Yesterday, MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu demanded that I apologise to the Indian community for asking the people to light candles in a temple.
Bernama in its report “Samy Vellu Demands Apology from DAP Chairman For Insulting Hindus” demanded that I apologise to all Hindus for “insulting their religion”.
He said that M. Kulasegaran and I had called for Hindus to bring candles into their temples, which he described as “tarnishing the holiness of the religion”.
Samy Vellu said: “He doesn’t know anything about Hinduism. He belittles the religion. Kulasegaran, despite being a Hindu, is also insensitive in the matter because as Hindus, we are only allowed to light a certain type of lamp or fire for religious ceremonies in temples, not candles.”
Bernama also quoted Samy Vellu as demanding that I should “make an open apology for using Hindus house of worship for political purposes”.
Samy Vellu, who had been MIC President and the sole Indian Cabinet Minister for more than 28 years, is not only fighting for his political life – but is waging a losing battle.
This has become such a great burden for him that it has affected his judgment, words and deeds.
It has been said that when a person is under extreme stress, it could be seen from his increasingly irrational utterances and actions – and this can be seen in the case of Samy Vellu.
I do not owe Samy Vellu any apology as it is Samy Vellu himself who owes me, the MIC, Malaysian Indians, the Barisan Nasional and the Malaysian nation at least five apologies.
Firstly, he owes me an apology for his baseless attacks and outbursts against me as reported by New Straits Times, Bernama, Tamil Nesan and other press today.
It is clear that Samy Vellu has become so flustered by his recent political troubles as to increasingly lose touch with reality. I am not DAP National Chairman as I relinquished this position four years ago.
In the second place, I had never at any time called on the Hindus to light candles in Hindu temples, leaving aside the question of its relevance, appropriateness and justification in the struggle of the Malaysian Indians for justice to end their long-standing political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization in the country which had reduced them into a new underclass in Malaysia.
Secondly, Samy Vellu owes the MIC an apology for he has brought the MIC to the party’s lowest political stocks in the party history, to the extent that both the MIC President and MIC are in a position akin to the Chinese saying of “the rat running across the street” with everyone calling for them to be smacked!
Thirdly, Samy Vellu owes the Malaysian Indians an apology for his role in the long-standing marginalization of the community. Some three-and-a-half years ago, Kulasegaran and I had proposed to Samy Vellu that a Parliamentary Select Committee of the Marginalisation of the Indians should be set up and I gave him an official letter so that he could take this proposal to the Cabinet for its approval. No word has come from Samy Vellu, although he had expressed his support for the proposal at the time.
Fourthly, Samy Vellu owes the Barisan Nasional an apology for the sharp drop in the Prime Minister’s approval rating among the Indians which plunged from 82% in September 2007 to 38 % in December 2007 – a 54% plunge in a matter of three months before and after the 30,000 people Hindraf rally of November 25, 2007, which must be traced to Samy Vellu’s failure to effectively represent the interests of the Malaysian Indians in the Barisan Nasional government.
Fifthly, Samy Vellu owes the nation an apology for the humiliation and indignity to the country when he was internationally snubbed by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi who refused to see him despite waiting for three days and three nights for an appointment in Chennai and even after following Karunanidhi to New Delhi early this month
you shoud say, “i’m sorry that i’m not given mandate to look after indian welfare, if only DAP to win and given more say in parliament, i believe that the indian community will not be harassed as today. I’m sorry.”
Our nation today is in a sorry state due to mismanagement of its affairs by incapable and selfish people. So I believe if ever any “sorry” need to be said, it should come from the ruling BN and not otherwise.
Even if YB Lim Kit Siang owes an apology to YB Dato’ Samy Vellu, it will not change the fact that many Indians are already fed up with YB Dato’ Samy Vellu.
Why YB Dato’ Samy Vellu did not demand apology from his boss when Hindu temples were destroyed by irreligious bigots?
Why demanding people to light candle in the temple can be considered as an insult to the Hindus and Hinduism while destruction of Hindu temples are not considered as insult to the Hindus and Hinduism by Dato’ Samy Vellu?
I appeal to YB Dato’ Samy Vellu to think about the future of the Indians and Chinese in Malaysia. Stop all these bickerings among yourselves as there are more important issues to settle such as body snatchings, children snatching, and destructions of places of worship by irreligious bigots.
Probably for a rich guy like YB Dato Samy Vellu, you do not consider this as a problem, because you guys have money. If anything bad happened to Malaysia, you guys would be the first one to flee this country. You rich guys will not have any problem to be accepted by other country since you rich guys got money and good education.
But what about poor and uneducated Indians and Chinese? Where can they flee? Which country would accept them?
Please don’t be selfish! It is time for you to think about the poor and do something beneficial for them before you die. It is not too late for you to change. We can forgive you for your alleged corruption and people in the future will remember you as a good guy if you decided to change and look at the plight of the poor Indians in this country and do something about it before you die.
SIXTHLY:
He owes an apology to all the Temple Priests and Indians who may have `desecrated` the Temples. They know what they are doing.
Samy Vellu IS NOT GOD.
He can go and form his own religion.
YB,
You don’t owe Samy Vellu any apology.
Hinduism is not a narrow minded religion, if people with sincerety light up candles, no Hindu God will be offended.
Samy Velu has no topics to talk, so he just ‘temberang’ and shoot what ever come out from his mouth.
Doesn’t he realize that there is a limit whatever lies he tells, because it is a reflection of his upbringing, it reflects the types of parents he had? Doesn’t he have any respect for his parents? Doesn’t he know that it is the duty of the children to take care good names of the parents.
YB,
Need your help. There is sudden curiosity among most Hindus in Malaysia now. Every year during Thaipusam millions of ringgit has been collected by Batu Caves Temple management. This money belong to the people. Can we ask them to declare their balance sheet? What actually happen to the money? How much expenses they incur? Thank you.
I am not a Hindu but I have read more than 100 books on Hinduism and I can assure all you readers here that there is no law in Hinduism that prevents anyone from burning a candle in the temple or a shrine or before any idol.
In fact Sai Baba, gave a short lesson on meditation. (I am recollecting it from memory)
Sit in a lotus position, light a candle and place it at eye level and focus on the light and let your mind go blank as the ‘rays travels into your limbs, body and mind’. Finally, you are enveloped in a glow of light.
Samy is a ‘devil in disguise’ and he has no authority to teach Hinduism to anyone.
Hello mr. samy, you’re the one owe an apology to indians and others who is non-bumi for not doing anything for the comunity. there is nothing wrong to bring the candles to the temples. can prove that hinduism say you cannot bring a candle to temple. please be wise when you say something otherwise people will be laughing at you.
I appeal to YB Dato’ Samy Vellu ..BoycottLocalPapers
The time for appeals is over. Indians who I meet say they are not beggars going around appealing. SV has to go. Finis for him. He`s kaput and he can take his anti-candle MIC cult with him.
Samy should apologize to Malaysian for being a copy cat when he read out the poem for Dollah birthday. Samy should apologize to Malaysian for claiming that candles are prohibited in temples. Samy should also aplogize to Malaysia for allowing the many temples which he patronage for allowing to lit up the Christian or Jew invented electrical bulbs. Moral of the story :- One can replace ones hair but not the brain.
p.s If only Samy could admit the mistake and take concrete steps to right the wrongs, I am sure all Hindraf supporters would still vote for him.
Bernama itself should get its fact right first. DAP national chairman is Karpal Singh, not uncle kit. If such a simple mistake could be made, then how are we to trust this so-called local national news agency.
Mr. Lim
Let fools be fools!!! That man should have resigned a bloody long time!!! I just hope that this time DAP will fair better in the election than the last. I wouldn’t trust PKR or even PAS at all!!!
We need more opposition seats in the cabinet to keep the bloody BN in line!!! Thats the main agenda!!!! To please campaign away and do your best!!!!! May this year’s election (if there is) rockets DAP further and brings joyous victory!!!!
Sharmi,
If you dont vote for PKR and PAS, how are you going to have more opposition reps in parliament (sic cabinet?)
I will vote for PAS and PKR and DAP reps for both State and Parliamentary seats. I have met many PAS and PKR reps and can say that they cannot be worse than BN reps.
Anway, to develop malaysia, we need to develop a credible alternative government. And if we dont create a credible alternative government, we will have to answer to our children when BN has completed the rape of this nation. At that point in time, there is no point in saying “If only I had…”
Does he the ONLY Hindu? Why only he make noice while hindu priest allow it ? Does he better knowledge than the Hindu priest ? I don’t think so. Also does he know what apologise mean ? He never did that to anyone and now he expect it.
I wish all of us could stand on the same platform regardless of race and religion. We need a political party where a non-Muslim and Muslim, a non-Malay and Malays could unite together to fight for justice and equality for all without being perceived as anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Chinese, anti-Indians, etc. Too bad there is no such political party in Malaysia.
Why PAS is only interested to fight for the Muslims?
Why UMNO is only interested in fighting for the Malays?
Why MCA is only interested in fighting for the Chinese?
Why MIC is only interested in fighting for the Indians?
And now why do we have political leaders who are only interested in fighting for themselves and their cronies?
Why can’t we all be friends?
Why do we have to be enemies?
Why can’t we all be united as Malaysians?
We need leaders who wanted to serve the people and definitely not self-serving leaders who wanted to be served by the people.
Why can’t Muslims and non-Muslims unite together in one political party where the objective is to have equality and justice for all ?
Is having equality between Muslim and non-Muslim a bad thing?
Is having equality between Malay and non-Malay a bad thing?
Is living peacefully and cooperating with each other to develop this country a bad thing to do?
This has nothing to with lights, but a desperate move by Samy to distract attention. Just ignore this man, for the Indians have given him the boot.
“This has become such a great burden for him that it has affected his judgment, words and deeds.”
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
Yesterday in the tele, he wore his toupee upside down……
lol
:D
Apologise to semi value? Ask him to talk to my a_s. Its time for him to go just like what DAP Sarawak did to BN in its last election.
Everyone rejoice over there.
This time we Indians are going to throw him out, its goodbye for him.
God Bless DAP.
While body snatching is no longer fresh news in Malaysia, but i still have an unanswered question.
Why are people, particularly Muslim Malays, fighting for a death body? I mean, come on IT’S A DEAD BODY! So after going around the country fining LIVING people for holding hands, they move one step further – DEAD people. The more i look at Malays, the more i feel sad for them. Or did ALLAH mentioned that the more corpse you collected, the higher your status in heaven? Malays are really pathetic.
Secondly, this is directed to YB Vellu. Please stop making yourself a clown. If you still have that little sense of dignity, step down. Don’t give other people the chance and opportunity to further humilliate you.
As for YB Lim and co, may you succeed in the 12th GE and bring Malaysia to greater heights.
No one owe anyone an apology but Mr.Samy sure do, he owes the Indian community!
This year, I am going to claim my right to cast my own vote! Previous year, some idiot registered my I.C (I don’t even know until I check!), and only realize I was delegated to some area around my hometown. This year, I am so going to travel all the way back there, and find out the location, and to practice my right!!! We need to tell BN, we’re not satisfied!
Sami,
I would be impressed if you can alleviate the snarling traffic jams from
Cheras to KL weekday mornings.
Rgds
In the coming Year of the Rat, let us all chase this rat across the road and smack him kow-kow.
He may be under tremendous stress, but he still has a full crop of hair. Its because of “transplantation” and he’s already bald down under.
Like I said before, a Hindu “fatwa” will really make him go “crazy”.
Sure lks you owe no apology to samy.He is not the custodian of the Hindus here in Malaysia.Ignoring what samy said it would be a good idea to use the indian kutu vilaku(oil lamp) instead of the candles.Hindus are not offended by using candles but just for completeness and in conformity with the Hindu tradition we prefer to use our own kutu vilaku unless the gathering includes our fellow christain bro and sisters.You have raised very good points.
Dear Malaysians,
First of all, Uncle Lim, your decision not to apologize is applauded. Such a low life like him need to be educated on the importance of light in Hinduism.
Samy Vellu continue to look like someone who has been asleep for many years. The Hindu religion does not compel anyone from doing certain things to please the gods and godesses. The light in Hinduism represents or signifies the victory of good over evil within every human being. As such, it doesn’t matter if the light comes from a candle, an oil lamp or any light. The light is a symbolic meaning of the manisfestation of the victory of good over evil, a battle thats playing inside every human being.
Perhaps Samy Vellu is too conditioned with the evil that he doesn’t see any light anymore. As such, I urge Uncle Lim, who has personally shown more enthusiasm towards the improvisation of the Indian community to not bother about apologizing to him. He can convince the people in the estates, but he cannot fool many Indians in the country. It’s a shame that he is still leading the Indian people. Please throw him out in the coming election. He is a nightmare for the Indian community. He has degraded Indian’s dignity to a level that will be difficult to mend in many years to come. Let’s pray that he realizes his mistakes, repent and step down voluntarily. May God shed this light in him ( whether in the form of oil lamp or candle light )
May God bless people of all walks of life in Malaysia.
can we put all of them to trial if bn losses?… those found guilty of corruption should be shot in the head..
QUOTE:
iweepformalaysia Says:
Today at 20: 58.02 (1 hour ago)
While body snatching is no longer fresh news in Malaysia, but i still have an unanswered question.
Why are people, particularly Muslim Malays, fighting for a death body? I mean, come on IT’S A DEAD BODY! So after going around the country fining LIVING people for holding hands, they move one step further – DEAD people. The more i look at Malays, the more i feel sad for them. Or did ALLAH mentioned that the more corpse you collected, the higher your status in heaven? Malays are really pathetic
………………………………………………………………………………
END QUOTE
BoycottLocalPapers Says:
Dear iweepformalaysia,
I can understand your anguish as I am very disappointed too with what is happening recently in Malaysia. However, I do not agree with you in generalizing the Malays as pathetic. Reading the writings of Raja Petra, M Bakri Musa, Farish Noor, and mixing with many Malay friends who are religious and not religious, and also the writings of the new version of Anwar Ibrahim 2.0, I am sure that not all Malays are like UMNOputras or extremists among PAS.
Comments like yours will make it looks like non-Malays at this blog are anti-Malays. So, I hope you can be very careful with your choice of words as it will make YB Kit looks bad even though he is not responsible for what we said here. That kind of comment will make the Malays to perceive DAP as anti-Malays when the truth is many of us here just wanted to be treated equally and justly as a fellow Malaysian. Anyway, I am sure you do not mean all Malays.
We should make it clear that we are not anti-Malays. There is no doubt that we are here to share our grievances and complaint about being mistreated by certain Malay leaders (who are in power with the help of certain Chinese and Indian leaders).
Regarding your question about dead bodies, I think it has a lot to do with the education that our country imported from Pakistan. We should be glad and thankful that the majority of the Malays in Malaysia are not yet like the Pakistanis that we read in the news daily. When that time come, I will be joining you in weeping for our beloved Malaysia.
Kit, have you draft sufficient Indian candidates to fight the corrupt MIC?
Despite Indians relatively small population, Indians must be represented well. Many Indians are lawyers and doctors and are full of “fighting spirit”. Other than Karpal Singh, there were many outstanding DAP leaders before like V. David. They were real fighters!
Pls draft as many excellent Indian candidates as possible to help DAP to win this war!
Karpal Singh is really one of my favourite Malaysian heroes. He is truly a priceless asset to DAP. I hope more Indian lawyers could join DAP instead of setting up their own parties.
I hope the leadership of DAP will not be troubled by race as it doesn’t really matter whether you are a Chinese, Indian, Malay, or other ethnicity. As long as you are good and wanted to serve the people and not self-serving leaders, we will support you.
Do not be like MIC or Pandithan who set up his own party so that he could be the leader of his own party.
“full of fighting spirit”………. They were fighters! Mendela says.
Dear mendela,
I hope semi value will not start to think of the “tigers” and start suspecting what you mean. :)
Semi value will do and think of anything now with his shaking head especially everyone is shaking his BN chair.
Dear BoycottLocalPapers,
Thanks for pointing out my mistakes. I am definitely not going against all Malays, and i enjoy reading articles by RPK and those that you mentioned. These are the people that should lead the country, instead of those BN politicians.
And yes, we are all fighting against the inequalities formed by BN. As for your final sentence, i really hope that will never happen.
S Velu is trying to follow the footsteps of his Muslim brothers from UMNO. Infusing politics with religion but I think he is fighting a loosing battle because Indians are not taking his bait, unlike UMNO who has the gigantic propaganda machine which all these years had deceived the Kampung folks.
Thank you “boycottlocalpapers” for your wise input!
Dear Sir,
Your party has been the longest serving opposition (since 1966) thus having the experience and also the power to swing the votes to your sides more than PKR or PAS. However, bringing in the Malays votes is harder. Nevertheless, from what I can see is, is that PKR and PAS are trying to take advantage of DAP!! In times likes, a better strategy to win votes and garner a strong win must be in place. Now, the Indians have finally come to their senses and so will the other non Malay races.
The last time alliance with PAS was a futile attempt to win seats in fact there were great losses as well.History shouldn’t repeat itself. Now with BN having lots of protest and people are getting restless. This is the time to go full force and make a mark in history!!
Instead of crying for individual race, we need to say A united Malaysia. No longer chinese, malay, indians or lain2, instead Malaysia. If it is more of racial sentiments, it will just backfire in the end and back to square one.
The agenda should be, no more BN because they tend to divide the people, thats their strategy. DAP needs another strategy, to unite and address the current issues. Feed along the issues that people are unsettled. What BN can do that DAP can do better, that should be the approach to take.
DAP is a strong opposition party, to become stronger, BN weakness to target for. There must more Malay representative in DAP so that there is no need to rely on Anwar or PAS.
If DAP were to rely on PKR and PAS, there is no difference as they have their own agenda to work in the end of the day!
When it comes to DAP, everyone knows it is a Chinese dominated party, thus people have a perception that its a single race party although there are other races as well. Seems no difference with BN where the Malays are the dominant ones.
Things could have been easily resolves if there were more united races in one opposition party. This stabilises the fear that people when they look into a party. A truly Malaysian party! Then, trust is built and people are willing to trust an opposition party that fights for the rights of the people.
Dear Sir,
You must continue to fight. Without you as a strong opposition driver, it is going to be very difficult. The visions and goals are there but a new strategy needs to be adopted. Young people and the learned are to be targeted. You have most of the professionals in your wing. What do other parties have?
After Badawi, I shudder to think who will be the next prime minister, (Nazri, Hishamuddin, Khairy, etc)!!! A new government must be formed or a strong opposition in the parliament with more seats to keep them in line is required!!!
**When the cows come home**
When do you stop voting for Samy
Where do Indian gangs go
When they’re lonely
I’ll stop voting for Samy
When the cows come home
Utusan Malaysia says Samy Vellu should step down:
“But ‘political talk’ concerning Samy Vellu was really hot last year. The issue now is when will there be a transition of power in MIC,†asked the columnist.
He pointed out that Umno, MCA and Gerakan have all seen the passing of the baton, but there were no such sign in MIC.
Samy rapped in column
AN Utusan Malaysia columnist took a swipe at MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for insisting that he should contest in the upcoming general election and defend his Sungai Siput seat.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/1/29/nation/20151691&sec=nation
Samy Vellu said: “He doesn’t know anything about Hinduism. He belittles the religion. Kulasegaran, despite being a Hindu, is also insensitive in the matter because as Hindus, we are only allowed to light a certain type of lamp or fire for religious ceremonies in temples, not candles.â€
What is this Samy talking about, Hindu Hadhari?
Bernama also quoted Samy Vellu as demanding that I should “make an open apology for using Hindus house of worship for political purposesâ€.
You are a politician, you make a visit to Indian temple, you light a candle to pay respect to the temple deities. But don’t you forget, you have to apologize to Samy Vellu after that.
“However, bringing in the Malays votes is harder…..
There must more Malay representative in DAP so that there is no need to rely on Anwar or PAS.” Shami1205
I would thought the same thing too, but analysing the situation I realise DAP is not attractive because of it non-ethnic and non-religious approach. In fact PKR would suffer similar fate if it approach politics in Onn Jafaar’s style – fairness to all races. Onn Jafaar was rejected. His grandson realised this and wielded the KERIS.
The same applies to M Bakri’s article, suggesting we look at American politics. That would not happen as long as communal-based politics, fed and protected by the dominant parties, continue.
In this thread YB Lim highlighted MIC, Samy and the Indians. MIC protects Samy and vice versa but its from the Indians that he gets his wealth and power. Now the Indians are rejecing him, his situation is desperate so he started to point finger at Mr. Kula and YB Lim. In the old days people believed him. Today the same people treats him as a TV entertainer. (Hey, at least he is paid a ministerial salary.)
Thank you, KJ for allowing the floodgate open.
Samy shld just shaved his false hair and become a sami.
Temple matters…….very quiet.
Petty….this guy is ready desperate to hold on to power!
Malaysian Hindu demo at 10 Downing on 1 Feb. 11 am to 2 pm
http://www.hinducounciluk.org/newsite/circulardet.asp?rec=71
sharmi1205 Says:
Yesterday at 19: 12.02
Mr. Lim
Let fools be fools!!! That man should have resigned a bloody long time!!! I just hope that this time DAP will fair better in the election than the last. I wouldn’t trust PKR or even PAS at all!!!
We need more opposition seats in the cabinet to keep the bloody BN in line!!! Thats the main agenda!!!! To please campaign away and do your best!!!!! May this year’s election (if there is) rockets DAP further and brings joyous victory!!!!
sharmi1205 Says:
Today at 04: 41.03 (6 hours ago)
Dear Sir,
After Badawi, I shudder to think who will be the next prime minister, (Nazri, Hishamuddin, Khairy, etc)!!! A new government must be formed or a strong opposition in the parliament with more seats to keep them in line is required!!!
——————————————————
dear sharmi,
i then think you better put where your mouth is and start voting for the opposition whether it is PAS/PKR/DAP. You have no choice as DAP cannot form a govt by its own, it is not even running for half of the Parliament seat and even if it does, it wont win 100% of all it will contest.
so, if there was a PAS/PKR running at your area, i strongly suggest that you mark “X” for those. We wouldnt want to see anything less right? after all, you shudder to think who will be the next PM.
If there`s a PAS chappie standing in my area I will just stay away. PKR or any other I would vote.
“This has become such a great burden for him that it has affected his judgment, words and deeds”………………….there is more to this erratic and irrational behaviour- HIS EGO is so big that it occupies the space his Greg Matter used to occupy- there you go- no more greg matter- no more rational thought process and out comes the usual moronic utterances by AYO YO SAMY
oops so solli Samy – it is GREY MATTER
Samy owes me an apology……..for raising the toll rate……:)
dont think who will be the next PM, who ever it is, if they dont have 2/3 control….all will behave and it is for the better future of Malaysians.
Samy Vellu, don’t even wanna waste my time insulting as the name itself spark enormous anger and shame in me. The damage is done. His legacy would go down in history books.
ps- His portrait is rather ironically hung next to Plato and Aristotle in MIC’s office lobby.
Samy Vellu owes my cars’ tyres, rims, coil springs, shock absorbers, steering rack, pinion, shaft, pump and column a lot of apologies…for not ensuring that potholes on roads nationwide are repaired immediately. He has time to embarass himself (and our nation) internationally but has not the time to concentrate on exercising his duty of care towards his own country’s welfare.
Samy, o Samy. When will you carry a kavadi?
Samy Vellu said: “He doesn’t know anything about Hinduism.
If Lim must apology for not knowing about Hinduism, what must he do for knowingly letting the authority without a fight break his own kind’s deities..
Samy probably never use a mirror..
Look like a last breathe of fresh air… Good Luck…Sammy you will need a lot of it..
There is no need for any apolgy from YB. The Hindu religion is the most democratic religion in the world. It does not say anywhere in our scriptures that candles should not be lit in temples. It does not even demand that you must go to the temple to pray. It allows you to do what you consciously think is right. Hindus are not hurt by the action of those who lighted candles during Thaipusam.