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Police probe Indian rights group

Malaysian police are investigating supporters of Indian rights group Hindraf for allegedly misusing several hundred thousand dollars in donation funds, a report said on Saturday.

The investigation follows the arrest of five Hindraf leaders last month under tough internal security laws after they enraged the government by holding an unprecedented mass rally against ethnic discrimination.

Deputy police chief Ismail Omar said police had received a report that the money, about 700,000 ringgit (US$215,000), meant for the families of those arrested, had been misused, according to a report in the Star daily.

"The report lodged alleged that several people entrusted with managing the money had allegedly misused the money for personal gain," Ismail said.

"We are investigating the matter and have classified the case as a criminal breach of trust," he told the paper.

R.S Thanenthiran, Hindraf's coordinator, said the report had inflated the amount of funds allegedly misused but declined to name the exact amount.

"The police and government are very welcome to investigate Hindraf and what we have done," he said. "This is yet another attempt by the government to divert people from the real issue of the marginalization of Indians by trying to discredit us through the use of such investigations."

He said the funds were donated by supporters at the various talks and prayer sessions organized by Hindraf in the last few months.

Meanwhile, officials at the Batu Caves temple expect a large turnout for the three-day Thaipusam festival, the largest Hindu festival in Malaysia, beginning today, the Star said.

The temple, on the outskirts of the capital, has been at the center of a row after its managers filed a police report against devotees who gathered to protest against discrimination of ethnic Indians.

At least 3,000 ethnic Indians had gathered in the temple grounds in November, drawing a stiff response from police who used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd and made 69 arrests.

More than 8,000 people gathered the following day to again protest against discrimination by Muslim Malays, who dominate the population, and the crowd again faced tear gas and water cannons.
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