Severe Sever the ethnic & religion umbilical cords

Mariam Mohktar wrote a piece in Malaysiakini titled Hindraf-Pakatan marriage of convenience? where she asked:

Should we wait another 54 years before we are given another golden opportunity to show unity and vote for change?

As we approach the final lap in the race towards Putrajaya, Pakatan Rakyat and Hindraf are having a lover’s tiff. Hindraf appears to be doing all the wooing whilst Pakatan is playing hard to get.

Mariam seems to have forgotten that Hindraf in the person of the Great Uthayakumar went around badmouthing and threatening Pakatan, demanding 15 federal seats and a larger batch of State seats from the coalition.

Mariam seems to have forgotten that Hindraf demanded these seats from Pakatan instead of BN, telling us Hindraf has been anti Pakatan rather than anti BN.

So, it’s nonsense to say Hindraf has been doing all the wooing, though it’s correct to say that Pakatan has had enough of the Hindraf threats to now justifiably ignore the Great Uthayakumar.

I don’t support political parties based on ethnicity or religion (sorry PAS), because such organizations marginalize (deliberately or unwittingly) the ‘nons’, whether the ‘nons’ are Malays, Chinese, Indians, etc or religion-wise, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus etc.

A recent classic example has been seen in PAS non-Muslim supporters now threatening to leave PAS because of Pak Haji Nik Aziz's arrogant intention to implement hudud in Kelantan regardless of the consequences to the adhesiveness of Pakatan.

Quite frankly, the worst in this regard have been PAS and UMNO, both of which, whenever the situations suit their political interests, would swing from being religious parties to being ethnic nationalists. The former couldn't make up its mind, allowing their true colours to emerge from time to time, while the latter has unscrupulously exploited the theme of the day.

Once upon a time, during the struggle for independence from colonial Britain, perhaps such ethnic-based organizations had their roles in bringing various ethnic groups together for a common cause, and subsequently to fuse their followers into a Malayan society. But their use-by dates are definitely over.

There shouldn’t be any more Hindraf, MIC, MCA, UMNO, PAS anymore. Much as I have been disappointed with Gerakan at least it has the option of being the multi-ethnic organization it used to be. Likewise with PKR, DAP, PPP, PSM, PRM and wakakaka PCM.