I refer to the letter Samy has done a lot for the community written by Jacob George on the MIC president's S Samy Vellu's relentless contribution for Indian Malaysians.

It is particularly interesting to note that many Indian Malaysians throng the president's house and office to have a good breakfast and other forms of aid - and this can easily be interpreted as a creation of a big crowd of beggars who do not know where else to go for help.

It is the insatiable ego of the president that has kept the making of all major decisions to himself. Being the only Indian cabinet minister, all the 'extras' from the system within his grasp are given out as alms to those who approach him from far and near. Isn't this a wonderful feudal system to maintain loyalty towards 'the supreme one'?

If only Indians living anywhere in this country could get whatever help they needed as citizens of this nation from the local MIC service centres and government agencies without having to go on a pilgrimage to meet the grand leader. Then we could be proud of the accomplishments of the leadership of MIC. But such a practice will be possible only through a wide-based leadership development and empowerment approach.

The MIC president's success should be gauged from the manner in which government policies are implemented as he should be spending his energies in ensuring that the policies are not detrimental to the Indians - whether in the awards of contracts, in the awards of scholarships, in the recognition of Tamil schools as fully-aided by the government, in the recruitment of Indian Malaysians for employment in the public sector and the like.

We know that the president is making himself very 'visible' in 'helping' the Indians thereby projecting an image as the 'saviour' of the community. Therein lies the greatest weakness and danger for the community.

If one looks into the resolutions passed at the recently concluded general assembly of the MIC, one begins to wonder whether this is a new party just starting to champion the cause of the Indian Malaysian. Mere rhetoric at meetings and general assemblies seem to satisfy those who attend them by and large as they are well chosen to 'represent' the branches.

The present racially-segregated party system within the BN that has MIC as the sole representative of the Indians has created this 'lose-lose' situation for the community, except for those who are fortunate enough to be in the higher echelon of society. Unfortunately, in time to come, unless a meaningful intervention/dialogue is initiated on behalf of the community with the leaders of the other races, the next generation of Indian Malaysians are going to suffer.

The present style and modus operandi of MIC in representing the Indians may not yield the desired results for the majority of the community.