Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, March 21, 2013.

The open letter from Ranesa Jegatheesa criticizing my DAP membership and accusing me of playing second fiddle to DAP “Chinese” leadership and extenuating the role played by  Najib Tun Razak and UMNO/BN begets a response from myself.

In the past 55 years of MIC/BN rule, estate and working class Indians are displaced by 4 million migrant workers and forcing wages downwards.

66000 Maika Holdings shareholders were squeezed out by wheeling and dealing of BN cronies after waiting for 29 years thanks to MIC. Request for relocation of low enrolment rural Tamil schools to urban areas where Indians are in larger numbers are not attended despite numerous appeals. Remove class students are potential drop off due to the neglect and could not be bothered attitude of teachers.

Teenage alcoholism and gangsterism among Indians lead them to get involved in gangs and criminal activities. MIC abetted and aided the UMNO racial divide and rule policies that marginalized and alienated Indians from government policy implementation. Thousands of poor Indians are still holding red identity cards after 55 years of BN rule. But foreigners, criminals and terrorists are issued blue identity cards immediately upon their arrival and eligible to vote the next day.

When Indian votes finally disserted BN for the gross neglect, MIC pleads poor Indians to return to UMNO fold by giving 5 kg rice, RM50, sumptuous meals, concerts, musical shows and free bus trips to those who want to visit temples in Kuala Lumpur during festivals. Two weeks ago, MIC organized a women awareness seminar in Cha’ah, where  Chua tee Yong, Labis member of parliament, gave goodie bags that contained soap powder, coke can and tissue paper to the ladies present. Last week he distributed mattress to about 80 families. That much MCA has estimated our worth. All these arrangements are made by local MIC so called leaders.

Welfare helps to poor Indians during Bagan Pinang and Tenang by elections stopped few months after elections. Public promises by Prime Minister to build 6 Tamil schools remain unfulfilled after 3 years. Efforts to include Indian contractors in the renovation and extension work in Tamil schools are moving at snail’s pace since 2011. Disappointment and disillusionment is the order of the day for these contractors.

Yet Najib makes more promises without fulfilling earlier ones. All the above debacles are deliberately planned by UMNO to keep Indians poor and begging and MIC/PPP/IPF will execute these plans for pittance. Najib may offer election sweets and cookies but unfortunately the UMNO bureaucracy were not given any directive to fulfill them.

Ranesa claims BN and Najib has done a lot for Indians in Malaysia. The fact that Indians had desserted BN since 2008 is a testimony to how much MIC/BN has done for them. The Indians in DAP and PKR are fed up with racial and religious slants and jingoism of UMNO/BN and the impotency of MIC and other component parties.

UMNO/BN is tainted with committing electoral frauds in the past elections and treacherous issuing of identity cards to illegal and criminal immigrants in Sabah. Even for the upcoming 2013 general elections attempts are made to rig voting outcome in Selangor. MIC is party of goons to keep Indians poor and downtrodden. With such dismal record Ranesa can still support UMNO/BN and keep picking faults at DAP leadership.

DAP is the credible party that has been fighting hard to expose the corrupted and despotic BN government of all its crimes and frauds. DAP leaders like  Lim Kit Siang, V.David, P.Patoo, Veerappan had fought tooth and nail in highlighting abuses and racial discrimination towards Indians since its inception. The party has large Chinese membership but its leaders have proven track record of their struggle for fairness and equal rights to all Malaysians. Ranesa is blinded in his support for Najib Tun Razak and BN. The Prime minister is in office on borrowed time and still dishing out cash and handouts. 70% of Malaysians are earning below RM1500 per month. Yet Prime Minister announced that Malaysia has achieved income nation status.

MIC/BN has lost all legitimacy and moral authority to represent Indians. Indians and other Malaysians have changed and are willing to give 5 years to Pakatan Rakyat to rule Malaysia. These changes among Indians and other Malaysians make BN rule untenable and the change is imminent. The abusive use of government machinery and tax payer’s money by BN are the stumbling blocks delaying the change that is unstoppable.

Ranesa and his sponsors are unlikely to influence Indians on their fault finding mission. MIC and BN are becoming history and therefore the effort at blaming others will rejuvenate them. MIC is now depending on  Najib’s empty promises to deliver Indian votes. Having supported a racially divide and rule system that oppresses the minority community Ranesa has no right to question what are my personal contributions from my various social projects. This seems typical of MIC/BN cadres in twisting facts and turn it to blame others.