MALAYSIAN INDIAN LEADER ABJURES STREET PROTEST
Kuala Lumpur: Last week, the Malaysian Internal Security Act detainee P. Uthayakumar said he won't say thanks to Malaysian Government for releasing him after spending 17 months in jail.He was detained for leading an anti-government protest promised on Tuesday that his group will not go back to the streets to fight for minority rights in Malaysia.
This week he vowed to carry on his struggle through a "landmark plan" he crafted in prison, which he said will force the government to address the grievances of Indians, including lack of jobs, poor living conditions, decrepit schools and greater religious freedom.
He refused to elaborate on the plan, except to say it is a strategic 50-page proposal that involves "social" solutions. However, he said he will reveal it in four to six weeks.
"With this plan we will become a force to be reckoned with. It does not involve street demonstrations, definitely not," he said.
Uthayakumar and four other activists were arrested in December 2007 after they led an unprecedented protest by tens of thousands of ethnic Indians in downtown Kuala Lumpur on November 25 to demand equality.
Ethnic Indians, who are mostly employed in menial jobs, make up about 8 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million people.
Courtesy: Gulf News
Courtesy: Gulf News
HINDRAF TRIO AMONG 13 ISA DETAINEES FREED
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Thirteen Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees, including three Hindraf leaders P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan and K. Vasantha will be released within the next few days, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said.The others are Zulkepli Marzuki, Jeknal Adil and Admi Pindatun; two Indonesian nationals Zainun Rasyid and Aboud Ghafar Shahril, and five Filipinos Sufian Salih, Hasim Talib, Abdul Jamal Azahari, Yusof Mohd Salam and Husin Alih.
"They will be released within the next two or three days as soon as the documentation process is completed.
"For the foreign nationals, they will be freed after we have sorted out the repatriation process with Manila and Jakarta," he said.
Manoharan last week threatened to quit his seat which he won in the last election despite being held in the Kamunting Detention Centre.The five Hindraf leaders were detained in December 2007 after mounting a massive street protest on Nov 25 which saw tens of thousands of Indians taking to the streets in Kuala Lumpur.
In an immediate reaction to the announcement, PKR’s Kapar MP S. Manickavasagam said he is happy with the decision.“I feel that what had happened in Perak has placed the BN government in bad light so this is the right time for them to make the announcement. However I hope that the release of the Hindraf leaders would be an unconditional one,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
Courtesy: Malaysian Insider
HINDRAF BEGS MANOHARAN TO STAY ON AS REPS
M. Manoharan, a Kota Shah Alam assemblyman and now detained under Internal Security Act had plead to the Sultan of Selangor to realease him so that he can serve his voters
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 – Hindraf has appealed to its legal advisor M. Manoharan to stay on as Kota Alam Shah assemblyman, saying it is disappointed Pakatan Rakyat has done nothing much to free the ISA detainee.
The outlawed movement asked the Pakatan Rakyat to file a parliamentary motion to discuss the matter and also appoint others to manage Kota Alam Shah.
“We urge the Pakatan coalition to urgently file a motion to debate the inability of a democratically elected representative to serve his constituents and (at least) stage a walkout should their motion to debate be refused,” Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy said in a statement today.
Manoharan won the seat on a DAP ticket in Election 2008 but said over the weekend he would decide on May 19 whether to remain as assemblyman.
He cited frustration in not being free from the Internal Security Act to serve his constituents and also family financial troubles as his wife has to take care of the seat.
Manoharan is one of three Hindraf leaders still being held
for two years at the Kamunting Detention Centre. Two others were freed by new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last month.
Waythamoorthy, who is in self-exile in London, said the Kota Alam Shah voters knew what they wanted when they gave Manoharan the seat.
“Hindraf is of the opinion that the voters of Kota Alam Shah were ready to deal with and face with an eventuality that their representative may not be able to serve them physically while being imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.
“Since the voters are 100 per cent behind their representative, Manoharan should not resign and continue to be their state representative,” Waythamoorthy said.
Courtesy: The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 – Hindraf has appealed to its legal advisor M. Manoharan to stay on as Kota Alam Shah assemblyman, saying it is disappointed Pakatan Rakyat has done nothing much to free the ISA detainee.The outlawed movement asked the Pakatan Rakyat to file a parliamentary motion to discuss the matter and also appoint others to manage Kota Alam Shah.
“We urge the Pakatan coalition to urgently file a motion to debate the inability of a democratically elected representative to serve his constituents and (at least) stage a walkout should their motion to debate be refused,” Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy said in a statement today.Manoharan won the seat on a DAP ticket in Election 2008 but said over the weekend he would decide on May 19 whether to remain as assemblyman.
He cited frustration in not being free from the Internal Security Act to serve his constituents and also family financial troubles as his wife has to take care of the seat.
Manoharan is one of three Hindraf leaders still being held
for two years at the Kamunting Detention Centre. Two others were freed by new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last month.Waythamoorthy, who is in self-exile in London, said the Kota Alam Shah voters knew what they wanted when they gave Manoharan the seat.
“Hindraf is of the opinion that the voters of Kota Alam Shah were ready to deal with and face with an eventuality that their representative may not be able to serve them physically while being imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.
“Since the voters are 100 per cent behind their representative, Manoharan should not resign and continue to be their state representative,” Waythamoorthy said.
Courtesy: The Malaysian Insider
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