When Najib Abdul Razak took over the reins of leadership in 2009, the newly-minted prime minister had then embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between the races.

 

Ironically, it is under his 1Malaysia sky that the nation now appears to be most divided, mostly along ethnic and religious lines.

 

Hence, Negara-Ku patron and former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan told Malaysiakini that it is a futile exercise when Najib’s deeds fail to match his words.

 

She was asked to respond to the prime minister’s speech at a seminar on Tamil Studies at Universiti Malaya yesterday, where he described Malaysian Indians as the “sons and daughters of this soil”.

 

Najib also spoke at length of how the government had always made it a point to look after the well-being of its citizens.

 

However, Ambiga suggested that the prime minister was oceans apart from reality.

 

“Malaysians of all races are facing problems which are not being addressed, and are feeling as if they are not being treated as citizens due to issues concerning race or religion,” she said.

 

The former Bersih leader also pointed out how right-wing elements are spewing animosity with impunity and dividing the people.

 

“Instead of uplifting ordinary citizens, what is on the centre stage of attention - and even receiving the tacit support of the government - are the very elements which aim to destroy what the prime minister wants to achieve.

 

“Hence, the perception that the words (of Najib) are hollow,” she said.

 

A slew of acute problems

 

As for Najib’s speech on the Indian community in Malaysia, Ambiga said she would like to see if it is widely published in the media.

 

On the ground, she added, the sentiments of Indian Malaysians are different.

 

“They don’t feel they are being treated in that way (as expressed by Najib) at all. There is a need to address why they don’t feel that way,” she said.

 

Ambiga stressed that it is also pertinent for the government to look into the reasons behind the community being plagued with a slew of acute problems.

 

“Why is there a sense of haplessness among many youths? Why is there a high rate of gangsterism?

 

“What these things show is that the community is facing serious social issues as a result of neglect,” she said, noting the high number of custodial deaths involving Indians.