MORE Indian leaders are coming out to criticise the lack of support for the Indian community by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, the latest being former Klang MP Charles Santiago.
Santiago had recently taken the Selangor government to task in the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election for not creating any new initiatives for the Indian community in the state.
Selangor has the highest number of Indians settled in the country. Assisting them with effective programmes to overcome poverty, unemployment and providing them with business opportunities, low cost or affordable housing, opening up agricultural schemes or SMEs will be remembered by the community which will make them gratefully vote for PH.
However, since 2008 I have not seen any major initiatives to help the impoverished section of the community.
The state government has as much power as the federal administration to help alleviate poverty not only among Indians but also others. Selangor should not leave this major task to the federal government alone.
The federal government too is being roundly censured during the by-election campaign for ignoring the Indians despite the community wholeheartedly supporting PH candidates in the last general election especially in the crucial urban multi-racial constituencies.
It has been 18 months and nothing tangible has been done to reward the community for their help.
Indians have been terribly disappointed with the PH electoral platform that was brimming with promises.
The Chinese have given up hope on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his much-touted reforms and they can only hope that the stability of the unity government will be maintained somehow.
The economic prowess of the community means that it is not much dependent on the government. In fact, for the Chinese community, the government is more of a nuisance with its rules, restrictions, intrusions, quotas and other anti-business features.
This is not the case with Indians who expect assistance for deliverance from their present plight, which is wholly due to the marginalisation of a section of Indians who are unable to overcome their poverty unless helped by way of affirmative action programmes.
To say that Indians are jealous of the budgetary allocations to Malays is totally inaccurate. What they want is enough and reasonable assistance to help the community just like what the government is doing for the Malays.
I don’t see any envy or jealousy. Anwar is trying to sidetrack the issue by citing jealousy, and creating enmity between the Malays and Indians.
Remember how much the Indians loved and supported him when he was down and out. The community forgot the Islamist and racist UMNO Anwar of old, and embraced the “New Anwar” who rallied and championed for a Reformasi-centred multi-racial Malaysia!
Indians are still hoping that somehow, somewhere PH will help the Indians. Just a few days ago, there was a report that the long-standing problem of houses for the 245 estate workers in KKB, brought to public attention by the PSM, was resolved by the Housing and Local government Minister.
If assistance on a bigger scale from PH does not materialise soon then the Indian community and political party leaders need to have serious talks with Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader from PAS and Bersatu.
A political contract can be signed by the parties in which PN agrees to help the community with various programmes.
This means that the Indian community openly supports PN in the next general election. Since it is an agreement, it has to be honoured by PN and this will help the Indians make a firm decision about whom to support.
PH cannot anymore rely on the Green Wave to threaten Indians. Only the Chinese will be worried about the Green Wave, which was a figment of DAP’s imagination to stop PN.
PH cannot rely on Chinese support alone to win power to form the government.
The East Malaysian parties will support any coalition that wins the majority in the Peninsula. The “liberated” Indians will have to show the Brown Wave to support PN.
The multi-racial constituencies in the west coast will be the first to fall in the next general election, and PH will have to bid adios to government.
Indians cannot be intimidated by the bogey of the Green Wave anymore, and have to counter- respond with their Brown Power and Brown Wave!
Without Malay and Indian electoral support, it will be curtains down for the PH and the unity government in the next general election. – May 8, 2024
V. Thomas is a Focus Malaysia viewer.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main pic credit: Berita Harian
