Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia): Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar warned other governments not to meddle in his country's affairs on Monday after ethnic Indian activists wrote to Britain urging UN action over what they alleged was ethnic cleansing in Malaysia.
Albar said the Malaysian government is capable of resolving the woes of members of ethnic Indians, and urged them to refer any complaints to the government rather than foreign countries.
"If there is anything that we are dissatisfied with, there are avenues within our system to deal with it. Malaysians don't want foreign interference,” Albar said.
Ethnic Indian activists, who say they suffer discrimination because of an affirmative action policy that favors members of the Malay Muslim majority, cited the demolition of dozens of Hindu temples as evidence of “ethnic cleansing” in two letters sent to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown last month.
They said the moves were an attempt to drive out the ethnic Indian minority.
The activists, from the Hindu Rights Action Force, urged Britain to spearhead UN action against Malaysia over the allegations. The group's leader was also travelling to India, Europe and the United States to seek support for the cause.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has angrily rejected the ethnic cleansing allegations, calling them “lies.”
The Hindu Rights Action Force shot to prominence last month when it organised a rally by some 10,000 ethnic Indians in downtown Kuala Lumpur to demand equality and fair treatment in Malaysia. Police dispersed the November 25 demonstration with tear gas, and charged 94 people with taking part in an illegal gathering.
Indians make up 8 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million people, while Malays form about 60 percent of Malaysia's population and control the government. Chinese make up a quarter of the population and generally are much wealthier than Indians, most of whom earn low incomes and do menial jobs.
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