I usually feel rather nauseated after digesting too many news articles along those lines, which is why I staunchly avoid coming into contact with any mainstream media if I can help it.
So it came as a complete shock when I read that Pakatan Rakyat politicians had sent out text messages discouraging people from attending the HINDRAF-organised protest.
“Don’t fall for selfish people who are using you for their selfish aims. Go to Merlimau not KLCC,” the text message by DAP Senator S. Ramakrishnan read.
It seems to me that the issue of racism and propagation of tools to Brainwash The Nation is of secondary importance - the utmost priority is that they, Pakatan Rakyat, get voted into power.
Make no mistake, Uthayakumar, the maverick leader of HINDRAF has not played by any party rules, nor has he compromised on his stance. A lot of people regard him as eccentric, some see him as recalcitrant, but on the issue of racism, he appears to be spot-on in his judgement.
This makes him a threat to Pakatan Rakyat. I wager that a substantial number of politicians were more than just mildly curious to know if Uthayakumar still had the mojo and could command an impressive attendance at KLCC.
We never got to know because every Indian who showed up in that vicinity was promptly arrested.
But even the average man on the street is aware of the Pakatan Rakyat politicians' self-serving actions. This commenter on Malaysiakini says:
Anonymous i see some the politicians here are taking advantage in this case and asking the indians not to vote for this party and that party.hello we are talking about our childrens education and well being not your stupid politics.pls for god sake for once think like a human being rather for your own benefit.i find it wrong and very wrong for education ministry to do this to our indian children.im in the service line and i have never discriminated a malay or chinese but whats wrong with this teachers.they seriously need to go for psychiatric evolution before they start teaching in the school.pls withdraw interlok before it causes further damage to this country.1malaysia
Interestingly, the politicians have also been called out by the educated masses as well. In his letter to Malaysiakini, Wong Mun Chee identifies Hindraf, not Pakatan Rakyat as the real threat to UMNO.
In hindsight, the government feels that the grass roots movement of Hindraf is more potent that the politicking of the opposition. Maybe they realise the opposition like them is an endless trail of bickering of who does what and how it has to be done, but how it gets dissipated to the grassroots is a major stumbling block for either the ruling government or the opposition.
The government probably realised that Hindraf is still alive and kicking because they are the voice of the poor, deprived and marginalised who form about 70 percent of the population.
Why and how Hindraf can be the voice for the poor, deprived and marginalised? Naturally if you look at their leaders, they are not people of material substance, no datuks, tan sris, people with connections, and so on, but a movement of people who are genuinely interested in uplifting the society with their own sacrifices for the people within the society.
If you take the trouble to notice, you will realise that this group does not have any support either from the opposition or the NGOs and works solely in their belief with their followers that their path cannot be compromised for political and personal agenda, but what is the best for the community on the long run.
Even now in the by-elections, their arrest for the anti racism forums were well circulated by the opposition to optimise on the sentiment for vote count, yet none has lent a hand for their cause against racialism on February 27, 2011.
Similar to Suqiu, I think we have a genuine movement in Hindraf and their leaders without fear or favour who fight a cause for the voiceless poor, deprived and marginalised in society although they have been branded from hero in 2008 to villains these days.
It is a shame when politicians on both sides of the divide continue to neglect issues on the ground in favour of power.
Related: OK and KO-ed Indian Malaysians - Kulasegaran and Palanivel slag it out.