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Royal Commission of Inquiry on immigrants in Sabah
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28 August 2018
PETALING JAYA: Klang MP Charles Santiago today joined the chorus of criticism against the home ministry’s calculations of stateless Indians in the country, urging it to retract its statement on the matter until a proper consensus can be reached.
“Just because 3,853 cases of stateless Indians were recorded doesn’t mean that’s the final figure,” he said, adding that his office alone had recorded hundreds of applications from stateless Indians over a few weeks this year.
In a statement, he said Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman who had quoted the number in the Dewan Negara yesterday must understand that there were many Indians who were reluctant to submit applications for fear of imprisonment, or who needed help filling up the forms.
Many had also given up as the documentation process for citizenship was tedious and could take years, he added.
“The figure only states the number of applications made. It omits the number of applications pending in the National Registration Department (NRD), the number of rejected applications and further, the real number of statelessness on the ground.”
Prior to the May 9 general election, several Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders had said there were 300,000 stateless Indians in the country.
However, Azis told the Dewan Negara yesterday that there were only 3,853 stateless Indians in Malaysia based on the number of applications received by the ministry.
He was replying to MIC senator T Mohan, who had asked for the actual number of Indians in Malaysia who did not have identification papers.
Former prime minister Najib Razak subsequently accused PH leaders of lying about the number of stateless Indians, saying the figure given by Azis tallied with the number provided by the previous Barisan Nasional administration.
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14 August 2018
Dr Mahathir’s Master stroke!
KUALA LUMPUR: Permanent residents aged 60 years and above who have applied for full citizenship will be granted this soon, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced today.
He said this was agreed at a meeting last night with Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders and the Indian community, and concerned 3,407 stateless Indians.
“The red IC is a permanent residency card. If they are already 60 and above, they can go to the National Registration Department (NRD), fill in the necessary forms to change their red IC to blue.
“This is what we promised in the (election) manifesto. We had already decided earlier, but the process to issue the blue MyKad takes time.
“We will fulfil our promise to red IC holders and those 60 and above,” he said at a press conference after chairing a meeting on the management of foreign workers in the country in Parliament.
Also present were Human Resource Minister M Kulasegaran and Deputy Rural Development Minister R Sivarasa.
As for those below 60, Mahathir said if there was a basis, such as one of the parents being Malaysian, they would have the right to become citizens.
“There are certain conditions required for those who want to apply to be citizens, and they need to abide by these. If they follow them, they can become citizens.
“A simple Bahasa Melayu test will also be held. If they pass, we can accept them as citizens.
“Other conditions include residing in the country for 12 years. That is the provision of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
…
SAME OLD, SAME OLD
Since 2009, Prime Minister Najib and MIC have addressed this stateless issue.
April 2017: Najib: We’ll resolve stateless Indian issue.
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26 June 2017
..
aruna Retweeted Sabah Maju Jaya
Subramaniam shd now disclose the actual and truthful number of Indians in Malaysia without citizenship if he has the figures. Bring it out.
aruna added,
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28 May 2017
28/5- MIC Subang Division takes serious effort to settle stateless issue faced by Indian community
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In rolling out the aspiration of Malaysian Indian Blue Print launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, MIC Subang division and Pertubuhan Unik Malaysia have launched the ‘Mega MyDaftar’ campaign.
‘Mega MyDaftar’ campaign is an initiative unleashed by MIC President Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam to identify and settle Malaysian Indians facing birth certificate and IC issues in this country.
Under the Special Implementation Task Force (SITF), MIC had kicked off its nationwide initiative to settle issues pertaining to IC and Birth certificates.
Speaking to Asia News Today, Pertubuhan Unik Malaysia chairman and its Subang parliamentary Indian Strategic director A Prakash Rao had welcomed the sincere effort aspired by the government to settle the remaining stateless issues faced by the Indian community in the country.
Calling the initiative as a genuine and moving forward effort, Prakash told ANT that they will do all the necessary measures to identify Indians in Subang parliamentary facing the stateless issue.
Prakash also revealed that they have called Tamil school headmasters, local NGO leaders, Temple chairmen to work together in a way to identify the number of remaining Indians facing stateless issues in Subang parliamentary area.
“Since 2009, Prime Minister Najib and MIC have addressed this stateless issue.
“As such with the remaining stateless cases, we will go all out to settle the remaining cases,” said Prakash.
Prakash added some cases were pending for a long time due to lack of documentation.
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23 April 2017
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Najib: We’ll resolve stateless Indian issue
Prime minister says 20,000 to 25,000 Indians born before 1957 had not been granted citizenship.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Razak today said Putrajaya is determined to resolve citizenship issues facing local Indians via a blueprint for the community but said it will require a “little bit more time”.
The prime minister said while a majority of such cases had been sorted out, a joint initiative by the MIC and a home ministry task force will see to the remaining cases.
According to the blueprint, which was launched earlier today, a special approval system under the ministry will be set up to help Indians born before 1957 gain citizenship.
“We can’t deny them the right to citizenship as we promised them.”
Najib went on to reveal that between 20,000 and 25,000 Indians born before 1957 had not been granted citizenship.
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malaysiakini.comVerified account @malaysiakini 1 hour ago
#Columns Maza puts the spotlight on the forgotten Indian
COMMENT | Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but when a supposedly learned religious man makes an ‘incorrect’ analysis of another faith, the damage he causes is worse than if the remarks had come from an ignorant oaf.
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Whilst Maza’s reputation soared, that of other muftis plummeted. The respect Maza enjoyed ended when he published his poem on Facebook last week. He allegedly claimed the Hindus worshipped cows and practised ‘suttee’.
Maza exposed his poor understanding of Hinduism and its practices. Hindus do not worship cows and suttee has been outlawed for almost two centuries. We cannot say the same about some ‘Muslim’ practices, like female genital mutilation.
Maza’s back-pedalling did not help him. First he said that his poem was directed at Narendra Modi, the nationalist prime minister of India. That simply exacerbated the problem, so he said that Malaysian Hindus should ignore his remarks, because they did not apply to them.
He also alluded to “our preacher” being handed over to a tyrannical government. Was he referring to Zakir Naik, the controversial Muslim preacher who is purportedly seeking refuge in Malaysia to escape two arrest warrants issued by the Indian authorities? Why does Maza harbour a soft spot for Zakir, who seemingly likes to stoke religious fires amongst Malaysians?
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In 2000, TimeAsia reported that Indians had the lowest share of the nation’s corporate wealth – 1.5 percent compared to 19.4 percent for the Malays and 38.5 percent for the Chinese.
In 2003, The Economist reported that Indian Malaysians comprised “14 percent of juvenile delinquents, 20 percent of wife and child abusers, 14 percent of its beggars, and that under 5 percent of successful university applicants were Indian.”
In 2011, the erstwhile MIC deputy president, Dr S Subramaniam, claimed that Indians were ashamed of their community, were looked down upon by the other races, and that 45 percent of the country’s crimes involved Indians.
The Indians are viewed as an afterthought, because if Chinese or Malay communities were treated as badly, there would have been a severe backlash; but with Indians, the common response, is “Who cares? They are only Indians. Even their own politicians fail to promote their cause.”
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Zakir Naik was granted permanent resident (PR) status, but many Indians remain stateless, and do not have birth certificates or identity cards. The Indians form the highest percentage of deaths, whilst in police custody. The poorest Indians survive on a ‘hand to mouth’ existence.
Ironically, Maza’s faux pas has highlighted the plight of Indian Malaysians/Hindus. Will he help make Malaysians understand that we cannot alienate the Indians? Issues which affect the Indian community are not solely an Indian problem; they are a Malaysian problem.
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/380132?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
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21 April 2017
SOME 300,000 Indians who have lived here since Merdeka still do not have identity cards.
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/1892/
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2003
Malaysiakini
| 9:29AM Jan 24, 2013 |
The setting up of a special committee can overcome the issues of citizenship, red identity cards, birth certificates and identification documents faced by the Indian community.
MIC Youth has proposed that the committee be set up under the Home Ministry and represented by government agencies, political parties, non-government organisations and knowledgeable individuals.
MIC Youth secretary C Sivarraajh said the move would surely help overcome the issue of documentations of the Indian community.
“We estimate 20,000 Indians are still facing the problem, namely, 5,000 people have red identity cards and the rest are without birth certificates or identity cards.
“So, the setting up of the committee will enable us to work as a team to find the best solution. MIC Youth is prepared to work hand-in-hand to find a solution to the issue,” he told reporters before handing a memorandum to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in Putrajaya, yesterday.
Bernama
MIC: Special committee can resolve stateless Indian woes
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30 Jan 2017
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theSun @theSundaily 50 minutes ago
Father pleads to NRD for stateless children to be declared citizens
Last updated on 30 January 2017 – 03:37pm
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Latheefa Koya of the NGO Lawyers for Liberty said the police had threatened to arrest them.
Malaysiakini
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A commotion erupted at the Penang National Registration Department (NRD) when police tried to prevent protesters holding red identity cards (IC) from entering the premises.
About 30 red IC holders, their families and several assembly persons from Pakatan Rakyat gathered at Larut Road earlier in the morning before marching to the NRD office on Anson Road.
The group, led by PKR vice-president N Surendran, included senior citizens and children who were not issued blue ICs by the NRD.
When they arrived at their destination, a commotion erupted when the police tried to prevent them from entering the building.
“This is unlawful and illegal,” said Surendran.One protester, shouted “the police are sabotaging u
Commotion erupts at Penang stateless protest
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Sundaily
Protesters cause commotion trying to barge into NRD office
GEORGE TOWN (Jan 31, 2013): About 100 Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members caused a commotion today when they attempted to barge into the federal government department complex at Bangunan Persekutuan to stage a sit-down protest.
The group, led by PKR vice-president N. Surendran, had marched for about 400 metres from Jalan Larut to the complex in Jalan Anson at about 10 am and rammed a police barricade on the pretext of wanting to conduct their business en masse.
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The group was later allowed to enter the NRD office where a special counter was opened for them. State NRD assistant director Noorhazlina Ishak, who attended to them, however, declined comment. – Bernama
Protesters cause commotion trying to barge into NRD office
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The NRD is responsible for ensuring all bona fide Malaysians are registered and issued with corresponding identity documents.
“Instead of recognising these people of Indian origin – born and bred in Malaysia – they chose instead to perpetuate their statelessness by discriminating against them and placing an unrealistic burden of proof on them to “prove” their citizenship,” he claimed.
Free Malaysia Today
Najib responsible for stateless Indians’
Lawyers’ group accuses Najib and NRD of failing to protect stateless Indian claimants.
PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) have accused Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and the National Registration Department (NRD) of failing to protect stateless Indians in the country.
In a press statement yesterday, LFL co-founder and adviser, Eric Paulsen, said Najib was ultimately responsible for the problem as the NRD is a department under the Home Ministry and implements policies decided by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet.
He dismissed Special Implementation Taskforce (SITF) chairman N Siva Subramaniam’s statement yesterday which suggested Najib and the NRD were doing a good job in addressing the problem while blaming the Home Ministry and, to a lesser extent, individuals affected.
“We are therefore at a loss as to how he [Siva] can praise the Prime Minister when he is ultimately responsible for the citizenship policies and practices in the country,” he said.
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Malaysiakini
| 9:29AM Jan 24, 2013 |
The setting up of a special committee can overcome the issues of citizenship, red identity cards, birth certificates and identification documents faced by the Indian community.
MIC Youth has proposed that the committee be set up under the Home Ministry and represented by government agencies, political parties, non-government organisations and knowledgeable individuals.
MIC Youth secretary C Sivarraajh said the move would surely help overcome the issue of documentations of the Indian community.
“We estimate 20,000 Indians are still facing the problem, namely, 5,000 people have red identity cards and the rest are without birth certificates or identity cards.
“So, the setting up of the committee will enable us to work as a team to find the best solution. MIC Youth is prepared to work hand-in-hand to find a solution to the issue,” he told reporters before handing a memorandum to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in Putrajaya, yesterday.
Bernama
MIC: Special committee can resolve stateless Indian woes
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Free Malaysia Today
Stateless persons and Umno’s denial syndromme
The government does not categorise them. To categorise them will mean to expose the problem and that means trouble.
N Ganesan
There is an extremely large number of Malaysian who were born here, lived here and who would die here, but who had been thought fit not to be considered citizens of the country, in direct contravention of their natural right.
They are instead awarded “Red IC” status. These people are the politically maimed people of Malaysia. They carry with them this disability wherever they go and for as long as they live in Malaysia. There could be several hundred thousands of such politically maimed people in the country.
And as a way to obscure the problem, the government just does not categorise them. To categorise them would mean to expose the problem and that means trouble. It is a non-starter. In not categorising these people as stateless, the Umno/BN government is saying that these people are not stateless. If they are not stateless then why are they not given their citizenships when they meet all justifiable requirements.
Free Malaysia Today
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“Proham recognises that a single common denominator among the undocumented people is poverty and being in a situation of being disadvantaged and ignorant of public policies and requirements, including their difficulties to access public sector services.”
Free Malaysia Today
NGO calls for panel to tackle stateless woes
Proham suggests that an independent board be set up before the general election.
PETALING JAYA: A human rights organisation has urged the government to establish an independent panel to help stateless people acquire proper documentation.
“This must be a priority,” said the Association for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) in a media statement today. It suggested that the panel be set up before the 13th general election.
The statement also said the panel must include representatives of federal agencies and civil society organisations that are working on documentation concerns and must “review all current laws, procedures and forms used to ensure all these are consistent with the Federal Constitution and human rights.”
It suggested that the panel review the role of the National Registration Department (NRD) “to ensure it reflects the PM’s 1Malaysia and People First agenda.”
“The issue of documentation is not an ethnic issue which is peculiar to one community, but a national concern requiring urgent attention by the federal government,” the statement said.
NGO calls for panel to tackle stateless woes
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MIC Gangsters @ Stateless Malaysian Protest
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Malaysiakini
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1 Born in 1946 in Taiping, M Gnanapregasam, is frustrated that his six attempts at gaining citizenship were all rejected by the National Registration Department (NRD), saying he could not pass “Perkara 16”. He can only work as a security guard.
However, he said , he was not given any clarification as to what “Perkara 16” was all about.
2 Even Rajiv, who was born in 1987, did not get any relief in his efforts to get a MyKad either. Rajiv, who came from Johor to Putrajaya yesterday, told Malaysiakini that the NRD had rejected his applications five times as his birth certificate does not carry the names of his parents. He could not sit for public examinations and has lost out on job opportunities.
3 For R Rajakumari, 50, the lack of a MyKad means living in constant fear of the police. She applied twice for her MyKad but was rejected for failing to produce her deceased parents’ marriage certificate. “I cannot even have children because my own marriage cannot be registered,” the Klang-born Rajakumari told Malaysiakini.
Unending, inexplicable agony of the stateless
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Free Malaysia Today
Stop belittling sufferings of stateless Malaysians
Instead of taking steps to resolve the problem, the BN leaders are childishly asking Pakatan to produce the 300,000 stateless Indians, says Surendran.
By N Surendran
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in his statement on Dec 12 has given proof that the Barisan Nasional government is turning “stateless” Malaysian citizens into non-citizens.
This is an extremely dangerous, unlawful and serious action by the Home Ministry.
Hishammuddin claimed that yesterday the National Registration Department (NRD) in Putrajaya received 308 applications, out of which 280 were for permanent resident status.
This is a blatant and irresponsible lie.
The 308 Malaysian Indians at Putrajaya NRD yesterday filled up applications for the issuance of blue MyKads. They did not fill up any applications for permanent residency.
The applicants were all Indians born in this country and either of whose parents were Malaysian citizens.
Thus under Article 14 of the Federal Constitution, this makes them Malaysian citizens by operation of law. The government has thus unlawfully denied blue MyKads to them.
Why has Hishammuddin branded these persons who are already citizens by operation of law as permanent residents?
In fact, during the Pakatan Rakyat organised rally yesterday, about 500 stateless Indians were present at Putrajaya NRD, accompanied by about 1,000 supporters.
Although advance notice was given, the NRD was unable to properly cater for the large numbers and only 308 managed to put in their applications.
Stop belittling sufferings of stateless Malaysians
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Free Malaysia Today
You’re a liar, MIC Youth tells Chua
According to MIC Youth chief T Mohan, it was the PKR vice-president who intimidated ‘one of my boys’.
PETALING JAYA: MIC Youth chief T Mohan has accused PKR vice-president Chua Jui Meng of spinning a yarn, claiming that it is the latter who tried to initimidate “one of my boys”.
He also challenged Chua to lodge a police report soon on the claim that he was manhandled yesterday by some 50 MIC members outside the National Registraion Department (NRD) director-general’s office in Putrajaya.
The MIC Youth leader claimed that the incident happened when one of his Youth members questioned what Chua had done to help the stateless Indians when he was a minister in the 90s.
You’re a liar, MIC Youth tells Chua
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WEDNESDAY, 12 DECEMBER 2012
Read also:
Hundreds turn up for ‘stateless Indians’ prot…
SMS invites Indian nationals to Putrajaya rally
BREAKING NEWS from Malaysiakini:
Protestors rally in Putrajaya against statelessness
UPDATE:
At 12.45pm, the leaders, comprising Surendran, Sivarasa and M Manogaran, walked out of the NRD building after nearly two hours of negotiation with NRD director-general Jariah Mohd Said.
Surendran announced that NRD agreed to set up the counters to process the applications of those stateless, but stressed that the NRD should give them late application forms instead of citizenship forms.
“All of us here are born in Malaysia, we are Malaysian citizen, by right we should get the IC application form” he said while addressing the crowd, which has since swelled to some 500-strong.
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There were three counters set up in front of NRD headquarters to assist the people to apply for MyKad.
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Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Chua Jui Ming claimed that he was pushed by several MIC youth members and leaders following the negotiation.
“Why MIC tried to stop us? They are the traitors of the Indians”.
He alleged MIC leaders pushed on his shoulder but he did not suffered any injury.
His claim was backed up by Surendran, who further alleged to reporters that he had recognised some of Chua’s assailants as MIC youth leaders and they were wearing shirts bearing the 1Malaysia logo.
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Some 300 people have gathered in Putrajaya, to march to the National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters to drive home the issue of statelessness resulting from the absence of personal identification documents.
The protestors, who have been arriving since 10am, began marching an hour later to the NRD from the area adjacent to the Palace of Justice.
The rally was organised by PKR.
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to rectify the problems leading to statelessness if Pakatan Rakyat forms the federal government.
Many protestors held up a mock red Mykad bearing the images of the premier and home minister respectively, to illustrate their claim that the government has failed them in their bid to obtain citizenship.
The protestors chanted slogans such as “Fight for rights” and “Fight for IC rights”.
PKR vice-president N Surendran (left), Kapar MP S Manikavasagam and Subang MP R Sivarasa delivered speeches before the rally began.
At the NRD office, a few PKR leaders were seen entering the building but some protestors were unhappy that more had not been allowed in.
A minor argument broke out between the protestors and police personnel, who had a strong presence in the vicinity of the building.
The dissatisfied protestors shouted “Buka pintu!” (Open the door), as Pakatan leaders tried to calm them and the police closed the door to the building.
[More to follow]
Protestors rally in Putrajaya against statelessness
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Malay Mail
Seven opposition members allowed into NRD
A PROTEST for the plight of stateless Indian was held today.
After a slight commotion at the gates of the National Registration Department headquarters, seven representatives from the Opposition have now been allowed into the building to discuss the registration of about 300 stateless people gathered outside the building.
PKR vice president N.Surendran is discussing the matter with NRD director general Datuk Jariah Said.
Seven opposition members allowed into NRD
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PKR has planned a sit-in rally for Wednesday, 12 December 2012, at the National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters in Putrajaya to urge the authorities to solve the issue of stateless Malaysians.
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Ethnic Indians comprise nearly eight per cent of the Malaysian population, yet an inability to obtain their proper documents has rendered generations stateless.
Official government estimates say 40,000 ethnic Indians, the descendants of Indians who arrived in Malaysia to work on plantations a century ago, do not have birth certificates or identity cards. Activists say that number is much higher.
Lacking basic documentation, many ethnic Indians do not have formal education and are unable to seek legal employment or cast a ballot.
The government recently launched a drive to register ethnic Indians, but for many, even proving the nation as their birthplace presents a difficult hurdle.
Al Jazeera’s Florence Looi reports from Kuala Lumpur.
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Free Malaysia Today
Planned rally not an opposition ploy, says Nurul
PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar believes the home minister is not trying to resolve the problems faced by stateless people.
PETALING JAYA: The planned rally tomorrow in Putrajaya to protest the plight of stateless Malaysian Indians is not a political tool of the opposition to instil hatred and incite racial conflicts, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said.
“It is disappointing that instead of resolving the issue, the Barisan Nasional once again falls back on the racial bogey,” she said in a press statement today.
Nuzul, who is Lembah Pantai MP, was rebutting Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s allegation that the planned rally was a mere political ploy of the opposition.
Planned rally not an opposition ploy, says Nurul
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Free Malaysia Today
Stop hoodwinking the Indian community
Sweet words and false promises will further alienate Indians, says Charles Santiago.
By Charles Santiago
Sometimes numbers do not matter. What’s shocking is the fact that Indians are stateless in their own homeland.
So let’s not fight about whether there are 9,000 Indians with no documents or 300,000.
And since Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has admitted, by default I must say, that there are thousands of stateless Indians, he must mobilise a special team to ensure they are registered immediately. Making promises to look into the problem cannot be accepted anymore.
And this is more so when Indonesians hold Malaysian papers and are able to obtain them easily.
Indians came to this country a century ago to work the tin mines and rubber plantations and have contributed greatly to the building of Malaysia.
They were instrumental in the clearing of land for infrastructure, established rubber plantations, built the roads, set up transmission lines as well as managed early Malayan railways, ports and airports.
But fast-forward to 2012 and thousands of Indians would go to the streets of Putrajaya on Wednesday to demand the government recognises their inherent rights as citizens of this country.
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Despite most Indians being here three of four generations, they are now emerging as the new underclass with relatively high levels of hardcore poverty as a large section of Malaysian Indians sharing less than 1.6% of the country’s wealth.
And that too after making this country their home since the 19th century.
Therefore Najib shouldn’t be offering false promises of citizenships to the Indians. He must instead walk the talk as it is the only fair thing to do.
Charles Santiago is DAP’s MP for Klang.
Stop hoodwinking the Indian community
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Free Malaysia Today
Getting to the core of stateless issue
The government should set up a Committee for Citizenship Registration to address the issues of stateless citizens, says Kua Kia Soong.
By Kua Kia Soong
As we well know, the politics of statelessness is tied to the politics of race in this country. It is unacceptable that the bugbear that was thrown into the Independence struggle to put the anti-colonial forces on the defensive – viz. who are the ‘pribumi’ (indigenous people) and who are the ‘pendatang’ (immigrants) and therefore not qualified for citizenship – continues to determine the political agenda in 2012.
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Race has played a key role in Umno’s policy to reduce the number of non-Muslim voters and at the same time increase Muslim voters in order to maintain “Malay dominance”.
East Malaysian leaders have alleged that ‘Project M’ was implemented to ensure Filipino Muslims and Pakistanis were granted citizenship’s in large numbers to dilute the non-Malay majority of Sabah.
In west Malaysia, Indonesians have for years been obtaining citizenship with relative ease compared with many non-Malays who were born in Malaysia.
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The right to a nationality
Every person has the right to a nationality. Yet statelessness continues to be a fundamental cause of discrimination, exploitation, and even forced displacement.
The stateless have no legal protection or the right to participate in political process; poor employment prospects and poverty; little opportunity to own property; travel restrictions, and inadequate access to healthcare and education.
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t is time for Malaysia to take the plight of the stateless seriously instead of treating them like a political football to score a few at a time during elections.
Kua Kia Soong is human rights watchdog Suaram’s adviser.
Getting to the core of stateless issue
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Malaysiakini
Crack down on December rally for stateless Indians’
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PKR vice-president N Surendran has claimed that his questioning by police today is a crackdown before next week’s sit-in rally at the National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters in Putrajaya to urge the authorities to solve the issue of stateless Malaysians.
Surendran said that he was called up for the speech he made in Brickfields on Nov 24, regarding stateless Indians and their rights to have MyKad and birth certificates.
“We believe the authorities are trying to put pressure, harass and intimidate us in order to halt the mass rally.
“That mass rally is an attempt to get justice for the hundreds of thousands stateless Malaysians in this country; not just Indians in West Malaysia but also East Malaysians who are affected by this,” he said.
He was accompanied by his lawyer and former bar council president S Ambiga and PKR legal affairs director Latheefa Koya at the Travers police station today.
‘Crack down on December rally for stateless Indians’
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Malaysia Chronicle
Monday, 03 December 2012 14:29
Surendran hauled up by police ahead of stateless Malaysian Indians protest on Dec 12
Written by Stan Lee, Malaysia Chronicle
Police have summoned PKR vice president N Surendran for questioning after he brought to public attention the plight of stateless Indians despite having lived in Malaysia for decades.
“This is a police crackdown on PKR’s mass rally for stateless Malaysians planned for December 12 in Putrajaya. They are also investigating me for the march at Brickfields by stateless Indians that took place on November 24,” Surendran told Malaysia Chronicle.
His lawyers, PKR legal affairs director Latheefa Koya and former Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan, were also present at the IPD at Jalan Travers.
Indeed, with the general election just months away, the votes of the minorities, especially the Indians, have become “very sensitive” to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s BN coalition which may lose its stranglehold on power if it continues to fail to stem the flight of votes.
Hence, “heavy handed” interference by the police has been expected but Surendran warns such tactics will only backfire and convince the community to vote for change.
Red IC despite being born in Malaysia!
Surendran and his Pakata Rakyat coalition have claimed there are at least 300,000 Malaysian Indians who have been cut out of the nation’s economic, social and educational systems due to “systemic neglect” by the BN federal government and its refusal to issue proper papers and citizenship documents to this group of people.
“These are people living in limbo and its a horrible thing to do to people with the rights to citizenship.
Surendran hauled up by police ahead of stateless Malaysian Indians protest on Dec 12
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December Protest planned! Changed from 5 Dec to 12 Dec 2012!
PKR earlier announced that they would hold the mass rally on Dec 5 at 10am but due to overwhelming support, they have decided to have it on Dec 12 instead.
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Free Malaysia Today
Pakatan to protest over stateless Indians
Thousands are expected to camp outside the National Registration Department in Putrajaya until the government resolves the issue of stateless Indians.
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat will stage a protest outside the National Registration Department (NRD) in Putrajaya on Dec 5 over the unresolved issue of stateless Indians in the country.
“We are going to come with tents, food and provisions and will not move from the area until the government resolves the problem of Malaysian Indians being denied identification documents,” said PKR vice-president N Surendran.
“We expect thousands to turn up, including victims, activists, civil societies, and members of Pakatan Rakyat. Although we cannot say the exact figure, we are already starting the mobilisation.”
Surendran stressed that only Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should be blamed if the NRD’s operations were paralysed on that day – something that he said would be likely to happen.
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The Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI Malaysia)
The Numbers Game: Stateless Indians in Malaysia
Written by R. Chander Tuesday, 08 May 2012 16:45
Commentary
I have followed with some interest the on-going arguments between the MIC and a number of PKR leaders on the status of Indians born in Malaysia who do not enjoy the rights of Malaysian citizenship.
My attention has also been drawn to a recent article by Dr Paraman Subramanian entitled 450,000 stateless Indians in Malaysia, fact or fiction?1 Dr Paraman expresses concern that a large number of Malaysians of Indian origin have been deprived of their right to citizenship despite their being entitled by virtue of their birth in Malaysia. Quoting Hindraf estimates, which to my knowledge have yet to be fully substantiated, he cites a figure of 450,000 Malaysian-born Indians “who have been rendered stateless as they have been denied citizenship status by the Malaysian Government.”
Dr Paraman contends that according to the 2010 Population Census enumeration there were 2,320,779 non-Malaysian citizens in the country. He then goes on to acknowledge that while the majority of these were likely to be migrant workers made up of Indonesians, Bangladeshis and other nationalities, he asserts that this number “ … in reality it is suspected that this figure of 2.3 million also includes a large number of Malaysian-born but stateless Indians.”
Dr Paraman then goes to make references to discussions on the subject that took place at the time of the preparation of the Ninth Malaysia Five Year Plan and the call on the authorities to conduct studies to ascertain the number of persons of Indian origin who were thus categorized.
He expresses some degree of frustration about the lack of progress in settling the issue which has serious adverse effects on the victims of circumstances linked to their inability to adduce evidence of birth in Malaysia and establish their citizenship status.
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Datuk R. Chander
Former Chief Statistician of Malaysia
Washington DC
May 7th 2012
Want to learn more? Click on the link below:
The Numbers Game: Stateless Indians in Malaysia
english.cpiasia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=… – Cached
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The Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI Malaysia)
450,000 stateless Indians in Malaysia, fact or fiction?
Written by Dr Paraman Subramaniam Thursday, 15 March 2012 01:07
Contributors
Today it is generally taken for granted that there are good things that people are entitled to have and bad things that they can expect or hope to avoid. A wide, and ever-widening, range of such entitlements and immunities are supposed to belong to everyone, everywhere and at all times, purely as a consequence of our humanity (i.e. of the dignity and respect that are due to us as human beings).
Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Article 15 of the United Nations ‘Universal Declaration on Human Rights’ gives everybody the right to a nationality: no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her nationality nor denied the right to change nationality. So any act by a nation of depriving a nationality to her inhabitants, that too up to 4th or 5th generation born must be regarded as a perpetual humanitarian crime.
Hindraf has on many occasions stated that there is an estimated 450,000 Malaysian- born Indians that have been rendered stateless as they have been denied citizenship status by the Malaysian government.
According to the Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2010, there are 2,320,779 non-Malaysian citizens residing in Malaysia. However the general perception that is given is that this huge number consists of nothing but foreign workers like from Indonesia, Bangladesh, etc. In reality it is suspected that this figure of 2.3 million also includes a large number of Malaysian-born but stateless Indians.
During a series of focused group discussions held Aug 24-26, 2009 at Putrajaya with the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department to review the Ninth Malaysia Plan period and provide recommendations for the Tenth Malaysia Plan, certain participants expressed tremendous distrust towards the official figures presented, particularly those on Malaysian Indians.
An outline paper was presented to the Economic Planning Unit in a special meeting chaired by EPU deputy director-general Mat Noor Nawi on Dec 24, 2009 highlighting citizenship documentation of the Malaysian Indians.
It was stated in the paper that there were no proper records of the cases and assistance seems extended to these Indians to be on an ad hoc basis. It was suggested that the government should undertake a comprehensive survey and document all the Malaysian Indian cases and analyse the root causes for this situation.
It was also suggested to enlist the cooperation of the National Registration Department whereby a focal point is established at the national and state levels, and to also undertake a quarterly review of the situation in order to ensure that between 2010 and 2011, at least 75 percent of the cases could be resolved.
It is already 2012 now and I’m afraid the stateless Indian numbers are still estimated to exceed 450,000.
To prove if this number is indeed fact or to discount it as fiction, one has to trace back to old records and reports of the population census of Malaysia.
english.cpiasia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=… – Cached
For more, click on:
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Free Malaysia Today
Stateless Indians: PKR veep strikes back
N Surendran takes a swipe at both the government as well as the ‘powerless and pathetic’ MIC for not resolving a problem which is much bigger than what the government claims.
KUALA LUMPUR: PKR vice-president N Surendran has hit back at his detractors over the issue of stateless Indians in the country, calling MIC “powerless and pathetic.”
He said the Barisan Nasional component party failed to resolve a problem which was much bigger than what the government would like to admit.
“We do not wish to debate this issue with the powerless and pathetic MIC. We want to know why the deafening silence from (Prime Minister) Najib (Tun Razak) and (Home Minister) Hishammuddin (Hussein)?” Surendran told FMT.
“We want the home minister to answer why there are tens of thousands of Malaysian Indians who are still without documents,” said the lawyer.
Stateless Indians: PKR veep strikes back | Free Malaysia Today
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