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Hindraf petitions Malaysian Premier for “justice”

SINGAPORE: Adopting a novel form of petitioning Malaysia’s Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for “justice” for the ethnic Indian minority, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) on Tuesday submitted a letter “handwritten” by a five-year-old child Vaishnnavi Waytha Moorthy. She is the daughter of Hindraf chairman P. Waytha Moorthy, now camping in London.

Hindraf national coordinator Thanenthiran Ramankutty and his associates escorted Vaishnnavi to Mr. Abdullah’s office at Putrajaya, the seat of the Malaysian government. The letter was received by the Prime Minister’s private secretary, Mr. Thanenthiran said over the telephone from Kuala Lumpur.

The crux of the letter, he said, was an appeal to Mr. Abdullah to receive from her and a delegation of children a bouquet of yellow and red roses on February 16, the day of a planned march by Malaysian Indians for “justice.”

Mr. Moorthy said over the telephone from London that his daughter’s letter contained a request to the Prime Minister that he release her “five uncles” whom he had “put in prison.” The five “uncles” are the Hindraf leaders detained without charges under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act. They are Mr. Moorthy’s brother, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganapati Rao, M. Manoharan, R. Kengadharan, and T. Vasanthakumar.

Confirming that the letter was handwritten under the guidance and supervision of Hindraf leaders, Mr. Moorthy said his daughter, after coming out of the Prime Minister’s office complex, released five pigeons in line with the group’s practice.

The pigeon release is said to symbolise the desire for the freedom of Hindraf detenus. Explaining the symbolism of seeking to present roses to the Prime Minister, the Hindraf chairman said the yellow ones would signify an appeal for “justice” while the red colour stood for the group’s “commitment to a peaceful struggle and love for Malaysia.”

According to some ethnic Indians in Kuala Lumpur, the size of the turn-out for the ongoing “Thaipoosam” processions and for the festivities at the Batu Caves temple on Wednesday would serve as a “barometer” of the support for the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

The reason is said to be the general impression that the administrators of that temple have traditionally been close to the MIC, a long-time constituent of successive governments at the Federal level. Hindraf and the MIC are currently vying to project themselves as the true representatives of the Malaysian Indians.

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