Malaysian INDIANS PROTEST

Thousands of Malaysian Indians protest to highlight plight

For the second time this month, Malaysian riot police fired tear gas and water canons to disperse thousands of protesters who took part in an illegal street rally in the capital on Sunday.

The rally, organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force to highlight their complaints of discrimination by the ruling government, ended with hundreds arrested.

In a rare protest by the one of the country's ethnic minorities, thousands of Malaysian Indians took to the streets of downtown Kuala Lumpur to demand equal rights.

Police had set up roadblocks across the city and obtained a court restraint order in an attempt to foil the rally.

Just the night before, more than 3,000 ethnic Indians from across the country gathered at a Hindu temple at Batu Caves outside the capital.

Many were arrested when they clashed with the police who fired tear gas in a bid to stop them from joining the rally.

At the protest outside the Petronas Twin Towers, police fired hundreds of rounds of tear gas and used water canons with chemical-laced water to disperse the crowd.

But the protesters, who did not have a permit for the rally, still tried to force their way through the police barricades to submit their petition to the British High Commission.

Many picked up the tear gas canisters and threw them back at the police.

M Kulasegaran, lawyer for Hindu Rights Action Force, said: "The time has come for a change and as you can see, thousands of people are not afraid of anybody."

One of the protesters cried: "Because we ask what are the Indian rights? I want to think about the next generation; I want to think about my son."

The protest was organised to highlight the economic woes of the minority ethnic Indians who represent 8 percent of the country's population.

The group Hindraf recently filed a multi-trillion-dollar class action against the British government whom they hold responsible for their decades of discrimination.

The mainstream political parties, meanwhile, have disassociated themselves from the rally, saying that the illegal gathering is an opposition ploy to smear the government's image ahead of the country's general elections.

Just two weeks ago, tens of thousands of Malaysians took to the streets to protest for a free and fair election.

The Malaysian government has warned that it will not hesitate to invoke the country's strict security laws that allow detentions without trial on those involved, simply because while Malaysia practises democracy, taking to the streets is simply not the Malaysian way of life.

The dark force is strong there!

My Ah Neh Friend

FORMER senior Cabinet minister S. Dhanabalan was presented with the nation's highest honour last night for his contributions to the country.

The Temasek Holdings chairman received the Order of Temasek (Second Class) from President S R Nathan at the Suntec City Ballroom.

Mr Dhanabalan, a long-time civil servant, politician and corporate leader, played a significant role in Singapore's development.

He was part of the team that started the Economic Development Board in 1961 to attract investments to Singapore and to create jobs.

From 1968 to 1978, he helped establish the Development Bank of Singapore - now DBS Bank - and played a pivotal role in its transformation into a full service international bank.

He entered politics in 1976, and from 1978 to 1994, held the Foreign Affairs, Culture, Community Development, National Development, and Trade and Industry portfolios.

Previous recipients of the Order of Temasek (First Class) include former president Wee Kim Wee, former chief justice Yong Pung How, and former ministers Lim Kim San, Hon Sui Sen, Goh Keng Swee and S. Rajaratnam.

The next three highest honours this year went to recipients of the Distinguished Service Order.

They are: Lee Foundation chairman Lee Seng Gee; Keppel Corporation executive chairman Lim Chee Onn and Neptune Orient Lines chairman Cheng Wai Keung.

Seven others received the Meritorious Service Medal. They included National Kidney Foundation chairman Gerard Ee; head of the Civil Service Peter Ho; and Lieutenant-General (NS) Ng Yat Chung, the former Chief of Defence Force.

They were among about 350 recipients of the National Day Awards who were honoured last night.

CPA U KNOW?

Council of Presidential Advisers...

They are Mr Po'ad Bin Shaik Abu Bakar Mattar, Mr S Dhanabalan, Dr Cheong Siew Keong, Mr J Y Pillay, Mr Yong Pung How and Prof Cham Tao Soon.

Old but powerful people.