Pak Lah take Dr. Mahathir's advice, release Hindraf 5

Pak Lah take Dr.Mahathir’s advice, release Hindraf 5

I spoke at Au Long, Taiping on 30thJanuary2008.

Among the matters spoke were
1) Demand the release of the HINDRAF 5
2) SPR should ensure all the 17000 newly registered be eligible voters to vote in the coming elections
Malaysian former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday said the government should talk to the Hindraf leaders, not arrest them under the ISA.

He also said the corruption and vote buying will be rampant in the next election.

Dr Mahathir said BN coalition member the Malaysian Indian Congress was not properly representing the Indians.

The Hindraf rally was one of several streets demonstrations that have shaken the government in recent months, along with an election reform rally that drew more than 30,000 protesters.

These are very serious observation by the former Prime Minister who knows better to urge Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to release the five Hindraf leaders.

He said the Hindraf protest happened because the government failed to listen to the Indian people grievances.

How true is Dr Mahathir’s observation.

Abdullah must heed this wise advice and release the Hindraf leaders immediately and without any condition. He should open dialogues with the Indian community based on the 18-points memorandum Hindraf had submitted to him in August last year.

We urge the Prime Minister to urgently set up a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate this matter, release the Hindraf leaders and begin a proper study to help the Indian community based on the 18-points memorandum.

Only this action will ease the anger the Indian community is feeling and clearly expressed during the Nov 25 protest, boycott of Thaipusam at Batu Caves on January 23 and next will show their anger at the general elections expected din mid-March.

Are the 17000 who registered with the SPR in the last quarter eligible to vote in the coming elections?



The Elections Commission Chairman has announced that over seventeen thousand have registered as voters between the months of October-December2008 but these voters may not be eligible to vote in the coming elections as “investigations could not be completed by then”. This is really disappointing. Or are the 17000 new voters perceived as going to vote against the Barisan in the coming elections. Why it takes such a long time to verify and gazette the new voters? We urge the SPR to speed up the process and gazette all the eligible voters so that they can vote in the coming elections. The SPR should if the need be employ more staff for this purpose. The SPR wants powers to sue those who make “wild allegations” against the SPR. Instead of trying to shield from criticisms the SPR should come clean and do its primary work of gazetting eligible voters the soonest possible.
The SPR spends over RM80 million a year to carry out voter registration exercise. All this is shear waste of tax payer’s money as all the particulars of eligible voters could be obtained from the National Registration Department and the data could be used to up date the records of the SPR.


In countries like New Zealand and in many other countries:

a voter can register as a voter a day before elections and why this is not the case in Malaysia;

can register as a voter by email but this not possible in Malaysia;


The SPR chief has traveled widely around the globe to witness the election process but the question is why the good practices in those countries are not implemented in Malaysia? Recently we met him in Ipoh and he had just come back after the Australian general elections but nothing has changed since then.

http://kula.blogsome.com/2008/01/31/pak-lah-take-drmahathirs-advice-release-hindraf-5/

Candles are the resemblance of peace
Parliament lobby on 28thJanuary2008


We find it ridiculous that MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu condemned the DAP - myself and Mr Lim Kit Siang - for the candle light vigil held on Thaipusam day in Ipoh Perak last week.
Candles are the resemblance of peace and are also useful when there is no electricity
The candle just gives flame and marks the peoples protest against injustice. It is a symbol of light over darkness and is accepted as such by all cultures and religions in the world.
To accuse us of taking candles to temples is simply ridiculous and panders to the base instincts of people. Samy Vellu should know that.
Candles, kuttu villaku and other flames are totally acceptable and normal in any places of worship in the world. Only Samy Vellu out of deep ignorance is making an issue out of it berceuse he has gone bankrupt of issues. Because people have rejected him.

The procession is a people’s event, asked by them and organised by them and us as a people’s party. It is allowed under the constitution to protest peacefully in case Samy Vellu is unaware of it. Over 5,000 people took part in it and it was a great success.
The procession started from the Mariman Temple buntong, Ipoh to the Subramaniam Temple, Gunong Cheroh ,Ipoh and took about 3 hours with a distance of nearly over 3 km.

Just to add protestors had candles and also kuttu vilaku - they used whatever was convenient. The important thing for us all was the flame as a sign of protest and purification. candles are alright with Hinduism, which is a broadminded, and inclusive religion based on understanding and tolerance.

Meanwhile the procession did not enter the temple although it is alright with Hinduism, experts I consulted today said.


Samy’s unbecoming conduct
Samy has defamed and disgraced himself when celeberating Ponggal had his shoes on. He was not only disrespectful but in all respect by wearing the shoes he acted like a WOG (western orientated gentleman)
Hindu Temples are for all not only for MIC members!
MIC politicians manage almost all main Hindu Temples and frequently MIC meetings are also held in the temple grounds.
But when people request the temples to hold prayers for the HINDRAF 5 it is not permitted. Why? By and large almost all Hindu Temples are run from monies received from donations from the Indian community.
Temples should not be use to propagate Barisan polices but must be a place of religious orientation.


POSTED BY Administrator ON 01.28.08

http://kula.blogsome.com/2008/01/28/candles-are-the-resemblance-of-peace/