It is time for Malaysia to add minorities: HINDRAF

Chennai, Mar 24: Malaysia-based Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) today said the defeat of the pro-government Malaysian Indian Congress showed that it was time for the Malaysian Government to come out with a plan to address the minorities. Talking to newspersons here, HINDRAF Chairperson Wayda Moorthy said after the Malaysian polls, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had said he would correct some of his mistakes like the crackdown on ethnic Indians.

''The government should announce ''concrete, affirmative plan for Indians,'' Mr Moorthy added. He also called for repealing of the Internal Security Act under which several HINDRAF activists were detained and demanded their immediate release. ''They were detained when HINDRAF organised a rally of ethnic Indians last November, demanding equal rights to the community,'' he pointed out. Mr Moorthy said the recent agreement proposed by the Malaysian government, offering all rights and facilities to the Indian professionals and migrant workers, was aimed to keep India quiet.

''Migrant workers from various countries were employed in Malaysia,'' he said, adding ''but, the proposed agreement with Indians alone was aimed at preventing India from taking up the struggle by the ethnic Indians in Malaysia.''

UNI