Effecting changes via ballot papers alone would not bring about the desired reforms, a forum is told.
KULIM: The system of governance must be overhauled if marginalised ethnic Indians and other minority communities are to enjoy a better future in the country.
Speakers at a forum on ‘Educational Discrimination on Malaysian Indians’ here yesterday said that effecting changes via ballot papers alone would not bring about the desired reforms.
The speakers were Hindraf Makkal Shakti national coordinator W Sambulingam, its advisor N Ganesan, Janakey Raman (author of ‘Malaysian Indian Dilemma’) and Jiwi Kathaiah, editor of ‘Sembaruthi’.
They said reforms must take place in all aspects of governance, including policies, parliamentary democracy, civil service, law enforcement, education, employment and electoral system.
Only then, they said, can marginalised communities reap the benefits of reforms. They said both sides of political divide thus far have not shown a desire to implement any reform.
“Changing the main political players in a government while preserving the current unfair and unjust system of governance will not work,” they told about 30 people at the forum organised by Hindraf’s Kedah chapter.
Kathaiah said every citizen has to heed a national call to defend the country when under attack, and one can be jailed for failing to do so.
“Given that citizens, unlike foreign workers, have a national responsibility, they must have equal rights.
“If one did not have rights but is asked to defend the country, it is better to spend time in jail. One can’t live with dignity and integrity without rights,” stressed Kathaiah.
He said the government must abolish the Biro Tatanegara, under the Prime Minister’s Department, because it has been the main source of racism in the system of governance.
He cited the recent incident of a teacher calling Indian students “Hindu Pariah” in SMK George Town as a product of the bureau.
“Ironically the number one racist bureau is under the country’s number one CEO. How then could the government promote 1Malaysia?” he asked.
History forgotten
Ganesan said the government should set up a statutory body with its own annual budget of RM5 billion to RM10 billion to address and resolve Indian problems.
Among pressing issues, he cited were Tamil school education, vocational and tertiary education, scholarships, employment and healthy career growth and business opportunities.
Janakey Raman said that Indians have been sidelined from mainstream development despite their enormous contributions to the country’s growth since colonial days.
“People have conviently forgotten history,” he said.
Sambulingam called on Indians to stop being taken in by government announcements on policies and allocations.
More often than not, he said these announcements have just political shadow play to hoodwink Indians.
“We should follow-up on their implementation. We should first confirm whether such policies and allocations have reached the community,” said Sambulingam.
KULIM: The system of governance must be overhauled if marginalised ethnic Indians and other minority communities are to enjoy a better future in the country.Speakers at a forum on ‘Educational Discrimination on Malaysian Indians’ here yesterday said that effecting changes via ballot papers alone would not bring about the desired reforms.
The speakers were Hindraf Makkal Shakti national coordinator W Sambulingam, its advisor N Ganesan, Janakey Raman (author of ‘Malaysian Indian Dilemma’) and Jiwi Kathaiah, editor of ‘Sembaruthi’.
They said reforms must take place in all aspects of governance, including policies, parliamentary democracy, civil service, law enforcement, education, employment and electoral system.
Only then, they said, can marginalised communities reap the benefits of reforms. They said both sides of political divide thus far have not shown a desire to implement any reform.
“Changing the main political players in a government while preserving the current unfair and unjust system of governance will not work,” they told about 30 people at the forum organised by Hindraf’s Kedah chapter.
Kathaiah said every citizen has to heed a national call to defend the country when under attack, and one can be jailed for failing to do so.
“Given that citizens, unlike foreign workers, have a national responsibility, they must have equal rights.
“If one did not have rights but is asked to defend the country, it is better to spend time in jail. One can’t live with dignity and integrity without rights,” stressed Kathaiah.
He said the government must abolish the Biro Tatanegara, under the Prime Minister’s Department, because it has been the main source of racism in the system of governance.
He cited the recent incident of a teacher calling Indian students “Hindu Pariah” in SMK George Town as a product of the bureau.
“Ironically the number one racist bureau is under the country’s number one CEO. How then could the government promote 1Malaysia?” he asked.
History forgotten
Ganesan said the government should set up a statutory body with its own annual budget of RM5 billion to RM10 billion to address and resolve Indian problems.
Among pressing issues, he cited were Tamil school education, vocational and tertiary education, scholarships, employment and healthy career growth and business opportunities.
Janakey Raman said that Indians have been sidelined from mainstream development despite their enormous contributions to the country’s growth since colonial days.“People have conviently forgotten history,” he said.
Sambulingam called on Indians to stop being taken in by government announcements on policies and allocations.
More often than not, he said these announcements have just political shadow play to hoodwink Indians.
“We should follow-up on their implementation. We should first confirm whether such policies and allocations have reached the community,” said Sambulingam.
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