It is now discussing the matter with its lawyers and would file the suit soon, national coordinator RS Thanenthiran said
According to him, Hindraf is very disturbed by the Utusan reports which he claims were tainted by lies and distorted facts on the movement’s visit to the prime minister’s Hari Raya open house in Putra World Trade Centre on Wednesday.
He said Utusan front page report yesterday under the headline – ‘Hindraf Keterlaluan’ (Extreme Hindraf) was unfair and communal, and seems to suggest that the movement was made of extremists out to disrupt Muslim festivals and pour scorn on Islam.
Criticising another article - Baharom Mahusin's commentary in his ‘Cetusan’ column in the same edition, Thanenthiran said the writer was unfair in his criticisms, was also inciting racial hatred and instigating communal conflict.
Hindraf was particularly offended by Baharom’s comment which stated that ‘ Kalau penyokong Hindraf melakukan penghinaan seumpama itu di kawasan-kawasan pendalaman yang menjadi kampung halaman orang Melayu, mereka sudah pun diajar tentang makna dan akibat berperangai kurang ajar.’ (If Hindraf supporters pour such insults in the interior areas dominated by Malays, they would have been taught a lesson on the meaning and consequence of misbehaviour.)Thanenthiran asked, "What is the writer trying to instigate here?
‘Communal conflict? Racial hatred?".
"Baharom’s comment was most unprofessional and unethical", Thanenthiran told a press conference in Butterworth.
No Visit In Kepala Batas
Due to the negative publicity given to its Hari Raya visit on Wednesday, Hindraf had cancelled its plan to pay a visit to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's open house in Kepala Batas, Penang today (Saturday) merely to avoid being wrongly accused again of ‘causing disturbances.’
The movement does not want its noble anti-ISA cause and humble pleas to the government to release its detained leaders to be politicised by certain irresponsible quarters.
Five Hindraf leaders - P Uthayakumar, 47, T Vasanthakumar, 35, M Manoharan, 47, R Kenghadharan, 41, and V Ganabatirau, 35 are currently detained under the Internal Security Act since last Dec.
Thanenthiran called on all Hindraf activists and supporters from the northern states not to attend the open house, insisting however that the movement was not cowed by the unfair criticisms made by government ministers and certain segments of the media.
He slammed Ministers Syed Hamid Albar and Shafie Apdal for distorting facts and lying to the public about the event.
"They lied that we submitted a memorandum to the prime minister and were wrong to equate our visit with an insult to Malays and Islam," he said, adding that Hindraf has always advocated racial harmony and unity among Malaysians.
He reiterated that Hindraf has notified the prime minister's office of the movement’s intention and purpose to visit his open house during Hari Raya by submitting an official letter to Abdullah’s senior personal assistant Ahmad Yaakob.
"Ahmad acknowledged receipt of the letter and told us that Hindraf was also welcomed to attend the open house," he said, adding that he was bemused with Abdullah’s claim to the media that he knew nothing about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment