Hindraf phenomenon still reverberating, ringing & roaring!

VK Chin of the Star Online said that Indian groups should join hands for community ... yadda yadda ...

Nothing wrong with that advice until you read further.

He opined (and that’s all, his opinion) that so far the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), being a key component member of the Barisan Nasional, has been the one carrying the flag of the Indian community for the past 50 years.

Well, Uncle Chin,the MIC was supposed to be ... but alas, it has failed the Indian Malaysian community badly for several decades, as was seen by the spontaneous tidal wave of support for Hindraf. If MIC had been doing what it was supposed to do, the Hindraf rally would have been nothing, comprising only a trickle of its core members.

But no one can deny the amazing 30,000 to 50,000 strong crowd, a Hindraf feat that was staggering by comparison to the mainly PAS-PKR led Bersih which mustered 40,000 people.

Chin disappoints me immensely when he wrote the unbelievable in the face of the Indian rejection of MIC, so evident by their overwhelming switching of loyalties over to a relatively unknown Hindraf.

Chin said: “Being the junior of the Big Three in Barisan, the MIC has actually performed above expectations in exacting more benefits from the Government for the Indians. Much of this credit must go to its president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who has become such a political force since he took charge of the party some 30 years ago. He is really the face of the Indian community.”

Uncle Chin, it’s one thing to spin but it’s another to draw such a blooming long bow.

He said exactly what 13 Indian NGOs had the effrontery to say, that the MIC is the proper forum to channel Indian grievances and complaints to the Government for action - see my post MIC in Ops Claw Back.

Please explain why the MIC is the proper forum when it has failed the Indian community miserably.

Chin showed what we all already know what the Star stands for. He advised any new group keen to promote Indian interests, that they must do it together with the MIC. He claimed that “no one can hope to have a meeting with Pak Lah about the future of Indians without the presence of Samy Vellu or the MIC’s representatives.”

Aiyah, Uncle Chin, if the MIC has been and is doing its job, what need is there for any new group to promote Indian interests?

Now, my dear Uncle Chin, please listen to what Malaysiakini published in its article 'Sweat and tears' created Indian professionals.

Malaysian Indian Business Association (MIBA) president P Sivakumar said bull to those who keep harping on the number of Indian professionals in this country as if (1) it was the fantastic work of the government, and (2) there was no poverty or marginalisation problem severely challenging the Indian community.

He stated that it had been the ‘sweat and tears’ of parents, and not the government or others, which are behind the creation of Indian professionals in this country.

“These parents exhausted all their resources to give their children a sound education. There was very little government help in the past. It is the hard work of the parents.”

“If anybody is to take credit for the number of Indian professionals, it must be these parents.”

Malaysiakini revealed that Sivakumar was joined by Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS) president A Vaithilingam, who told the PM to focus on the issues affecting the Indian community rather than attacking supporters of the Hindraf.

In other words, Big Ears should stop listening to instigators and keep his Sleepy Eyes on the root cause of the tumultous Indian protests.

Not surprising, Vaithilingam reminded the PM that the large turnout at the Nov 25 Hindraf rally showed the utter frustration of the Indian community with many setbacks for the Indian community including a series of cases where Hindu bodies were buried by Islamic departments (remember M Moorthy?) despite appeals by the deceased families, and most traumatic of all, the unnecessary and particularly cruel demolitions of several Hindu temples.

Now another Star bloke, actually its Group Editor in Chief, my fellow Penang Lang, Wong Chun Wai was more careful than VK Chin in his Star spin. At least he was fair in acknowledging the impact of Hindraf. He said:

“Without doubt the recent massive demonstration by Hindraf to highlight the economic plight of Indians struck a chord among many Malaysians who feel the issues need to be addressed.”

“These are legitimate concerns, particularly on education and employment, for which the Indian community has strong sentiments. Certainly the leadership needs to hear them out.”

Of course being a Star bloke, he had to include some spin in favour of the BN ... yadda yadda ..., but he did chide the MIC, stating:

“But as action is taken against the Hindraf leaders, there are lessons to be learnt from the incident. The Hindraf protest was unprecedented and certainly the MIC must sit up and listen hard.”

“It has been weeks since the party talked about setting up hotlines to listen to the grievances of the community and we have yet to hear details of the plan and the committee set up to analyse the issues affecting the poor.”

Well, Wong, why do you think the Indians, once so beholden to the MIC, have abandoned Samy Vellu for Hindraf – MIC has been and still is all talk and no action.

Continuing: “In the case of the demolition of the illegal temple, it is highly insensitive on the part of the local authorities to carry out the action so close to Deepavali, a religious celebration. All Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers must learn from this incident.”

“Problems affecting the Malaysian urban poor, regardless of their race, need to be addressed. There must be a comprehensive plan to tackle these social concerns. It is not a consolation to use statistics to tell the community that they are not the poorest.”

“Similarly, officials of some public universities must avoid holding examinations just days before the Chinese New Year, which has been a practice at one or two universities.”

It’s all there for Big Ears to take it up or reject same, to start treating some of his fellow Malaysians as ... well ... Malaysians!