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The great carnival has begun at Ijok, a carnival of a widespread buffet of BN's promises and PKR's accusations.

Interestingly, the Indian community in Ijok has to decide whether they want to stay united or otherwise. We, Indians, are aching for our community and are often dissatisfied with what we are seeing. Many Indians are looking at the community and complaining that MIC is disappointing them.

Perfection is the enemy of the good and what we over-idealise will invariably disappoint and frustrate us. And that's exactly the difficulty with our community. Simply put, we're often unable to appreciate the MIC because we have false notions and false expectations of it. An overly- romantic notion clouds our vision so much so we rarely even recognise the real contribution MIC makes when we see it.

The MIC is a political party and has spread its wings to become a socio-economic party to take on extra responsibilities. Why don't we just allow MIC to do its political job and we, as responsible Indian Malaysians, do our bit to uplift our people.

Why do we spend a lot of energy complaining about MIC? Okay, so when we complain, we're saying that we don't like the way MIC is going. That's a good beginning, since before we can find a solution to anything, we must be aware that there is a problem, or that something needs to change.

But that's where we have got ourselves stuck. Rather than moving on to the find a solution, we have remained in the complaining mode. Just think about it. We do it in our feelings with ourselves, with our mates, with our co-Indians and with our children. We complain, we badger, we moan and groan. We go on and on about MIC. Ah, yes, there is so much to complain about. Which can be seen in a positive light. It means there's a lot of places where we can have some effect. A lot of areas where we can make a difference.

But somehow, we're convinced that complaining, all by itself, will make a difference. Tiredness, fear, distrust, private wounds and every kind of reticence conspire together many non-MIC members to generally keep the conversations focused more on the Maika shares, AIMST, Samy Vellu. Focused on these topics rather than on what's really on their minds.

What their concern, our concern and MIC's concern really is touches the essence of our Indian community. What is that? Simply put, it is a gathering our people in a way that displaces our selfishness so that we begin to live in charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faith, constancy, mildness and with an economic advancement that make it possible to precisely live with each other beyond differences, fears, and incompatibilities.

The kind of bond that withstands the test of time within our community is ultimately rooted in something beyond liking each other, huddling in loneliness, working for a common cause, or sharing a bloodline, a neighborhood, an organisation or even a party.

For the Indians in Malaysia to be at par with the others by 2020, we must stay together even when we don't like each other. Let this Ijok election show us if we can stay united as Indians or fall apart in bickering!

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