Hold RCI on racial discrimination to resolve ‘Indian problem’

 

From P Ramasamy

I think we can go on and on debating and arguing about the Indian problem. This has been done before and is repeated now in online forums.

The roots of the Indian problem are the same; new discussions will not change the historicity of its roots.

With the history of the Indian problem in mind, maybe the time has come to approach the subject of what can be done to alleviate their social, economic, educational and political problems.

Before we can dwell on the matter of Indians taking advantage of opportunities, if they are there and waiting, there is a need to focus on the rights of the community.

We can debate endlessly on the Indian problem without any outcome. We really need to confront the objective and subjective positions of Indians as Malaysians and citizens of this country.

Objectively speaking, Indians are numerically a small community, the majority being members of the working class.

Some Indians, through sheer hard work and determination, have risen up the socio-economic ladder.

They have proven that they can fight to some extent the racist system to emerge victorious.

However, this kind of opportunity might not hold true for the majority of the members of the Indian working class.

They are caught in a bind where the government’s imposition of race and religious criteria act as a powerful impediment to their progress and advancement.

For the vast majority of Indians, it is the stark and ugly reality of racial discrimination by the government that stands in their way forward.

In debates or discussions on Indian progress, a lot of time is spent talking about what they should do without factoring how the government, through its policies and measures, constrain the participation of Indians.

Indians want to participate and take advantage of opportunities and challenges, but they are prevented by the very government that seeks to represent them.

Objectively speaking, Indians like other disadvantaged groups want a level playing field free from obnoxious racial discrimination.

Without the removal of this policy, Indian progress will be limited to those who can defy the system.

If the circumstances of Indians are not analysed objectively, then it is quite easy for discussions to meander off, resulting in the condemnation of Indians, the victims.

In fact, many NGOs find it difficult to confront the racist government and take an easy way out by blaming the victims.

It is easy to take this path because the government is amorphous and distant, whereas the Indians are exposed.

Some of the NGOs depending on government assistance naturally shy away from criticising the government.

Indians being a numerically small community and victims of racial discrimination are in an unenviable position. It is this objective position that has produced negative subjectivism in the community.

Being told that they are not the preferred citizens, that they don’t qualify for certain jobs and denied the right to own licences and permits for being the “wrong” race have caused untold generational misery on them.

They lack the dignity, self-pride and determination normally found among citizens of a country.

Denied decent employment and educational opportunities, they turn to other forms of activities that might be illegal in nature.

Is it a wonder that the number of Indian youths who get arrested for crimes exceed the proportion of other races?

Debate all you can, but there must be clarity and substance in the debates.

Let us not reinvent the wheel again and again.

If history can be reinvented for coming up with novel solutions and ideas, it is fine. Not the regurgitation of the same old thing again and again.

Let us confront the nefarious role of the government and how Indians have become victimised over the years.

Scars of humiliation and discrimination cannot be eradicated by sidestepping the issue of the real elephant in the room.

Ideally, a royal commission of inquiry must be set up to investigate how the government has treated, discriminated against and humiliated those races not considered as Bumiputera.

Without a national reconciliation process to rectify the roots of the grievances of the discriminated communities, there will be no healing process. - FMT

P Ramasamy is deputy chief minister of Penang and a DAP central executive committee member.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.