What is wrong with sending roses, whoever they are..

Tear gas scatters Malaysian 'flower power' protest

Reuters (16/2/2008): Malaysian police used water cannon and tear gas on Saturday to break up an anti-government protest by ethnic Indians carrying roses to symbolise a peaceful demand for justice.

With the Malaysian government concerned about street protests in the run-up to early general elections on March 8, around 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields, turned out to disperse a gathering of about 300 men, women and children.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling coalition is widely expected to retain power at the polls, although with a reduced majority, but many Indians accuse his multi-racial coalition, dominated by ethnic Malays, of racial discrimination.

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hinraf) first announced the protest in January as a way to press its demand for the release of five of its leaders jailed under tough internal security laws.

The Malaysian government detained the men without trial soon after more than 10,000 ethnic Indians marched in the capital last November to complain about a lack of job and education opportunities, in response to a call from the group.

"I want the five to be released," said Parvathy Raman, a 30-year-old accounts executive from Kuala Lumpur, who joined the protest. "I want the government to hear our problems. Everyone knows there is discrimination, but the government denies it."

Children as young as 10 were among the demonstrators at Saturday's protest, where some people carried yellow and red roses, while chanting slogans such as "We love Badawi". Others wore orange T-shirts printed with the slogan "People Power".

The protesters aimed to march to the Malaysian parliament to give the roses to Abdullah, but were halted by police a short distance away after being refused a permit to assemble in public.

The red roses symbolised love and peace, while the yellow roses symbolised the group's demand for justice and the release of the jailed men, Hindraf said.

"We want our rights and justice," said one demonstrator, Tamilarasu, 21, a casual labourer at a golf resort who rode a bus for several hours from his home on the northern island of Penang to attend the protest in the capital. "We're not happy with the government."

Police helicopters hovered overhead as protesters waved the Malaysian flag, portraits of the Malaysian king, and orange banners that read, "We want our rights, No to the Internal Security Act".

Protesters defied police orders to disperse, but scattered when sprayed with tear gas and water laced with chemicals.

"Police were too rough," said S. Manikavasagam, a spokesman for the ethnic Indian group that organised the protest. "They used their power."

He said police had arrested 20 protesters, but police officials at the site could not confirm the figure.

Malaysia police fire teargas at flower protest: witnesses

AFP (16/2/2008): Malaysian police Saturday fired teargas and water cannons to disperse ethnic Indians clutching flowers and gathered in the capital, in the latest crackdown on public protests, witnesses said.

Some 300 people defied a police ban and attempted to gather in Independence Square in downtown Kuala Lumpur to protest alleged discrimination, before police moved in, an AFP correspondent witnessed.

"It is an embarrassing attack on the Indian community and on people who just wanted to hand over flowers to the prime minister," said R. Thanenthiran, one of the rally organisers.

The flower protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations in recent that have rocked the multicultural nation, which is now gearing up for general elections on March 8.

More than 20 people were detained, police said, after supporters of Indian rights group Hindraf turned up near Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square. Police had earlier refused a permit for the gathering.

Indian youths dressed in saffron coloured t-shirts with the Tamil words "Makkal Sakti", or People's Power, chanted slogans calling for justice and an end to alleged discrimination against ethnic Indians in the country.

More than 200 police approached the crowd before spraying them with water cannons and firing tear gas shells above their heads, the AFP correspondent witnessed.

"We wanted to have 200 children also peacefully give Abdullah flowers but we were tear-gassed and water-cannoned by police," Thanenthiran said, referring to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Thanenthiran said organisers decided it was unsafe for the children to take part in the protest and they were bused away from the scene.

"We came with a gesture of peace and love and the Malaysian government did not have the courage to accept the roses," Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy told AFP. Prime minister Abdullah had not indicated before the protest that he would accept the flowers.

The protest comes after the detention of five Hindraf leaders who enraged the government in November by leading a mass rally protesting alleged discrimination against minority Indians.

The protest highlighted the grievances of Malaysia's Indians -- descendents of labourers brought over by British colonial rulers in the 1800s -- who say they are marginalised in terms of education, wealth and opportunities.

Abdullah has said that street protests and anger within the Indian community could have an impact on how the government fares in the general elections.

Abdullah is head of the United Malays National Organisation-led coalition government of race-based parties that have ruled Malaysia since it gained its independence from British rule in 1957.

Although Abdullah's party is expected to win the March election, analysts say a slew of issues including rising prices, corruption and religious as well as racial tensions could cut the government's majority in parliament.

Ethnic Indians make up 7 percent of Malaysia's 27 million population with Malay Muslims forming 60 percent and ethnic Chinese at 26 percent.

Malaysian police break up protest

BBC (16/2/2008): Malaysian security forces have used tear gas and water cannon to break up a protest by ethnic Indians in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

More than 20 people taking part in the banned march were detained by police.

The demonstration was organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is demanding the release from jail of five of its leaders.

Activists say policies granting economic advantages to the ethnic Malay majority discriminate against Indians.

The Malaysia government has rejected claims of unequal treatment.

Detention without trial

Some 2000 protesters defied a ban on public gatherings, and carried roses to symbolise what they said was a peaceful demand for justice.

A heavy police presence kept them in the city centre - preventing their planned march to parliament to give the flowers to the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi.

The protest was meant to be led by a group of about 200 children. There were no reports of any children being injured.

Police used water canons thought to be laced with chemicals and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The group behind the demonstration has become increasingly effective at rattling the government, says the BBC's Robin Brant in Kuala Lumpur.

It was behind a large demonstration on the streets of the capital last November which saw 10,000 people gather.

That rally exposed increasing unhappiness among some of Malaysia's minority Indians who feel they have fallen behind after decades of government policy which gives preferential treatment to the majority Malays, our correspondent says.

Five rights activists were arrested at that rally - the biggest protest involving ethnic Indians in more than a decade.

They are being held under a rarely used security law that allows indefinite detention without trial.

Hindu protest broken up in Malaysia

Al Jazeera (16/2/2008): In the run up to elections any gathering of more than four people requires a police

Police in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur have used tear gas and chemical-laced water to break up an anti-government protest by ethnic Indians demanding racial equality.

On Saturday about 300 men, women and children were dispersed by about 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields.

"Police were too rough" said S Manikavasagam, a spokesman for the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the ethnic indian group that organised the protest.

"They used their power," he said.

Since Friday about 60 people, including two leaders of Hindraf who organised the protest, have been detained in a police crackdown, said N Surendran, a lawyer and Hindraf member.

Protesters were carrying roses to symbolise a peaceful demand for justice.

The Malaysian government is concerned about street protests in the run up to early general elections on March 8 and any gathering of more than four people requires a police permit.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Malaysian prime minister, is widely expected to retain power at the polls with his ruling party coalition, but with a reduced majority.

Many Indians accuse his multi-racial coalition, which is dominated by ethnic Malays, of racial discrimination.

Police crackdown

Hinraf first announced the protest in January to press the government to release five of its leaders who have been jailed under tough internal security laws.

The men were detained without trial after more 10,000 ethnic Indians marched in the capital last November to complain about a lack of job and education opportunities.

The protesters on Saturday planned to gather outside parliament to hand a protest note and roses to Abdullah, but they were halted by police a short distance away.

"I want the five to be released," Parvathy Raman, a 30-year-old accounts executive from Kuala Lumpur, said.

"I want the government to hear our problems. Everyone knows there is discrimination, but the government denies it."

Hindraf said the red roses symbolised love and peace, while the yellow roses symbolised the group's demand for justice and the release of the jailed men.

Protesters defied police orders to disperse, but scattered when sprayed with tear gas and water laced with chemicals.

Ethnic Indians Rally in Malaysia Demanding Rights, Defy Police

Bloomberg (16/2/2008): About 200 Malaysian ethnic Indians defied a police order and rallied in the capital today demanding equal rights and the release of supporters held without trial as tensions rise three weeks before the country holds elections.

Carrying banners and roses, members of the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, gathered near the city hall in Kuala Lumpur at 9 a.m. local time. Fifteen minutes later police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the group and arrested dozens of participants.

Hindraf, which is holding its second rally in three months, is demanding an end to alleged racial discrimination in a country where the government gives the ethnic Malay majority preferential treatment for jobs and homes. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has struggled to contain racial tension in his first term, and is targeting a smaller parliamentary majority at the March 8 ballot.

Authorities on Dec. 12 arrested five members of the group under the Internal Security Act, a law that allows for indefinite detention without trial. The order was signed by Abdullah.

``While the yellow roses are a symbol of our cry for justice, we seek the immediate release of Hindraf's five leaders,'' the group said in a statement before today's rally. ``We are going to Parliament as it is a symbol of justice.''

Use of Force

Today's peaceful rally follows a demonstration by the group on Nov. 25 last year, when about 10,000 Malaysian ethnic Indians gathered to demand equal rights. Human Rights Watch has asked Malaysia to investigate the ``unwarranted'' use of force by police at public rallies.

``We just want to hand over the flowers to the prime minister,'' said R. Thusimala, who attended the rally. ``I don't understand why the police are looking at us as a threat.''

Indians account for less than 10 percent of Malaysia's population of 27 million people. Ethnic Chinese make up about 20 percent and ethnic Malays about 60 percent.

Public demonstrations by racial groups are rare in Malaysia, where Abdullah's ruling coalition includes Indian, Chinese and Malay parties. Still, the premier has faced protests since September last year, from lawyers demanding an independent judiciary to groups seeking free and fair elections.

Malaysian activists held under security law

AFP (13/12/2007): Malaysia said Thursday it has arrested five leaders of ethnic Indian rights group Hindraf under controversial security laws that allow for detention without trial.

Hindraf enraged the government last month by mounting a mass rally alleging discrimination against minority ethnic Indians in Malaysia, which is dominated by Muslim Malays.

Police used tear gas, water cannons and baton charges to break up the street protest which drew 8,000 people, and came just two weeks after another rare demonstration organised by electoral reform campaigners.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharom confirmed the five were held under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which human rights groups are campaigning to have abolished.

"They can be held for two years for sedition and also for carrying out activities that threaten national security," he told the state Bernama news agency.

A Hindraf spokesman said the arrests of P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and T. Vasanthakumar would not silence the movement, which the government has accused of stirring up racial tension.

"Regardless of the arrests this struggle will move on. We have many leaders who are waiting to take over and we will not go backwards but move ahead with the fight for the rights of Indians in Malaysia," S. Jayathas told AFP.

The ISA is currently being used to hold more than 100 people, including about 80 alleged Islamic militants.

It is not thought to have been used against government critics since 2001, when Malaysia was under the iron grip of former premier Mahathir Mohamad who used it to quell a reform movement triggered by the arrest of his deputy Anwar Ibrahim.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang condemned the government's move and said that if the Hindraf leaders had committed any offence they should be charged and tried in an open court.

"It is deplorable, the use of the ISA is completely indefensible," he told AFP.

"To resort to detention without trial is a regression to the dark days of human rights violations and is something that will bring further shame to Malaysia's international image and reputation."

Three of the Hindraf leaders have already been charged with sedition for speeches in which they criticised preferential treatment for Muslim Malays who make up 60 percent of the population and control the government.

Malaysia is also home to ethnic Chinese, who make up 26 percent of the population and dominate business.

Ethnic Indians, who make up 8.0 percent, complain they run a distant third in terms of wealth, opportunities and education.

Abdullah has for several weeks been threatening to invoke the draconian legislation against Hindraf, which authorities have accused of having links with Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers. The group denies the charges.

Malaysia's ethnic Indians are mostly Tamils -- the descendents of indentured labourers brought here by the British in the 1800s.

Lawyers and human rights group have warned that the use of the ISA will only inflame the protest movement, which is airing grievances that have been bottled up for many years.

Malik Imtiaz Sarwar from the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) said the government's move was regrettable and unnecessary.

"The ISA detention will have the unfortunate effect of now stopping genuine attempts on the part of the marginalised Indian community to have their grievances addressed," he told AFP.

The legislation -- which dates back to the British colonial era when it was used against communist insurgents -- provides for two-year detention periods that can be renewed indefinitely.

Malik Imtiaz said that the opposition figures detained during the "Reformasi" movement of Anwar Ibrahim were mostly held for about two years before being released.

Related:
Malaysia arrests ethnic Indians - BBC News
Malaysia to launch signature drive - NDTV.com
Activists Held Under Strict Security Law - The Associated Press

Hopefuly this is not true

Polices attack and Malays gangs attackCourtesy of Malay Women in Malaysia

Delegates slam Indian anger over temple demolition

STS From Malaysia Today (8/11/2007): Many Umno delegates yesterday took issue with the reaction of the Indian community to the recent demolition of a Hindu temple in Selangor, calling on the government to take steps to stop the indiscriminate building of temples and shrines.

Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim of the Umno Women's Wing called for the enactment of a new law to govern the affairs of non-Muslims.

'There should be specific laws governing the setting up of places of worship. We now see places of worship all over the place, from under the tree to on the roadside,' said Datuk Kamilia.

She also warned other races 'not to play with fire' and undermine racial unity.

Another delegate, Mr Ahmad Kuris Mohd Noor of Selangor, said many small mosques on private land had also been demolished.

'Other races must also be willing to give way for the sake of national unity,' he said.

Last week, officers from the Shah Alam City Council demolished a Hindu temple sited on private land in Selangor, sparking anger among Hindus nationwide, including the head of the Malaysian Indian Congress, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

On Monday, he had called off his Deepavali open house celebration and asked his party chieftains to do the same as a sign of protest. He withdrew the decision a few hours later.

But the Works Minister is not holding an open house himself as a sign of respect for the death of his brother earlier this year.

After attending the opening of the Umno assembly yesterday, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu told reporters that he would be attending a national-level Deepavali open house hosted by the government.

'The Muslims have always accepted other religions in this country. But there are certain actions done by certain people. That is the problem.

'This has nothing to do with religion. This is something to do with the administration,' he said.

Meanwhile, the Selangor state government has clarified the situation relating to the temple demolition. In a statement yesterday, it said that the temple, a small mosque and several hundred squatter houses were demolished because they were sited on land belonging to a private company.

There were 1,121 squatters living on the land that the company wanted to develop. The state government had promised to build low-cost houses for the families and to provide land for a new temple and new mosque for free. Notice was given in 2005 to vacate the land. Most of the squatters did so, but some held out, resulting in the forced demolition last week.

Illegal temples are a major problem in Malaysia. The country has about 17,000 Hindu temples and shrines, most of which were built illegally.

Ms Norhamizah Mat Tahir of Umno Puteri (the young women's wing) also touched on the issues of race and religion, reprimanding non-Malays who carped on racial issues.

Related

No Deepavali events this year - Datuk Seri S Samy Velu

Latest video clips from Kampung Karupiah, Padang Jawa, Shah Alam temple demolish

Updates on latest Shah Alam temple demolition

Malaysia Indians in fight on faith

TVNZ (8/11/2007): It was supposed to be a day marking the triumph of good over evil, but Malaysia's Hindu followers ushering in Deepavali said they were in no mood to celebrate.

Just a week ago, city hall workers backed by riot police pulled down a squatter colony in central Malaysia and demolished a revered Hindu temple that sat in its midst.

A standoff ensued when Hindu devotees tried to halt the demolition, resulting in 14 arrests.

The 14, including four lawyers, were later released.

But the issue highlighted a growing racial and religious unease in Malaysia, this time among the small ethnic Indian community over a government-backed drive to pull down temples as illegal structures.

"The Indians are being marginalised in many ways," said an ethnic Indian stockbroker, who declined to be named.

"We lack both economic and political powers and the temple issue is very upsetting."

The unhappiness over the temple demolition boiled over in a recent threat - although it was quickly withdrawn - by the sole Indian minister in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's cabinet, who called for a boycott of Deepavali, the festival of lights.

"Many Malaysians, both Hindus and non-Hindus, are in protest mode with increasing signs of lack of proper respect for all religions in the country and especially after the insensitive and sacrilegious demolition of the temple," said opposition leader Lim Kit Siang.

"Such a backdrop makes Deepavali even more significant for it must be a day to fortify resolve for light to overcome darkness and good to triumph over evil in order to end the long list of injustices and wrongs in our nation," he said.

The incident follows recent reports of demolition of Hindu temples which have stirred outcry from the ethnic Indians, feeding minority communities' fears their rights are at risk among a largely Muslim population.

At a party assembly this week political leaders of the ethnic Malay majority told the nation's Chinese and Indian minorities to stop questioning Malay privileges or risk hurting race relations, a touchy issue in a country that has suffered race riots.

Abdullah, expected to call an election by early 2008, on Wednesday warned the country's dominant Malays and its Chinese and Indian minorities against playing with religious and racial issues.

"The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury - it is a necessity," he told a meeting of his United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the key party in the ruling coalition. "We have no other choice."

"Our calculation shows one temple being demolished in every three weeks," P Uthayakumar, a lawyer for the Hindu Rights Action Task Force, a Malaysian rights group, said.

"The UMNO government is not following the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of religion."

"There's a Tamil proverb which says never stay in a village which has no temple," he said.

British colonial rulers brought Indians and Chinese into what was then called Malaya to work in rubber estates and tin mines.

The plight of the Indians, mostly Hindus, underscores a deeper malaise: They account for just eight percent of Malaysia's 26 million people and own only 1.5 percent of the national wealth.

Most lack upward social mobility because of poor education and remain as labourers although some are losing out to cheaper foreign workers.

"It's a working class problem, there's a lot of school dropouts," said Baradan Kuppusamy, an ethnic Indian journalist specialising in Indian issues.

Ethnic Indians say a decades-old affirmative action plan put in place after deadly race riots in 1969 continues to discriminate against them.

The policy favours politically dominant Malays in state contracts, businesses, jobs, education and housing.

"There is no right at all in the first place," said a 35-year-old Indian businessman as he stepped out of a temple outside Kuala Lumpur.

"I have to get a Malay as a partner in order to get government contracts. Somehow we have to live with it." (Reuters)

Khairy: Only the needy should enjoy subsidies

Click the image for full report
Courtesy of Malaysiakini

Malays have right 'to reclaim lost privileges'

Malaysiakini (8/11/2007): “When we shout Hidup Melayu! (Long live Malays), it does not mean we are racist? No, we are not.” he pointed out.

“Their (unnamed BN component party) voice was an annoying one. I am disgusted to even mention the party’s name. Umno must not be swayed by the party’s insolence. Let them wither away,” he said. (Full report)

'Don't question Malay rights'

Sabah Daily Express (8/11/2007): Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said basic matters relating to the sanctity of religion, beliefs and practices, Malay interests and the social contract between the communities should no longer be raised.

The Prime Minister said basic issues that were agreed upon at the time the Federal Constitution was drafted were non-negotiable.

"Umno does not engage in duplicity. We don't change our tune to suit the occasion or the audience. We're ready to seek intelligent resolutions and win-win outcomes when dealing with sensitive issues relating to race and religion," said Abdullah, who is also Umno President, when addressing the Umno General Assembly, here, Wednesday.

He said that for such issues to be addressed effectively, it was more appropriate to have these discussions behind closed doors.

"Sensitive issues must be handled objectively, rationally and maturely. Umno and its colleagues in the Barisan Nasional must never be ensnared by religious and racial issues raised by the opposition parties.

"We're the party that controls the government, we administer executive power. We should never allow ourselves to sink to their level," he said.

Abdullah said other communities in the country must appreciate the sensitivities of the Malays.

"We've been independent for 50 years. Now, those who are born in Malaysia are Malaysian citizens. They were born and have grown up knowing only Malaysia as their homeland. The time for championing parochial interests is over," he said.

Abdullah said that during the 2006 Umno general assembly where the media were allowed to provide live coverage of the proceedings, a small number of speakers had raised issues that had perhaps touched on communal sensitivities but the majority chose to tackle them from a national perspective.

"I believe that similar extremist sentiments are voiced by members of political parties that represent other communities. However, in the spirit of building a unified nation, the consensus of moderation and mutual respect outweighs extremist tendencies," he said.

Abdullah also explained that the act of unsheathing and kissing the Malay keris was part of the cultural heritage of the Malay people.

He said the keris was not a weapon to attack friends.

"But it's meaning has been twisted to spread fear among non-Malays, and the image of Umno and Malaysia has been smeared overseas," he said.

Abdullah gave the assurance that Umno would never breach the spirit of the understanding that had been agreed with the other communities at the time of independence.

He stressed that the harmony between the various communities in the country was not an option but a necessity.

"We have no other choice. Fifty years ago, our independence movement was successful because of the wisdom of Tunku Abdul Rahman and his colleagues who introduced the concept of power sharing," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that maintaining security was a responsibility of the Government, one that could be carried out more effectively with the support from the public.

"The Malaysian society is currently facing a number of fears, among them, crime as well as inter-religious and communal issues," he said.

He said the media played an important role in raising public awareness on how members of society could help maintain security. - Bernama

Racial tensions simmer in Malaysia

Al-Jazeera (6/11/2007): Outside the prime minister's office in Kuala Lumpur, protesters risk imprisonment in order to voice their frustration at policies they say favour Malaysia's Malay majority.

The demonstrators are mainly from the country's Indian minority and believe Muslim Malays, known as Bumiputras, or "sons of the soil", enjoy privileges which are not extended to them.

Discontent among Malaysia's Indian and Chinese minorities has been simmering since 1971, when the ruling Umno party brought in its New Economic Policy (NEP).

The government believed that an affirmative action policy was needed to address the perception that Malays were marginalised at the time.

But 36 years later, many Indians say their lives are still bound by an affirmative action policy which favours Malays over the other races.

"We buy a house and the Malays buy a house. Why are they given a seven per cent discount when we poor Indians don't get any?" Vellay Mundiandy asks.

"They are human beings and we are human beings too. We are also Malaysian citizens just like them. They are Bumiputras and we are merely citizens."

The Muniandys say such discrimination is already affecting younger generations and say that it is more difficult for non-Malay students to gain access to public universities.

'Meritocracy'

The government denies such allegations and says its policies help families from all backgrounds, not just Malays.

"I think it would be wrong to consider the NEP as purely a Bumiputra agenda. It is national agenda – it must be seen as a national agenda," Najib Razak, the deputy prime minister, says.

"Public universities for example – we have departed from the quota system. We've gone for a meritocracy system. And as a result of that, the non-Bumiputras have a larger share of entries into the public universities."

But critics argue such changes are cosmetic and the NEP allows ongoing discrimination.

"This issue of race and how it manifests itself is clear," Charles Santiago, a political economist and activist who has campaigned against the NEP for years, says.

"If you are Malay and if you are interested in securing loans from the government – you will be given priority because you are Malay.

"If you have a situation where more then 90 per cent of the civil service is Malay – then it must be a product of some kind of discrimination. So the very fabric of this society is race based."

The government says it is trying to recruit more non-Malays into the civil service, but that, at the same time, private-sector firms – many of which are owned by Chinese Malaysians – should reciprocate.

Segregation

In this climate of mutual mistrust, Malaysia's races remain deeply divided.

"The state of affairs of integration amongst students is pathetic," Santiago says.

"It's pathetic because if you go to local universities or even public universities or even factories – you will see a group of Chinese on one side, Malays on one side and then you have a small group of Indians on the other side."

In order to tackle this alleged polarisation of Malaysian society, the government launched a National Service training scheme in 2003.

Lee Lam Thye, the head of the scheme, says a recent survey proves it is succeeding in bringing young Malaysians closer together.

"About 86 per cent of trainees said when interviewed that NS had brought them closer together – in terms of in-racial and inter-cultural understanding," he says.

Violent past

But some argue that if these students are to enjoy a future free of distrust and division, their country must first deal with its past, namely the race riots of 1969 that still cast a long shadow over Malaysia.

The violent clashes between Malay and Chinese Malaysians claimed almost 200 lives and, decades later, people remain divided about what caused the riots.

Najib says the violence "was triggered of by some of the demonstrations that were conducted by the opposition parties.

"During which they taunted the Malays and they were quite abusive of the Malays – some of the words and language used was uncalled for. That really set the Malays against them and triggered off the racial riots".

Kua Kia Soong, the head of a Chinese higher education college, alleges that records kept by the British high commission at the time raise serious doubts about the official history of the riots and says the country would benefit from an independent investigation into what happened.

"I think what's important is for there to be a national commission of inquiry – and for there to be true national reconciliation in this country I think that history of May 13th has to be put right," he says.

But Najib disagrees saying the incident is something that happened in the past and that Malaysians simply want to look forward.

Politics of race

The ruling UMNO party at the time argued that by reducing inequality between the races, the NEP would help create a more harmonious society.

However, some say that its benefits never reached the people who needed it the most and that the UMNO hijacked the policy in order to purse its own interests in the country.

On the other hand, Chandra Muzaffar, a prominent academic, says statistics prove the NEP has significantly reduced poverty amongst Malays.

"In 1969, 49.3 per cent of the population lived below the poverty line. Today it is 5.8 per cent - I think it is a stupendous achievement. Which I think goes to show the NEP has reached the bottom people."

But Muzaffar argues that this could have been achieved without a policy which discriminates along ethnic lines and that removing ethnic bias is difficult in a country where politics and race are so intertwined.

In 2005, and again last year, Hishammudin Hussein, the leader of the UMNO youth wing, brandished a traditional Malay dagger known as a kris during a speech at the party's general assembly meeting.

This gesture has been interpreted by some as a threat to anyone who questions special rights for Malays although members of the government claim he was unfairly criticised.

New fears

But some Malaysians fear that that while race relations remain tense, there could be fresh outbreaks of violence.

As an example they cite several days of aggression in March 2001 when five ethnic Indians were killed and scores of people were wounded, the vast majority Indian.

Vellay Muniandy was at his Hindu temple when a young man, armed with a knife, attacked.

"The assailant struck the temple chief first. He said they are slashing us, run for your life. I ran and later tripped and fell," Muniandy says.

"I realised the injury only after I got up and started running again. I saw the three fingers dangling from my palm."

When Muniandy could not be present for work, the company told him to stop and he lost his job.

'No-one to help'

The government says that the violence was not racially motivated, but was provoked by Indian gangs operating in the area.

Others say that the victims were not linked to gangs and were people from ordinary Indonesian families like Vellay Muniandy.

"The persecution of Indian minorities took place on March 8th 2001 and now we are in 2007," Charles Santiago says.

"We have made five complaints to the Human Rights Commission. They refused to touch it."

Even if the truth does come out, it may be too late for Muniandy.

"Especially after I was slashed, I thought they don't values us anymore," he says.

"I told my family that we should just go back to India. We are on our own in this country, we have to struggle for survival. There is no one to help us."

Abdullah's Umno speech, carefully crafted to placate all sides

Today Online (8/11/2007): As party president, he had to play to the gallery, his Malay constituency. That included defending his youth chief for brandishing the keris during party gatherings.

But as the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mr Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also had to make sure that his remarks did not alienate the Chinese and Indians, especially ahead of a widely expected general election.

As such, Mr Abdullah's speech (picture) at the opening of this year's general assembly of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) yesterday was carefully crafted to placate all sides. His 90-minute address, while touching on the usual themes of hard work, integration, moderation and economic development, also sought to soothe racial and religious tensions.

"If we want our religion to be respected and understood, let us … show exemplary behaviour by respecting the followers of other religions and their needs.

"Violence by one side will breed violence from the other," said Mr Abdullah, who led his party to a landslide victory in 2004. New elections are not due until 2009 but he is expected to seek a fresh mandate early next year.

The ruling National Front coalition, in which Umno is the dominant player, is expected to retain power. But it is unlikely to repeat its last success because of growing anger among the Indian and Chinese minorities over what they see as the erosion of their rights.

Many ordinary Malaysians, including Malays, are also fed up with escalating crime, corruption and inflation, which have exacerbated racial tensions.

"The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury — it is a necessity. We have no other choice," said Mr Abdullah.

He also warned "overzealous" religious police against blindly enforcing Islamic rules. "We give assurance that Umno will not endorse a narrow interpretation of Islam," said Mr Abdullah.

But the event being an Umno general assembly — where Malay rights and dominance are routinely asserted — Mr Abdullah also said that non-Malays should "appreciate the sensitivities" of Muslims.

"Basic matters relating to the sanctity of religion, beliefs and practices, Malay interests and the social contract between communities are sacred to us and should not be raised," Mr Abdullah said to much applause from the 2,500 delegates present.

And while he urged Malays to get rid of their feelings of inferiority and insufficiency — "poisons that have been injected into the Malay mentality since colonial times" — the Umno president also defended the controversial New Economic Policy (NEP).

The pro-bumiputra programme, which has long rankled with non-Malays, was never intended to "rob anyone's rights".

"We have not made Malays rich by seizing the wealth of the non-Malays," Mr Abdullah said, noting that the list of the richest individuals in the country is still led by non-Malays.

He also defended the brandishing of the keris at the assembly, an act which is viewed by many non-Malays as provocative. On Tuesday, Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein, despite being heavily criticised for a similar action last year, unsheathed the traditional Malay dagger yet again.

Mr Abdullah said: "The act of unsheathing and kissing a keris is part of our cultural heritage, but its meaning has been twisted to spread fear among non-Malays, and the image of Umno and Malaysia has been smeared overseas."

He also assured non-Malays that Umno "will never breach the spirit of understanding that has been agreed with other communities" at the time of independence in 1957.

"There is a future for every Malaysian in this country," he added.

Mr Abdullah's balanced speech is likely to please his Front partners, who have often been criticised by their respective constituencies for failing to stand up for their interests.

Mr Samy Vellu, head of the Malaysian Indian Congress and a government minister, praised the speech. He had earlier raised eyebrows by publicly expressing his anger at the recent demolition of a Hindu temple without any warning.

Saying that the issue had been resolved with the government giving an alternative land for a new temple, Mr Samy Vellu added: "We must be united. With all the races united, only then we can rise to become a modern nation."

But opposition leader Lim Guan Eng said Mr Abdullah's remarks ran counter to the reality in Malaysia.

"These are flowery words. How do you show respect for other religions when you tear down temples?" Mr Lim, the secretary-general of the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party, told AFP.

"Umno calls itself the defender of the Malay race and religion. But now they need to move away from that and address the issues that affect everyone in the nation," said Mr Lim — AGENCIES

Malaysia's Abdullah appeals for racial tolerance

AOL (7/11/2007): Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Wednesday sought to defuse growing ethnic tension in this multi-racial country, appealing for tolerance and understanding as talks of an early election grow.

Fifty years after independence, Malaysia continues to be dogged by communal issues that threaten to derail the fragile peace it has worked hard to maintain since a deadly 1969 race riot.

"The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury -- it is a necessity. We have no other choice," Abdullah said in his opening speech at the ruling United Malays National Organization's three-day annual assembly that began Wednesday.

Just days before the meeting, Abdullah, who is also UMNO president, was forced to intervene to quell anger among ethnic Indians over the demolition of a century-old Hindu temple that was built on squatters' land.

Over a dozen residents were arrested and many more injured in the scuffle between enforcement officers and residents during the demolition process. Critics accused the authorities of acting in a high-handed manner and infringing on the freedom of religion in this predominantly Muslim country.

It has led to a rare show of protest from the Malaysian Indian Congress, UMNO's partner in the ruling 14-party National Front coalition.

Prior to this, non-Malays had been unhappy over what they viewed as Malay aggression when UMNO symbolically brandished the keris, a Malay traditional dagger, at the annual meeting two years ago and pledged to defend Malays' special status in the country.

Malaysia's minorities, mainly ethnic Chinese and Indians, are mostly Christians, Hindus, Buddhists or Sikhs. They have long complained of being marginalized as Islam is stamped into every sphere of everyday life. They are also sore over the affirmative action policy that accords Malays special privileges in areas from scholarships to government contracts.

The UMNO annual meeting, attended by over 2,500 delegates, is seen as the last before an expected early general election. Political watchers are predicting one to be called by the first quarter of next year even though the current five-year term is not due to expire until April 2009.

Abdullah appealed to UMNO's 3 million members to be sensitive to the feelings of other races and for the essentially race-based parties in the National Front coalition to stop harping on racial issues.

"The time for championing parochial interests is over. Issues must be addressed on the basis of the interests of the nation and the Malaysian people as a whole," he said in a speech that was telecast live nationwide.

"It must be stressed that every action will cause a reaction. The disrespect and extremism shown by one party will elicit a similar response...therefore if we want our religion to be respected and understood, let us, in UMNO, show exemplary behavior by respecting the followers of other religions and their needs," he added.

He also called for restraint among the enforcement agencies.

"Overzealous enforcement can give Islam a negative image," Abdullah said.

On the other hand, he stressed that "other communities must appreciate the sensitivities of the Malays. Basic matters relating to the sanctity of religion, beliefs and practices, Malay interests and the social contract between the communities are sacred to us and should not be raised."

MIC chief Samy Vellu, who attended UMNO's opening ceremony, said the entire Indian community is only seeking equal treatment.

"We respect the Malays, we respect the Chinese. We do not highlight anything related to race, but we highlight problems that we face in rising on an equal level with other races," he told reporters.

Despite the issue, he maintained that MIC would remain in the National Front "until we die." (Kyodo)

Malaysia PM moves to soothe race tensions before poll

Ottawa Citizen (7/11/2007): Malaysia's prime minister moved on Wednesday to soothe racial and religious tensions ahead of expected early elections, saying there was no room for extremist tendencies in the moderate Muslim nation.

After 50 years of independence, race relations remain a thorny issue in a country that has suffered race riots in the past. In a recent incident, the nation's ethnic Indians protested strongly against the demolition of a Hindu temple.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is expected to call an election by early 2008, warned the country's dominant Malays, and its Chinese and Indian minorities, against playing with religious and racial issues.

"The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury -- it is a necessity," he told a meeting of his United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the key party in the ruling coalition. "We have no other choice."

"The time for championing parochial interests is over. Issues must be addressed on the basis of the interests of the nation and the Malaysian people as a whole," said the 67-year-old leader.

"In the spirit of building a unified nation, the consensus of moderation and mutual respect outweighs extremist tendencies," he told 2,500 UMNO delegates. UMNO has 3.3 million members.

Abdullah's conciliatory tone in his speech was aimed at appeasing increasingly disgruntled non-Malay voters, who could turn their back on the ruling coalition in the coming polls.

TEMPLE ROW

On Monday, a top ethnic Indian minister called on Indian leaders to scrap a Hindu celebration as a mark of protest over the demolition of the temple.

S. Samy Vellu, the Works Minister and a Hindu, retracted his statement hours later but his outburst reflected a growing disquiet among Hindu followers in the country.

"Our calculation shows one temple being demolished in every three weeks," said P. Uthayakumar, a lawyer for the Hindu Rights Action Task Force, a Malaysian rights group.

"The UMNO government is not following the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of religion," he said.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, who is a senior UMNO leader, took Samy Vellu to task for his action.

"It's easy to retract, but the more important thing is not to make the first statement. We do damage to our people," he said.

The Barisan Nasional coalition, in power since 1957, is set to win once more, but a large protest vote by Chinese voters in what would be seen as a referendum on Abdullah's four-year rule could embolden the opposition, weaken his pro-Malay policies and compromise his administration.

Malays, who are Muslim by definition, form just over half of Malaysia's 26 million people.

UMNO leaders have been at pains to assure the non-Malays that the Malay party was not a racist party, but insisted that UMNO would not compromise on special Malay privileges and rights.

"No one should accuse UMNO of being a racist party or label the Malay agenda as a being a racist agenda," said Khairy Jamaluddin, Abdullah's son-in-law and a fast-rising UMNO leader.

UMNO assemblies have lately been dominated by calls to push the Malay agenda harder, with UMNO Youth leader Hishammuddin Hussein leading the pack by unsheathing, brandishing and kissing a keris, or a traditional Malay dagger.

That strained ties with Chinese allies in the coalition. The keris is seen as a symbol of unity or struggle for UMNO, but many non-Malays see it as a symbol of aggression.

Abdullah defended the decision. "The act of unsheathing and kissing a keris is part of our cultural heritage," he said. (Reuters)

Malaysian ruling party rejects racism charge

Yahoo! News (7/11/2007): Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Wednesday rejected accusations his ruling party is racist but reminded Malaysia's ethnic Chinese and Indians to respect the "sensitivities" of Muslim Malays.

"The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury -- it is a necessity. We have no other choice," Abdullah told the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) assembly.

UMNO's annual talks have been dominated by race issues, which flared Tuesday when a party leader raised the Malay dagger, or kris, in a gesture seen by other ethnic groups as aggressive and inflammatory.

"If we want our religion to be respected and understood, let us in UMNO show exemplary behaviour by respecting the followers of other religions and their needs," Abdullah said in a keynote address to more than 2,500 delegates.

Dressed like the other delegates in traditional Malay dress, he said the party would never endorse a "narrow interpretation of Islam" or breach a spirit of coexistence in the multicultural nation.

"Opportunities in Malaysia are available to all. There is a future for every Malaysian in this country," he said.

However, in a nod to the more fiery elements within his party, Abdullah warned: "Other communities must appreciate the sensitivities of the Malays.

"Basic matters relating to the sanctity of religion, beliefs and practices, Malay interests and the social contact between the communities are sacred to us and should be not be raised."

He also defended a system of positive discrimination aimed at boosting Malays, known as the National Economic Policy (NEP), which has alienated minority groups.

"The NEP was never intended to rob anyone's rights. Although it has been 37 years since the introduction of the NEP, we have not made Malays rich by seizing the wealth of the non-Malays," he said.

The parliamentary opposition rejected Abdullah's assertion and said it ran counter to the reality in Malaysia, including the demolition of dozens of Hindu temples in recent years.

"These are flowery words. How do you show respect for other religions when you tear down temples?" said Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party.

"UMNO calls itself the defender of the Malay race and religion. But now they need to move away from that and address the issues that affect everyone in the nation."

UMNO kicked off its annual talks Monday with plans to soothe race relations in the multi-ethnic country, ahead of national elections tipped for early next year. (AFP)

Four main threats to nation’s social contract

(Malaysiakini, 30/10/2007) Prominent lawyer Tommy Thomas spelled out the four main threats to the nation’s social contract - the Islamisation process, the Islamic state declaration, the encroachment of syariah courts onto the civil courts' jurisdiction and the fanning of racial sentiments by politicians.

"As the 50th anniversary of Merdeka loomed, the social contract came under serious attack from many fronts," said Thomas in his paper presented at the 14th Malaysian Law Conference this morning. (Full text)