HINDRAF is being discriminated...and 'demonized' - WHY?

At the Prime Minister's ( don't know who paid for it) Hari Raya open house, there were 2 groups of persons that carried out protest actions - one the group of Bloggers and their supporters, and the other was the group associated with HINDRAF...

But why are we only hearing all these media reports against HINDRAF supporters only but not the Blogger group..

Just yesterday, there was also something on Astro Awani trying to draw parallels between the PAD protests/demonstration that is going on in Thailand and our HINDRAF here... why? Is it an indication of something to come....

The government will take action against the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) under the Societies Act 1966 for causing a disturbance during the Hari Raya function hosted by the prime minister and Muslim ministers in Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh said action would be taken soon against Hindraf, its committee and its members even though the organisation was not registered.

"Action will be taken. We have many alternatives.

"Under the act, whether the organisation is legal or not, it is still an organisation.

"If it is not legal, action will be taken based on the provisions for an illegal organisation.

"When it comes to the law, there must be no delay. What is clear is that those who break the law must face action," he said. - The New Straits Times, 10/10/2008, Action against Hindraf

But then is not HINDRAF a movement of the people - not an organisation or a society. HINDRAF of 2007-2008 is akin to the REFORMASI peoples' movement of 1998.

'It is just a small group of persons, not reflective of the majority'...but then this is Malaysia, and the numbers that come out in public are just the tip of the iceberg.

To get about 200 over persons to wear orange T-shirts and go to the open house of the Prime Minister of Malaysia indicates that this is not just a 'small group of trouble-makers'.

I recently heard that at the recent candle light vigil - there were about 4,000, most of whom were HINDRAF.

The 2007 November protest saw about 20,000 to 30,000 take part...

As such, the 'tip' is quite big - and this must indeed be a very large iceberg - and the results of GE2008 is also indicative...

About 30,000 protesters demonstrated under the shadows of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Twin Towers after their efforts to petition the British High Commission was thwarted by the police with tear gas and chemical-laced water cannon.

MCPX

The protesters had attempted to gather outside the high commission early this morning but thousands were pushed back by the riot police to outside a two-kilometre radius of the venue.

Crowds quickly grew at various points in the city, and were blocked by police and Federal Reserve Unit officers.

At its height, there is an estimated 30,000 people scattered over a number of areas in the vicinty of the high commission. - Malaysiakini, 25/11/2007 - 30,000 Hindraf protesters rally in KL streets

Their leaders Uthayakumar and lot were arrested December 2007 - and this is October 2008 and 'HINDRAF' or 'Makkal Sakti' movement is still very much alive ...

So why is the the Barisan Nasional-led federal government out to 'demonise' this group. Some say it is pay-back time. Some say it is just an attempt to distract from the other problems being faced internally by UMNO and the BN.

In the eyes of critics, the latest threat to ban the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the group credited for the Indian awakening in the country, is the latest move by the Barisan Nasional-led federal government to 'demonise' the group.

According to them, the BN may have kick-started a contorted campaign to smear the movement, which may ultimately lead to a ban.

Many regard Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, MIC president S Samy Vellu (right) and Utusan Malaysia as the driving forces behind this murky campaign to paint the human rights group as an unruly, ill-mannered and impolite body.

Thus, understandably, the government had to get even with Hindraf, which has been largely blamed for shifting Indian votes en bloc from BN to the opposition in the March general election, they said.

Hindraf inspired Makkal Sakti or people power has stung the government into realising the importance of minority Indian votes for its electoral survival. It has also woken up the community from a deep slumber and state of denial.

The majority of Indians in the country had for a long time believed that only the MIC and BN could look after their interests, a syndrome perpetuated and constantly highlighted by media campaigns and stereotypical image-building.

Hindraf's emergence awoke the community, eliminated the 'BN is best' myth and instilled anger and frustration in Indians, who now blame the government for 51 years of betrayal, mistrust and marginalisation. - Malaysiakini, 12/10/2008 - Is banning Hindraf the solution?

The government should be dealing with the concerns of HINDRAF - and allegedly there are 18 demands. I surfed the net, and this is what I found. I am not sure that this is the said 18 demands...

And now it is hereby demanded for and on behalf of the two (2) Million ethnic minority Indians in Malaysia from the UMNO controlled Malaysian Government their 18 point demands as follows: -

(1) End 50 years of violations of the Malaysian Federal Constitution.

(2) End Racism, end Islamic extremism and end Malay privileges on the 50th year golden jubilee mega Independence celebrations of Malaysia on 31st August 2007.

(3) Call for affirmative action plans for all poor Malaysians especially the ethnic minority Indians. A Protection of Ethnic Minority Malaysian Indian Act 2007 be passed to secure and safeguard the interests of the poor and defenceless ethnic Indian Minority Community.

(4) All 523 Tamil Schools in Malaysia be made fully aided government schools with immediate effect and to have equal and same facilities as granted to national schools especially in terms of financial allocations, sufficient graduate teaching staff, financial allocation for extra tuition, ample computers, Information Technology facilities, school fields, sports, recreational facilities, air conditioned library, textbook loans, kindergarden, school uniforms and pocket money for poor pupils, nutritional food programmes, teaching aids, school building, infrastructure, film screening room and facilities, financial assistance for poor students, rehabilitation classes, non Muslim religious classes, etc. A RM 100 Billion grant @ 20 Billion per year with effect from 2007 be allocated to Indians under the 9th Malaysia Plan (5 years) for refurbishing the existing 523 Tamil schools and rebuilding of the 300 Tamil schools demolished over the last 50 years.

(5) Extend and implement with immediate effect to Indians the affirmative action plans, grants, scholarships, loans etc as extended to Malay Muslim citizens with the view to providing equal opportunities for higher education, university education, admission to foreign universities, post graduate studies locally and overseas, Trade and Skills Training Institutions, Science Colleges especially for each and every Indian student from the 70% poor and hardcore poor Indian category.

(6) Extend and implement with immediate effect affirmative action plans as extended to Malay Muslim citizens with the view to provide equal opportunities in acquiring wealth, venturing into business, trade, industries, medium and small scale industries, government linked companies, corporate sector, procurement of direct government contracts, in acquiring licenses for contractors, blue chip and / or guaranteed return shares, lorry, taxi and bus permits, loans and licenses to venture into trade, business banking and the corporate sector for each and every Indian from especially the 70% poor and
hardcore poor Indian category. To this effect the UMNO controlled government allocates RM100 Billion at RM20 Billion per annum with effect from 2007 and implements successful strategic schemes in investments for the Indians as implemented for the Malay Muslims with the view to the Indians acquiring at least 10% of the nation’s equity.

(7) All the aforesaid is to be handled directly by the UMNO controlled government and UMNO is to stop “playing politics” through the “Mandore” (supervisor) system by dishing out on a piecemeal and/or peanuts basis or merely public and/or newspaper announcements and declarations by the Malaysian Indian Congress ( M.I.C) who have no or very little power or say in the UMNO controlled Malaysian government.

(8) 20% of the Government top most level postings (Secretaries Generals), Middle level Management (Directors) and management level (Managers) postings, and the same for the Private Sectors, and positions of District Officers; Foreign and Diplomatic Service positions, civil service positions are reserved for Indians for the next 15 years.

(9) The UMNO controlled government makes public and is transparent on all of the aforesaid affirmative action plans i.e. the aforesaid education places, licenses, scholarships, grants, loans, permits, licenses, opportunities etc by publishing the same in the official website of the Government of Malaysia as and when the same is granted and/or on a monthly basis specifying the Indian beneficiaries thereto.

(10) Stop the indiscriminate unconstitutional and unlawful demolitions of Hindu temples, crematoriums and burial sites in
Malaysia. All existing Hindu temples, crematoriums and burial sites be granted state land and permanently gazetted as Hindu temple reserves as has been done for all Islamic places of worship and burial sites. Compensation at RM10 Million per temple be paid by the UMNO controlled Malaysian Government for the 15,000 Hindu temples demolished up to date over the last 50 years.

Every individual given the Right to practice and profess Religion/s of his/her choice in accordance to Standards adopted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948. The State and its Authorities barred from interfering in the personal beliefs and conscience of individual citizens . Disputes between Muslims & Non Muslims should be adjudicated in the Civil Courts.

(11) Stop the victimization and direct discrimination by the Police and all other state authorities of the Indians. All Malaysians earning RM 3,000.00 and below are to be fully borne by state funded legal aid for any criminal charges they face.

(12) The UMNO controlled government forms with immediate effect a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Kg Medan Mini Genocide, condemns the violence thereto, apologises to the Indian community on this mini genocide, undertakes not to repeat the same in future and pay a compensation of RM1,000, 000.00 for each and every citizen killed, permanently maimed, maimed or injured in this tragedy.

(13) Each and every Indian especially the Indian poor in the aforesaid 70% Indian poor and hardcore poor category is paid compensation which is to be adjudicated and determined by the United Nations Secretary General for the aforesaid 50 years of Constitutional violations by the UMNO controlled government.

(14) and not low cost flats by law. All homeless Malaysians are to be provided affordable homesA minimum wage of RM1,000.00 for each and every Malaysian be made law.

(15) A Royal Commission of Inquiry is initiated to report on the aforesaid constitutional violations by the UMNO controlled government and appropriate recommendations for amongst others further affirmative action plans for especially the 70% Indian poor and hardcore poor category.

(16) All forms of racial and religious discrimination, oppression and suppression of the Indians / Hindus in both the public and private sectors are stopped with immediate effect and a Race Relations Commission Act 2007, an Equal Opportunities Commission Act 2007 and a Freedom of Religion Commissions Act 2007 be passed and powerful Commission thereto be put into force to give effect to anti racism, anti Islamic extremism and anti direct discrimination practices by the UMNO controlled government in both the public and private sectors.

(17) The UMNO controlled government passes specific laws to give effect to the Independence of the Judiciary, the Attorney General’s Chambers, Civil service, Police Force, Army, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission and the Malaysian media and for the Opposition parties, NGOs’ Civil Society groups, Bar Council and the media not to discriminate and side step Indian issues but instead to voice out the same without fear or favour. The Malaysian media is also to be legislated to report the real happenings especially on the 70% Indian poor and hardcore poor without fear or favour.

(18) A minimum of 20 Opposition members of Parliament are elected exclusively by the Indian Community to represent their interest at the highest political level and also as a Parliamentary Democracy check and balance and the same is safeguarded and entrenched into the Federal Constitution and which is to be increased proportionately with the increase in Parliamentary seats.

If this is not the 18 demands - please leave a comment and indicate where one can find the 18 point demand of HINDRAF..

Will the banning of HINDRAF - the arrest of those who are allegedly leaders, etc stifle this peoples' movement - I doubt it.

Malaysian government must go read the Indian struggle for Independence...Mahatma Gandhi..etc...and it will be noted that Indians (even in Malaysia) do have a history of struggling for a long long time for something that they believe is right and just...Makkal Sakti...People Power and Kuasa Rakyat is here now to stay...

MIC - today only holds on to the name 'Indian Congress' but clearly it has lost that sense of struggle. They are clowns and the PM certainly have little or no respect for the MIC, and that is why its calls for the release of Uthayakumar and the other HINDRAF alleged leaders have not even received a response... The rejection of MIC as the representative and leaders of the Malaysian Indian was clear by the defeat of Samy Velu(once though undefeatable) in the last general elections...

Malaysian PM and government are not fools - and as such the 'attack' on HINDRAF is worrying... Is it more than what it is?