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Posts Tagged ‘Protest’

Hindraf trio discharged from sedition

November 26th, 2007

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Hindraf trio discharged from sedition
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75273

Nov 26, 07 12:45pm

Three key leaders of 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 Tamil translation of the alleged seditious remarks made by P Uthayakumar, P Waythamoorthy and V Ganapathy Rao.

The trio were charged under Section 4 (1B) of the Sedition Act on Friday based on police investigations pertaining to reports lodged against them in relation to their speeches made at a recent forum in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor.
DPP Ishak Yusuff had argued in court that their whole speeches were seditious.

However the cased was adjourned to today after there were some discrepancies in the charge sheet and the prosecutors submissions.

Hindraf legal adviser Uthayakumar and lawyer Ganapathy were released on a RM800 bail while the moverment’s chairperson Waythamoorthy refused to the bail offer as a mark of protest.

Translation not clear

This morning Sessions judge Zunaidah told the prosecutors that she was not convinced with the seditious charge levelled against the trio.

“…the translation given too is not clear,” she said.

She however said that the prosecution can file a recharge against the Hindraf leaders.

The court ruling today allows the prosecution to bring the trio back to court to be recharged as they have not been acquitted.

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

A strong crowd of about 100 inside the courtroom erupted in cheers when the judge discharged the accused persons.

A larger crowd – estimated to be around 4,000 – had gathered outside the court, watched by an equally strong presence of the Federal Reserve Unit.

The 'victory' parade is now slowly moving toward a Hindu temple located a few kilometres away.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: DAP Hindraf NGO PKR Protest Selangor temples Uthaya Waytha

igp musa hassan lies about batu caves

November 26th, 2007

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says musa:"
Musa said no tear gas or water cannons were used at the demonstrators during the incident. "

let's look at photos from jeffooi's site:

http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/11/hindraf_rally_ethnic_minority_1.php

if that's not tear gas and water cannon, i'll shave my head (again)!

Batu Caves temple property damaged, 69 protesters held

source

KUALA LUMPUR: Demonstrators broke into the Batu Caves temple compound and destroyed temple property early yesterday morning, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said.

He said the crowd that had gathered there swelled from a mere 200 people just after midnight to more than 1,000 by about 2am.

“The demonstrators forced open the locked gates and started breaking temple property, prompting the temple committee to lodge a police report,” he said.

Minutes later several trucks of policemen, including those in plainclothes and members of the Light Strike Force unit, arrived at the temple and told the demonstrators to disperse.

However, they refused and instead fled into the temple premises, when police gave them a last warning.

When policemen pursued them, the demonstrators pelted and attacked them with stones and inter-locking bricks, resulting in several policemen being injured.

The demonstrators also threw a Molotov cocktail at a tourist charter bus, setting in on fire. They also shattered the windscreens and windows of several passing cars by throwing stones and bricks at the vehicles.

Musa said no tear gas or water cannons were used at the demonstrators during the incident.

“By about 4am, 69 people had been arrested,” he added.

As at press time, police were keeping a close watch on the area.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Batu Caves Hindraf Protest temples

Nalla’s MUIP back BN

November 26th, 2007

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so, looks like he leaned toward BN. earlier, he said open to discussions. anyway, doesn't look like a good beginning when 5 members decided to pull out and rejoin old party. my sources say, this is another ding-dong story. best to be put in the light reading section.

New Indian-based party to back BN
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75265

Syed Jaymal Zahiid
Nov 25, 07 7:26pm

Newly formed Indian-based party, the Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP), today vowed to support the Barisan Nasional-led government, believing that by doing so, opportunity to elevate the social status of the Indian community would be better.

Party president KS Nallakarupan told his supporters at the party’s launching ceremony held at the Istana Hotel in Kuala Lumpur today that the fledgling MIUP does not want to go against BN policies.

“We believe that the party’s aim can still be achieved by working closely with the BN government,

“We as a party can inject a fresh approach to solving the problems of the Indian community,” he told 800 of his supporters.

The former PKR leader also said that the presence of MIUP, will be a “breath of fresh air which is much needed to make quick changes for the betterment of the Indian community.”

Nallakaruppan was also quick to stress that there was no intention of discrediting the much-established Indian-based party MIC. “We are also not saying that the present Indian-based party in the Barisan Nasional is not doing its job to help the community. “I am sure that that party is doing whatever it can to help the community. But I think we can do better,” he added.

A secondary school

Nallakaruppan said that MIC should continue with their agenda and that the MIUP will also concentrate on its mission though the latter might have different approaches to issues.

“What’s wrong with being another race-based party? You have MCA and Gerakan (both Chinese-based party) and MIC and the Peoples Progressive Front (both Indian-based party) all in BN, why can't MIUP be in BN too?” he argued.

Elaborating on “fresh approaches”, Nallakaruppan said his party have outlined several social programmes as means to tackle the problems of the Indian community.

“We have introduced several programmes like sports, education and many youth-oriented programmes in order to inculcate productivity in the Indian community so they may integrate well with other races in this country,” he said.

He also said that his party would be first launching plans to establish an independent Tamil secondary soon.

When asked if MIUP will contest in the coming general election speculated to be somewhere early next year, Nallakaruppan said his party will not contest. “I want to concentrate on promoting my party only. Even if BN wants to give me seats to contest, I will not take it. I just want my party to be known first,” he said at a press conference held after the party’s launching ceremony.

‘Go through proper channel’

Nallakaruppan also refused to answer questions on the Hindraf rally which took place earlier today, saying that he wants to only focus on the party’s launch. “This is a historical day in the history of the politics of Malaysia and an important day for me and my party. I don’t want to talk about the Hindraf rally.”
He however said that he personally felt that the Indian community should abide by the law and work within the proper channel if they wished to express any grievances.

About 30,000 protesters demonstrated under the shadows of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Twin Towers today after their efforts to petition the British High Commission was thwarted by the police with tear gas and chemical-laced water cannon.

The planned protest is to support a US$4-trillion (RM14-trillion) lawsuit by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) against Malaysia's former colonial power for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years.

NST: Five Indian leaders rejoin PKR

source

By A. LETCHUMANAN

KUALA LUMPUR: Five supporters of former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Datuk K.S. Nallakaruppan have decided to abandon him â€“ just 24 hours before he is due to launch his new party, the Malaysian Indians United Party. All five have instead decided to rejoin PKR, the party they left along with Nalakaruppan in May this year.

In a statement, PKR vice-president R. Sivarasah said former Federal Territory deputy chief S. Maniselvan, Rasah division Youth deputy chief R.S. Dinesh, Youth vice-chief K. Vijay, Youth exco member S. Suresh and division member R. Segar had joined the party. Maniselvan said in a statement that he had expected Nallakaruppan to set up a strong opposition party to continue the struggle, while Dinesh said Nallakaruppan's claim that 10,000 PKR members had left the party was untrue. "Only a handful of members left and most of them have decided to return to PKR," he said in the statement.

Nallakaruppan, when contacted, said he was not disappointed with these leaders. "They have no principles in returning to a party which they were disappointed with. They can go as their wish," he said. Nallakaruppan said it was clear that their intention was to discredit the launch of the Malaysian Indians United Party (MIUP) which he founded. He said he only knew Maniselvan and Dinesh and not the others. "They should not be making wild and baseless allegations against me or the party," he said.

In setting up MIUP, Nallakaruppan said the priority of the new party was to address the Indian community problem using fresh ideas and new blood.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: BN Education Gerakan Hindraf ISA MCA MIC MIUP PKR Politicians Protest

Samy tells Indians to work ‘within the system’

November 26th, 2007

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Samy tells Indians to work 'within the system'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75254

Nov 25, 07 1:21pm

MIC president S Samy Vellu today appealed to the minority Indian Malaysians to work within the system instead of taking to the streets to highlight their grouses.

His press statement, which was sent to the media by SMS (short messaging service) this morning, came in the wake of a massive rally in Kuala Lumpur organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

“We do not support street demonstrations. We believe in working within the system. We have been working within the system to resolve the problems faced by the Indian community,” said Samy Vellu.

The MIC chief said that his Indian-based party is “the mainstream party in voicing the rights of the Indians and it will remain so”.

“There is still a lot more to be done for the Indians and we’ll continue with our struggle. The (Hindraf) gathering is an opposition ploy to smear the government’s image,” said Samy Vellu.

About 20,000 Indian Malaysians have come from all parts of the country to protest against the marginalization of the minority ethnic community.

Despite a complete lockdown by the police and an ‘arrest on sight’ order, thousands of protesters braved tear gas and chemical-laced water cannon this morning to send a memorandum to the British High Commission.

Petition to the Queen

The protest is to support a lawsuit by Hindraf against Malaysia's former colonial power for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years.

Furthermore, the suit sought a declaration that the Reid Commission Report 1957 failed to incorporate the rights of the Indian community when independence was granted, resulting in discrimination and marginalisation to this day.

The quantum being sought is about US$2 million for every Indian currently residing in Malaysia.

Following the filing of the suit, Hindraf held nationwide roadshows explaining to grassroots about the case.

Coupled with their work to prevent rampant state-sanctioned demolition of Hindu temples, Hindraf won over a wave of support for their cause.

Today's memorandum was to petition Queen Elizabeth II to appoint a Queen's counsel to argue the case on their behalf.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: discrimination Hindraf ISA Marginalisation MIC Politicians Protest temples

Hindraf to submit petition in London

November 25th, 2007

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Hindraf to submit petition in London
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75256

Nov 25, 07 7:44am

After six hours of confrontations in the streets of Kuala Lumpur today, the police eventually allowed Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) to submit the petition but the offer was rejected.

P Uthayakumar, Hindraf's legal adviser, said the petition would be delivered to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in London instead. The 2,000-strong crowd outside the British High Commission then dispersed following pleas from organisers.

The petition asks for Britain to appoint a Queen's counsel to represent Hindraf in their lawsuit.

The lawsuit targets former colonial ruler Britain, and is aimed at highlighting what ethnic Indians say is continuing discrimination by the Malaysian government.

It seeks four trillion dollars' compensation for the estimated two million ethnic Indians whose ancestors were brought here as indentured labourers by Britain in the 1800s – two million dollars each.

The activists are also demanding the government boost the social and economic standards of minority Hindus, who make up the third largest community in Malaysia.

Nazri backs use of force

Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, minister in the Prime Minister's Department, backed police use of force.

"This protest is illegal. The police have been given permission to use legitimate means to halt the gathering. And this means the use of tear gas and water cannons," he told AFP.

Police used water cannons on the crowd who had gathered near the iconic Petronas Twin Towers but the protestors refused to budge while some threw the tear-gas canisters back.

Chemicals used in the water cannons cause nausea and force people to gasp for air.

Witnesses said police beat up some protestors with batons. Organisers said at least 400 people were arrested and 19 injured. Police, however, said more than 100 people had been detained.

Demo a wake-up call

Lim Kit Siang, opposition lawmaker and chairman of DAP, said the excessive use of police force "is most high-handed, ham-fisted and undemocratic."

The government had banned the rally, fearing it could spark racial violence and warned that anyone who participated would be detained.