Members of the Malaysian Indian Congress political party and Indian NGOs are planning on holding a demonstration in front of the Sri Lankan High Commission later this week to protest against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s planned visit to the country next month.
MIC Youth chief T Mohan stated that the presence of the Sri Lankan President was not welcomed by the Indian community in Malaysia, handing over a memorandum of protest to Foreign Deputy Minister A Kohilan Pillay.
Meanwhile NGO groups have lodged complaints and police reports against Rajapaksa’s visit, for the World Islamic Economic Forum in Johor.
Speaking on behalf of the People Welfare and Rights Organisation (Power), President S. Gobi Krisnan said,
“The government has been hurting the Indians’ feeling in this country, and now the invitation is an insult to Indians."
“We will use all means, including force if necessary, to stop him from coming,”
The group also stated that they had planned rallies at the venue of the forum in Johor, if Rajapaksa were to arrive.
AP Raja Retinam from the umbrella group Sri Lanka War Victim Concerned Team condemned Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for his alleged hypocrisy over stances on Israel and Sri Lanka. He said,
“He is a real hypocrite. When the Israelis launched attacks against the Palestine, he tabled a motion to condemn the violence.”
“But when it is about Sri Lanka war crimes, he abstained, despite knowing very well that there was a great pressure on him to vote against Sri Lanka,”
“Rajapaksa and (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu are the same people. If you say no to Benjamin, then you must also say no to Rajapaksa."
“If they say the forum was meant for business discussions, then I challenge them to invite the Jews to attend, they are the richest people in the world”.
