'It was Jeyakumar who kicked out Samy Vellu in 2008. Can you imagine, with Jeyakumar still in detention, it will be a no-contest.'

MIC chief calls for PSM 6 to be released

Lim Chong Leong: Did MIC chief G Palanivel weigh his political options before making this statement - one month after the PSM 6 were detained? This is clear sign that his call for their release is not sincere and demonstrates indecisiveness based on conniving political motives.

By the way, if the six were detained because they were prime movers of the rally, the event has already come and gone. There is no more reason to detain them, unless they are shown as planning yet another rally that requires emergency measures to detain them.

As they say, the very substratum foundation for their detention has evaporated by lapse of the event.

Traj: Palanivel, your reason for calling for the PSM 6's release is very selfish. It is to save BN's skin. What about doing it for the correct reason? That this is an abuse of human rights and should not have taken place at all?

You continue to be a shame to Indian Malaysians, just like your predecessor.

Anak Watan: Palanivel is worried that at the 13th general election, P62 (Sungai Siput) will have been lost even before the contest.

It was Dr Michael D Jeyakumar who kicked out S Samy Vellu on March 8, 2008. Can you imagine, with Jeyakumar still in detention, it will be a no-contest. MIC might as well pack their bags and not bother to contest.

Remember, the many DAP MPs who were detained under the Internal Security Act. All of them, subsequent to their detention, won without much of a fight from BN.

Tuah PJ: Palanivel, I am sure you are aware that Indians are being used as scapegoats by the current government. Someone dies, just round up a few Indians, force them to sign a forged statement, and if they resist, kill them and say they committed suicide.

In my area, there were a few Mat Rempits snatching handbags, necklaces, etc. The police came and just rounded up all the Indian youth and took them away in a truck.

The same thing is being done to the PSM 6, because the government thinks that PSM has no clout and support.

The movers behind Bersih 2.0 are S Ambiga and gang. Why don't they imprison her, Anwar Ibrahim or Abdul Hadi Awang under the Emergency Ordinance?

The government picks on the 'little' people to show their might and to scare the bigger fish. Grow up lah . If you really care for the Indians, take MIC out of BN.

Mirror On The Wall: If the PSM 6 are released now, it would be a blatant admission that the BN had made a mistake and hence it will lose face. But by continuing to keep them under the EO, they deny the six their fundamental liberties.

The BN has boxed itself into a corner with no escape route. Quite a conundrum the BN has put itself in.

Cala: The legal system and instruments of coercion are a favourite set of tools of the regime. Although Palanival's appeal to the regime may come a bit too late, still, it is better than never.

The fact is that Jeyakumar and the five others were arrested and detained under the EO to serve as a constant reminder that the regime would resort to coercion against anyone whom it feels is threatening its survival, never mind whether it's real or imaginative.

After all, the big brother of the Umno-led BN regime has even used the law to clamp down on dissent within the party (see Marzuki, 2007, pp. 24- 48, in Gomez (ed.) "Politics in Malaysia: The Malay dimension").

Seen in this light, we ought to pay tributes to those who took part in the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally.

Karma: MIC chief G Palanivel is only worried that the Indian votes will 'go back' to Pakatan Rakyat as a result of the continued detention of the PSM 6.

It took him so long to speak up, most probably because he was promised they would released after being caught. However, that did not happen.

The arrest of the PSM 6 was thought by the BN (MIC included) to stop Indians from being influenced into joining the rally. MIC thought they would benefit from such an action against PSM.

Now the prolonged detention is really worrying them to the point that they have to go to the press and to PM Najib Razak to plea for their freedom. This is bad sign for BN.

Gongming: Palanivel, even buses for Indian students to take them from their universities to the temples and the provision of vegetarian food have to be decided by the prime minister.

You and MIC could not even get this done in last 50 years, and you are asking him to release the PSM 6? You believe Najib would listen to you?

I am shocked that MIC is praising the PM for providing free buses to temples on Fridays and vegetarian food in all universities. Now we know what the future of Indians will be as long as we have MIC: beggars.

Kee Thuan Chye: This could be a sign that the EO 6 will be released soon so that the MIC can say to Indians, "See, the government listens to us. You should therefore keep faith and vote for us."

Whatever it is, let's hope the EO6 will indeed be released. But the interesting thing here is that the MIC deputy speaks out first, then the chief jumps onto the bandwagon a day later, as if not to be left out. Is there some significance here?

Ablastine: The Umno government doesn't give a damn what the Indians think because whatever is being done to them, they will still vote Umno in the end. When election time comes, just throw a few packet of instant noodles or give each of them a small angpow and that will do.

The Indians will never be a political force in the country because a lot of them simply cannot think straight and always side the incumbent no matter how rotten they are.

P Dev Anand Pillai: It looks like after 54 years and after the great revered Samy Vellu had left the scene, MIC is trying to pull wool over the people again.

Instead of pleading to Najib, Palanivel should have demanded freedom for all those held under the EO, who have yet to be charged in court because our cops believe in detaining first and think of a charge later.

MIC: Indian support for BN remains a question mark

Jaguh: At least these guys have finally woken up. At least they spell out their grouses, unlike other BN component parties like MCA, which will kneel and lick the feet of Umno just to stay in the government.

At least Palanivel doesn't have any skeletons hidden in the closet, unlike other leaders. For once, I say: ‘Bravo, MIC'

Line: Palanivel, if you've got the guts, take MIC out of BN. Fifty-over years of being part of government and you still need to beg. This is not how Indians should be. Get out, and stand tall. Then, even if we have to beg, it is done with dignity.

Teh Tarik: Too late, lah . Umno considers you as a third-class party. As the Star newspaper reported today, the Indian intake into public universities this year was only 2.9 percent. You beg and beg, and what do you get? A miserly 2.9 percent.

No one takes MIC or MCA seriously any more. Both Umno as well as the opposition consider you as insignificant. As a consolation, there is another BN component party that is even more insignificant - that mosquito party called PPP with its loud-mouthed leader M Kayveas.

Gerard Samuel Vijayan: At most, MIC can get 50 percent of the Indian votes mainly from those in rural and semi-rural areas. With the continued detention of the PSM 6 this may erode even further.

As usual, MIC is the lap dog of Umno and can only get the crumbs for Indians. Since taking office, what has Najib done for the Indians? No scholarships, no places in government universities, no jobs and no opportunities for business and loans.

As for the estates, nothing has been done. The poor Indians remain impoverished, illiterate and mired in social ills. Indians still dominate the crime statistics and deaths in police custody.

For the Umno Malays - the ‘kelings' will always remain as pariahs. The MIC is stupid to remain in the BN. Umno long ago flushed the social contract down the toilet. A Malay-centric political system has marginalised Indians to the point of irrelevance and extinction.

The 1Malaysia song and dance routine is not going to help Indians. It is time to throw the BN out of power along with the MIC.

Gandhi: MIC, has anyone of you gone on hunger strike so far? Jeyakumar, a first-time MP, is showing you all what it is to be a leader.

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