Hindraf chief’s India visit: Malaysia to quiz Britain
January 20th, 2009 - 3:43 pm ICT by IANS
Kuala Lumpur, Jan 20 (IANS) Malaysia may ask Britain why it facilitated the visit to India of a Hindu leader that it thinks misrepresented the case of his ethnic compatriots at the recent diaspora gathering, Bharatiya Pravasi Diwas.The Malaysian Foreign Ministry is expected to raise with the British government its providing a travel document to banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader, P. Wathya Moorthy, Human Resource Minister S. Subramaniam said at a cabinet meeting.
“The foreign minister briefed the cabinet on what had happened and the allegations made by Wathya Moorthy,” Subramaniam said.
It appeared the British authorities had issued Wathya Moorthy with a travel document. “He has surrendered his Malaysian passport to the High Commission in London,” The New Straits Times said Tuesday.
Attending the Indian diaspora’s annual meet held early this month in Chennai, Wathya Moorthy distributed a booklet alleging human rights abuses in Malaysia and that ethnic Indians have been “marginalised”.
Moorthy called on the Indian government to impose trade sanctions on Malaysia.
India has made no response to this.
Subramaniam said much of the content in the booklet was “inflammatory and factually wrong”.
The minister, who is the nominee in the government of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), said he had explained to the cabinet what the MIC was doing to counter the allegations.
“We are engaging the non-governmental organisations and other bodies to counter the claims and make known the measures taken by the government to help the Indian community,” the minister was quoted as saying.
Hindraf courted controversy by staging a protest rally in November 2007 to highlight the grievances of Malaysia’s two million-plus ethnic Indians, a bulk of them Tamil Hindus who came here during the British era.
While Moorthy left the country and lives in the UK, five top Hindraf leaders - S. Kengadharan, M. Manoharan, Vasanth Kumar, P. Uthaya Kumar and Ganabati Rau - are serving two-year jail terms under Malaysia’s stringent Internal Security Act.
- Banned Hindu outfit chief wants talks with Malaysian PM - Nov 26, 2009
- Hindraf detainee being treated: Malaysian Indian minister - Mar 02, 2009
- Malaysian PM to launch party of ethnic Indians - Sep 25, 2009
- Malaysian Indian leader told to account for collected money - Aug 12, 2009
- Curbs lifted on Malaysian Indian activist - Oct 04, 2009
- Hindraf leader must return home: Malaysia - Jul 15, 2008
- Book burning by Malaysian Indians sparks debate - Jan 19, 2011
- 'Malaysian government, opposition not doing enough for Tamils' - Nov 25, 2008
- Rights body awards Hindraf for empowering ethnic Indians - Dec 10, 2008
- Vellu denies washing dirty Malaysian linen in Chennai - Jan 13, 2009
- Malaysian Hindu body challenges registration denial - May 26, 2011
- Malaysia to help ethnic Indians get official documents - Jan 24, 2011
- Two Hindraf leaders among 13 released by new Malaysian PM - Apr 04, 2009
- New Malaysian party to give voice to Indian community - Aug 16, 2010
- Malaysia to resolve ethnic Indians' citizenship issues - Dec 31, 2010
Tags: british authorities, compatriots, hindraf, hindu leader, hindus, human rights abuses, india visit, indian diaspora, indian government, malaysian indian congress, manoharan, new straits times, non governmental organisations, pravasi, protest rally, subramaniam, trade sanctions, travel document, vasanth, visit malaysia
