LETTER | Indians must form a strong NGO to further their interests

LETTER | Budget 2024 was a slap in the face of the Indian community, who supported Pakatan Harapan and the unity government.

The pittance allocated for Indians to overcome their poverty and other needs simply shows that nothing substantial can be expected from this government.

As such, Indians need to show their electoral strength for a better bargaining position. Politicians will heed people's power only when they see its clout.

There is no point in starting a new party as nothing is going to change. There is a sizeable percentage of Indians in the DAP and the PKR, as well as the MIC in the unity government.

However, what did the Indians get in Budget 2024 for such overwhelming support? I have always believed that the unity government will take Indians for a ride, and shun them after their objectives are attained.

However, it must be noted that deception cannot be permanent. There is no point talking about Indian disillusionment. The community will have to re-assess their strength and look forward positively to the future.

Indians need to form a strong NGO to champion their interests. Former Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy needs to take the initiative by inviting interested Indians to join the NGO.

The NGO must be open to all Indians, as in most cases, ordinary Indians make better leaders than the so-called educated and eminent ones.

Selangor should be their main target in the next election. In the last state polls, Perikatan Nasional came close to unseating Harapan.

If most of the Indians had withdrawn their support for DAP and PKR, the end result would have been totally different. Harapan would have lost its crown jewel.

Losing Selangor will hurt DAP and PKR the most. The swing vote should be used to its maximum potential in Selangor next time.

Before offering their support, the Indian NGO must get a written agreement from the said political party that it will help Indians with large allocations for their needs.

With this kind of documentary proof, Indians can legally and politically ensure that their demands are met. Verbal electoral promises are nothing but hot air.

Selangor has the largest Indian population and together with those in Kuala Lumpur, the community can make a lot of difference.

They can be the most influential swing voters in the country but Indians need to be united on this issue.

Indians can get more benefits from a developed state like Selangor instead of a pittance from the federal government. There will be no need for any self-serving feeble Indian ministers or be concerned with ministerial appointments. We can do without any ministers.

Indians can represent themselves and there is no need for the federal government to help them. Indians have no need for federal budgetary allocations anymore.

The community needs to play its cards smartly if they are to be a force to be reckoned with. Selangor is the nation's richest and has myriad opportunities for Indian advancement and betterment in various sectors.

Having a major say in the Selangor administration will help Indians more than the abysmal amounts dished out in the national budgets.

It should be noted also that about half of the urban Indian poor reside in Selangor and KL, and helping them will go a long way to eliminating Indian poverty in the country.

With these initiatives, Indians can confidentially say that the unity government’s days of apathy and indifference toward the community are numbered.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.