HINDRAF is alive and kicking
R. Shan (Human Being)
The recent announcement to pursue and re-file the US$4.0 Trillion class action suit against the British government is an eye opener on how determined HINDRAF is in eradicating the state of the poor and marginalized Malaysian Indians beyond politics.
Many may ridicule the attempt, but yet none would have done anything about it to address those issues that permanently stagnate the progress of the socio economic development of the Malaysian Indians and Malaysians indirectly unless and until Election comes around.
The lackluster attempt by BN in addressing the stateless Malaysian Indian issue being one of the micro problems amongst others is equally matched with sudden rhetoric by the opposition these days with the election bell being around.
Let’s look at Bersih 3.0. Bersih 3.0 is nothing like Bersih 1.0 as it is now totally tainted with the opposition running the show with their purported icon “Ambiga”.
Then you have the Bar Council who gets politically polluted with Bersih 3.0 when there were a zillion other issues. Since the uprise of HINDRAF as an example, what did they do when those were detained under ISA?
Then you have INDRAF, the makeshift representation of the opposition who tries to hijack the Malaysian Indian voters. When the 54 HINDRAF activists who were charged for raising the INTERLOK issue through their rally, not a single soul within the Opposition lifted their finger to assist them. And where were the Bar Council members who now volunteer to defend anyone who are charged in BERSIH 3.0? Is this a selective process where and how justice needs to be served by the Bar Council? I guess the answer is simple; it is HINDRAF’s issue so let’s not get involved. Funnily enough, it is not a HINDRAF issue but an issue for each and every Malaysian that today everybody hijacks when the election bell rings.
Many skeptics have stated that HINDRAF has political ambition. Maybe this is true but up to GE12, I am pretty sure they weren’t. In one of my exchanges with the loose-tongued RPK, you would note that they were all offered political positions but most did not take it up as they expected the Opposition to ensure due process when they came into power. See link http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/31129. Nothing happened except for HINDRAF being labeled racist.
HINDRAF, whether you like it or not is the driving force to safeguard the interest of the Malaysian Indians in Malaysia and indirectly Malaysians as a whole as their struggle is genuine without any expectations. We have many mushrooming other NGOs with objectives but none with conviction. It takes sacrifices without expectation to handle conviction of the individual mind. As an example, tell me how many of us would rather bribe the policeman for speeding to avoid the ticket rather than have the conviction to do the right thingy?
Don’t think I am writing this because you need to support HINDRAF or HINDRAF needs your support, but rather how we would pull the wool over our own eyes when and as it fits us.
No matter how you look at it, HINDRAF has been steadfast in their agenda to address the woes of the institutionally marginalized Malaysian Indian community, not as and when it fits the populace or when the election bell rings.
The refilling of the US$4.0 Trillion suit against the British government for the state of the Malaysian Indians may be be viewed as a symbolic attempt but the persistence and the belief for the conviction that the HINDRAF leadership holds, shames us for our typical rhetoric (mainly from the politicians) that only serves their own needs as opposed to the truth and reality that the Malaysian Indians face.
