I refer to the Malaysiakini report Najib waves stick and offers carrot .

Promises are now being made by the prime minister and deputy prime minister to the Indian Malaysians just before the general elections. In fact, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak even warned the Indian community not to go against the ruling BN.

Can't Malaysians make their choices in the general elections freely? Isn't this threat to Indians against the elections ordinance? Of course, the Election Commission has proven itself a tool of the BN, so don’t expect any action from them.

We all know why the federal constitution was amended by the BN in a hurry to extend the service of the EC chairperson who would have retired at the end of 2007. That act of amending the federal constitution itself an abuse of the two-thirds majority won by the BN government.

Will the Indians be swayed by such threats and sweet promises? I sincerely hope they will hold on to their valuable votes for some time to see that the promises are actually implemented.

I hope the Chinese Malaysians still remember the Suqiu issue from about a decade ago. Chinese activists jointly submitted a memorandum on their expectations to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. As it was just before the general elections, Mahathir accepted it, giving the impression that the BN would implement the proposals. The Chinese were fooled into voting for the BN and that gave them a two-thirds majority, as usual.

After the general elections, Mahathir blasted the Chinese community for holding him to‘ransom’ before the general elections. It was around this time that Umno Youth went to the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, threatening to burn it down.

Not one of the issues raised in the Suqiu memo was ever implemented. Malaysians have continued to vote for the BN with no checks and balances as people have short memories. Suqiu then, now Hindraf. The MIC is trying to gain sympathy.

If Malaysians, in general, and the Indians, in particular, vote for the BN in the coming general elections and allow the BN to keep its two-thirds majority once again, the BN will take us for a ride once again.

Malaysians must ensure that checks and balances are provided by voting in a strong opposition to in this year’s general elections.

Najib has promised more scholarships for Indians. And the chief secretary was told to ensure that Indian candidates are not rejected when applying for civil service positions and that deserving students are sent to foreign universities.

I would like to ask what the government will do for those deserving Indians in the government service who have been denied opportunities to further their studies and go up the ladder.

I know of one Indian Malaysian doctor, a Universiti Malaya graduate, who has taken unpaid leave since last year to do his Master’s degree in the same university. But his application to do his Master’s has not been approved by the health ministry. After his appeal was also turned down, this doctor chose to take unpaid leave to continue his study.

The health ministry has always been short of capable doctors. Do they want to lose another one with their shortsightedness?

It is almost certain that the BN will return in the coming general elections, by hook or by crook. The best option Malaysians have is to ensure that the BN’s two-thirds majority is reduced this time to provide the much needed checks and balance.

If the opposition parties can show us that they are capable of working together after the general elections, we Malaysians can then consider them as potential leaders of the government in the future general elections.