For the past 56 years Indian Malaysians were systematically marginalised and kicked out from mainstream programmes by the Umno-led government. The sweet promises of PM Najib Abdul Razak and his team managed to conquer the heart of the Hindraf movement which had shaken up the Umno government in the 12th general election.
Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, which had stood vigilant and been a loud voice of Indian Malaysians against the atrocities of Umno, became a voice for voiceless and defenceless people. Najib promised to accept a six-point demand, a special ministry under the Prime Minister’s Department, and a figure of RM 4.5 billion yearly had been mentioned.
Today, eight months after the signing of the MOU and after 56 years of waiting and drama of elections, the Indian Malaysian community has been left in the lurch. Not a single point has been implemented.
Before this, PM Najib had asked forgiveness in three different events, two were in front of Indian Malaysian crowds to get their valuable votes. In the MOU with Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, a unit was promised to take care of Indian affairs, but till today no unit has been formed.
In the speech of the association’s leader P Waythamoorthy at the events, the crowd was told that Najib promised over 600 government contracts, but none were delivered. Waythamoorthy was appointed as a deputy minister under the Prime Minister’s Office. He was paid approximately RM20,000 a month, with a government car and a driver, but till today what his role is in the PM’s Office is still a question mark for all Malaysians.
‘Janji ditepati’?
There are programmes which PM Najib and Waythamoorthy could have done without any financial involvement. These are to avoid temple and Indian burial ground demolition, to approve birth certificates and identity cards for thousands of stateless Indians, to convert all Tamil schools to fully government-aided schools and stopping the displacement of Indian settlements.
During these eight months, several temples been demolished, including an ancient Bujang Valley temple in Kedah, the problems of stateless Indian Malaysians were not settled (lately an Indian Malaysian student drank poison due to not being allowed to register in a secondary school), Kg Railway in Sentul was demolished, the Bukit Jalil estate is awaiting demolition and a few Indian Malaysian settlements have been demolished by Najib’s government.
The whole MOU with Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia was breached and Indian Malaysians regarded it as toilet paper.
Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, be honest with the public. Did you table the same demands with Pakatan as you had with Barisan Nasional?
The association intentionally dropped many demands towards Barisan Nasional, whereas they were demanding extra seats from Pakatan in the 13th general election. This shows that the association had a political agenda but then cheated the Indian community by saying Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is an apolitical movement.
PM Najib gave hot capati and Waythamoorthy brought disappointment for the whole Indian Malaysian community. Najib’s hot capati is regarded as ‘hangat hangat tahi ayam’, but Waythamoorthy the self-claimed Indian Malaysian representative sold the community’s dignity to Barisan Nasional.
Today, Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is no longer voicing out for the voiceless Indian Malaysians. They are just depending on the mercy of Umno. Once in a while they give press statements as an eyewash.
I challenge Waythamoorthy to tell the truth to the public and walk out of BN because these eight months you didn’t achieve anything. PM Najib should understand that the signing of the MOU with you will not bring back poor Indians to BN. This is your last chance, our curse will haunt BN and their marginalising laws forever.
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