The departure of some Indian IT professionals will not affect the country as there are still 500 more of them here, said Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zin.

The deputy minister was asked to comment o­n the decision of the IT professionals to leave Malaysia after being mistreated during a police raid at the Palm Court condominium in Kuala Lumpur o­n March 9.

'Go back lah '

In the incident, which left the Indian government irate, the police detained about 200 Indian nationals o­n suspicion of being illegal immigrants.

The IT professionals, most of whom possessed valid documents, were released hours later. Some complained they had been physically assaulted and had their passports defaced.

Indian national S Srinivasan ( photo ), a software engineer, told malaysiakini that over 50 of his countrymen had left Malaysia in stages following the raid.

"Another 40 people have also moved out from the condominium," said the IT professional who was among those arrested in the raid.

Commenting o­n this at the Parliament lobby today, Zainal said: "They are given privileges working in this country. Why don't they know how to appreciate this chance? If they want to go back, go back lah , we still have 500 over Indian professionals."

Meanwhile, parliamentary secretary in the Energy, Communications and Multimedia Ministry Chia Kwang Chye said he had yet to receive any information o­n the IT professionals who have left.

Contradictory statements

Zainal told reporters that o­nly six of the 29 foreigners who were called for questioning over the allegation claimed to have been assaulted.

He also insisted that the police followed normal procedures, adding that the passports were scratched to determine if they were fakes.

Last week, however, the deputy minister had told the Dewan Rakyat that the police did not use force against the Indian nationals and also denied that their passports were defaced.

This irked Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) who sent a protest letter to acting Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahamd Badawi yesterday, urging him to correct the deputy minister's "misleading statements".

She said that, if Zainal's remark were left uncorrected, it would o­nly worsen diplomatic ties between India and Malaysia.

In response, Zainal said: "I don't know why Teresa and DAP are making noise o­n this. Even the Indian High Commission is happy with the police investigation results as reported in the media reports."

An opposition MP, who declined to be identified, told malaysiakini that the letter was discussed during yesterday's cabinet meeting, since Zainal's comments had contradicted Abdullah's earlier statement.

Apology in order

Last Thursday, Abdullah and Home Ministry Secretary-General Aseh Che Mat said an apology would be extended to the Indian government as the raid was not conducted according to procedure.

Abdullah had earlier instructed Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai to personally probe the allegations. He pledged to act against errant police personnel, while Aseh criticised the operation as it did not involve immigration officers.

The government's responses came o­n the back of diplomatic protests from India, and threats to reconsider its trade ties with Malaysia.

The Indian hockey team pulled out of this month's Sultan Azlah Shah hockey tournament in protest, while New Delhi cancelled a working visit by Health Minister Chua Jui Meng earlier this month.