Monday, June 04, 2012

Hindraf in slipstream of its own confusion


Will Hindraf play the spoiler as it has voiced its intention to do so in some constituencies, with the effect of Pakatan candidates losing to BN in a three-corner contest?

But regardless of the election outcome, wouldn't it be Hindraf or for that matter, anybody’s democratic rights to stand as an election candidate, even in Pakatan contested constituencies?

So why are Pakatan supporters condemning Hindraf? What? Both Pakatan and Hindraf will lose in such a three-corner fight?

But Hindraf said: 'So what! F* you Pakatan selfish bastards ... and of course (being equal opportunity people) ... bitches.'

Who are the people behind Hindraf?

We have certainly heard of the brothers Waythamoorthy and 'I am God' Uthayakumar wakakaka, but what about M Manoharan and V Ganabatirau.

The latter two are DAP members. M Manoharan became the 3rd person in Malaysian history to win an election while detained under the ISA. He stood as a DAP candidate in the Kota Alam Shah state seat on 08 March 2008 and won magnificently, despite being behind bars then.

In that constituency dominated by ethnic Chinese voters, Manoharan garnered 12,699 votes to thrash Gerakan’s Ching Su Chen (5515 votes) kau kau by a majority of 7,184 votes.

Yet whenever Uthayakumar or some people in his camp talked about Hindraf, it’s as if their No 1 enemy is DAP, when the fact is that half of Hindraf's original leadership have been or are DAP members. That’s the unfortunate lie to the real political picture the so-called Hindraf people have been (mis)representing.

Even sweetie Helen Ang has unfortunately walked down that same path, adopting so-called Hindraf’s postulation, perhaps because the DAP has since become her most disliked political party.

And why has Helen taken the BN’s ‘road to Damascus’ one may ask, when she was previously known to be anti BN?

I won’t claim to be the only one to know the reason but I certainly do, perhaps only one of a rare few, but sorry, I’ll never ever reveal the secret. Even among adversaries (and lamentably Helen and I, once good friends, have become so) there must be honour (of confidentiality).

Today Helen wrote an interesting article in Free Malaysia Today with a catchy title of Hindraf in slipstream of two-race system.

Disregarding for a moment the incorrect and inappropriate claim by some to sole ownership of the Hindraf name, Helen’s article indirectly alluded to a 3 race struggle, with Hindraf's Hindu Indians (mind, not Christian Indians or Muslim Indians or Buddhist Indians but Hindu Indians) struggling in the Malay-Chinese political wake or in a position to cause turbulence to an already turbulent Malay-Chinese roiling vortex. So with Hindraf as an angry spiteful spoiler, it'll be a three-race and not two-race system.

Though at times I don’t agree with Helen's views (in her articles), I have always admired and respected her writings (with one previous exception wakakaka), but she has once again spoiled her latest by the invincible bias she holds against DAP. While we all have our prejudices (and everyone knows mine wakakaka) we should always endeavour as far as possible to stick to substantiated facts. Alas, Helen didn’t when she wrote: “Looking into the future, the Indians will necessarily have to pick sides and their choice will boil down to siding either with the Malays or the Chinese, the latter dominated politically by Christian Anglophiles.”

The Chinese dominated by Christian Anglophiles? Puhleeeze lah, my darleeeng!

Of course when Helen mentioned Chinese being dominated by Christian Anglophiles, make no mistake, she was referring to the DAP.

Okay, let us leave out DAP's Charles Santiago and Joe Fernandez, both of whom, though not Chinese, must be Christians and possibly Anglophiles as alleged by Helen Ang, and thus not true Hindu Indian representatives. But what say the rest, people like Bai Karpal and sons Gobind Singh Deo & Jagdeep Singh, Chong Eng (married to artist Gunabalan Krishnasamy), M Manogaran, cilipadi Fong Po Kuan, M Kula Segaran, A Tanasekharan, S Veerapan, R Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer, K Arumugam, P Gunasekaran, A Sivasubramaniam, V Sivakumar, Sivanesan Achalingam, and a host of others?

I am not just asking about Chinese but also Christian and Anglophilic dominations in DAP.

Nonetheless the ‘convincibility’ (kaytee’s new word wakakaka) of Helen Ang’s well-penned article (notwithstanding some obvious and highly biased inaccuracies) has been seized upon by Hindraf’s National Advisor, N Ganesan, in a letter to Malaysia-Today. RPK has published it under the title Hindraf's Challenge to Pakatan and to BN, where Ganesan wrote:

... it has become conventional wisdom that since Indians do not form a majority in any single constituency, and are an economically depressed community it will be nigh impossible to gain true representation for Indian socio-economic interests which implies that it will continue to be dependent on the largesse of the party in power.

I wonder why Indians do not form a majority in any single constituency. I doubt this is by design, as the insinuation had alluded, as MIC has been a loyal poodle to UMNO for 50+ years, which would have made Indian dominated constituencies virtual BN strongholds. The simple fact remains that ethnic minorities are more likely to remain as minorities in an electoral constituency by virtue of their small numbers.

In fact, it’s widely known that the pro opposition Chinese are deliberately sardine-ized into humongously big constituencies where they then won’t enjoy equivalent enfranchisement as, say, Putrajaya’s residents. So being the ethnic majority in one constituency is not always a good thing and has proven to be counter-productive to equal representation in Parliament.

HINDRAF challenges these three assumptions and the first stones were cast with the 2007 HINDRAF rally. HINDRAF has been unrelenting in this challenge ever since.

... bearing in mind of course many Hindraf leaders have been or are members of DAP.

Effectively what HINDRAF is seeking for the Indian minority community is a more equitable power sharing formula that addresses these inherent weaknesses of the system as far as minorities are concerned. What HINDRAF is seeking is a more just Malaysia, where the citizens worth or rights is not determined by their ethnicity or their economic status, but by more fundamental and natural rights as citizens. HINDRAF works for the larger cause of a more just Malaysia, regardless of what HINDRAF’s detractors have to say.

... precisely what DAP is doing which may explain why Manoharan, Ganabatirau and many in Indraf have joined DAP.

Given the workings of the electoral system the leading parties must yet win the Indians votes, so they can continue to rule.

... perhaps may be worthwhile here to mention that Karpal Singh and sons, Kula Segaran, Ramasamy, Manoharan etc have all won handsomely against BN Chinese candidates (including Gerakan’s President Koh TK wakakaka) with massive Chinese (and not just Indian) support.

They therefore resort to a wide range of deception to garner the Indian votes. One key technique is to have Indians in their ranks in the State Assemblies and in the Parliament and tout it as Indian representation. They try very hard with Makkal Sakthi, MIC and the latest addition to this motley list, Indraf to achieve this deception. Truly representative policies for the socio-economic interests of the Indians are non-existent on both sides of the political spectrum. This has been defacto BN policy for 55 years and stated (yes, stated) Pakatan policy in the last 4 years.

So, according to Nadesan’s bizarre argument, it would be wrong to claim there’s Indian representation by merely having Indians as ADUNs and MPs. And presumably in line with Uthayakumar’s ideology, these Indians would be the despised mandores.

But pray then what would be ‘true’ Indian representations? Only Hindraf candidates? Hey, DAP already has them, so what's next, my dear Ganesan?

Furthermore, Ganesan in groaning and moaning about 'representative policies for the socio-economic interests of the Indians' has effectively back-flipped on his earlier claim of Hindraf 'seeking ... a more just Malaysia, where the citizens worth or rights is not determined by their ethnicity or their economic status, but by more fundamental and natural rights as citizens'. It would seem Ganesan can't make up his mind, not unlike Uthayakumar.

But from there, Ganesan quoted Helen Ang’s article again and changed Hindraf’s arguments from race-base into a class-base struggle, stating:

So it is between the Chinese elite and the Malay elite that the Indian poor have to choose from. The experience with the Malay elite has been one of systematic discrimination, racism and marginalization for the Indian poor. The experience with the Chinese elite and the smaller section of the Malay elite has been equally a disastrous for the Indian poor in a much shorter space of time – if you look at the experience of the poor Indians in Kedah, in Penang, in Perak, and in Selangor. If you have been watching the issues we have raised in Pakatan controlled States in these columns, the story is clear.

Two observations here:

Firstly, Ganesan has unrealistically, yes, unrealistically expected Pakatan to fully address 52 years of neglect in just the four years Pakatan has come into power in Penang and Selangor, and then with only State level power.

Please do not include PAS’ controlled Kedah as even the Chinese have been disadvantaged, having lost their only abattoir for slaughtering pigs and suffering less access in buying houses as the PAS state government raised the Malay quota from 30 to 50%, while in Kelantan, developers must now ensure building architecture follows Islamic character, whatever this means (perhaps minarets and domes of 1001 Arabian Nights' fantasy?), and

Secondly, Ganesan is a wee too late to shift his goalpost to a class struggle, a domain long occupied competently by Dr Jeya and his PSM (or even PRM who has been there for eons).

Obviously, Ganesan must have been aware of condemnations against Uthayakumar’s Hindraf as being too overtly and overly race-base, and has now attempted by stealth to shift its campaign into a class struggle, but still retaining its racist overtones by mentioning:

In the next GE the choice for the Indians as Helen Ang puts it in her article (HINDRAF in slipstream of two-race system- June 3, 2012 FMT) is not between the Chinese and the Malays, it is really between the Chinese elite and the Malay elite. Being the elite, like elite everywhere else in the world, their primary preoccupation is to control the levers of policy, so they can usurp the larger part of the resources of this nation. Ethnicity matters only to the extent of gaining that control. The contention between the Chinese elite and the Malay elite is intensifying.

It’s quite painful reading Ganesan’s surreal (kafkaesque, wakakaka) argument that the Chinese - now, just who would be a Chinese elite? CSL? Vincent Tan? Robert Kuok? - want to usurp the larger part of Malaysia’s resources. One could be forgiven for saying N Ganesan must have been handed, and reading from, Dr Mahathir’s notes – see Those bloody rich Chinese!

12 comments:

  1. An ethnic Indian friend of mine who votes in Batu Kawan told me he would have voted for a monkey if they had put up such a Simian against Ah Koon. DAP is deluding itself if it thinks it has unconditional support from those swing Penangites.
    Kampung Buah Pala was an eye opener for many. That, and the continuing benign neglect by DAP and Pakatan in general. Ask any Indian MP or ADUN other than the inner circle of DAP or their sidekicks about the frustrations they face. Many are at risk of being swept away this coming GE.

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  2. In a way, I have to agree with Heln Ang. Most electoral systems (I will not dignify Malaysia's system by calling it a democracy) around the world eventually end up as contests between competing elites. Republicans vs. Democrats, Conservatives vs. Labour, are mostly competing brands largely supporting "the system".
    Britain and France, for example are full of Labour and "Socialist" elites hopping in and out of stretched limousines into Five star hotels. Oh yes, they make pretty speeches fighting for the Working Class.

    Bull.

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  3. Aiya KT, such a lengthy article about an ientity - Hindraf. It will be consign to the dustbin of history, come the GE.
    And I didn't know the existence of Helen Ang until I saw Rocky's posting featuring us.
    So I deduce she must be supporting BN or she will not be in Rocky's radar.
    All this while I thought she's another Looney who is very anti-Malay and UMNO.
    Wonder what makes this Amoi to change course?. Maybe got a Malay BF and chaning her name to Helena Abdullah.
    It's not so hard to see where the Indian votes will go. Of course to UMNO since they know Malays can be fair and not so greedy like the Chinese.
    Only the idealist elitist Indians like Ambiga may consider voting the DAP.
    The rest like Tony Fernandes, Ananda or A.K. Nathan whose bread and butter comes from the benevolence of UMNO will continue to vote for the ruling party.

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  4. The Indians who are really crying out for fundamental change in the performance of the Malaysian socio-political system are the Indians in the lowest rungs of Malaysian society. All the BN and Pakatan coalitions have done is to keep imitating each other in their approach to the problem. BN keeps on bribing and promising and asking for Nambikei. Pakatan touts cosmetic efforts such as the appointment of a Deputy Chief Minister or increases in allocation to Tamil schools or naming streets after Indians as their approach to the problem.

    They both fail miserably with these unimaginative deceptions. They completely ignore the problem.

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  5. To the commentator named Kalai.

    I would hope then that when all the Pakatan candidates are swept away, you Indians will then b very happy with Barisan Najis.

    The same Barisan Najis that has led you Malaysian Indians to their current state after 50 years.



    u think Uthayakumar and his mosquito party can even get a single seat? Let me tell u this, certain Pakatan candidates may lose in PRU 13 BUT i am certain every single one of of Uthayakumars candidates will lose their deposit.

    And u indians can live with Barisan Najis thereafter.






    sunwayopal

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  6. Anon of 8:58 AM, June 05, 2012, I refer to your comment "Pakatan touts cosmetic efforts such as the appointment of a Deputy Chief Minister or increases in allocation to Tamil schools or naming streets after Indians as their approach to the problem.".

    Two months ago, in April, several Indian NGOs demanded that at least the CM of Malacca should be an Indian. While currently the Pakatan Penang government has only an Indian DCM, it is not inconceivable that in the future it may well have an Indian CM. This would be more likely than an Indian CM under a BN Malacca government.

    Secondly, what's wrong with increased allocations to Tamil schools as a first instalment of a new Pakatan state government in its first term?

    Thirdly, why denigrate the naming of streets in Penang with historical Tamil names, when such an act would raise the morale and self esteem of Indians and puts a true historical context and perspective to the development and advancement of the state.

    Like Uthayakumar you will never ever be satisfied with any Pakatan efforts for Indians short of making the Great Uthayakumar the leader of Pakatan (or at least its Deputy wakakaka), and building one thousand or one million Tamil vernacular schools, or spending RM400 to 500 million of meagre state funds to buy back land sold by BN so as to perpetuate a romantic 'special reservation' for around 30 cattle farmers.

    Hindraf in its 18-point demand has basically (and unrealistically) demanded virtually a NEP specially for Indians.

    While a few of those 18 points are good, such as an indiependent judiciary, some are nuts such as the undemocratic demand for "A minimum of 20 Opposition members of Parliament are elected exclusively by the Indian Community to represent their interest at the highest political level".

    In case you aren't aware, DAP already has 15 Indian ADUNs and MPs (16 if we were to count one seat currently occupied by a frog) without such a Hindraf racist demand, and PKR would easily make up the remaining required 4. So why the need for such a plan unless some people plan to get in on such a racist program and lord over everything exclusively Indian.

    Tell me also about the humongous money grab in the demand that "Compensation at RM10 Million per temple be paid by the UMNO controlled Malaysian Government for the 15,000 Hindu temples demolished up to date over the last 52 years", which will work out to a total sum of RM150 Billion wakakaka. Hindraf's audacity far exceeds that of those who had dabbled in the forex disaster.

    How will people ever take Hindraf seriously? Such nonsensical ambit grab, only likely to be conceived by a grossly vain mentality, is not only unachievable but worse, will deal a severe blow to Indian interests because such outrageous demands will turn people off.

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  7. KayTee,
    About the Indians in Malaysian, they are sure being the loudest ,despite being the smallest group.
    They have the uncanny ability to articulate what' s in their mind, hence we find many lawyers among them. Good lawyers, brilliant lawyers,cunning lawyers, buruk lawyers, take your pick.
    Others tend to forget that the Indians themselves are fragmented and divided according to caste and religion.
    MIC, PPP, IPF, Hindraf, Kimma , all these shows where the divisions are among Malaysian Indians.

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  8. Nalla the Cobra4:05 pm, June 05, 2012

    Quick question- If a political party requires at least two members to get registered, How many political parties can 3 Indians form ?
    4

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  9. BN, especially PM Najib has been an excellent benefactor to the Malaysian Indian community.

    So many old Tamil schools which were on the verge keeling over have now either received solid new buildings or are in process.
    Many low-income Indians have benefited from Tekun micro-loans, giving them a first time opportunity to be financially independent.

    DAP and Pakatan Rakyat only talk.
    BN acts

    I will definitely vote BN this time around.

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  10. Please do Ragunathan.

    Haha. well done. Like i said, we all deserve what we vote and we reap what we sow.

    3 cheers for the Indians.





    sunwayopal

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  11. Some people simply build religious shrines all over the place without first seeking permission from the authorities.

    With time these shrines grow and expand and become like mini temples. Then these people claim that these are holy sites and cannot be removed when the fact is these are illegal structures right from the beginning.

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  12. KTemoc, you may adhere to your Omerta code of silence. But everyone knows that money is a great persuader, and almost everyone has their price.

    For the right offer, some people are perfectly happy to sell out their husband/wife/parents/morals/ethics, whatever.

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