Newly-minted Bukit Selambau assemby person S Manikumar in an online chat event before his recent victory said ‘I am confident of winning because I am struggling for Bangsa Malaysia'.
Manikumar, like almost all MPs and state assemby persons talk about Bangsa Malaysia but will not talk about the critical problems the Indians face which clearly the Malays, the Chinese, the Orang Asli and the other natives do not face.
The reason is that they have to play to the political gallery of the majority which means abandoning all references to critical Indian problems. On a similar note, Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang will almost always only choose a ‘multi racial' candidate like Manikumar.
Look at the Pakatan Rakyat Indian representatives in Parliament and in the state legislatures. They are not taking up the real Indian problems, their Bangsa Malaysia brothers are not taking up the problems so who then is to take up the critical Indian problems. Or is it just that there is no such thing as an ‘Indian problem'?
‘Multiracial parties' like the DAP and PKR will ignore candidates like lawyer N Surendran who have the courage to take up Indian issues that carry no political mileage or that do not appeal to the political gallery of the majority.
Take the latest case of A Kugan who was brutally beaten to death in police custody. This kind of tragedy does not happen to a Chinese or Orang Asli. Why is it that no Bangsa Malaysian really stood up for this? It took Surendran to do this.
Where is the Bangsa Malaysia spirit among our Bangsa Malaysia brothers in cases like this? So who is going to speak up for this kind of uniquely Indian problem? When someone does indeed take up such issues he is considered too parochial, too racial, not good for the politics of the day, tsk, tsk, tsk...
‘Multiracial' and ‘Bangsa Malaysia' candidates championing the Malay, Chinese and Orang Asli cause but not the Indian cause are the preferred candidates of PKR and DAP. This is a political reality which has to be addressed.
This has been happening for 52 years under BN, and now under the guise of the Bangsa Malaysia concept and is probably going to occur for another 52 years. That is if this tide is not stemmed now.
We are not against Bangsa Malaysia. What we are against is the cloak that this will become to mask the critical and unique problems afflicting a large section of the Indian community, problems which require immediate and significant state intervention.
My assertion about PKR and DAP is further supported by a conversation between another participant in the online chat who asked a very specific question to Manikumar:
‘What are the main problems ailing the Indian community in Bukit Selambau? How do you intend to tackle their grouses and problems if you are appointed as a state exco. ‘
Manikumar answered ‘ I am not a leader for one race but for all races'.
To me Manikumar does not want to know about the problems of the Indians (because the problems may be too critical) and he does not care. His interest obviously was only in the votes.
I don't mean to be rude but almost all Pakatan Rakyat elected reps are in this hypocritical state. I will be hated for this but I have to speak the truth.
It is again becoming clear that PKR, DAP and PAS are only interested in the Indian vote and not in the critical Indians problems. Is there a difference between BN and Pakatan Rakyat on this matter?
