DAP trio to Waytha: We'll see you in court

DAP leader Prof P Ramasamy and two others are ready to face Hindraf chairperson P Waythamorthy in court over the issue of public funds collected for the Hindraf cause.

The three - Penang DAP Deputy Chief Minister 2 Ramasamy, Sungkai assemblyperson A Sivanesan and Hindraf activists V Ganabatirao - told Malaysiakini that they were ready to face any legal action by Waythamoorthy. Ganabatirao is also a DAP member.

Malaysiakini yesterday reported that Waythamoorthy ( right ) has sent a demand letter to the three DAP leaders and to another Hindraf activist K Vasanthakumar asking them to retract defamatory statements made to the media, failing which he will exercise the right to sue them.

They were said to have made defamatory statements which were published in English and Tamil dailies as well as in news portals, including Malaysiakini .

The articles called into question Waythamoorthy's sincerity and asked him account for an alleged RM700,000 that was collected for the Hindraf cause.

The demand letter was sent to the four via Waythamoorthy's lawyers Kumar, Hashimah & Co, run by his brother and Hindraf legal advisor Uthayakumar.

In the demand letter, Waythamoorthy wants the four to retract their statements and make an apology.

‘We shall meet in court'

Responding today, Ramasamy said that he welcomed the legal suit against him by Waythamoorthy.

"If the matter goes to court, I suppose that Waythamoorthy would be prepared to account for the hundreds of thousands of ringgit that was collected from poor Indian Malaysians in the name of Hindraf.

"The court process should also bring to light as to whatever happened to the civil suit promised against the British government in the aftermath of the Hindraf protest and apparently money was collected to finance this legal suit," he said.

Ramasamy said that he was collecting "numerous affidavits from Indians in Penang and other places about payment made to Hindraf's bank account".

"Hopefully, the court process will allow me the opportunity to reveal the details," he said, adding that Waythamoorthy should return to Malaysia from his present base in London if he was committed to the cause of Indian Malaysians.

Sivanesan meanwhile said that he had yet to receive any legal letter from Waythamoorthy on the matter. He also added that he was ready to face the Hindraf chief in courts.

"We will not apologise. We shall meet in court," he said. This was also echoed by Ganabatirao.

Hindraf gained prominence in 2007 following its nationwide roadshows to highlight the demolition of Hindu temples and the plight of the Indian community. Hindraf reached its peak in Nov 25 of the same year by organising a mass demonstration in Kuala Lumpur, attracting more than 30,000 people.

The movement also filed a suit against the UK government to seek damages suffered by the Indian community here.

Following this, the government increased its crackdown on Hindraf leaders, including the detention of five under the ISA. The five, including Uthayakumar, Ganabatirao and Vasanthakumar, were released in April and May this year.

Waythamoorthy however left Malaysia during the crackdown, heading towards London to head the movement from there.

Waytha's clarifications

In a recent interview with Malaysiakini , Waythamoorthy stressed that he "never collected a single cent from the public to fund the civil suit" filed by Hindraf in 2007.

He had said that the allegation of misappropriating donations was propagated by the police special branch and their cohorts to create doubt about the morality of those leading Hindraf.

On the status of the legal suit against the UK government, Waythamoorthy had also clarified that he could not serve the writ on the British government as he did not have British solicitors and barristers to do so. The suit had expired after three months of being filed as a result of this.

"I filed the action as a symbolic gesture with the intention of serving it on the defendant. I was hoping that by handing over the letter of appeal, which had 130,000 signatures, to Her Majesty the British Queen via the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, I would be able to secure free services of Queen's counsels and solicitors to pursue the case further in the British courts.

"However, my effort was spoilt by the Malaysian government and the police. The authorities, not Hindraf, turned an originally pre-planned peaceful march to the British High Commission into an anti-government rally. As a result, the status of my suit remains as it is, pre-Nov 25," he had said .

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