IN the second part of the article, we shall speak about how Indian leaders, particularly those from MIC, should have clear understanding of the community’s aspirations and why they should never under-estimate young voters.
When talking about elections,
the important thing is not to promote personalities but to address fundamental
issues that have plagued ordinary citizens.
Malaysians primarily face
socio-economic problems such as rising cost of living, decline in quality of
life, unemployment and soaring crime rates. These factors will have a
significant impact in determining the outcome of this election.
Unfortunately, Indian leaders
in the Government and the MIC are debating the same old issues, rather than
addressing the community’s future in Malaysia.
For example, we seldom hear
any MIC leaders speak on international issues such as the Russian-Ukrainian
conflict or the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.
One may wonder why addressing
such international issues are relevant. The reason is simple. In order to design
policies that will help the community and country, leaders must have a wide
understanding of international affairs!
So, whether the present breed
of MIC leaders are equipped with such expertise is debatable. I have even
watched several WhatsApp videos/Tik-Tok of an Indian leader criticising his
opponents but I am curious why he never spends his valuable time exploring
solutions to address Indians’ plight.
Indian voters’ mindset
In every general election
since Independence, the majority of Indian voters have supported the Alliance
coalition which was later rebranded as Barisan Nasional (BN). In fact, they
were regarded as the coalitions’ “fixed deposits”.
However, the perception was
shattered in the late 1990s due to MIC leaders’ unwillingness to listen and
resolve the community’s grievances. These egotistical MIC leaders of that time
caused Indians to abandon BN in droves.
While things seemingly started
to improve within the MIC, I have noticed the old shenanigans are resurfacing
among the current crop of MIC leaders following the Sheraton Move. So, when
will these leaders learn from their previous blunders that caused them to lose
ground support?
All politicians should be
reminded that the contemporary electorate are well-informed and not easily
swayed by rhetoric. They are aware of what to anticipate from their leaders and
Gen Z voters value principled leaders.
If the leaders lack principles
and are corrupt, then be prepared to receive a rude shock at the ballot box!
Regrettably, MIC leaders are
still stuck on past issues and lack clear vision on how to lead the Indian
community in the fast changing national and global landscape. Instead, they are
still hurling unsubstantiated attacks on Opposition leaders and parties with
their arguments always centred on the 2R strategy (race and religion).
As an Indian myself, I am more
interested in learning about the future plans and strategies these MIC leaders
have to uplift the community and our next generation. I am not interested in
listening to these leaders’ self-serving remarks using loose cannon arguments
as they have no relevance for the future generation.
As the sole representative of
this community in the Government, as MIC often asserts, I wonder whether these
MIC leaders have carried out their duties and responsibilities well.
Admittedly, the answer is a resounding no.
So, what do these MIC leaders
who hold key positions in the Government do to fix the community’s problems
that have existed since Independence? If these leaders are unable to
tackle the problems, they should just leave. This will allow other
competent individuals to come forth to assist the community.
Unfortunately, because to
their ignorance and arrogance, MIC leaders rarely leave on their own. The
prevailing consensus is that they lack a defined mission and vision in leading
their community.
One of the most serious issues
affecting the party is its process in selecting candidates for elections.
The process is severely flawed and candidates are picked based on their
allegiance to top leaders and the party.
But bear in mind that times
have changed. If MIC allocates seats to tainted candidates in the upcoming
general election, the outcome will be disastrous to them. As piece of
advise, I would like to urge MIC to learn from the electoral experiences of the
UK Labour Party and the Conservative Party.
The election performance of
these UK parties is impacted by the selection of young and dynamic candidates
which offers them a significant edge as well as having proper policies to
entice electorate to vote for them.
Conclusion
For more than 60 years, the
Indian community had blindly trusted these MIC leaders. Since the 1970s, these
leaders have failed to meet their responsibility in uplifting their own
community.
The most “significant
contribution” these politicians had made is basically dividing the community
further, who only account for less than 7% of the entire population.
Many Indian language-based
organisations were formed as caste-based associations within the population.
This is an irreversible situation. For the benefit of the community’s
future, MIC should establish an umbrella body that will “encompass” all these
entities. This body should serve as a unified voice for the community.
Nevertheless, the onus is on
MIC and its leaders to right the wrongs of the past by selecting capable
individuals to lead the community into the future. If they do not, MIC will be
wiped out in the 16th General Election.
Besides, the influx of
foreigners who have taken positions that have historically been held by Indians
is alarming. Another source of concern is the Indian population’s annual
decline.
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