| Rumours rife, Hindraf not amused http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75077 |
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If text-messages are to be believed, Queen Elizabeth II will make an appearance at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. This and other rumours are spreading via the short messaging service (SMS) on mobile phones, either to encourage or discourage people from attending a mass rally being organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
“The Queen is not coming. I did not get beaten up and I’m not in the intensive care unit. Other lawyers in Hindraf are not arrested,” he said, responding at one go to the main rumours in circulation. Incidentally, Queen Elizabeth II is scheduled to open the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda, which starts on Friday. Uthayakumar also re-affirmed that Hindraf has not been issued a police permit after Cheras police chief Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim rejected the application for technical and safety reasons two days ago. “We have sent an appeal to the Kuala Lumpur police chief (Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin) as well as the prime minister. Even if it is not approved, we will still go on with the peaceful assembly as it is well within our right under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.” Uthayakumar also said he has seen other text-messages claiming that hired gangsters will be present to disrupt the peaceful assembly, that police will set up roadblocks around the city and several bus companies have cancelled services to ferry people into Kuala Lumpur for the rally. The gathering is expected to attract 10,000 people, with Hindraf to hand over a petition addressed to the Queen to support a class-action suit against the British government for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years. The quantum being sought is US$4 trillion (RM14 trillion) – or US$1 million for every Indian currently residing in Malaysia. ‘Prove it, Samy’ Uthayakumar was also asked to respond to a claim by MIC president S Samy Vellu that Hindraf has not filed a case in London, but had only given notice to file a case.
“We have never filed a notice. If Samy Vellu (photo) has the evidence of that notice, then we would like to ask him to show it to us. Samy Vellu has nothing to do with this. It is between Hindraf, the British government and the Malaysian government.” The civil suit against the UK secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs – filed on Aug 30 at the Royal Court of Justice in London – took a month to prepare and was handled by Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy. The claim for compensation is based on alleged “pain, suffering, humiliation, discrimination and continuous colonialisation” suffered by the Indian community in Malaysia. Anwar: Let rally proceed Meanwhile, former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has urged the police to issue a permit allowing Hindraf to proceed with its rally this Sunday. "It is the democratic right of all Malaysians to express their views and concerns peacefully. As the recent Bersih rally demonstrated, if the police decide to cooperate, the security and orderliness of any gathering can be guaranteed," said Anwar, who is also de facto leader of the opposition PKR. "The Indian community has been suffering in silence and the time is most opportune to bring an end to the neglect and marginalisation of the poor of all races. "I hope this rally will achieve its goal of affirming the interests of the Indian community as Malaysian citizens, and its right for a higher standard of living and quality of life." Malay version:
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Posts Tagged ‘Waytha’
hindraf clarifies
November 22nd, 2007
Hindraf meeting a journey of facts
November 20th, 2007A reader’s account of the Hindraf talk at Brickfields on 18th Nov 2007. Thanks to Kannan.
from Kannan Ramasamy
to M Poobalan
date Nov 20, 2007 10:49 AM
subject Hindraf meeting – a journey of facts
Hi all,
It was abt 3.30 pm yesterday (18th Nov 2007) when I moved from our UMIC
Deepavali gathering for 300 kids in Klang.
I had to move early leaving our UMIC function to be handle by other CC team
to avoid any delay to HINDRAF’s meeting in Brickfield due to roadblocks.
Pick up few frens in Kelana Jaya and we drive thru Federal Highway.
On the way we called few others to see if there were any blocks ahead near
Brickfileds, the reply was no roadblocks.
By 4.45 pm we were there in front of the hall in Brickfields. It was just 25
mins drive from Kelana Jaya.
There were only a few of them near the gate at that time, so we drive to
have a small chaya at nearby restaurant.
Walked to the hall at 5.45 pm and saw the crowd slowing coming in.
This is the 1st meeting we are going which organized by HINDRAF to seek more
info and as well to show support to them.
There were few people giving away form to pen down support sign for the UK
case.
The mix crowd of old and young, man and woman soon filled the hall and
around 6.45 pm the hall was almost full.
Sharp at 7.00 pm, the 1st speaker, Mr Mano introduce himself and talked
about fundamental discrimination of right happening in Malaysia towards
Indians.
This followed by Mr Genga and Mr Wathya on the current situation and support
on the suit.
The whole atmosphere in the hall was very vibrating as the crowd claps for
every point made by the speakers.
The crowd also echoes with high spirit support with clear loud voices.
He even called the people not to worry to the police presence outside as it
is LEGAL and PERMIT APPROVED gathering.
There were a lot of things and facts shares in this gathering which needs to
be known by all of us.
This is must attend meeting by every Indian in Malaysia regardless of age,
religion, education or status as long as they are Malaysian Indians.
This group of lawyers from Mr. Mano, Mr Genga, Mr Waytha, Mr Uthaya and Mr
Rao has put the community above all to serve them with high dedication.
Their speech full of facts on
* the reason and the way the Indian were brought into Malaysia
* the promises given by the British before independence
* The suffering and pain by the Indians here under British colonial
* the contribution and glory made by our Indian towards British
* the dirty ways of the current government cleaning Indian history and
icons
* the discriminations by umno lead government in last 50 years
* the right that every Malaysia Indian have in law and constitution
* the wrongdoing by the PM as the government leader to save Indian as
whole.
And the most important thing was the reason why the suit was filed against
the UK and how the Reid commission failed the Malaysian Indians !!
This information shared was the most crucial and interesting parts.
I have to salute to this team of lawyers whom dedicated so much time and
life in preparing the findings and filing the suit.
As Mr Watya said, this suit is the bull’s eye shot that will open the eyes
of world towards the suffering of Indians in Msia.
It was a bit sad part to see only abt 2000 plus people came from Klang
Vallley to this meting despite Brickfields is well known as Indian hub.
Nevertheless the HINDRAF gathering at the other parts of Malaysia pulls huge
crowd in Sban ( ~7000) and Penang (~5000), Butterworth (~4000) and Kulim
(~4000).
As said, may be people are still worried on Bersih gathering reaction
recently. But this is total is different gathering with NON POLITICAL
purpose.
The other request made in the speech were,
1. The signature support by Malaysian Indian on the suit against UK
a. Each Indian to get at least 10 signatures and make 10 copies
of the form
2. The peaceful gathering to support the memo submission to the UK
counsel on coming 25th Nov 2007 at 9am in front of British Council, Jln
Ampang KL.
a. Request made if possible to be in “orange” to assemble peace
and sacred gathering. ( Amathiyum Thuimaiyum)
b. Be in peace and total calm during the gathering as it
resembles the Indians in Msia to pledge the HRH Queen of England to appoint
Her Queen’s Counsel to represent us.
c. The international media will be present at the gathering to
record this peace wave.
d. It will be a legal peace gathering with police permit.
e. Be there early to avoid traffic jam and possible to take
public transport like LRT Star to Ampang Park Stn which is only 50m walk to
the council.
3. Do daily prayers and light up a “agal villaku” in front of every
Indians house daily from 7pm – 8 pm to shown support on the suit against UK.
The gathering came close to end at 10.30 pm with standing recognition to the
brave hearts that fought their life to save the recent Kg Jawa Amman Temple
followed highly motivated song and the IKRAR reading.
It was a stunning and high vibrate gathering that I ever been.
We need more Malaysian Indian to support this team that is fighting for the
rights of all of us whom are poor, oppressed, suppressed and permanently
colonized.
As your simple contribution, pls pass this info to all the Indian tht u
knew.
Pls seek for the form and pen down your signature of support.
Be there in all the meeting to get to the root of the truth.
“KAMI MAHU HAK KAMI”
“KAMI MAHU HAK KAMI”
“KAMI MAHU HAK KAMI”
Thanks for reading and seek for support.
– Kannan Ramasamy –
MIC says ignore calls to attend rally
November 20th, 2007MIC: Ignore calls to attend rally
KUALA LUMPUR: The Indian community has been advised to ignore calls by certain groups urging them to attend a rally at the British High Commission this Sunday to protest against the demolition of an Indian temple in Klang.
MIC secretary-general Datuk S. Veerasingam said the party had informed its members not to attend the gathering. He claimed the event was being held for the benefit of the Opposition.
“There are SMSes calling participants to go against the authorities. Such matters will create a tense situation and innocent people will get caught while the perpetrators will walk free,” he added.
Veerasingam said the MIC would discuss what action to take against its members who attend the gathering. He added that several social activists had acted irresponsibly by inciting the Indian community to hate the Government.
“These people are not assisting the Government in solving problems affecting the Indian community. We have no problem with social activists. But this past week, the community has been confused by the actions of this group, including four lawyers, which we believe will only help the Opposition,” said Veerasingam at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
He added that problems could be settled through proper channels in the coalition government.
In SEREMBAN, police raided the office of lawyer and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) head P. Waythamoorthy at Kemayan Square yesterday for allegedly possessing seditious materials.
The 10-man team arrived at Waythamoorthy’s office at about 3.30pm and spent more than an hour searching for documents.
Waythamoorthy said the police had a search warrant, but the raid was an attempt to intimidate him and others not to attend a mass gathering this Sunday outside the British High Commission.
Waythamoorthy said the policemen took away several documents from his office including copies of letters he had written to the United Nations secretary-general, the Prime Minister and the Inspector General of Police on matters relating to the plight of the Indian community.
He said the police also took photographs at this office, adding that this was not provided for under the warrant conditions.
His brother Uthayakumar’s office in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, was also raided at the same time.
City CID chief Senior Asst Comm 11 Ku Chin Wah said: “The raid follows a report lodged by a civilian at the end of July regarding a book deemed to be seditious.”
HINDRAF gathering to attract 10000 people
November 17th, 200710,000 to petition Queen E for support
source
KUALA LUMPUR: About 10,000 people are expected to converge at the British High Commission on Nov 25 to petition the Queen of England to support a suit they filed recently.
The group will be led by the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), which on Aug 30 filed a class-action suit against the British government for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years and thereafter failing to protect the minority Indians rights in the federal constitution when independence was granted. The sum sought was US$4 trillion (RM14 trillion) — or US$1 million for every Indian currently residing in Malaysia.
P. Waytha Moorthy, the lawyer who filed the suit, said HINDRAF was also seeking an unspecified sum in damages "for all the pain and suffering of generations of Indians in Malaysia over the years". "The cost of the suit is about RM5 million, as estimated by our British solicitors and barristers.
"Malaysian Indians are poor and cannot afford the cost, so we are appealing to the Queen to appoint her Queen's Counsel and solicitors to represent the minority Indians," said Waytha.
He said the suit was not a demonstration or a rally. "We just want to petition the Queen's help and we want the British to know that Indians here are supporting this suit."
The British High Commission said it was aware of the petition and would consider it. "However, Nov 25 is a Sunday and the commission will be closed. I don't know whom they will be giving the petition to," said its political and press affairs adviser Abdul Rashid Hussein.
HINDRAF representatives met Cheras police yesterday to apply for a permit to hold the gathering. The district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim, said police had not made a decision on the application. "We are studying the situation," he said.
land allocated for temple rebuilding says samy
November 2nd, 2007i thought the demolition happened on tuesday morning! the ways it was done as if purposed want to destroy the deities and just make a mess. the walls were still there, the building structure was still there. to me, looked like purposely want to provoke the anger of the people.
given two days to remove deities? what deities? haven't they been smashed up during the day?
Land allocated to rebuild temple
KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor government has allocated a 10,000 sq ft piece of land in Shah Alam for the rebuilding of the temple it ordered demolished in Kampung Karuppiah.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu yesterday said the state government will also assist in its construction.
He said the demolition of the temple in Kampung Karuppiah, Padang Jawa, which started on Tuesday night, had been put on hold under orders from the prime minister.
This followed a meeting between Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.
It was agreed that the temple would be given two days to remove statues of deities and other religious artifacts.
Meanwhile, the Bar Council is asking why four lawyers representing the temple congregation on the demolition issue had been arrested.
A statement said lawyers P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, P. Waythamoorthy and Ganapati Rao were arrested in the course of carrying out their legal professional duties.
The lawyers had turned up at the Section 11, Shah Alam police station to represent their clients who were earlier arrested for hindering the demolition work and were reported to have been denied access to their clients.
Upon complaining to the police, they were arrested.
Bar Council vice president Ragunath Kesavan said: "The recently amended section 28A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) allows a detained person the right to communicate with a legal practitioner of his choice upon arrest.
"We are concerned that these arrested persons, including the four lawyers, were denied this right, which is a flagrant breach of the CPC."
The lawyers have since been released on bail.
When contacted today, Hindraf legal advisor P Uthayakumar said he is getting in more volunteers to deal with calls to his office from those seeking clarification.
“We have filed the suit and we have proof […] complete with the Queen’s stamp, a civil suit number and the receipt of payment,” he said.