By Malaysia Hindu Voice
The Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) will have for company, activists from Sabah and Sarawak when it holds a briefing at the House of Commons in London in January 2010.
An accord was reached with activists from Malaysian Borneo in Singapore under the aegis of the International Civil Rights Movement (InCiRiM).
"We are happy to work with other marginalised groups in the country in our struggle for equal rights and human rights," he said.
They caught up with Waythamoorthy after his meeting with Pakatan Rakyat coordinator Zaid Ibrahim on Monday in Singapore over its Common Policy Framework (CPF).
Malaysia agreement under question
Hindraf gave Zaid (right) a copy of its 18-Point Memorandum, which the Badawi government refused to accept, and briefed him on the history of the movement and its pending class action suit against the British and Malaysian governments in London.
"The only Malaysian Borneo group that I can mention publicly is the Common Interest Group (CIG) in Sabah headed by Dr Kitingan (Jeffery Gapari)," said Waythamoorthy.
"In both Sabah and Sarawak, the concern is that the federal government has been in non-compliance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement," he said.
He pointed out that the situation had changed somewhat for the two states since the departure of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965.
"There should have been a review after it left but this was not done.
"Sabah and Sarawak agreed to the formation of Malaysia because of Singapore and with the republic's exit from Malaysia, the federation no longer exists," he said.
In short, a Malaysia minus Singapore appears to suggest that Sabah and Sarawak joined the Federation and not help with its formation in 1963.
"This is the main reason why the Federal government refused to have anything to do with Malaysia Day for nearly half a century," claimed Waythamoorthy. "Malaysia Day will now become a debating point in the country."
First in a series of briefings
Waythamoorthy added that there were other concerns expressed by the rights activists from Malaysian Borneo.
These include the continuing influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah and their becoming citizens through the backdoor and/or otherwise padding the electoral rolls at the expense of indigenous groups.
In Sarawak, the main concern was the existing power structure which functions like a proxy of the ruling elite in Kuala Lumpur.
This has translated, among others, into the loss of native land to huge plantation companies including those from the Peninsula.
"I may be wrong but my reading is that the activists in Sabah and Sarawak are not very interested in Peninsula-Malaysia based political parties. They would prefer to be a neutral or balancing political force," he said.
The House of Commons briefing is the first in a series that Hindraf has lined up for next year.
Other briefings, not all confirmed according to Waythamoorthy, include the US State Department, the United Nations and the European Parliament.
Jeffrey said he had a productive meeting with Waythamoorthy who took some time off to also explain the history of Hindraf and the current status of its struggle.
The Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) will have for company, activists from Sabah and Sarawak when it holds a briefing at the House of Commons in London in January 2010.
An accord was reached with activists from Malaysian Borneo in Singapore under the aegis of the International Civil Rights Movement (InCiRiM).
"We are happy to work with other marginalised groups in the country in our struggle for equal rights and human rights," he said.
They caught up with Waythamoorthy after his meeting with Pakatan Rakyat coordinator Zaid Ibrahim on Monday in Singapore over its Common Policy Framework (CPF).
Malaysia agreement under question
Hindraf gave Zaid (right) a copy of its 18-Point Memorandum, which the Badawi government refused to accept, and briefed him on the history of the movement and its pending class action suit against the British and Malaysian governments in London.
"The only Malaysian Borneo group that I can mention publicly is the Common Interest Group (CIG) in Sabah headed by Dr Kitingan (Jeffery Gapari)," said Waythamoorthy.
"In both Sabah and Sarawak, the concern is that the federal government has been in non-compliance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement," he said.
He pointed out that the situation had changed somewhat for the two states since the departure of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965.
"There should have been a review after it left but this was not done.
"Sabah and Sarawak agreed to the formation of Malaysia because of Singapore and with the republic's exit from Malaysia, the federation no longer exists," he said.
In short, a Malaysia minus Singapore appears to suggest that Sabah and Sarawak joined the Federation and not help with its formation in 1963.
"This is the main reason why the Federal government refused to have anything to do with Malaysia Day for nearly half a century," claimed Waythamoorthy. "Malaysia Day will now become a debating point in the country."
First in a series of briefings
Waythamoorthy added that there were other concerns expressed by the rights activists from Malaysian Borneo.
These include the continuing influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah and their becoming citizens through the backdoor and/or otherwise padding the electoral rolls at the expense of indigenous groups.
In Sarawak, the main concern was the existing power structure which functions like a proxy of the ruling elite in Kuala Lumpur.
This has translated, among others, into the loss of native land to huge plantation companies including those from the Peninsula.
"I may be wrong but my reading is that the activists in Sabah and Sarawak are not very interested in Peninsula-Malaysia based political parties. They would prefer to be a neutral or balancing political force," he said.
The House of Commons briefing is the first in a series that Hindraf has lined up for next year.
Other briefings, not all confirmed according to Waythamoorthy, include the US State Department, the United Nations and the European Parliament.
Jeffrey said he had a productive meeting with Waythamoorthy who took some time off to also explain the history of Hindraf and the current status of its struggle.
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