KUALA LUMPUR: The government's responses to the deaths of Aminulraysid Amzah and Teoh Beng Hock has left MIC Youth adviser S Vell Paari facing a disturbing question.
That question is whether the life of a Malaysian Indian is of lower value than that of others. He said on his return from an overseas business trip that facing this question left him saddened whenever it arose.
Vell Paari said he was shocked to learn of schoolboy Aminulraysid's death, in a late-night shooting by police last week. He commended the Home Ministry for setting up a special panel of inquiry.
He also pointed out that many Indian youths had died from police bullets over the years. Together with the number of those who died in police custody, Vell Paari said: “There are more than 100 cases over a period of 20 years.”
Of the more recent incidents, a 19-year-old Indian youth was killed in a police shootout in Klang, after which his grief-stricken sister later committed suicide. In Taiping had gunned down two brothers suspected of being involved in armed robberies, Vell Paari said.
“What is baffling is that every time such a shooting occurs, the police will only recover one revolver or one parang.”
Vell Paari contrasted government action after the deaths of Aminulrasyid and Teoh to the lack of response to calls for inquests in cases involving Indians.
'Panel must probe Indian cases'
Vell Paari, who is MIC unity and community development head, urged the Home Ministry to empower the Aminulrasyid special panel to look into these cases as well. “While we grieve for the family of Aminulrasyid, we should not forget the grief of those Indian families who lost their loved ones in police shootings,” he said.
He said he had spoken to MIC Youth chief T Mohan about submitting a memorandum to the ministry. “We will press the ministry for this panel to probe cases involving Indians. The panel must be able to question (relevant parties) and recommend further action, which the government must heed,” he said.
He added that MIC Youth will also request that a party representative sits on the panel as MIC represents the Indian community and is answerable to them.
Azhar a 'blind and deaf earthworm'
Vell Paari also criticised Penang opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim of Barisan Nasional over his “May 13” threat which caused an uproar in the state assembly on Thursday.
Likening him to an “earthworm”, the MIC Youth adviser said the Penaga assemblyman was both deaf and blind. “He should have known better than to make such statements; it is unbecoming of an elected representative to threaten the public,” he said.
In referring to criticisms of the police over Aminulraysid's death, Azhar had sounded a warning that Malaysia could see a repeat of the racial riots of May 13, 1969 if the public lost confidence in the authorities.
Vell Paari said racial riots involved all the races “but, with the high number of Indians shot dead by the police, the community will not have anyone left to riot”.
FMT
08/05/10
That question is whether the life of a Malaysian Indian is of lower value than that of others. He said on his return from an overseas business trip that facing this question left him saddened whenever it arose.
Vell Paari said he was shocked to learn of schoolboy Aminulraysid's death, in a late-night shooting by police last week. He commended the Home Ministry for setting up a special panel of inquiry.
He also pointed out that many Indian youths had died from police bullets over the years. Together with the number of those who died in police custody, Vell Paari said: “There are more than 100 cases over a period of 20 years.”
Of the more recent incidents, a 19-year-old Indian youth was killed in a police shootout in Klang, after which his grief-stricken sister later committed suicide. In Taiping had gunned down two brothers suspected of being involved in armed robberies, Vell Paari said.
“What is baffling is that every time such a shooting occurs, the police will only recover one revolver or one parang.”
Vell Paari contrasted government action after the deaths of Aminulrasyid and Teoh to the lack of response to calls for inquests in cases involving Indians.
'Panel must probe Indian cases'
Vell Paari, who is MIC unity and community development head, urged the Home Ministry to empower the Aminulrasyid special panel to look into these cases as well. “While we grieve for the family of Aminulrasyid, we should not forget the grief of those Indian families who lost their loved ones in police shootings,” he said.
He said he had spoken to MIC Youth chief T Mohan about submitting a memorandum to the ministry. “We will press the ministry for this panel to probe cases involving Indians. The panel must be able to question (relevant parties) and recommend further action, which the government must heed,” he said.
He added that MIC Youth will also request that a party representative sits on the panel as MIC represents the Indian community and is answerable to them.
Azhar a 'blind and deaf earthworm'
Vell Paari also criticised Penang opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim of Barisan Nasional over his “May 13” threat which caused an uproar in the state assembly on Thursday.
Likening him to an “earthworm”, the MIC Youth adviser said the Penaga assemblyman was both deaf and blind. “He should have known better than to make such statements; it is unbecoming of an elected representative to threaten the public,” he said.
In referring to criticisms of the police over Aminulraysid's death, Azhar had sounded a warning that Malaysia could see a repeat of the racial riots of May 13, 1969 if the public lost confidence in the authorities.
Vell Paari said racial riots involved all the races “but, with the high number of Indians shot dead by the police, the community will not have anyone left to riot”.
FMT
08/05/10
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