PKR’s Nurul should stop being paternalistic towards Indians

Murray Hunter


PKR’s Nurul should stop being paternalistic towards Indians

P Ramasamy
Jul 03, 2025





It is news to me that Nurul Izzah, the former Permatang Pauh MP and the current deputy premier of PKR has been working behind the scenes to assist the Indian community in various development related matters.

Anyway, I didn’t expect the former Klang MP Charles Santiago to read her speech in a press conference on what is in store for Indians in the 13th Malaysia Plan.

Nurul said that working behind the scenes allowed her to have various meetings with the leaders of the Indian community in prioritising some of the pressing issues of the Indian community.

She explained that not coming in the front doesn’t mean that she was not active in working towards the betterment of the Indian community.

Nurul might be right in saying that working behind the scenes on matters of the Indian community is less effective than the nature of much more publicised approaches.

I will certainly agree with Nurul that if low key non publicised approaches bring about benefits to the Indian community, I will be the first person to praise her efforts.

Unfortunately, Nurul’s low key efforts seem not to have borne fruits. There is no evidence to indicate whether Nurul and the party headed by her father Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim have done anything worth in the social and economic upliftment of the discriminated, shunned and marginalised Indian community.

If Indians are treated as second or third class citizen of the country, how can development benefits restore their dignity and self-esteem.

Nurul should realise that Indians in the country might be victims of ethnic and religious discrimination, but they are not pathetic and helpless.

Under propitious political and social circumstances, Indians can rise to the occasion to demand their legitimate rights.

Nurul should not forget the rise of the Hindraf movement in 2007.

The problem with PKR and leaders like Nurul and those in the DAP is their paternalism towards members of the Indian community.

What is the point of assisting the Indians with various social and economic initiatives when Indians continue to be discriminated and marginalised in the society.

If Nurul is serious about genuinely assisting the Indians then she should be talking about the legitimate rights free from discrimination and oppression.

I am surprised to know that Santiago has become a speech writer for politician like Nurul.