MALAYSIAN Indians appear on the front page of newspapers at least three times in a year: at Deepavali, Thaipusam, and during elections.

At the first event, they celebrate their culture; at the second, their devotion to God. At the third, they and their culture are celebrated like they are gods.

The rest of the year, they appear in the papers arguing over which of a dozen parties claiming to represent Indians can get them the best deal.

They have a choice of five or six full-fledged Indian parties, an equal number of multiracial parties, and several parties Malay-Muslim parties with Indian divisions.

It may be hard for non-Indians to understand why, with so much representation, Indians are still in a quagmire.

To answer that, one must look at the Malay community. The two largest political parties in Malaysia are Malay-Muslim dominated, and have been so for the past 60 years. Yet there is still economic disparity.

Similarly, the Dayak and Kadazan-Dusun are represented by many parties. Orang Asal and people with disabilities have all been appointed senators. Why aren’t things improving for every group in Malaysia?

It boils down to three things: political will, administrative execution, and community action. The three must be in sync to solve a problem – including that of the Malaysian Indians.

We can have many blueprints, committees, caucuses and special task forces. We can do it at federal, state, local and even kampung level. But there must be will and coordination to realise the policies.

The problems have been mapped out many times by successive governments, including even Islamist PAS. They are poverty, lack of education and economic opportunities, and a rural-urban divide.

Many of the Indian problems mirror those of the Malay community. You’d think they would be much easier to solve given the small size of the Indian community, but as the problems are viewed thrpugh racial lenses, they are managed differently.

Removing political opposition would be a strong first step.

The solutions need not be constitutional, but they could be apolitical. The work could be done by the community itself with the commitment of all parties, regardless of election outcome or political affiliation.

Indians could be allotted special slots on select courses, civil service, and GLCs. They could be included in self-improvement and entrepreneurship plans and allowed subsidised housing. There could be funds for poverty eradication.

Citizenship and documentation issues should have been solved long ago. If we are granting asylum to foreigners on humanitarian grounds, surely, we can do so for the people who have worked and lived for many generations.

Yes, it sounds simplistic. The reality on the ground is complex, but does it have to be?

If the prime minister can hold a dialogue session in a university and resolve long-standing infrastructure and salary issues in a day, shouldn’t the federal and state governments, who all claim empathy for the Indian problem, be able to find solutions at a faster pace?

If you would just uplift 50,000 Indians a year, you would solve most of the issues plaguing them in 10 years. – May 9, 2024.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.