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'Someone from India behind Malaysian protests'

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Agencies

Posted online: Friday , December 07, 2007 at 12:00:00


Kuala Lumpur, December 7: Rejecting claims that ethnic Indians are being marginalised, a Malaysian minister alleged that ‘some’ organisation from India and local Opposition parties in Kuala Lumpur were behind the high-profile protests launched by the community in this Muslim-dominated nation.

"Someone is behind them from India, some organization to create civil disobedience. They have their own objective and they succeeded in their first attempt when Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force, a non-governmental Organisation) called for the demonstration in November," Samy Vellu, the Indian-origin Minister for Works, said.

Vellu, however, refused to elaborate or name the organisation but alleged that the demonstrators were lured by money.

He also charged that the Hindraf was supported by the Opposition, including former Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim, and noted that another Opposition group DAP had supported the outfit on the first day of the demonstration.

A police crackdown on the protest on November 25 against alleged discrimination face by the community in Malaysia, had sparked an uproar with India summoning the Malaysian envoy.

The minister dismissed allegations by the Hindraf that ethnic Indians were being discriminated against and said those without jobs were ‘either choosy or lazy’. He claimed the outfit had sullied the image of Hindus in the country.

"Discrimination is used to discredit any person or a government. There has been no discrimination," he said.

On the state of Indians in Malaysia, Vellu, also the President of Malaysia Indian Congress (MIC), which is part of the ruling coalition, noted "I will not say they are 100 per cent on top, but then no one is."

Indians form 7.8 per cent of Malaysia's multi-ethnic population of 27 million people. The rate of unemployment among Indians was 3.1 per cent. "This is not because they don't get a job but because some are choosy and some are lazy. There are 847,900 Indians in the work force," Vellu said.

He said the average income per annum for Indians was 3,215 ringgit (Rs 38,101) while the national figure was 3,022 ringgit (Rs 35,807).

Employment in civil service is 5.12 per cent and according to the Ninth Malaysia development Plan, the Indian representation in Civil Service was much lower compared to the Indian population ratio. The report said the government wanted to encourage more Malaysian Indians to apply.

Since a majority of the Indians in Malaysia are Tamils, there are a total of 522 Tamil schools across the country.

The minister dismissed allegations that large numbers of Hindu temples were being indiscriminately demolished. "There were 17760 temples in 1980 and today there are more than 20,000 temples in the country," he said.

He said Hindus, who wanted to build temples, had to seek approval. Earlier, when the Indians had arrived in this country 200 years ago, they built temples wherever they worked or lived.

Some of the temples today stand in private properties.

"The builders today had to follow local government laws he said," adding that about 150 small illegally built temples had been pulled down. He added that land was also allocated to relocate the temples.

Vellu said the demonstration, which had been banned by the Government, and its organisers had a "political motive."

"They (Hindraf) have created a very bad name for the Hindus in this country," he said.

Asked why thousands of people had participated in the demonstration to protest against alleged marginalisation of Indians in Malaysia, the minister said, "If one million dollars per head is promised, it is easy to get a crowd."

He said the population was not stimulated and it was only a group of people. "There are seven lawyers, they are the organisation, they think they are the government," he said, apparently referring to the Hindraf.

He was confident that the demonstration would have no impact on the elections, to be held soon in this country. "We will stimulate our machinery and tell the truth. There should be no misunderstanding among the races here," he said, adding, "Our strength is our unity."

The Malaysian Indian Congress party has 640,000 members. The total number of Indians eligible to vote are 820,000.

Hindraf has filed a suit against Britain, holding it responsible for their current woes as the country had brought their ancestors to work as indentured labourers to the then Malaya 200 years ago.

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Ethnic Indians in Malaysia by raj shanti on 08 Dec 2007

The Hindus in India are feeling the pinch when they are discriminated in Malaysia. They are doing the same to Muslims in India. Atleast Hindus comprise 3.1 percent in the work force out of 7.1% of the total population of Hindus. The Muslims in India are unofficially 33 percent but they comprise only 2% of the total workforce in India. What would hv happened to Muslims in India if there were no gulf countries to find jobs. All the Indian govt has kept Muslims deliberately all along, illerate and unemployed. Why dont the Indian Govt agree for survey of Muslims in Army? Becos they know if they do the survey they will be exposed. I have been frequent visitor of Malaysia and hv noticed that the Hindus in Malaysia are very happy there and do not even want to come back to India and proudly mentions that they are not indians and they want to be Malaysian. Do you think if they were not happy they would hv send this. It is very true that here again the RSS is after these Hindraf creating disharmony between the local Malay Muslim population and HIndus of ethnic origin in Malaysia

return home chaps by Arun Subramanian on 08 Dec 2007

if you Indian originated or NRI living in Malaysia feel racial discrimation, come home.Come to India and see how much nice people you are meeint and how much respect you get from others or peers. Indians basically are knows for their less self respect and they dont give respect to others in foerign countries. If you do not behave well in other countries come back to India, if that is also not possible then dont expect the world to change for you. First make India big, Rich, productive and see when you go to other country how people respect you. Build your home first and blame the society. This is the same attitude to be taken here.

treatnment by every on 08 Dec 2007

I do not know why people are blaming Malasian government forunjustice done to Hindus,.First they should talk about India, Where Hindus are 80%, but goting a teratment as secondary citizen.They are tagged as murderes by Itlian lady.Acutully I agree with malasian leaderthat Hidus lazy, Here i will add cowerds also. They are got beaten up every where. See kasmir they were kicked of from there muslim. They can not tale out religious prosessions in Hyderabad and culcutta. Pakistani plags are commonly seen in muslim dominations.Congrees first tried to genocide sikhs and now targetting Hindu kicking them every where . They are making laugh of Lard rama and Hanuman. But Hindu still vote for congress,. They have lost dignity., so they deserve this treatment

True Lies by Maha Arupputhan Pappan on 08 Dec 2007

This stupid Samy Velu has already sucked our blood with the Malays for years. How much more does he want from us? I agree with Vikram that "A true PM will want to meet to understand the grievences." However, our present PM is not prepared to face us instead wants to setup some special so called "Helpdesk Center". We're not running IT support team. We're in deep racial issue that need immediate attention from the government. Most importantly, Samy Velu must step down. All the eligible 820,000 voters in MIC "touch your heart and be honest to yourself" and to do the necessary.

Lies! Lies! Lies!!! by Vikram-Malaysia on 08 Dec 2007

Lies! lies! lies!...When will he stop. 100 thousand people did not gather for the money. We are not stupid. The Malaysian Indians problem will find a solution if Samy steps down and our PM agrees to talk to HINDRAF. A true PM will want to meet to understand the grievences. Why he does not want to meet...is a MILLION dollar puzzle. The Malaysian Indian community is angered and sad in the way the peacefull assemblers were manhandled and charged in court for attempted murder!! What a joke! In previuos assemblies where majorities are Malay ethnic, no one was charged. Is this not enough to show the racism portrayed by the Malaysian government.INDIA...help us.

TRAITOR by silpa on 08 Dec 2007

Vikram, you should return to India with your parents and great parents. Our country does not need people like you. Traitor, that's what you are. Get out of my country if you still want to smear the good name of my country in a foreign website.

Why complain by Manu on 07 Dec 2007

Why are you compalining about Malays treating ethnic Indians in this way and also calling Indian Hindus as terrorists. When a Govt Representative like Digvijay in order to please his foreigner Boss is calling his own contrymen Terrorists, the others will also call us the same.By the way..does Malays do not raise their voice the way they are treated in Singapore? why do they interfere in other countries internal issues in this case?

India must mind it's own business by B. B. Goel on 07 Dec 2007

Here the question is not Indian origin or Hindu. If some people in Malaysia are facing racial discrimination, then it must be opposed. But that opposition must come from within. India must not be dragged in that. All those people migrated there and took citizenship of that country for some reason. And that reason is surely not love for India. There are many people in many countries in the world who are facing much tough treatment from their own govt (e.g Burma, China/Tibet, Many African nations like Zimbabwe etc). But Indian govt is not doing much there. In fact India have a very friendly relation with many such countries. Why should we give special status to some specific foreign citizens of a reasonably civilized country having a well functional judiciary? Why should we waste our own national resource to rescue such opportunist people? If needed, they can approach UN and India should interfere only then.

u by B. B. Goel on 07 Dec 2007

Here the question is not Indian origin or Hindu. If some people in Malayasis is facing racial discrimination, then it must be opposed. But that opposition must be from within. India must not be dragged in that. All those people migrated there and took citizenship for some reason. And that reason is surely not love for India or Hindu. There are many people in many countries in the world who are facing much tough treatment from their own govt. But Indian govt is not doing much there. Why should we give special status to some specific foreign citizens? Why should we waste our own national resource to rescue such opportunist people? If needed, they can approach UN and India should interfere only then.

Malaysian Protest by N Suresh on 08 Dec 2007

I refer to B. B. Goel's piece of nonsense on 07 Dec 2007 .B B GOEL is not living in Malaysia as such his knowledge in this matter is zero .An outsider looking in ,of course he can tralk about Zimbabwe,Tibet etc.If he was a victim of the racist Bumiputera policies which marginalise the Indians,depriving them of employment,education and self respect then such a article would not be written by this B B GOEL.As a Indian born in India he does not understand the circumstances which resulted in Indians being citizens of Malaysia.Perhaps B B goel should go and read on the History of the Straits Settlements and Malaya before writing this drivel.B b GOEL should be in Gujarat or somewhere from the North where Hindi/Muslim bloodletting has made him inured to the problem in Malaysia.My salutations to the brave Indian Malaysians for standing up for their dignity and rights.But forget about getting India's support as a waste of time.Remember the Indians Fiji and Uganda and what happen to them.Look at what is happening in Tibet before you look for Indian support which will never come or is worthy of.

Malay Idiot and Samyvelu the stooge by Anand on 07 Dec 2007

Me Velu Samy mind your words. You are stoog in the Malay backyard. Go and lick the chappal of the Malay dogs. Every one in Malaysia know how deep you are in the ocean of corruption. That you, telling money is what brought 20,000 people to the street. As a leader of MIC you should have raised the poor condition of Malaysian Indians in your parlament. What have you done so far other than making yourself rich. There is genuine suffering of the indians there, they are poorly educated, discriminated against in job and eduaction, suppressed from growth and people do not know anything other than driving taxi in KL. Otherwise they graze cattle and do tapping in the rubber estate. Go and take care of them. Dont bark togehter with the Malay at us. You are a stupid idiot. See what will happen in the next election.

Confused Minds! by Indian on 07 Dec 2007

Confused minds! Unfortunately, people of Indian origin call themselves Indians without holding Indian passport. Most of these people were Hindus, some happily converted to other religions either for money or monitory gains. These converted people neither understand nor practice religion except excess propaganda!Also, if one looks at the matter there two sides of the problem, and certainly nobody is either correct or entirely wrong! The 8% Indian origin people comes to 2.2 million, its wise to look at how long it needs for country to eliminate poverty of 2.2 million or 4.4 million. It's good solve the issue through mutual discussions in an appropriate manner. However, the situation was drifting away from the solution! It's high time that people think of future than settling scores!If people are harmonious then country will be harmonious too, especially multiracial and multicultural!

All non-Muslims are under attack in Malaysia, thanks to growing Islamism by Tatha Mukherjee on 07 Dec 2007

Its not just Hindus. All non-Muslims are becoming second grade citizen in Malaysia.

The Malay Race by Prakashraj on 07 Dec 2007

The British had describe the Malay race as lazy and jealous of other peoples' progress. Today that has not changed and the only different is the are rich and arrogant too.

You are right by Cogito_ergo... on 07 Dec 2007

Rumsfeld, USA's former Defense Secretary, put down in writing some thoughts about Muslims: oil wealth has at times detached Muslims "from the reality of the work, effort and investment that leads to wealth for the rest of the world. Too often Muslims are against physical labor, so they bring in Koreans and Pakistanis while their young people remain unemployed. ... An unemployed population is easy to recruit to radicalism."

Unreliable Statistics ,Malays are rich by Samy Velu on 07 Dec 2007

In Malaysia,statistics are unreliable especially those related to the races achievements. The department is run by the Malay civil servents and they understate their race's achievements to justify perpetual assistance to them. This is the only country in the world where the majority needs affirmative action plan to compete and they are literally spoonfed and majority are rich with government assisted unit trust investments with guaranteed high returns.

You are right by Cogito_ergo... on 07 Dec 2007

Rumsfeld, USA's former Defense Secretary, put down in writing some thoughts about Muslims: oil wealth has at times detached Muslims "from the reality of the work, effort and investment that leads to wealth for the rest of the world. Too often Muslims are against physical labor, so they bring in Koreans and Pakistanis while their young people remain unemployed. ... An unemployed population is easy to recruit to radicalism."

Treat Hindus equally by Bharat on 07 Dec 2007

Shri Samy Vellu, being an India-origin Malay, should not speak such language, just to enjoy power. He must look into the wider Indian-origin Malaysians problem. Why thousands of Hindu mandirs/temples destroyed during the last 50 years of its independence? Are there any mosque demolished? How come all the HIndu temples are on illegal lands, and not one mosque? Malaysia must desist from racism game and share the wealth with its all citizens.

Malaysian protests by MOHAN DADDIKAR on 07 Dec 2007

If a small country like Malaysia barks at India, that country is not to be blamed. This courage only confirms the impotence of the UPA.govt. led by a turbaned slave working under the orders of a Roman Empress.

Malay problem by Marx on 07 Dec 2007

I guess this is a good thing that the Indians are being shown their place. Imagine how we indians would feel if the chinese in Calcutta started crying discrimination. I guess everybody has to work and find his own place in society. Reservations by caste and creed is only available in India. We must not export this syndrome and spoil other progressive countries. India being a democracy can afford it as no one is in a hurry here till the next elections. The Indians there should continue working hard and aim to reach the top places in society. The muslim mentality of blaming everyone else for your problems should not be resorted too. We have done well in most countries and there is no reason why we will not do well in Malayasia also.. And if someone feels he is being discriminated against, he should return to India.

Problems of Tamils by V R on 07 Dec 2007

Mr. Marx, it looks like you are opposing the affermative action in India based on caste? We are talking here of government's effort to stiffle a community, which was doing very well for itself before independence. The same is ture in Sri Lanka, Tamil were doing well before independents because they worked, worked and worked. Now, in Sri Lanka, the Majority is Budhists and in Malaysia it's Muslims. The unfortunate thing is Northern Indian polity (and people), turn blind eye to Sri Lanka problem.

Barking Dog by sagar on 07 Dec 2007

Hey Malaysian Dog, dont interfare in our interanl matter .... we are silent because we respect other countries freedom. Dont show your religion by barking

Who is barking at who ? by Yousuf on 07 Dec 2007

Sagar, i can see the other guy talking and see you barking. So you are showing your religion rt. Pity on you.

reality is here !!! by sagar on 07 Dec 2007

oye Mulla Yousuf, tuze kyon mirchi lagi ????

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