Nazri: Hindraf remains illegal organisation
(NST) – The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is still a banned movement and no activities can be held under its name.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said although the movement's leaders were released as they were no longer deemed a threat to the country, the same could not be said about Hindraf.
Nazri cited the now-defunct Communist Party of Malaya, which remained outlawed despite its former members being freed.
"In the case of CPM, its former members sat down with the government and pledged to abandon their ideologies. But CPM remains a banned party.
"In law, individuals and organisations are two different entities. It does not mean that since they (Hindraf leaders) were released, the ban on their organisation has been lifted," said Nazri.
All five Hindraf leaders held under the Internal Security Act were recently released.
On the move by several key Hindraf members to form the Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party, which is led by former Hindraf national coordinator R.S. Thanenthiran, Nazri said they had the right to do so.
"After all, Makkal Sakthi means people's power and there is nothing wrong with that.
"The Constitution allows it as long as the party's struggles are not against the laws of the country."
Its pro tem secretary-general, Kannan Ramasamy, had said that since Hindraf was outlawed, the movement needed an alternative conduit to champion the Indian cause.
The new party, he said, would remain neutral and work with whichever coalition that was willing to support Hindraf's 18-point demands.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday that no action would be taken against P. Uthayakumar for not turning up at Kamunting on Tuesday for a scheduled advisory council meeting.
Hishammuddin said Utha-yakumar's presence before the council was not a condition for his release.
The panel called him and other former ISA detainees to assess their level of rehabilitation and attitude.
"He has not gone against any conditions or committed any offence, but the panel will submit a report to me."
Hishammuddin, however, warned Uthayakumar not to make further threats, not only against him and the ministry but also the government.
"I view seriously his statements on street demonstrations and other accusations he has been hurling against us.
"You can issue all kinds of threats but once you convert them into actions and breach the conditions and the laws, we will act."
The four other Hindraf leaders — Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan, K. Vasantha Kumar, V. Ganabatirau and R. Kenghadharan — showed up for the meeting in Kamunting.
Uthayakumar said he would continue the struggles in a "peaceful, legal, constitutional and democratic manner".
He added he had done nothing wrong and was prepared for the worst.
