Protest staged against Waytha for suing press
K PragalathPublished: Jan 9, 2010 8:40 AM | Updated: Jan 9, 2010 9:00 AM
In an unusual and unprecedented move a group of people held a protest today against a controversial figure for filing a defamation suit against the Tamil press and two websites including Malaysiakini .
In an unusual and unprecedented move a group of people held a protest today against a controversial figure for filing a defamation suit against the Tamil press and two websites including Malaysiakini.
They had gathered at a car park in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam to show their displeasure at self proclaimed Hindraf chair person, P Waythamoorthy for his action which they claim goes against the interests of the community.
They were also upset that he did not take into consideration the press's contribution in turning Hindraf into a force to be reckoned with, so much so that the government had to ban it.
The 10-minute protest by 25 people began at 11 am
It was organised by supporters of theTamil press - M Manimaran, A Prakash Rao and T Raja Reddy who are also PKR members.
Suit amounts to sodomising press freedom
"It was the Tamil press and Malaysiakini that were at the fore front in introducing Hindraf to the rest of the world. How can you sue them?" said Manimaran, 39, citing the reason for the event.
Prakash Rao described the Tamil press as an institution dear to the Indian Malaysian community.
"Why the about turn now?"
Police were conspicuous by their absence at the scene as the group held a banner condemning Waythamoorthy (left) and his brother P Uthayakumar.
Ex-Hindraf activists and former ISA detainees K Vasanthakumar and V Ganabatirao were also there to lend support.
"Why are you sodomising press freedom?" Vasanthakumar threw the question at Waythamoorthy (left) when asked for comments.
He had filed a suit last month against Hindraf activists, Vansanthakumar, Ganabatirao and DAP duo, Sungkai assembly person A Sivanesan and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, P Ramasamy.
The organisations facing suits include - Tamil Nesan, Malaysia Nanban and Makkal Osai, English dailies and news web portals.
The articles questioned Waythamoorthy's sincerity and asked him account for an alleged RM700,000 collected for the Hindraf cause.
The articles included a Malaysiakini interview with Ganabatirao entitled, Hindraf: Where's the money, buddy? and one in which Sivanesan asked Waythamoorthy to account for a purported sum of RM700,000 of Hindraf funds.
Meanwhile V Ganabatirao questioned Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's double standards in the treatment of protestors in yesterday's demonstrations over the controversy in the usage of the Allah word and previous demonstrations.
"Why do you say you can't take action against the demonstrators in the mosque when the police can throw tear gas at Hindraf demonstrators at Batu Caves as well as at Masjid Jamek during the Bersih rally?"
SEE VIDEO HERE
They had gathered at a car park in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam to show their displeasure at self proclaimed Hindraf chair person, P Waythamoorthy for his action which they claim goes against the interests of the community.
They were also upset that he did not take into consideration the press's contribution in turning Hindraf into a force to be reckoned with, so much so that the government had to ban it.
The 10-minute protest by 25 people began at 11 am
It was organised by supporters of theTamil press - M Manimaran, A Prakash Rao and T Raja Reddy who are also PKR members.
Suit amounts to sodomising press freedom
"It was the Tamil press and Malaysiakini that were at the fore front in introducing Hindraf to the rest of the world. How can you sue them?" said Manimaran, 39, citing the reason for the event.
Prakash Rao described the Tamil press as an institution dear to the Indian Malaysian community.
"Why the about turn now?"
Police were conspicuous by their absence at the scene as the group held a banner condemning Waythamoorthy (left) and his brother P Uthayakumar.Ex-Hindraf activists and former ISA detainees K Vasanthakumar and V Ganabatirao were also there to lend support.
"Why are you sodomising press freedom?" Vasanthakumar threw the question at Waythamoorthy (left) when asked for comments.
He had filed a suit last month against Hindraf activists, Vansanthakumar, Ganabatirao and DAP duo, Sungkai assembly person A Sivanesan and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, P Ramasamy.
The organisations facing suits include - Tamil Nesan, Malaysia Nanban and Makkal Osai, English dailies and news web portals.
The articles questioned Waythamoorthy's sincerity and asked him account for an alleged RM700,000 collected for the Hindraf cause.
The articles included a Malaysiakini interview with Ganabatirao entitled, Hindraf: Where's the money, buddy? and one in which Sivanesan asked Waythamoorthy to account for a purported sum of RM700,000 of Hindraf funds.
Meanwhile V Ganabatirao questioned Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's double standards in the treatment of protestors in yesterday's demonstrations over the controversy in the usage of the Allah word and previous demonstrations."Why do you say you can't take action against the demonstrators in the mosque when the police can throw tear gas at Hindraf demonstrators at Batu Caves as well as at Masjid Jamek during the Bersih rally?"
SEE VIDEO HERE
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