By R. Shan
Hindraf after three years of research will be filing a class suit against the British government in seeking relief by way of non-monetary and monetary consequential damages in reconstructing the position of the marginalized and discriminated Malaysian Indian society in the country that has suffered the full range of economic, material, psychological, physical, social and cultural erosion.
Based on the declassified documents from the Colonial Office, the main thrust of the suit would be to show how the British government had been negligent in abusing human rights by violating domestic, international law, as well as customary international law pertaining to human rights at the time the Malaysian constitution was enacted without taking into consideration nor offering rightful protection for the Malaysian Indians.
The suit will further probe to illustrate how the Malaysian Indians have and continue to experience severe and chronic impoverishment as a result of the faulty constitution leaving them as a marginalized and discriminated underclass society in Malaysia today.
A major contributing factor to the current state of the majority of the Malaysian Indians was the largest internal involuntary displacement from the plantation that had resulted in massive economic and social psychological marginalization, homelessness, landlessness, employment deprivation, social-cultural fragmentation, educational denial, increased morbidity, suicides and of course ethic discrimination.
Neither the predecessor governments nor the current one had made any concrete attempts via their policies or enforcement to address the depleting state of the mass majority of the Malaysian Indians who continue to face such debacles in their livelihood.
Many would feel that that the other major races besides the Malaysian Indians face similar position, but fail to acknowledge that the latter continue to have their safety net either through their political power (Malays) or the economic power (Chinese). It would be like pulling the wool over our eyes if we run an argument on this basis when we see what the truth is and reality in our own surrounding that faces the majority Malaysian Indians excluding those elite ones and those we find in urbanized populace.
The effort by Hindraf that ignited basic human rights back in 2007 to the level it is today continues to stand strong and steady under the stewardship of Mr Waytha Moorthy and his supporters without losing sight of its objective.
The suit does not promise anything nor assure anyone, but only enlightens [the general public] on the tenacity of this organization in pursuing efforts to correct the wrongdoing against the Malaysian Indians in eradicating their humiliation and sustain their dignity amongst Malaysians as it is an issue of right not mercy.
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Open letter to Najib Razak on undoing injustices to the Indian community
By Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim ‘Residential SMK schools for the Indian Malaysian community’
I heard that the Cabinet on 22 Feb 2012 has in principle agreed to the above (ref. SMKs) with a condition that this school cannot be “exclusively” for Indians but with majority Indian students. I beg to differ on this.
YAB Datuk Seri, with due respect to your 1Malaysia concept, it is seen only as a slogan similar to Islam Hadhari. I do not want to delve into details but am prepared to have a dialogue with MIC leaders as to why 1Malaysia has failed.
Kindly look at Biro Tata Negara (BTN) staff composition and there are many other data which I can furnish to prove that 1Malaysia has failed. I stand to be corrected.
Way forward for Indian Malaysians – SMK residential schools
The reality is component parties representing Indians in Barisan Nasional mainly MIC, PPP, Gerakan and other supporting parties like IPF (split into two), Kimma and Makkal Sakthi (now split into three) have always misled the policymakers on the plight of students from Tamil schools.
I have to admit that, after extensive research about Indian Malaysians dilemma, the following are evident:-
1) The English educated upper and middle class Indians (with some exceptions) ensured that they positioned themselves above other Indians from Tamil educational background.
2) The English educated upper and middle class (with some exceptions) are totally responsible for the Indian Malaysian dilemma.
3) The English educated upper and middle class Indians (with some exceptions) are the “traitors” who have destroyed the progress of Tamil schools.
Based upon the above, YAB Datuk Seri has no other alternative but to kindly consider the following:-
1) The first SMK residential school for Indian Malaysians (from all religions) has to cater for 80% Indians from Tamil schools (mostly from poor socio-economic background) and the basic criteria can be discussed in a forum.
2) This school must be operational from January 2014, Insya Allah. Staffing of this school has also to be majority Indians. MRSM is fully staffed by Malays.
3) The infrastructure can be similar to Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM).
4) The food catered must be ‘Malaysian’, strictly ‘No Beef’ and opportunity given to Indian food caterers.
5) All other details can be discussed in a forum and submitted as a proposal to Ministry of Education. This can be done within one month.
The first Tamil schools in Malaya were built in Perak and Negri Sembilan in the year 1900 (most Indian leaders in this country, either political / NGO are ignorant of this fact). The proposed residential school should be located in Perak.
Dialogue / Forum
This has been planned to be held on 1 March 2012 in Kuala Lumpur. We are inviting the Indian Malaysian community leaders from NGOs and political parties (BN/PKR) to attend this forum. The decisions taken at this forum will be transmitted to YAB Datuk Seri.
YAB Datuk Seri, my humble appeal on this issue is that the Indian Malaysians (from all quarters) in the country should be engaged before a final decision is made. Kindly do not destroy education by introducing the “dirty politics” into the education system and policy.
Let this be the beginning to “undo” the injustices done to the Indian Malaysians since Independence.
With due respect to MIC, the Indian Malaysians need a say on this matter. MIC leaders should accept reality and welcome input from all quarters be it NGOs, PPP, IPF, Gerakan, DAP, PKR and educationists.
Looking forward to YAB Datuk Seri’s official announcement and written commitment that the SMK Residential school will cater for 80% students from Tamil schools and 20% from others. Promises made by politicians in the past before elections have not been fulfilled. Allah SWT Knows Best.
Aameen Aameen Yaa Rabbal Aalameen
Wassalam
Your Brother-In-Islam
* The above open letter was penned earlier this year but CPI is reproducing it as it provides an added dimension to the issues to be brought by the class action suit filed against the British government.
