News

  • Nation
  • World Updates
  • Courts
  • Parliament
  • Columnists
  • Opinion
  • Honours List

Monday November 26, 2007

Change must come from within ourselves

COMMENT
By JOSEPH RAJ

At the end of the day, it is in the hands of the Indians whether they want to do better for themselves and their future generations. Street protests are definitely not the answer.

I DO not profess to know everything that is ailing the Indian community, but it has to be admitted that all is not well.

Some will argue that the community, which makes up about 8% of the population, has a decent, even an enviable, share of the economic pie in Malaysia.

But it has to be remembered that this is due to the fact that a few Indians have managed to do well in business as well as in professions such as medicine, law, engineering and accountancy.

The majority of Indians in the country are not as well off as their counterparts from the other communities. But this does not mean that Indians have to take to the streets to right what they perceive to be injustices done to them in the country.

Malaysia is a country that prides itself in achieving peace and harmony among the various races. As a matter of fact it is a success model of how people of various races and religions can work and live together to bring prosperity and success to themselves and the nation.

The MIC, which represents Indians in the Barisan Nasional coalition, says it is aware of the issues and problems confronting the community in the country,

“We believe in working from within the (government) system,” party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said, referring to the illegal gathering organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

One must understand that the MIC faces an uphill task in uplifting the standards of many in the Indian community, whose roots are linked to the rubber and oil palm estates in the country.

Many Indians are either still in the estates or working as labourers and holding menial jobs to earn a living.

Many, however, have also wrangled free of the clutches of poverty due to their business acumen and education excellence. These Indians live a quality of life equivalent or even higher than their counterparts in the other communities.

Chances are their children and their children’s children will continue to do well in life due to the solid foundation provided by their successful parents.

The challenge that faces the community now is to emulate these success stories while the task before the MIC and other Indian social and economic organisations is to continue and further intensify efforts towards this ideal.

One needs to only look at the Chinese in Malaysia to realise what a good education can do. Ever insistent on quality education for their children, the community has become an economic powerhouse in Malaysia.

The Chinese have achieved this despite most of them also coming to the then Malaya as labourers and odd-job workers.

There must be a strong will among Malaysian Indians to emulate this and for the MIC and the Government to continue facilitating this endeavour.

For a start, the 25 leading Indian associations that rightly urged Hindraf to call off its illegal march to the British High Commission should perhaps come forward to help the MIC and the Government to help uplift the standard of living of the Indian community.

It would also be great for successful Indians to individually take the effort to sponsor or help the needy in the community.

Such good work may already be taking place but it will not hurt to double or even triple such efforts.

Parents must also ensure their children are serious about their studies and do well in school.

But at the end of the day, it is in the hands of the Indians whether they want to do better for themselves and their future generations. This, I know, is easier said than done but it is achievable.

Street protests like the one in Kuala Lumpur yesterday are definitely not the answer.

Such protests only seek to point out problems but do not strive to provide answers or solutions.

As an Indian, I believe we have the ability within ourselves to do better in life.

But the push should start from us, the Indians in Malaysia, with help from our friends from the other races, the MIC and the Government.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

News Poll