This was the scene at the Sree Ganeshar Temple along Waterfall Road in Penang at around 7.00pm. About 50 people gathered for prayers to commemorate the first anniversary of the Makkal Sakthi (People Power) awakening. On 25 November last year, some 30,000 Indian Malaysians rallied in downtown KL to highlight their plight.
Over on mainland Penang, people started arriving at the Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam Temple in Prai from 7.00pm.
At 8.32pm a contact at the temple tells me a thousand people are now inside listening to speeches. Among the speakers was Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy.
In the background, over the phone, I hear cries of “Makkal Sakthi!”. More people could have turned up if not for the heavy rain.
Plainclothes police are around and keeping a watchful eye.
What’s happening in Batu Caves?
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With the end of his premiership in sight, PM Badawi should have courage to do the decent thing and to set right the injustice meted out to the Hindraf 5.
It is time to set them free.
No one seriously believe they are a threat to our country.
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only UMNO is a threat to the country
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Dear Anil,
Update from JB
The sms’s were flying till late evening asking all Hindus to gather at the nearest temple to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the Great March.
I headed to the temple nearest to my abode…and a real surprise awaited me !
A huge banner with the faces of the 5 ISAed heroes was strung across the entrance of the temple.Below their pictures were some message that stated, special prayers for the 5 would be held at 800pm.
I was there at about 700pm and could see the events unfolding as the clock ticked away. Slowly the crowd swelled and there were equal representations of women folk as well.
The theme for the day was to light 18 ghee lights (to denote the 18 requests as contained in the memo)and chanting of prayers for the well being of the 5.
As the crowd grew to almost 100…..dem men in the blue arrived in a van that appeared similar to the pasar malam van.
They crept into the temple grounds and started taking video and camera shots of the crowd from various angles.Some were in uniform while others were plain clothed.
The crowd just had no time to be bothered by their presence.Just a cursory glance, and it was back to prayers and chants.
The blue cross men took photo shots of the large banner and were seen loitering aimleesly.Another bloke took photos of all the cars that were parked alongside the temple grounds.
As the prayers were winding down, all those present lit up small oil lamps and circled the temple.They were totally unfazed by the police presence.
A short speech was made (by one of the 26 detainees of last year’s Batu Caves arrest)requesting for all to continue pray for the 5 heroes well being and welfare.The speech was recorded by dem …. in blue.
The unity shown by the attendees was of utmost calmness and the cops were, I think, very frustrated.
Finally food was served and some of the attendees were kind enough to ask the cops to join in the makan.Of course they smiled away wryly.
The gathering was over by 900pm and there no shouts or cries.
THE OBJECTIVE WAS MET AND MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED !!!
Thank You
RastamanJB.
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I heard police warned people against attending the prayers.
It gets a scary in the country when authorities start interfering with the right of worship.
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http://votecharles.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/25-nov-2008-batu-caves/
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Fairdinkum ,
LONG LIVE MAKKAL SAKTI AND LONG LIVE THE CITIZENS OF MALAYSIA, AND GOD BLESS US ALL.
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The police, had “no right” in any sense to order Indian to perform their prayers.
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How could the police enter the temple (grounds), which is sacred place for the Hindus. They even had the audacity to move around the temple ground freely…
Makkal Sakti will live forever. This …BN govenment will crumble along with their …MIC, MCA and Gerakan.
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I thought after all the publicity, the gathering was a BIG FLOP.
After one year, there is a huge drop in the support for HINDRAF and their racist agenda looking at the attendance for these prayers. At this rate, I doubt there will be a 2nd year anniverssary.
These 5 guys are no heroes, but racists and extremists who has no place in a multi-ethnic society. Indians have more than enough reps (in BN and PR) to voice out their griviences. There is no need to resort to street to get their voices heard, for this is not Sri Lanka.
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Killer….how much were you paid to spew your nonsense.Hey, if every temple had 50 people(on the avaerage)attending this prayers, then go figure out how many would have been there all over Malaysia.
Since you sound like a PMR failure….let me help you do the calculations…50 multiply by 500 temples will give you 25000 (twenty five thousand,in case you do not know how to add zeroes)and this total is somewhat equal to what happened in the streets of KL last year.
It would have been very stupid for Hindraf supporters to have taken the bait for a mass gathering at any particular temple.This would have provided ready ammo for the men in blue.
We ain’t wanna be fools like them…..we always have our own strategic plans and this decentralised plan truly thwarted the authorites to dunk us.
The grievances raised by the 5 was way before the last elections.You are contradicting by stating “Indians have more than enough reps (in BN and PR) blah, blah, blah.
Killer,before the March 08 elections PR had only one MP (Wan Azizah) and the House was made up of Gerakan,MIC,MCA,UMNO and others in the majority.None genuinely addressed the plight of the Indians.Maybe you were holed up in a cave, and I don’t fault you for your ignorance.
The Magnificant Five were the real shakers and movers of the last elections.Even PAS has appealed for their unconditional release.It again proved that they are not racists or extremists.
It would be wise for you to make good use of the terminologies that you have learnt appropriately instead of being a malapropist.
Sri Lanka ?????
No, we don’t ever remember carrying rocket launchers,AK 47,mortar launchers and the likes to prevent planned temple demolishments.
We also never strapped ourselves with bombs to demand for better schools or business loans or scholarships.Neither have we asassinated any political leader to demand fair representations in civil services.
If you have sufficient memory power,you may recall, the street demos in Malaysia began following the sacking of Sdr Anwar from the cabinet ala Reformasi.Ever since, the rakyaat feels such show of mass gatherings are the only peaceful means to have their grievances heard.So, it’s totally wrong for you to assosciate Sri Lanka in this instance.
Best Regards
RastamanJB.
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