SAMY VELLU BACK IN THE LIMELIGHT

The setting up of a cabinet committee to seriously look into the problems fronting the Malaysian Indian community though late, must be applauded.

Being a Malay, I have many Indian friends whom I have been associated with since childhood, and are today still my dearest friends. My dad being a government servant, lived in a government quarters, and we had four Indian families as our neighbours. As a child, I would just walk into my Indian neighbour’s home, and asked if I could play with their children, and eat with them. Having sampled so much of my neighbour’s food as a child, I till today have a special liking for tosai, rasum, dhal, ittily and chappati, and am also able to understand what is in the hearts of the Indian community.

Some of my grown up friends are professional, with some having migrated overseas. Others may not be so lucky, but sufficiently enough to continue living a decent urban life. However, those in the rural areas; the estates in particular, are not so lucky. Why is this so? Why have they not been able to change their life style, and have remained in a state of neglect and dispair for all these years? These are questions that need to be answered by our political masters, especially those that have claimed themselves to be leaders of the Indian community.

Now back to the issue of the cabinet committee. It was announced that the DPM together with Samy Vellu shall co-chair the committee. My question is…”Why Samy Vellu? Can he still claim himself to be the leader of the Indian community?”. My answer is a big NO, and isn’t there any other better person than Samy Vellu?

The government being in constant denial, has failed to see that by virtue of having lost his parliamentary seat at Sg. Siput during the last general elections, Samy Vellu is still being accepted as the government’s mouth piece, for the Indian community. This is simply absurd. Losing to me simply means that the people no longer wants him. And does the government believe that what Samy Vellu could not do to his community while he was a minister all these years, can be undone today? Again, my answer is another big NO.

The talk among my Indian friends of Samy Vellu is that, he is arrogant, insensitive, authoritarian and simply thinks that others are stupid, and he alone knows everything. Just watch the way he communicates with meets people…..egoistic.
With all the negative attributes inherent in this man called Samy Vellu, I would therefore advice the DPM to get somebody else to replace him immediately, if the government is serious enough to make amends to the long sufferings of the Indian community.

This country has enough highly qualified, educated and brilliant Indians who fits into the committee. He need not be a politician, and not being one does not mean the he lacks the qualities of a leader, and the command of the community.

For sake of my Indian friends and the community, I hope the government is willing to give this suggestion , due consideration.