COMMENT: Is Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak a newcomer to Malaysian politics? Having been in the political arena for years, he seems quite oblivious to the happenings in the Indian community in Malaysia.

I am not sure to what extent he understands the politics within the MIC and other Indian based-political parties aligned with Barisan Nasional. In fact, Najib should understand that caste is not the main problem within the MIC or the Indian community, rather the problems of lack of accountability on the part of the leaders, for not taking up the problems faced by the community seriously, for failing to bargain hard and obtaining major concessions for the community and most importantly the Indian leaders, in the past and present, for not providing the leadership and vision for the community to advance like other communities.

In short, political parties like the MIC have failed the Indian community miserably, but this is not due to caste alone.

To all intents and purposes, caste has becoming irrelevant among the Indian community in Malaysia. Among the older generation it is invoked for the purpose of marriage and maintaining family relationships intact. Other than this, caste especially in the MIC and IPF (Indian Progressive Front) is invoked in getting political support and maintain certain leaders in power.

IPF is a prime example of an Indian-based political party that was begun to cater for the caste interests of a certain sub-segment of Indians in the country. Its former leader MG Pandithan was infamous for espousing caste politics. While Pandithan died some years back, his followers still maintain intact the caste-basis support for the IPF. IPF is a non-entity among the Indians; by practising the most obsequious kind of politics and being yes-man for the BN leaders the party has lost its relevance to Indians in Malaysia.

The MIC, the oldest Indian party in Malaysia, is not based on caste, like the IPF. But however, conflicts within the party within the last few decades have propelled it in a direction where rival political leaders use caste to mobilise political support during party elections. The classic example was the feud between the former MIC leader S Samy Vellu and his one-time deputy S Subramaniam, leaders who fought on a variety of issues by mobilising members of their respective castes. Ultimately, Samy Vellu emerged victorious through the support of his caste members. After Samy Vellu, caste might be rearing its ugly head in the MIC elections.

Caste emerged as a mobilising factor for Indian politicians in the MIC and IPF. But, however, caste alone is not an overriding factor in determining the trajectory of the Indian community. While caste might hamper the development of progressive politics, it alone does not prevent Indians from social, economic and political advancement.

Rather the main stumbling block of Indian advancement in Malaysia is the practice of racial and religious discrimination in the social, economic, administrative and political areas. It is the prevalence of a racial system perpetrated by Umno leaders that remains the root cause of Indian marginalisation and underdevelopment. However, Najib failed to notice the real reason why progress and development continues to elude the Malaysian Indian community.

Najib is no different from other Umno leaders in the past. Rather than honestly finding out the reasons behind the slide of Indians in the country, he should not put the blame on the Indian community itself or the MIC. He should not delude himself into thinking that caste politics is the main deterrent of the Indian community. If he wants to blame the MIC, then he should blame Umno for rendering this Indian-based party totally irrelevant to Indians!

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.