After the implementation of the regressive Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1st April 2015, many celebrations had to be toned down a huge notch because of rising cost of living paired with GST that was allowed to spiral out of control by a government that is only interested in filling their coffers.
However the latest to be hit with a double whammy of taxation and price increase will be Deepavali, the festival of lights which will be celebrated by Indians and Malaysians alike from all walks of life. The celebration of colours, sparkle and shine takes a double blow to the stomach and below the belt as it is not just hit with the abysmal GST but also with steep, unforgiving and unprecedented toll price hikes.
Like the many religious and cultural celebrations celebrated by all patriotic, passionate, peace loving Malaysians, the one that is latest and hardest hit is this Deepavali in many decades.
In the midst of families tightening their belts and cutting down on celebration costs, retrenchments, stagnant wages and below minimum wage salaries, the newly minted President of MIC Dato Dr Subramanian claimed that Najib Razak has done most for the Indians, while taking a jab at the Indian community for their alleged ingratitude to the 1Malaysia Prime Minister.
Dr Subra also called on the community to exercise patience to put right social and economic problems.
Perhaps Dr Subra needs a fire-cracking reality check that after 58 years of independence and an average of 8% to 10% of the Malaysian population, you do not tell the Indian community to be patient and wait for another 58 years for their rights to be protected, for justice to be served, for equality to be seen to be upheld and for socio-economic empowerment.
Dr Subra’s greatest fear, should be whether the Prime Minister has genuine political will to improve the socio-economic status of the marginalised communities in Malaysia, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender and age. Unfortunately, the inability of the Prime Minister Najib Razak to keep to his word and to walk his talk seems to have missed Dr Suburbia’s careful eye, particularly on the subtle warning by the PM Najib Razak that if toll rates were not hiked then his precious golden goose BR1M would be less for the rakyat.
What marginalised communities need, including the Indian community, is not a one off goody like BR1M that can temporarily mask the pain and suffering of the everyday GST-and-high-toll-riddled lives, but to empower them economically so that they too can enjoy a slice of the prosperity cake in the nation.
Instead, the newly minted President of MIC has said that Najib Razak is the only PM who has done the most for Indians. The same dodgy premier who has yet to set the record straight on the supposed RM2.6 billion donation into his account, the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal as well multiple U-turns made by him, crippling human rights in the nation, who gave the go-ahead for GST and the green light for the recent toll hike just before Deepavali is the same person who is as silent as a grave has done the most for the Indian community? Inconceivable and unsubstantial!
Amidst the celebration of lights and the triumph of good over evil, this Deepavali must prove to be an awakening and realization for Malaysians from all walks of life against the gross oppression, marginalisation and abuse of power by the BN led government.
Malaysians must make this Deepavali one that is of awakening and realization that we will no longer allow ourselves to be taken for a ride, not by MIC President Dr Subra and certainly not by Prime Minister Najib.