[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 05 Aug 1999
Time: 21:19:04
Remote User: -
MEDIA STATEMENT BY M.KULA SEGARAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR TELUK INTAN AND DAP NATIONAL VICE-CHAIRMAN on 03-8-1999 in Ipoh The INDIANS -THE MAKERS OF KINGS OR PAUPERS ?
The PM while opening the MIC General Assembly said that the Malaysian Indians can provide the crucial casting vote in constituencies where there are Malay and Chinese majority voters. After 42 years of independence , the Malaysian Indians who were of no significant value as voters is finally recognized by the PM as people who may turn the tide one way or the other . The Indians are the most marginalised minority in the country. Although the most left out economically, no specific incentives have been given by the government to cater for their needs and requirements.
There are substantial number of Indians who work and live in estates where they are daily paid workers who are earning just enough from hand to mouth and many estate basic necessities such as water, electricity and other necessities are an unaffordable privileged commodity. Many estate workers become squatters on the very land they have worked all their lives when the said land is developed into industrial or housing estates.
Thus the estate workers requirement of monthly wages is finally on the menu table of the Barisan Nasional . As least as far as the General Election goes but in reality this is nothing more than an election gimmick which the Malaysian Indians must be crucially aware of and the government must to show its genuineness legislate a minimum monthly wage and permanent housing needs for the estate workers for the monthly wage exhortation to be of meaningful benefit to them.
It is true that the Indians are a potent force to be reckoned with as at least more than 20% of the constituencies in the country they form more than 12% of the voters. Why suddenly the PM’s patronage and interest in this minority community who were irrelevant in all the past elections? If not for the Lim Guan Eng scandal and the Anwar Ibrahim fiasco which has divided the Malaysian voters , the importance of Indian voters is basically irrelevant for the PM.
But the Indians should realize that the fact that the PM says the Indians have the casting vote may sound thrilling and of sudden importance given effect only to that level as one gets to do a casting vote in very rare situations only. All the more reason to ensure the Indian voters vote strongly in favour of the Opposition.
THE MIC WILL LOSE ITS CABINET POST
The PM has made a veiled threat to the Malaysian public that if the MIC candidates lose, the Indians won’t be represented in the Cabinet. The Barisan Nasional and the Prime Minister should realize the duly and obligations to do matters for any community let alone the Indians is not dependent on color, creed, and religion of the Minister. In a multi-racial society whether Samy Velu or any Sam can discharge public duty and to say that it can only be done by an Indian of the MIC is a racial discomfort and distaste.
In any case, since independence the MIC Minister in the government has never held or managed any policy decision ministry like in the Defence, Finance, Internal Affairs or Foreign Affairs . The Works Ministry Samy holds is subject to disbursements of money from the Finance Ministry and one can wonder why Indian Ministers are more for decorative purposes than for real substance. I challenge the government to appoint a Indian Minister to a policy making Ministry.
Why Indians don’t form a majority in any single parliamentary constituency?
The PM further said that the Indians do not have a single Parliamentary constituency of majority voters. Is this true in reality or one which is made up for the convenience of the government of the day. I say this because out of the 192 constituencies UMNO constituency are generally half the size of DAP constituencies in terms of voters. The Election Commission makes recommendations on a supposedly independent way to the PM on the size and composition of voters. The PM will then alter it, if it need be, and then present it to Parliament for approval ( where they hold the majority).
Finally it is the PM who has a major say. Like in 1986 when the then DPM Hussein Onn carved out a constituency known as Sri Gading in Johore although not so recommended by the Election Commission where he and now his son is the Member of Parliament. All this is designed to favor one party only.
There are so many constituencies in this country where Indians can be carved out to form the majority if the PM or the government of the day so wants but alas, it is never the intention as the government policy is to divide and rule.
That is why there is no constituency with an Indian majority. For the PM to say the Indians are a minority race is to shut the truth from the Malaysian people. There will be volumes to speak about the injustice done to Indians. The Indians should realize this and vote for a change. Let us all get together and dissolve the government like the dissolution of the South Indian Labor Fund!