I refer to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’s statement to the media recently in which he said it is wrong and unnecessary for Hindraf to ask India to intervene in Malaysia’s domestic affairs with regards to the marginalisation of the Indian community.

Is it not enough what Syed Hamid has done to the leaders of the Indian community who have done no wrong but are now under ISA detention for only asking what is rightfully theirs – something which he and Umno have systematically denied them.

Is it not enough that Syed Hamid has attempted to immobilise me by withdrawing my Malaysian travel documents. What I am doing is only a consequence of all that.

If the minister is intent on having us stop calling for interventions to resolve the Indian issue in the country, please repeal the draconian ISA, release all the ISA detainees including our Hindraf leaders, grant us the 18 demands we have put to Umno.

This only to bring back a modicum of fairness and equality and we will not need any intervention at all. This instead of making more threats. Please look at doing something positive to solve the problem once and for all.

We will not stop trying to reach our objectives until we reach our objectives. We are a peaceful movement and we will use all peaceful means at our disposal to constantly push our agenda.

If Syed Hamid finds that unacceptable, then he has a choice. Continue to threaten us in this futile manner or, as we say, accept our requests for a change to the state of affairs of the marginalised Indians and change the status quo immediately.

The writer is Hindraf’s chairperson-in-exile in London.