80 Indians charged for taking part in 8216;illegal8217; demonstration

The protesters say they have been facing discrimination since the time their ancestors were brought from India as indentured labourers.

Malaysia8217;s Prime Minister warned on Tuesday that the government will invoke the Internal Security Act ISA, under which a person can be held without trial for an extended period of time, to curb street demonstrations if the situation so warranted.

8220;When it is appropriate it will be used,8221; Abdullah Badawi, who is also the Internal Security Minister, said.

Meanwhile, the Bar Council has urged the government to look into the grievances of the Indian community, whose protest on Sunday lasted over seven hours despite Malaysian police using tear gas and water cannons on them.

The demonstrators defied government warnings to stay away from the rally called by a Hindu rights group to march to the British High Commission.

The Hindu Rights Action front Hindraf wanted to hand over a memorandum signed by over 100,000 ethnic Indians demanding Queen Elizabeth II to appoint a Queen8217;s counsel to represent the Indian community in a class action suit against the British Government for bringing Indians as indentured labourers to then 8216;Malaya8217; and 8216;exploiting8217; them.

Hindraf has also asked for a compensation of four trillion US dollars from the British government.