Malaysian Tamil Rights

Anger against the migrants is common across the world. Whether in Australia or in England or in America, the native population is becoming restless. But it is sad to see hundreds of years old Indian migrants in Malaysia are ill-treated by the government. Eight percent of the Malaysian population is ethnic Tamils migrated few centuries back to work in the plantations. The British colonizers keen to develop the rubber plantations hired ethnic Tamils from south India to clear wild forests and plant rubber trees for the industrial growth. Once they reached the alien shores of Malaysia, the Tamils have worked hard and gave their life to develop the remote territory. What is considered as the economic strength of the miniscule nation Malaysia came in a sizeable form from the Tamils. They sweated and toiled in harsh conditions to develop the rubber estates. Without the selfless service and work of the migrant Tamils, Malaysia may not have moved in the forward direction. Forgetting this commendable contribution, the Malaysian government which is predominantly dominated by the ethnic Malays negatively discriminate the Tamils. The common complaints of the ethnic Tamils are, adequate opportunities are not given for them in the government jobs and services, and they are treated as the second class citizens in their own country. This accusation however untrue may be at the deeper level, seems to be a open truth at the surface point.

For instance, in politics only 0.5 percent of the Tamils are visible. There is only one cabinet minister for the 8 percent of the population. In the government jobs only a fraction of the Tamil population is able to get employment and that too cronies of the ethnic Malays. This insensitivity of the state breeds frustration among the ethnic Tamils who have contributed immensely for the economic and social might of Malaysia.

The fact of the matter is the Malaysian political system is used to having a high mix of autocracy and bureau tic governance. The false democratic rulers of Malaysia are elected through the sycophant members of parliament from the ethnic Tamils. For a very long period the ethnic Tamils have trusted their own men and elected them to parliament in their predominant constituencies. Unfortunately the parliamentary representatives of ethnic Tamils have failed to live upto the needs of their community members. Despite multiple representations and complaints to the Tamil MPS, there is no sign of improvement in the lives of common ethnic Tamils. This has pressurized them to go to the streets and protest against the naked discrimination by the state.

One possible reason is the frustration of the bhumi putras due to the high mobility of the migrants. This symptom is developing across the world. Large scale migration being the by product of globalization is fuelling unrest around the globe. The Turkish migrants are hated in Germany for occupying every corner of Berlin and other important cities with their kebab shops. Indians are disliked for their over domination in London, New York and many other metropolitan cities of the developed world. Although the reactions against Indians have not gone too bad, I guess this is the beginning of the worst days ahead. The outrage is not against Indians but the expression of indigestion of the natives about the growth of migrant population. It is nothing but natural for the bhumi putras to express their anger and depression through violence. If the state is keen to avoid a showdown between the bhumi putras and karmaputras it is important to engage both of them in constructive activities. Malaysian being a tough state managing only wealth and development at least for the last two decades has failed to act on the waiting time bomb.