From R Kengadharan,
Is it true that Malaysian Indians have been caught in a trap from which they are finding it difficult to extricate themselves? Or is it true that the government has its own priorities and not keen to resolve the socio-economic conditions and problems of the community? Or is a community left to fend for it self?
While the community as a whole can appeal to the government on a regular basis for aid, assistance and help but its time for the community to divorce itself from the pathetic dependency syndrome which is open for manipulation and gross abuse.
The community now has to take matters into its own hands. It has to use its own ingenuity and create innovative approaches to forge its way forward. Perhaps it’s time that those who have an opportunity to earn must use that opportunity to earn well and use a portion of their earnings to help those needy relatives and members of society.
Remember an individual can only be strong as the community. In essence, self interest must be balanced by common interest. If we are to emerge as a well respected community, then we must be doing well and must be seen to be doing well. We must therefore undertake provocative measures to uplift the community.
According to Sharir Abdul Samad “the Indian community problems are more than just equity, most of their problems are social problems, such as gangsterism. I admit Indians are among the poorest in the country but their participation and achievements in many other fields are amazing”.
On the other hand Sarala Sukumaran a Malaysian Entrepreneur, says “there are two main reasons behind the backwardness of the Indians. One is that we are a minority here and two, the politicians who represent us do not promote our cause”.
The Time Asia (in 2000) reported that Indians only have 1.5% of the nation’s corporate wealth while 54% of Malaysia Indians work as plantation or urban under paid labourers (Asia week Jan 26, 2002).
Additionally, Indians make up 14% of juvenile delinquents and according to the former Health Minister Chua Soi Lek, Indians constitute 21.1% for every 100,000 suicides (Sadatul Nahir and Rosli – Utusan Malaysia Sept 12, 2007) and there is no doubt Indians have the lowest per capita income of only about RM1,000 per month (Star Online Sept 30, 2005).
Bearing the above in mind, do we have a well structured, balanced and a comprehensive affirmative policy in place to uplift the plight of Malaysian Indians? According to Baradan Kuppusamy (AT Online Oct 19, 2005 says “a small elite within the community has used these resources to climb out of poverty but for most there are no such doors to escape”.
At least 80% of Malaysian Indians are still in the blue collar labour force and we are steadily continuing to lag behind. We constitute approximately 10% of the population and sadly there is no single Indian dominated parliamentary constituency (V Ganabatirau, July 21, 2009 Malaysiakini). While approximately 7% of Malaysian Indians maybe registered voters, what purpose will that serve when we possess no effective political representation.
I’m to a large extent convinced that the community is poorer in attitude. If we are determined to make progress, we as a community, must change our mind sets. We have to fabricate bold new steps provided if we are genuine and keen to bridge the current socio-economic gaps and disparities.
We must adopt confrontational politics and crying foul at everything perceived as racially biased and anti-government sentiments will not and shall not take us far. Because of some baseless, unfounded allegations, irresponsible statements and rhetoric remarks, the spirit of ordinary working class Indians gets dampened by its own negative unprogressive culture and not by the exclusivity of external factors and this effectively reinforces my argument that Malaysian Indians themselves are responsible for their present unenviable and ignominious status.
While for years Malaysian Indians have been locked in poverty and misery, political leaders turned a blind eye to pressing situations. AV Kathiah, a former Trade Unionist, says indeed “we are marginalised and forgotten not just by the state but also by our own indian leaders. We have no say on how policies are formulated and our future is really bleak”.
Come 2012 the Malaysian Indian community must effectively detach itself from the dependency syndrome. We require a new spirit and revolutionary thinking and may perhaps have to reconsider and reinvent newer steps to uplift the community.
Perhaps we require creative steps and measures to transform the community. If we desire to be vibrant and prosperous, we cannot be weak for when we are weak we are at risk and vulnerable and even open to indiscriminate exploitation.
The community must never be allowed to be cowed and intimidated. We must not allow disappointments and lack of opportunities to devastate the community. It is true that the community went through hard moments since independence in 1957 and that should serve as a valuable lesson.
We must never compromise on our sustainable future, only then we can remain vibrant and relevant. As a community we possess the capacity and intellectual ability to attain extraordinary achievements.
From 2012 the community must believe in the notion of accountably i.e. accountability to themselves and the core underlying objective should be to do everything well and satisfactorily.
The writer is a lawyer and a former ISA detainee
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