The wives of four detained Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders in Malaysia have urged their supporters and well-wishers to stop public protests against the government as it may jeopardise chances of the four leaders' release.
The wives of the four leaders were reacting to an SMS campaign asking ethnic Indians to gather outside the home affairs ministry Monday as a sign of protest against the Hindraf leaders' detention.
The wives of detained Hindraf leaders - M. Manoharan's wife S. Pushpaneela, V. Ganabatirau's wife B. Buvaneswary, K. Vasantha Kumar's wife K. Vikneswary and R. Kenghadaran's wife M. Kalaivani said they didn't want their husbands to suffer the consequences of such an act.
"We would like to humbly request all Hindraf supporters not to participate in any demonstration or rally," urged Pushpaneela.
She said many elected leaders were working hard for their husbands' release and "it would be best to wait patiently for the outcome of their collective efforts", the New Straits Times said Sunday.
The four men and another Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar were held under the Internal Security Act at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping, Perak, after they organised a protest rally in Kuala Lumpur Nov 25, 2007.
The Hindraf claims to speak for the over two million Tamil Hindu settlers who came here during the British era, and now allege discrimination in jobs and education for the ethnic Indian community.
Kalaivani said the proposed gathering might jeopardise their husbands' chance of being released if it got out of hand and turned ugly.
Teacher Buvaneswary concurred and urged Hindraf supporters to remain calm and not aggravate the situation. Vikneswary said she appreciated the care and concern shown by Hindraf supporters but the best thing to do was to wait patiently.
"This is not the time to gather in big groups and protest," she said.
Meanwhile, Hindraf national event coordinator Kannan Ramasamy said the protest Monday was merely a submission of a memo by Hindraf lawyers to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.
"Only a few of our lawyers and several immediate family members of the detainees would be there," he clarified.
"We are requesting Datuk Seri Syed Hamid to be more responsive as he is the one who has the authority to release them in his capacity as home minister," said Ramasamy.
Albar has said that he would "not be swayed by sentiments" and decide on the issue "in the best national interests".