HINDU Sangam has hit out at PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub for equating street rallies with Thaipusam processions, Utusan Malaysia reported.

Its president R.S. Mohan said the statement, allegedly made by Salahuddin during a debate organised by Sinar Harian on Tuesday night, was “too much” and had caused disappointment within the Indian community.

“The Indian community is upset with the statement; do not mix religion and politics,” Mohan said on Wednesday.

Salahuddin was debating with Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah that night.

During the debate, Salahuddin had allegedly said that demonstrations were a way to help the people and to attract tourists, just like the Thaipusam procession to Batu Caves, provided no tear gas was used.

The Malaysian Indian United Party president Datuk S. Nallakaruppan said that the remark was biadap (uncouth).

“I urge him to apologise to all Hindus because the statement is not acceptable,” he said.

> Former Communist Party secretary-general Chin Peng's health has continued to worsen, Kosmo! reported.

Quoting former Utusan group chief editor Zainuddin Maidin at zamkata.blogspot.com, the paper said that Chin Peng was rushed to a hospital in Bangkok after his condition deteriorated due to old age.

Chin Peng, 88, a former guerilla fighter in the Malaysian and Thai jungles, whose real name is Ong Boon Hwa, was said to be very ill and could no longer recognise anyone who visited him.

Chin Peng's last request to return to Malaysia was rejected by the courts in 2008.

> Selangor PKR information chief Shuhaimi Shafie wants PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to intervene and resolve the controversy surrounding Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's political secretary Faekah Husin, reported Sinar Harian.

He said that everyone should respect the leadership's decision to appoint Azmin as PKR election director.

The controversy came about after Faekah questioned the appointment.

Following that, an anonymous group using the Twitter handle “@PecatFaekah” and the Twitter hashtag “#kamisayangpkr” emerged, expressing support for Azmin and urging Faekah to resign.

Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this > sign, it denotes a separate news item.

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