The Home Minister is creating trouble again

Mahathir Mohammed has openly said that Samy Veloo has never addressed the plight of the Indians, Samy Veloo represents the MIC in Government, Samy Veloo himself prior to the elections, after an election rally said that he had no power in asking the Government to set free those detained for HINDRAF activities, and this Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar is reported in the New Straits Times this morning as saying "HINDRAF supporters should have emulated MIC president Datuk Seri Samy Veloo who met him several times to seek the release of HINDRAF leaders." He is quoted as having said, "he asked me on several occasions if there was any way to speed up their release." A clear indication that Samy Veloo can do nothing about it.

The Prime Minister's message was one of forgiveness, the HINDRAF have openly stated that their attendance was not to cause any disturbance but to join in the celebrations and they took the opportunity to make a plea for the release of their five leaders detained under the ISA, and according to R.S. Thanenthairan they....."visited the Raya open house in the spirit of forgiving and forgetting in wishing our Prime Minister Selamat Hari Raya." Is making representations to the Prime Minister wrong?

The Minsiter has also said that there "are other avenues," to address such issues, and other ways to send their message. I hope he is not referring to Samy Velu, because it is not only the Indian community who have given up on Samy Velu, almost the whole of Malaysia have given up on him, with all the things said about him by Mahathir Mohammed and Khir Toyo, both Barisan leaders what can one expect from his leadership?

I would like to ask Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar if that action by the group constituted and insult to Islam as he is quoted as having said.

The group decided to come to the open house after the the Prime Minister's principal private secretary had invited the 5 year old daughter of HINDRAF leader in exile P. Waythamoorthy to the open house.

Thanenthiran said, "Datuk Ahmad Yaacob received Vwaishnnavi's request letter and invited her to the open house" I only hope the the home minister was not under the impression that she was there so that the Prime Minister could take the place of her father, I know for sure that even the Prime Minister did not accept to look at it that way.

What is most disturbing is the way the Home Minister seems to have interpreted the whole issue and claimed as reported in the NST that the "Group's boldness at the function also constituted and insult to Islam."

This seems to be his usual line these days, it was used for RPK first and now for this HINDRAF group who went to the Prime Minister's house in the spirit of "forgiving and forgetting" which also echoed the prime Minister's Hari Raya message of forgiveness.

Instead of having used the occasion to build bridges here, there seems to be a deliberate negative reaction from the Minister to create a divide, something this brand of UMNO policitcians have excelled in especially towards the UMNO general Assembly.

The Home Minister had better look into a little of history and ask all local groups not to refer to his late father who was a simple medicine man from Celebes, as "The Lion of UMNO" for referring to a man as a beast is indeed very un-Islamic to say the least.

I can understand that he is proud of that title given to his father, but then when he lends such absurd and narrow minded interpretations one would think that is the way he should respond. What is even more perplexing is that he is a qualified lawyer and this seems to be coming from him.