Hindraf seeks dialogue with Malaysian PM

Kuala Lumpur, Jul 19 (PTI) A non-governmental Hindu
rights group in Malaysia, which had organised a massive rally
of over 20,000 people in November last year complaining of
racial inequality, Friday sought a dialogue with Premier
Abdullah Badawi on issues relating to ethnic Indian community.

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hidraf) leader P
Waythamoorthy, believed to be in the U.K. on self-imposed
exile, said he wanted Abdullah to meet him or his brother, P
Uthayakumar, who along with four other members of the
organisation have been detained under the controversial
Internal Security Act (I.S.A.), local daily 'Tamil Nesan'
reported today.

Wayathamoorthy said he wanted it to be a closed-door
meeting.

The Hindraf Chairman said he was ready to return to
Malaysia if Abdullah and the Government were willing to hold
the meeting in the "political and economic interests of the
Indians," the paper said.

It said Wayathamoorthy wanted the dialogue to be held
soon if Abdullah was committed to putting an end to the
problems facing ethnic Indians.

Waythamoorthy said only the Prime Minister's office could
resolve the problems of the Indians, the paper said.

Malaysia has 7.8 percent of ethnic Indians in its
population of 27 million people. However, they have long
complained of being marginalised and blamed Malaysian Indian
Congress chief Samy Vellu, who has been at its helm for
almost three decades, of not doing enough to uplift them.

More than 20,000 ethnic Indians took part in an "illegal"
rally organised by Hindraf in November last year to protest
against the alleged marginalisation of the minority community.

Soon after five of its leaders were detained under the
I.S.A. while Chairman Wayathamoorthy left the country in self-
imposed exile. PTI