Monday, December 17, 2007

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!

19 comments:

  1. KTemoc,

    the real issue here is not the poverty.

    Indians who came during British rule were poor to start with. They were mere laboureres, living in the estates tapping rubber and plucking oil palm.

    When the estates were cleared for development. The Indians were left to fend for themselves.

    The NEP further sidelined them and with Mahathir Mohamad at the helm things were even worse. Ketuanan Melayu was at it's peak [ though Mahathir was not a thoroughbred Malay himself ]

    University seats were difficult to get by. Business license and contracts difficult too.

    Government jobs were a big NO-NO with the Government on it's " ethnic cleansing" agenda of getting the Chinese, Indians and Sri Lankan Tamils out of the service passively.

    Passively............ yes passively, by denying them promotions, denying them their pay rise, denying them their Cemerlang and Gemilang.

    Finally the non Malays left the civil service since they really felt they were un wanted there.

    I know because I come from a family of Government servants. My great grandfather, grand father and father were all Government servants. My father never got his due recognition even though he was a Head of Department.

    For example look at the crime buster Kulasingam who passed away less than a month ago. A Sri Lankan Tamil man who never got any recognition. Someone else in his place would have been made a Tan Sri in no time.

    So now, what actually ignited the Indians, No it was not Hindraf.

    It was UMNO.

    Demolishing the temples is just too much for a race known as " a temple building race".

    The Government should have intervened immediately when the first temple was demolished. But they chose not to.

    Moorthy's case was another hit below the belt for the community. Stealing the body of a dead man during the funeral is unbecomming of people in a country which claims to be practicing "moderate" Islam. I mean that was barbaric.

    Asking Shamala sathiyaseelan to bring up her 2 boys as Muslims when she herself was Hindu. Revathi... and the list goes on.

    The UMNO Government chose to be a silent onlooker when all these atrocities were being committed.... So now we have a problem, an International problem on our doorstep.

    Can you blame anyone else for this besides the Government ?

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  2. Pak Lah! Wau! Lu Manyak Pandai OH! Better than A.R. Tompel's chief, Pi- RAM-LEE! HAHAHA! Who is your advisor? Hair fashion icon Samy Velu AH?!! HAHAHA!

    Sorry, Pak Lah! You Tidur Lagi Baiklah for the country, HEAVEN and HELL that is full with your fellow UMNO, MIC and BN SCUMBAGS! Don't wake up! Because when you do once in a while, You make Even Those Who Normally Puke at You To Fart Outright! How outrageous can you be My Beloved Pi M!

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  3. Malayamuda, well said.

    How do you think Samy Velu must feel thta he has never been able to muster 10,000 Indians to anywhere. Hindraf comes from nowhere and gets 50,000 out on the streets!

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  4. Ah, thestar at it's very best again. There are times when I'm done reading thestar that I feel like I need a bath.

    Having said that, I think the media is really stopping at nothing to restore credibility to MIC. Of cuz, there is still so much denial that MIC is the only Indian party that matters, etc etc. Only when they admit that they have failed will they be able to bounce back, but will the MIC leader have to guts to even admit that?

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  5. mental jog

    aiya don't read vk chin lah. he is said to be one bloke who very the angkat the gomen one. i remember somebody told me reading his articles will made him puke.

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  6. Described as "the Mickey Mouse of the desert", the small rodent is found in the deserts of Mongolia and China with giant ears about one-third bigger than its head.
    http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/science/countries/china/rare-shots-endangered-species-$1177487.htm

    The Star`s prophet. Only reason Star has sales is on account of its biz and classified sections. Remove that and the paper is toilet paper like the NST and Malay Mail.

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  7. A former MIC top leader`s wife had tears in her eyes as the conemned semi value for destroying MIC.
    MIC chairman in my area says non of his members will be voting BN this time round.

    Wong Chun Wai can sing all they want, the reality has changed.

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  8. Fake Merdeka Centre 'Street Protests' Survey: Results Produced Even Before Survey Conducted!

    Pathetic. So bloody pathetic. Lie also dunno how to lie. It's so bloody obscene lar, Wong!

    http://howsy.blogspot.com/2007/12/fake-merdeka-centre-street-protests.html

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  9. Malaysia rules out dedicated dept. for non-Muslim affairs

    Kuala Lumpur, (PTI), Dec. 18, 2007: A day after ethnic Indian activists sought setting up of a Non-Muslim Affairs department, Malaysia on Monday said it was "difficult" to meet the demand as Islam is the country's only official religion.
    [ ]
    They have also been provided with places of worship, he said.

    http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200712172037.htm

    Ethnic cleansing is supported by PM`s dept. as those same places of worship that existed before he came in are torn down.

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  10. Wong Chun Wai will be having cooked goose for Xmas:
    http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/ru/node/362

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  11. oops sorry for the double post. Tertekan.

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  12. wuaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

    they said Hindraf is terrorist initially right.

    now all Hindraf 31 released......

    In Malaysia, terrorist also can get released meh !!!

    Malaysia Boleh

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  13. Podah wong. Bodoh macam badui:
    http://malayhindus.googlepages.com/kinduncle.pdf

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  14. Ini badui macam wong betul bodoh punya orang:

    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.
    http://sarathi-hindraf.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-told-pm-truth.html

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  15. Bumiputra is an Indian sanskrit word.

    To call one self " son of the soil" also you dont have an original word.

    All have to pinjam ka

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  16. Wong CHun Wai is ACTING Group Editor-in-Chief.

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  17. they castrated Uncle Chin in Operasi Lallang...after that his column in the Star was nauseating..

    But this is what you get when you write for your salary....you write sh*t as long as you get to keep the job. VK Chin should have retired after Op Lallang

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  18. I really sympathise wiyh uncle Chin's predicament. Before the Opearasi Lalang, his editorial had some intellectual write ups. The Operasi Lalang had thought him a valuable lesson 'Dance to Master's Tune'.Chari Makan nowadys is very difficult ma. He had pledged his loyalty to MCA and pledged his principles and ideals to ruling party's feet. Poor Uncle Chin....

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  19. It's better for Samy to shut his gap. The more he defends himself, the more incompetent and exposing how vulnerable he is. He's going around and proclaiming 'show me an Indian without clothing and food'. Hey, Samy we are asking for our rights as a Malaysian citizen. Include us in the mainstream of development.Don't sideline and systematically discriminate us from everything. Treat us with some respect and dignity. It's not our fault if you think that everything is ok wirh Indian community and they dare revolt the masters. Samy for god's sake shed that 'beggers' mentality. Don't live with false beleive system. Go down to the grass root level and see for your self the miseries and oppression subbjected by the Estate and police authorities. Are you aware of another indian died in police custody in Raub. Samy you already accumulated so much of wealth ....what are you going to do with those wealth...you have spoilt brat ..son and daughter..can't even manage your own family....how are you going to lead the Indian community...Please step down gracefully...what did you say....you did not have a capable successor..just hand over to 'Hindraf'...

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