One of the reverberating effects of the 25^th November 2007 watershed Hindraf Rally is that the Indian poor after a hiatus of 50 long years have at least started demanding permanent solutions ie land titles after decades of being pushed down their throats with temporary piecemeal solutions and treated like refugees in their own country.

Today’s Thinakural Tamil Daily 23/5/12 at page 14 reported that some 523 Jinjang Tambahan Indian poor families demanding permanent land titles to their Indian Village having organized themselves on their own without Hindraf or any NGOs’ or known individuals leading them. They have today developed the guts to  actually take their complaints without fear or favour right to the highest political level ie to the doorsteps of Putrajaya. This was unimaginable in the pre 25^th November 2007 Hindraf Rally era when they very easily succumbed to the UMNO/B.N fear psychological warfare. Today this barrier has been broken and they have become somewhat liberated.

Prosperous and vast 329,758 sq kilometers Malaysia has allowed thousands of Malay, Orang Asli, Kadazan and Iban poor villages to prosper with permanent land titles granted and gazetted accordingly. Needless to mention the 1,121,346 ten acre land ownership schemes to 99.9% Malay muslims under Felda 112,000 settlers (UM 21/4/10 at page 28) Felcra 914,346 settlers (UM 21/4/10 at page 28) and Risda 95,000 settlers (BH 25/2/10 at page 4) (Note : Not having included Mardi, FAMA, Kejora, Ketengah, Kedara etc land schemes). The UMNO/B.N and Pakatan regimes have even allowed some 607 Chinese New Villages to co exist under the bi racial 1 Malay-sian political majoratarian scheme of things.

But never co existence and prosper try neighbour for their vulnerable Indian poor cousins in their Indian Villages and settlements. There may be vestiges and odd Kg. Ghandis, Kg Muniandies, Kg Letchuman’s etc but almost always denied permanent land titles or gazetted as Indian Villages. So that they can be socially “ethnically cleansed” at the whims and fancies of the UMNO/B.N regime over the last 55 years and now by the Pakatan Rakyat state governments in the last five years. Notably Kg Buah Pala in Penang,Batu Pekaka Estate in Kedah and the Bukit Raja Estate and Midlands Estate Selangor Indian poor plantation workers being denied permanent land titles at least under the Estate Workers Housing Schemes. UMNO and Pakatan see these Indian Villages and settlements as cash cows worth Millions and Billions of Ringgit land banks for development projects,( i City, Shah Alam being the latest case in point) only to be exploited at the appropriate time but never cared for to be preserved, shown humanity or compassion.

In all of this the Hindraf struggle the most disappointing is by “our very own” Pakatan Rakyat that an estimated 90% of the Indians had voted for in the March 2008 General Elections. Despite having 100% powers over all land in Selangor, Kedah and Penang, Pakatan Rakyat has refused to grant land to all 173 Tamil schools in these states all in one go which could have been done by the mere stroke of the pen of the respective state Menteri Besars and Chief Minister. And now their five years rule is already coming to an end. And similarly for all Hindu temples, Hindu cemeteries. Equally important for all the Indian villages and settlements vis a vis being denied the social safety net that the Malays, Orang Asli, Kadazan, Iban and the Chinese have been blessed with. This in effect by far makes the Indian poor the poorest community in bi racial 1 Malay-sia.

But which has been done with ease and in a breeze and even within one month of Pakatan Rakyat coming to power for instance in Perak and Selangor for the Malay, Chinese and Orang Asli communities as follows:-

1. 110,000 land titles in 349 land titles in 349 Rancangan Kampung Tersusun for Malay muslims in Perak (UM 1/1/2009)

2. 102,000 land titles in 134 Chinese New Villages in Perak. (NST 10/10/08 at page 23).

3. 2,500 acres to 9 Chinese Independent schools in Perak . (NST 31/8/08 at page 38).

4. 10 acres to each and every Orang Asli in Perak (NST 9/3/09 at page 8).

5. 1,700 acres of land and RM100 Million for pig farming in Sepang Selangor. (NST 11/4/08 and 26/8/08).

6. The latest being the 316 acres of land for non muslim places of worship in Selangor but which 90% or 282 acres was granted even unsolicited to the super rich Chinese temples and a mere 6% or 19 acres granted for the thousands of Hindu poor man’s temples and who to the direct contrary make almost daily demands for the same. Going on a needs basis these Hindu temples need land most as is reported especially in the Tamil Dailies almost on a day to day basis. Especially so when they are facing imminent demolishments!

1 Malay-sia a la UMNO/BN?

Justice a la PKR?

Democracy a la DAP?

Charity a la PAS?

Or Rights not Mercy a la Hindraf?

The writer is de facto leader of Hindraf.