Malaysia to look documents issued by Hindraf

Singapore, Nov 29: The Malaysian government has decided to investigate the authenticity of a document said to be a memorandum issued by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

''The Cabinet meeting discussed the document and if it is found that it was issued by Mr P Uthayakumar, then we will ask the Attorney-General to charge him under the Sedition Act for making seditious remarks,'' Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz told reporters here last night.

The document addressed to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had been posted on a popular weblog, claiming that the United Malays National Organisation-led Malaysia has committed 'ethnic cleansing' of the Indian minority and asks Britain to intervene and refer Malaysia to the World Court for crimes against the ethnic Indians.

He said the document clearly proved that Mr Uthayakumar had incited ethnic Indians against the government and pitted the Malays and Muslims against Hindraf. Mr Uthayakumar is one of the leaders of the Hindraf.

''Words like ethnic cleansing and threats of what happened in Sri Lanka could happen here are irresponsible. Do not challenge the government. He must be responsible for his action,'' the Malaysian national news agency, Bernama, quoted the Minister as saying.

The Cabinet also discussed the illegal rally by Hindraf on Sunday, adding that those who participated would be prosecuted.

The minister also dismissed a call by opposition Democractic Action Party to apologise for calling the demonstrators gangsters. ''I will not apologise to Hindraf,'' he said.

''The 20,000 people who turned up are gangsters because they defied the law. I am not saying this to the Indian community but to the gangsters who attended the illegal rally.'' Mr Nazri said the attitude of the 20,000 illegal demonstrators did not reflect the true attitude of some two million Indians who loved peace and unity.

According to local reports, beween 5,000-20,000 ethnic Indians protested for being marginalised in Malaysia, their adopted country.

Their leaders have also filed a four trillion dollar suit against the British government as the former colonial masters had brought their forefathers to the then Malaya to work as labourers.

UNI