GE 14, CALENDAR IMAGES & INDIAN HOUSEHOLDS.


I was recently asked two questions by Malaysian Insight on the publicity for GE14 and specific targeting of Indian voters. These are my reflections:-

1) Do you think that it will increase the Indian community's support towards BN in the coming GE14?

The calendar is a political tool to remind the Indian community of the services provided through the current Prime Minister and the special units he has established. These pictures reflects the services that has been provided.  It is not a lie or made up images. It has really take place.

Yes I think it would make an impact on a section of the Malaysian Indian community which is at the bottom 40% and who have benefited for these services.

However it will have little effect on the middle and upper sections who since 2008 have sought for political rights and development based on a right to services and not based on charity. The call is for equal rights, opportunities and outcomes. They see political leaders from the Indian community as having abused their powers for self-gain and betrayed the trust of the Indian community.

Critics have indicated that the government services paid by tax payer’s funds is based on citizens’ rights and should be used as a political tool.

2) Have the initiatives from BN towards the community such as the Indian blueprint won favour with non-partisan members of the community? 

Since 2008, Federal government efforts through the Cabinet committee, Special Implementation Taskforce, Tamil school action committee and micro loans and business training including funding for CSO projects have been well received. For the first time we see Federal government intervention in  a direct way. The blueprint and the SEDIC department is a major step forward in the equalisation of opportunities via the inclusive development agenda of the Eleventh Malaysia plan.

These are still some major issues pertaining to effective targeting and greater need for awareness and capability building at the ground level. Many issues are not quick fixes and therefore require long term change efforts.

Many of the PM Office initiatives have been via the federal government and CSOs and political parties friendly with the BN. It has not moved beyond through some independent parliamentary select committee or over discussions with parliamentarians in the opposition. This is a weakness. However, by-partisan political action is not popular in Malaysia and we do not have a strong trend towards parliamentary select committee action. 

The drafting of the blueprint saw a cross section of people consulted but not across the political divide. However any citizen irrespective of the political divide has access to the services. None so far has been denied any of the services or provisions at least have not read any reports or claims in this regard.

The politicisation of services is regrettable not just in the Indian case but also is in practice across political divide at the state government levels too where targeting Indians is done along with other citizens.


Read also: https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/37995/

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