I offer these thoughts as a possible way in which the voice of the marginalised Indian Malaysians may be heard.

This, in my opinion, necessary in the current political climate of realpolitik. Something I learnt from my most recent experience with the DAP over the Kampung Buah Pala issue.

The marginalised Indian Malaysians have not got what they wanted with their votes after the last general election. The marginalisation continues apace in the four states of Pakatan.

Umno continues with its racial and religious antics. The many-faceted grievances of the marginalised lot in the country see no light of day.

In Penang we have got the lying DAP chief minister, a bunch of Indian lackeys in DAP, and a string of broken promises by DAP.

DAP washed its hands of a key Indian issue at Kampung Buah Pala.

In PKR we have a bunch of MPs and Aduns who are nowhere to be seen on the marginalised Indian issues. In Perak and Selangor there has been significant land allocations to the Chinese new village settlers by the Pakatan Rakyat government but no significant land allocation whatsoever to the marginalised Indians.

Temple demolitions go on in all the Pakatan States.

Umno's Hishamuddin, the home minister, says it is all right to slight the Indians in the country by desecrating their religious symbol, the cow.

The police arrest the Hindraf's rose and candle-bearing protestors, but do nothing to the aggressive and seditious cow-head mob.

The government has done absolutely nothing on Indian marginalisation issues in spite of all the commotion over the past 18 months.

Now they use the Pakatan government as their cover to continue to marginalise the Indians with their unchanging racist policies.

Why does all of this continue? Umno, MIC, PKR and DAP just want the Indian votes - that's why. They really do not care about the fate of the marginalised Indians. They all pay lip service.

They only return crumbs, like some minor funding for schools or some small piece of land for the schools or some such token after the elections because they have to be seen to be doing something. They allow the problems that cause marginalisation to persist, in effect to grow.

We cannot accept this anymore.

Now, here is my proposal. This is an out of the box proposal but there is significant merit to it - read on.

Generally it has been thought that there are only two options available to the Indian voters - it is either BN or Pakatan. So Pakatan sits smugly by, thinking the resentment of the Indian voters towards BN and Umno, will leave the Indians with no other choice.

Based on this smug position they are not motivated to address the problems in the way needed, wherever they can

But there is a third option available. An option, that if carefully played out can have devastating effects on Pakatan.

That is of abstaining from voting altogether in selective constituencies, where we see opportunity to affect the results. We just do not vote Pakatan or BN.

This third option can have the effect of sending the message that if you do not hear what we say, we will abstain from voting for you, Pakatan. No one can say we betrayed you, by running back to BN.

To avoid this, hear what we are saying and show it in action now, when you have the chance. Win that loyalty with action, and win our votes.

As a test of this hypothesis, the Indians in Bagan Pinang need to use their votes now to make a difference. They all must abstain form casting their votes on election day.

This will definitely affect the outcome. This reduces the probability of a Pakatan win significantly. What this will likely mean is that status quo will be maintained.

BN will retain their seat. And we, for our part would have made our point.

Both BN and Pakatan have not been good for us up to now. Let Pakatan hurt a little in this by-election which will be watched by all in the country.

Let it come out that because the Indian voters abstained, Pakatan lost in Bagan Pinang. Pakatan then needs to understand that the Indian voters in the country have become savvy to realpolitik.

We definitely prefer Pakatan to Umno, but only if Pakatan listens to the voice of the Indian marginalised. We can make a difference - both ways.

We must make this point. This is our opportunity.