Hindraf challenges opposition to define the Pakatan vague politics
Pakatan can’t go on the rhetoric of change without defining its true meaning. Since gaining tremendously in the last GE they have been talking about the change that is needed for Malaysia.
By P Waythamoorthy
Many have forgotten that Pakatan and the agenda to capture Putrajaya at 12th general election (GE12) became a reality after the tsunami of Hindraf on November 25, 2007. Till then, even the top leadership of Pakatan never for once imagined the prospect of reaching so close to Putrajaya.
The cry of Makkal Sakthi reverberated in every household irrespective of race or creed. Yes, there was a shift of the mindset of the grassroots Indians which was the main cause of the now forgotten impact caused by the Indian voters.
The great tsunami brought about the ‘change’ much spoken about by the PR leadership.
Pakatan can’t go on the rhetoric of change without defining its true meaning. Since gaining tremendously in the last GE they have been talking about the change that is needed for Malaysia. Promises of accountability, openness and eradication of corruption have been made to convince Malaysians of their agenda for ‘change’.
But let us be honest – these promises are good on paper but the true change starts with what is being done for the poor and discriminated. Every aspiring politician speaks those words which are no more than than vague promises made without commitment or convictions. (What we call kosong politics)
For a human rights movement like Hindraf/HRP, which represents the poor, and underclass, those promises are meaningless. Honestly, it does not matter to the poor man suffering on the ground level if politicians are corrupt. It does not matter to the poor if the country will be provided with good governance should there be change of government because the poor man needs to be fed first. He needs an income. He needs a house.
What’s ‘change’ to stateless Indians?
The almost half million internally displaced Indian labourers’ from the estates need to be provided with compensation for their displaced lives, training opportunities to cope with their displacement, proper relocation and affordable housing. Since 1975, they have become the new urban poor and underclass who are suffering on a daily basis. A large number of them are stateless and a good 150,000 such stateless children are not attending schools because the Umno government dictates so.
By virtue of being stateless, many are unable to avail of the basic benefits of healthcare, social welfare, employment, driving licenses, acquire property etc. How does it matter to these men and women if a new PR government is not corrupt or can provide good governance? These offers of promises of change do not matter to them.
Pakatan should understand their version of change is only cosmetic when viewed from the point of view of the common man, leave alone the underclass. True democracy requires much more inclusive change, not continuing benefits to only those who are already benefiting from the Umno crafted system. Instead they need to come out with a bold new commitment for true change and draw a road map for true democracy.
It is time the main component parties of Pakatan (I will further pinpoint that PKR is filled with BN rejects) shed their Umno, MCA and MIC mentality and start thinking seriously about getting rid of the regime. The Umno regime has been monopolizing, bullying, plundering and shortchanging the country and its people for a good 53 years and everyone realizes this.
So talk of capturing Putrajaya should be backed up with a concrete commitment for change instead of mere rhetorics.
So what democratic changes are we looking for?
