Indian 'mandors' not the real problem

The Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) deputy president S Subramaniam has suggested that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim head the Indian Community Action Committee (ICAC) rather than appointing Indian “mandors” from PKR or the Pakatan Harapan-led coalition.

The British planters used the “mandor” system during the colonial period, in which Indian “mandors” or supervisors were appointed to manage the labour affairs.

The “mandors” might be South Indian Tamil, but they took instructions from the white managers in managing labour affairs in the plantations.

Unlike the Chinese “kepala” who had the material interest of Chinese labour, the Indian “mandors” functioned on behalf of the plantation bosses.

My book on plantation labour describes in detail why Chinese contract labourers earned higher wages than Indian labourers because the former operated under the kepala system provided better material incentives than the mandor system.

The political relevance of the analogy of the “mandor” system was first used by the Hindraf leaders to describe and belittle Indian leaders who functioned on behalf of the Chinese and Malay leaders in the DAP and PKR.

MIPP deputy president S Subramaniam

The use of the “mandor” analogy is to show that Indian leaders in the Harapan-led coalition have no real power but are subservient to the non-Indian leaders.

Not the real problem

Subramaniam might be making a valid point by saying that Indian leaders in the government have no real power, as it is being wielded by the Chinese and Malay leaders.

However, I differ from Subramaniam on the point of Anwar himself heading the ICAC to channel financial benefits to the Indian community.

While Subramaniam blames the Indian “mandors”, he discounts the notion that mandors in the government are the consequence of the government adhering to the racist majoritarian policies.

In other words, the Indian “mandors” are not the real problem, but those non-Indian elite who manipulate the subservience of these leaders for their particular interests.

Even if Indian leaders or “mandors” are not appointed, the result will be no different. It must be remembered that the crux of the problem is not the “mandor” system but those non-Indian leaders in power who make use of Indian leaders to camouflage the majoritarian racial and religious system for political expediency.

Indian leaders are used by the non-Indian elite to impress upon the community the existence of Indian representation. However, such a projection is nothing but a political farce.

Playing second fiddle

Unfortunately, this Indian representation in the form of Indian leaders playing second fiddle to non-Indian leaders does not augur well for the economic and political well-being of the Indian community.

The pliant Indian leaders in the ruling coalition are a disgrace and humiliation to the Indian community that has immensely contributed to the nation in blood, sweat and tears.

This is the reason why the United for the Rights of Malaysians Party (Urimai) makes it a point to chart an independent political course for the Indian community without being entrapped by the vicious mandor system that prioritises the interest of the elite of the majoritarian community at the expense of ordinary Indians and others in the country.

At the core of the political struggle of Urimai is that Indians should be led by Indian leaders who are in a position to articulate the broader concerns of the community.

Urimai does not want to exchange one form of domination for another form. Urimai is open to coalition building, but such an effort will be predicated on independence, integrity and dignity.

It is not enough to decipher the vicious nature of the political system that has parallels with how plantation labour was controlled and exploited under the mandor system.

The present Indian leaders are no different from the earlier “mandors”, but serve different masters under different political circumstances. - Mkini

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P RAMASAMY is Urimai chairperson and former deputy Penang chief minister II.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.