Former Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Mohamed Rahmat is puzzled by the claim that Indian Malaysians are marginalised.

He said the Indians brought into the country during the colonial era were accorded citizenship following independence.

“Everybody knows this. So what more is needed? They have become citizens and enjoy the same as what the Malays get, so what else is not right?” asked Mohamed, who was also the former information minister.

“They also get education opportunities, healthcare and employment like the rest. In Malaysia, whoever works hard can become rich."

Mohamed said this to Bernama when asked to comment on a memorandum submitted by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to the British government.

In the memorandum, Hindraf reportedly claimed that the Indians in Malaysia were marginalised and subjected to ‘ethnic cleansing’.

‘PM should not meet them’

Mohamed dismissed these as baseless allegations. He also warned that Hindraf is dangerous and that the movement's claims smack of racism.

“The reality is clear, the constitution places Malay rights and the Malay sultans at the topmost position, so Malay rights cannot be questioned,” he said.

According to him, Hindraf’s members should have used different avenues, including the MIC, to express their dissatisfaction instead of resorting to a street demonstration.

On Nov 25, Hindraf organised a rally in Kuala Lumpur which drew some 30,000 Indians in support of a class action suit filed by the movement against the British government for bringing the Indians here as indentured labourers.

On the move by a Hindraf leader who went to India to ask the government to intervene in this issue, Mohamed said Malaysians should not ask others to get involved in domestic affairs.

He also urged the information ministry to continue explaining Hindraf's claims to the public in order to prevent racial tensions.

On Hindraf’s desire to meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he said: “I advise the prime minister not to meet them. They are irresponsible, after committing an offence, only now they want to meet, why not earlier?”

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan claimed that the movement was linked with terrorist groups , a charge which was immediately rejected by Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar.