I asked a friend if she’d seen Tamil Padam and she said, “ya; for a Tamil movie, it was something interesting.”
I said, “What? Tamil movie?!” I’m not talking about the movie, lah! I’m talking about the recent Tamil padam that unfolded in Hulu Selangor!
Like her, you’re also probably thinking what’s this Tamil padam in Hulu Selangor, ya? Call it déjà vu if you like. Maybe even ‘back to the future’? Whatever your preference, the BN win in Hulu Selangor does of course give us much to mull over and there’re several meaningful subtexts and lessons that could be drawn from the by-election. As far as “the Indian scenario” is concerned, to put it simply, it’s the same old mellow-dramatic drama of the Indians shooting themselves in more critical places than just the foot. BN wins and a substantial Indian vote supports the Indian (MIC) candidate.
Of course we know about Hindraf, which having had its quid-pro-quo proposition rejected by Pakatan Rakyat in the days leading up to April 25th, turned a cold shoulder toward Zaid’s campaign. I suppose Hindraf must have thought it was dealing with UMNO when it tried to squeeze PR for some concessions before agreeing to any formal support for Zaid. Well, I’m sure many in the Hindraf inner circle will be saying to PR: ‘Ah, see, we told you so? You can’t win without us – and serves you right!”
Well, if that’s the case, go right ahead Hindraf, and deal with the devil. What this would suggest, of course, is Hindraf would rather have UMNO, and all the baggage of corruption, abuse, restrictions on democratic freedoms and such, gain political mileage just so it can spite PR. Put whatever spin it may want on the situation; ultimately, Hindraf has been directly complicit in enabling UMNO – the very entity which arrested its leaders and punished them without due process of the law. Hindraf has been complicit in abetting the very entity that has been the cause and culprit in the exploitation of the same marginalised Indians for half a century, which Hindraf claims to be fighting for.
Because of some prescriptive disagreement, Hindraf is apparently willing to sit out and see its longstanding oppressor gain even more power, rather than wholeheartedly support PR, which espouses the vision of uplifting all who have been exploited by UMNO. Hindraf is willing to enable UMNO rather than support that movement which seeks to rid the country of political corruption and nepotism.
And what is the message that its strategy has sent to Indian voters? Go ahead and, like us, deal with the devil. Heck, in this case, Hindraf might as well go ahead and move into the MIC premises and collaborate with Samy Vellu! What’s the difference? Talk about shooting yourself, this is a serious, if not fatal, self-inflicted wound by Hindraf.
Yes, despite what many may think, this is not as critical a setback for PR as it actually is for the Indians. You’ve essentially affirmed continued submission to all that UMNO stands for, you have tacitly agreed to submission to the ideology of the likes of Ibrahim Ali, and the racist dogma of Ketuanan Melayu. That’s what your stubbornness has helped affirmed.
Really makes sense, right?
So for what it’s worth, I’m done with putting up with sob stories from Hindraf. For me, Hindraf has lost its moral high ground.
Syabas, Hindraf!
Truly like a classic Tamil movie.
G. Krishnan
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