Probably Hindraf should sue all those ministers who commented as well 🙂 Waytha dares the media to publish proof of the unruly behavior of Hindraf supporters who attended the Hari Raya open house at PWTC. So, far photos in Malaysiakini and those received via email paint a different story compared to the yarn spun by Utusan.

Waytha says:

So visiting the PM on a Hari Raya (Eid) is a grave sin committed by HINDRAF. An act of betrayal and insult to the Islamic religion. the masterminds should be arrested under the ISA or prosecuted under the existing Laws – so say the Malay extremist and fundamentalists organisations. Cabinet Ministers claim HINDRAF was extreme in barging into the PM’s open house and presenting a memorandum. Their seditious criticisms. were carried out by the none other than the UMNO controlled daily Utusan and TV3.

So it was a grave sin. I challenge these fools to obtain evidence from over 30 odd TV crews and pressmen (both local and International media) and the numerous Police Special Branch units who covered , recorded and filmed the entire episode to make public their recordings so that the whole world could see the foolishness and low mentality of Malaysian politicians and their UMNO coolies who stir up racial sentiments for their own political survival.

There is no doubt that whenever there are serious problems within UMNO, the best solution (idiotic though) is to stir racial tension among races. UMNO creates problems and misleads the public with the strength and might of their media.

Let us see the pictures below which our supporters recorded.

It is for you to judge whether HINDRAF presence at PM’S OPEN HOUSE IS as an INSULT TO ISLAM ?

This card is interpreted by the Cabinet Ministers as memorandum. I wonder if they know what they are talking about. The simplest greeting card prepared by a 6 year old with the help of adult to express the feeling of HINDRAF supporters to the PM-And this is interpreted as an insult to the Islamic faith???

Salam Aidilfitri
Semoga di hari mulia ini YAB akan diberkati rahmat Tuhan dan membebaskan semua tahanan ISA dan mendengar rintihan masyarakat India di bumi tercinta Malaysia. Maaf Zahir batin.

P.Waythamoorthy
Hindraf Chairman
Currently in London

Note: The images are in this PDF file (3MB).

Now, there’s a possibility of Utusan getting a RM1 million lawsuit soon. Malaysiakini reports that the issue is being discussed by HINDRAF lawyers. National coordinator RS Thanenthiran said that HINDRAF was very disturbed by the Utusan reports which he claims were tainted by lies and distorted facts.

A commentary in Utusan by Baharom Mahusin deserves a police investigation or even detention under ISA due its contents. I guess the writer may need police protection.

Hindraf was particularly offended by Baharom’s comment which stated that ‘ Kalau penyokong Hindraf melakukan penghinaan seumpama itu di kawasan-kawasan pendalaman yang menjadi kampung halaman orang Melayu, mereka sudah pun diajar tentang makna dan akibat berperangai kurang ajar.’ (If Hindraf supporters pour such insults in the interior areas dominated by Malays, they would have been taught a lesson on the meaning and consequence of misbehaviour.)

Thanenthiran asked, “What is the writer trying to instigate here?
‘Communal conflict? Racial hatred?”.

“Baharom’s comment was most unprofessional and unethical”, Thanenthiran told a press conference in Butterworth.

HINDRAF also chastised and ridiculed the Home Minister and others who did not understand the difference between Hari Raya card and a memorandum.

Charles Hector raised a similar question to mine in his blog – Why no coverage of the Free RPK group nor a warning to them in Utusan and NST? Is it discrimination? He also wrote few more important points.

Utusan, meanwhile, continuous with its tirade. The protection and freedom given to this paper is unprecedented. If this was some other paper, it would have closed shop ages ago. On Saturday, Utusan says “Hindraf diberi amaran” (HINDRAF warned) which reported on Home Minister hinting that the illegal organization (no other paper uses the word “illegal”) HINDRAF faces police investigation over the Raya visit. The article in Utusan is really an insulting peice of work. I won’t bother reproducing it here lest people start to burn Utusan paper in public or throw cocktails (Is it the trend nowadays?). I guess even ISA may be used against the key persons. Among the names being bandied about was Shanti, Waytha’s wife and Thanenthiran, the National Coordinator. I guess even the 6 year old daughter may be detained as potential future threat! Other articles in Utusan with similar hateful words are here and here. Take a deep breath before reading them.

Meanwhile Samy says he will continue to fight for the release of Hindraf 5 even with the “problem” given by HINDRAF.

He said he was taking “other action” besides appealing to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and the BN supreme council that the Hindraf leaders be set free from their detention under the Internal Security Act.

Samy Vellu however declined to give details. He said he was only trying to help the family of the detained men.

He said their wives were happy and hopeful since he began to work for their release.

“MIC is going all out until we get them released. We are getting help from others to get them out. When they are released, I don’t need anything from them. I’m not doing this for popularity, I’m doing it for the community.”

He also said that MIC won’t pressure the Home Minister or place any conditions. He said he will meet Syed Hamid next week to discuss further.

According to Samy Vellu, the MIC’s effort is in line with its objectives to defend and protect the rights of the Indian community in this country.

“The MIC also wants to pursue this on humanitarian grounds as the families of those involved are suffering and need assistance,” he said.

He added that it was mischevious to suggest the party’s effort was to gain publicity or become popular.