YOURSAY 'These items listed by Anwar should have been included in the manifesto in the first place. But the bone of contention was the seat allocation demanded by Hindraf."
Anwar: Indian issues to be listed in Pakatan manifesto
LittleGiant: It is imperative that Pakatan Rakyat's election manifesto carries specific details to address issues affecting the Indian community. If this had been done in the original manifesto, it would have given Pakatan a big headway in reaching out to the Indian community and receiving its support.
Anyway, it is better late than never. It is also important that Pakatan takes a serious view of the Indian community issues brought to its attention by several Indian NGOs and activist groups, including Hindraf.
While these NGOs and activist groups should not hold Pakatan to ransom, Pakatan should ensure that its manifesto provides practical solutions and a viable time frame to resolve the community's woes in a comprehensive and balanced manner.
The bottom line is Pakatan's manifesto should not just be seen as an election gimmick. It should stimulate confidence of all Malaysians to support it, including the Indian community.
Ksn: Yes, it is good on the part of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to admit the omission and his intention to correct it. The controversy should not have happened in the first place.
Aswathaama: Indian Pakatan leaders like Subang MP Sivarasah Rasiah and Klang MP Charles Santiago must have been sleeping during the manifesto meetings. The Indian representatives have proven they are not capable of drafting a plan to help solve the woes of the Indian poor.
And all these four points mentioned by Anwar for the Indian poor is mere copying from Hindraf's blueprint. The Indian community shall not be just swept away with this sweet talk.
Pakatan will have to prove their sincerity by endorsing the blueprint. Otherwise, it's just another ‘wayang kulit'.
Gandhi: Isn't it very obvious that there was an omission, but only after meeting Indian leaders that Anwar came to understand the the manifesto has left out the Indian problems? Well done Hindraf for making Pakatan leaders realise their oversight.
SS Dhaliwal: These items listed by Anwar should have been included in the manifesto in the first place. But the bone of contention was the seat allocation demanded by Hindraf.
Rahman Putih: We Malays need to address the issues of the Indian Malaysians as well. After all, they are also Malaysians. I don't know who will do it but it needs to be done.
I grew up in the estate and I have progressed because the government helped me, but many of my childhood Indians friends were left behind and without much choice.
Joe Fernandez: Anwar is conceding that his Buku Jingga and his manifesto are racist anti-Indian documents. What about the proposed Ministry of Orang Asal and Minority Affairs (Moama)?
The ministry will help do away with deviations and distortions in the implementation of Article 153, and do away with the anti-minorities administrative laws.
Indians can't get even cendol licences from the Umno government. Detractors shouldn't talk about BN. BN is finished. After the GE13, Umno will be forced to open its doors to non-Malays in order to survive and return to fight another day.
Anonymous #37634848: The racial groups should stop harassing Pakatan. It has presented a manifesto, at a macro level, to cover all Malaysians. Micro-level policies shall be worked out when it takes over Putrajaya in due course. Don't count chickens before they hatch.
Aries46: In the absence of a level-playing field, the Pakatan mission of alleviating the marginalised communities is nothing but a ruse. Anwar's earlier contention that Indian issues cannot be highlighted on its own as Pakatan "transcends racial barriers" is merely a spin.
But if Felda Malays, Orang Asli, Chinese education and other community issues can be mentioned, why can't the oppressed Indians, consigned to the lowest strata of marginalised communities, be mentioned in the Pakatan manifesto?
Since the 80s the bulk of the Indian workforce, particularly from the plantation sectors, were forcibly ejected from their traditional roots with barely the shirts on their backs and even those who found refuge as contract manual workers in the rural and urban sectors were eventually replaced with cheap foreign labour.
BN deliberately dumped the poor Indians with the affluent Chinese as non-bumiputeras and denied them access to mainstream development and public and private sector employment, forcing many to suffer in silence or turn to crime for survival.
Robert Lim: This is a positive move by Pakatan. I think they should engage with Hindraf's leadership and bring them on board.
Cala: Anwar is seen to be doing the sensible thing. I applaud him for making it clear that the Indians' woes, suffering and marginalisation arising from five decades of neglect by the Umno-led BN regime must be remedied.
In fact, this is the only way out for the Indians if they hope to stand tall again in this Bolehland. Without state support (hopefully under a Pakatan government), inequalities would continue.
If every form of discrimination cannot be stopped, what difference is Pakatan with the current regime? But all said, there must be a time period for implementation to any plan.
RR: The neglect and problems of the Indians have been significantly highlighted over the recent years, particularly by Hindraf.
Both BN and Pakatan are now in the know of the neglect. Whichever party wins GE13 should fulfill the needs of the Indians and others who have been neglected over the past 50 years.
The best formula is a need-based action with the focus on those badly neglected Indians. Failing this, do not expect a single vote from these unfortunate rakyat in GE14.
Hjsingh: The path to recovery of this marginalised Malaysian minority community is going be a long one, but let's start with what is on the table. It's a start, and better than the 50 years of slow but steady marginalisation that the community has faced.
At least Anwar is listening and talking to members of a less-than-cohesive community. Let's move ahead and realise that sometimes help comes in small parcels and Hindraf and others are there to ensure that their voices are heard, however demanding they are.
Sincere: The manifesto should be for all the marginalised people in Malaysia. For a start, Pakatan should prioritise and narrow the gap among all the marginalised people, and once that is achieve, continue the need-based policy for all.
Rest assured, it will take some time to realise this but eventually all will have a fair share of the nation's economic and social cake. Thanks to Hindraf for highlighting this issue and kudos to Pakatan for listening.
Anonymous #25558299: Now after all the hue and cry, Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy can get his Hindraf members to go out in full force house-to-house to woo/persuade the Indians, especially those in Selangor, Johor, Perak, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Pahang, to vote for Pakatan.
They have to thoroughly explain to them how they have been marginalised by the BN government for the past 55 years. Remind them about the Interlok issue, being labelled ‘pendatangs' and told to go back to India, having to beg and work as ‘kuli', the butt dancing in front of an Indian leader's house, the killing of Indians in prisons, etc.
Get full Indian support to throw BN out in this GE13.
Rubicon: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Hindraf should be patient.
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