HINDRAF is a stampede for humanity

As social activists, Hindraf started fighting against police custodial deaths under PoliceWatch, then the conversion matter of Moorthy and against temple demolitions under the name of Hindraf, and now on a more broad-based human rights violations and marginalisation of minorities under the Human Rights Party. As it is rights based, naturally it is open to all races.

By Hang Tuah

Hindraf is fighting for the poor Indians, not the urban, educated, middle class or rich Indians and similar ones in other races but the bottom 30% who live in small towns, rural areas, those who do not have access to piped
water, education, sometimes electricity, who earn RM 13 a day when even the migrants earn RM 22 per day, those indiscriminately shot at and brutalised in police custody.

It is these Malaysians that Hindraf fight for when the other communities contemptuously shun them as the societal sore even when they are Malaysians!

As it grows and more resources are available, with more non-Indian participation in their effort, Hindraf will broaden its campaign to include all races in their fight against discrimination and marginalization of policies driven by political parties. As of now it restricts itself to only those Malays and Chinese who approaches Hindraf for assistance when they have been shunned by everyone else, including their own race.

Recently, this included a Malay alleged drug addict who died in police custody, and HINDRAF bought a coffin for him when his family could not afford it, as well as the more recent case of Norizan who was shot five times by the police.

Hindraf has given up on the urban English-educated Indians who yearn to be 'whiteys', with the typical know how attitude but continue to ignore and disassociate themselves from their poorer and marginalised Malaysian
Indians cousins. There are over 10,000 professional Indians but only a few care for the plight of the poor Indians. These English speaking 'professional Indians' prefer to be multi-racial in outlook and socialise with Chinese and Malays, groveling for inclusion and acceptance, not realising that in this racist-centric nation, their own Malay and Chinese 'multi-racial' friends have only contempt and disregard for all Indians! Just look at the comments in the cyber world; never an intelligent or a factual argument on the struggle but one that depicts and castigate them with sneers and sarcasm.

Hindraf struggles for policy change in a macro aspect not on an individual micro sense, but which would eventually benefit all communities not just Indians. A policy change benefits all across the board, regardless of race or religion.

Hindraf initiated or shall I say opened the eyes of many, of the desperation of the Malaysian Indians, by action. Not some cyberworld and passive position that many take today. It wholeheartedly supported Pakatan during the GE12 and all it got back for the society it represented was broken promises. Not once since coming to power has PR conferred with Hindraf on policies. Except for the meetings between Waythamoorthy and Zaid outside Malaysia, until today there is no contact with Hindraf, all their letters and petitions have been spurned!

Hindraf does not trust UMNO or PR. Hindraf warns all Malaysians not to trust politicians on either side. These politicians have no intention to resolve the rakyats’ woes, but to ensure that they are in pole position for themselves but never for the poor or the poverty stricken. They just want your support, your votes.

Everyone wants Hindraf to join PR and fight for 'The Cause', but no one wants to hear Hindraf's demands. They simply want Hindraf's interests to be subsumed to Pakatan's greater interests for the political front. HINDRAF can’t do that and will not bow to any force as it is only submissive for a humane cause. The reality today in the current state at least within the major three races, Malay, Chinese and Indian is so transparent, and if the Malays who are politically favoured and those Chinese who are economically well placed, or the elite Indians, cannot understand or fail to recognize the depleted state of the Malaysian Indians, then it is them that are a lesser
Malaysian.

Hindraf feels Anwar has done all that he can and there is not much more he can achieve. Perhaps just a few more seats. That's about all. We need something more to change the government. Hindraf is also embarking on raising Dayak consciousness and Dayak nationalism, and forming a formidable front in East Malaysia.

Hindraf's demands have to be placed upfront as this is the society that has deteriorated so far in every aspect as the rest Malaysians stood by and watched it happen. We have already seen that PR has no intention to resolve Hindraf's demands even when they have the power to do so. PR has no idea on what to do in East Malaysia too, we are told; no stated policies, another ping pong game for their political needs.

What more if PR goes to Putrajaya. When they can't do a simple thing in the states in West Malaysia that they already govern, how are they to address the poor and poverty concerns of the Malaysian Indians?
Hindraf is convinced that the Chinese and to a lesser extent the Malays, will not sway unless the Indians walk first and create the stampede! The Chinese will not be seen caught voting against the establishment as they have too much at stake as much as the Malay politically, but they will do it if the Indians starts this as the poor and
marginalized poor Indians have nothing to lose in their desperation and despair to seek a better future for themselves in a so-called multi-racial motherland Malaysia in namesake.