Do they deserved it? Yes. I still think they should be charged for treason instead of ISA.I am not a great fan of the ISA, but they have been given ample warning, they pushed their luck, lied in their teeth and expect the government to maintain equanimity.The five Hindraf's masterminds deserved what they get.If others want to worship the Western form of democracy, its their business, if America think they have the best system of government, its their business, our business is to keep the peace in this country.What's the point of freedom if the country is in turmoil, if blood had to be shed for the price of freedom.
Some say they have the right to demonstrate as it is part of the democratic system. Malaysians are matured and responsible, but recent events had shown otherwise.It shows the true psyche of some Malaysians, who are prepared to use violence, to send their message home.Given free reins, they would want to demonstrate every week.
Many foreigners believed in the Hindraf's propaganda.One so called celebrated Indian poet, who claimed to have stayed in Malaysia for seventeen years, wrote in her blog that the Malaysian government practised apartheid, that's why she fled back to India. Below are part of the derisive article she wrote;
"Last week, the simmering resentments of a nation under a formal apartheid exploded. The constitution of Malaysia explicitly privileges the Malay Muslim majority’s access to opportunity, and indeed claim to the nation itself, and the inherent racism of this sentiment is one that trickles down through all sectors of society. The superficial image of multicultural harmony that it had somehow managed to convince the world of has begun to fray in no uncertain terms"
In an interview with an Indian newspaper, DNA, the celebrated poet, Sharanya Manivanna said;
In April 2006, while still a student in Kuala Lumpur, I wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on my blog (sharanyamanivannan.blogspot.com), calling upon the Indian government to speak out on this issue of clear religious and ethnic discrimination in the same way that it had responded to the Danish cartoons parodying Prophet Mohammed.
“I wrote that letter because what is happening in Malaysia is nothing less than formal apartheid. The fact that its Tourism Board promotes a picture postcard image of multi-culturalism is rather audacious. You have to understand that I say all this as a person who loves Malaysia, but who was forced to leave.
“Last year, my grandfather, a former High Commissioner, had a passport thrown at his face and was shouted at by a Malay officer at the Malaysian Consulate in Chennai! I myself have been harassed at Malaysian immigration checkpoints on countless occasions, while always travelling legally. And after one particularly bad interrogation at immigration, I knew that if I did not make the choice to leave, I would probably be deported. I think I was right, considering the events of the past few days.”I posted a comment on her blog, which she didn't allow for reasons only known to her.Anyway, it's her prerogative.Below are my comment;
Comment I posted on Sharanya's blog.
Dear Sharanya,
"You painted a wrong picture of a country which is more tolerant toward other minority races compared to many other countries including India.
The Malays shared political power with the Chinese and Indians, which they don't have to.With the Chinese it makes more sense because they are big minority, with the Indians they really don't have to, if they want to be nasty and unfair.
The few instigators, including the shithead called Utayakumar, are doing great injustice to the peaceful Indian community by instigating them to break the law and go against the government.He is suffering from serious inferiority and persecution complex and a danger to his own community and the nation.
He should be locked up.
If you think Malaysia was so bad,why did you stay for seventeen years? Do you have to wait that long to find out?"
"My blog is my space, not a forum. It is my prerogative to moderate comments through, or not. I have switched off anonymous comments because here’s the difference between you (you know who you are) and me: I put myself out there, and you hide behind namelessness and shifting IP addresses. If you can’t be bothered to read a post properly before leaving a comment which accuses me of the exact opposite of a statement I’ve made, are hateful or make inappropriate personal attacks I may choose to not spend my energy on responding to your comment. Oh, and just because you read my blog doesn’t mean you know me. Just because you went to college or kindergarten with me doesn’t mean you know me. Just because I’m friends with your ex doesn’t mean you know me. Just because you’ve sat next to me on a plane or a train doesn’t mean you know me. Just because you’re related to me doesn’t mean you know me."
But she found it appropriate to post the following;
posted by Sharanya Manivannan @ 10:31 AM
7 Comments:
Eek! The fonts, the fonts! :-S
Well said, Sharanya!
Brilliant, well done.
Do Niemoller's words come to mind:
"First they came for communists and I did not speak because I wasn't a communist....."
Awesome work. During my recent visit to Malaysia, I had chance to talk to many Indians and all said how they were being marginalized by the Malays. I also talked to some Chinese businessmen who privately admitted the same.
The US-Malaysia free trade pact is in limbo because of NEP. I suggest you mobilize folks to write to the Senators at the US foreign affairs committee and see if you an organize a hearing. This will give pressurize the US government to act. But also give wider coverage to the issue in the US. My 2 cents.
A journalist Bala from Junior Vikatan told about your blog. I read your comments. I felt deeply impressed. I had posted it in various forums, including
www.indiainteracts.com
where I write often.Yours is the only brave voice about Malaysian Tamils plght. N.Nandhivarman
General Secretary Dravida Peravai
Dynamite interview, Sharanya, bravo! Malaysia's Imigresen officers have been trained to sniff out dangerous DNA. If they let you in on a long-term basis you might REPRODUCE and overwhelm this poor benighted country with beautiful, intelligent, and brave progeny - and none but the enlightened can appreciate those qualities! :-)
Kudos to you, dear lady.