KUALA LUMPUR, 30 July 2009: Traffic along Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Tun Razak was reduced to a crawl for almost two hours from 11am today when an illegal gathering took place in front of the MIC headquarters here.
According to Malaysiakini, the assembly comprised two groups that squared off against each other. The first comprised unhappy shareholders of MIC investment arm Maika Holdings and members of the Pakatan Rakyat, led by Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Prof P Ramasamy; while the second group comprised MIC loyalists, led by Maika CEO S Vell Paari.
The news portal reports that Ramasamy’s group was stopped from entering the headquarters to hand over a memorandum to Vell Paari on the financial status of the company, and clashed with Vell Paari’s group when the CEO met them in front of the building.
Bernama reports that Ramasamy’s group was disgruntled over claims that Maika Holdings planned to buy over land in Kampung Buah Pala in Penang. Kampung Buah Pala is an Indian Malaysian settlement, and its residents are facing eviction to make way for development.
Among the other Pakatan Rakyat leaders involved were DAP vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran, PKR vice-president R Sivarasa, and Klang Member of Parliament S Manikavasagam.
Dang Wangi police chief ACP Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman was quoted by Bernama as saying the gathering of more than 100 individuals [led by Ramasamy] had started at a private hospital on Jalan Rahmat before proceeding to the MIC building.
Police mobilised the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), which “managed to control the situation and no arrests were made,” Zulkarnain said, adding that police also confiscated several banners and dispersed the assembly at around 1pm.
s.s.seelan says
Well done Pakatan Rakyat for teaching the MIC […] a lesson in taking care of their own backyard.
vaisanavadas says
I am a shareholder. I wish I had not invested in it. If I had fix [deposited] it, the money would be there for me anytime.To help the Indian [Malaysians], I went in. Over the years, I could see how stupid the investment was; buying bookshops etc. It was a place for MIC to get its people employed at the expense of the Indian [Malaysians]. If I could get back my capital, I would invest it into government PNB unit trust. I am still waiting.
I have attended meetings in Maika and it is nothing more than hooliganism. The society had made Indian [Malaysians] hate MIC and its leaders when actually it is the [doing] of a few.
eagle says
i feel sorry for the poor who invested in Maika holdings thinking that it will help them. How can they (Maika managment) do such a cruel thing to your own people? I just cannot understand.