YOURSAY 'These activists were wrongfully charged and their lives made miserable by the Umno regime, hence they have to answer for that, too.'
Gov't lifts four-year ban on Hindraf
LittleGiant: The government's move to lift the ban on Hindraf is nothing more than an election gimmick and get the support of the Indian community. It was a complete farce on the part of the government to have banned Hindraf in the first place.
The government has not justified its claim that the organisation was a threat to public order and national security.
As far as I am concerned, Hindraf should continue to remain as a strong activist group and take the middle path, without swaying to any political coalition. That is the only way Hindraf can hold on to its principles and serve the society with dignity.
Dr Suresh Kumar: This is certainly another feather in the cap for Hindraf. The right thing for PM Najib Razak to do now is to drop all the charges against the 54 Hindraf activists as well the trumped-up 'sedition' charge against movement leader P Uthayakumar.
These activists were wrongfully charged and their lives made miserable by the Umno regime, hence they have to answer for that, too.
Ferdtan: The lifting of the four-year ban on Hindraf is too little, too late. It is not an assurance that the government has changed for the better. It is a general election move, hoping to ingratiate itself with Indians voters.
If the government were to include an apology for the wrong decision to ban Hindraf, at least it may show a bit of sincerity.
True to its DNA, we can never expect the BN government which subscribes to ‘race supremacy' (ketuanan bangsa) to eat humble pie by apologising to an association belonging to a minority race.
iPhone: The Indians in Malaysia are a minority. For all the hard work put in by our forefathers, we are still a deprived community due to the lack of opportunities and education.
Hindraf has to stand its grounds. Keep your principles, don't sell them.
Anticommunalist: This is great news for Hindraf. Pakatan Rakyat, which has been ignoring the Indians since 2008 GE, are going to have to make real changes now.
Opposition leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang and Lim Guan Eng who have made Pakatan nothing but a Malay/Chinese party with a sprinkling of Indian representatives are going to have to raise the bar to win over Indians.
Either way, it's a win-win for the marginalised Indians in Malaysia. Hindraf has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
My take is if Najib can deliver the 450,000 citizenship to the stateless Indians, a Minority Ministry for Hindraf and implement the movement's blueprint before the GE, then why not? Go ahead and make a deal with BN.
Anonymous35_8478: Now is the time for Hindraf to demand to contest in 48 seats in the next GE and get the government's commitment in writing on this.
As former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad said, it is better the devil you know than the angel you don't know.
BN had proven time and again for over 55 years that they deeply cared for the Indians. BN and Indians must stand solidly together for the sake of 1Malaysia. Only BN had done and sacrificed much for the Indians.
Slumdog: Umno and that pathetic outfit called MIC have done nothing for the Indian community for 55 years. How many in the Indian community have died in police custody, shot dead, assaulted, denied scholarships, jobs, have had temples destroyed, held under ISA and denied schooling and citizenship?
In November 2007, the government described Hindraf as "a threat to public order, security and sovereignty of the country as well as the prevailing racial harmony if left unchecked."
Has Hindraf's objectives and its struggle for justice for Indians changed since 2007 to the extent that Hindraf, in the government's view, is no longer a threat to public order, security and sovereignty?
The government is just being opportunistic and playing a political game to gain Indian support at GE13. Yours has been a hard fought struggle. Do not give in to the devil so easily. You will regret it if you do.
Tholu: Any government that genuinely works to uplift the social and economic status of the downtrodden Indians in this country will get my vote. The assistance to the Indians by the government should not, however, be on a piecemeal basis.
Don't throw a few million ringgits at the Indians once in a while, especially when elections are near. Draw out a permanent policy for the Indians that would see them having equal opportunities in education, businesses; employment, particularly in the civil service, including the police and armed forces, and their deserving citizenship.
The government should not just pay lip service to the Indian community by showering meaningless and hollow praises on the Indians by telling the world that they had in a very big way contributed in the early economic progress of this country.
If the government recognises and appreciates what they have done for this country, then extend your assistance to them just as you care for the other races.
Changeagent: It's an extremely straightforward equation for BN. When you threaten their hold on power after a general election, they will outlaw and ban your organisation.
When they want your votes before an upcoming general election, they will bend over backwards, lift any existing bans and even sign legalisation papers.
Swipenter: Whether you want to admit it or not, without the reality of an alternative government in the form of Pakatan, Hindraf will never have the ban lifted by the Umno dominated government.
Umno is not unknown to bear false gifts and such lessons for the past 40 years must not be forgotten.
Anonymous #49297474: Congratulations Hindraf. Again, I have a feeling the other side of the blessing is BN's plan to divide the opposition that has been calling for change.
Hmmmmmmmm: I think everybody here is being unfair to BN for suspecting that they lift the ban on Hindraf to win their votes. Didn't they say before that they don't need any non-Malay votes to win the election?
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