

Tindakan seterusnya pihak MBSA telah mengemukakan rayuan terhadap keputusan tersebut ke Mahkamah Rayuan, Putrajaya dan pada 9 Februari 2007, Mahkamah Rayuan Putrajaya telah membuat keputusan bahawa notis tersebut adalah sah dan arahan-arahan kerajaan negeri berhubung pembersihan setinggan adalah sah dan perobohan untuk 12 unit kediaman setinggan telah dilaksanakan pada 6 Mac 2007.

2.2 Perobohan Kali Kedua

Bagi baki 1011 unit setinggan, Pihak Majlis telah mengadakan Majlis dialog bersama penduduk pada 24 Julai 2005 di Dewan Padang Jawa dan berdasarkan kepada majlis dialog tersebut sebanyak 703 telah bersetuju untuk pindah ke Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Seksyen 26 manakala baki sebanyak 308 enggan berpindah.

Rentetan daripada itu, pihak Majlis telah mengeluarkan notis meroboh 308 struktur yang ada di tapak iaitu 304 rumah, 1 unit surau dan 3 unit kuil. Sebagai gantian satu tapak untuk kuil dan surau akan disediakan di kawasan berhampiran.

Namun begitu, 274 penduduk setinggan telah mefailkan tindakan terhadap MBSA melalui Saman Pemula di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam bagi mencabar kesahihan (legality) notis tersebut dan telah difailkan bersama-samanya satu permohonan injunksi interim, sementara menunggu Saman {emula tersebut diputuskan. Manakala itu baki 30 unit rumah, 1 unit surau dan 3 unit kuil yang telah diserahkan notis yang sama tidak mefailkan sebarang permohonan Saman Pemula atauapun injunksi untuk menghalang perlaksanaan notis tersebut.

Seterusnya, permohonan untuk Injunksi Interim Inter-Part yang difailkan oleh 274 penduduk setinggan tersebut telah ditolak oleh Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada 3 Oktober 2007. Ini bermakna pihak MBSA tidak lagi dihalang daripada melaksanakan kehendak notis perobohan tersebut yang mana kesahihan (legality) notis perobohan tersebut juga telah diakui oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan melalui keputusan kes bertarikh 31 Julai 2007 yang telah diperolehi dalam kes rayuan yang telah difailkan oleh 12 penduduk setinggan sebelum ini.

Justeru itu, lanjutan daripada penolakan terhadap permohonan 274 penduduk setinggan untuk Injunksi Interim inter-parte tersebut, pihak MBSA telah menjalankan operasi perobohan baki unit struktur bangunan setinggan termasuk 1 unit surau dan 3 unit kuil pada 30 Oktober 2007.

3.0 Isu perobohan terhadap kuil dan surau

Berhubung isu perobohan kuil dan surau, pihak MBSA ingin memaklumkan 3 unit kuil dan 1 unit surau yang telah diserahkan notis meroboh bangunan pada 17 November 2005 tidak mefailkan sebarang tindakan untuk menghalang perlaksanaan notis meroboh yang telah dikeluarkan. Namun begitu pihak MBSA telah mengambil keputusan untuk menangguhkan proses perobohan terhadap 3 unit kuil dan 1 unit surau atas pertimbangan berikut :

1) Proses perobohan 3 unit kuil dan 1 unit surau tersebut akan dilaksanakan serentak dengan proses perobohan baki unit setinggan yang akan dilakukan setelah mendapat keputusan akhir daripada Mahkamah berhubung permohonan Injunksi Interim inter-parte yang telah difailkan oleh 274 penduduk setinggan yang terlibat.

2) Selagi permohonan 274 penduduk setinggan untuk Injunksi Interim inter-parte tidak diputuskan oleh mahkamah, pihak Majlis tidak dapat merobohkan unit kediaman setinggan mereka. Oleh itu, atas dasar keperluan mereka untuk melaksanakan ibadat harian kuil dan surau tidak dirobohkan.

3) Kuil tersebut ada yang bercantum dengan unit setinggan yang telah memperolehi perintah Injunksi Interim ex-parte. Oleh yang demikian, kerja perobohan sukar dilakukan kerana boleh menjejaskan unit setinggan yang dilindungi oleh perintah Injunksi ex-parte tersebut.

Berikutan keputusan pihak Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada 3 Oktober 2007 yang menolak permohonan injunksi interim inter-parte daripada 274 penduduk setinggan Rimba Jaya untuk menghalang pihak MBSA daripada meroboh kediaman setinggan mereka maka pihak MBSA telah mengadakan operasi meroboh pada 30 Oktober 2007. Walaubagaimanapun dalam operasi perobohan tersebut hanya 2 unit kuil dan 1 unit surau sahaja berjaya dirobohkan manakala itu perobohan 1 unit kuil telah ditangguhkan.

Dalam operasi tersebut 4 anggota penguatkuasa telah mendapatkan kecederaan di mana 3 anggota telah mengalami kecederaan di kepala dan seorang anggota telah mengalami patah jari kelingking.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Sekretariat Akhbar Negeri Selangor

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selangor govt replies to padang jawa temple demolition

November 27th, 2007
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this is the response from selangor govt which came a week after the demolition. let’s see what is hindraf’s reply. thanks to “killer” for highlighting this.

ISU PEROBOHAN KUIL HINDU DI RIMBA JAYA
Tuesday, November 06 @ 01:47:50 MYT

source

Kerajaan Negeri Selangor ingin menjelaskan kekeliruan yang ditimbulkan oleh pihak yang berkepentingan politik, terutamanya PKR, yang telah menyebarkan maklumat melalui Sistem Pesanan Ringkas (SMS) serta menghasut penganut-penganut Hindu di Malaysia untuk bertindak tidak mengikut peraturan.

Adalah perlu dinyatakan bahawa tanah setinggan Rimba Jaya, Shah Alam bukanlah milik kerajaan negeri seperti yang didakwa. Sebaliknya ia dimiliki sebuah syarikat swasta yang kemudiannya gulung tikar dan diletakkan di bawah Danaharta.

Danaharta kemudiannya membenarkan sebuah syarikat baru mengambil alih tanah tersebut. Berikutan pengambil alihan ini, syarikat tersebut perlu memajukan kawasan yang diambil alih bagi mendapatkan kembali pulangan modal yang telah dikeluarkan ketika mengambil alih tanah ini.

Oleh kerana di atas tanah tersebut terdapat 1121 setinggan yang tinggal, maka Kerajaan Negeri Selangor telah mengenakan syarat supaya syarikat tersebut menyediakan rumah-rumah kos rendah dengan subsidi RM 7, 000.00 sekeluarga/seunit kepada semua keluarga setinggan.

Pada peringkat awal syarikat tidak mahu membina rumah kos rendah dan rumah ibadat kepada umat Islam dan Hindu.

Namun Kerajaan Negeri bertegas bahawa kawasan itu tidak bolah dimajukan selagi syarikat pemaju tidak mengemukakan pelan yang meliputi pembinaan rumah kos rendah serta menyediakan kawasan tapak untuk surau dan kuil secara percuma dan sah.

Setelah syarikat bersetuju dengan syarat yang dikenakan, Kerajaan Negeri telah mengeluarkan notis pertama pada 2005.

Walau bagaimanapun penduduk tidak bersetuju dengan tawaran pemilik tanah yang dibuat melalui Kerajaan Negeri. Dalam hal ini Kerajaan Negeri telah menjadi orang tengah untuk berunding untuk mendapatkan penyelesaian yang menguntungkan kedua belah pihak.

Setelah diadakan rundingan, lapan puluh peratus (80%) penduduk bersetuju dengan tawaran tersebut. Mereka berpindak ke rumah Council yang telah disediakan di Shah Alam juga.

Apabila notis kedua dikeluarkan, terdapat 11 pemilik rumah tidak bersetuju dan memfailkan kes ini di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam. Perbicaraan telah dijalankan di antara peguam pemilik tanah dengan peguam setinggan.

Keputusan mahkamah mengatakan bahawa setinggan perlu kosongkan kawasan tersebut dan pemilik tanah berhak bersihkan kawasan tanah tersebut. Setinggan memfailkan permohonan ke Mahkamah Tinggi dan keputusan memihak kepada pemilik tanah. Pihak setinggan sekali lagi memfailkan kes ke Mahkamah Tinggi Rayuan. Keputusan tetap menyebelahi kepada pemilik tanah kerana itu adalah tanah persendirian.

Pemilik tanah telah memohon bantuan kerajaan negeri untuk membersihkan kawasan tersebut dan kerajaan Negeri bertanggungjawab mengikut Akta Kanun Tanah Negara membantu proses pembersihan tersebut. Kerajaan negeri sekali menyatakan bahawa pembersihan ini hanya dilakukan jika tapak kuil disediakan dan rumah kos rendah mesti dibina.

Setelah pemaju menyediakan tapak kuil tersebut barulah notis ketiga dikeluarkan pada 3 Oktober 2007.

Penyediaan tapak kuil ini adalah persetujuan yang telah pun dinyatakan oleh pemilik kuil dan juga telah dipersetujui lebih awal oleh oleh Mendiang Dato’ K Sivalinggam dalam mesyuarat EXCO Kerajaan Negeri tahun lalu. Kedua-duanya memberi persetujuan dengan syarat tapak kuil baru disediakan sebelum dirobohkan tapak sedia ada.

Hakikatnya kerajaan Negeri telah memberi peluang selama 3 tahun untuk proses pemindahan dijalankan secara teratur dan baik.

Kerajaan Negeri terpaksa mengambil tindakan perobohan mengikut Undang-undang Kanun Tanah Negara untuk membenarkan pembangunan dibuat. PBT tidak mahu dituduh tidak mengikut arahan mahkamah.

Pemaju juga telah sanggup membayar ganti rugi, yang mungkin ada, untuk pemindahan kuil.

Malangnya, pihak pembangkang telah mempengaruhi penganut Hindu dari luar supaya datang untuk berkumpul di kuil sehingga sami kuil itu sendiri tidak boleh masuk ke kuil pada hari ini.

Kerajaan Negeri sebenarnya telah memberi banyak masa dan peluang.

Untuk makluman Penganut hindu di Selangor, Kerajaan Negeri telah menghalalkan beberapa kuil haram seperti yang telah dicadangkan oleh Pertubuhan Hindu Sanggam. Malah premium tanah yang dikenakan juga adalah minimum.

Tuduhan mengatakan Kerajaan Negeri tidak membantu agama lain adalah tidak benar. Kerajaan Negeri telah menyediakan kawasan yang besar di Batu Caves tanpa gangguan Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT).

Malah Kerajaan Negeri telah menyediakan peruntukan sebanyak RM 3 juta untuk rumah ibadat bukan Islam.

Komitmen kerajaan Negeri untuk membantu menyediakan kemudahan kepada rumah Ibadat tidak perlu dipertikaikan. Adalah menjadi menjadi kewajipan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor menyediakan kemudahan beribadat kepada semua kaum berdasarkan kebebasan beragama.

Kepada penganut agama Hindu, Kerajaan Negeri Selangor merasakan bahawa tindakan yang dibuat adalah mengikut undang-undang dan peraturan.

Harapan kami bahawa penganut Hindu boleh membina rumah Ibadah setelah mendapat kelulusan dari pertubuhan Hindu Sanggam. Kerajaan Negeri tiada halangan memberi kelulusan.

Janganlah kita terpengaruh dengan orang yang mempunyai kepentingan politik kerana agama tidak sepatutnya dipergunakan untuk mendapat keuntungan politik murahan.

Semoga tuhan mengetahui apa dilakukan dan memberi kekuatan kepada kita menegakkan kebenaran.

Kerajaan Negeri juga ingin mengucapkan selamat menyambut Hari Deepavali kepada semua penganut agama Hindu.

Sekian, terima kasih

Dikeluarkan oleh,
Sekretariat Akhbar Kerajaan Negeri Selangor
03-55447456

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collection of news on hindraf from the sun

November 27th, 2007
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http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=20072
ISA may be used on illegal demonstrators, says Johari
136 arrested at rally under remand | Govt's unfair policies claim not true, says Najib | Johari: Not fair for BN MP to blame govt for Indian woes
B. Suresh Ram and Giam Say Khoon
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 26, 2007): The government has not ruled out the possibility of using the Internal Security Act (ISA) on those involved in illegal demonstrations and gatherings.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said the government may have to look into the use of detention without trial provisions in the future if such illegal demonstrations continue to mushroom.

"If the situation warrants it, (we will use the ISA)," he told reporters in Parliament lobby yesterday.

The ISA, a colonial piece of legislation that was enforced to deal with the communists during Malaya's emergency, allows for indefinite detention without trial.

Johari said the government may have to consider using the ISA following the Hindraf demonstration yesterday and the Bersih demonstration two weeks ago which have raised concerns about public safety, security and economic losses.

Johari denied the government was one sided when it came to the issuance of permits for public gatherings.

He said permits for public gatherings were issued if they were beneficial to society.

"Not for a situation which causes problems," he said, adding that the authorities will scrutinise permit applications thoroughly before deciding.

Earlier, he defended the approach taken by the police in breaking up the illegal demonstration by Hindraf yesterday, and in handling the more than 10,000 protestors.

He said police personnel ensured there was no body contact with the demonstrators when carrying out their duty.

However, visuals on Al-Jazeera and pictures which have been posted on the Internet show that some demonstrators were wrestled to the ground and dragged away by the police.

Johari said that after trying to disperse the demonstrators through the use of tear gas and water cannons, the police used the "soft approach" by asking Hindraf leaders to address the crowds to tell them to disperse.

He also said police would be investigating all those hauled up yesterday, including demonstration backers.

"We will trace those behind it and will investigate and take the appropriate action," he said.

He added that despite a court order prohibiting the assembly in front of the British High Commission, the lack of a police permit for the gathering, and sufficient warning by the police, the organisers and participants of the demonstration still chose to defy the rule of law.

"This showed that they came not because of the memorandum. Certain quarters have made use of the demonstration for their own benefit," he said.

136 arrested at rally under remand

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 26, 2007): Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Christopher Wan confirmed today that the 136 people who were arrested during the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally yesterday were now being remanded for between one and three days.

Wan’s deputy Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani also said the detainees were being investigated under Section 188 of the Penal Code for disobeying an order by the police.

Offences under Section 188 are punishable with a maximum imprisonment of six months or maximum fine of RM2,000 or both.

"The arrests were done by the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur police under Section 27 of the Police Act (power to regulate assemblies, meetings and processions)," Acryl Sani said.

Acryl Sani told reporters in a function today the police had a special meeting today to discuss the rally and would arrive at some conclusions by Thursday (Nov 29).

Govt's unfair policies claim not true, says Najib

PETALING JAYA (Nov 26, 2007): The Barisan Nasional (BN) would not have had the Indian community’s support through the years if the government, led by the coalition, practised unfair policies, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said.

Responding to comments by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P. Uthayakumar that the Indians who demonstrated had been oppressed since independence, the deputy prime minister said if that were true, the BN would not have survived this long in government.

Uthayakumar’s comments were made during a live TV interview on Al-Jazeera news yesterday.

"All of a sudden he wants to raise the issue which is politically-motivated," Najib said today after a handing over ceremony of three helicopters to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency by Eurocopter Malaysia in Subang Airport.

Najib said the street demonstrations affected the country’s image, disrupted business and inconvenienced the public because of the police road blocks that were set up to stop the demonstration.

Asked if the demonstrations were a challenge to the BN, Najib said the BN would not back down from a political challenge.

In Penang, Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said Hindraf should have engaged in constructive consultation rather than take a confrontational stand.

Koh, who is also Penang Chief Minister, called for a press conference to urge those involved to use peaceful forums rather than street demonstrations.

Citing the efforts by the Sri Murugan Centre to motivate Indian students through incentives, Koh said those who were discontented and felt left behind "should turn these negative feelings to do something constructive about it".

Koh said the best way for the group to voice their discontentment was to use existing channels of communications, for example, through a signature campaign, adding that the government was always open to suggestions.

In Kuala Lumpur, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said complaints must be channeled legally, adding that an illegal rally was a threat to the country’s image and stability.

"I believe this is also the view of many people and I hope there will be no more illegal rallies in the country," he told reporters.

In a statement today, however, Centre for Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam called on the government to recognise the democratic right of freedom of assembly.

"If we want to consider ourselves a true democracy, then the police should stop immediately its high handed and excessive use of force at dispersing peaceful crowds," he said in reference to the Hindraf rally, and the Nov 10 Bersih rally.

To the government’s insistence that people should raise their concerns in forums instead of demonstrating, Ramon said such forums have been conducted with little avail.

"(The people’s) articulations are compiled into reports and submitted to various committees, but it is precisely inaction and non-response from the government that has fuelled frustrations among those groups who have not received equal treatment," he said.

He also urged the government to examine the root causes that underlie the recent rallies.

"These expressions of frustration and anger arise from a significant proportion of the Malaysian public. These must be factored into policy-making processes, and not ignored," he said.

Johari: Not fair for BN MP to blame govt for Indian woes

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 26, 2007): A backbenchers was told today it was unfair for him to accuse the government of being unfair to the Indian community when it comes to sharing the country’s economic pie.

S.K. Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands) had said, when posing a supplementary question, that despite measures promised by the government in its 2020 Vision policy and the Ninh Malaysia Plan, the reaction (Hindraf's demonstration) yesterday showed that there is frustration in the lower rung of the Indian community which saw the involvement of youths and those from the middle income group.

"What are the actions taken to show proof of the government’s efforts in overcoming poverty and limited opportunities in the Indian community," he asked Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum in Parliament.

Johari, replying in Parliament lobby, said it was not fair for Devamany to say the Indian community took to the streets on Sunday because the government was not being fair to them.

"How can he say that the demonstrations were due to Indians’ frustrations," he said.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Abdul Rahman Suliman, replying to a supplementary question from Lim Kit Siang (BN-Ipoh Timur), said the Barisan Nasional government was never dictated by demonstrations when it comes to improving the well being of the people.

"’The BN government is always sensitive to the needs and interest of the people. Attention to which has always been paid, even when there is no demonstration," he added.

Lim, in a statement, demanded that Devamany publicly apologise for his Aljazeera interview yesterday (Sunday) for belittling the Hindraf demonstration and condemning the demonstrators.

"The Cabinet on Wednesday (Nov 28) must discuss the ‘cry of desperation’ of the Malaysian Indians symbolised by the 30,000-prople strong Hindraf demonstration," he aadded.

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Fearless Indians fight for rights

November 26th, 2007
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Fearless Indians fight for rights
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75289
K Kabilan
Nov 26, 07 4:17pm

news analysis “Let’s see how makkal sakti (Tamil for ‘people power’) works now,” was Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy’s reaction, just after he and two other key leaders were arrested 48 hours before the rally planned by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

And on Sunday, the people – almost all from the Hindu community – responded impressively by taking part in the rally which attracted an estimated 30,000 from all over the country. 

Waythamoorthy (right) and his brother Uthayakumar (left)are the prime movers behind Hindraf. Apart from often being the first to react with a grassroots presence whenever an incident involves the community, they have also held a successful nationwide roadshow to remind Indians of their rights.

In the process, Hindraf has tapped the anger within the community, and it was shown by those who participated in the rally and the thousands of others who were prevented by the police from entering Kuala Lumpur.

The real heroes, though, were the protesters.

This was a crowd which is angry with the way Indian Malaysians are being treated. They are fed-up with being downtrodden. They are frustrated with being treated as third-class citizens in their own country.

So, they had no hesitation about accepting Hindraf’s invitation to come to Kuala Lumpur to express their anger despite the prior warnings issued by the polic and political leaders – and in defiance of a restraining order that could see them jailed for contempt of court. 

As many told Malaysiakini, the most recent demolition of a Hindu temple in Klang was the catalyst for their presence.

‘Hear our voice’

Many of the protesters were out-of-towners. They have been deprived of a forum and the opportunity to say their piece. Many are also MIC supporters, now with full regret that the only Indian-based party in the Barisan Nasional has been helpless in stopping temple demolitions.

“This is the end. We have come here to protest against how the government treats us. They can beat us today. They can put us in prison. We don’t care. We want to tell the government that we are fed up,” said 52-year-old S Aiyakannu from Old Klang Road.

His son Palani led a three-bus convoy from up north.

“For us, it is like a life or death situation. If our voice is heard today, good. Otherwise, this frustrated community will have to show that we can’t be taken for a ride at all time,” he added.

Others shared his sentiments. Many have not seen Waythamoorthy or his brother Uthayakumar but have heard of their movement to mobilise the community fo the rally.

“We have had enough of this bad treatment. They (government) can’t push us any lower. This is the limit. I am not here to support Hindraf’s suit against the UK government but I want to be here to show my anger,” said K Suresh from Sungai Petani.

The majority of the crowd was well-behaved, showing expected grit in the face of the heavy police presence and eventual use of water cannon and tear gas.

Every time they were sprayed with chemical-laced water and tear gas, they retreated only to come forward, in a bigger number.

Many carried posters of Mahatma Gandhi to symbolise their pacifist stand, and carried none of the banners and posters usually associated with political rallies.

The protesters gathered at about nine locations around Jalan Ampang and the KLCC . Every time there were stopped from marching forward, they would disperse and regroup at another spot. (See map below)

At times, they even manage to disperse and regroup behind the police line, forcing the FRU trucks and street personnel to turn around or alter their positions.

Ready for battle

Eyewitnesses say that reports of protesters hurting the police are exaggerated. In most spots, it was the other way round with the protesters taking the brunt of tear gas and chemical-laced water.

While no one disputes that police response had initially been retrained, the kid gloves came off the moment they started arresting the protesters for breaching the court order that banned the rally. Some were dragged along the road and hurled into waiting police trucks.

Even as they were being arrested, many submitted without resistance or complaint. One old man was heard saying that he was proud to be arrested over a cause for his community.

Similar sentiments were heard when the protesters were hit with water and tear gas.

“We are people who work hard to live. We don’t work in air-conditioned offices like the KL people. We work under the sun and rain. We are hardy. Let them hit us with anything. We will stand still,” said Raman, a bus driver from Batang Berjuntai, Selangor.

Comical moments

Although emotions sometimes ran high, there were some light-hearted moments at the expense of the police, which lifted the spirits of the protesters.

On one occasion, police fired rounds of tear gas at their own men, totally missing about 1,000 protesters standing in the vicinity.

Seeing the men-in-blue running helter-skelter brought them joy, as much as seeing a Caucasian jogging in the middle of a stand-off between protesters and the police, oblivious to the tension around him!

The police did their best to disperse the crowd. After realising that tear gas, water cannon and arrests were not doing the job, they started telling the protesters that Hindraf leaders had submitted the memorandum as planned to the British High Commission.

They also said that Hindraf leaders had called for the protesters to disperse.

The protesters however were not buying any of this, telling the police to just let them march to the high commission and disperse from there.

“Never mind about the memorandum. Just let us walk peacefully right up to the high commission,” said a young man who was soon arrested for breaching the court order.

By the end of the six-hour cat-and-mouse game, it were the police who grew tired. Towards the end, they only concentrated on protecting their cordon around the high commission.

Wake-up call

One thing is sure. This was not a political protest. This was a protest against the marginalisation of the Indian community. It was a case of the community hitting the streets because they have no where else to take entrenched problems.

The show of force must surely be a wake-up call, not just for the community but also for MIC and the government.

Government leaders and the police can insist that the gathering was illegal but an overwhelming people power proved on Sunday that sentiments on the ground should not be neglected.

The Hindraf rally was the second mass protest this month – after the Bersih rally on Nov 10 – and the third if we include the lawyers’ ‘Walk for Justice’ in Putrajaya last month. 

The protesters on all three occasions had no fear whatsoever in making their stand – and at each event, the police could not find a definitive tactic to put them off their purpose.

If the momentum continues, the people power as envisaged by Waythamoorthy, could well lead to changes that are long overdue.

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