Hindraf deliberately creating bad publicity for Malaysia, says PM

27 February 2011


TEMERLOH: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak regards the action by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members of holding a demonstration in the federal capital today as deliberately creating bad publicity for Malaysia through the international media.

He said the group was actually hoping the police would use force on them so that the Malaysian government would be seen as a brutal and autocratic regime.

"We don't want to use force, but they are hoping we will do so as they want to exploit the situation by painting a bad picture of Malaysia through the international television channels," he said after attending a gathering with Felda Jengka 25 residents, here, today.

The prime minister was referrig to the incident where more than 15 people, believed to be Hindraf members, were arrested by police for holding a demonstration protesting against the novel "Interlok", at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) grounds, here, this morning.

"With regards to issues facing the Indian community, we have resolved many of these issues," Najib said.

He said Hindraf had already submitted their memorandums to him or other Barisan Nasional leaders in Putrajaya to look into the Indian community's issues.

"Why the need to hold a demonstration and why at KLCC?" he asked.

In KEPALA BATAS, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Hindraf group's actions including their plan to hold a major protest procession from KLCC to Jalan Dang Wangi today could be politically-motivated or they had a certain devious agenda.

"If their actions now are the same as when I was prime minister, they might also want to split the votes.

"This is by gettig Indians not be support Barisan Nasional but the opposition," Abdullah said when asked to comment on Hindraf's troubling actions of late including today's, after handing over equipment and machinery to 18 farmers, here.

However, he added, with the many positive approaches undertaken by the government in solving problems faced by the Indian community, Hindraf would find it difficult to get support from the community. - Bernama