An opposition lawmaker in Malaysia has asked for the extradition of a London-based ethnic Indian leader if his activities were found inimical to national security.
The government should make its stand clear on the nature of activity of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairman P. Waythamoorthy 'whether he should walk free, or be arrested', Tian Chua, an ethnic Chinese lawmaker, said Wednesday in Malaysian parliament lobby.
He belongs to the Parti Keadalan Rakyat (PKR) of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The opposition front, the Pakatan Rakyat, of which the PKR is a constituent, has repeatedly, asked the government to come clear on the nature of charges against the Hindraf leaders, The Star newspaper said Thursday.
Waythamoorthy left Malaysia to campaign for the organisation's cause while five of his colleagues - M. Manoharan, V. Ganabatirau, P. Uthayakumar, S. Kengadharan and Vasanth Kumar - are in jail under the stringent Internal Security Act since last December for organising a protest rally in November.
Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) said the home ministry should make its stand on the matter clear, and announce whether Waythamoorthy should be allowed to walk freely or be arrested.
'If he is a threat to national security, then arrest him. Send a request to the British government to repatriate him. If he is on the wanted list, then we should restrict his international activities,' he said.
Waythamoorthy has been residing in London since last December after his colleagues were detained.
Chua said he had submitted a question to the Dewan Rakyat (parliament) asking if the home ministry would arrest Waythamoorthy, and if yes, under which act.
However, the question was rejected under Standing Orders 23(1)(h) as it was considered 'hypothetical'.
'The question is not hypothetical. I feel it is unfair that the question was turned down. We do not know if there is an (arrest) warrant out for him,' he said.
Meanwhile, the Hindraf, accused of collecting funds for engaging in 'terror-linked activities' by the Malaysian authorities, has asked its cadres to stop any fund-raising drive.
It has asked the public not to be duped by individuals seeking donations supposedly to raise funds for the group.
Its coordinator V. Raidu Wednesday disapproved of those doing so under the guise of selling tickets for charity concerts.
'Hindraf does not approve of such methods as we have stopped collecting funds from the public a long time ago,' he told reporters Wednesday after visiting his brother Ganabatirau, one of the five Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) at the Kamunting detention centre.
Raidu said he learnt of the fund-gathering charge when he accompanied Ganabatirau's wife, B. Buvaneswary and K. Vickneswary, wife of detainee K. Vasanthakumar, to visit their husbands.
The five Hindraf leaders were detained after they organised a protest rally highlighting alleged discrimination against the two million-plus ethnic Indians.
The detainees told Raidu that the Hindraf was being accused of raising funds for 'covert activities linked to terrorism'.
Raidu said some cash had been raised last year but the RM68,000 ($21,250 approx.) collected was spent to pay for bail of those detained for participating in Hindraf-organised rallies.
Both Vickneswary and Buvaneswary said they had not received any of the 'donations'.
Malaysia Sun
27/06/08
2 comments:
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.
I have come to the conclusion that the easy solution is to completely defeat UMNO in the next elections.
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 in the next elections.
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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