Posted on by Kit

Between a rock and a hard place

See on YouTube two parliamentary episodes during question time today — the first, “Hindraf rally was a cry of desperation by the Indian community” when I asked a supplementary question to the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department pointing out that the Hindraf demonstration was the upshot of the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians into a new underclass; and the second, when the MIC MP for Cameron Highlands Devamany a/l S. Krishnasamy was asking a supplementary question to the Deputy Internal Security Minister and I intervened to expose his hypocrisy and outrageous Aljazeera interview yesterday attacking the Hindraf demonstration.

Devamany has been caught between a rock and a hard place as illustrated by the following Malaysiakini report:

MIC MP: Rally reflects govt’s failure
Yoges Palaniappan
Nov 26, 07 6:59pm

A Barisan Nasional MP departed from the norm today when he said the rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) reflected the Indian community’s disgruntlement towards certain government policies.

K Devamany (MIC-Cameron Highlands) added that the rally proved the failure of government policies which do not benefit the Indians.

The ruling politician made the remark after interjecting Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) who argued that the rally was a cry of desperation from the Indians.

“Some 50,000 people took to the streets yesterday. It shows the government’s failure and it needs to be looked into carefully,” said Devamany.

The MIC MP stressed this point again during a different question which saw Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum providing statistics on the number of Indians in the military, police and other security forces.

Johari said there are 3, 292 Indians in the police force, which makes 3.5 percent of the 94,729 police personnel in the country.

“We have also advertised in the media like newspapers, radio and television stations to increase the percentage,” he added.

High hopes, limited avenues

Dissatisfied with the explanation, Devamany said even though the government promised many things to the Indians under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the community’s reaction through the rally demonstrated its frustration.

“Youths from the lower and middle class participated in the rally. This goes to show that they are given high hopes but limited avenues to achieve.

“What are the actions taken by the government to prove that it is serious in eliminating poverty in the Indian community?” he asked.

At that point, Lim stood up and told Devamany not to be a hypocrite by practising double standards.

He was referring to Devamany’s interview with satellite station Al-Jazeera yesterday, in which he condemned the rally.

Met at the Parliament lobby later, Devamany claimed that he was ‘set up’ by Al Jazeera which deliberately cut him off halfway during the interview.

“Al Jazeera did not allow me to finish my interview. I was initially told that the crowd was unruly and violent. So I gave my opinion that violence must not be condoned.

However, I wanted to add that if the crowd came in peace, the police must be cautious in exercising force,” he explained.

Devamany also stressed that the government must give priority to underprivileged Indians.

“More opportunities must be given in the civil service, education and SME in terms of training and funding,” he said, adding that the rally was a “voice from below” which must not be brushed aside.

“It is high time that the government give consideration to the grievances of the Indians,” he said.

Resign from MIC

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, commenting on Devamany’s response in the Dewan Rakyat, questioned where the latter got the fact that 50,000 people participated in the rally.

“Has he been demonstrating with the others to know that there were 50,000 people there?” he asked, adding that parliamentary debates must be based on facts.

“If he says that the government has failed, what does he stand for in MIC?” he asked.

He said if Devamany feels that the government has failed, the only honourable way is for him to resign from MIC.

“I believe the MIC is 100 percent behind the government,” he added

Devamany must now decide whether he is going to be true to himself by apologizing for his Aljazzera interview and stick to the views he expressed in Parliament today, or kowtow to Nazri and the Barisan Nasional.

Where do you stand, Devamany?

44 Replies to “Between a rock and a hard place”

  1. Damned if you do………….and damned if you dont. Well you deserve it Devamoney and crowd. Just watch whats going to happen in the coming elections……………..functions, meetings, etc.

    We know how to treat TRAITORS like you. What did you call us…….”that type of people”?

    Well we will behave that way to you from now onwards. Since that is how you see us people. You shall get what you asked for!

  2. Government MPs speaking out against the government is a sign of a maturing democracy. We need to see more among them speak out against the way policies are being implemented rather than the policy itself.

    Should they disagree with policies than they should resign.

  3. Where in Malaysia do you have principled MP’s? They are all there to make a quick buck at the expense of the rakyat. And its our fault for allowing them to do so. Now we an change that! Lets do something about it.

    i wonder how long Semi Value is going to keep hiding?

  4. Deva, even if you quit as BN, you can still retain your seat until the next general election, the people will support you in the next GE, we all have to be true to ourself sometimes and this is the time, do it Deva!

  5. “If he says that the government has failed, what does he stand for in MIC?” he asked.

    He said if Devamany feels that the government has failed, the only honourable way is for him to resign from MIC.”

    Welcome to power-sharing, BN style. You got problem with us, get out of our party.

  7. http://wengsan.blogspot.com/2007/11/hindraf-rally-video-police-catch.html

    http://wengsan.blogspot.com/2007/11/hindraf-rally-video-see-how-police.html

    Another two here.

    From here you can see how police just catch any Indian on the street.

    You can see one policeman dragged an hand-cuffed Indian across the street and another scene shows a group of policemen crashed into Citibank lobby and dragged an Indian out of no reason.

    I wonder if the police had said this to those arrested according to procedure, that the police must identify himself and informed the arrested why he was arrested and hand-cuffed.

    It will be a gross power abuse if the police acted in such a harsh manner.

    There is also another shot of how an Indian was brought back.

    You can see at another shot that a foreigner, who is a woman in light blue shirt outside Nikko Hotel, accompany by her boyfriend (or relative/friend?) pleaded to the policeman to release an innocent Indian who was caught and attacked by police.

    You see, who is terrifying here? The Police? The demonstrators? Who is terrifying the tourists?

  8. Resign? When do BN guys resign?
    No that is not our culture. Demonstration is not our culture.
    Our culture is to lie to the people. Our culture is rape and plunder the country. Corruption is our culture.

  9. Devamany tot he was given a chance to score points when he was chosen to speak on Aljazeera. Truth is, non of the UMNO morons was willing to get castrated after Zam got both his bollocks severed during the 10eleven interview by Aljazeera. Samy was supposed to come on when his masters ordered him to but as foxy as he can be, he rather sacrifice his prized moron.

  10. Nazri is smart. He has practically thrown down a warning to other BN MPs not to question the govt’s action. Anyone who does should resign and stick to their principles.

    So Dewamany, can u make a living outside of BN? If u cant then u r perhaps one of thsoe marginalised Indian. So pls stay put in MIC and be a running dog along side those in MCA.

  11. Wayang kulit before election? Lol, is too late for Devamany to perform his wayang kulit show after what he said during the interview with Aljazeera. Only ‘orang bodoh’ would believe that he will quit MIC and fight for the Indian. People like him only fight for his own pocket.

  12. An article found in one of today’s Japanese media. Such foreign report is 1000 times more accurate than our “main stream” media!

    クアラルンプール（KL）市内の在マレーシア英国大使館周辺で25日、ヒンズー権利活動団体（HIN―DRAF）が主導する大規模なデモ行進が行われた。催涙弾や放水車を使いデモを阻止しようとした警察と衝突し、負傷者も出ている。HIN―DRAFは、インド系住民が150年前にインドからマレーシアに強制連行されたとして、英国政府に対し損害賠償を求めている。

    　HIN―DRAFは8月末、「インドから強制連行され労働力を搾取された」などとして英国政府を提訴した。国内の全インド系住民に対し総額4兆米ドル（1人当たり100万米ドル）を支払うよう要求。また少数派のインド系住民が差別されているとして、生活水準の向上を訴えている。25日に権利擁護を訴える請願書を英国大使館に提出するとして、インド系住民にデモへの参加を呼び掛けていた。デモ実施の予告はタミル語紙で広く報じられたほか、参加を呼び掛けるショートメッセージサービス（SMS）も出回っていた。警察はデモの許可申請を却下したが、デモは強行実施された。HIN―DRAFの関係者は、「問題を引き起こしたのは警察でわれわれは何もしてない。ただ英国政府に訴えたかっただけだ」と話している。
    　
    　国営ベルナマ通信によると、25日午前6時半ごろには、大使館周辺に数千人が集まりはじめた。警察は解散を求めたが参加者が応じないため、同7時ごろから催涙弾や放水車を使いデモ鎮圧を実施。大勢の参加者が逃げまどう姿がみられた。大使館近くのアンパン通りやトゥン・ラザク通りには警察機動隊の装甲車などが並び、一時は緊迫した状況が続いた。一部の欧米メディアによると参加者は少なくとも5,000人に上るという。一方、非政府系メディアのマレーシア・キニは3万人と報じている。
    　
    　大使館に近いスリアKLCC内に出店する関係者はNNAの取材に対し、「午前中は一時、アンパン通り側の出入り口が閉鎖された」と話した。アンパン通りにあるホテル・ニッコーは、「特に営業への影響はない」としている。
    　
    　HIN―DRAFは24日、「デモが行われる地域にある小売店の6割は、日曜には営業していない。周囲の住民の迷惑をかけるつもりはない。英国大使館に請願書を提出するのに1時間だけもらえればあとは退散する」としていた。
    　
    　このほかHIN―DRAFのリーダー格の3人が23日、スランゴール州クアラスランゴールの飲食店で先ごろ、反政府的で民族対立をあおるような発言をしたとして、逮捕・起訴された。3人のうち2人はそれぞれ800リンギの保釈金を支払い釈放されたが、残り1人は起訴に抗議するとして釈放を拒否している。HIN―DRAFは8月にもプトラジャヤの首相府前で数千人を集めた集会を実施したほか、25日のデモを前に各地で集会を繰り返していた。
    　
    　与党のマレーシア・インド人会議（MIC）をはじめ国内25のインド系非政府組織（NGO）は先ごろ、HIN―DRAFのデモに反対する姿勢を表明。インド系住民にデモに参加しないよう呼び掛けていた。MIC党首サミー・ベル公共事業相は25日、「問題解決のために街頭で抗議活動すべきではない」としてデモ実施を批判している。

  13. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, commenting on Devamany’s response in the Dewan Rakyat, questioned where the latter got the fact that 50,000 people participated in the rally.
    Nazri, Oh…Nazri…. The trisyllabic Minister is again like a volcano, now spewing more than a mouthful which is simply too much for him to handle!

    From Malaysiakini:

    “Has he been demonstrating with the others to know that there were 50,000 people there?” he asked, adding that parliamentary debates must be based on facts.

    “If he says that the government has failed, what does he stand for in MIC?” he asked.

    He said if Devamany feels that the government has failed, the only honourable way is for him to resign from MIC.”

    Nazri, since “parliamentary debates must be based on facts,” why don’t you get the facts yourself before you put your foot in your big mouth:

    1)If it wasn’t 50,000, then what is your reliable figure?

    2) IF Devamany says the govt has failed, the appropriate question is: “How has the govt failed?” and not “If he says that the government has failed, what does he stand for in MIC”.

    3)Then again, loud-mouth Nazri says: “If Devamany feels that the government has failed, the only honourable way is for him to resign from MIC.” MIC is only a stooge for UMNO. So UMNO has actually failed MIC and all Malaysian Indians. And so since MIC and UMNO wear the same sarong (“strange bedfellows”), MIC must also bear the blame for the failure. The point then, dear not-so-smart Nazri, is that UMNO must also resign because MIC’s failure is actually UMNO’s failure?

  14. Nazri said:
    “I believe the MIC is 100 percent behind the government,”

    Correction, Nazri.

    “I believe the MIC is 100 percent under the foot of UMNO.”

  15. Undergrad2,

    May I add, once anyone joins the BN, they are coopted of their liberty to emancipate exculpatory. The British left us with a nigh unquestionable parlimentary democracy, but the recipient, the ‘dirty hands’ of the BN machinery led by UMNO, re-invented the constitutuion wherein any dissents within are considered enemies and faced repercussions and reprisals tantamount to sackings.

    When the 2 misogynist ‘Bocormen’ insulted YB Fong Po Kuan, not a single felon within their (BN) ranks stood up overtly. I said felons, because felons commit perjuries. And perjurers sided with the winning horse (UMNO) in remaining reticence in saving their own skin. And perjurers are the lesser of the 2 felons who commited a crime. And the crime is cowardice.

    An analogy, if a doctor commited a tort resulting a patient’s death, and when the plaintiff’s family sued the doctor and the clinic/hospital, and the nurse whom witnessed the event lied in favour for the defendants, would it be suffice to say that the nurse
    is a perjurer. And perjurer is criminalized under law and if the victim ‘s lawyer failed to establish a prima facie, then the plantiffs’ are victims of conscience by the perjurer.

    That is the travesty of justice predating us everyday under the BN regime.

    “(Blind) Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious” – Oscar Wilde.

    The then PM of Britain Tony Blair stepped down to the dissenting voices within for his unpopular war in Iraq. President Bush took tirades from the Republicans for his infamous war in Iraq.

    And the only difference is that in Malaysia, whenever a BN member criticizes thier comrares in support of a valid arguments of the opposition-their ass is in the ringer.

    As I understand that some BN ‘hunks’ are monitoring your blog and commenteries, I am ernestly dedicating this to Nazri Aziz and “Mr Clean” on what the government has done for us after the British left us, narrated below:- *Please wear you glasses*
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  17. Nazri said:
    “I believe the MIC is 100 percent behind the government,”

    Correction, Nazri.

    “I believe the MIC is 100 percent under the foot of UMNO.” – ENDANGERED HORNBILL

    :) hahaha

  19. “If you don’t believe in the government, then you should resign from BN”. This is the classical threat from UMNO to the other component parties. Of course, as someone here points out, whoever resigns from BN will lose their livelihood, so the MPs from the other component parties stay on with their tails between their legs.

    “If you don’t like it in Malaysia, you can always migrate to Singapore.” This is the latest threat from the UMNO general assembly.

    All these threats tell you one thing only – that we all have to be subservient to UMNO because we do not originally have the right to be here. And the Indians and the Chinese still vote for these people ? Boggles my mind.

  22. I would like to applaud Devasamy if his heart really does lie with the people, however – how things might possibly turn out . . .

    Step 1. Devasamy speaks out against the government, holds the heart of the Indian community – wins Indian votes

    Step 2. Moves over to an opposition party, wins a Parliamentary Seat

    Step 3. Crosses back into BN

    Deja Vu anyone ?

  23. mendela Says:
    November 26th, 2007 at 23: 59.33
    “An article found in one of today’s Japanese media. Such foreign report is 1000 times more accurate than our “main stream” media!”

    _______________________________________________________
    mendela,
    Can you kindly translate the Japanese article into English for the benefit of readers like me who do not know Japanese.

  25. Taken from Harakah. Bears meditating upon in light of recent developments

    In order to get rid of the Tunku politically, some criminal elements and over ambitious leaders in Umno orchestrated the bloody May 13 Massacre which killed a few hundred Malaysians, maimed a few hundred more other Malaysians, burned down a few hundred shophouses and homes and looted some of them and burned scores of cars and other vehicles. All crimes against humanity.

    No inquiry after 38 years. Who says law is law? Why then no rule of law as far as the May 13 Massacre is concerned? Why is this continued rape of law being allowed? In whose interests?

    And what about other Umno crimes against humanity like the Memali Massacre in the mid 1980s? When will there be an accounting? Where is the transparency? And where is the much talked about integrity? Including the integrity of the law?

  26. I attended a talk by several NGO’s in Ipoh in October. In that talk, the former president of the NGO (a Malay) admitted that he was one of those involved in the shootings during May 13 1969, and under whose instructions they were acting. He was a young soldier at that time, and carried out his duties with zeal.

    The truth is out there. We have our country being led by people who have bad motives and intentions. This is destroying our nation.

  27. Here is a fact I like answer: There are minority Indian communities in Singapore, Thailand and even Hong Kong, and we don’t even want to talk about Western countries especially in England – they don’t take to the streets and we by far have a longer tradition. In South Africa, Indian minorities invented the passive resistance famously participated and later led by Gandhi. Today, they live peacefully in many African countries.

    What is most scary about all this? What has happened is historical in Malaysia because there have never been a minority group rally before but these so called leaders continue to have a mindset inherited AND further perversed. They exhort others to break new grounds and challenges but themselves stuck with the mentality of ‘getting away with it’ – something their forefathers never intended it to be.

  28. YB Lim,

    If what Devamaney had said in parliament, as reported, is true, I take back my earlier comment about him. However I am a little cautious too, remembering what Sothi used to do before. So, i’ll just wait and see.

  30. If a rock was the Al Jazeera interview and the hard place was what Devamany said in Parliament, then Devamany is better off sticking to his latter position stated in Parliament.

    For true or otherwise, Devamany already clarified that “Al Jazeera did not allow me to finish my interview” and he was speaking on a mistaken impression initially conveyed to him that the “crowd was unruly and violent”. As to what he said Parliament he could not twist out of that because it would have been recorded in the Hansard.

    Nazri’s criticisms of Devamany’s remarks are based on the concept of the Whip – ie party discipline imposed on government MPs to follow the party line and not speak against his party or the government in which that party is part of and represented.

    Devamany is likely aware of possible repercussions and has made the calculations.

    His role model could be Teluk Kemang MP Sothinathan who questioned the government’s to de-recognise medical degrees from Crimea State Medical University in which the majority of Malaysian students were Malaysian Indians and was suspended for 3 months.

    Once in a while it is calculated expedience to score some political points to show that one is willing – unlike the other political enunchs – to fight or speak up for the legitimate grievances of the community one represents and not just enjoy the patronage of the position.

    Why, Sothinathan’s offence against Party Discipline was even graver for he was not just an MP as Devamany is but a Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment speaking against the government of which he is a minister.

    Today, after the suspension, all is forgotten as long as he “balances” his rhetoric with, for example, challenges to Female Opposition member for a fist-fight to the amusement of his coalition’s comrades! :)

    It is a question of how one balances or juggle between commitment to BN’s interest on one hand and a charade of one’s community’s interest on the other – that is the real rock and the hard place – how to make occasional snippets against the hand that feeds you but just so to remind and prove to one’s constituency one’s representativeness of its interest whilst all the while acting this out to serve the ultimate end of shoring up BN’s pretensions in being a multiracial power sharing coalition taking care of all races upon which its acclaimed political legitimacy reposes!

    Devamany has also calculated that when any motion is raised by his coalition cohorts to discipline him in Parliament, he can depend on he who criticized him for being a hypocrite earlier would also find himself to be between a rock and a hard place of having, on principle, to defend and speak up for him, as he last did in Sothinathan’s case. :)

  32. If you had listened to the Al Jazeera interview, you would know that the interviewer kept saying the crowd was peaceful. Why use force on a peaceful crowd? That was the statement that the interviewer made.

    So whatever excuses Devamoney gives now, is just that. Excuses to cover his faus pax in distancing him from “that type of people”. All the best Devamoney and gang! You can lie all you want now. But what you have said is in the net for all to hear!

  33. Kantanboy,
    That Japanese media reported all facts and real figures that we all knew. Translation is not needed.

    This is a very silly world, a foreign journalist can make accurate accounts on the up-risings and yet our domestic “main-stream” media are reporting nothing but shits!

  34. Looks like from what DPM is saying, he wants to do what the Bush’s are doing. What Bush senior could not get done, Bush Jnr is doing. So what Tun Razak started, DPM is completing. After weakening the Chinese in 1969, DPM wants to do a Bush and finish off the Indians!

    These are the types of politicians we have now!

  35. lakshy wrote: “Taken from Harakah. In order to get rid of the Tunku politically, some criminal elements and over ambitious leaders in Umno orchestrated the bloody May 13 Massacre which killed a few hundred Malaysians, maimed a few hundred more other Malaysians, burned down a few hundred shophouses and homes and looted some of them and burned scores of cars and other vehicles. All crimes against humanity.”

    So, will history repeat itself, i.e., another bloody event, if current over ambitious leaders in Umno wish to get rid of AAB and his SIL?

  36. Kantanboy,
    Translation is not needed at all. That Japanese media reported all real facts and real figures which we all aledi knew.

    It is a big shame and silly that a Japanese journalist can make accurate accounts to the up-risings and yet our so-called main-stream media were just reporting sh*ts.

  40. MP JASIN SAID:
    Other backbenchers also raised the issue of the rally, including Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (BN-Jasin).

    Mohd Said said the Malays were not making a big fuss when it was reported that Chinese and Indians were among the richest in the country.

    “We don’t demonstrate over the lack of Malays in the list of richest people in Malaysia.”

    If you have severe difficulties putting food on the table, what does it matter if one of your own race is Ananada Krishnan or Lim Kok Thay?? Mohd Said is sick in the head.

  41. madmix, you’re right!

    who care abt the riches; if everyone have a proper meal, job and fair treatment in the country..!

    Furthermore he’s working for the RAKYAT not for the rich..! Can anyone ask this [deleted] to shut up…

  43. What happened to Cyclops case by the way ah? Close one eye, got no case ah? All the requesting customs to close one eye and then kicking up a fuss because he did not get the seized Mercedes Benz of his choice so that he had a personal vendetta against the Customs dept?

    Semua sudah settle ya? Baik lah. We see what happens in the next election. You nak lari mana YB Cyclops?

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