The race is on for the Indian vote

KUALA LUMPUR, April 02: Analysts and pundits are unanimous: the Indian community in the country is said to be the deciding factor in the coming 13^th General Election (GE13).

The race for that vital Indian vote has begun.

The Barisan Nasional’s (BN) recent mammoth rallies such as the ‘Unity Ponggal’ and ‘Perhimpunan BN Pilihan Rakyat’ which witnessed huge turnouts from the Indian community shows that the party has a head start in wooing the Indians votes again.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently announced that Indian students are allowed to take a maximum of 12 subjects in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) which includes Tamil language and Tamil literature. Previously students were only allowed 10 subjects.

Such orogrames and policies, which normally takes years to be confirmed, was announced in a blink of an eye by Najib.

Najib also announced that all Tamil schools will be government-aided schools in phases if BN is given the mandate to rule the country.

During 2008 election, the country saw a tremendous change in its election history when the BN lost its two-third majority as huge numbers of Indian voters turn their backs on them by favouring the opposition.

The Hindu Rights Action Force’s (Hindraf) demonstration which took place on 25^th November 2007 which witnessed over 30,000 supporters march down the streets of Kuala Lumpur is said o be the trigger point of the 2008 ‘political tsunami’.

Hindraf has now changed their approach by voicing out their rights to the leaders of the country bin their much touted Blueprint, Hindraf  claims to have solved the unsolved marginalisation of the Indian poor.

The activist organisation submitted their ‘Blueprint’ to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) but it received only a cold reaction.

Hindraf’s says its ‘Blueprint’ contains plans for an effective government involvement in six major issues affecting Malaysian Indians and with specific approaches to achieve these objectives:

The major issues highlighted

- Estate workers who have been displaced around the country, numbering about 800,000;

- Stateless Indian Malaysians, numbering about 350,000;

- The denial of adequate and equal educational opportunities;

- Unequal employment and business opportunities;

- The impunity of the police; and

- The standards of human rights practices.

Unsatisfied with PR, Hindraf announced that they are ready to meet Najib and they received his invitation to meet on 22 March to discuss further demands.

On March 25, Hindraf met Prime Minsiter Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak met representatives at his office in Putrajaya for a discussion on their Blueprint. The party is now looking forward for a second meeting with the BN leader.

As Najib hopes to get the Indian community’s attention by this move, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) joined the race by announcing their 14 point plan for the Indian community.

Noticing that there was no mention of the Indian community in PR’s manifesto, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang announced the party’s plans for the Indian community titled ‘A vision and strategy for Indian empowerment’.

The party claimed that the plan is to be key factors aimed at uplifting the socio-economic status of the Indian community.

The DAP’s 14 point-plans are:

• To resolve the problem of the stateless Indians within 100 days of a Pakatan administration;
• To establish a National Housing Board which will build decent and affordable housing for marginalised groups, especially for displaced Indian plantation workers;
• To ensure that all national-type Tamil schools become fully-funded and the infrastructure of every single school is up to par with ‘sekolah kebangsaan’ (national schools);
• To invest in technical and vocational training coupled with apprenticeship programmes to provide an alternative education and career path for school dropouts from low-income Indian families;
• To provide jobs and raise the wages of low-income Indians by implementing a-RM1,100 minimum wage scheme;
• To increase the number of Indians in GLCs (government-linked companies), local councils, and public services;
• To alienate land for existing Hindu temples and burial grounds and find replacement land for temples and burial grounds which have to be relocated;
• To provide microcredit and other financial assistance schemes to Indian small businesses, with a special focus on women, youths and home-based business;
• To put in place the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and to eliminate deaths in police custody and custodial deaths;
• To establish a special fund to promote Indian equity ownership in the country;
• To establish a commission to address urban poverty and social problems faced by the Indian community;
• To establish policies that could economically enable single mothers, including house ownership scheme;
• To establish or enroll in existing residential schools outstanding Indian students from plantation and urban poor families; and
• To abolish all anti-rakyat legislation and to get rid of discrimination.

This plan has became a punching bag since the announcement was made, as it got hit by all sides including Hindraf which claimed that the plan is an imitation of their Blueprint.

The plan also grabbed former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Velu’s attention, who said that, “DAP’s act is just to fish for Indian votes and it is not a sincere approach”.

Samy Velu said that PR has lose the Indian community’s support and DAP is trying to attract the Indian votes towards their ballot box.

Being in the middle of both BN and PR, the Indian voters are now in a dilemma of choosing the right leaders. Many are also considering to not going out to vote.

Sugary promises can be made by anyone and anyone with resources and authority can give out funds. But, is this the main concern for an individual? If a person has all the rights and priority in a country why should he or she need financial assistance to survival?

BN led by Najib indeed did some good things for the Indian community. But the space for a long term solution is still unfilled. Indian community’s hope is not to be a Prime Minister in this country.

They want good education chances, secured job opportunities, and assistance to build their own business which will be securing their next generation.

Social problems, is one main problem which is cancer-ing the Indian community. But looking at the root of this problem, lack of education and jobless situation is the main switch which triggering this. This made the Indian poor to be left backward while the country is moving forward.

Of course there is no enough of evident of what the opposition will do if they are to capture Putrajaya. But the country may see some change. There should be pair factor in everything so that one can compete to be better than the other.

Malaysia has been ruled by BN for the past 56 years. They are doing well and that is the reason why it is still on the run, but the main issue here is, they can do better.

Without any strong pressure on them, they are in a normal track doing as what they can do to show people that they are doing something for the country. Imagine a competition; having a competitor in a race, the other participant will surely try better in the task to win the judges heart.

Same scenario here, if there is a change in the parliament, for sure a fear will formed in each politician so that the people would not lose hope on them.

This positive pressure will surely make them to do good, better and their best in serving the community.

Not voting is definitely a wrong move. Voting is as important as their dignity and also their responsibility as a citizen of this country.

 The Indian voters should be wise thinkers in choosing the correct path which will secure their future in this country. They should not get influenced by any promises by any parties and make rash electoral decisions. -TMT