Indian voters have shifted to multiracial parties, says prof

Denison Jayasooria says the Indian community has dropped its dependence on ethnic-based MIC and moved to support multiracial parties such as DAP and PKR.

Academic Denison Jayasooria says Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto contains special references to measures to address Indian concerns. (Facebook pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Indians have dropped MIC and opted for multiracial parties to represent them in Parliament, according to professor Denison Jayasooria.

The principal research fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said in a statement that this was a major departure from the traditional approach of race-based political party representation.

Following the 14th general election (GE14), there are 16 elected Indian members of Parliament, more than the post-2013 election figure of 11.

Of the 16, only two are from the ethnic-based MIC which is part of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. In GE14, both the MIC president and the deputy president failed to secure a seat, as happened in the 2008 general election.

The other 14 MPs, Denison noted, were from two political parties in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition which had now become the new federal government. DAP and PKR each have seven Indian MPs.

“What is also significant is that many of them won with very large majorities. In all the seats where there was a contest between BN and PH, with the exception of Cameron Highlands, all the PH candidates won.

“The new reality is that for the first time since independence, MIC is with the new opposition in Parliament and out of the federal government.”

He said many of the PH Indian MPs were dynamic politicians with good grassroots experience as well as professional competency.

“This is their opportunity to lead the Malaysian Indian community into the 2020s and beyond, with a message of hope and new ways of community empowerment in addressing social disadvantage positions.”

Looking at the programmes initiated by the previous government for the Indian community, Denison said the PH manifesto had made special reference to measures to address Indian concerns.

“It is without doubt that the PH government will build on these. These will be strengthened to ensure the benefits reach the targeted groups.

“In the pre-GE14 dialogues, Tun Mahathir did participate in a dialogue organised by Hindraf, and it could be possible that they and other strategic partners will work together to ensure effective delivery on major concerns such as citizenship rights, education and skills training, including scholarships, economic and micro business loans, urban poverty issues including affordable housing, and issues pertaining to death in custody, police brutality and human rights violations.”

He also suggested that the government focus on three additional concerns and approaches.

“The first is to adopt a rights-based approach to development – moving away from a charity, welfare approach and hand-outs, towards community empowerment and resilience. This must be based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is most necessary.

“Second, there is a need to adopt a non-racial and non-ethnic approach, addressing minority concerns through the Sustainable Development Goals.”

This, he said, would be a better measure to ensure that “no one is left behind”, therefore moving beyond ethnicity, gender, disability, class and caste status.

“Third, setting up a dedicated social inclusion unit by addressing social exclusion irrespective of ethnicity with specific targets to reach all disadvantaged communities.

“This might be the new way forward in this climate of political change. It is important to strengthen public disclosure of the resources and this can be best done through an effective oversight body which is made of a cross-section of Malaysians.” -FMT