The talk in the coffeshops these days is: Indian votes are cheap and easy. Just throw them some crumbs and no matter how you treat them, they will keep quiet.
The actions by some within UMNO recently and MIC's inability to stand up to them shows that this is not merely talk.
Greetings Dear Voter,
Soon you will decide at the ballot box who gets the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat. Should the Indians vote for BN/MIC, let us consider the following: -
First, let us be realistic - whether Pakatan or BN wins, Hulu Selangor is not going to be transformed into a land of gold and honey. Neither will it change the State or Federal governments. There is however an opportunity for the Indian community to send the right message at the national level.
The question is, who can provide better and fairer governance while giving you due respect? Since this election will determine a parliamentary seat, it is also about national issues.
An MP's job is to represent you in Parliament, not take care of uncollected rubbish and street lamps. What is the purpose then of State Assemblymen and the Municipal Council then?
There are many instances where MIC did not stand up for your rights in Parliament, they were just not brave enough to confront big brother UMNO.
For example, what did MIC do in 1988 when they amended article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution? This has led to numerous custody, body snatching and child custody problems when one parent converts. Because of this article, many cannot even get justice, never mind if MIC says that in 1988 it could not foresee such repercussions. But in December 2007, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang called on Gerakan and MIC leaders to propose at the Cabinet meeting that Article 121 (1A) of the Constitution be amended in view of the controversies relating to the burial of Muslim converts. He said the Cabinet should be bold enough to consider an amendment to rectify the injustices which were never intended to be created by Parliament when the constitutional amendment was enacted in 1988. Did MIC do anything at all about this?
Indira Gandhi took her fight to the civil courts to nullify her children’s conversion and to get custody. On March 11 this year, the Perak state High Court judge gave her custody of the youngest child, overturning the Syariah Court order. Her joy was however shortlived because the abovementioned article became a stumbling block.
This subservience by MIC has reached a state where even the MIC candidate picked to contest in Hulu Selangor is seen as meddling by UMNO. The question is, if MIC cannot even defend their right to pick a candidate, how can they defend your rights?
The Indians have largely voted for BN from independence until they joined a broadbased revolt and denied BN its two-thirds majority on Mar 08, 2008. Though MIC boasts about having 600,000 members, they could not even garner 200,000 of the popular vote. MIC suffered heavy losses but acted like it was only a temporary setback and gave vague promises to reform itself. Are you satisfied with the reforms so far?
Have they been able to be brave enough when certain factions within UMNO insulted the community? Despite incidents that degraded the Indian community like the Kugan case and the cow-head incident in Shah Alam,
the Indians in Bagan Pinang gave BN overwhelming support in the by-election. However, after that, we still have incidents like the PM's special assistant saying Indians came here as beggars and numerous other statements that either went unpunished or unchallenged.
If BN wins in Hulu Selangor especially under the current circumstances, it is likely that UMNO will become even more arrogant.
The talk in the coffeshops these days is: Indian votes are cheap and easy. Just throw them some crumbs and no matter how you treat them, they will keep quiet.
The actions by some within UMNO recently and MIC's inability to stand up to them shows that this is not merely talk.
MIC is fond of saying that though many Indian parties have come and gone, they are still standing since 1946. What they don't tell you is MIC blocked IPF's entry into BN and took credit for MMSP's work in Bagan Pinang. If MIC was so effective, why did the current and former PM show open public support for MMSP?
MIC also talks about rejuvenating with a line-up of young people but the President and many delegates are way past their expiry date.
MIC will also point out that some Indians are unhappy with the Selangor Pakatan government. Granted, they are not perfect but you must ask yourself whether any Pakatan leaders made derogatory remarks and treated the Indian community with such disdain as some within BN?
Is the Selangor MB Khalid as arrogant and corrupt as Khir Toyo? The Pakatan government is two years old and promised to help all including Indians. MIC is 60 years old supposedly exclusively there to uphold the rights of the Indians. But beyond talk, they have not been able to show much results.
The MIC/BN representative P.Kamalanathan who was handpicked by UMNO with ZERO experience in Parliament unlike veteran Zaid Ibrahim who was one of the rare ones to resign from his position as a Minister because he was unhappy with the way Teresa Kok, Tan Hoon Cheng and Raja Petra Kamaruddin were arrested under ISA. Zaid did this because he was a man of principle.
P.Kamalanathan said this in his blog :
"The MIC is aware of the grave responsibility such a position entails as is doing and will continue to do all that is needed and that is best to further spur the growth of the Indian society in Malaysia. The party will continue to be the beacon of the community in safeguarding their interests and unearthing opportunities for the community’s social, financial, economic, cultural and academic well being."
Is this not the same thing they repeated over the last 12 general elections over half a century? Look at the fate of our children today. Have your voices been heard? Do you want this to happen to your grandchildren as well? They may not be as lucky if you continue to succumb to BN like MIC.
UMNO will love to have such a candidate in Parliament who just maintains status quo and does not challenge them - what more when he owes his candidacy to UMNO - even if before this he could speak his mind it will be unlikely after this.
When you cast your ballot on April 25th 2010, please think carefully about the repercussions of your vote. This is your right as a citizen but this right also comes with a heavy responsibility.
I am not from any political party but just an ordinary citizen who wanted to share my opinion with you.
Happy voting
The actions by some within UMNO recently and MIC's inability to stand up to them shows that this is not merely talk.
Greetings Dear Voter,
Soon you will decide at the ballot box who gets the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat. Should the Indians vote for BN/MIC, let us consider the following: -
First, let us be realistic - whether Pakatan or BN wins, Hulu Selangor is not going to be transformed into a land of gold and honey. Neither will it change the State or Federal governments. There is however an opportunity for the Indian community to send the right message at the national level.
The question is, who can provide better and fairer governance while giving you due respect? Since this election will determine a parliamentary seat, it is also about national issues.
An MP's job is to represent you in Parliament, not take care of uncollected rubbish and street lamps. What is the purpose then of State Assemblymen and the Municipal Council then?
There are many instances where MIC did not stand up for your rights in Parliament, they were just not brave enough to confront big brother UMNO.
For example, what did MIC do in 1988 when they amended article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution? This has led to numerous custody, body snatching and child custody problems when one parent converts. Because of this article, many cannot even get justice, never mind if MIC says that in 1988 it could not foresee such repercussions. But in December 2007, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang called on Gerakan and MIC leaders to propose at the Cabinet meeting that Article 121 (1A) of the Constitution be amended in view of the controversies relating to the burial of Muslim converts. He said the Cabinet should be bold enough to consider an amendment to rectify the injustices which were never intended to be created by Parliament when the constitutional amendment was enacted in 1988. Did MIC do anything at all about this?
Indira Gandhi took her fight to the civil courts to nullify her children’s conversion and to get custody. On March 11 this year, the Perak state High Court judge gave her custody of the youngest child, overturning the Syariah Court order. Her joy was however shortlived because the abovementioned article became a stumbling block.
This subservience by MIC has reached a state where even the MIC candidate picked to contest in Hulu Selangor is seen as meddling by UMNO. The question is, if MIC cannot even defend their right to pick a candidate, how can they defend your rights?
The Indians have largely voted for BN from independence until they joined a broadbased revolt and denied BN its two-thirds majority on Mar 08, 2008. Though MIC boasts about having 600,000 members, they could not even garner 200,000 of the popular vote. MIC suffered heavy losses but acted like it was only a temporary setback and gave vague promises to reform itself. Are you satisfied with the reforms so far?
Have they been able to be brave enough when certain factions within UMNO insulted the community? Despite incidents that degraded the Indian community like the Kugan case and the cow-head incident in Shah Alam,
the Indians in Bagan Pinang gave BN overwhelming support in the by-election. However, after that, we still have incidents like the PM's special assistant saying Indians came here as beggars and numerous other statements that either went unpunished or unchallenged.
If BN wins in Hulu Selangor especially under the current circumstances, it is likely that UMNO will become even more arrogant.
The talk in the coffeshops these days is: Indian votes are cheap and easy. Just throw them some crumbs and no matter how you treat them, they will keep quiet.
The actions by some within UMNO recently and MIC's inability to stand up to them shows that this is not merely talk.
MIC is fond of saying that though many Indian parties have come and gone, they are still standing since 1946. What they don't tell you is MIC blocked IPF's entry into BN and took credit for MMSP's work in Bagan Pinang. If MIC was so effective, why did the current and former PM show open public support for MMSP?
MIC also talks about rejuvenating with a line-up of young people but the President and many delegates are way past their expiry date.
MIC will also point out that some Indians are unhappy with the Selangor Pakatan government. Granted, they are not perfect but you must ask yourself whether any Pakatan leaders made derogatory remarks and treated the Indian community with such disdain as some within BN?
Is the Selangor MB Khalid as arrogant and corrupt as Khir Toyo? The Pakatan government is two years old and promised to help all including Indians. MIC is 60 years old supposedly exclusively there to uphold the rights of the Indians. But beyond talk, they have not been able to show much results.
The MIC/BN representative P.Kamalanathan who was handpicked by UMNO with ZERO experience in Parliament unlike veteran Zaid Ibrahim who was one of the rare ones to resign from his position as a Minister because he was unhappy with the way Teresa Kok, Tan Hoon Cheng and Raja Petra Kamaruddin were arrested under ISA. Zaid did this because he was a man of principle.
P.Kamalanathan said this in his blog :
"The MIC is aware of the grave responsibility such a position entails as is doing and will continue to do all that is needed and that is best to further spur the growth of the Indian society in Malaysia. The party will continue to be the beacon of the community in safeguarding their interests and unearthing opportunities for the community’s social, financial, economic, cultural and academic well being."
Is this not the same thing they repeated over the last 12 general elections over half a century? Look at the fate of our children today. Have your voices been heard? Do you want this to happen to your grandchildren as well? They may not be as lucky if you continue to succumb to BN like MIC.
UMNO will love to have such a candidate in Parliament who just maintains status quo and does not challenge them - what more when he owes his candidacy to UMNO - even if before this he could speak his mind it will be unlikely after this.
When you cast your ballot on April 25th 2010, please think carefully about the repercussions of your vote. This is your right as a citizen but this right also comes with a heavy responsibility.
I am not from any political party but just an ordinary citizen who wanted to share my opinion with you.
Happy voting
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