Comment

Taking a break from a fiery debate in the Malaysian Parliament on the condition of ethnic Indians, Malaysia’s Law Minister Nazri Aziz told Venkatesan Vembu that India should not meddle in Malaysian affairs.

Even after you told M Karunanidhi to ‘lay off’ Malaysian affairs, the Indian government has articulated its concern about the treatment of ethnic Indians here. How do you respond to that?
The India of Gandhi used to stand for self-determination of the people of the land, free from foreign intervention. I want to ask you what the Indians now think of Gandhi… I’ve lost respect for Indian politicians.

In Asia, India was the first to get rid of the colonial yoke and fight for self-determination, to become the master of its own destiny. But I suppose such lofty principles are meant only for Indians, not for Malaysians…

Do you believe that India is interfering in Malaysia’s affairs?
Of course.

How will your government respond to what it sees as ‘Indian interference’?
I have responded by saying ‘lay off’, and I have no regret at all — because I think India would have done the same if any country had interfered in its affairs. For instance, the demolition of the Babri Mosque affected Muslims. But did we interfere? Likewise, don’t interfere here. The ethnic Indians here… are Malaysians, not Indians.

But does that stand get compromised when Malaysia speaks on pan-Islamic issues across the world?
As Muslims, we are brothers all over, regardless of race. But I am angry because governments in India believe we implement a policy of ‘ethnic cleansing’, which is what Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) claims. If we had a policy of ethnic cleansing, let me tell you, there would be no Indians in Malaysia today.

Secondly, the racial composition of the Malaysian Cabinet is almost evenly divided between Malays and non-Malays. Do you believe that Malays can push through a policy of ethnic cleansing when there are 50 per cent non-Malays?

But Hindraf says that the Malaysian Indian Congress, a member of the ruling coalition, are puppets of the government…
Why doesn’t Hindraf register itself as a political party and contest elections?

Doesn’t the government feel the need to address the ethnic Indians’ sense of hurt?
Have you heard of the Jamahat Islamiya(JI)? They are Malay Muslims: my race, my colour. But I don’t care. I put the JI behind bars without the right to go to court — because they are extremist in their views

So how will the government respond to the ethnic Indians’ demands?
We are a government elected by people.The human rights of the majority is uppermost in my mind, and if we have to sacrifice the human rights of 6 per cent of the population, don’t challenge us — we will do it.