Indian Voters You Are SESSILE, IGNORANT, APATHETIC, PASSIVE, CONTENT. YOU NEED TO CHANGE DIAPERS ASAP.

 "Indians a colossal voting bloc 

Inspite of their 8-9% population count
But until today, they don’t realise this  
Those who realise this don’t know what to do with it"

Sessile means stuck to one place, cannot move from some position, not willing to get up and go. Things like that. I hope you get the rough idea. 

Ok big disclaimer. That SESSILE, APATHETIC part are not my words. Jangan marah saya tau.

Let me begin. The following article was written by my friend Prof N. Sugumaran. He is an Assoc. Prof. in Texas (USA) where he taught Political Science. Sugu is also deeply involved with Mr Waythamoorthy's Hindraf and the Malaysian Advancement Party or MAP.

Sugu sent me the link to his article which appeared in The Malaysian Insight. Mr Waythamoorthy also sent me the same article a few days back. So I decided to run it and comment it. 

The gist is Waythamoorthy, Prof Sugumaran and the Malaysian Advancement Party (which represents largely Indian affairs) WANT THE INDIAN VOTERS TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING IN THE UPCOMING SIX STATE ELECTIONS ON AUGUST 12. Orang India Jangan Keluar Mengundi. This is what they are saying.

First here is the article:

 

A CURSORY look at pre-election statistics will point to the Chinese community as the most crucial decision-makers in the non-Malay heartland. A closer look however paints a different picture. With the Chinese predominantly having already decided to vote PH, a different voting bloc emerges as the kingmaker – the Indians.

Indians are poised to be the determining factor in this PRN. When the majority of Malays are predicted to vote for PN and the Chinese have become a solid voting bloc for PH, Indians are automatically the kingmakers.

To illustrate this point, I classified the seats in four states according to how impactful Indian votes will be in the August 12 elections. 

The “status” column in each table indicates whether Indians are the kingmakers (decision-makers), determining factor in a close election, not so crucial but can still be a determining factor in a close election, and determining factor depending on another external variable, for example, an individual or another group getting involved or urban/suburban Malay vote split.  

 

 

 

The information in the tables above illustrate, unambiguously, one thing—Indians have become a colossal voting bloc in spite of their 8-9% population count. 

But until today, they don’t realise this; and those who realise this don’t know what to do with it.  

During the BN era, the community was neglected and taken for granted. 

• The main reason for this is that the community is a politically passive and a contented one. 
• In the 1970s when we had only two TV channels, both government-operated, Indians would be ecstatic if an additional Indian movie per week was approved to be screened. 
• Minor political tokens are greatly appreciated.

(OSTB : I can vouch for this. In the old UMNO days I used to be involved in By Elections. We used to have "table talks" with Barisan Nasional's components in that By Election area - which almost always meant MIC and MCA. The MCA guys were easy to deal with, leave us alone, we know what to do, we are organising a big makan, local Chinese big wigs will be invited, our MCA big guns will be there. End of story. Then the MIC guys would come. They will say, 'Kita ada dua kuil di sini (Hindu temples). Kita perlu sikit bantuan mau repair bumbung, mau cat baru, renovation sikit. Itu saja."    And that will be their whole By Election strategy to get the Indian voters. Until today. Of course Hindu temples pull in big, big money so the temple is the center of local Indian politics.)

Naturally unscrupulous politicians exaggerate and magnify benefits derived from such tokens. Such an easy to satisfy community coupled with a scarcity of honest, sincere, and capable leaders spearheaded the rot of the community.

After Pakatan Harapan took control in 2022, Indians were overjoyed and began to see light at the end of the tunnel. Now eight months have passed. Madani and the ruling coalition are oblivious to and unbothered about the plight of Indians in this country. Having continuously been taken for granted and neglected, the future is gloomy if not doomed.

The decay of the community continues while many Indians see no option other than PH. A huge percentage of them label PAS as “ultra,” “radical,” or “twisted” and are unlikely to vote PN. What they fail to see is that there is always a choice. 

 

With both coalitions proving unattractive, Indian voters can opt to sit out the election. A proper boycott will cause a fiasco in at least 20 seats, and possibly 30-35, in four of the six states going to polls. The result? Both coalitions will come a-begging in the next general election.

 

Nothing will change for the politically passive, sessile, ignorant, apathetic and content. Nothing will come their way. Nothing changes by itself. There needs to be concrete actions. As Issac Newton discovered, an object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an external force. – July 29, 2023.

* Prof Suguman Narayanan reads The Malaysian Insight.

 

My Comments:

Ok here are my thoughts. This strategy will simply not work. 

"Both coalitions will come a-begging in the next general election"  ??

I really do not think so bro. Sounds too highly dramatic and theatrical.

One of the coalitions may not be around for the next General Elections in 2027? Or (being optimistic - as early as September this year). So you may not even be dealing with the same people in power.

All odds are in favour of a huge swing in the Malay vote towards Perikatan Nasional or PN in all SIX States. Both Selangor and Negeri Sembilan have gone from 50/50 to perhaps 55/45 or better in favour of Perikatan Nasional. Even Penang is tossed salad, with everything up in the air. The feedback in Penang is 15 seats confirmed for PN and 15 confirmed for PH. With the remaining 10 seats or so (??) still to be determined. Even Penang is going to be close.

If the PN wins big or even does well in the SIX states then in such event this 'abstain from voting strategy' will be suicidal for the Indians.

Democracy works when we participate in the voting process with both feet. Not by abstaining from the voting process.

Here is a little arithmetic. Lets say a constituency has 1000 voters. 20% are Indians. 45% vote for PN and 35% vote for PH (total 100%).

If the Indians do not vote (as per your suggestion), then PN will still win with 45% of the vote. So if Indians do not vote it does not make any difference because someone will still have to win the seat - either PN or PH. Even without the Indian vote, someone will be declared the winner and someone else will be declared the loser.

When either the PN fellows (or the PH fellows) win the seat they will say 'We won the seat DESPITE INDIANS NOT VOTING'.  

So in the next elections that is what the winning party will tell the Indians, 'Lu takda undi kita pun kita sudah menang.'

And it will become worse for any abstaining Indian voters if PN (as is expected) wins by a landslide. Then they can surely and rightfully say, "We won a landslide even without the Indian vote".

"Both coalitions will come a-begging in the next general election"  ?? 

I really dont think so.

As I said, you can only be a kingmaker if you vote. If you do not vote you will not make anything. Indians can be poised to be kingmakers ONLY if they vote. 

Let me make a suggestion. Before that some of my own observations.

Malaysian politics are now in a situation of continuous flux or continuous change. Things are still very fluid. Since the BN got kicked out in 2018 (after 63 years in power since 1955) the politics have still not settled down yet. In the past five years since the BN got kicked out in 2018 we have seen FIVE prime ministers. Indications are there will be another change soon.

I have written previously that 37 years ago in 1986, the Philippines saw the end of President Marcos' 21 year old dictatorship. 

25 years ago in 1998 Indonesia saw the end of President Suharto's 32 year dictatorship.  In 1989 and 2003 the Philippines still suffered attempted military coups - against Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo respectively.   

Since then both the Philippines and Indonesia have undergone massive political and other changes. Democracy is a process. It takes time. 

In comparison, Malaysia overthrew its 63 year old "one party BN system" just FIVE years ago in 2018.  Just like Indonesia and the Philippines it is going to take some time for our new democratic politics to settle down.  Meaning there will be more changes in prime ministers.

But unique to Malaysia, despite seeing FIVE changes in prime ministers in five years ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THE POLICIES THAT SAW THE BN GETTING KICKED OUT AFTER 63 YEARS IN POWER have been abolished or changed. Not one. 

Exactly as you have said it about the plight of the Indians, "Having continuously been taken for granted and neglected, the future is gloomy if not doomed"

Still gloomy and still doomed, despite FIVE prime ministers in five years. Nothing has changed not just for the Indians but everyone else as well. We may as well bring back Dr Mahathir. Maybe he will make another car project. Perotiga Madayan - a hybrid car.

My suggestion is this - keep voting them out.  For example the PH is in power now. So ALL INDIANS come out in full force on August 12th and vote for Perikatan Nasional or PN. 

Dont worry about PAS or Hadi Awang. Two days ago the Madani fellow hosted a nutcase Indonesian jihadi whacko. Najib used to host that nutcase Indian jihadi whacko. They will always have their favorite nutcase jihadi whackos to help win votes for them. That part is not going to change.

But keep it simple - whichever party is in power VOTE against them. 

As I said this election vote for the PN. If they come to power then next elections vote them out. Just keep changing the dirty diapers.

Keep voting them out until they change the old and unworkable policies and replace them with newer policies. And they learn to treat the people with real respect. 

We need to do this. WHY?

Because like the Philippines and Indonesia we have just come out of 63 years of a one party system. There will be plenty of inertia and SESSILE behaviour in many people (including the Civil Service) who want to still maintain the "bad old days".

The only way to foster real change is to keep changing the gomen. Until they get it right. Vote for any party or coalition for one term only. ONE TERM ONLY. No matter how handsome or how big is their smile GIVE THEM JUST ONE TERM. After that change the diapers.

If we can change the prime minister every 24 months it will be better for the country. 

We do not have to do this forever - only for as long as the politicians DO NOT MAKE REAL CHANGES. 

If the Toll roads are still there vote them out.
If car prices are insane expensive vote them out.
If the APs are still there vote them out.
If they abolish DLP vote them out.
If the monopolies are still there vote them out.
If the Sedition Act is still there vote them out.
If they allow foreign whacko jihadis into the country vote them out.

Just keep voting them out. Change the diapers frequently.

So to all Indian voters, on August 12th please come out in full force and vote for Perikatan Nasional. 

Not because they are more handsome, not because they have bigger smiles, not because they are great or that they will do anything too great for anyone.

But vote for Perikatan Nasional as a punishment against Pakatan Harapan FOR NOT DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE COUNTRY AND FOR ALL OF US.

Punish them. Vote them out. Change the diapers.

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