Police said it detained at least 20 supporters of the non-governmental Hindu Rights Force (Hindraf), which organised the rally, days after announcing plans that its members would march to the Parliament house along with a group of children led by the organisation's chief Wayathamoorthy's five-year-old daughter Vvaishnnavi.Hindraf member and lawyer N Surendran, however, claimed that at least 60 people, including two leaders of the organisation, have been detained.
Ending months of speculation, Malaysian Premier Abdullah Badawi on Wednesday dissolved the Parliament to pave the way for snap elections, in which his ruling coalition is expected to emerge as a winner but with a reduced majority. Abdullah said the Malaysian King has given his approval for dissolving the Parliament so that the elections could be held early.
"I have given instructions that whatever grouses they (ethic Indians) have should be attended to. We take these matters seriously and I have even made time to listen to them," Abdullah said.
Every year, at least a million Hindus visit Batu Caves on this day, but this year the crowd seemed to be much lesser in number. Other than the boycott call by Indian activists, rumours that violence could break out also kept people away.
Five ethnic Indian leaders, detained by the Malaysian government under a draconian security law, on Monday began a hunger strike to protest their incarceration and the alleged marginalisation of the community in the multi-racial country.
The task of monitoring has been given to Works Minister Samy Vellu, who said no temple, whether legal or illegally built, will be demolished without a thorough check and discussions with his Malaysian Indian Congress, a component of the ruling coalition.
The application for M Manoharan, a lawyer belonging to the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is spearheading protests by ethnic Indians, was rejected by the Ipoh High Court judge on the grounds that the copy of the detention order had not been certified.
"It is timely for the prime minister to set up a department to look into non-Muslim affairs. What we have in the prime minister's department now is a Muslim affairs department," A Rajaretnam, Secretary of the Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation, told media persons.
Hardening his stand against anti-government protestors including the ethnic Indians, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi on Monday said he would "sacrifice" public freedom in order to maintain national security in the country rocked by a spate of agitations.
deputy minister for Rural and Regional Development Zainal Abidin Osman said Malaysians of Indian origin were better off than the indigenous Malays.
With India expressing concern over the alleged ill-treatment of ethnic Indians in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur has said it will deal with its citizens according to its laws and no other country should interfere in its "domestic" matter.
The Malaysian police on Thursday arrested the leader of a Hindu rights group, which had organised the largest-ever mass demonstration by ethnic Indians in Kuala Lumpur last week, to protest their alleged marginalisation in the country. V Ganapathy Rao, a member of the Hindu Rights Action Force was picked up by the police from his office. Indians form eight per cent of Malaysia's population of 27 million. They allege discrimination by an affirmative action policy.
"Their (Arcelor Mittal) management board member Malay Mukherjee was here in Ranchi. He said the company is satisfied with the development of the proposed steel project in Jharkhand," Chief Minister Madhu Koda told reporters in Ranchi. He was reacting to a query that steel tycoon L N Mittal reportedly expressed disappointment with his projects, both in Jharkhand and Orissa, last week.
Arcelor-Mittal has shortlisted three sites in Jharkhand for setting up a Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion) 12 million tonne steel project. The three sites are at Galudih, Saraikela and Torpa, said Malay Mukherjee, one of the eight members of the Arcelor-Mittal management team.
The Tamil superstar's fans are planning celebrations to mark the occasion.
Having tasted success, Sivaji's producers are planning its Japanese and Malay versions.
Expanding its presence in the automotive sector, the world's biggest steel maker ArcelorMittal has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire French major Vallourec's two steel tube-making units for an undisclosed sum.
Here's our weekly round-up that brings you the latest news on models, designers and celebs from the world of glamour and entertainment.
Militants raided several police bases in the Muslim-dominated south, officials said.
According to data available on the website of World Steel Organisation, only eight steelmakers produced over 20 million tonne (mt) steel in 2009 with ArcelorMittal, leading at 77.5 mt.
A R Rahman will perform in Malaysia in December as part of his world tour.
Seeks SEZ status for 12 million tonne steel unit.
The 28-year-old youth died on Wednesday and both the religious department and his family tried to claim his body for funeral. The youth was buried in his hometown in Gopeng, Perak.
"Instead of plastic faces, which appear artificial, why not use real people?" asks K V Sridhar, national creative director at ad agency Leo Burnett India. "They are compelling brand ambassadors, who can lend an air of authenticity to the communication exercise."
The Malaysian Government has banned the non-governmental Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), branding it as a threat to national security.
The MIC is the third largest party in National Front, representing ethnic Indians who comprise less than 10 percent of Malaysia's 25 million population.
A holdover of British colonial days, caning is a standard punishment for more than 40 crimes in Malaysia, ranging from sexual abuse to drug use. Administered with a thick rattan stick, it splits the skin and leaves scars.
A victory for Abdullah's party is widely expected but it is not known as yet if it would capture the two-thirds majority, which it has done since 1957. The doubts have been sparked by a public show of discontent by the ethnic Indians who are demanding racial equality since the November 25 banned rally by more than 20,000 people who for the first time in decades held anti-government protest in this Malay majority Muslim nation.
The responsibility of maintaining peace and harmony in the multi-racial country did not rest on his shoulders alone but on all communities, he said.
The Malaysian Hindus used to be Indians hundreds of years ago. Now, they are as Malaysian as any ethnic Malay.
The number of people killed in acts of terror reached a record high last year, with almost four in five of these deaths occurring in just five countries, new research shows.
GMG Airlines, Bangladesh's only private career, would begin its global operations on September 8 with an inaugural flight between Chittagong and Kolkata.
The LNM group, owned by Lakshmi Mittal, will build its first steel production plant in China with an estimated investment of $100 million and plans to set up marketing, purchasing and manufacturing centres to tap the booming market.
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