Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar has asked a Hindu group espousing the grievances of the Indian ethnic community not to invite 'outsiders' to fight its cause.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar has asked a Hindu group espousing the grievances of the Indian ethnic community not to invite 'outsiders' to fight its cause.
Albar did not name any country but along with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi, he has taken serious exception to 'concerns' voiced by Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, over the developments in Malaysia.
Albar's comments followed protests organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and the arrests and trial of the group's leaders.
According to The Star newspaper Wednesday, the minister said that getting outsiders involved in their 'fight' was not a good move and that foreigners had no right to interfere in Malaysian affairs.
"It is therefore our responsibility to protect our home. Don't invite outsiders to protect us or fight on our behalf," he told the media.
Hindraf organised a protest rally Nov 25 that was declared illegal by the government.
CDs allegedly distributed by Hindraf leaders have, according to media reports here, accused the Malaysian government of discrimination against the Tamils, who number two million-plus, and of resorting to 'ethnic cleansing.'
The Malaysian government has called the charges baseless.
Hindraf wants to file a petition before a British court alleging that the Tamils were facing discrimination in present-day Malaysia because the British imported them as indentured labour from India.
Asked to comment on Hindraf's intention to present their petition directly to Buckingham Palace in London, Albar "wished them good luck," the newspaper said.
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