Waytha MoorthyMarch 24, 2010 at 9:17pm
Subject: HINDRAF and its cause in London with East Malaysia natives- by Mydin Baharuddin
The latest agenda of HINDRAF with the natives of East Malaysia inLondon is definitely a welcome gesture for Malaysia. Many have skepticism about the objectives of HINDRAF yet many fail tounderstand the root cause which is predominately their ability toredress the issue of human rights for a certain segment of the societythat has been neglected.
Frankly speaking, have we West Malaysian have never given a two hoot of the East Malaysians until and unlesspolitically, it cause the necessary tilt to upheaval and unleash usfrom UMNO for those political masters.
Now when HINDRAF sheds some light for the East Malaysian issues, theyare still looked upon as a racist organization with their effort toengage and bring along the plight of our brothers/ sisters in EastMalaysia to the international forum.
Seriously, either we are seriousof change or we are hoping to ride on platforms that we seek a change without understanding the plight of the less unfortunate within ourown sphere.
Every effort made by HINDRAF on its own is seen either seen politicalor racist after March 08 but never the benefit of our doubt for humanrights issues as we all seemed be to be engulfed with politicalaspirations of the political parties rather than the need of thesociety.
Many applauded HINDRAF in its heyday prior to March 08, but now it isseen as a racist organization although all they fought for is for asociety that had deteriorated over the last 30 years through unjustand unfair macro policies that only benefited the elites in UMNOneither those Malays in our kampongs nor any other Malaysians.
Racism does prevail in any society and that is something you cannotavoid but let truth prevail above selfishness and lies that we getswayed away as time passes by to understand their agenda for thegoodwill of nation.
UMNO which itself clearly states its cause as a Malay nationalistparty as oppose to Malayan Union that stirred its gear towards amulticultural society that never survived.
Eventually it iscommunalist as that has ruled us for the last 53 years when it isslipped through by UMNO with its twelve (12) race based coalition orshall I say bed mates without a concern at large for the public.
Looking at the opposition, seriously we need to see it with a clearobjective. Pakatan with a Malay dominated party in PAS, DAP, with anIndian founder is now Chinese dominated party with their nominalelection of Non Chinese and PKR with the rejects of UMNO and itscoaliations claims to be a multi racial party.
Take a close look atit and it is all race based but a marriage of convenience to prolongits political life. So, now HINDRAF comes along and everyone classifies it as a racistparty when it has been racist through out the length of our life sincethe independence as long as politics are concerned and otherwise in aday to day live.
HINDRAF is classified as racist as they only undertake the MalaysianIndian cause, but isn’t it factual that this segment continues to bebranded and classified as the new under classed society at leastwithin our society. Forget that 100 Indians who hold 1.3% of thecountry’s wealth similar to what you would see within the Malaycommunity and the natives as well, but majority of those Indians,Malays and natives who happen to be
Malaysian are today totallyannihilated through the due process of segregation by the UMNO ledgovernment as oppose to the progress of the nation on the sake of itspeople. Just being a Malay does not offer me all the luxury and benefits ofthe government but I need to rub the right balls within UMNO and ofcourse now Pakatan to progress without any effort.
This is the problem. HINDRAF in contrast without rubbing anyone’s balls is able tochallenge those within the corridors of power, as they were pushed tothe wall without any option as nothing materialiazed with the UMNOgovernment and now of course with PAKATAN.
Whether the indigenousnatives in East Malaysia joins with them in their battle similar tothe middle average class Malaysians is of course is their choice butthe truth is, they face the same predicament as this marginalizedsociety in such an oppressive and selective system against the growthof the nation.
The Malay does not need defending in Malaysia as we are the majorityand the Non Malays have never questioned policies to enhance theirposition.
We, the Malays need to understand that the Non Malays ofthis generation is Malaysian, not Malay, Chinese, Indian or lain-lain,therefore it is only fair that we listen to HINDRAF and those alikethem to ensure that that their welfare is taken care for as much asours to move towards a Malaysian nation.
The racist that we have in our pluralistic society should be confinedwhen it infringes our own practice, race, religion or belief but notwhen humanity is trampled all over for the political desires and selfindulged pursuit in anticipation.
As a pluralistic society, we allowedand sat by the infringement of our fellow Malaysians’ practice, raceand religion or belief for all this while. Now that HINDRAF has wokenus up, but are we awake or rather take a narrow perspective in theirapproach when it has been all along tolerated either within UMNO ledcoalition or even those in PAKATAN?
A better understanding of HINDRAF on their pursuit of human rightswould be forthcoming only if there is hindsight for the people inMalaysia rather than the political ploys and agenda that keep usdivided. Mydin Baharuddin
