YOURSAY 'Hindraf's solution seems to be: support a race-based party so that this lamentable situation can be put right through a set of race-based policies.'

Through the Hindraf looking glass

Opah: My problem with Hindraf is that I fail to understand the logic of their proposals. They seem to be saying that 55 years of race-based politics has resulted in the majority of Indians occupying the lower ranks of Malaysian society.

Indian Malaysians form a disproportionate share of the unemployed, the underemployed and the low-income segments of Malaysia. I totally agree with this.

However, the Hindraf solution seems to be: all multiracial parties and right-thinking Malaysians must now support a race-based party (Hindraf) so that this lamentable situation can be put right through a set of race-based policies.

Otherwise Hindraf will go out of its way to ensure that the current corrupt, failed, race-based government will continue to be in power. Huh?

Gandhi: S Thayaparan touched on some aspects of Hindraf's contribution to the current Malaysian political play.

One must have the retro vision of the past 55 years. If you dissect the 55 years into phases and see how each race has done in all of these years, you would agree that Indians have not done really well.

Come 2007, a spark in the minds of a few lawyers or an epiphany occurred in them to rise up and call a spade a spade. The frustration was in the air compounded by MIC's short changing the community.

Hindraf is etched in the Malaysian history and its catalytic role to bring this two-party system to fruition is undeniable. Everyone must admit that the marginalisation of Indians was not exposed till Hindraf started protesting.

The roadblock now for Pakatan to give a few seats to Hindraf is an act of betrayal. It's exploitation of the sacrifice of Hindraf.

Vgeorgemy: I am not using this forum to belittle Hindraf's contribution to the Indian cause. To me, if they believe their cause, they should field their best against MIC candidates. MIC is the main weakness in the Indian Malaysian polity.

Pakatan policies didn't contribute to any of the Indian downtrodden. Pakatan must give legislative representation to Hindraf through Dewan Negara if they fail to capture MIC-held seats.

Black Mamba: Indeed, Human Rights Party (HRP) leader P Uthayakumar should stand against any of the MIC leaders to prove his mettle.

Five years after 2007, I see Hindraf heading aimlessly without any direction. Why take on Pakatan when it's only denying the rakyat from securing a two-party system?

What could ultimately be achieved by Hindraf if Pakatan loses to BN due to the split in Indian votes?

The general view of Hindraf is that it is no more about the deprived poorly educated disadvantage Indians who need great assistance, but a party that has almost gone militant under a leader like Uthaya.

Uthaya needs to learn how to work with the leadership from both sides to get his message across, rather than being a pain to all.

Smartvoters: Pakatan and Hindraf's common enemy is Umno-BN. If only 51 percent Malays, Chinese, Indians and East Malaysians vote Pakatan, Malaysia would have a new federal government after the 13th general election.

Then Pakatan and Hindraf can freely discuss any, or all, the alleged unfairness, injustices and discrimination faced by the different races in Malaysia.

In any case, to be represented by way or on the basis of 'race' is not a guarantee that all of the said problems of unfairness, injustices or discrimination will be solved or will no longer exist.

Take the case of the Dayak natives in Sarawak. The Dayaks are over represented in the Sarawak state cabinet and state legislative assembly. But until today, the Dayaks remain one of the poorest races/groups in Malaysia.

Anticommunalist: After reading Thayaparan's piece I agree with him. It's no use for Pakatan supporters to criticise Hindraf when in reality Pakatan is not able to win over the Indian votes.

Pakatan must be doing something wrong for them to lose the support of the Indian working class so drastically since the last GE.

Lie Detector: How can one deal with Hindraf when they call Pakatan ‘mandores' and proclaim with obvious glee that Pakatan is the same as BN?

And then they want opposition leaders Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang to publicly go to a field in Klang to support their 80 demands. Later, they say they are contesting in Pakatan-held seats. A vote for Hindraf is a vote for BN.

Retnam; The sad truth is Hindraf does not know exactly what they are fighting for. As a result, they have squandered the big advantage they were handed after the mammoth rally in 2007. Now it is all gone.

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