As far as Hindraf is concerned, consider that Umno neutralised it even before ‘The Game’ started. It was a knockout by default. Holding the Hindraf5 under ISA really did the trick. Today the Hindraf is in tatters. While under ISA, Umno successfully split up the Hindraf detained leaders, turning some Hindraf leaders to Umno’s side. They demonised Hindraf, making it lame, tame and powerless and even managed to get them to go against Pakatan Rakyat causing it to lose the community’s support.
It was even rumoured one of the Hindraf 5 is an undercover Special Branch agent. Umno’s tricks are boundless. Where Umno is concerned, it has achieved what it wanted. MIC’s win in Hulu Selangor gave Umno the credibility it needed.
Hindraf burst into the scene at a time when Indians were frustrated with their lot after 50 years of neglect. This included the Indians in estates (the lower income and the less fortunate), university graduates, middle-class and also many professionals. In the past 30 years, they have had only one Indian leader, S Samy Vellu who is both despised by many but worshiped by some who readily sit at his feet.
During the 1980’s, the Indians woke up because of the many NGOs and social activists. Many of them began to question the sincerity of Barisan Nasional and in particular, Umno. Nevertheless, few dared to even vote against BN hence the successful 2004 results during Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s regime.
From the 1990s, many individuals, groups and network of NGOs have been airing their frustration with regards to the insensitive Muslim conversions, lack of education opportunities (especially the allotment of scholarships), the poverty level, the unjust and forced eviction from estates and lands, the high rate of street crimes within their communities and the manner in which they were thrust into hostile and congested city slums from a quiet, rustic estate environment.
These social ills and economic frustrations were never addressed by MIC, who is their political spokesman. Since the 1990s, MIC has won every single seat it was allotted except during the Lunas by-election, giving it a winning rate of almost 100% for its candidates. However, the grovelling and kissing-up to Umno, its thuggish behaviour and their callous disregard for its people, has made Indians begin to see beyond the veil and smokescreen of the MIC-Umno wayang.
The media has already reporters of a whole Indian village which was without electricity and water for over 50 years.
The advent of Hindraf gave the Indians a venue to vent their pent-up frustration and anger. By sending the memorandum to the British Embassy in a strategic move, Hindraf got Umno’s attention. Umno took immediate action on the 30,000-strong crowd in the street, creating a war-like zone with tear gas canisters, batons and heavily armed FRU and police presence to beat them back into their hovels.
It is my intention to inform your readers that there were ‘hundreds’ if not ‘thousands’ of professionals and businessmen at that Hindraf rally in 2007. You could even spot some ‘millionaires’ among the crowd gathered to hear the speeches that Nov 25. The Indian community solidly supported Hindarf en masse something which never happened previously.
Umno responded quickly. On Dec 13, Umno, fed-up and not wanting to drag Hindraf through a messy court trail, made its move. Abdullah dumped the five into Kamunting instead and the rest is history. Everything happened accordingly to Umno’s plan.
Since then, what has happened to these people? There was a lot of buzz on the ground, vigils, gatherings, prayers, numerous meetings and even campaigns that were initiated. P Uthayakumar probably didn’t anticipate such a success for Hindraf after 2007. Maybe, that’s why there was no plan B to harness this energy that was created. Such energy that was not used, dissipated and thus wasted. With no proper plan B to take over the leadership, it just could not compare with Samy Vellu’s huge, organised political-structure – the MIC.
There was such a huge energy among the people for Hindraf then. ‘Makkal Sakthi’ groups were formed across the nation and many individuals organised themselves with a new sense of awakening following the rally. The ballon of fear was burst open and the people began to come out of their shells, discussions were open and everyone wanted to do something. We did not want to go back to MIC as we had burnt our bridges to it but we were burning with desire to do something for the Indian community.
Among us was not just the labourer class of Indians as the media portrays but also the working class, the professionals, the educated and also the English-speaking. Unlike what has been labelled of us, we, too, had a reason to fight on and stay here, for the love of our country and to help the downtrodden and we did whatever we could in whichever way we wanted.
Can we be blamed if it didn’t turn out exactly as what the activists wanted because we were groping for our way? When Umno realised their mistake, they systematically had an exit planned. Never would they have wanted Indians to support Pakatan.
They wanted the community back for themselves, so we can see the sabotage and traitors who could be bought over as we saw during the following by-elections. The Maklal Sakthi Party is a prime example of sabotage. Will the Indians bite the bait? it seems to have been by the looks of Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor..
What went wrong for Hindraf? There were no plans to get appropriate people to work for the community on the social, economic and political levels. The Indians had no other choice but to run into the arms of Pakatan Rakyat. Socially, many individual bodies and networks were created with no links to Hindraf. Economically, many wanted to help but once Umno got Hindraf banned (a smart move), the rich did not want their names into a bad ight..
The ‘third force’ that is coming up is a dream come true for Umno. It is the best way to alienate the Indians and Pakatan. Umno has got two mangoes with one stone. Hindraf has turned the tables against the very people who it used to work with. We can only sit and lament at this conclusion taken by Hindraf.
All we wanted was to be rid the shackles under Umno and to start rebuilding for a progressive community after 50 years but we are back to square one, returning to pre-2007, where a puny team is fighting everyone. Uthaya is a leader who could have been a legend..
22/09/10
It was even rumoured one of the Hindraf 5 is an undercover Special Branch agent. Umno’s tricks are boundless. Where Umno is concerned, it has achieved what it wanted. MIC’s win in Hulu Selangor gave Umno the credibility it needed.
Hindraf burst into the scene at a time when Indians were frustrated with their lot after 50 years of neglect. This included the Indians in estates (the lower income and the less fortunate), university graduates, middle-class and also many professionals. In the past 30 years, they have had only one Indian leader, S Samy Vellu who is both despised by many but worshiped by some who readily sit at his feet.
During the 1980’s, the Indians woke up because of the many NGOs and social activists. Many of them began to question the sincerity of Barisan Nasional and in particular, Umno. Nevertheless, few dared to even vote against BN hence the successful 2004 results during Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s regime.
From the 1990s, many individuals, groups and network of NGOs have been airing their frustration with regards to the insensitive Muslim conversions, lack of education opportunities (especially the allotment of scholarships), the poverty level, the unjust and forced eviction from estates and lands, the high rate of street crimes within their communities and the manner in which they were thrust into hostile and congested city slums from a quiet, rustic estate environment.
These social ills and economic frustrations were never addressed by MIC, who is their political spokesman. Since the 1990s, MIC has won every single seat it was allotted except during the Lunas by-election, giving it a winning rate of almost 100% for its candidates. However, the grovelling and kissing-up to Umno, its thuggish behaviour and their callous disregard for its people, has made Indians begin to see beyond the veil and smokescreen of the MIC-Umno wayang.
The media has already reporters of a whole Indian village which was without electricity and water for over 50 years.
The advent of Hindraf gave the Indians a venue to vent their pent-up frustration and anger. By sending the memorandum to the British Embassy in a strategic move, Hindraf got Umno’s attention. Umno took immediate action on the 30,000-strong crowd in the street, creating a war-like zone with tear gas canisters, batons and heavily armed FRU and police presence to beat them back into their hovels.
It is my intention to inform your readers that there were ‘hundreds’ if not ‘thousands’ of professionals and businessmen at that Hindraf rally in 2007. You could even spot some ‘millionaires’ among the crowd gathered to hear the speeches that Nov 25. The Indian community solidly supported Hindarf en masse something which never happened previously.
Umno responded quickly. On Dec 13, Umno, fed-up and not wanting to drag Hindraf through a messy court trail, made its move. Abdullah dumped the five into Kamunting instead and the rest is history. Everything happened accordingly to Umno’s plan.
Since then, what has happened to these people? There was a lot of buzz on the ground, vigils, gatherings, prayers, numerous meetings and even campaigns that were initiated. P Uthayakumar probably didn’t anticipate such a success for Hindraf after 2007. Maybe, that’s why there was no plan B to harness this energy that was created. Such energy that was not used, dissipated and thus wasted. With no proper plan B to take over the leadership, it just could not compare with Samy Vellu’s huge, organised political-structure – the MIC.
There was such a huge energy among the people for Hindraf then. ‘Makkal Sakthi’ groups were formed across the nation and many individuals organised themselves with a new sense of awakening following the rally. The ballon of fear was burst open and the people began to come out of their shells, discussions were open and everyone wanted to do something. We did not want to go back to MIC as we had burnt our bridges to it but we were burning with desire to do something for the Indian community.
Among us was not just the labourer class of Indians as the media portrays but also the working class, the professionals, the educated and also the English-speaking. Unlike what has been labelled of us, we, too, had a reason to fight on and stay here, for the love of our country and to help the downtrodden and we did whatever we could in whichever way we wanted.
Can we be blamed if it didn’t turn out exactly as what the activists wanted because we were groping for our way? When Umno realised their mistake, they systematically had an exit planned. Never would they have wanted Indians to support Pakatan.
They wanted the community back for themselves, so we can see the sabotage and traitors who could be bought over as we saw during the following by-elections. The Maklal Sakthi Party is a prime example of sabotage. Will the Indians bite the bait? it seems to have been by the looks of Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor..
What went wrong for Hindraf? There were no plans to get appropriate people to work for the community on the social, economic and political levels. The Indians had no other choice but to run into the arms of Pakatan Rakyat. Socially, many individual bodies and networks were created with no links to Hindraf. Economically, many wanted to help but once Umno got Hindraf banned (a smart move), the rich did not want their names into a bad ight..
The ‘third force’ that is coming up is a dream come true for Umno. It is the best way to alienate the Indians and Pakatan. Umno has got two mangoes with one stone. Hindraf has turned the tables against the very people who it used to work with. We can only sit and lament at this conclusion taken by Hindraf.
All we wanted was to be rid the shackles under Umno and to start rebuilding for a progressive community after 50 years but we are back to square one, returning to pre-2007, where a puny team is fighting everyone. Uthaya is a leader who could have been a legend..
22/09/10
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