IT is difficult to talk about Malaysian politics without mentioning Malaysians of Chinese and Indian descent.

They are courted during election time as the politicians know that this bloc of Malaysians, who make up 30% of the population, are the swing voters who could help them win.

Once the general election is over, however, the same politicians will bully, threaten, call them all sorts of names and blame them for the ills afflicting the country’s largest ethnic group.

Actions will then be taken to curtail their activities, both leisure and economic.

For example,  a state in the north has unilaterally banned legal gaming activities.

The furore over the whiskey label of Timah is another example.

These voters are often called “pendatang” and “ungrateful”.

Then rural and regional development minister, who is now the caretaker prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob once encouraged Malay consumers to boycott Chinese-owned businesses that have raised their prices.

In the 2014 general election, the losers blamed their defeat on the withdrawal of support from Chinese and Indians when it was really their dishonesty that was the problem.

These same politicians are now courting these same Malaysians for support in 2022.

This is why Chinese and Indians must support the multiracial Pakatan Harapan coalition.

It was never given the opportunity to complete its term and prove its worth as a government for all Malaysians.

Malaysians may suffer hard times in the short term with a PH government but will definitely enjoy prosperity later.

Rather than ducking these challenges, Malaysians should welcome PH.

Please vote for PH. – November 13, 2022.

* FLK reads The Malaysian insight.