An Open Letter from Uthayakumar to Mahathir
PH Government Has Not Delivered Much
to Safeguard B75 Indian Poor
25 November 2018
[Sahabat Rakyat Editor's Note] Uthayakumar, in his capacity as the De Facto leader of Hindraf 2.0 published an open letter to the Prime Minister Dr Mahathir on 25 November 2018, in conjunction with the 11th anniversary of Hindraf rally 2007. Does this mean that:
(1) Waythamoorty has become traitor to the Indian community for betraying the progressive proposition he advocated since 10 years back when he was in exile in which he sharply pointed out that the institutionalised racism and Article 153 in the Federal Constitution hinder the democratic reform movement in Malaysia as he has by now accepted the appeasement twice from the representatives of the Malay hegemony namely Najib (UMNO-BN) and Mahathir (PPBM) for his personal gain and power; (2) At this critical moment when the masses of the Indian community and other ethnic communities are facing the risk of being divided, Uthayakumar has no choice but to continue the spirit and line of struggle of Hindraf movement 2007 by holding the banner of "eliminating racial oppression, fighting for the equality of religion and ethnic communities." We believe these are questions which the public are concerned of.
【人民之友编者按语】乌达雅古玛于2018年11月25日即兴权会2007大集会11周年纪念之际以兴权会2.0实权领袖的名义发表公开信给首相马哈迪医生。这是否表示（1）由于瓦达穆迪背弃了他10年前被迫流亡海外之际, 一针见血的表达了国内的制度性种族主义歧视和我国宪法153条文是阻碍马来西亚民主改革运动进程的进步主张，如今他却先后接受了代表马来霸权主义的纳吉（巫统/国阵）和马哈迪（土团党）的两次招安，沦为为了谋取权位官职和个人利益，而背叛印裔族群利益的历史罪人；（2）正当举国人民面临着马哈迪主义复辟的危机之际、广大印裔族群以及其他各族人民面临分裂的严重关头，乌达雅古玛别无选择只能延续2007年兴权会运动的斗争精神和路线，重新高举“废除种族主义压迫、争取宗教民族平等”的旗帜;都是广大人民非常关注的事情。
Below is the full text of the open letter:
Y.A.B. Tun,
200 Days P.H. @ Putrajaya : 0.05% delivery of PH Indian Manifesto for B75 Indian poor. ICERD aside, 2nd Limb of Article 153 safeguards B75 Indian poor
Congratulations Prime Minister Tun Dr.Mahathir and Pakatan Harapan (PH) on the 200th day of Malaysia Baru @ reassurances that the B75 Indian Poor (B75) will not be left behind in sharing the wealth and prosperity of this country. Our Dream come true to see the downfall of the UMNO regime. Thank you yet again PH.
With the estimated 95% Malaysian Indians having voted for PH in GE 14, their very high expectations naturally follow for delivery in particular of PHs’ 25 Election Promises for the Indian Community especially vis a vis the preamble to the said PH Election Manifesto in particular which spells out “Sebagai rakyat yang mempunyai hak yang sama dengan semua warganegara lain, sudah tiba masanya untuk semua bentuk diskriminasi yang menzalimi warga India dihapuskan …Pengagihan kekayaan negara mestilah dilakukan secara adil dan penindasan ekonomi terhadap warga India dihentikan serta-merta…”.
With all due respect to your goodselves being granted the political mandate to rule Malaysia, our humble monitoring @ tip of the iceberg 200 days (1), PH top 10 non delivery of even the very basics for the B75 Indian Poor largely arising from race based government policies for your due consideration are as follows:-
1. The 100 days promise to some 350,000(2) B75 is yet to be delivered by failing to resolve even Promise No.1 (…menyelesaikan masalah (stateless Indians) dalam tempoh 100 hari pentadbiran kami) by still denying them their Rule of Law and Constitutional Citizenship and Birth Certificates @ innate Birth Rights which could have been resolved merely by the stroke of the pen @ the Prime Minister’s Directive to the Director General of the National Registration Department to forthwith issue Identity Cards and Birth Certificates vis a vis Citizenship by operation of law further to Article 14 of the Federal Constitution … every person born within the Federation of whose parents one at least is at the time of birth either a citizen or permanent resident …
However on the 97th day the Prime Minister merely announced what appears to be a conditional promise upon a full promise by pushing the buck back to the UMNO regime Civil Servants @ “Dr M: (3,407 Indian) Senior citizens with red MyKad will get citizenship soon” (3). Dr.Kua Kia Soong then wrote “Yesterday, as part of a Deepavali “gift”, 200 Malaysians of ethnic Indian origin were presented with letters of approval for citizenship (@ 0.05% delivery) by Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. At this rate, will we be witnessing such yearly Deepavali “gifts” for the next 1,500 years??? (4)
2. The promised RM1,500.00 minimum wage also within 100 days is yet to be fulfilled. To the contrary the PH Budget 2019 proposed a minimum wage of a mere RM1,100.00 - the UMNO regime policy of 4.6 Million (5) illegal foreign workers can wait.
3. We have recorded 29,580 (6) cases of homeless, landless and the homes of the B75 Indian poor being demolished arising largely from the unfulfilled Tun Razak Estate Workers Housing Scheme 1973 Policy especially in Byram Estate, Kg Muhibah Puchong, Kubang Ulu Penang, Kuala Selangor, Shah Alam, Sungkai, Teluk Intan, Kuala Sawah etc (7) (PH Promise No 2 and 3)
4. Full financial aided status for all 525 Tamil schools with same infrastructure standards as that of National schools as per PH promise No 4 is a non starter. We have recorded 113 instances of Tamil Schools being denied even the very basics as follows:- tables and chairs, children using tar roads as playing fields, ammonia fumes and ash from next door factory and crematorium, denied annex buildings and kindergartens etc.
Even Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is now calling on for Kindergardens to be made compulsory in (all) Tamil schools (8) in the backdrop of calls for “Compulsory education should be raised to Form Five” (9), Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department statement that “… all kindergarten teachers (excluding Tamil Schools) have a Diploma in early Childhood Education …”(10), “Tamil school left without electricity for two weeks” (11) , “PTA wants (90 years old wooden Tamil) school relocated for safety” (12),PH Indian Selangor EXCO dishing out RM 150.00 for top Tamil School students scoring 7As’(13) but denied entry into MRSM etc, “Bukit Raja Tamil School classrooms infested by white ants”(14), 170 pupils (cramped) into Gelang Patah Tamil School (originally meant) for 90(15), Electric Wiring caught fire at (wooden) Tebrau Estate Tamil School (and pupils forced to study along the corridors)(16), Security Guards salary not paid in Tamil Schools (17), “Three Perak Tamil School building works stop”(18) , St Helier Tamil School Building Works (stopped)(19) ,90 year old (wooden) Malos Estate Tamil School on the verge of collapsing (20) , 74 Tamil School toilets in deplorable state (21), five Tamil Schools in Rembau, Ulu Tiram, Lunas, Batu Gajah and Port Dickson denied Land Titles (22), Sg Kawang Tamil School and St Leonard Tamil School denied Annex Buildings (23) in catering to increased intake.
5. 100,000 per year self employment and business opportunities for the B75 Indian poor vis a vis half the Prisons closing down still being denied. (Ref:- our 25 point Proposals to Tun Dr.Mahathir, Tun Daim and CIR dated 28.5.2018 in undoing the 61 years of the UMNO injustices). During the recent pre Deepavali season and earlier pre and post Thaipusam, yet again tens of thousands of Indian Petty traders scramble for Trading Plots from the local authorities. What ever happens to them after Deepavali and Thaipusam. Where are their legitimate Petty Trading opportunities after Deepavali and Thaipusam??? Where are the tens of thousands of opportunities offered via the Malaysian Agriculture and Horticulture Association MAHA EXPO for the B75 Indian poor. To the contrary “Illegals (Immigrants) have taken control (and) are dominating businesses in urban areas” (23A) To the contrary a la UMNO era B75 “Cattle farms demolished” (23B), “They (Cow Farmers) have no where to go”(23C), There is supposed to be 20,651 Indian Entrepreneurs having received Tekun Loans (23D) but we do not physically see or even hear of them. The B 75 Indian poor are denied even ‘kacang putih’ licenses to start off with! Why can’t licenses be given to even operate Burger Stalls in Chinese Housing areas let alone denying tens of thousands petty reading licences etc.
6. Although qualified, only an estimated 2% of Public Universities intake are allowed for Malaysian Indians and most B75 cannot afford Private Universities especially in the field of Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Pharmacy, Architecture and other Professional courses.
7. RM4.5 Billion expended on TVET (24) in training 29,770 students but the B75 Indian poor are largely excluded believed to be from the 235,000 to 264,000 applications received (25). At the Kepala Batas ILP (Philanthropist Arumugam Pillai’s donated Land) out of 600 students only 22 @ 3.6% are from the B 75 (25A). Giat Mara Colleges etc are denied to the B 75 although opening up the same is announced by PH Indian Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister. (25B) Our humble analysis is that “outsourcing” TVET to Private Institutions is an UMNO trademark vis a vis $$$ !
8. Widespread B75 Indian poor handicapped, elderly, sickly and orphaned denied even monthly welfare assistance which in any event at RM300.00 p.m. is way below the hardcore poverty level with the median income being at RM4,585.00.This is made worst by them also being denied additional financial assistance from the scores of Yayasans, GLCs’, Corporate and Private Sector. “Husband’s left leg amputated, Wife’s Right leg amputated, misery of young couple (@ 26)”(25C), “Welfare recipients (both 64) hope welfare aid will resume” …(even the mere) RM140.00 has been discontinued.(25D) , 61 year old disabled newsvendor for over 40 years forced to work on his modified three wheel motorbike also to feed his disabled son, stays in low cost flats in PD, gets up at 3.00 am daily.(25E). Masyarakat Madani???,(Cramped up, poorly equipped, furnished and underfunded) Old Folks Home and Childrens Orphanages as reported in the mainstream media are almost always filled up with the B75 Indian poor. Our appeal is like the other unfortunate Malays, these B75 should also be cared for in Government Orphanages and Homes with a guarantee of a no conversion of religion policy!
9. Widespread B75 workforce victims denied SOCSO Claims and Pensions. The powerless PH Indian Human Resources Minister is of no or very little help!!!
10. Widespread B75 chronic poverty to the point they cannot even afford a funeral @ Zahid Hamidi’s GE 14 election opportunism of free coffins promise if BN wins, B75 leaving ‘orphaned bodies’ at mortuaries (26), B75 children stop schooling, B75 begging for even wheelchairs, prosthetic legs, school uniforms,spectacles, hampers etc. B75 unable to pay RM124.00 Monthly Rentals and DBKL Low Cost Flats padlocked with even B 75 Women and Children evicted and thrown out of their said flats together with their few belongings. Water Supply disconnected at Batu PPR Flats. (26A). 359,065 poor Malaysians registered under eKasih (26B) but B75 Indian poor excluded! The B75 Divorce rate (arising out of poverty) has increased by 70%. (26C) and so the crime rate arising from poverty.
11. Thirteen (13) (pre Merdeka) Hindu Temples in Seafields Estate, Elmina Estate, Lam San Estate, Kulai, Batu Kawan, Tg Malim, Bangsar, Linggi, Padang Serai, Johor Bahru (2), Sg Way, Bagan Datoh, Sg Petani have been denied Land Titles and have been slated for demolishment at any time. The Seafields Hindu Temple Stand off smacks of an UMNO era Hindu temple demolisment confrontation seeing some 500 police and FRU personnel backing up a private developer in confronting the local Hindu community. (27)
12. Further two (2) (pre merdeka) Crematoriums in Morib and Bukit Mertajam have similarly been denied Land Titles and have similarly been slated for demolishment at any time.
13. The B75 are still given the a la UMNO regime race based run around by the PH government departments. Hindu temples, Hindu Cemeteries, Tamil Schools, B75 Homes (deemed squatters), B75 Cow and Vegetable Farms etc are still forcibly moved from one temporary land to another with no permanent land and/or solution in sight even for these public facilities/purposes.
From the above we regret to bring to your goodselves kind attention that the aforesaid chronic B 75 problems is hardly heard of in the Malay, Chinese, Orang Asli, Kadazan, Iban, illegals etc communities. It is plain and obvious that the PH Government has not begun to address even the very basics let alone the ‘above the water’ B75 Indian poor issues. Kindly therefore dispel the perception that PH does not care.
There appears to be only an estimated 0.05% Delivery for the B 75 Indian poor in PHs’ first 200 days as opposed to almost Zero in the first 100 days.
We humbly appeal that Tun grants us 20 minutes to present our 100 Slide Show Presentation on B75 to the Malaysian Cabinet to impress upon your goodselves of the real and chronic state of affairs of the B75 Indian poor in this country irrespective of however hard working they are.
We also regret to bring to your goodselves kind attention that the supposed remedy for the 3 Million Indian Community in Malaysia via the “celebrated” RM150 Million allocation @ RM 50.00 per Indian in the 2019 Budget appears to be a copy paste of the UMNO Najib Razak Budget.Hopefully it actually flows down at least.
Until and unless the PH Government stops the exclusion and segregation of this B75 Indian poor from the National Mainstream Development of Malaysia and implement permanent solutions as done for all the other communities in Malaysia and put a halt to the PH powerless Four Indian Ministers and a Deputy Minister, 13 Indian MPs’ and the 18 Indian Excos, State Deputy Speaker and State Assembly persons’ political rhetoric of one after another piecemeal and/or temporary solutions political propaganda a la UMNO MIC especially in the Tamil print and electronic media and now even by the National Bernama News, there is not going to be any UBAH or MALAYSIA BARU for the B75 Indian poor. We beg to differ with the Prime Minister’s recent statement overseas in reply to a Malaysian student’s question that the Indians in Malaysia are well safeguarded because there are now Four (4) Indian Ministers as opposed to only one Indian Minister under the UMNO regime.
To quote PH Minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa “Putting compassion into practice”. (27A) To quote Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim “Time to correct (and undo) past injustices committed” (27B) and actually start implementing CARE vis a vis real DELIVERY and permanent solutions for the B75 Indian poor as the way forward and right thing to do in Malaysia Baru as opposed to the prevailing mere political rhetoric. Failing which there is going to be further breakdown of Social Compact among this B75 Indian poor.
Hindraf 2.0 regrets PHs’ decision in deciding not to rectify the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) (28).However the implementation of non racist PH Government policies by virtue of the Second Limb of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution guarantees “… the legitimate interests of other communities …”. Please give effect to this safeguard in particular against the aforesaid emanating from race based policies resulting in the continuing chronic plight of the said B75 Indian poor.
So please help us Tun.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
P.Uthayakumar,
De Facto Leader, Hindraf 2.0
1. Based on 200 days research and over 500 newsreports mostly from the 4 Tamil Dailies, three English Dailies and 6 Internet Newsportal and Social Media.
2. Hindraf (2.0s’) Malaysian Indian Minority Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2009 at page 23.
3. The Staronline 14 Aug 2018 : Permanent residents over 60 years old with red MyKads who applied for citizenship and fulfilled all conditions will soon have their application granted … applicants must fulfill all the necessary criteria, including going through a basic Bahasa Malaysia test.
4. Press statement by Kua Kia Soong, SUARAM Adviser 26 Oct 2018
5. Malkkal Osai 8/8/2018 at page 6.
6. (27,803 at as 100 days and a further 1,777 as at the 200th day)
7. Unlike the tens of thousands of villages and land banks nationwide of the Malays, Orang Asli, Kadazan, Iban etc,foreign workers in their countries,626 Chinese New Villages, the B75 Indian poor have almost Zero villages as their social safety net.(Ref : Hindraf 2.0 s’ 25 Proposals to Tun Mahathir,Tun Daim and Council on Institutional Reforms dated 28.8.18).
8. Tamil Malar 19/11/2018 at page 5.
9. The Star 8/10/2018 at page 2.
10. The Star 29/10/2018 at page 11.
11. The Star 23/11/2018 at page 30.
12. The Star 27/8/2018 at page 18.
13. Makkal Osai 3/9/2018 at page 3
14. Malaysia Nanban 9/9/2018 at page 5
15. Makkal Osai 14/9/2018 at page 3
16. Malaysia Nanban 14/9/2018 at page 1
17. Malaysia Nanban 19/9/2018 at page 2.
18. Makkal Osai 29/9/2018 at page 10.
19. Tamil Nesan 19/8/2018 at page 1
20. Makkal Osai 28/8/2018 at page 10
21. Makkal Osai 6/10/2018 Headlines
22. Makkal Osai 23/8/2018 at page 14, Malaysia Nanban 25/82018 at page 3, Malaysia Nanban 11/9/2018 at page 12, Malaysia Nanban 23/8/2018 at page 12 and Tamil Nesan 2/10/2018 Headlines respectively
23. Malaysia Nanban 28/8/2018 at page 12 and Makkal Osai 5/8/2018 at page 10 respectively.
23A. The Star 14/9/2018 at page 10.
23B. Tamil Nesan Headlines 28/8/2018.
23C. Malaysia Nanban 2/10/2018 at page 3.
23D. Starmetro 29.8.2018 at page 4.
23E. The Star 17/10/2018 at page 18.
24. The Star 26/6/2018 at page 2.
25. NST 10/10/2018 at page 5.
25A Tamil Malar 16/8/2018 at page 4.
25B. Tamil Malar 22.11.2018 at page 1.
25C. Starmetro 12.10.2018 at page 4.
25D. The Star 5/10/2018 at page 29.
26. Tamil Nesan 2/8/2018 at page 14.
26A. Makkal Osai 6/8/2018 at page 4.
26B. The Star 25.8/2018 at page 14
26C Malaysia Nanban 15/11/2018 Headlines.
27. Tamil Malar 18.10.2018 Headlines
27A. The Star 6/10/2018 at page 4
27B. The Star 27/8/2018.
28. The Star 24/11/2018 at page 1.
