A CURSORY look at pre-election statistics will point to the Chinese community as the most crucial decision-makers in the non-Malay heartland. A closer look however paints a different picture. With the Chinese predominantly having already decided to vote PH, a different voting bloc emerges as the kingmaker – the Indians.

Indians are poised to be the determining factor in this PRN. When the majority of Malays are predicted to vote for PN and the Chinese have become a solid voting bloc for PH, Indians are automatically the kingmakers.

To illustrate this point, I classified the seats in four states according to how impactful Indian votes will be in the August 12 elections. The “status” column in each table indicates whether Indians are the kingmakers (decision-makers), determining factor in a close election, not so crucial but can still be a determining factor in a close election, and determining factor depending on another external variable, for example, an individual or another group getting involved or urban/suburban Malay vote split.  

The information in the tables above illustrate, unambiguously, one thing—Indians have become a colossal voting bloc in spite of their 8-9% population count. But until today, they don’t realise this; and those who realise this don’t know what to do with it.  

During the BN era, the community was neglected and taken for granted. The main reason for this is that the community is a politically passive and a contented one. In the 1970s when we had only two TV channels, both government-operated, Indians would be ecstatic if an additional Indian movie per week was approved to be screened. Minor political tokens are greatly appreciated.

Naturally unscrupulous politicians exaggerate and magnify benefits derived from such tokens. Such an easy to satisfy community coupled with a scarcity of honest, sincere, and capable leaders spearheaded the rot of the community.

After Pakatan Harapan took control in 2022, Indians were overjoyed and began to see saw light at the end of the tunnel. Now eight months have passed. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the ruling coalition are oblivious to and unbothered about the plight of Indians in this country. Having continuously been taken for granted and neglected, the future is gloomy if not doomed.

The decay of the community continues while many Indians see no option other than PH. A huge percentage of them label PAS as “ultra,” “radical,” or “twisted” and are unlikely to vote PN. What they fail to see is that there is always a choice. With both coalitions proving unattractive, Indian voters can opt to sit out the election. A proper boycott will cause a fiasco in at least 20 seats, and possibly 30-35, in four of the six states going to polls. The result? Both coalitions will come a-begging in the next general election.

Nothing will change for the politically passive, sessile, ignorant, apathetic and content. Nothing will come their way. Nothing changes by itself. There needs to be concrete actions. As Issac Newton discovered, an object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an external force. – July 29, 2023.

* Prof Suguman Narayanan reads The Malaysian Insight.