It doesn’t take a genius to see the falsity in the article (Hindraf En Bloc: UMNO Wins hands down) by one James Menon in Malaysia Today. To claim that UMNO had neutralized Hindraf even before the game started, aptly defines his futile attempt to foolishly discount a political phenomenon of historical significance. It is obvious he has very scant understanding of historical processes.
What happened after the Hindraf 4 plus an SB operative were put in detention under ISA was well expected. Anyone in the know , know that these are attempts to kill off a phenomenon by their enemies. This phenomenon, if allowed to develop would invariably mean a shift of the status quo, and more so by a working class group. Now, that would be dangerous, really dangerous, would that not be. But of course our friend Menon has no clue about all of this in his articulate ignorance. His love for his Tuans in PKR is just too great!
Menon seems to have conveniently forgotten that it was the same BN that wrested the Perak state government from PR and is now eyeing to wrest one or two other state governments. Shall we then say it was a KNOCKOUT for PR in Perak and anticipate that there will be more such knockouts in future???
UMNO does not only attempt to destroy Hindraf but also PR , and PR has already fallen so many times! This Menon rejoices and applauds what UMNO did to Hindraf! So, then it justifies that he should also applaud UMNO’s success at the same tricks with PR – does it not? Ouch, that hurt!
Nevertheless, the obedient servants of their Tuans in PR like Menon, harp on that one issue vis-a-vis Hindraf, unable to challenge HRP/Hindraf’s claims of PR’s seriously flawed and ineffective processes and policies. Who could ever deny that in politics, there is/are always one or more bad apples in one barrel! PR has its share, so Menon, why don’t you cry foul over there, too? But you cannot, your slave mentality will not permit you to do that to your tuans , will it?
Just look at the many melodramatic accounts by PR lawmakers, washing the dirty linen in public at media conferences including the latest addition Wee Choo Keong, and the rest, Zulkifli Nordin, Karpal Singh (who even lamented on the national media that Anwar has done enough damage to the PR coalition!), the great Hee, Tan Tee Beng, Zahrain Hashim, Manickavasagam… Uh! Just too many!
What has PR achieved thus far except demonstrating arrogance, ignorance, ineffective administration, poor policies, bad governance, unscrupulous money-mindedness and much more. It will surprise me not if PR loses their act totally in the 13th GE, looking at the breakdown.
PR cannot get to Putrajaya with only Chinese votes as the trend for PR support seems now to indicate. Losing the non-Chinese public support in two by-elections in a row, allegations of serious corruptions in the Selangor state administration, vicious infighting for party positions, unending defections, discriminatory policies on Indians, constant Hindraf bashing and demonizing of the Indians in the alternative media are nothing but symptoms of a miserably failing coalition that is unable to adequately address the issues raised.
Isn’t it more appropriate for Menon to say that PR is in tatters .
Isn’t it plainly obvious that PR leaders are frustrated over the loss of Indian support in the last two by-elections and their inability to bury the spirit of Hindraf which is now steadily regaining momentum, slowed temporarily by the machinations of UMNO over the last two years.
Menon says that Indians had no other choice but to run into the arms of Pakatan Rakyat post-2007! It wasn’t the Indians running to PR, but rather PR leaders exploiting and deceiving them with promises of all sorts including saving Kampung Buah Pala by non-other than Anwar and Lim Guan Eng, that the Indians entrusted PR!
Menon also claimed that socially, many individual bodies and networks were created with no links to Hindraf to help the poor Indians economically. Sure! But which Club or individual bodies or social networks is/are able and willing to do the following:
i) fight for university places for the deserving Indian students with 9, 10, 12 As that they are gravely denied these days
ii) fight for government scholarships based purely on meritocracy for the deserving Indian students that they are gravely denied these days
iii) fight for bigger and better representation of the Indians in the government sector in all fields and at all levels
iv) stop the massive killing of the suspected Indian youth criminals by the police
v) combat the forceful conversion into Islam by the authorities
vi) stop the discriminative policies in issuing of ICs and BCs to the stateless Indians
vii) draw up effective action plans to address the many poverty related social issues
viii) draw up economic policies to help the hard working but opportunities denied Indians
ix) issue land titles to the Tamil schools to transform them into fully-aided government schools to improve its qualities and conditions
x) save the poor Indian settlements from unlawfully being stolen by both BN and PR
xi) save the Hindu cemeteries and temples
xii) get enough FELDA, FELCRA, RISDA, FAMA, etc….lands to uplift the lives of the poor Indians who gave their whole lives to the rubber estates and oil palm estates
xiii) obtain business licenses and permits to the Indians they are being gravely denied
xiv) obtain government loans for entrepreneurial activities they are being gravely denied
HRP/Hindraf knows the Indian problems and the due solutions the best in this country! Their solutions aim at the root causes of the problem, are permanent and most importantly, lawful! HRP/Hindraf is not talking about school shoes, RM 50 scholarships and well water for the schools! HRP/Hindraf is talking about fundamental issues, basic human rights issues, gross violations of the Federal Constitution for 53 years and systematic marginalization issues! No Rotary Club or Lion’s Club or NGOs that Menon talks about can get the deserving Indians the rights they have been robbed of.
It will help if the category of people represented by Menon open up their minds and know that if they do not understand the paradigm of the poor and the marginalized, it is best they refrain from complicating their struggle, and let these people fight the injustices they have to live with everyday, without these unnecessary complications.
If Menon and his like insist on doing what they are doing, they will be doing them, who are already hurt, dispossessed and abandoned just more grievous harm.
The Indian poor in this country really could do without such articulate incompetents.
Iraiputtiran
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