'Nambikei' in BN on the rise

TURNING AROUND: A slew of programmes initiated by Najib has seen the Indian community returning to Barisan's fold

MALAYSIAN Indians have benefited much from government policies, especially in the last few years, as new approaches towards legacy problems faced by the community had a   positive impact on a large number of families.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak understands the community better than before, and the government he leads has focused beyond Tamil schools and Hindu temples to empower the Indians economically. It wants to uplift their economic status through initiatives that will be translated into long-term gains.

All the more reason for Indians to give the prime minister a chance to see through his plans for the community.
As political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian says, the community should allow Najib to continue with the government's Indian agenda and allow more time to see and feel the changes.

Malaysia's altered political landscape after the 2008 general election has also made the voice of the minority Indians louder, and their well-being is today being championed through various organisations, including political parties.
The five Tamil dailies, some deemed to be very vocal against the government, also play an important role in deciding where the Indian votes will go, especially in rural areas.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s direct approach has endeared him to the Indian community. Bernama pic

Feeling marginalised prompted Indians to abandon MIC and BN in 2008, but they now realise they had been shortchanged. The lives of those in states ruled by the opposition have not improved. The governments in these states have not addressed poverty among Indians to the satisfaction of those who voted them in.

There may be a sizeable number of Indian elected representatives in Pakatan Rakyat, 15 of them, but voters found that some of the members of parliament and assemblymen failed to perform to expectations.

MIC's former stronghold of Sungai Siput is a classic example. Voters who removed then MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and made Dr Michael Jeyakumar of Parti Sosialis Malaysia the first opposition MP for Sungai Siput, have found themselves more dependent on BN component party leaders to help resolve their problems.

Datuk S. Veerasingam, special adviser on Indian affairs to the Perak menteri besar, has been receiving visits from Sungai Siput residents seeking all kinds of assistance.

There is not much Dr Jeyakumar can do for his constituents without financial allocations, beyond writing supporting letters to the authorities and politicising local issues to retain support, said Sungai Siput BN coordinator R. Ganesan.

Ganesan claims support for BN is returning in the constituency.


Sungai Siput residents, like factory worker K. Palaniandy, 46, are all excited to join the national level Deepavali celebration with the prime minister tomorrow where some 50,000, mostly Sungai Siput residents, are expected to turn up at Ladang Infoternak.

They are quite certain there will be more good news for them, especially after reading Najib's Deepavali message on his 1Malaysia blog; of his commitment and that of the government to further improve the social and economic status of Indians.

"I am well aware of the problems the Indian community has and is facing, and that is precisely why the government has implemented many specific measures to address problems specifically faced by the Indian community," he wrote.

Najib had said the government's transformation initiatives and efforts to uplift the Indian community would not have been successful without the trust, or nambikei, between the government and the people.

"Through this partnership, which centred on mutual understanding and hard work, we have together brought the light of hope to families and individuals, enabling them to live better and happier lives."

Palaniandy of Taman Tun Sambanthan and among the registered voters in Sungai Siput, have nothing but praises for Najib's initiatives to help the poor Indians and vowed to support BN. The government's more accommodating stance has been key to pulling back support for BN, helping ease the anger among Indians against the government over issues affecting the community.

According to the 2010 census, there are 1.9 million Indians, making up 7.3 per cent of Malaysia's 28 million population, and they constitute a significant part of the electorate in 63 of the parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia. Their votes, while a minority, is a crucial factor in many state and parliamentary constituencies in the west coast, as shown in the by-elections after 2008.

An independent survey has also claimed that in a close contest, the outcome of 130 state seats in Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang and Johor could be determined by Indian votes.

While Indian support for BN is seeing a resurgence, there is some concern that it has not yet reached   pre-2008 levels.

In Selangor, for example, a BN source reveals that Indians in the state are generally happy with Najib's personal and direct approach in engaging them without relying too much on intermediaries. They are happy with the initiatives introduced to help the community, but are still in two minds whether or not to give their vote to BN.

The difficult challenge for BN is not among the 15 per cent of Indians who live in estates and rural areas, but the 65 per cent residing in semi-urban areas. These voters have moved out of the estates and many have children who are better educated.

There has been a noticeable rise in support among Indians in rural areas. BN, especially Umno's senior partner MIC, the People's Progressive Party, Gerakan and other Indian-based associate members have to focus on those in urban areas where bread and butter issues figure most.

Some reports have put the Indian vote as 50:50 while others have put it as 54 per cent in favour of BN. Given the tangible discontent in the community over long-standing issues, BN Indian leaders still have some work to do before Malaysians go to the polls again.

(Source: NST Website - 16 November 2012)