An attempt to seek clarification on the status of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waytha Moorthy has not even made it into the Dewan Rakyat Order Sheet.Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) said the House secretary told him in a letter yesterday that the question had been rejected under Standing Order 23(1)(h) - on grounds that it is ‘hypothetical’.
The provision states that ‘a question shall not be asked for the purpose of obtaining an expression of opinion or settlement of an abstract legal case or an answer to a hypothetical proposition’.
Disclosing this today, Chua (left) said he had submitted a question for Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar as to whether Waytha Moorthy - currently in self-imposed exile in the UK - would be arrested upon returning home and, if so, under which provision of law.
Chua said that, as a citizen, Waytha Moorthy (left) has the right to know whether he will be allowed to return to his country without facing arrest.
“His fellow Hindraf leaders have been detained under the (Internal Security Act) ISA and have not been released despite there being no evidence to show that they pose a threat to national security,” Chua told reporters in the Parliament lobby.
Chua was referring to the arrest of five Hindraf leaders last December after a mammoth rally in Kuala Lumpur that saw about 30,000 Indian Malaysians protesting social, economic and religious discrimination and marginalisation.
He cited the release of Sri Lankan national BSA Tahir last week after a four-year detention under ISA despite having been tagged as being involved in “international terrorism”.
Chua said the situation of Waytha Moorthy similarly reflects the government’s lack of transparency and accountability.
“I think this is not fair and casts a dark shadow over citizens,” he said.
“I call on the home minister to give a clear answer as to whether Waytha Moorthy is regarded as a criminal or not. Citizens have no guarantee that they are able to return to Malaysia. This is a violation of human rights.”
Also present was S Manikavasagam (PKR-Kapar), who said the government’s charge that the Hindraf 5 were connected to the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Elam separatists had yet to be backed by any evidence.
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz
Extracted from Malaysiakini
26/06/08
1 comment:
There is a difference between UMNO and Barisan Nasional. I want to make it clear that it is not the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, but the UMNO government. It is not the government, but UMNO. Barisan Nasional is a coalition of unequals, not equals. UMNO is the big brother in BN. Therefore UMNO must be held responsible; and more importantly, UMNO must not be allowed to hide behind the BN banner. UMNO is the enemy, not BN. UMNO is a racist party which has perfected the art of divide and rule. If moderate Malays, the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Chinese and Indians unite, then they can vote UMNO out of office.
I have come to the conclusion that the easy solution is to completely defeat UMNO in the next elections. We have to vote racist UMNO out of office. UMNO is bent on divide and rule, which has affect Malaysia badly. It is for the next generation of Malaysians to undo the damage done to Malaysia by UMNO. There is a dire need for moderate Malays at the political level. There is also a need for the natives of Sabah and Sarawak to form a third force to protect their own interests. Imagine how UMNO had dealt with Sabah; from a rich state, Sabah has been reduced to a poor state. There has to be an explanation. The only way is UMNO has to be voted out of office. The younger generation of Malaysians do not like racist politics and UMNO must be taught a lesson by the younger generation by voting UMNO out of office. Please vote for any party but UMNO/BN.
In the 2004 elections (11th General Election), the voters gave good support to Mr.Abdullah Badawi. But reforms did not come. Why? Probably because UMNO had done well in the elections. If UMNO had done well in the elections, then the election results tell UMNO that the voters are satisfied with the status quo. If the voters are satisfied with UMNO, then no reforms are necessary. In the 2008 elections (12th General Elections), UMNO did not do well, but she managed to win. UMNO did lose the 2/3 majority in the Parliament, but she did win, nevertheless. Will UMNO undertake reforms now? I would not be surprised if she did not. Why should she? UMNO is still the winner in the elections; and she can plan to rise and may even succeed to rise again. So, as long as she wins, she will never undertake the reforms. So, how do the voters get the reforms that they need? The voters will get the reforms when UMNO is completely defeated in the 13th General Elections. If UMNO wins zero seats in the next elections (13th General Elections), then some other party would have to rule Malaysia. Let us call it Party B. If UMNO is completely defeated in the next elections (13th General Elections), then Party B would rule Malaysia. Would Party B undertake reforms? If Party B does not undertake reforms, then voters would know what to do.
There is no doubt that UMNO has used gerrymandering to strengthen herself. If we removed gerrymandering from UMNO, then there would be a reduced UMNO. So the non-UMNO voters of Malaysia have good reasons to vote against UMNO.
It is possible that UMNO has used the Police Force to strengthen herself. The Police Force is required to be neutral. But is the Police Force neutral? I appeal to the Police Force to be neutral.
UMNO is a race based political party and also the big brother of BN. So, the complete defeat of UMNO in the next elections is the only way to get reforms. The complete defeat of UMNO in the next elections is the only way to get a new beginning.
UMNO is inclined to believe that Malaysians cannot do anything if they are in any way dissatisfied. The voters, however, have to send a strong message to UMNO that the voters can do something: the voters can vote.
So, the next step for Malaysians is to completely defeat UMNO/BN in the next elections.
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