Peace-loving members of the Indian community would not have an issue over the government’s ban on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), said Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

syed hamid albar exclusive interview larger pix 231008 06 “I think I got support from the Indian community who are peace loving,” he told Malaysiakini in an hour-long exclusive interview at his ministry in Putrajaya on Tuesday.

“(The ban) is not against the Indians or the Hindu religion. We have no problems with the Indians or the Hindu religion.

“The Indian community and the Hindus have always worked very well with us,” he said when asked to comment on the ban which he had imposed on Hindraf last week.

“It is an extremist group. It advocates and propagates hatred, inciting feelings against certain segments of the community,” he said in justifying the ban.

“We have always lived peacefully and we have no problems but when you advocate hatred and (tell them that) the only enemies are the Malays or the only enemy is Islam...

syed hamid albar exclusive interview larger pix 231008 03 “If you read their speeches (in) their 338 demonstrations, it (shows) how patient we are before we take any action.”

He also explained how the ministry could take action against Hindraf following the ban despite that the movement was not registered with the Registrar of Societies.

According to Syed Hamid, although Hindraf was never a registered body, it operates very much like a registered society.

“We have got their addresses and offices bearers – that’s how you enforce. And their activities are now no longer legal,” he warned.

Ban nothing to do with Umno polls

Syed Hamid also denied that the ban was the result of Hindraf’s decision to attend the Prime Minister’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house on Oct 1 where they had expressed their opposition to the Internal Security Act (ISA).

umno vice president post nomination 2009 231008 The 63-year-old veteran Umno leader also denied that his decision to ban Hindraf was to gain popularity in his bid for the vice-president’s post in the party polls expected to be held next March.

“I think I am one of the persons who still don’t have enough nominations. If it is because of Umno ... I will be the first one to qualify,” he said.

“For your information, all ministers of home affairs will never take a populist view. We are never popular but we are like a candle - we burn ourselves in order to protect society.”

Syed Hamid had on Oct 15 announced that Hindraf was banned after “facts and evidence showed the movement had and was being used for unlawful purposes and posed a threat to public order and morality".

Hindraf gained prominence last year for highlighting the issues of temple demolitions.

Last November, it organised a 30,000-strong rally in Kuala Lumpur to protest against the plight of the Malaysian Indian community.

A month later, five of the movement’s top leaders were detained under ISA, which allows for detention without trial.

Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy, who is currently in self-imposed exile in London, has assumed the task of coordinating the activities of the banned movement.

Watch video here

Part 1

Syed Hamid ticks off those seeking early polls

Q&A: Umno needs electoral reform

Part 2

Syed Hamid defends Hindraf ban

Q&A: Home ministers 'burn' themselves for society

Part 3

Syed Hamid: Utusan 'given warning'

Q&A: I don't need sympathy, I need understanding