The Saturday’s Hindraf rally came and gone and surprisingly it was well-publicized both locally and internationally. Of course, we may only see one angle of the story in the local media, so try catching a more balanced reporting in the international media and blogs. Image source: Malaysiakini
So, what was the reaction?
Some said 10,000 came, others 30,000 but whatever the number was, it attracted interesting reactions:-
PM said law breakers will be punished
MIC said it was embarrassing and work of the opposition’s ploy to smear the name of the Government in the eyes of the world
One UMNO honcho said that other races have poor people too
IGP said that the police will take action against the leaders, organisers and participants of yesterday’s illegal gathering in the city.
And internationally too:-
AFP
CNN
Reuters (click here for interesting photo shots)
So, was the Hindraf’s rally last Sunday a big success?
Asking some of my Indian friends and family members seems to say an affirmative yes. Many more are waking up to the call of the Malaysian Indians and are starting to look at what is the real problem that the community is facing. MIC said that the rally was an embarrassment to the Indians but in reality, many seem to say that the rally was an embarrassment to MIC.
Thousands of Indians marching to highlight their grievousness but MIC walked the other way out. That seems to be sending the (wrong?) message to many Indians out there that MIC does not give a damn about the rally and the reasons behind it. Further, with many international news agencies picking up the news on Hindraf (especially Al Jazeera who gave a prominent coverage), it appeared to be the Indians holding out on their own this time.
MIC honcho said “the MIC had been working “within the system” and it had proven to be successful”. But has the system really worked?
Perhaps for the few well connected Indians, it may have but what about the thousands who felt that the system has failed them miserably? For how long, MIC is going to hang on to the “system” which seems to be tilting on side of unfairness?
Protesters lured by the monetary gain?
USD1 million each – that was what the Government and MIC said that lured unsuspected and innocent people to support the Hindraf rally. I talked to several professionals and well-to-do people who actually participated in the rally and they say that money was the last thing in their mind when they marched against the police’s water cannon and tear gas.
They marched because they felt it was the right thing to do – to highlight the injustice and unfairness that have fallen on the community. There was a bigger issue than just dollars and cents when a large of protestors on the move.
USD 4 trillion – a pointless act?
Why USD 4 trillion and why it was filed against the British Government?
That is the question that many Malaysian have been asking in the last few days. Some even called it treason for a Malaysian to asking a foreign government for help. But think again – would the suit been successful or gathered prominent response (as it did last Sunday) if it has been filed against a local entity in Malaysia?
Further, after VK Lingam’s “correct, correct, correct…right, right, right” fiasco, does a layperson (who is ignorant of the law and the working of the court system) really thought they could have gotten a fair trial in Malaysia? If the head of Hindraf who are lawyers seems to have lost faith in the judiciary, what more can be said of the trust of the judiciary in the eyes of a layperson?
The suit would have doomed from the start – it would have been struck down as a matter of public interest. Tell me, how many legal suits against the government and the political parties have gone well for the ordinary people?
So, why the British? Simple – they are the next after the current Government to been involved with Malaysian Indians. And USD 4 trillion did catch your eyes, didn’t it?
Police’s forceful act
For the first time in history, a court order was requested and received to stop the Hindraf gathering. What that seems to say? A lot if you ask me – one, the police knows that the Indians will still proceed with the march, so threats of arrest on sight, water cannon and tear gas did not spook the Indians. It only spooked the Government.
And two, with lawyers heading the rally, there was an urgent need for the Government to make sure all angles were covered, so the court order was the outcome (by the way, the lawyers has been discharged from the sedition charges).
Still, it did not stop the protestors from gathering in the city. In the end, the question remains unanswered – was the police “unnecessary force” necessary for quash a peaceful gathering?
If past Hindraf rallies have been a peaceful one, then why this time it was painted with violence? Was it provoked? Or had the Indians said enough is enough and started to be more aggressive? There was a failure in the crowd control last Sunday and end up turning ugly.
The loss to businesses?
Let’s say a sport event (such as a marathon) was organised on a Sunday morning. Thousands of people running in the marathon, hundreds more lined up to support the event, major roads closed for the event and the police’s work is limited to crowd and traffic control. What is the loss to the businesses?
We had sports events in the city before and did the businesses cried foul then?
Replace the sports event with a peaceful march and what do you get? The same thing but in this case, overzealous enforcement (for what, I don’t know) may have pushed the peaceful demonstration a bit too far to the extreme. Start shooting chemical-laced water at the peaceful protestors and you end up with chaos and destruction.
It was sickening to see the business guild to go on TV and cry foul now and promote BN in the process. It was uncalled for and certainly, the business guild should have asked the same against the police.
Destruction of temple
Another sensitive issue which is also one of the contributory factors to the last weekend’s protest. As mentioned before in this blog, yes it is true that it is a problem for the Indian community and the local authorities to have more than enough temples (including illegally constructed ones).
There have been calls for these temples to be merged into one well-managed temple but there not been many takers. So, it is hardly a surprise to see the Indians’ reactions when the local authority finally came down to evict the temple after giving plenty of leeways.
But the question that has been rising is the high handed tactics of the local authorities in dealing with the destruction of the said temples (some even caught on camera throwing stones at the devotees). What gives them the right to be violent against the ordinary citizen?
What’s next?
It is good that the Hindraf rally created a good awareness of the problems that the community is facing. To reach out to the government for a response may be foolhardy at this time because either the government will fail to acknowledge it (since it was an “illegal” rally) or push the buck back to MIC which means it is back to square one. So what is left for the Indian community to do?
Several things in fact:-
Start with voting the right people in to represent them in the Parliament. Election is coming soon and what a better time to show those who been in power that enough is enough.
Form a better working relationship & professionalism among the community. Less in-fighting and more unity bring the community to higher level of acceptance
Don’t stop voicing injustice and unfairness – we are not the minorities! We are part of the larger Bangsa Malaysia, connect with this bigger community. Race based rule is a dying trend.
Look at the problem facing the community and for this, start with illegal temple structures – demolish them or get them to merge into one single well managed temple. No matter how you see it, at end of the day, it is still an Indian’s problem to be dealt with.
Form independent trust funds to handle scholarship for the deserving students or to provide soft loans for businesses – leave the politics out from these organisations.
Don’t let the sweat & tears of the 10,000 people who walked last Sunday to die a natural death. Because if we did, then we are back to square one and we all know how it feels like being there.
Oh, by the way, another race-based political party has come into the picture – championing the plight of the minority community. Can we stop this crap for once and for all and get a single “Bangsa Malaysia” based party to represent all. The more we engage a race-based rule, the more Hindraf alike protests we will see in future and things will only get messier and messier.
ur absolutely right wen speaking of “the loss of business” for traders… I dont see them complaining when Le Tour De Langkawi was held, or when the Ironman challenge was under way….
like i alwiz believed, we need to be educated in current affairs to see the light… those half-truths and no-truths propagated is not the best way to “learn” about malaysia…
looks like this is a big public slap to the face 4 our government…
Kavi – more “spin” in the papers today and the best part was when a MIC MP brought it up in the Parliament, the Nazri bugger asked him to resign from MIC. Looks like the Hindraf rally proved a point there.
I agree to the above comments. What had happened on last Sunday? This is suppose to be a peaceful marching but ended up with violence. First of all the violence was started by the police and authority personals. This is absolutely all something of their tactics to disperse the group. First of all the HINDRAF leaders have gone with correct procedure and bound to Malaysians rules by applying the permits, but we would like to know what could be the reason the permits was rejected by the police and the high court has released an order to not assemble. Again an appeal was made with proper procedure, yet it was not approved. WHY? So what are the rights to say this is an illegal gathering?
When Malay Muslims which better to be known as “BUMIPUTRA” had such gathering, an example during the IRAQ” invasion led by US force, Malaysia Muslim were gathered US high commission in Malaysia to protest and sent over their memorandum. What is this is a legal one? If this has been considered as legal protest against IRAQ I believe the similar peaceful act by HIDRAF is also to be a legal one either.
What the hack that government is using their force to discrima the minority. Why such not did to their own race when they had assemble in front of US embassy. In Malaysia we Indians have been fed-up with the entire ruling and the way how Malays conquer the whole government and non-governmental sectors. Who de hell is they? They are telling us that we are from India. Yes of course we are form India but this is our ancestors and not we. We are born in this country and having a right of citizenship. In fact who does say that the Malays are forming this country? When referred to the history they were from Hainan, one of the provinces from China. So who are they? They too a 3rd class to this country but taking the ownership the entire country and accusing others that they were immigrants. So what makes the government to be bios to one ethnic within their citizenship? Is this something so called discrimination or else what is the better word of English to be known as? When Malay Bumiputra intend to buy a house a 7-10% of discounts to be given and this is a mandatory privileges should has to be given by the developer and forced by the government. If the developer won’t give this privilege, their construction company will be closed down? So the question is why such privileges are only for Malay bumiputras. Don’t the government has seen other races also suffer with poverty. So why such privileges has not given to other races or ethnics whom has the same right and citizenship?
Those days I still could remember that, hardly can seen a CAR owned by Malays and no cars driven by Malays on the road. However today, out of 10 cars, 8 to be owned by Malays and out 8, 5 to be an imported luxury cars. So where de money comes from? I believe this is the time Malaysian has to reshuffle their whole administration and ruling systems. Otherwise I am having doubt that Malaysia will be leaving in peaceful and who knows that one day a similar racial riots (13 May 1969) may invoked again in Malaysians history and many innocent will surely die due to the increase in racial bios and discrimination.
Well Indian, not all Malays are happy with the so-called privileges as well and they like you and me wants an equal treatment for all Malaysians. Only some in the ruling party keep emphasing on the policies of unfairness. It has to change.
The PM talked big when he said if they focus only on one race, other races will get jealous and upset. I hope he included ALL races and not excluding one (you know which one). As some bugger from UMNO said all races have poor people too – the sooner equality is enforced, the sooner we will come out from dark ages in Malaysia.
fuck hidraf and all indian go back to india…jgn rosakkan keamanan malaysia…
Hang Jebat’s famous quote was “Raja adil raja disembah, raja zalim raja disanggah” which literally means “A fair king is a king to obey, a cruel king is a king to fight against”.
Mr. Hang Jebat, history shows you dont have to be a non Malaya to oppose fairness. Read more on http://www.wikipedia.org and search for Hang Jebat, “Mr. self acclaimed Hang Jebat Shah” !
Typo in the blog earlier : I meant “oppose unfairness”.
How many of you here really know about 13’th May 1969? How much do you all know the meaning of apartheid? How long you want peace in Malaysia? How do you feel as a Malaysian? Have you ever thinking the result from that incident? Do you know who behind it? Don’t just talk emotionally. Think wisely. I don’t ever want “13’th May 1969” happen again. Why don’t you all do some reading about how Malaysia get “Merdeka”. How much blood were spill. How many people die. Don’t make this thing bigger. No one will get advantages if “13’th May 1969” happen again. There will more pain in your heart. We all live in Malaysia. This is our land. Protect it. Love it. For 50 years we can live peacefully with each other. Why this now?
In my opinion…there some people want to make all Malaysian fighting each other. Riot won’t solve any problems. Its only will cost you more than you can imagine.
Jebat’s “all indian go back to india” mentality is what the racists in the country trying so hard to achieve – chaos and trouble. Far from menjaga keamanan Malaysia
Fairuz – we can live better as Malaysian without the racial segregation as being practised now.
sudah2 lah..jgnlah bergaduh..let’s live in peace like before..
don’t raise out the sensitive issues..
for the past 50 year up till now, we’re just like brothers and sisters..
my best friends are from other races..but we care for each other..
there was an indian office mate of mine, which I like and respect him much because of his kindness..
like the blind malay and muthu punye advertisement in TV..
it’s so touching..
I dont believe Hindraf has or had anything against any races. Their intention was to have a peaceful march and convey a message/memo to the British High Comm. That is all. Nothing against the Malays, Chinese, the Govt or the MIC or the Police for that matter. Just a peaceful march. Why is that not allowed. Is that an ISA issue? Go back a couple of yrs when the PM’s son in law gathered and shouted slogans against the US when Condolesa Rica came invited by the PM to Malaysia. The police then just allowed him to say/shout whatever he wanted and even participated. Nothing was done to stop him.
Where is the Fairness? Now lets talk about the bumiputra issue. Bumiputra discounts, University quotas on seats, govt loans, student loans overseas, etc. What should the other races do here. Just stand back and watch and tolerate? Think about it. They have tolerated, tolerated and tolerated. How long should this go on?
Nisya, put yourself in the shoes of your other race friends and think for a minute what oppurtunities and incentives they have compared to you. I presume you are a Bumiputra. Is this fair? If you were in power what fairness would you implement. Malaysia is a beautiful country. All the races are happy there living with each other. We have in the last 50 yrs or so. But the govt is the one which needs to change. Or I should say a group of Malays in the govt not the the general poppulation.
ISA – how did this come about? Here is a little history on this. The first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, defined the purpose of the act as to “be used solely against the communists…My Cabinet colleagues and I gave a solemn promise to Parliament and the nation that the immense powers given to the government under the ISA would never be used to stifle legitimate opposition and silence lawful dissent”. The third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn, stated at the same time that his administration had enforced the act only with a view to curbing communist activity, and not to repress “lawful political opposition and democratic citizen activity”.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, went on the record in 1988 to state “If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir (then Prime Minister) must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics.” The year before, he had also stated “Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law.” In 2003 when he became Prime Minister, however, Abdullah called the ISA “a necessary law,” and argued “We have never misused the Internal Security Act. All those detained under the Internal Security Act are proven threats to society.”
A little more of my two sense worth:
Lets live in peace. Everybody wants that. But lets also be fair. Every race should ask this question and see if indeed everybody is treated fairly. You cannot chase people out and ask them to leave if they dont like it. That is not fair at all. … and people who can are leaving, including the Malays. The Malays are the second highest emigrants after the Chinese. That should tell us something.
PLEASE BRITAIN AND USA. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO THE POOR INDIANS IN MALAYSIA. MALAYSIA IS ABUSING IT POWER BY TREATENING THE PUBLIC BY DETAINING THE INNOCENT UNDER THE ISA SECURUTY ACT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY. PUBLIC UNABLE TO VOICE OUT ESPECIALLY MATTER WHICH IS REALTED TO THE RACES AND ETNICS. WHY? BECAUSE THE GOVERMENT IS TRYING TO PROTECT THE MALAYS AND BUMIPUTRAS. DON’T THEM AWARE OF OTHER RACES BEING IN POVERTY. FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS ALL THEPRIVILLAGES HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ONE RACE AND WHAT ELSE ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE REST OF THE CITIZENS? SO PLS WE NEED YOUR HELP TO INTERVENE THIS DISCRIMATION. WE NEED FAIR TREATMENT. WE WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN AND LIVE HARMONY WITH REST OT THE ETNICHS PROVIDED THE GOVERMENT OT BE FAIR ENOUGH TO ALL.
Hi Hang Jebat, don’t raise the equality issues.
Remember back the HISTORY. Your ancestor have make PROMISE several year ago with Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
HI HANG JEBAT AND INDIANS. DON’T RAISE THE EQUALITY ISSUE.
REMEMBER. THE KETUANAN MELAYU – THAT IS THE PROMISE OF YOUR ANCESTOR 50 YEARS BEFORE WITH TUANKU ABDUL RAHMAN. TO LIVE AND STAY IN OUR LAND. AND THE AGREEMENT MADE. THE BUMIPUTRA LET YOU STAY IN TANAH MELAYU AND HAVE SACRIFIES A LOT TO THE NON BUMI.
IF YOU SEE IN MALAYSIA, THE BUMIPUTRA IS STILL THE POOREST. THE CHINESE IS A LOT AND LOT MORE RICHER THAN US. BUT WE DOESN’T RAISE OUT THE ISSUES. MANY BIG2 AND LUXURY HOUSE IS CHINESE OWNED.
WORK AS WELL. THERE ARE MANY MANY MANY BUMIPUTRA GRADUATES IS STILL NOT WORKING. DON’T GET JOB. BECAUSE MOST OF THE PRIVATE COMPANY IS HOLD BY THE CHINESE. EVEN IF THE GOVERNMENT PUT QUOTA FOR BUMI, BUT YOU CAN SEE LAH, THE COMPANY WILL FILL THE POST FOR DESPATCH BOY OR CLEANER AJE..THINK LE..HOW MUCH WE HAVE TOLERATE???
IF YOU THINK OF UNEQUALITY..COMPARE YOURSELF WITH THE CHINESE..NOT MALAY..BECAUSE THE CHINESE IS THE MOST RICHES AND HOLD THE ECONOMIC..THE BUMI IS NOT YOUR SAINGAN LE..THINK THINK AND THINK DEEPLY LAH..
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT FAIR, HOW CAN THE NON BUMI HOLD THE ECONOMY?????HOW CAN THEY HAVE SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO BIT THE BUMI IN ECONOMY????
HI HANG JEBAT..IF YOU SEE THE FACT TODAY..THE BUMI IS THE POOREST..WE STILL MAKE LIVING BY JUAL NASI LEMAK, BECOME CLEANER ETC AND FOR MYSELF WHEN I WAS YOUNG AT THE AGE OF 10 TILL 12, I AM SELLING KUIH EVERYDAY, I BRING THE PLASTIC BAKUL FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE IN FLAT JUST TO GET LESS THAN RM50 A DAY FOR LIVING, MY MUM IS SELLING NASI LEMAK..MY FATHER IS JUST A LORRY DRIVER..I THINK YOU ARE FAR MORE RICHER THAN ME..
PLEASE GO TO THE KAMPUNG2..YOU CAN SEE THE FACT THERE..
THE POOR BUMI IS MUCH MORE IF COMPARED TO THE RICH..WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS???
PLEASE DON’T RAISE THE ISSUES..MY BEST FRIEND WHEN I’M AT SEKOLAH MENENGAH IS SATTIBAMA AND TAN KEE CHEONG..
LET’S SEMAIKAN RASA PERPADUAN KITA..DAH 50 YEARS WE STAY TOGETHER..
IF WE CAN TOLERATE WITH THE NON BUMI, WHY NOT YOU TOLERATE WITH US?? IF YOU WANT TO COMPARE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN MALAYSIA IS THE CHINESE..
DON’T FORGET ALSO..EVERY RACE HAVE RICH AND POOR AS WELL..
THE INDIAN HAS ALSO THE RICHEST MAN IN MALAYSIA I.E. Mr Ananda Krishnan, Mr Samy Velu etc..
WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO COMPARE?? MY AUNT LIVE IN ESTATE IN PERAK WITH THE INDIAN..SHE WORK AT THE ESTATE..SHE IS ALSO POOR..
JUST TOLERATE LAH..THE BUMI CAN TOLERATE IS NON BUMI IS MUCH SUCCESSFUL TO THEM..WHY DON’T YOU NON BUMI TOLERATE TO THE BUMI PULAK..LET’S HAVE WIN WIN SITUATION..DON’T JUST LOOK AT THE NEGATIVE SIDES..LET’S LOOK AT THE POSITIVE SIDE PULAK..WE CAN LIVE TOGETHER HAPPILY EVER AFTER..
Well Nisya, Indian, Jebat and more…you had your words (pros & cons) in my blog here and I been looking some of the “I have a right here” statements. This is question that I throw back to you:-
After 50 years of Merdeka and nation building, are we still going to regard ourselves as “Bumi, Non Bumi, Poor Bumi, Poor Non Bumi, Rich Bumi, Poor Bumi, etc)? Or just Malaysians and be good about it?
And before you answer the question, have a good look at countries around us.
Yes there was a social contract 50 years ago but those who talked (some bragged) alot about having your rights – did you really understood the nature and spirit of that very social contract that some of you talked about? Were you there when our fore-fathers talked about it and decided the best way to go?
And the irony of the matter is that whilst we considered ourselves as Malaysians, when we ever came down from our comfort zone and embraced the notion of being a Malaysian?
When I was abroad with my “Malay” and “Chinese” colleagues, we had explain ourselves as Indian Malaysian, Malay Malaysian and Chinese Malaysian. We thought we were able to explain our unique-ness to the foreigners (who some did not even know where is Malaysia). We thought we able to wrap it up but you know what, the foreigner had the last laugh. He said if you are a Malaysian, why don’t you called yourself Malaysian. Why the inclusion of Malay, Indian, etc? You don’t hear Indian British, British British sort of nonsense in other places don’t you? But come to Malaysia, we have unique names for the “ingredients in the rojak” – Malay, Indian, Chinese and Lain Lain. And we are even “proud” about it!
Sounds pathetic…if you ask me
And read again what Hang Tuah has commented here – the issue that started off with Hindraf had nothing to do with other races’ rights but those who could not handle the heat, turned it into one and distracted the whole issue.
Hi NISYA
THANKS FOR YOU R MESSAGE, APPRECIATE YOU. I TOO HAVING MANY FRIENDS AND OF COURSE NOT ALL ARE INDIANS. THEY ALSO MALAYS AND CHINESE TOO. NO DOUBT.
BUT I LOVE THE WAY HOW BALJOE EXPLAINED TO US. LET’S LOOK THE FOREIGN COUNTRIES. WHY THERE IS NO SUCH THINGS SO CALLED INDIAN BRITISH, CAUCASION BRITISH OR SOMETHING ELSE? WHY DON’T YOU THINK ABOUT IT? THEN WHY IN, ALAYSIA SO CALLED BUMIPUTRA, INDIAN, CHINESE AND SO ON. DON’T ALL OF US WERE BORN IN THIS COUNTRY. DON’T WE HAVE ARE MALAYSIAN CITIZENS? SINCE WE ALL HAVE CITIZENSHIP THEN DON’T WE HAVE EQUAL RIGHT?
SO WHERE DOES THE BUMIPUTRA HAS COMES FROM? DON’T WE WERE BORN IN THIS OCUNTRY OR IN THIS VERY BUMI MALAYSIA ITSELF? SO WHY CAN’T GOVERNMENT HAS DECLRED ALL OF US AS BUMIPUTRA SAME LIKE YOU? WHY NON-BUMI AND WHO HAS GIVEN SUCH NAME OR TITLE?
WHEN BRITISH LEFT THIS COUNTRY EQUAL RIGHTS WERE GIVEN SO WHERE DOES ALL OUR RIGHTS WERE GONE? DON’T YOU THINK THAT ONLY MALAYS OR BUMIPUTRAS WERE FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY’S INDEPENDENCE? ONCE UPON A TIME MY GANFATHER WAS ALSO FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY’S INDEPENDENCE. SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE WHO SACRIFIES THEMSELVES? MY HEART IS PAIN THAT ALL THEIR EFFORTS HAS GONE VEIN?
YES YOU ARE RIGHT THAT CHINESE ARE MUCH, MUCH RICHER THAN OTHER ETINICS IN MALAYSIA, BUT PROBABLY THAT COULD BE THEIR HARDWROK OR SOME SORT OF THAT?
NO ONE IS DISPUTING ABOUT WHO RICH OR POOR BUT HINDRAF ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE WE – NON-BUMI HAVING TODAY IN MALAYSIA AS WE HAVE ALL THE RIGHT AS ONLY CITIZENSHIP, BUT LIMITATION STOPPING US? THE ETHNICS RIGHTS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS PRACTISE IS BLOCKING THE LIVE OF OTHERS. DON’T YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS?
YOU KNOW THERE IS NON-BUMI ALSO EDUCATED, BRILLIANT AND MUCH SMARTER, HOWEVER SHALL THEY CAN BE A MALAYSIAN PM? WHY US BUT THOSE WHO ARE UMNO LEADER CAN’T SHALL BE? DOES BRITISHA TOLD MALAYSIA TO DO SO WHILE DELARED THE INDEPANDANCE? SO WHO BROGHT THIS CONCEPTS? SO WE KNEW THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AS A MALAYSIAN CITIZEN FOREVER A NON BUMI CANNOT BE A PM OR DEPUTY OF THIS COUNTRY? WHY? DON’T YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? WHY THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, GOVERNMENT RULING AND MANY MORE ARE DIFFERENT OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH AS SPORE WHERE THEY TOO HAVING MULTI RACES ETNICS. A PRESIDENT CAN BE AN INDIAN, CHINESE OR MALAY EVEN. WHY THIS IS NOT APPLIES IN MALAYSIA? SO THIS IS WHAT MAKING THING DIFFERENT IN MALAYSIA AND THIS WHAT EVERYONE ESPECIALLY NON-BUMI ARE THINKING THAT WE HAVE BEING TREATED DDIFFERENTLY. SO NISYA YOU GET THE POINT. I BELIEVE YOU SHALL GO BACK AND SELL NASI LEMAK? BTW, IF I SHALL MARRY YOU, SHOULD I NEED TO CONVERT TO MUSLIM? IF NO FINE BUT IF YOU ARE SAYING YES THEN MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHY? DON’T YOU KNOW A LADY SHOULD FOLLOW THE HUSBUND? EVEN THOUGH I AM FAIR ENOUGH THAT NEITHER YOU NOR ME TO COVERT OURSELF, AGAIN WHY SUCH RULES IS APPLICABLE IN MALAYSIA? HEEHEHEHEE…LOVE YOU NISYA :-))
Hindraf against the races. Clash of the races. Hindraf against the govt. These are not the problems. The races in Malaysia don’t dislike each other. They have and will live in harmony. At time of crisis, an Indian will help a Malay or the Chinese and vice versa. This have been proven. The main squabble here is about Fairness and the Quality of our environment. The keyword here is Quality with Fairness. Please read on:
1. Equality in schools. Allow everyone a fair and equal chance to get into local universities and equal chances towards incentives for further education overseas.
Don’t just accept the best candidates but accept all the qualified candidates prior to the deadline until the seats are filled chronologically. First come first serve basis. Push the rest to following intakes or other schools. (Balajoe: I think we only want the best for any field without any preference to color of skin or religion – period)
2. Quality Education System. Four subjects in English and four in Malay. I went thru this and turned out fine. My Bahasa and English is the same level. Abolish the requirements of a credit in BM for higher learning. Make students retake BM classes and they have to obtain credits then. Just like ESL and English in US at the University levels. Some of our students have to take ESL classes and then get qualified to take the regular University courses for degree programs offered. They don’t kick students out. They give them a chance. Even TOEFL.
3. Road System – Our road systems suck! Samy Vellu needs to apply some ideas and learn from the past mistakes of our road system. Do “monkey see monkey do” kind of thing by watching the best road systems in the world. Innovate those to meet our needs and we will have a, not only better but the best system. Look at the highway from Jalan Pahang connecting to Jalan Ipoh near GH. Its freaking ridiculous! What a MESS! Whenever a new road/highway is being built, please allocate an emergency lane. Don’t give some bullshit excuse like more money must be spent for this. Look and learn from the US road system. Design better than them. If you don’t know how, Mr Velu, as for help.
4. Parking Problems. This is another freaking joke. Why isn’t enough parking allocated for new buildings, offices and shops? You go to a bank you spend more time finding a place to park then the time spent in the bank. For existing areas it excusable but for newer projects?. Learn from out past mistakes, for heaven’s sake. In US, for new development, there is a ratio used. If parking allocations are not made, the project is not approved. Hello? Look at the parking allocations for the LRT stops. We spent billions on this project and how many parking lots are available at these stops. 15? 20? I thought the whole purpose of this project was to reduce traffic so the commuters can park their vehicles at the LRT terminals and ride the LRT. There should be at least 100., 150 parking lots. So who mainly use the LRT? Mainly folks who use to ride busses. Where do we park at the LRT? On top of the freaking train? Maybe our cars can ride the train with us! Stupidity to the maximum! We can spend RM95 Million to send an Angkasawan but cannot solve a simple parking problem. PATHETIC!
5. Strict laws governing Immigrants. Every time you turn around, you have some foreigners breaking in, or stealing something. Every town you go to nowadays, you will see foreigners. Can we have strict laws on immigrant workers or foreign workers.
6. Corruption. We all know how bad this is. The scenario of this is Sad. Extremely Sad!.
7. …and many more.
Handle the above, our home will be a better place immediately. I think Hindraf, DAP and PKR will join UMNO if this happens. LOL. I suggest that Pak Lah, should dress up in street clothes, wear a golf cap and move around occasionally and spot check in disguise to catch government servants who at not doing their jobs, or setup a very reliable and trustworthy team to perform this.
…a little of my two cents worth. Excuse of my typos if any.
(Balajoe: Let’s not identify any foreigners from a particular country. If you have read blogs from that country, calling the people with that “name” is deemed rude. So I have edited)
I believe what our deputy PM commented to US government’s request to release the 5 ISA HINDRAF leaders is shows how rude of his message. Shall we put him under the ISA as not respect a foreign country and its sovereign?
Well I believe with respect to the power and intelligence of what US is own today, Malaysia is just an insect for them. Deputy PM..!! Do remember and don’t dare to shoot your words towards them. Just one air craft carrier of them or just one nuclear missile is enough to devastate this country. You have noting to fight or counter attack them except with your keris. So don’t underestimate the super power and as a deputy you should be more responsible and respectful leader and not a cha kuae teow seller. Please mind your word.
(Original comment deleted)
Balajoe: I think I have made myself clear in this blog that no one can ask another to leave the country just because they have made a statement that you may not agree. Asking people to leave the country is not only a coward act but a cheap one too. You can agree, counter argue or disagree like a mad man but please do not take the easy way of asking people to leave. You have a point to make? Make it and stand by it – if don’t, keep quiet. Citizenship is not something you can simply strip at your whims and fancy. Both applies to both end of the arguement.
Is the plight of the Indians(read Tamils) really that dire?
Can anyone give me reliable statistics of poverty and income level to let me form a conclusion? From what I see and experience the Indian Community is thriving economically, culturally and socially.
On what really is situation of the Indian Tamils in Malaysia today , in the words of the late Eusoffe Abdoolcader, are we just 4 visually impaired sages trying to describe a pachyderm?
I have lived amongst Tamils from my teenage years to living with one in blissful matrimony and apart from some of my neighbours and friends who used to lived in urban poverty, most are members of a thriving tamil middle class of professionals, blue collar workers and businessman. Even those whom I knew were poor then are now owning homes, cars and businesses.
At independence, 90% of the Indian Tamils were plantation labourers, what is the position today? Why are we concentrating on the percentage of Indians in prisons and other forms of detention vis-à-vis their make-up in M’sia’s population and not their percentage in the legal, medical and other professional and merchant community?
This Hindraf thing is nothing more than just a bunch of self appointed sages, blinded by ethno-heroism a la Sivaji, trying to pass off the derriere of the elephant as the whole beast and miss completely the majestic animal that consists the sums of all its parts.
Mak June…pls shut your mouth. With refer to you comment
“Even those whom I knew were poor then are now owning homes, cars and businesses.” At independence, 90% of the Indian Tamils were plantation labourers, what is the position today?Why are we concentrating on the percentage of Indians in prisons
Don’t talk abt indians and no doubt that they are mostly professionals. How they can be a professionals today even though lack of aid from goverment for the past 50 years. IT IS ALL FROM THIER OWN HARDWORK. (Balajoe: Tauke – the statement thereafter is uncalled for and whilst I understand your point, it is not fair to generalise it here).
Do you think the indians are getting such aid or do they have many childrens or are they turn to be non-useful. Of course there are one or two which we can’t do anything or help them because this is thier own stupidness or could be due to of their pooverty.
(Balajoe: We shall not generalise it here again)
Then how can be a professional. Pls don’t compare these races with indians cause indians are living without any aid and genuine hardworker. That is why their life has been changed a lot since independance and the one race never at all cause holding a stick as what our former PM said.
SO PLS REFRAIN!!!!!!……………….
let’s all races in Malaysia stay in harmony and share the joy. We have been living here for more than 50 years like sibiling, brothers. Our goverment is shall be considered one of the best in the world, but should be fair enough to entire cittizens instead of focusing one race. There also poors in other race let’s the goverment ensure to look in the well being of her entire citizens.
hi Hang Tuah
i just thinking a simple question.
Is there any total solution with Malaysia goverment and non- bumis to settle thing down for live in harmony. i don’t think so. So i it no need to waste our time fighting for it. The only winner for all your arguement with Malaysia Goverment has been prove by Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore indepandance from Malaya and state of Johor. with their party “PAP”.
it is simple like this “if you don’t like the way of Goverment threat you then get yourself a indepandance country” why not you setup a party and fight for indepandance for Penang and Butterworth. both have same fact as Singapore too.
good post. esp when u cleared the air about the Govt’ s propaganda about money being used to lure the community. it’s just blatant stereotyping and demonisation. the media coverage was disgusting.
Chineseguy, if I understand your question correctly, what you have in mind, is no different than what Hang Jebat mentioned in his blog above – “Leave if you dont like it!”. This is not what the issue is or what should be the case. Setting up another country and splitting like Singapore is not the answer. The answer is, I beleive, – “Be fair and watch out for our country – Malaysia!, and we will achieve living in harmony and would love it”.
Look at some examples – Like USA. Go to Manhattan, or the Chinatown in Flushing, NY, or Little India or Littly Italy or Hawaii. You dont see whites or blancks. You see mainly other races. You see Orientals, Africans, Spanish, Europeans, Middle Easterns, etc, with the blacks and the whites. You have residents and citizens of US. Ask them if they are treated with fairness. Ask them if their kids are given equal rights as the citizens in schools and educational loans, etc. Ask them if they are being discriminated against when applying to Universities. Well ask Malaysians – the government scholars under govt educational funding going overseas, if they are being discriminated on admissions to US schools and colleges. To the US we are foreigners and we are treated with fairness better then by our own govt and we are citizens. Why? Our problem is FAIR TREATMENT! – WE DONT HAVE IT!, my friend.
Whenever, the national anthem is sung or played, what do one really feel?. Do you sing or listen to it with full patrioticness or just expect it to be over with. Compare this to the US national anthem being sung or played at a baseball stadium or olympics or wherever. Even the non citizens, foreigners or foreign students studying in the US are deeply touched by it. Ask anyone you know who have been to the US and studied there, what they have observed when it is being sung. Why does it make us feel that? How do we achieve that? Why dont we have that in our country. The saying – “Do unto others as you want them do unto you” – comes to mind. In US they’ll do unto you MORE THAN what you’ll or can do unto them. It’s a wonderful feeling, SATISFIED feeling!
The answer all our problems can be summerised in on word – FAIRNESS!
I rest my case.
Please excuse my typos, again and speelling mistakes. I always find mistakes after hitting the submit button.
Dear Tauke Babi
The post here is about Indians not malays. That’s my point. How dire can one race be if they can bring them selves up without Govt aid. Look at the SIKHS 50,000 only, marginalised politically by the MIC. No political clout to spaek off. They just go on to lift their community up by themselves.
Instead of calling upon the TAMIL community to follow the way of the Sikhs, many here want them to ask for govt handouts like Malays.
I suspect many are using this Hindraf issue as disguise racial bashing of those favoured by govt. Tauke Babi, I dare use my real name but do you? Therefore I have an equal right as you have to voice my opinion.
It goes to show that when it comes to race, we are still emotionally trapped and unwilling to hear things that does not agree with our own notion of what the plight of the race. It is this either with “US” or against “US” attitude.
I am very sadden by this whole Hindraf issue and it made me see the true colours of my friends. For all my adult life I have tried to make race and religion irrelevant in my life, I treated every one as an individual from friends to clients trying not to put race into any equation. I keep race out of any conversation in front of my children lest they be influenced by what they hear and acquire the idea of “race”. And i thought my friends of Tamilian descent were like me too, alas, I was to be disappointed, they too fall for the ethnic demagogues and wear the “US” against “Them” tag. And from the net I see more and more people gravitatign to race centered arguments.
Hindraf’s rally may have its plus and minus points but that does not negate the sense of unfairness to a community. Probably we have looked ourselves as segregation of races, so much so what one race demands is seen as encroaching on another’s race benefits. The key word here is fairness and justice – at the end of the day, no matter how the government juggles “the cake” among the various races in Malaysia, there must be done justly and fairly too. The question is has it been done so?
Jed Yoong – You are right – mainstream media can paint a totally wrong picture when it is not. Most who I talked to, knew that USD1 million was a “silly” joke but the rally to highlight the grievousness was not. The fact that they braved themselves to walk down the streets of KL tell stories unlike those reported by main stream media
BALAJOE: THANKS FOR UNCALLLED SOME STATEMENTS.
Dear Mak June
I answered in capital letters to some of your comments.
1) “The post here is about Indians not Malays” – SO WHAT?
2) “How dire can one race be if they can bring them selves up without Govt aid” I PROBABLY AGREE TO YOU BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHY THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES IN PROVIDING GOV AIDS ESPECIALLY BASED ON RACIAL FACTORS. AS I EVER SAID THAT WE ALL WERE BORN IN THIS NATION AND HOLDING THE CITIZENSHIP. SO WHAT MAKES THINGS TO BE DIFFER FOR THE GOV TO BE MORE SUPPORTIVE TO ONE RACE INSTEAD TO ENTIRE CITENZENS? DOES THIS FAIR ENOUGH? THIS IS WHAT THE FOLKS IN THIS BLOG IS TALKING ABOUT AND NOT ABOUT RACIAL. DON’T YOU LEARN THE KEY POINT FROM THOSE FOLKS RAISED THEIR CONCERN IN THIS BLOG TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING FROM THE BEGINING?
3) “Look at the SIKHS 50,000 only, marginalized politically by the MIC” – WHY DO YOU TALKING ABOUT SIKHS. THEY ARE NO CONCERN HERE AS THEY PART OF MALAYSIAN INDIANS. BTW, WHAT COULD BE THE REASONS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SIKHS? DO YOU LIKE THE SINGS, BCOS I AM SINGH? TELL YOUR POINT STARAIT FORWARD OKAY.
4) “I dare use my real name but do you? Therefore I have an equal right as you have to voice my opinion.” WHAT IS U TALKING ABOUT? ACTUALLY U IS TALKING COCK. FYI, BALAJOE HAS GIVEN EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL OF US TO VOICE OUT OF THEIR GRIEVENESS AND OPINION AND THIS SHALL NOTHING RELATED TO OR BY PROVIDING OR HIDING OUR REAL NAME. I AM NOT COWARD LIKE YOU, BECAUSE WHAT PPL ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE FAIRNESS OF THIS GOV TO ALL AND NOT ABOUT RACIALS IN MALAYSIA. Balajoe: Deleted – take personal challenges elsewhere” .
HMMM…BORING TO WRITE MORE.
MAK JUNE……., I TOT WANT TO WRITE MORE BUT IT MAKES ME FED-UP TO TELL YOU OR TALK MORE COS WHEN I NOTICED YOU WERE START ASKING OF PARTICULARS, THAT SHOWS HOW COWARD YOU ARE AND THIS ALSO PROVEN THAT YOU HOW NARROW MINDED OF YOU.. NOT ONLY YOU, BUT I HAVE SEEN MANY MALAYS IN THE PAST. THE ONLY ONE REASON IS JUST BECAUSE IN ANY POINT IN TIME, POSITION OR SITUATIO OUR GOV’S SUPPORT ALWAYS GOES TO ONE RACE PF COURSE YOU WILL WIN IF WE BOTH ARE CONVICTED.
SO PLS TAKE UR TIME AND THINK WHETHER I TRUE OR NOT. THEN IT WILL TELL YOU WHY PPL LIKE ME WHOM HAVING SIMILAR RIGHTS AND CITIZENSHIP LIKE YOU IN THIS COUNTRY UNABLE TO DO MUCH DESPITE RAISING THEIR CONCERN IN THIS BLOG.
LET’S WE SEE IN GLANCE. IN EXAMPLE:
1) WE OBSERVED THAT ALL THE HINDRAF LEADERS WERE CONVICTED FOR THE REASON OF SEDETIOUS AND DETAINED UNDER ISA ACT?
2) WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TOWARDS ONE OF THE KEDAH ADUN AND Y.B NAZRI (MENTERI DI PM) FOR THEIR CLEAR SEDIOUTIOS MESSAGE WHILE DEBATING IN THE PARLIAMENT HOUSE THAT THEY BOTH HAVE HAD CHALLEGDED THE OPPOSITION LEADERS BY SAYING ALL NON-BUMI TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY? SO WJHAT MAKES THEM TO BE SO SEPACIL TO NOT DETAIN UNDER ISA ACT?
3) AGAIN WHY… Y.B KERISMUDIN HAS NOT DETAINED UNDER ISA WHEN HE TALKS LOT ABOUT NON-BUMI IN THE UMNO G.A. IN FACT HE HAS SPOKEN VERY LOUDELY IN FRONT OF ALL ABOUT RACIAL MATTERS? WORST EVEN THAT IT HAS BEEN TELECAST LIVE IN ALL MEDIAS. NOT UP TO THAT, FINALLY HE HAD RAISED THE KERIS LIKE SHOWING, IN A SYAMBOLIC MANNER THAT THE MALAY YOUTHS WILL NOT HESITATE TO RAISE THE KERIS IN ANY SITUATION IF REQUIRED.
SO SHAME TO OBSERVE THIS INCIDENT AND OUR HEART IS REALLY IN PAIN. PLS THINK? Y? DON’T WE (NON-BUMI) ARE STAYING IN THIS COUNTRY. WHERE SHALL WE GO IF NOT MALAYSIA? EITHER LIVING OR DEAD OF COURSE IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO AGAIN MY QUESTION TO YOU IS Y THIS SITUATION HAPPENING TO CERTAIN RACES IN THIS COUNTRY. WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS AND THEIR RIGHT AS ALL OF US WERE BORN IN THIS COUNTRY AND ALSO CITIZENS OF THIS NATION?
Please dont write everything in uppercase. It makes it difficult to read. Imagine reading a novel with everything in uppercase. Also it means you are shouting when text is written in uppercase.
Hang Tauh,
Appreciate to your input. Doesn’t matter it has been written in lower or upper case but the contents are the most important item in any reading materials. Btw, to tell you the truth I am nither angry nor shouting to anyone because I too living with lot of friends from other ethnics. I have many close Malay and indian muslims friends and they are very firindlier and nice ppls. The point that I m raising here is about our concerns towards our govement polocies for Bumi and non-bumi and also about thier vaious equalities among thier citizens. Does this fair? I hope you get what I mean.