I refer to the Malaysiakini report Penang Indians told to shake off ethnic mindset .

When Prof Dr Ramasamy took oath as the deputy chief minister (II) of Penang last March 2008, I had only three characters about him in mind, i.e., sincerity, intelligence and hard work.

As a person who knows him for at least four good years since 1998 at UKM Bangi (I'm not his student though), I am confident that he is sincere in seeing Indians (and for that matter, any segment of the Malaysian population that needs advocation against suppression and marginalisation) gaining a status for themselves in the Malaysian multi-racial society, both in terms of economical independence and intellectual autonomy.

Rama is a man who, I can safely say, believes that Malaysians of Indian origin must be self- reliant and possess the determination to progress upward by accumulating knowledge through proper education. This is the mindset that any community eager to uplift their socio-economic status must have. We are what we think we are. We can be what we think we can be.

Nothing can supersede our determination and hard work in realising our goals. An over- dependence on others without changing our own course and logic of thinking will prove to be futile with no long-term, sustainable solution obtained.

Expecting and even pressing a single person to alleviate the long-standing suffering of a section of the abandoned Malaysians, to me, is a worthless effort that will only further erode the emerging healthy and mature political scene in the Pearl of the Orient, my hometown.

Having said that, I firmly trust that many of the really marginalised or/and yet-to-progress Indian Penangites definitely have the mindset and enthusiasm in educating their children so that the future generation can enjoy a better quality of life.

I, too, believe that Rama is performing his role as the state exco for economic planning, education, human resources, science and technology and innovation in a true, one Malaysian race spirit. He took a step in the appropriate direction in having formed an ad-ho committee to research what are the real problems facing the Tamil schools in Penang.

My best hope is that the committee will do a good job in troubleshooting existing problems and provide accurate long-lasting solutions that no administrations can dismantle or negate.

So, only education and a fair society can be instrumental in pulling together the ideal of a successful and respected community. I just hope the Indians in Penang do their part and the administration - theirs, without publicising each others discontent over matters seemingly trivial to the general public and further damaging the image of the community in particular.

We seek to be doctors, engineers, bio-tech scientists, astronauts, intelligent politicians, lawyers, accounting giants, software geniuses etc. We seek the upward mobility of not just Indians but all communities of the Malaysian society.

We seek equality and fairness in government (be it state or federal) and in private dealings in a multi-racial country. We seek religious freedom in a multi-faith environment. We seek freedom of thought and freedom of speech in an open society, guaranteed by virtue of the constitution - if not, amend it to bring about one.

We seek a community which others will look upon with envy and for courage. We reject religious and cultural extremism in any form or substance. We welcome wholesome harmony in a tune that sings of the pride of a country made by different groups of people.