Reality Sets in-Perhaps

It seems that the grouses of the Malaysian Indian minority have finally been aired directly to the Big Boss, the Prime Minister himself in an arranged meeting. A positive sign has been the dropping of charges against the 31 persons who had been accused of the alleged attempted murder of a cop.

Here's Malaysiakini's report on the visit by one of the Indian leaders, P. Sivakummar to present his good, bad and ugly truth in his speech about the plight of the underprivileged Malaysians.

Perhaps there is hope yet that a fair, just and peaceful solution could be found in creating a better nation for the Indians and all races as well before anything gloomy gets out of hand. History has never been kind to those in authority who thump their noses in the air and ignore the many citizens that are in dire needs and have their backs to the wall with nowhere to run or hide...

I told PM the truth
RK Anand | Dec 18, 07 11:29am

As citizens of Malaysia, Indians have the right to enjoy equal opportunities and must not be treated like third-class citizens.

This was the crux of Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar's hard-hitting speech during the special meeting between Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last Friday.

"In the past, only the educated and middle-class Indians were unhappy about the difference in treatment. But over the last three years, every Indian in the country is unhappy and angry over the way we are treated," he said.

Sivakumar told Malaysiakini yesterday that at the onset of his speech, he sought permission from Abdullah to speak without fear or favour and to tell him the truth.

To this, he said, the premier replied: "Yes, please tell me the truth."

Following this, Sivakumar continued: "As you (Abdullah) are aware, the communities in Malaysia are affluent and very much matured after 50 years of Independence."

"The term bumiputera and non-bumiputera literally means 'son of the soil' and 'not son of the soil' (respectively). That means the Indian community was born where - in the sky?" he said, telling Malaysiakini that Abdullah tittered at this remark.

Sivakumar said in the past, the New Economic Policy (NEP) won the support of all three communities because it was initiated to address the socio-economic position of all races.

"So what is happening?" he asked the premier.

"What (is) 40,000 Indians? You should have given the (police) permit, there would have been more than 300,000 Indians on that day," he added in reference to the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The urban poor

Citing the agriculture sector, Sivakumar said there more than 70 percent Indians were involved in this sector.

"When the policies changed, what measures did the government take to address the thousands of Indians chased and driven out of the estates, with nowhere to go, and no housing left," he added.

The Miba president said this led to the emergence of urban poor, resulting in serious social problems like gangsterism.

"Indians killing each other for a living, who is to be blamed?" he asked.

"If only a Felda-type (scheme) had been extended to these Indians, with proper nurturing and with land given to develop small holdings and animal husbandry, they would have contributed well to the economy and even cut down our import bill, especially on dairy products. We need not depend so much on foreign workers," he said.

On the issue of funding, Sivakumar pointed out that MIC recently held seminars by calling Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who promised the Indian community help and support.

"But what happened? Let's take Johor for example, I personally followed up with the (state) Agriculture Department after Muhyiddin reminded the director to help the Indians.

"Nothing, not a single ringgit was given to the Indians," said the Johor-based businessman.

"Let's take other funding agencies, like MIDF, SMIDEC and SME. Yes, all (of them) like to hold seminars, (produce) good paper work. But nothing for the Indians," he added.

No help extended

As for privatisation, Sivakumar once again cited the situation in Johor.

He said the state government identified 43 projects. "The community was offered only one project, only to be retracted after two weeks. Why?"

Apart from this, the Miba president also reminded the premier that the latter had pumped RM100 million into a fund to help single mothers embark on business ventures.

"I checked with them (the fund), nothing was extended to Indian single mothers in Johor," he said.

Turning to the construction sector, Sivakumar said: "You (Abdullah) had offered 30,000 jobs, (but) when a group of Indians went to apply for tender, they were told to leave because it was only for bumiputeras.

"They had to leave the place with shame and tears. Is this fair? Aren't they citizens (too)?" he added.

Moving to the civil service, Sivakumar quoted Abdullah as saying that Indians make up five percent of the civil service.

"But our population is nine percent, what about the balance four percent? At least, place Indians where help is needed. For example, EPF in JB (Johor Baru), only one Indian, Socso none, post office none," he said.

The Miba president also highlighted that the scrap metal business, which involves many Indian businessman, is now under threat of licences not being renewed.

"Who will take care of their families and children if they cannot perform?" he asked.

Three-percent equity

On the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), Sivakumar noted that it has been three years since Abdullah announced the three percent equity target for Indians.

"What are the steps and measures that you have initiated, please tell us. Even now, it is not too late, we have initiated an independent co-op for the community without any political group’s control. PM can help by funding this.

"I have even given (MIC president) S Samy Vellu a project paper on where Indians can go into - bio-tech business as a self-help programme. Why not help us because the Indians need the government's help. The Indians need opportunities," he said.

Sivakumar also highlighted the issue of temple demolitions and asked for temples constructed before Merdeka not to be demolished.

On that note, he also urged Abdullah to review the detention of five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and called for them to be charged in court.

He also called for the release of the 31 people charged for the attempted murder of a policeman in connection with the Hindraf rally. Yesterday, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail withdrew the charge.

Sivakumar told Malaysiakini that he wrapped up his speech by apologising to Abdullah if he had offended the latter with his remarks.

According to him, the premier replied: "Not at all, Thank you for telling me the truth."

The special meeting between the NGos and the prime minister was called following widespread debates on the allegation raised by Hindraf that Indians in Malaysia are being marginalised.

Haunting the British...

GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME! I can almost imagine the British, whom if I may add, I admire, exclaiming just that if they open their early morning papers and read the headlines that screams "Ex- Colonial Subjects Sue Us". It's a brilliant move by our Malayan Indian brothers. Even if the British courts strike it down, the mere proceedings will surely highlight the plight of Malayan Indians today. Frankly speaking, I think even if the repentant British allow the grave injustice to be righted, even if the Indians get compensated one penny each, the case would have shown the world that rosey-dovey (Gotta check out this term that just popped up in my head) real Malaysia is far from being perfect today. I know because I was in West Malaysia in the late 1970s and I noticed how the Indians lived from Penang to Johore. Yet, in the Interact conference in Penang, I was astonished and yes, impressed to see and listen to the eloquence of many if not most of the Indian student delegates who presented working papers... They seemed to be everywhere... So what went wrong with the East Indians in those days? What about today? Karpal Singh is of course the most famous Indian ...But seriously, we don't see too many Indians in the civil cervice, etc....Have they been marginalised all these years before and after independence? And yes, the butt of a political joke about the Indians is their Barisan representative party, MIC... We say it means Must I Come for cabinet meetings and decisions because their representation, voices and powers are so obviously negligible. My apology here if that's an offensive joke-don't sue me, brilliant Indian lawyers! The following article is borrowed from Malaysiakini-the must read 'Think out of the box' paper. M'sian sues UK gov’t for ‘oppression’

Sep 3, 07 12:24pm

One million pounds sterling for every one of the two million Indian Malaysians - an Ipoh-based lawyer is seeking this staggering sum of compensation from Britain for alleged failure to protect the minority community’s interests during independence talks. P Wathya Moorthy, who is also Hindu Action Rights Force chairperson, filed the suit against the UK secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs last Thursday at the Royal Court of Justice in London. The suit captures the lingering resentment of the Indian Malaysian community over 50 years of independence with the claim for compensation based on their “pain, suffering, humiliation, discrimination and continuous colonialisation”. In his statement of claim, Wathya Moorthy also sought declarations that: Colonial Britain was responsible for the exportation of labour from India to Malaysia; The Reid Commission Report dated Feb 11, 1957 and the Malayan Federal Constitution prepared on the respondent's defendant be declared null and void; The Reid Commission Report had failed to incorporate the rights of the Indian community; There has been gross violation, segregation, discrimination, marginalisation and apartheid of Indian Malaysians; and Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which provides for Malay special privileges, is in contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation legislation with regard to racial discrimination. In a press statement issued yesterday, Wathya Moorthy explained that the suit is necessary to let the international community know how Indian Malaysians have been affected. “The UK now cannot detach itself permanently or partially from colonial problems,” he said. “It had a moral, legal, social and political responsibility to ensure there existed fair governance throughout her colonies and any violation of rights must be attended to immediately before it becomes a menace causing (an) international crisis.” Long-standing issues Wathya Moorthy said it is an undisputable fact that the respondent was principally responsible for “illegitimate” export of human resources from British colonial India to serve their interests in Malaya. “Before independence was declared to Malaya, the peculiar position of the Indians was assured to be protected by the British government. But this assurance was never translated into action by the British in the creation of the Federal Constitution,” he said. “They have grossly neglected to discharge their legal and moral duties... The framework provided by the British government to Malaya resulted in severe imbalance and prejudice which are presently irreversible and beyond correction. “As a direct consequence the Indians today have effectively become the underclass citizens of Malaysia and remain colonialised forever. Moreover, there exist no mechanisms under the present governance to remedy the gross imbalance.” Wathya Moorthy said Indian Malaysians are now suffering as a result of being “colonised” by the current government with little chance of upward mobility. “(The Indian Malaysians have formed a) new underclass... and (are) under-privileged citizens of Malaysia and remain permanently colonialised by the ruling Muslim-majority government led by Umno,” he said in his statement of claim. He listed the government policies allegedly utilised against the community, including: Bumiputera special privileges Not fully aiding the 523 Tamil schools No affirmative action policies for poor Indians vis-a-vis similar policies for bumiputeras Denying Indians top- and mid-level postings in the civil service Demolition of Hindu temples Victimisation by enforcement authorities He argued that these problems are a direct result of the failure of the Reid Commission to safeguard the community’s interests. “(The colonial government) gave in to the Malays as a quick-fix solution to wash their hands off Malaya after having successfully used the Indians for their financial gains for 200 years,” he alleged. The Reid Commission was an independent body formed to draft the Federal Constitution - the team of foreigners received 131 memoranda from organisations and individuals. In February 1957, it submitted its working draft which was scrutinised by a committee comprising four representatives of the Malay rulers and four representatives of the Alliance government. The Alliance coalition - comprising Umno, MCA and MIC - was the predecessor of the present ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

YES! I trust this guy, a true blue-blooded prince. He's a true gentleman and a man of integrity, having served in the Malaysian judiciary in the days when justice was independent from too much political interference.

A gentleman like him, with noble blood would certainly eat the humble apple pie and apologise to the nation if he ever blundered in describing the political system of this unique multi-racial nation.

A politician who doesn't do so should never be trusted and his or her ambition is for power, contrary to the well-being and happiness of the nation's citizens and a betrayal of the constitution the nation stands on.

The following old article is from Malaysiakini, the courageous independent fair-minded news source on the net which helps Malaysians to think and read between the lines of what they hear and read and to think out of the box.

Raja Nazrin: Constitution key to Nation Building
Andrew Ong
April 3, '07 3:04 pm

The Federal Constitution is a key document towards nation building and attaining national unity, said the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah today.

“The Federal Constitution, the Rukun Negara and Vision 2020 encapsulate the rights, hopes and aspirations of the population in a way that no other document does.

“The integrity of these documents must be defended and promoted, especially the first,” Raja Nazrin said as part of his seven guidelines for nation building.

He said this during his keynote address at the Young Malaysians’ Roundtable Discussion on National Unity and Development in Malaysia jointly organised by the Bar Council and Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) in Kuala Lumpur.

Raja Nazrin said all Malaysians must have no doubts about their place in the country in order improve nation building efforts.

“Only when each citizen believes that he or she has a common home and is working towards a common destiny, will he or she make the sacrifices needed for the long haul,”he added.

'Chauvinists against unity'

His second guideline required Malaysians to not hide problems in nation building pursuits. He said stark differences within a society are bound to arise, giving rise to ‘chauvinistic’ groups.

“They will fight the idea of national unity, block social change and try to be politically dominant,” he said, also suggesting the creation of social movements to dissuade support for such groups.

After the keynote address, Raza Nazrin witnessed a discussion among panelists and a dozen participants of a roundtable discussion on the impact and implications of race-based politics on nation building.

The focus of the one-day roundtable was to provide a forum for young Malaysians and government representatives to engage on the role of young Malaysians in achieving national unity, and with it, subjects often deemed ‘sensitive’.

The discussion was divided into three sessions, covering race-based politics, education and forging a national identity in relations to nation building.