Chennai (PTI): Malaysia-based Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) on Monday said the defeat of Malaysian Indian Congress headed by former minister Datho Samivelu in recent polls, showed that it was time for the Malaysian government to come out with an "affirmative plan" to address the concerns of the minorities.
P Wayda Moorthy, Chairman, HINDRAF, told reporters here that after the elections, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had said that he would correct some of his mistakes like the crackdown on ethnic Indians.
Moorthy said the Government should announce "concrete, affirmative plan for the Indians."
He also called for repealing of the Internal Security Act under which several HINDRAF activists were detained and demanded their immediate release. They were detained when HINDRAF organised a rally of ethnic Indians on November 25 last year, demanding equal rights to the community.
Moorthy said the recent MoU proposed by Malaysia offering all rights and facilities to the Indian expatriates and migrant workers was aimed at keeping India quiet.
"Migrant workers from various countries are employed in Malaysia. But, the proposed MoU for Indians alone is aimed at preventing India from taking up with it, the struggle by the ethnic Indians," he said.
http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200803241702.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200803241702.htm
Malaysia’s Hindraf leader opposes ‘only Indians’ deal [IANS]
Malaysia’s interest in signing an agreement with India to protect Indian workers is a diversionary tactic intended to keep the latter quiet on the rights of Malaysians of Indian origin, a leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) said here Monday.
Malaysia’s interest in signing an agreement with India to protect Indian workers is a diversionary tactic intended to keep the latter quiet on the rights of Malaysians of Indian origin, a leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) said here Monday.
“Such an MoU (memorandum of understanding) protecting just the Indian workers’ rights will effectively silence the government of India on the issue of rights of Malaysians of Indian origin,” said Hindraf leader P. Waytha Moorthy.
“There are workers of all nationalities in Malaysia and the country has enough laws to protect foreign workers. An MoU with India will only create discrimination between foreign workers in Malaysia.”
Moorthy, who frequently visits Tamil Nadu, also called for immediate release of five Hindraf leaders being held for over 100 days in Malaysian jails under the draconian Internal Securities Act (ISA) of that country.
He said: “Hindraf will continue to fight for the abrogation of this Act.” Hindraf has demanded that Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri A.A. Badawi “table an act (in parliament) to repeal the ISA in the forthcoming session due to be held in May”.
The Hindraf leader, against whom an arrest warrant has been issued in Malaysia, also appealed to the Indian prime minister and the Tamil Nadu chief minister to intervene to secure the release of the Hindraf leaders.
Hindraf, which claims to speak for the two million Malaysians of Indian origin, has courted controversy since last November when it held a rally that was forcibly dispersed.
Five of its top leaders, who organised the rally, have been accused of trying to destabilise the state and detained for two years under the ISA.
Moorthy also claimed that Hindraf was the “new voice of Malaysian Indians”.
“The fact that in the March 8 elections, most of the candidates of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) including (its chief) Samy Velu lost shows that Hindraf is the new voice of Malaysian Indians,” he said.
“The election result shows people no longer believe Velu,” Moorthy told IANS.
“We now hope that the Badawi government will now at least stop denying the marginalisation of Malaysians of Indian origin and undo the 50 years of violation of their rights,” he said.
“We have proved people’s power (Makkal Shakthi). The Muslim Malaysians and Malaysians of Chinese origin are now taking inspiration from the Hindraf movement and are demanding their rights,” Moorthy said.
The Hindraf leader urged the new Malyasian government to “seriously consider Hindraf’s 18-point demand”, and “initiate the mechanism to come out with and implement concrete plans to correct the economic and opportunity violations against Malaysians of Indian origin”. [THE END]
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/malaysias-hindraf-leader-opposes-only-indians-deal_10030801.html
Hindraf chief’s plea to Badawi [Deccan Chronicle]
Chennai, March 24: Malaysia’s Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairman Waydamoorthy on Monday said that since the Malaysian Abdullah Badawi had accepted the setback his coalition had suffered in the recent elections, his government should use the opportunity to mend its relations with the minorities and come out with a “concrete, affirmative plan for the Malaysian Indians.” Talking to reporters in Chennai, Mr Waydamoorthy also demanded the repealing of the Internal Security Act under which some Hindraf leaders are detained in Malaysia. They have been detained since HINDRAF organised a rally of ethnic Indians on November 25 last year demanding equal rights to the community. “It is more than 100 days since they were arrested by the authorities under the act and it is the most misused act in the country,” he alleged.
Urging the Prime Minister to table a proposal for repealing the act when the Parliament meets on May 5, Mr Waydamoorthy said the “act must go as it permits the authorities to detain anyone in jail for an unspecified period without any trial.”
Mr Waydamoorthy said Hindraf had made a terrific impact in Malaysian politics and now the other minorities like Malay Muslims and Chinese, who were afraid of raising a banner of revolt, got emboldened and voted for the opposition party in the elections.
“The government made use of the local media and tried to portray Hindraf as a dangerous terrorist outfit. It cannot be done anyone,” he said. Asked about Hindraf's expectations, he said the government should implement 20 per cent reservation for Tamils in top government jobs, besides Ringitt 100 billion financial allocation in the 9th economic plan. Hindraf has already submitted charter of demands containing 18 points before the government. “The government must recognise us as socio-political organisation fighting for the rights of people and invite us for talks,” he said. [THE END]
Malaysia Government bulling India: HINDRAF [New Indian Express]
CHENNAI: Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) on Monday cautioned the Indian Government of a trap laying ahead in signing a pact with Malaysia rulers on the issue of expatriates.
The Malaysian Government's assurance of safeguarding rights of Indian expatriates by signing an accord with Central is a step to bully India, said P Waytha Moorthy, Chairman, HINDRAF.
“What is the necessity for Malaysia Government to sign a MoU particularly with India Government, while expatriates from across the world works there?,” questioned Moorthy, while addressing the press on Monday.
Their perseverance is to soften the Centre views on Indian problems in Malaysia, he stated. The recent election results in Malaysia have also proven that the welfare of minority Indian communities were no longer taken care off, as propagated by the Government, he said and added that the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi in the aftermath of the election had openly admitted that there are lessons to be learnt from the election results.
He urged the minority Badawi government to release the five persons linked to HINDRAF under the Internal Security Act without any conditions and to pay adequate compensation to them for their sufferings.
The Malaysia Government should repeal the ISA in the forthcomings new parliamentary sessions and to accept the 18 point demands of HINDRAF. The PM should also inform the Indian minorities about the plans for the welfare of the communities. [THE END]
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920080324095354&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0&
மலேசிய இந்தியர்கள் 5 பேரை விடுவிக்க பிரதமர், முதல்வர் உதவவேண்டும்: "இந்துராப்' தலைவர் [Dinamani]
சென்னை, மார்ச் 24: உள்நாட்டுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் கைது செய்து சிறையில் அடைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள மலேசியத் தமிழர்களை விடுவிக்க இந்திய பிரதமரும், தமிழக முதல்வரும் உதவ வேண்டும் என்று இந்து உரிமை பாதுகாப்புக் குழுவின் (இந்துராப்) தலைவர் வேதமூர்த்தி வேண்டுகோள்
விடுத்துள்ளார்.
மலேசிய தமிழர்கள், தங்களின் உரிமைகள் மறுக்கப்படுவதாகக் கூறி கடந்த ஆண்டு நவம்பர் மாதம் ஓரு லட்சம் பேர் பங்கேற்ற பேரணியை கோலாலம்பூரில் நடத்தினர். இந்தப் பேரணியை காவல் துறையினர் கடுமையாக அடக்கினர். இதனால் தமிழர்கள் பெரும் தாக்குதலுக்கு உள்ளானார்கள். இதனைத் தொடர்ந்து இந்திய வம்சாவளியினர் 5 பேர் உள்நாட்டுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் சிறையில் அடைக்கப்பட்டனர்.
இதனிடையே, மலேசியாவில் நடைபெற்ற பொதுத் தேர்தலில், ஆளும் கட்சி பெரும்பாலான இடங்களில் தோல்வி அடைந்தது.
இந்நிலையில், சென்னையில் திங்கள்கிழமை செய்தியாளர்களைச் சந்தித்த இந்துராப்பின் தலைவர் வேதமூர்த்தி, மார்ச் மாதம் நடைபெற்ற மலேசிய பொதுத் தேர்தலில் ஏற்பட்ட பெரும் பின்னடைவையடுத்து "முன் போல் தவறு இழைக்கமாட்டேன்' என்று மலேசிய பிரதமர் கூறியுள்ளார்.
மலேசிய இந்தியர்களின் பொருளாதாரம் சமச்சீர் பெற, அரசிற்கு முன் வைத்த 18 அம்ச கோரிக்கையை அரசு ஏற்றுக் கொண்டு பேச்சுவார்த்தைக்கு அழைக்க
வேண்டும்.
உள்நாட்டு பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டத்தின் கீழ் சிறையில் அடைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள 5 மலேசிய இந்தியர்களையும் விடுதலை செய்ய வேண்டும். இதற்கு இந்திய பிரதமரும், தமிழக முதல்வரும் உதவ வேண்டும்.
தேர்தலுக்குப் பின் கூடும் முதல் நாடாளுமன்ற கூட்டத்திலேயே முதல் சட்டமாக உள்நாட்டுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தினை திரும்பப் பெற வேண்டும்.
இந்த கோரிக்கைகளை மலேசிய பிரதமர் செயல்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்றார் வேதமூர்த்தி. [THE END]
http://www.dinamani.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=DNT20080324145549&Title=TamilNadu+Page&lTitle=R%AAZLm&Topic=0&dName=No+Title&Dist=
MALAYSIA NANBAN, MALAYSIA (25-03-2008)[in .pdf format] - PAGE 1, CONT... PAGE 10
