It is not outrageous to accuse MIC of being both subservient and servile to Umno that has caused the Indians to be marginalised in Malaysia, especially over the last four decades.
On MIC: Hindraf is stooge of the opposition
AC Kang: It is interesting to note that the MIC information chief has made wild allegations that Hindraf is a stooge of the opposition parties. In the same vein, it is not outrageous to accuse MIC of being both a stooge as well as being subservient and servile to Umno, thereby caus ing Indians to be marginalised in Malaysia especially since the introduction of the New Economic Policy.
The MIC leadership has not worked for the larger interests of the Indian community but the MIC led by S Samy Vellu has worked well to enrich his 'cronies' while the majority have been left in abject poverty.
Hindraf has been born out of frustration to check the slide of the Indian community in all spheres, i.e. education, economic activity and freedom to worship, instead of seeing their temples being demolished.
It must be emphasised that the Indians have contributed immensely to the growth especially of Malaya economically but are unable to share in the prosperity of the country. The absence of equitable distribution of wealth has led to the birth of Hindraf, which has to replace the defunct MIC led by some politicians who are blinkered to the plight of the Indian community.
S Annamalai: The refusal by the government to issue Hindraf a permit to hold a peaceful rally to hand over a petition to the British High Commission shows a flagrant lack of maturity.
The government should have taken the benevolent stand of letting Hindraf hold its peaceful demonstration. That would have projected a better image for the country in the eyes of the world. The government should stop cheap tactics of a world gone by - the use of police force or spineless court orders.
The government should define what constitutes a sensitive issue. Is not blatant disregard for other people's religion sensitive? It has been made insensitive by the authorities themselves. And this has been so for the past 25 years.
Tanak Wagu: What Hindraf is doing is merely getting attention for the plight of the Indian community. Similarly the Dayaks of Sarawak and the Kadazandusuns of Sabah should speak even louder about the mistreatment they suffer. Land problems, lack of religious freedom and unequal opportunities in the civil service are some of the predicaments faced by these communities.
Yes, from time to time Dayak and Kadazandusun leaders in the BN do bring these matters up, but in a way as not to offend the dominant Umno. Worse comes to worse, they end up fighting each other, as seen in the bad-mouthing between PBS, UPKO and PBRS.
Though listed as bumiputeras, the Dayaks and Kadazandusuns are not much better than Indian Malaysians. Even worse is that foreigners who entered the country illegally can obtain instant citizenship and have the upper hand over these original bumiputeras just because they are Muslims.
Kadazandusun Muslims who wish to revert to their original faith also find it increasingly difficult to do so. As for land matters, we have farmers who have had their huts burned for supposedly encroaching on forest reserves, while foreigners can build squatter houses as they please and then get free housing when the government wants to demolish their homes.
For this reason I believe that non-Muslims and non-Malays all over Malaysia should unite and tell Umno that enough is enough! We should all have a rally in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu to show solidarity. As for Hindraf, I congratulate you for your courage! I only wish that the Kadazandusuns would be as courageous.
On New Indian-based party to back BN
Sadirah K: Here's another Indian-based party, as though we do not have enough of them already. As though they have the capacity in this multi-ethnic society to bring up the quality of life of Indian Malaysians. The future of the Indians, Chinese and the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia and those of the Kadazans, Dayaks, Dusuns and others is dependent on one another. No one can move ahead on their own. Our destiny is intertwined and the more we care for the well-being of the other, the more we contribute to the well being of all.
We cannot paint our own cabin when the ship is sinking. There are definitely Indian issues that needs to be addressed but they can never be solved only in the context of the Indians. Our problems are Malaysian problems and unless these are addressed at that level there can be no solutions. There is no point in standing in the same muddy pool and pointing your finger at the other while not taking responsibility for the three fingers that are pointing back at you.
Indian Malaysians need to get out of their own muddy pool and work with other Malaysians to change their future. There are no short cuts. Our own paradigm has to be Malaysian in orientation and the new party offers nothing new but more of the splintering of the Indian community - offering much but without the capacity to deliver. Let's get back into the mainstream of where change is in the offing and make things stronger. Our solution to the problems faced by Malaysians of all ethnic backgrounds will only come from a political realignment in which we integrate with the other races to make a difference.
