I refer to the letter Easy for armchair critics to bash Hindraf .

I note that the New Sunday Times columnist had the courage to write his column under his own name. The letter writer above chose to hide under the pseudonym ‘Not So Stupid’. That is telling. Why are you so coy to reveal your name? If you believe so strongly in the arguments you made in your letter, the least you could do is to tell us who you are.

Are you afraid that you will be in ‘imminent danger to life and limb’ if your name is disclosed?

If you believe that Indian Malaysians have been systematically discriminated against, let me ask you if your views are shared by the majority of the Indian Malaysian community which comprises not only Tamils, but also Sikhs, Malayalis, Gujaratis, Sindhis, Punjabis and Goanese - and which not only include Hindus, but also Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.

Let me ask you if the Tamils who dominate Hindraf are calling the shots with regard to their agenda and confrontational approach? Also, before condemning the alleged systematic discrimination against Indians, let me ask you what exactly the Indian community has done to help itself?

Specifically, let me ask you if you know:

  • the percentage of single-parent Indian families?

  • the percentage of Indian marriages that end up in divorce?

  • the impact of this on Indian children being brought up by single parents?

  • the extent of self-help in the Indian community, instead of a perpetual dependence on government largesse and handouts?

  • what the rich Indian Malaysians are doing to help the less fortunate Indians?

  • the percentage of Indian children who either don't go to school or who drop out of school before completing their primary or secondary education?

    • It's all too easy to play the victim and complain about institutionalised racism and discrimination when one is not bothered to help oneself and one's family to deal with and overcome the vicissitudes of life.

    Very few of us are born with a silver or golden spoon in our mouths. And for most of us, a good education is key to social mobility and increased earning power.

    Simply put, we play with the cards that we were dealt with instead of bemoaning our fate and demonstrating noisily about the unfairness of it all. Or is that too difficult a philosophy for ‘Not So Stupid’ to comprehend?