The Malaysian government has banned the Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf), which claims to speak for the country's two million-plus ethnic Indians, a bulk of them Tamil Hindus, for exploiting the Indian community and posing a threat to public order.

The ban came Wednesday, precisely a year after the body sought registration from the Registrar of Societies.

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar announced the ban saying that Hindraf had actively exploited the Indian community to organize illega