The banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) today revealed a document purportedly issued by British authorities confirming that Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy's passport had been revoked by the Malaysian government.
Waythamoorthy is currently living in self-exile in London, having left shortly before the police detained five key Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act last December.
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar had previously denied that the Waythamoorthy’s passport had been revoked.
On May 26, Syed Hamid said his ministry had been informed by the Immigration Department that the Malaysian international passport issued to Waythamoorthy "is still active in our passport and travel document system".
However, speaking to reporters in the Parliament building today, Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran challenged this claim based on a copy of a letter apparently issued by the UK Border Agency of the Home Office in Croydon.
Dated Sept 23, 2008, this was in response to questions submitted under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 by Waythamoorthy’s London lawyers on July 23. They received the letter on Sept 26.
Based on a copy of the letter signed by Rosanna Pomroy (post not stated), answers were provided to four questions:
1. The precise date when the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was notified of the cancellation?
A: The letter from the Malaysian authorities to the High Commission was dated March 14, 2008.
2. Which Malaysian authority notified the British Embassy (was it, for example, the Immigration authorities/Foreign Office or Home Ministry or any other department)?
A: I can confirm that the Home Office does hold information that is relevant to this part of your request. However we have decided not to communicate this information to you in accordance with the exemption under Section 27(2) of the FOI Act, which covers confidential information obtained from a State other than the UK or from an international organisation or international court [...]
3. Whether any particular reason was given for said cancellation
A: The passport was cancelled as the Malaysian authorities were seeking your client’s arrest to face criminal charges.
4. When was the request made by the issuing authority for the return of the passport and was there any reason given for this request?
A: A request was made by the Malaysian authorities for the return of your client’s passport on July 2, 2008. No reason was given [...]
Minister ‘lied to House’
Thanenthiran claimed that this “proves that Syed Hamid lied to the House when he said Waythamoorthy's passport was not revoked...he has misled the House and the public".
He also demanded that the minister be investigated over his statement and charged under the Sedition Act for misleading the public.
"We have lodged 42 police reports against him nationwide, but so far there has been no police action. The police should not be one-sided just because he is minister. No one is above the law,” he noted.
(Syed Hamid) had lied to the House and the public (about the passport). Leaders have to be honest, (but he) tarnished the country’s image...he does not deserve to be a minister.”
DAP leader Lim Kit Siang, who was at the press conference in a show of support, expressed shock over Thanenthiran’s revelation.
Lim described it as a “breach of privilege” and suggested that Syed Hamid be referred to the parliamentary privileges committee for disciplinary action.
He deliberately misled the House and the public when he denied that Waythamoorthy’s passport was revoked and he should be referred to the committee,” said Lim.
The MP for Ipoh Timor also suggested that the cabinet should review the ban on Hindraf when it meets on Friday.
“The decision was baseless and (the government) should (lift) the ban. Instead, it has to address the issues raised by Hindraf about Indians being marginalised, victimised and discriminated against in this country,” he noted.
Lim also said that he would raise the revelation about the passport in the House as soon as possible.
Syed Hamid had earlier suggested, too, that the passport could have expired and said a misunderstanding could have occurred over the status of the document. However, Waythamoorthy then clarified that his passport would only expire in 2010.
On July 14, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri had told the Dewan Rakyat during Question time that the Immigration Department had not revoked Waythamoorthy's passport, although it had received instructions to do so.
Police record details
Thanenthiran also condemned the ban imposed on Hindraf since Oct 15, saying that the government “is just too scared to deal with the truth”.
Opposition parliamentarian Dr D Jeyakumar (PSM-Sungai Siput) observed that the government should have met with Hindraf leaders following the massive street protest on Nov 25 last year.
“It has been 11 months, but the government has yet to come to them to address the problems they are facing,” he said.
Others at the press conference were M Manogaran (DAP-Teluk Intan), R Sivarasa (PKR-Subang), N Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Sungai Siput) and Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang). Also present were Waythamoorthy’s wife K Shanti and their six-year-old daughter Vwaishnavi.
This morning, there was a heavy police presence in front of the Parliament entrance to prevent the Hindraf leaders and supporters from entering the building.
However, they managed to gather in front of the guard house where they released some pigeons as a symbol of freedom. They then proceeded to the Parliament lobby, gaining admission with the help from some MPs.
There was some tension when they left the building. Police stopped them at the main entrance and there was uncertainty if they would be arrested.
However, the police allowed them to leave after recording details of their Mykad and inspecting their vehicles- malaysiakini.com report
source: malaysiakini
22/10/08
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.
For decades UMNO has strengthened her position by destroying the independence of the judiciary. So much so that high officials and the Police can almost act with impunity.
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 affected 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 subservient to UMNO. 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.
To my Sabah and Sarawak brothers and sisters I tell you that historically UMNO has always avoided a Royal Commission of Inquiry as much as possible many times. Historically, UMNO has misused the Internal Security Act numerous times. Any political party that is an accomplice to UMNO is also the enemy. Any political party that is a co-conspirator to UMNO is also the enemy. To my Sabah and Sarawak brothers and sisters I say that you should form a third force. A third force would require unity among Sabahans and Sarawakians.
To my Sabah and Sarawak natives, I need you to understand some things. Who is a so called bumiputra? Just about any Muslim who can obtain Malaysian citizenship can claim bumiputra benefits. How about the natives of Sabah and Sarawak? When it is beneficial to the Malays, the Malays cleverly put the Malays, the Orang Asli, and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak together. The Orang Asli of Malaya are not even mentioned in the constitution. If we allowed the Orang Asli or the natives of Sabah and Sarawak to draft the constitution of Malaysia, it would look very different. So, it all depends on who drafts the constitution.
We have to get into the habit of putting people in office through votes, and removing people from office through votes. Nobody should be allowed to topple the government. We have to institutionalize the multi-party political system, one person one vote, and an independent judiciary.
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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