ID :
39717
Fri, 01/09/2009 - 18:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/39717
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HINDRAF UNDER FIRE FOR SMEARING MALAYSIA`S IMAGE By P. Vijian
CHENNAI, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- The banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf),
which had distributed pamphlets smearing Malaysia's image at an international
conference attended by thousands of overseas Indians here, was flayed by MIC
leaders Thursday.
The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC)is a Malaysian political party and is
one of the founding members of the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (National
Front), previously known as the Alliance, that has been in power since the
country achieved independence in 1957.
Secretary-general and Malaysian Human Resource Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said
he would raise the Chennai incident in the Cabinet next week, and added that he
had also briefed several top Indian leaders about the status of Malaysian
Indians during his visit to New Delhi last week.
"I will bring this to the Cabinet. I have also explained to several Indian
leaders about the situation in Malaysia. All of them are committed to the good
relations with Malaysia. They are aware of the tremendous progress achieved by
Malaysian Indians," Subramaniam told journalists on the sidelines of the 7th
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in Chennai.
Subramaniam met Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayal Ravi last
week.
Several People's Pact (Pakatan Rakyat or PR) leaders and Hindraf leader P.
Waytha Moorthy are in Chennai to attend the three-day conference which started
Thursday in this southern Indian city.
Several Hindraf members distributed their annual report to the local media
and conference delegates at the Chennai Trade Centre where the meeting is being
held.
A few local television stations also interviewed Waytha Moorthy who had
flown in from London. It is believed that he does not hold a Malaysian passport
anymore.
MIC president S. Samy Vellu described some of Hindraf's claims as
"utter lies" and said the group disseminated incorrect information about the
welfare of Malaysian Indians.
"That the 150,000 Malaysian Indians of the fourth and fifth generations
are stateless is an utter lie. There are only 21,000 without birth certificates,
and the Home Ministry has ordered that they be issued the birth certificates.
"Demolition of one temple a day is an old tune which he (Waytha Moorthy) is
still singing. If one temple a day (is demolished), it means in the last 25
years there won't be any Hindu temple," Samy Vellu told Malaysian journalists.
On the calls by Hindraf to the Indian government to stop bilateral trade
with Malaysia, Samy Vellu said the group failed to understand how two nations do
business and that Indian leaders were wiser in dealing with such issues.
"We will reply to the Indian government on these utter lies. Indian leaders
are very wise and they will not listen to this rubbish. They will go ahead with
their arrangements," he retorted.
About 1,500 Indians from over 50 countries are attending the conference.
-- BERNAMA
which had distributed pamphlets smearing Malaysia's image at an international
conference attended by thousands of overseas Indians here, was flayed by MIC
leaders Thursday.
The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC)is a Malaysian political party and is
one of the founding members of the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (National
Front), previously known as the Alliance, that has been in power since the
country achieved independence in 1957.
Secretary-general and Malaysian Human Resource Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said
he would raise the Chennai incident in the Cabinet next week, and added that he
had also briefed several top Indian leaders about the status of Malaysian
Indians during his visit to New Delhi last week.
"I will bring this to the Cabinet. I have also explained to several Indian
leaders about the situation in Malaysia. All of them are committed to the good
relations with Malaysia. They are aware of the tremendous progress achieved by
Malaysian Indians," Subramaniam told journalists on the sidelines of the 7th
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in Chennai.
Subramaniam met Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayal Ravi last
week.
Several People's Pact (Pakatan Rakyat or PR) leaders and Hindraf leader P.
Waytha Moorthy are in Chennai to attend the three-day conference which started
Thursday in this southern Indian city.
Several Hindraf members distributed their annual report to the local media
and conference delegates at the Chennai Trade Centre where the meeting is being
held.
A few local television stations also interviewed Waytha Moorthy who had
flown in from London. It is believed that he does not hold a Malaysian passport
anymore.
MIC president S. Samy Vellu described some of Hindraf's claims as
"utter lies" and said the group disseminated incorrect information about the
welfare of Malaysian Indians.
"That the 150,000 Malaysian Indians of the fourth and fifth generations
are stateless is an utter lie. There are only 21,000 without birth certificates,
and the Home Ministry has ordered that they be issued the birth certificates.
"Demolition of one temple a day is an old tune which he (Waytha Moorthy) is
still singing. If one temple a day (is demolished), it means in the last 25
years there won't be any Hindu temple," Samy Vellu told Malaysian journalists.
On the calls by Hindraf to the Indian government to stop bilateral trade
with Malaysia, Samy Vellu said the group failed to understand how two nations do
business and that Indian leaders were wiser in dealing with such issues.
"We will reply to the Indian government on these utter lies. Indian leaders
are very wise and they will not listen to this rubbish. They will go ahead with
their arrangements," he retorted.
About 1,500 Indians from over 50 countries are attending the conference.
-- BERNAMA
