Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
Encyclopedia
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy sometimes spelt Waythamoorthy (born 16 July 1966) is a Malaysian lawyer
of Tamil
origin who is currently a member of the HINDRAF
campaign to fight discrimination against Malaysian Hindus
.
. Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy also stated that he was denied entry into a local university
despite having all the requirements purely because he was an Indian.
which was demolished using government bulldozers in 2006, the Sri Kumaravel Hindu temple Kampong Medan which has been relocated next to a sewerage tank in 2006, the Muniswarar Hindu temple in Midlands estate was demolished using a sledge hammer in 2006 and the Muniswarar temple in Seremban
with a 100 year old rain tree which has been given notice to be demolished in 2006.
the British Government
. He is accusing the British government, which was then managing British Malaya
of "abandoning minority India
ns to the mercy of majoritarian Malay
rule
while granting independence
on 31 August 1957". Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy is suing for the British Government to pay £
1,000,000 to each Malaysian Indian for the "pain, suffering, humiliation, discrimination and continuous colonisation". This extraordinary lawsuit is being backed by HINDRAF
or Hindu rights action force.
Just as Malaysia was celebrating her 50th Independence
on 31 August 2007, Waytha Moorthy led a team of lawyers to file a 4 trillion pound lawsuit against the British Government
. "After a century of slaving for the British, the colonial government withdrew after granting independence and they left us unprotected and at the mercy of a majority Malay-Muslim government that has violated our rights as minority Indians," said Waytha after filing the suit. said Waytha Moorthy after filing the suit. He is also seeking to strike out Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution which acknowledges Malay Supremacy
. He also wants the court to declare that Malaysia is a secular state
and not an Islam
ic one.
—M. Manoharan
, P. Uthayakumar and V. Ganabatirau—were arrested at 11:00 p.m. and detained until 8:00 a.m. the following morning for taking part in a demonstration against the demolition of a Hindu Shrine in Kuala Lumpur
. Because of this "unlawful arrest", the lawyers are seeking 85 million Malaysian Ringgits
in compensation, with Manoharan, Uthayakumar and Ganapathy Rao seeking 20 million while Waytha Moorthy is seeking 25 million.
He was arrested again on November 23 together with P. Uthayakumar and V. Ganabatirau, this time on sedition
charges. All three were granted bail, but Waytha refused bail as a sign of protest. But on November 26, the court discharged Waytha Moorthy, Uthayakumar and Ganapathy Rao because "the prosecution had failed to adhere to Zunaidah’s (the judge) instructions on Friday to attach the Tamil
transcripts of the speeches to the charge sheet".
and to obtain international support for HINDRAF's cause. He began with India
and planned to proceed to London
, Geneva
, Brussels
, Washington DC, New York
and Atlanta. BERNAMA
, the Malaysian national news agency on 3 January 2008 reported that Waytha Moorthy said that the HINDRAF cause has been lost. This statement was untrue as it was twisted by the Barisan Nasional controlled media
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
of Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
origin who is currently a member of the HINDRAF
HINDRAF
HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia...
campaign to fight discrimination against Malaysian Hindus
Hinduism in Malaysia
Hinduism is a minority religion in Malaysia. An estimated 7.1% of the total population of Malaysia are ethnic Indians, of whom 76% are practicing Hinduism. Most of the ethnic Indians are Tamils from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
.
Early life
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy was born on July 16, 1966 to Ponnusamy Arunasalam who was a first generation immigrant. Waytha Moorthy mentioned in his statement of claim that his parents sold their home to finance his studies in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy also stated that he was denied entry into a local university
Education in Malaysia
Education in Malaysia is overseen by two government ministries. The Ministry of Education handles matters pertaining to pre-school, primary school, secondary school and post-secondary school. Matters regarding tertiary education are dealt with by the Ministry of Higher Education...
despite having all the requirements purely because he was an Indian.
Hindu temple demolition in Malaysia
Waytha Moorthy was a devotee of the Sri Siva Balamuniswarar Hindu temple in SetapakSetapak
Setapak is a major suburb in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Formerly a tin-mining and rubber-growing area, in Malay tapak means 'step' so so Setapak means 'one step', probably referring to the close proximity of the suburb to Kuala Lumpur...
which was demolished using government bulldozers in 2006, the Sri Kumaravel Hindu temple Kampong Medan which has been relocated next to a sewerage tank in 2006, the Muniswarar Hindu temple in Midlands estate was demolished using a sledge hammer in 2006 and the Muniswarar temple in Seremban
Seremban
Seremban is the capital of the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, located within the district of Seremban, one of the seven districts of Negeri Sembilan. The town's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council or Majlis Perbandaran Seremban...
with a 100 year old rain tree which has been given notice to be demolished in 2006.
Lawsuit against Britain
He is suingLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
the British Government
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He is accusing the British government, which was then managing British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
of "abandoning minority India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns to the mercy of majoritarian Malay
Malay race
The concept of a Malay race was proposed by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach , and classified as the brown race. Since Blumenbach, many anthropologists have rejected his theory of five races, citing the enormous complexity of classifying races...
rule
Administration (government)
The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...
while granting independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
on 31 August 1957". Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy is suing for the British Government to pay £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1,000,000 to each Malaysian Indian for the "pain, suffering, humiliation, discrimination and continuous colonisation". This extraordinary lawsuit is being backed by HINDRAF
HINDRAF
HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia...
or Hindu rights action force.
Just as Malaysia was celebrating her 50th Independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
on 31 August 2007, Waytha Moorthy led a team of lawyers to file a 4 trillion pound lawsuit against the British Government
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. "After a century of slaving for the British, the colonial government withdrew after granting independence and they left us unprotected and at the mercy of a majority Malay-Muslim government that has violated our rights as minority Indians," said Waytha after filing the suit. said Waytha Moorthy after filing the suit. He is also seeking to strike out Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution which acknowledges Malay Supremacy
Ketuanan Melayu
Ketuanan Melayu is a political concept emphasizing Malay preeminence in present day Malaysia. The Malays of peninsular Malaysia claimed a special position and special rights owing to their long domicile and the role of the Malay rulers of the nine Malay states...
. He also wants the court to declare that Malaysia is a secular state
Secular state
A secular state is a concept of secularism, whereby a state or country purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. A secular state also claims to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential...
and not an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic one.
Arrest
On October 30, 2007, Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy and prominent members of HINDRAFHINDRAF
HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia...
—M. Manoharan
M. Manoharan
Manoharan s/o Malayalam more commonly known as M. Manoharan is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and currently the State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah in the Selangor State Assembly. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party....
, P. Uthayakumar and V. Ganabatirau—were arrested at 11:00 p.m. and detained until 8:00 a.m. the following morning for taking part in a demonstration against the demolition of a Hindu Shrine in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. Because of this "unlawful arrest", the lawyers are seeking 85 million Malaysian Ringgits
Ringgit
Ringgit mostly refers to the Malaysian ringgit, which is the local currency in Malaysia, but it can also refer to the Brunei dollar or Singapore dollar in the Malay language. The word ringgit was originally used to refer to the serrated edges of Spanish silver dollars widely circulated in the area...
in compensation, with Manoharan, Uthayakumar and Ganapathy Rao seeking 20 million while Waytha Moorthy is seeking 25 million.
He was arrested again on November 23 together with P. Uthayakumar and V. Ganabatirau, this time on sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
charges. All three were granted bail, but Waytha refused bail as a sign of protest. But on November 26, the court discharged Waytha Moorthy, Uthayakumar and Ganapathy Rao because "the prosecution had failed to adhere to Zunaidah’s (the judge) instructions on Friday to attach the Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
transcripts of the speeches to the charge sheet".
International Mission
Waytha Moorthy left Malaysia on 26 November 2007 to avoid possible detention under the Internal Security ActInternal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
and to obtain international support for HINDRAF's cause. He began with India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and planned to proceed to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Washington DC, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Atlanta. BERNAMA
BERNAMA
BERNAMA is a news agency of the government of Malaysia. It is an autonomous body placed under the Information, Culture and Communications Ministry. It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and started work on 26 May 1968....
, the Malaysian national news agency on 3 January 2008 reported that Waytha Moorthy said that the HINDRAF cause has been lost. This statement was untrue as it was twisted by the Barisan Nasional controlled media
See also
- HINDRAFHINDRAFHINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia...
- Hindu Rights Action Force - 2007 HINDRAF rally2007 HINDRAF rallyThe 2007 HINDRAF rally was a rally held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 25, 2007. The rally organizer, the Hindu Rights Action Force, had called the protest over alleged discriminatory policies which favour ethnic Malays...
- Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP)
- Ketuanan MelayuKetuanan MelayuKetuanan Melayu is a political concept emphasizing Malay preeminence in present day Malaysia. The Malays of peninsular Malaysia claimed a special position and special rights owing to their long domicile and the role of the Malay rulers of the nine Malay states...
(Malay Supremacy) - Religion in MalaysiaReligion in MalaysiaMalaysia is multicultural and multiconfessional. The dominant religion in Malaysia is Islam, whose followers make up 61 per cent of the population. Islam is recognised as the state religion of Malaysia, although the country has a secular constitution. Debate exists about whether Malaysia should be...