YOURSAY 'Malaysia is proud to have you as a son: one who has the means to speak up and does so on behalf of his fellow man who is suffering.'

'Rectify injustices suffered by Indian M'sians'

RR: National Indian Rights Action Team (Niat) chairperson Thasleem Mohd Ibrahim's views are fair. His passion for the Indian community is a result of him having undergone difficulty and suffering in Malaysia.

One should not question or doubt why an Indian Muslim (unlike former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad) is championing this cause and not other Indian Hindus, who are the majority in the country.

It is time that all races think as Malaysians first and address fairly the woes of the different races in poverty who are deprived of facilities and benefits.

The policies must be egalitarian. It must be humane and it must be righteous. This is what Thasleem is advocating.

I hope Pakatan Rakyat will ultimately be just to all races when the change takes place. Or we will change Pakatan in GE14.

Ksn: Thasleem has said a number of things on behalf of the Indians who have been ‘bastardised' by MIC and Umno Baru for more than 30 years. Hence their present state.

The need, as said in the article, is for a strategic plan to elevate them to the level of others and correct the discrimination and injustices done to them.

For example, when the plantation workers were displaced through fragmentation and amalgamation and so on, there were no avenues for them to work, subsist, learn new skills, etc.

This has to be the approach to save them from further suffering whether under Umno Baru or Pakatan.

Lay off Tamil schools and Hindu temple issues, which will not help the Indians in any way to gather new knowledge and skills, and thus economically.

Ferdtan: Thasleem talked about the need for government-funded boarding schools where 80 percent of students would be Indian Malaysians. "This will not be for the long-term, but at least, let's get it started," he said.

I think it is a good idea. In order for Pakatan not to be falsely branded as racialist party, set a time limit, say 10 years to give the special accelerated aid.

For the Indians, most of the misplaced youths from the estates that were taken over by huge 'money-sucking' conglomerates, have no place to go. They have limited education, and many without proper citizenship documents have unsurprisingly turned to crime.

We must have a policy, as time is a factor, to give these Indian youths free education. Have boarding schools as most even cannot afford school fees.

The saying goes: "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you give him a fishing rod, you feed him for a lifetime." In the long term, the whole country will gain. Is that too hard to ask?

LittleGiant: I appreciate Thasleem's decision not to join Pakatan Rakyat. He should continue to be non-partisan and carry on his excellent social work.

But I do not quite agree with his views on affirmative action policy to help the Indian Malaysian community. The Indian community has been left to the mercy of BN leaders for more than four decades now.

And Pakatan has been only fighting ‘bush fires' in the community and so far has failed to convince Indian Malaysians that it is capable of providing long-term solutions to the community's woes.

Affirmative policies that only propagates handouts and patchwork remedies will only keep the Indian Malaysian community in its vicious cycle of social ills.

Umno leaders in BN and the Malay leaders from Pakatan should have the conviction and guts to break the barrier of race and religion and accept Indian Malaysians with respect and dignity.

Until then, any affirmative policy to help Indian Malaysians can be destined to the dustbin.

Malaysian Pariah: Indians do not need affirmative action. All that is required is fair execution and enforcement of opportunities by the government of the day.

To date MIC-BN has failed. Let's give Pakatan a chance and be united in this effort.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Thasleem has aptly put forward the limitations of MIC and Pakatan. But isn't it time that the Malays understand that equality is the way forward?

Indians who have the money can go elsewhere and the rest, with the pressure from the powers-that-be, will eventually become Muslims.

But isn't this a sad end to what we have contributed to this country from the time of the great Hindu empires in this region to the coming of the Hindu-Indonesian prince to Malacca?

Nothing will change until the Malays see us as equals. We must have leaders who are able to say that to the Malays who lead this country.

IloveBN: Datuk Thasleem, continue the good sir. You may not know me, but I have known you since your days as the general manager of Elgi Marka in Ipoh.

I had always admired you for your outspoken attitude even as a 22-year-old. You had ideas even then and I had always told my friends that this gentleman had qualities not many had. I have always told friends that you were an excellent salesman, for your ideas had always excited me.

Many years have gone by, in fact a good 32 years, and today I read about your deeds and commitment to the Indian community. Your short speech during the stage show in Wisma Tun Sambanthan a few months ago must be heard by all Indians in Malaysia.

Then, and only then, will the Indians understand your stand and visions for the community. Good job, sir. As an old friend, I wish you all the best.

Holden: Malaysia is proud to have you as a son: one who is not blinded by bigotry or greed; one who has the means to speak up and does so on behalf of his fellow man who is suffering.

Thasleem, you're a magnificent example to all Malaysians and to all human beings.

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