Hindraf not only about Hindu temples

A Letter from : Naragan
Source : M'Kini


There comes a point in the life of a nation that what was once considered necessary for progress gradually have become shackles and these shackles hold it back from further progress. When such points are reached, social movements sprout calling for a rearrangement of the structures and relationships within the structures. History is filled with countless instances of this.

Hindraf has called into question the so-called social contract established over 50 years ago between the Malay, Chinese and Indian elites of the time. That social contract has since been hijacked by the Umnoputras – the Malay elite - in the name of the Malay community.

I say in the name of the Malay community because the true beneficiaries of that social contract are indeed the Malay elite who allowed only a small trickle down effect for the general Malay community. This is to the utter detriment of Malaysian society as a whole but clearly and deviously in the interest of the Umnoputras.

The result? An ethnically-divided society, a neglected and marginalised underclass (of which Indians form a large group), a large chunk of Malaysian society still seeking national pride and a society drained of the vitality and incentives needed to build a progressive nation.

Given the resources of the country, there is enough for all citizens of the country regardless of race, religion or creed. With more equitable distribution and without polarising and exclusive policies, the Malay community will get whatever it is getting now, plus more while the other communities will get what is due to them as equal citizens of this country. But what is needed is a totally new basis for Malaysian society.

It is this that Hindraf is pursuing. Of course, the path by which Hindraf got there was by taking up the cause of the marginalisation of the Indians and their erosion of rights as practicing Hindus – the careless demolition of Hindu temples by the Umno government.

Hindraf has hit upon a very resonating chord within Malaysian society as a whole that has catapulted them into a vanguard position for the articulation of the need for change. The very social contract that Umno wishes to preserve is the root cause for much of the evil that we experience today – rampant corruption, an ineffective and corrupt police force, a deteriorating crime situation, a judiciary wracked by scandals, an administration that only wants to disburse the resources of the nation in large projects with very high sounding and wishful goals, the impoverishment of the workers of the country through policies that keep the wages down and the rising prices of basic items.

It is time for change. Hindraf’s objective is to change the state of affairs through the mobilisation of Malaysian citizens to collectively pursue change. Hindraf’s objective is to contribute to creating a nation with more equitable distribution of opportunities in education, employment, practice of religion, business opportunities and expression within Malaysian society. This is reason enough for all of us to join hands in the rally and let the message go through.