LETTER | In 2008, Pakatan Rakyat had the upper hand of at least 70 percent of Indian votes due to its promising outlook in the 12th general elections. They banked greatly on the privilege of condemning and pointing out BN's flaws. They came into being as a result of the animosity shaped by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, holding out to the Indians who were battered and yearned for change.

They had no track record, except for the promise of hope. And this repository of hope was a deal great enough to turn the tables. With sketches of hope, Indians who staked the future and voted for Pakatan in two consecutive runs, now see a full despicable portrait.

PKR and DAP both started off by enticing the Indian community with Indian leaders topping their organisation charts, stroking the people with an anti-discriminatory ideology. Ironically, the position came with a great limit of decision making power. All except one, the freedom to condemn BN in a move to sustain face value, denouncing the government has been the sole KPI for Indian leaders of Pakatan.

Between promises and performance, Kg Buah Pala was a great example of the opposition’s commitment for the Indian people, as they championed the brutal demolition of a traditional Indian village without proper compensation for the poor Indians right under Lim Kit Siang’s purview. But why take heed as the Chinese surpass votes in Penang, right?

It was Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who then came forward, offering double-storey houses worth RM220,000 each by Syarikat Perumahan Negara (SPN) Bhd in Taman Sejahtera Indah, Teluk Air Tawar. This is a repeat in the case of Taman Permata, where estate workers who made way for the development of Putrajaya were promised new homes and resettlement facilities by Mahathir. Najib came in to rescue again by initiating to build new terrace houses in Ampar Tenang, Dengkil, to appropriately compensate these neglected people.

Anwar, on the other hand, served as both the Education and Finance Minister in the government - two crucial roles that could have elevated the socioeconomic stature of the Indian community. Did he propel any significant initiatives for the Indian people back then?

Parti Sosialias Malaysia (PSM) has always maintained its grassroots stance and one could not be further from the truth when you take a look at the personalities such as MP Michael Jeyakumar and Nasir Hashim. Pakatan Harapan has sidelined them as troublemakers, unwilling to back them with neither resources nor a platform to fight for the needy.

Now DAP's A Sivanesan wants to snatch it away as he wants to contest in Sungai Siput. Why won’t Harapan and DAP lend its support to the good doctor Jeyakumar to serve peacefully? Why is the hunger for power blinding away Harapan?

And then we have the all-new fledgeling Minority Rights Action Party (Mira) that joins in the ever-expanding Harapan, adding into a mix of personalities, from the start. We gave Harapan the benefit of doubt once and they sold our inky fingerprints for a good price of personal agendas.

Today, Harapan is caught off-guard by Najib’s determination to empower and transform the Indian community in Malaysia, once and for all. The Malaysian Indian Blueprint, his 10-year plan is set to streamline all Indian initiatives within the existing ministries in the government creating an all-inclusive Malaysia, a feat that is demanding in nature but achievable. Hence the desperate resort propagating ostensive claims in a gesture to oust BN.

For the Indian community, Harapan has just continued to rule their darkness. Re-election to their throne, year after year, has only made Harapan take the Indians for granted. This time, as the election fever nears, the spectacle of the Indian community casting their votes and determining their own future is something I look forward to seeing.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.