Radio DJs punished for supporting Hindraf

State-owned Tamil radio station Minnal FM has sacked several presenters - including some popular ones - for supporting the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). Sources told Malaysiakini that others have been suspended.

It is learnt that seven presenters were affected in the exercise, including two presenters working on contract. The station has 20 full-time presenters. The severe action was for either taking part in the Hindraf-organised rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 or for giving prominence for the rally and Hindraf on air, added the sources. Among those sacked or suspended are popular DJs K Meenakumari, K Sillalee and V Jamuna

The latter was a hugely popular contract presenter. Minnal FM’s director Raja Sekaran was not available for comment while queries to the station remain unanswered. Restructuring exercise However, a source close to the station told Malaysiakini that the dismissal was a staff-restructuring exercise undertaken by the radio station which is increasingly losing out to private Tamil radio station THR Raga. “There are talks within Minnal to hire fresh faces to revamp the station. Maybe that’s why some of the contractual presenters were let go,” said the source.

Another source said the station was in the midst of offering a different category of employment to the terminated presenters, and as such would need to give them new contractual terms. A former Minnal FM presenter, however, said the station director has been unhappy with the work of the seven presenters and finally decided to terminate them on the grounds of their involvement with Hindraf.

Hindraf has been under fire recently over its demands for the upliftment of the Indian community which the organisation claims is sidelined by the government, a charge denied by the government and the Indian-based MIC.

On Nov 25, the organisation managed to gather a crowd of 30,000 at Jalan Ampang to march to the British High Commission to deliver a memorandum seeking the assistance of the Queen of England. The gathering was denied a permit and the police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd.