It would have been so easy to uplift the spirits of the entire nation - and particularly the Indian community - just by releasing the Hindraf 5 in time for them to celebrate Deepavali with their families.
Indeed, if I were a prime minister on the way out, I would have seen this as a perfect opportunity to redeem my lacklustre track record in office with a spectacular gesture of clemency, goodwill and reconciliation.
I would have repealed the ISA, freed all the detainees, and denied the Pakatan Rakyat the pleasure of doing so when they take over the government - as must surely happen, sooner or later (when enough BN politicians succeed in sprouting some gonads). Instead, we get THIS ungracious small-minded act of unmitigated malice...
UTHAYA'S NIECE, 11 OTHERS HELD
Andrew Ong | Oct 23, 08 6:08pm | Malaysiakini
The six-year-old niece of detained Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar was arrested with 11 others when they attempted to submit a letter at the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya today.
P. Vwaishhnnavi (
right) is the daughter of Hindraf chairperson P. Waythamoorthy who is currently in self-imposed exile in London. Her mother K. Shanti was among those arrested.
Police Watch Malaysia coordinator S. Jayathas, who was also held, claimed that they had been told that they were part of an illegal assembly for having gathered near the entrance of the building.
“We were trying to obtain permission from the security guards for Vwaishhnnavi to submit her letter. They said that we were from Hindraf, but we insisted that we were 'concerned Indians' who were accompanying Vwaishnnavi,” Jayathas said when contacted.
They are currently at the Putrajaya district police headquarters, but police chief Abdul Razak Abd Majid declined comment when contacted.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman confirmed the arrest of eight men and three women during the incident. He clarified that Vwaishhnnavi has not been arrested and is in her mother’s care.
He also said the 11 are being investigated under the Societies Act. (The Home Ministry had imposed a ban on Hindraf on Oct 15, declaring it an illegal grouping.)
I call upon the joyous spirit of Deepavali and Makkal Sakthi to permeate the dense minds in Umno, so that even the most debased and debauched amongst them may see the light and achieve their own redemption.
May these benighted bodoh sombong (arrogantly stupid) souls find the inner strength to transcend their own genetic and cultural limitations - and finally emerge from beneath their hereditary tempurungs (coconut shells) into an exciting new world of infinite possibilities.
A world where we can proudly proclaim our Bangsa (race) as Manusia (human) first and foremost; and then as Malaysians of diverse and many-splendored ancestries.
I tip my cap to the unknown Photoshop wizard who created these hilarious images. They are works of art indeed, and perfectly capture the playful and festive spirit of Deepavali - as all true souls would wish it to be!
