Samy Vellu seems to have “lost his marbles” making him to publicly declare “DAP telah mati”

MIC President and the sole Malaysian Indian Cabinet Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu seems to have “lost his marbles” (to do something senseless or stupid) making him to publicly declare “DAP telah mati”.

I don’t ordinarily watch television news but last night I caught a snippet of television news and saw Samy Vellu in a rampage against the DAP with the ultimate swear term: “DAP telah mati”.

DAP has been active, productive and vibrant for 42 years in Malaysian politics and is looking forward to the “battle of the century” in the upcoming general election. DAP will not die just because Samy Vellu wishes so.

What I am more concerned is how the longest-serving Cabinet Minister in Malaysia could so embarrass himself as to make a fool and public spectacle of himself over national television with such intemperate language and conduct.

Samy Vellu has never been under greater pressure as he is fighting for his political life.

The last straw must be Sunday’s announcement by the bearer of one of the most illustrious names in MIC history, more famous than the name of Samy Vellum, Ishwar Nahappan, joining the ranks of the DAP.

Ishwar’s parents, Athi Nahappan and Janaki, were not only founder-members of MIC, their contributions to freedom, justice and integrity are written in gold in MIC and Malaysian history. Janaki joined the Indian National Army (INA) at the age of 17 and rose to Captain and Second-in-Command of Rhani of Jhansi Regiment, the only woman’s regiment in the INA. Athi Nahappan will forever be remembered for his life-long commitment to democracy immortalized by the Athi Nahappan Report on Local Government calling for restoration of local government elections (which Samy Vellu has still to honour).

If not for the tragedy of the early demise of Athi Nahappan in 1976, a few months after being appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of the law and justice portfolio (a second Indian Minister in Cabinet together with Tun V. T. Sambanthan), Malaysian Indians and Malaysia would have been spared the “tragedy” of Samy Vellu as MIC President and sole Malaysian Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years – presiding over the progressive political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious polarization of the Malaysian Indians into a new underclass in Malaysia!

Samy Vellu should not “lose his marbles” over Ishwar’s denunciation that MIC under his leadership had failed the Malaysian Indians and the Malaysian nation. Many Indian leaders, including both current and former MIC leaders, have contacted and congratulated Ishwar for his bold and courageous decision to stand up for the marginalized Indians and other deprived communities.

He should respond to Ishwar’s powerful statement about the marginalisation of the Indian community under Samy Vellu’s 28-year watch as the sole Malaysian Indian Minister, viz:

- There are less than 3-4% Indians studying in the Govt Universities.

- Indians comprise less than 1% of those who were given the opportunity to study Nursing in the various Government Nursing Colleges.

- Malaysian Indians have, over a fifteen year period, comprised less than 2.5% of the annual student intake of teacher training colleges.

- Malaysian Indians have received less than 1% of all scholarships awarded by Govt and Govt-related bodies.

- Less than 1% of those training as officer cadets in Military Colleges are Indians.

- For the last 15 years, Indians have numbered less than 2% annually of those who underwent training as police officers.

- The situation in the Malaysian Civil Service is even more grim and appalling. One can walk into any Govt department and you will be hard pressed to find an Indian or Chinese in the clerical and administrative sections. For example, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in KL, out of 400 staff, there are only 2 Indians and 3 Chinese.

- The KTM, which was a traditional source of employment for the Indian Community, is recruiting less than 3% Indians on an annual basis.

- As of 6th Feb’08, the total market capitalization of the KLCI was 764 Bln ringgit. I estimate the Malaysian Indian Community accounts for less than 1% of the listed Corporate wealth of the country.

Instead of losing his marbles publicly and embarrassing himself, there are two choices before Samy Vellu:

• Turn over a completely new leaf by making amends for his failures for the past 28 years to defend the right of Malaysian Indians to an equal place under the Malaysian sun, end his, MIC and Barisan Nasional’s denial complex refusing to recognise the crisis of marginalization of Malaysian Indians and immediately announce a New Deal for the Marginalised Indians to reintegrate them into the mainstream of national development and get the five Hindraf leaders released from ISA detention immediately and unconditionally; or

• Resign as MIC President and Cabinet Minister, which is the increasing demand not only within the MIC but also in UMNO and Barisan Nasional.

* Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, MP for Ipoh Timur & DAP Central Policy and Strategic Planning Commission Chairman