I refer to the Malaysiakini report PM offers olive branch with Thaipusam holiday .

The government decision to declare Thaipusam as a public holiday for Federal Territory and Putrajaya has been long overdue. Nevertheless, it will surely be a boost for tourism in Malaysia since this Hindu festival is widely celebrated in many places in Malaysia including at Batu Caves, Penang and Ipoh. In fact, Thaipusam is a major Hindu religious festival celebrated on large scale no where else in the world except in Malaysia and India.

Promoting Thaipusam as a major tourist attraction with conducted tours will bring in foreign visitors in large numbers to Malaysia. Besides, it will add some meaning to the slogan ‘Malaysia Truly Asia’. However, for Malaysia to be truly Asia, a lot more needs to be done by the government then just issuing slogans.

Observant Malaysians would not fail to see this latest move by the Umno-led BN government as only a token gesture to Hindu Malaysians to entice them to continue to support the BN. Obviously, it is to counter the influence of Hindraf among Indian Malaysians who feel marginalised in their own homeland.

The MIC would be greatly mistaken if they think Indians in general will be satisfied with Thaipusam being declared as a still limited public holiday without any meaningful and concrete actions being taken by the government to ensure they are given fair and equitable treatment without any racial prejudice by those in power.

Hindraf has managed to bring into focus the marginalisation of the Indian community over the past 50 years. S Samy Vellu, being the sole Indian cabinet minister in the Umno-led BN government must be held responsible for the poor status of the Indians since he alone lead MIC for the past 28 years.

This political awakening of the Indians now will have a significant impact on the results of the coming general elections. As Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has pointed out, there are more than 50 parliamentary seats where Indians have a significant influence in deciding the winner if they vote as a block.

BN has been benefitting all this while from this block voting by Indians who had placed their faith and future with MIC. The Umno-led BN has taken advantage of the situation by taking the Indian vote for granted and had very little respect for them.

If they continue to think that Indians votes can be ‘bought’ cheaply with token gestures like declaring Thaipusam as holiday or by other common general elections promises which are forgotten after the elections, then they are greatly mistaken.

It is time for Malaysians in general, and Indians in particular, to ask for more solid policy decisions from the Umno-led BN government that will ensure all Malaysians are give fair and equitable allocation of resources including places in public universities and the civil service as well as scholarships for deserving students without having to get recommendation letters from political party chiefs (the little Napoleons of Malaysia).

If no concrete measures are implemented before the general elections, vote for the opposition parties this time. Do not allow yourself to taken for granted again. For democracy in Malaysia to be effective, there should be a strong opposition in the Parliament.

It is time Malaysians wake up and vote in more opposition MPs to reduce the often abused two third majority by the Umno-led BN government. The opposition is part of the parliamentary structure meant to provide a check and balance on the elected government.

The Umno-led BN has brainwashed the voters into thinking the opposition parties are trouble-makers. This is far from truth. Opposition MPs are loyal Malaysians, too.

It is also time to press the government to set up an effective mechanism such as a Non-Muslims Affairs Department/Commission with sufficient powers to ensure non-Muslim rights under our constitution are safeguarded.

The present arrangement under the Umno-led BN government is very ineffective and not acceptable anymore. Many problems faced by the non-Muslims are not effectively resolved causing unhappiness which has become major obstacle to national unity.