Malaysians should have “Nambikei” in HINDRAF

Wong Mun Chee 

Over the last week several articles and commentaries have emanated mainly from political writers from the opposition side and their colorful commentors in spewing negative views in light of the ruling government in lifting the ban and a possible dialogue with HINDRAF.    

This indirect public gorging by these writers can only mean that they are concern on the thought process of the poorer grassroot Indian voter in Malaysia and how much influence does HINDRAF has over them. 

As usual all the possible distasteful innuendos are thrown at the Malaysian Indians like being pariahs, cheapskates, easily bought over, no integrity nor principle and so forth.   

Many fail to recognize, that HINDRAF was the catalyst that invoked the 2008 tsunami who was then victimized when all the regular politicians and their eminent supporters moved on with their regular lives.

Let’s look at the Malaysian population demography of 28.3 Million as of the census in 2010. Malaysian Indians represents 7.3% of the population of approximately 75%-80% are still in rural or semi rural vicinity. Giving the benefit of doubt, let’s say that 25% are in urban cities.

Further let us also look at the emigration which is about 1.0 Million Malaysian diaspora who are able to vote. Naturally the main bulk is the Chinese Malaysian whereas the Malaysian Indians and the Malays probably make some relevant % but definitely not as significant.

The majority of the Malaysian Indian population is very much in a doldrum if only we start micro analyzing the 75% of those in the rural and semi rural areas. This very people where the ones that HINDRAF represents on a basis of humanity. 

No disrespect meant to our fellow urbanized elite Malaysian Indians,but in reality basic bread and butter has not been their issue, but what type (ie brand, class, prestige) of bread and butter is susceptible.       

Majority in urbanized cities and the diaspora amongst the Malaysian Indians are well intended people but to a large extend gets swayed with the typical I know how and why it should be this or that. Most of them talk about good (PR) vs evil (BN) and how these stupid Malaysian Indians voters are condemned if they don’t make the right pick. Really!!!!, Then where was the whole nation when this community had digressed and deteriorated to the level it is now through blatant institutionalized racism condoned by all of us?     

Today everyone is batting their eyelids again or shall I say when the election bell is ringing, as that is only when the Malaysian Indian issues becomes pertinent.   

As far as I can see, HINDRAF seems to be the only one who had stood thick and thin along with this community all this while since its inception without worrying with whom it should talk or not as long as the permanent solution is attained.

We shouldn't be too concerned with the political overtures on how the affected Malaysian Indians should vote but to have the ability to acknowledge only at what HINDRAF does and how it can eventually benefit the people in a broader sense.  

The pure notion of democracy is that there is no division between the government and the People, so why does this division exist? The only justification is because it has long since ceased to exist. The discord that exists in reality for the poorer segment of Malaysian Indians is a classic example to show how the current politics and policies is in a static system whether it is BN/PR.

What we have is not democracy, what we have is a society of politicians and the people. Once the group has your vote, and no longer has to perform, your country is in their hands, and they won’t care what you want until voting time comes again.

Democracy is an old antiquated notion, HINDRAF's clarion call for a Neo –Democracy, where every person has the opportunity to bring their grouses in a collective manner for a bipartisan & humane solution, ensuring that the society’s progress is in a fair manner without enduring such state of disparity such as encountered by the marginalized and discriminated Malaysian Indian society in the present day should be received with an open arm.     

The participation in a Neo- Democracy evolution needs all segment of the community to join hand to uplift those communities that has been long neglected and side tracked like the poorer segments of the community for political and power abuses on the basis of basic human rights rather than trumpeting political & individual deviation.

Politicans, political pundits, you and me are welcome but lack a raison d'état in totality if we are unable to see that only HINDRAF is able with their crystal clear version of the HINDRAF Blueprint of what needs to be done in this era of baits and temptations for the aggrieved community.  

Can we at least for once have a consensus on the HINDRAF Blueprint minus the politics for a segment of our own Malaysians?