“Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.”~MAHATMA GANDHI

...Malaysian Indians under mental siege.

The fallout of the peaceful protest that turned violent recently continued to reverberate around the country, the mainstream media and the blogs. The mainstream media provided a version of the report that to an extent showed how the authorities controlled the crowd, which it deemed is illegal and provoked the authorities. In a legal perspective, even if there are provisions in the constitution where peaceful gatherings can be done in this country, this 25-11 gathering is Illegal. The organizers have not been given a police permit, even the appeal has been rejected, and a court order has been obtained against the organizers and participants. Basically, for the record and for the readers knowledge, this is an Illegal march. There is no other way about it. But there remains an important question, how and why did this many Malaysian Indians gathered from all walks of life from around the country?

There have been many claims of Malaysian Indians being treated as second class citizens, and coupled with other factors such as poverty, gangsterism and jobless rates among the community, this kind of gathering is indeed a burst valve of raw emotions. I still strongly believe that the organizers made a mistake by making these problems worst. What could have done by community building has now turned into a violent show of defiance. Along with this, while I don't know who provoked who first, the authorities could have handled the protest in a peaceful manner. Certainly the protesters wont be sitting there all day long, it's a day before Monday. But again, the point of the matter is this gathering is illegal. Many Indians would not agree what I write here, but we should not have marched. I'm not voicing any mainstream media logic of why a protest march should not happen, but the fact that these participants have been misled into being there.

Until today it's mind boggling to understand why the organizers want to sue the British government. For one, this is the very government that went into Iraq along with America and created anarchy and destabilized the whole region because of oil. They are back into their colonizing tactics, modern day economic colonization. How on earth will they even answer to the charges let alone provide a solution for Malaysian Indians? Probably the protesters should have realized we are Malaysian citizens in the first place.

All said, there are some grave problems plaguing the community. Many Indians does not see the MIC and it's leader as the savior of the community anymore. There could be many factors for this, but the government insists it is helping the community. If this is so, then where is the help? Where is the money? Large parts of the community are feeling marginalized, they are pushed into debt and poverty. Many claim that they don't have business assistance, which is true to an extent. It is extremely difficult to get a bank loan to start a business if you are an Indian. Basically, there is no collateral for them to get a loan in the first place or a secure job to apply for monetary assistance. Many don't have their own homes, being abruptly introduced into urbanization from generations being estate workers, many Malaysian Indians don't have any future security. This pushes them into gangsterism, violence and alcohol problems. Many students drop out of schools, many more could not finish their tertiary studies let alone break out into the job world. All this happened because the MIC and it's leader being the only Indian voice in the government have failed time and again to address the WHOLE community. Favouritism in the community itself is killing us. Probably the 25-11 rally is targeted towards MIC more than anyone else.

Having talked regarding this issue with friends, there is a believe that Malaysian Indians are the root of their own problems. The rally organizers have used factors such as temple demolitions, body snatching religious officers and the lack of respect for the Hindu faith as a reason on why people should take part. Looking back into the issue, the problem lies in the fact that we Malaysian Hindu's have failed our religion, our temples and God. We only gather to voice out our displeasure when our temples are marked for demolition for development, while the majority of time we pay no attention into community building programs at the temple's itself. Many of us only go to our local community temples once or twice a year for Thaipusam and other festivals. If we have taken an united stand into promoting our temples as cultural centers and educated the children with religious studies, then we would have pooled our resources in buying the land situating the temple (many temples in this country 'squatter' on government or private land).

The community have failed our children in not giving them proper education. For decades the Tamil school sentiment have permeated the society and turned it into a political issue. Malaysia is one of only a few countries around the world to have full Tamil schools outside India. But Tamil education is not solely an issue here. The real challenge is outside there; the fast forwarding world. We are focusing on a small issue of safeguarding our mother tongue, when education at home would have been enough to educate our children of the Tamil language. Maybe in some issue's we can tolerate and send the children to national schools rather than bickering about un-resolving issues. The point is loose today and win tomorrow. And this would certainly improve racial integration. There are many racial, religious issues plaguing our community, but sacrifice today just like what our fore fathers have done for generations in Malaysia can see the future generation live in a peaceful land. This is more than any protest rally can do for our community.

If we have live 20 or 30 years ago, it would have been sufficient in looking inside, but today the world is our challenge. By continuing to look inside and fighting among ourselves, we will eventually left behind. Maybe it's time to refocus our attention. The many successful Indians can take a guiding role in promoting what opportunities is available in this country. Many are unaware of what education, job and business opportunities available. If we move as groups we can achieve the business freedom that we want. This is more rewarding that a single person trying to seek business loans or business niche for himself. But being united will forever be a problem for the Malaysian Indian community. In this sense, what happen on 25-11 can be seen as an isolated event where the protesters have been lied to, had their minds under siege. I don't want to write more about this issue, many would not agree with me, let me b 'lost' Indian here. But the problem is not outside, the problem in inside our community. Think about it.

KLANG, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The Indian community must realise that the activities of the group behind the illegal assemblies in the federal capital last month has allowed the opposition to take advantage of the situation.

MIC Youth chief S.A. Vigneswaran said this was among the negative effects of the group's activities where the opposition had exploited the situation by causing confusion among the Indians, in its attempt to fish for votes in the coming general election.

In light of this, he said, the MIC Youth could not keep quiet but to be more proactive in controlling the situation.

Vigneswaran, who is also Parliamentary Secretary to the Youth and Sports Ministry, called on all the divisional MIC Youth leaders to go to the ground.

"They must study the unsolved problems of the Indian community and hold discussions with Indian groups in their respective areas.

"I want a more aggressive and effective network of cooperation in the MIC Youth," he told reporters after holding a special meeting with Selangor MIC Youth here tonight.

The two-hour meeting was attended by about 200 MIC Youth members including their leaders in the 19 divisions in the state.

The tour undertaken by MIC Youth to explain to the Indians, current issues affecting them and to study problems faced by the community, began today.

Vigneswaran said all races had their problems but the government did not practise favouritism and would strive to maintain racial cooperation and unity in the country.

"The prime minister has said that all problems should be resolved through discussions in the BN spirit and based on its struggle," he said.

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- "I will continue to fight for the betterment of the (Indian) community. The question of the MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) being dented from recent incidents does not arise," said Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, the MIC supremo.

By S. Retna

Referring to recent street protests by some members of the Indian community and those from the so-called Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), he said the MIC's spirit and strength had not been weakened by those incidents.

"I have always stood by the MIC and will continue to stand by the party. I will continue to fight for the community to ensure that Indians in the country continue to rise socially and economically," he told Bernama in an interview.

But the MIC president, who has led the largest Indian-based political party in the country for the last 28 years, reminded the Indian community that Malaysia is a multiracial country and that the nation's wealth must be shared in a reasonable manner.

"This is important. We cannot get whatever we have asked for and the same applies to the other races. The sharing of the country's economic wealth must be addressed in a reasonable manner," he said in a frank interview which covered a wide range of subjects involving the Indian community.

Touching on Hindraf, Samy Vellu, who is Works Minister, said that when the group initially censured the government, it did not ask for anything for Malaysian Indians but was more inclined to criticise the authorities and in particular, Umno, the main partner in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

"But they failed to realise that fighting Umno is equivalent to fighting the Malays, who are the majority in the country. This is not the approach to make changes for the (Indian) community. We have always worked with the government, which is backed by Umno, to bring changes to the (Indian) community," he said.

Hindraf, on Nov 25, held a rally in Kuala Lumpur claiming that the government had failed to help the Indians over the last 50 years.

Five Hindraf leaders are now held under the Internal Security Act at the Kamunting detention centre for being a threat to national security.

Samy Vellu, who is often noted for his outspoken nature, said although Hindraf did not discredit the MIC or its leadership, the MIC could not stand and watch "any attack on Umno".

"I know the weaknesses in the implementation and delivery system at several stages of the government. In spite of this, I have continued to raise issues concerning the Malaysian Indian community.

"Being a minister, I'm privileged to have this information and whatever we discuss at the Cabinet is classified. As such, I'm unable to divulge certain information to the public, espicially to the community.

"I have openly made constructive criticism of the government's recruitment and promotion of Indians in the public sector. I have also brought to the attention of the Cabinet the sufferings of estate workers, who are now enjoying a fixed monthly salary...we in the MIC have raised various matters to the government as we represent 1.8 million Indians in the country," he said.

Speaking on Hindu temples, the minister said MIC had always been a "shield" for these temples although some of these places of worship were built illegally.

"As for the Kampung Jawa temple (which was demolished by the authorities in October because it was built on private land after the land owner obtained a court ruling), we did our best and even the prime minister did his best but the court order stood in our way. I have personally handled thousands of temples," he said. For the record, there are more than 25,000 Hindu temples nationwide.

"I did this because I'm a staunch Hindu but I'm not a Hindu extremist. I know for a fact that extremism can never achieve anything," Samy Vellu stressed.

The MIC president also said that he had been constantly "fighting" with the government to get what Malaysian Indians were entitled to and that he had records to prove this.

"On Tamil schools, I have looked after these schools because I myself am a son of a rubber tapper, who had lived in estates and I was one of the first to go to a Tamil school...Tamil is my language...my mother tongue.

"Now elements who do not know about Tamil schools and their problems are making blind accusations that the MIC did not protect these schools. The government and the prime minister gave RM1 million to temples annually.

"Some quarters have asked for the acounts of this money. I only make recommendations to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) (under the Prime Minister's Department) on the allocations needed and it channels the funds directly.

"Some ignorant people have been asking what has happened to the money. My question is, "What money? Who gave what money to the MIC?", he said.

On the economic front, Samy Vellu said the MIC, through its economic bureau, had created some 50,000 active Indian businessmen, from small to big. He said these businessmen had also asked the government to allow them to bring in workers from India. This matter was raised by him in the Cabinet and approval was given to bring in 40,000 Indian workers.

Following the MIC's request, the government also allocated some RM40 million for micro-credit schemes and this scheme too had been successful.

"However we face problems of repayment of these loans. Despite that, the MIC through Nijhar (Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar, MIC vice-president and party economic bureau chief) has now proposed for further financial aid for Malaysian Indians," he said.

Samy Vellu also claimed that "some unscrupulous elements" were taking advantage of the current situation to hit out at the MIC and its leadership by spreading lies via the short messaging service (SMS).

He alleged that these people had actually failed the Malaysian Indian community.

"I have made it a point to have direct contact with the grassroots...we must hear and listen to the grouses of the people.

"At no time will I give up the Malaysian Indian community. I'm always subservient to them and nobody can stop me from fighting for the community," he said.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force is a coalition of 30 Hindu Non-Governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in secular Malaysia. The group has led agitations against what they see as an "unofficial policy of temple demolition" and concerns about the steady encroachment of sharia-based law.

In late 2007, several prominent members of the HINDRAF, all prominent lawyers, were arrested, some on charges of sedition; following an enormous rally organised by HINDRAF in November, the charges were dismissed by the courts. Five people have since been detained without trial under the Internal Security Act.