We are an ethnic minority with an immigrant background and today we are
enthusiastically accepted as an integral part of the local culture and
society. We have successfully gone through a process of internalisation.Today we discover that we have deep rooted historical relationships with the land and have played a bigger role in the evolution of our national culture.
But there exist glaring divisions and differences within the community. We are continuing to seriously ignore and neglect some of the underlying causes and challenges confronting Indians in Malaysia. For example:
- the servility and subservience of the poor majority that affects the dignity of the entire community;
- failure on the part of the community to study Indian culture and philosophy so that the eternal, the universal values that are embedded can be brought to surface and shared;
- failure to discover common principles and values with the other communities and races thus slowing down dangerously the process of transformation and integration;
- continuously perpetuating and emphasising, socio-economic issues will fail to provide wholesome benefit;
- failure to identity analyse and understand current social ills and problems;
- the ethnic barriers and divisions are becoming ever more strong and creating new solidarities has become somewhat impossible for the moment.
- differences in ethnic languages and cultural policies;
- poverty and exploitation, erosion of democratic liberties and corruption.
Moreover
no one can derive any wholesome benefit from the perpetuation of ethnic
policies and social realities and we must carefully analyse and
understand them in the correct perspective.
We must engineer ways to integrate the community in a more meaningful manner with the rest of society and to reverse the present situation there must be a heightening of communal consciousness.
P Thiagarajan, advisor for the non-political movement Malaysian Indian Voice said on Nov 27, 2010 that “while sorrow, happiness, pain suffering and joy are in separable in the journey of ones life we must not ignore and/or forget the greater struggle of the community.
“The many needs of the community must be properly shaped and implemented. Such ideas shaped for the betterment of the community must be free from political influence and pressure. It must be shaped and implemented in the best interest of the community so as to ensure they are not neglected or kept in the dark”.
Thiagarajan is of the view that “there is a future for the community in this country. In the pursuit of the future we must come together collectively permanently shelving our differences”.
On the other hand V Ganabatirau, advisor for Malaysian Indian Voice on the same day said “…that the promotion and protection of the Malaysian Indian rights will result in integration that should create one common place for the minorities and majority with relations between them based on cultural , religion, linguistic and ethnic pluralism”.
He further reiterated that “minorities should not be discriminated within society, victimised by weak political participation and lack of equal access to economics, social and cultural rights”.
However, it is very true to say that many Indians remain blind and oblivious to many truths. V Raidu says “the question of equality and fairness continue to remain a highly debatable issue. Why? He emphasised that the only way to defend and safe guard the community is through the formulation/ formation of a new economic policy which will uplift and upgrade the communities socio economic”.
While these words of encouragements and criticisms (if any) against the community as a whole is necessary, it must never be forgotten that the success of any community must necessarily be through sacrifice, contributions and through collective effort.
It must acquire knowledge and skills to move forward and must gain the competitive edge. The community must dispel and desist the feeling of discontentment and they must completely detach from the deplorable syndrome of dependency.
They must never shy away from the feelings of inefficiency, weakness, disappointment and there is a need to constantly explore ways and means to improve their shortcomings and the community must take drastic and decisive action and the youths in particular must be more vigilant.
Finally, in order to raise the community's political consciousness no one Indian should stand above the other, and instead should immerse himself among them and such engagement will advance the community in the right direction and may enhance the sense of belonging which is currently eroding steadily.
Unless we undertake immediate pro-active steps and measures, formulate cohesive and coherent plans I am sure we will soon disintegrate into losing our identity and belonging in this country.
We must engineer ways to integrate the community in a more meaningful manner with the rest of society and to reverse the present situation there must be a heightening of communal consciousness.
P Thiagarajan, advisor for the non-political movement Malaysian Indian Voice said on Nov 27, 2010 that “while sorrow, happiness, pain suffering and joy are in separable in the journey of ones life we must not ignore and/or forget the greater struggle of the community.
“The many needs of the community must be properly shaped and implemented. Such ideas shaped for the betterment of the community must be free from political influence and pressure. It must be shaped and implemented in the best interest of the community so as to ensure they are not neglected or kept in the dark”.
Thiagarajan is of the view that “there is a future for the community in this country. In the pursuit of the future we must come together collectively permanently shelving our differences”.
On the other hand V Ganabatirau, advisor for Malaysian Indian Voice on the same day said “…that the promotion and protection of the Malaysian Indian rights will result in integration that should create one common place for the minorities and majority with relations between them based on cultural , religion, linguistic and ethnic pluralism”.
He further reiterated that “minorities should not be discriminated within society, victimised by weak political participation and lack of equal access to economics, social and cultural rights”.
However, it is very true to say that many Indians remain blind and oblivious to many truths. V Raidu says “the question of equality and fairness continue to remain a highly debatable issue. Why? He emphasised that the only way to defend and safe guard the community is through the formulation/ formation of a new economic policy which will uplift and upgrade the communities socio economic”.
While these words of encouragements and criticisms (if any) against the community as a whole is necessary, it must never be forgotten that the success of any community must necessarily be through sacrifice, contributions and through collective effort.
It must acquire knowledge and skills to move forward and must gain the competitive edge. The community must dispel and desist the feeling of discontentment and they must completely detach from the deplorable syndrome of dependency.
They must never shy away from the feelings of inefficiency, weakness, disappointment and there is a need to constantly explore ways and means to improve their shortcomings and the community must take drastic and decisive action and the youths in particular must be more vigilant.
Finally, in order to raise the community's political consciousness no one Indian should stand above the other, and instead should immerse himself among them and such engagement will advance the community in the right direction and may enhance the sense of belonging which is currently eroding steadily.
Unless we undertake immediate pro-active steps and measures, formulate cohesive and coherent plans I am sure we will soon disintegrate into losing our identity and belonging in this country.
The writer is an ex ISA detainee.
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