The electoral watchdog Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) is expecting huge public support for the upcoming Bersih 4 rally expected to be held on Aug 29, 2015. It is an important rally to strengthen democracy in Malaysia.

The past 58 years of Umno’s rule had led to chaos and turmoil. Bersih 4 is demanding clean and fair elections, a corrupt-free government, right to protest, strengthening parliamentary democracy and saving the economy, among others. The demands are fair as we need to have check and balance in the administration and prevent misuse and abuse of power.

The ‘Democracy Festival’ is expected to last for 34 hours. We must show solidarity and love as well as patriotism for our country which is confronted with violence abuse of power and corruption at the highest level of government. This rally will be very important for Indian Malaysians especially as they are the most marginalised community in Malaysia under the Umno-led BN regime.

The following statistics sourced from various agencies indicate the level of marginalisation and deprivation of the Indians in Malaysia in every aspect of life.

  • Seventy percent of the two million Indian Malaysians are very poor or poor; the national average poverty level is a mere 2.8 percent (Ponnusamy 2009: 27).
  • Less than 1 percent of Malaysia’s education budget goes to Indian Malaysian schools, even though Indian Malaysians comprise about 8 percent of the total population (South Asian Voice 2008).
  • Indian Malaysians’ participation in the civil services declined from about 40 percent in 1957 to about 2 percent in 2007 (Kuppuswamy 2010).
  • About 90 percent of the armed forces personnel are from the majority Malay Muslims (Ramakrishnan 2011).
  • 78 percent of the government services are occupied by Malays, while Indian Malaysians share only 4 percent (Ramakrishnan 2011).
  • Indian Malaysians comprise 60 percent of the urban squatters and 41 percent of all beggars (The Economist, February 22nd, 2003).
  • 95 percent of Malaysian victims shot dead by the police and 90 percent of the deaths in police and prison custody victims are Indian Malaysians (Ponnusamy 2009: 32).

There are many Indian Malaysian NGOs in Malaysia which in the past were instrumental in urging Indian Malaysians to vote for Pakatan in 2008, but in the 2012 general election Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia became friendly to Barisan Nasional because Najib Abdul Razak allegedly bought over all his opponents with money. It is very clear that money been used to suppress the truth and the cries of the marginalised community.

We cannot forget the ill treatment by the police and Umno regime in the Hindraf rally because all Indian Malaysians ask for are their forgotten rights. We are not eager to give up our pride. Time to support Bersih 4 for fairness to all races in Malaysia.

It is time for those NGOs to declare their support to Bersih 4 which is fair to every citizen of Malaysia. Enough is enough! NGO leaders do not need to play the role of Mr Nice guy to get attention from Najib. The country is rotting and swimming in corruption. Make it a cleaner country by declaring your support to Bersih 4. The writer of this article urges all Indian Malaysians to throw their support behind Bersih 4.