Archive for category Indians
Malaysians must unite to defend the bedrock constitutional and nation-building principles of openness, tolerance, moderation and inclusivity if Malaysia is to succeed and prosper as a nation
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Indians, nation building on Thursday, 26 October 2017
I was struck by a foreign news report that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had pledged a return to a moderate past and looked forward to a technology-driven future.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh, the Saudi Crown Prince said:
“We are returning to what we were before — a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world.
“We will not spend the next 30 years of our lives dealing with destructive ideas. We will destroy them today.”
The crown prince addressed an audience of thousands of global investors and dignitaries who visited the Saudi capital to hear first-hand how the country’s society and economy are being transformed.
He said: “Saudi Arabia was not like this before 1979. We want to go back to what we were, the moderate Islam that’s open to all religions. We want to live a normal life.”
Although the Saudi kingdom still has a long way to go in order to represent moderate Islam and become an open society, this is in stark contrast to some Malaysians who want to take the country towards an extremist direction, completely at odds with the country’s bedrock constitutional and nation-building principles of openness, tolerance, moderation and inclusivity. Read the rest of this entry »
What would Samy Vellu think of his son Vell Pari’s statement yesterday virtually condemning his father’s 29-year political legacy as Federal Minister from 1979-2008
I wonder what Tun Samy Vellu think of his son, Vell Pari’s statement yesterday virtually condemning his father’s 29-year political legacy as Federal Minister from 1979-2008.
In his article, “Poser for Dr M’s ‘cheerleader’ – What did ex-PM do for Indians?”, Vell Pari, who is now MIC Treasurer, defended Datuk Seri Najib Razak as “Father of Indian Development” and castigated Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s 22-year premiership and said that the time has come for the government to “revamp the policies of the yester-year dictator”.
He asked what Tun Mahathir had done for the Indians as Prime Minister of Malaysia and posed three questions:
1. Who caused the reduction of Indians within the civil service?
2. Who caused the systematic displacement of Indians from estates and into downtrodden longhouses and shackles they were forced to live in?
3. Who initiated the unfair intake into universities?
These are valid questions, but the best person to answer these questions is none other than Vell Pari’s father, Tun Samy Vellu, who was Federal Minister representing MIC and the Indian community during the whole period of 22 years when Mahathir was Prime Minister – in fact Samy Vellu was Federal Minister before Mahathir became Prime Minister and long after Mahathir had retired as Prime Minister! Read the rest of this entry »
Formulating the 11MP: Challenges for Multiracial Malaysia & the Indian Community
1. First of all, I would like to congratulate the organizers for having this forum at a very opportune juncture in our history. Our country faces new challenges as we approach the year 2020 and we will pay close attention to the upcoming 11th Malaysia Plan that is supposed to take us to the status of a developed country in 5 years’ time. But at the same time, we need to remind ourselves that the problems of poverty and inequality are still very much present in our midst despite the many self-congratulatory statistics that are being used by the government to highlight our many so called ‘achievements’.
2. The gap between not just the ‘haves’ but the ‘have-a-lot’ and the ‘have-nots’ could not have been in starker display in our country in the past three months. While low income families have been struggling to cope with the increase in the price of petrol, electricity and other basic necessities, billions have been squandered by politically connected individuals on expensive champagne in Las Vegas, penthouses and mansions in New York and Beverly Hills, round the world shopping trips and partying with Hollywood celebrities. While some shopkeepers, especially from the older generation, have been forced to close their business because they cannot cope with the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), our First Lady of Malaysia hopes that the GST won’t increase the price of her RM1200 hair-dye house call. While the average Malaysian is worried about the increase in the toll charges, taxi and bus fares, the Prime Minister’s Office goes out to spend almost half a billion ringgit on a new plane! Read the rest of this entry »
The book “Tragic Orphans – Indians in Malaysia” eloquent testimony of the failure of Vision 2020 of a Bangsa Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Indians, Malaysian Dream on Sunday, 15 February 2015
Dr. Carl Vadivella Belle’s new book “Tragic Orphans – Indians in Malaysia” is timely as it is the most eloquent testimony of the failure of Vision 2020 of a Bangsa Malaysia.
In 1991, Vision 2020 spelt out nine strategic challenges which must be overcome if Vision 2020 of a fully developed nation is to be achieved – “a united nation, with a confident Malaysian society, infused by strong moral and ethical values – living in a society that is democratic, liberal and tolerant, caring, economically just and equitable, progressive and prosperous, and in full possession of an economy that is competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient”.
2020 is only five years away. What are the prospects of achieving the Vision 2020 of a fully developed nation?
In actual fact, we cannot even pass the first of these nine strategic challenges, which is “establishing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny. This must be a nation at peace with itself territorially and ethnically integrated, living in harmony and full and fair partnership made up of one ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ with political loyalty and dedication to the nation”.
Can anyone remember when was the last time the Prime Minister or any Minister had talked about “Bangsa Malaysia”? The term “Bangsa Malaysia” has become a dirty term or unsanctioned aspiration.
Are we moving closer to the objective of a united Malaysia nation “with a sense of common and shared destiny”, “a nation at peace with itself… ethnically integrated living in harmony in full and fair partnership? Read the rest of this entry »
Will Muhyiddin support the National Reconciliation Plan (NRP) and will he now declare that he is “Malaysian first, Malay second”?
Posted by Kit in Indians, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, nation building on Saturday, 1 March 2014
Five things happened in the 28 days between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s first announcement of a National Reconciliation Plan (NRP) after the Cabinet meeting of January 29 and his blog-post on Feb. 25 on “A national reconciliation update” which raise serious questions whether the Najib premiership is really serious about national reconciliation, national unity and national consensus.
These five incidents are:
1. Although Najib’s post-Cabinet announcement of an NRP on Jan 29 was in response to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s offer of an olive branch on Jan 26 to Barisan Nasional on behalf of Pakatan Rakyat for a “national consensus” to end the voices of hate and to move the nation forward, nothing was done in the past 30 days to convene a summit meeting of BN-PR leaders on “national reconciliation”.
2. Najib conspicuously turned his back on the world-wide celebration of “World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014” (Feb. 3 – 9) not participating in any function to mark the occasion, although on the first day of the World Interfaith Harmony Week last year, he set the pace on the observance of the global interfaith harmony week and visited the places of worship of the nation’s five main religions in Kuala Lumpur. Read the rest of this entry »
Analysis of the Malaysian Indian votes at GE13
— Satees Muniandy
The Malaysian Insider
May 13, 2013
MAY 13 — In the recently concluded GE13, we have witnessed quite an obvious trend of the chinese predominantly voting for the federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat. The malays on the other hand had been generally supportive of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), barring a few states like Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu. There has been very little mentioned about the indian voting trend. Therefore this article is intended to shed some light into how the Indians voted, taking into account the local demographics of the various constituencies.
During the build up towards GE13, there had been a lot of chest thumping by Barisan Nasional, particularly by the MIC leadership, that the indian support had returned to pre-2008 levels. It had been speculated that the community anger towards the BN government following the Hindraf instigated 2007 protest and the subsequent ISA crackdown of its key leaders, had subsided following the overtures made by prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The community had also felt letdown by some Pakatan Rakyat state governments – particularly noted was the disillusionment towards the PAS led Kedah state government for failing to honor its promise to declare Thaipusam a state holiday, along with the failure of its state executive councilor Manikumar in managing a lot of issues concerning the indian community residing mainly in the southern tip of the rice bowl state. The community was however noted to be generally very pleased with the performance of the DAP led Penang and PKR led Selangor state governments – particularly in relation to the land issues plaguing the temples & tamil schools, and state employment opportunities for the Indians.
In the days approaching GE13, Najib Tun Razak appeared to have pulled off a coup when Waythamoorthy, leader of one of the many fractions of the fractured 2007 Hindraf movement signed a memorandum of understanding with his government and subsequently urged the indian community to return BN to the parliament with a 2/3 majority. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib defends Zul Noordin as champion of Indian issues
Posted by Kit in Elections, Indians, Najib Razak on Monday, 22 April 2013
BY BOO SU-LYN
The Malaysian Insider
APRIL 22, 2013
SHAH ALAM, April 22 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak described Datuk Zulkifli Noordin today as a champion of Indian issues in Shah Alam where the Perkasa vice-president is contesting in Election 2013.
The BN chairman’s defence of the controversial Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate comes even as MIC leader S. Vell Paari warned the ruling coalition recently that the Malay rights leader would cost BN Selangor in the May 5 polls.
“I’ve spoken to quite a number of Indians and they’re supporting him,” said the caretaker prime minister in a press conference at the Concorde Hotel here today. Read the rest of this entry »
BN woos Indian votes but indifferent to Hindus
by Aliran
11 April 2013
It is appalling that the higher-ups in the civil service are totally not bothered about Hindu sensitivities, observes P Ramakrishnan citing his experience with medication supplied at a general hospital.
The Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional have been very busy going after the Indian Malaysian votes. They seem to be addressing some issues to pacify the Indians in their attempt to win them. The Indian vote is very crucial to the BN and they are desperately trying to woo them.
But it would appear that they are not bothered about the sensitivities of the Hindus. It is appalling that the higher ups in the civil service are totally not bothered about Hindu sensitivities. They are indifferent and insensitive to the Hindus.
One good example is the medication that is provided by the General Hospital.
Those suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) have been put on the medication ‘Duspatalin’. I am one of those taking this medicine for a number of years. Read the rest of this entry »
Only BN (Bluster and Noise) over Zul Nordin!
Posted by Kit in Indians, Martin Jalleh on Tuesday, 2 April 2013
by Martin Jalleh
DAP Gelang Patah Declaration: A Vision & Strategy for Indian Empowerment
Posted by Kit in DAP, Elections, Indians, Pakatan Rakyat on Monday, 1 April 2013
(On 31st March 2013, the DAP Gelang Patah Declaration “A Vision and Strategy for Indian Empowerment” was formally launched in Gelang Patah at a historic meeting attended by DAP national, state and local leaders including DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegeran, DAP MPs Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong), Charles Santiago (Klang) and Manogaran (Teluk Intan), former Senator S. Ramakrishnan, DAP State Assemblymen including Perak Assemblyman for Sungkai A. Sivanesan and Negri Sembilan Assemblyman for Senawang P. Gunasekaren.
The DAP Gelang Patah Declaration will be the basis for the DAP continued espousal of the cause of the Malaysians Indians to end their deplorable status as the new underclass in Malaysia. – LKS)
DAP Gelang Patah Declaration – A Vision and Strategy for Indian Empowerment
DAP offers justice, peace and equality for all.
DAP puts the aspirations of the people at the centre of its social and economic policies.
DAP recognizes BN’s 56 year rule has created unequal distribution of wealth, resulting in poverty among Indians and other vulnerable groups. But we shall ensure fair and effective distribution of our national wealth. The needs of the marginalized groups will be addressed under DAP.
Our policies will help all marginalized communities, especially the Indian poor and the lower middle-classes.
The Gelang Patah Declaration aims to create an enabling environment for the Indian community. DAP recognizes the significant contribution and struggles of the Indian community and wants to re-affirm, through this Gelang Patah Declaration, that under our leadership there will be improvement of their inherent rights and standard of living. Read the rest of this entry »
What is wrong with Najib’s promise of “no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor”?
Posted by Kit in Elections, Indians, Najib Razak, UMNO on Tuesday, 13 November 2012
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak today promised to scrap the controversial condominium project located next to the Batu Caves temple complex if BN retakes Selangor.
The immediate reaction of fair-minded and reasonable Malaysians is not one of outright welcome but the feeling that something is wrong or just not right with Najib’s promise.
Lets hear your response to Najib’s promise.
I have put up two tweets, viz:
1. What perfidy – after BN approving it in 2007! http://goo.gl/9v1Jg PM: S’gor BN 2scrap Batu Caves condo if we win – Koh Jun Lin (Mkini)
2. No apology 4BN approving it 2007? http://goo.gl/qyt66 Najib promises Indians no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor – by Ida Lim (TMI)
I will issue a statement tomorrow. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Indian gangsters’ or just lost souls?
— Choo Sing Chye
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 25, 2012
OCT 25 — The other day, at a dinner, I met a former PPP supporter who, upon recognising me, came over to my table for a chat.
But before saying anything, he quickly declared that he had switched parties, from PPP to a full-fledged MIC member.
I asked him: “What’s the difference?”
He did not answer, but switched subject to talk about the good old days. Then suddenly at one juncture he asked me whether I had admitted any Indian gangsters during my watch as Perak DAP organising secretary.
“No!” I replied.
“Hey, don’t ‘ali-utart’ (bluff) me lah, just admit it bro,” he reacted.
I looked at him and responded, “I never come across any Indians who had filled the little dotted line under “Occupation” with the word “Gangster”, when joining the DAP.
“So, to you when you see an Indian beating another, you call him a gangster and when a rich man or top politician’s son bashing another, you just say, boys will be boys, right?” I retorted. “Is this the way MIC solves the Indian problem?”
This is a true story that happened a very long time ago. Read the rest of this entry »
Priority is to break back of worsening problem of Indian youth gangsterism with a high-powered Commission of Inquiry to highlight that it is a national problem
Posted by Kit in Indians, Parliament on Thursday, 18 October 2012
This Parliamentary Roundtable on Indian youth gangsterism is most pertinent and timely, not only because the problem has become even more acute and serious in recent years but also because it has been two-decades in the making.
I remember that twenty years ago in April 1992, I had devoted my speech in the debate on the Royal Address in Parliament calling on the government to hear the cry of despair and hopelessness of the Malaysian Indians so as to address the fundamental problems confronting nation-building in Malaysia.
I had spoken of the growing sense of deprivation of the Malaysian Indians, who felt that the government had not been able to do much to improve the plight of the Malaysian Indian estate workers in particular and the Malaysian Indians in general.
For the increasingly displaced and alienated Indian estate workers, the alternative they faced in moving out of the estates was low-productivity jobs in the urban areas – which launched them on the vicious socio-economic cycle resulting in the very serious phenomenon of Indian youth gangsterism today, aggravated by poverty and long-standing socio-economic and educational marginalisation and discrimination. Read the rest of this entry »
BN has failed the Indian community
Posted by Kit in Elections, Indians, university on Monday, 26 March 2012
— S. Barathidasan
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 26, 2012
MARCH 26 — The Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS) has done surveys, studies, gained information and feedback from the rakyat showing that it is not true that the rakyat’s support for Barisan Nasional (BN) is peaking based on the party’s record of fulfilling its promises, as claimed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
MIPAS feels that it is not true that “big winds” are blowing towards BN.
The rakyat still does not have confident and full trust in the BN government as many issues have still not been fulfilled. Read the rest of this entry »
Stateless Indians gain right to be buried as Malaysians!
Posted by Kit in Indians, Najib Razak on Friday, 24 February 2012
— P. Ramakrishnan
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 24, 2012
FEB 24 — The plight of ignorant and uneducated Indians is legendary and deserves sympathy and compassion. From a humanitarian point of view, a caring and compassionate government would have rendered services to relieve them of their misery. But that doesn’t seem to be the case in Malaysia.
For various compelling reasons these deprived poor Indians had failed to secure an identity card and were unable to register the birth of their children. Those working in rubber estates and oil palm plantations and those struggling to survive in slum areas never understood the requirements of the law or the implications of non-compliance of the law.
Under such circumstances, they had failed to observe the law. This unfortunate situation condemned them to a pathetic stateless misery for decades. These are the people, born and bred in Malaysia, who remain as stateless persons forced to suffer the indignities of poverty and endure the misery inflicted on them by an uncaring and unsympathetic government. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib kata, ‘gua caya lu, lu caya gua’
Posted by Kit in Elections, Indians, Najib Razak, UMNO on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
7 FEB — “Lu caya gua, gua caya lu!”….. itulah maksud kata-kata Najib kepada kaum India semasa melawat Batu Caves sempena hari Thaipusam pagi tadi. Najib menyeru kaum India supaya mempercayai beliau dalam usaha memperbaiki kehidupan kaum India dan memberikan beliau sokongan dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang. “Tuan-tuan tolong saya, saya akan tolong tuan-tuan” kata Najib lantang dan jelas.
Janji seperti ini telah dibuat setiap pilihanraya tiba sejak tiga puluh tahun yang lalu. Janji ini bukan sahaja dibuat kepada kaum India tetapi semua kaum termasuk kaum Najib sendiri, iaitu kaum Melayu yang merupakan kaum terbesar di negara ini. Janji ini jugalah yang akan ditabur dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang kerana kita tahu segala janji yang dibuat pagi tadi tidak akan kemana.
Tetapi kepada siapa yang masih yakin dan percaya kepada janji itu terpulang kepada mereka. Setiap rakyat berhak untuk memilih untuk dibohongi terus-terusan atau mengelak dari pembohongan tersebut. Sebagai seorang Perdana Menteri yang mengetuai Kerajaan Persekutuan, janji yang dibuat secara peribadi itu merupakan tindakan ‘desperate’ dan kata-katanya itu tidak melambangkan beliau seorang pemimpin yang ‘magnanimous’ yang memimpin rakyat yang berbilang kaum itu.
Orang Melayu telah dijanjikan bermacam-macam setiap pilihanraya, tetapi kita lihat apa yang berlaku sekarang ini adalah terlalu jauh dari menepati janji-janji yang telah dibuat kepada mereka. Umno telah menjadikan orang Melayu hanya sebagai dahan bongkok untuk ‘kera-kera’ meniti dan digunakan untuk memberikan sokongan dalam pilihanraya sahaja. Orang Melayu dan rakyat hanya diberikan RM500 upah sebelum pilihanraya ini untuk mendapatkan kuasa dan terus menjajah pemikiran bangsanya sendiri. Read the rest of this entry »
Hindraf lawsuit to correct historical and recent wrongs
Posted by Kit in History, Indians, Lim Teck Ghee on Thursday, 11 August 2011
by Dr Lim Teck Ghee
11 August 2011
CPI
A UK-based solicitor and lawyer – appointed by Hindraf Makkal Sakthi – is scheduled to meet with members of the Malaysian public this Sunday (Aug 14).
His fact-finding mission is to help him better understand the situation on the ground and interview those participating in the Hindraf class action suit. This lawsuit against the British government seeks to correct historical injustices inflicted on Indians who were brought to the peninsula by the white colonialists.
The Hindraf move is almost certain to court a fresh storm of controversy and criticism from Umno, the party that will be most embarrassed when full details of the Indian marginalization emerge. The extent to which the local Indian community, particularly Hindus of Tamil stock, is excluded from the nation’s progress and wellbeing can only reflect badly on the Malaysian government. Read the rest of this entry »
Does MIC Deserve Three Ministers?
Posted by Kit in Indians, Kee Thuan Chye, Najib Razak on Thursday, 4 August 2011
By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
04 Aug 2011
PRIME Minister Najib Razak is being cavalier with taxpayers’ money in making MIC president G. Palanivel a full minister. His promotion from deputy minister will incur increases in Palanivel’s salary, perks, claims and pension – and the rakyat will be paying for them. Is it justifiable?
The MIC has only four Members of Parliament, but it now has a line-up of three ministers and two deputy ministers. How is that proportionate?
If T. Murugiah had not lost his senatorship last April and thereby his deputy minister position, there would be three MIC deputy ministers now. Read the rest of this entry »
Palanivel makes dubious history – the first “I help you, you help me” barter Cabinet appointment in nation’s 54 year history
Posted by Kit in Indians, Najib Razak on Sunday, 31 July 2011
MIC President Datuk G Palanivel has made dubious history – being the first, unashamed and most blatant “I help you, you help me” barter Cabinet appointment in the nation’s 54-year history, nothing to do whatsoever with his personal merit or quality!
It must rank as the most cynical Cabinet appointment ever made in Malaysian history under six Prime Ministers.
Palanivel also made dubious history in other aspects. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib vows to help Indians if MIC secures their vote
Posted by Kit in Indians, Najib Razak on Sunday, 31 July 2011
By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 30, 2011
PUTRAJAYA, July 30 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak pledged to do all he can to bring the Indian community back into the “mainstream of development” but asked that MIC redouble efforts to secure the community’s vote.
The prime minister said there must be “quid pro quo” between Barisan Nasional (BN) component party MIC and the ruling coalition if both wished to benefit from their relationship as “loyal friends”.
“There must be an understanding. Can you all deliver for Barisan Nasional? You can deliver and we will deliver,” Najib (picture) told delegates at the 65th MIC general assembly here today. Read the rest of this entry »
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