YOURSAY | ‘Such reps will be under the thumb of Anwar and PKR Malay leadership.’

Pro-Harapan group wants Indian PKR rep as S’gor exco

Kilimanjaro: An Indian PKR representative as an executive councillor (exco) is not going to make any difference in speaking up for the Indians. Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister K Saraswathy is as good as ineffective for the Indians.

Such representatives will be under the thumb of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the PKR Malay leadership.

So, I doubt very much that asking or receiving a seat in the exco will make any difference to the Indians in general. We have enough knowledge and experience in understanding this. It may only boost their own interest, personally and politically.

The Indians must start thinking in a way of either getting or retaining our rights. Expecting to get them from these present crops of Indian leaders will just be daydreaming. My personal stand is very clear - either I will sleep at home, meaning I won’t vote for any party, or I will vote PAS/Perikatan Nasional just to spite and show my anger towards the DAP and PKR.

I am not just interested in what they can do for us, but more importantly, what we deserve politically. It is the inalienable right of each Indian to decide what is right or good for them. Enough of relying on Indian leaders. The MIC, DAP, PKR, Gerakan all bluffed us.

Can the non-Malays trust Anwar and the PKR? Can the non-Malays trust the DAP anymore? If it is a "No", then the choice is quite straightforward - I will either sleep at home or vote for PAS/PN. All I need is a two-minute joy for the DAP and PKR to know what they are missing.

If they don't care, well it is up to them. This is a democratic choice, and irritating these two parties will be my satisfaction.

I wrote about this sentiment before the elections. Former DAP representatives Charles Santiago (former Klang MP) and V Ganabatirau (former Kota Kemuning assemblyperson) have written about the disenchanted Indian voters. It will be good for the DAP and PKR to ponder before it is too late.

It looks nonsensical for the DAP to claim itself as a democratic multiracial party. We have been strong supporters of DAP and PKR after the Indians deserted MIC but the arrogant and chauvinistic way the DAP behaves leaves no room or reason to support the party.

If the Indian community goes over to give their vote for an enemy of Harapan-BN, then there is every reason for the leaders of the coalition to worry about. Our views are clear, either abstain from voting for Harapan or vote for PN/PAS.

Anwar should stop just dangling the carrot. Start reforms in the states Harapan-BN won or be prepared to face a backlash that may see the Harapan obliterated. It is purely nonsensical to win states that support reforms, but you follow the dictum of the states that are against reforms.

There is a deep imprint in the minds of these people that Anwar is the problem, not the solution. If he is still not aware, there is already an anti-Anwar backlash from the non-Malays. Add to that the taunting of the PN/PAS.

He must do what the voters who voted for him want, not giving flimsy excuses and reasons to please those who voted against him.

KC Ampang: I agree with your grouses. Please get all politicians from your community to resign en masse from PKR and DAP and join PAS and Bersatu as associates to punish Harapan for their negligence of your community.

You must put your words into action, or else people would not respect your community next time and treat your threats and grouses as non-consequential. At least, I personally look at your threat as non-consequential, after observing politics for so many years.

The politicians of your community in DAP and PKR are the most dishonourable as they remained in these parties despite their community being neglected. Your community should not vote for these politicians though they are from your community to teach them a lesson for betrayal.

Lego Sheriff: Former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy joined DAP and was fielded as a candidate within a short time. Then he was appointed as DCM in 2008 by former CM Lim Guan Eng, reappointed in 2013 by Lim, and again in 2018 by current CM Chow Kon Yeow.

He has served three terms as DCM, longer than the Chinese CMs who appointed him or the other Malay DCMs.

But the moment he was not selected, he abandons the party. I used to respect Ramasamy for his vocal criticism of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Now we can all see they have similar characteristics – they want the position forever, resigns and turn against the party once they don't get what they want, and they have a magnified ego and view of their own popularity.

The fact that DAP won all seats in Penang shows it's not Ramasamy but the party which people voted for. One out of four ministers from DAP in the unity government is Indian. As is the Deputy CM for Penang since 2008. In what way are Indians not treated with respect by DAP?

Perhaps PN can do better by appointing two Indians from their quota as ministers plus appointing Ramasamy as Perlis or Kedah MB?

Thickskin: We should stop all this nonsense about "representation by race". We are all Malaysians. We need Malaysians to represent all Malaysians. No need to have Malays representing Malays, Chinese representing Chinese, Indians representing Indians, Kadazans representing Kadazans, Bajaus representing Bajaus, or Ibans representing Ibans.

The list is endless. We are a multiracial, multicultural, and multireligious nation. Let us not emphasise our differences.

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