Condemning the Umno-led government for what it alleges is hypocrisy, Human Rights Party coordinator S Jayathas pledged to fight both in peaceful assemblies on the streets and in the courtrooms against intimidation "until racism was completely wiped out" in Malaysia.
He told Malaysia Chronicle the party will soon be appealing to the High Court to set aside charges pressed against 53 of its members for taking part in an anti-racism protest that the BN government alleges was organized by Hindraf, a movement that has become illegal since its 2008 ban.
“We will appeal under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution that guarantees Malaysian citizens the freedom to form societies,” said Jayathas.
HRP is an off-shot of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Party or Hindraf. It has also applied to be a political party but has yet to obtain the go-ahead from the Registrar.
The 53 members hauled up by the police have been released on bail of between RM1,700 to RM 8,000 each. The money was paid through HRP’s funding obtained from public donations.
HRP also plans to fight Umno's alleged racism through the use of international lobbying to the UK House of Commons, European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and others international bodies.
During the anti-racism rally on Feb 27 at KLCC, police launched a massive and allegedly unnecessarily harsh crackdown. 109 protesters were arrested in a bid to stamp out the revolt.
The Indian community has long protested about its shrinking human rights and the government's refusal to allot it a fair share of the economic pie. It is also unhappy that its vernacular schools have been denied sufficient funding.
Lately, the community was also upset by the Education ministry's refusal to remove a controversial book Interlok from schools' syllabus. The books contains a reference to the Indian community as "pariah".
by New Jo-Lyn
He told Malaysia Chronicle the party will soon be appealing to the High Court to set aside charges pressed against 53 of its members for taking part in an anti-racism protest that the BN government alleges was organized by Hindraf, a movement that has become illegal since its 2008 ban.
“We will appeal under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution that guarantees Malaysian citizens the freedom to form societies,” said Jayathas.
International lobbying
Jayathas insist that the HRP members had participated in the rally as members of Hindraf Makkal Sakhti, a new NGO that they have applied to be registered with the Registrar of Societies and not as members of the outlawed Hindraf.HRP is an off-shot of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Party or Hindraf. It has also applied to be a political party but has yet to obtain the go-ahead from the Registrar.
The 53 members hauled up by the police have been released on bail of between RM1,700 to RM 8,000 each. The money was paid through HRP’s funding obtained from public donations.
HRP also plans to fight Umno's alleged racism through the use of international lobbying to the UK House of Commons, European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and others international bodies.
During the anti-racism rally on Feb 27 at KLCC, police launched a massive and allegedly unnecessarily harsh crackdown. 109 protesters were arrested in a bid to stamp out the revolt.
The Indian community has long protested about its shrinking human rights and the government's refusal to allot it a fair share of the economic pie. It is also unhappy that its vernacular schools have been denied sufficient funding.
Lately, the community was also upset by the Education ministry's refusal to remove a controversial book Interlok from schools' syllabus. The books contains a reference to the Indian community as "pariah".
by New Jo-Lyn
Malaysia Chronicle
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