MIC will not push for Hindraf 5 release

Source NST

IPOH: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the party would not push the home minister to meet a deadline for the release of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders.

Asked whether the Hindraf leaders would be released before Deepavali on Oct 27, Samy Vellu said: "We will ask for an early release, but ... we will not put any pressure."

He said the MIC would continue to raise the issue with the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and the home minister, but the decision was up to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

Samy Vellu said after a meeting on the rebranding of the party that he hoped to meet Syed Hamid next week to discuss the release of the men.

The five Hindraf leaders, Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M. Manoharan, lawyers R. Kengadharan, V. Ganabatirau, P. Uthayakumar and Hindraf coordinator K. Vasantha Kumar, have been in detention under the Internal Security Act since Dec 13.

Samy Vellu has been calling for their release since March 30.

In Kuala Lumpur, a Hindraf spokesman said they appreciated the efforts of Samy Vellu and other Indian groups to obtain the release of its five leaders.

But he said, Samy Vellu should keep out of Hindraf's internal affairs, stop belittling the organisation's struggle for the Indian community and stop criticising its leaders .

V. Papparaidu, Ganabatirau's brother, said during his visit to the Kamunting detention centre last week his brother had said that they were confident that once they were out, they would be able to sort out whatever internal problems Hindraf had and consolidate its leadership.

On Friday, Samy Vellu had criticised a group of Hindraf members for their behaviour at the Hari Raya open house of the prime minister and cabinet members at the Putra Word Trade Centre on Oct 1.

He said they may have made it more difficult for MIC to secure the release of the five Hindraf leaders.

Samy Vellu said Hindraf leaders, such as London-based P. Waytha- moorthy and national coordinator, R.S. Thanenthiran, had their own agenda and did not appear interested in getting the Hindraf five released.

Thanenthiran said Samy Vellu was "hurling accusations against Hindraf in a desperate attempt to become the hero of the Indian community".

"We have not forgotten that this is the same man who once proclaimed that he had suggested arresting the Hindraf leaders under the ISA. We want to know what his agenda is in seeking the release of our leaders."

Asked why Hindraf did not attend Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's open house in Kepala Batas yesterday, Thanenthiran said Hindraf "did not want to be insulted again".

"Despite our good intentions, senior ministers and some non-governmental organisations distorted and misinterpreted our action. It is our culture to even welcome enemies who visit us, but to avoid any more insults we decided to skip the Kepala Batas open house."

MIC veteran K.P. Samy called on Hindraf to work together with the MIC, MCA, PPP, Gerakan and IPF to seek the release of its five leaders.