Unfulfilled promises for Indians as Pakatan rule continues

Unfulfilled promises for Indians as Pakatan rule continues

 2010-03-09 15:58

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) — Two years ago, the 1.8 million-strong Malaysian Indian community was full of expectations when it backed the opposition, Pakatan Rakyat, to capture several key states at the nation’s 2008 general election.

The rallying call by current Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the run-up to the election was ‘Makkal Sakti’ or the people’s power, which stoked the emotions of Indians who then felt neglected by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, after several key issues confronting them were unresolved.

As a result, Indians who traditionally backed the ruling BN, turned to the Pakatan Rakyat, which was a loose coalition made up of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), PAS and the DAP, at the 2008 polls which saw BN losing four states – Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor — to add to Kelantan which was already in the hands of PAS.

Perak has since gone back to the BN, following the declaration by three opposition state assemblymen that they were quitting Pakatan but wanted to remain independent candidates, a move which saw the BN take over the silver state by default.

The March 8, 2008 general election was the ruling government’s worst showing in the county’s history and soon after the polls, alarm bells were ringing with political soothsayers predicting that if the trend were to continue, then the Opposition would make a headway or even form the next federal government at the subsequent general elections slatted for 2013.

This prediction was based on Pakatan’s election promises and its so-called ‘People First’ slogan but after 24 months, all expectations and promises remain unrealised while its supporters are slowly but surely, making a return to the BN fold.

Indians, in this case particularly, feel extremely let down as no concrete plan or action has been initiated in opposition-held states to uplift the status of Indians living there. On the contrary, it is the BN under the stewardship of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak which is attracting the community.

“Both the PM and his deputy (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) are seen as being sincere in aiding the community now. Their stance on matters which concern the community is being well received. Overall, I have yet to see anything specific done by the Opposition to help the community in the states they rule.

“Their election promises remain as just promises. It must also be noted that the demolition of temples has stopped. But things like assistance to Tamil schools by the respective state government’s is not forthcoming as promised.

“On other issues, the people are dissatisfied. Those who supported the opposition at the 2008 election feel more let down than those who just wanted to give them an opportunity,” veteran politican Tan Sri M. Mahalingam told Bernama.

One of the key issues played up by the opposition in their 2008 election campaign was the demolition of Hindu temples to make way for development in several states, expecially Selangor.

The Indian community is fragmented into various groups and it has, at least, six political parties to choose from. They are MIC, People’s Progressive Party or PPP (although multiracial, the party is predominantly made up of Indians), Indian Progressive Front (IPF), Malaysian Indian United Party (Miup), the newly-formed Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party and the proposed Human Rights Party (HRP).

Of the parties above, only the MIC and PPP are in the BN while IPF, Miup and Makkal Sakti are now all BN-friendly. HRP had earlier, openly joined hands with the opposition but its political alliance now remains a question due to the ineffective Pakatan.

Yesterday, HRP pro-tem secretary-general P. Uthayakumar slammed the Opposition pact, saying that its leaders had failed to fulfill their promises made during the last general election in solving problems faced by the Indian poor.

He said, after two years that the Pakatan coalition became the government in four states, they still had not understood the real aspirations of the Indian poor.

“We had great hopes in the opposition parties when we urged the Indians to vote overwhelmingly for the Pakatan coalition in the last general election.

“We attribute this to leadership without vision. You (Pakatan leaders) cannot understand the aspirations of the people who voted you in. You played the traditional political game of illusions and promises,” he said in a letter to Anwar, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. The letter was made available to the media.

Uthayakumar said, although the leaders had complete authority over state land matters, which was the most pressing issue to the Indian poor, yet till today, they had completely ignored this issue in Penang, Kedah and Selangor.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, when contacted by Bernama, said the opposition’s win at the 2008 election was due to dissatisfaction towards the BN, which was eventually manipulated by the opposition.

“But now, the people are starting to realise that these promises were made just to win votes and not with the intention of helping the community. Even in states governed by the opposition, they had failed to fulfill their promises…not only that, they have also been accused of being unfair and had failed in looking after the welfare of the community which was guaranteed in their election pledge.

“I feel this would be the best time to seize the support of the Indian community towards the BN. BN has to work hard and retain its status as the conduit of the people and the government.

“We have strong leadership, who are close to the people. In my (years of) service, I have not seen a prime minister who is closer to the rakyat than Najib,” said Samy Vellu, who has served as MIC president since 1979.

While the Indian support is slowly but surely making its way back to the BN, it is now in the hands of the ruling government how it will continue to woo the community back to its fold as indications on the ground are that the Indian community feels cheated by the opposition. ( By S. Retnanathan/ Bernama)