Pengundi Cina dan India tidak lagi mencari pemimpin kitar semula.
Keterujaan pimpinan Perikatan Nasional (PN) terhadap minatMIC dan MCA untuk menyertai gabungan mereka mendedahkan kejahilan mendalam terhadap realiti politik kaum bukan Melayu. Kemasukan dua parti ini tidak akan secara automatik diterjemahkan kepada peningkatan sokongan Cina atau India. Untuk memahami mengapa, PN perlu terlebih dahulu berdepan dengan punca penolakan MIC dan MCA oleh komuniti masing-masing. Tanpa menangani isu-isu asas ini, kedua-dua parti tersebut berisiko menjadi liabiliti berbanding aset.
Sejak PRU12, hubungan MIC dan MCA dengan BarisanNasional (BN) lebih banyak menjadi beban daripada manfaat. Peminggiran mereka dalam BN mencerminkan kegagalan BN untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan kematangan politik pengundibukan Melayu — kegagalan yang menjadikan kedua-duanyasemakin tidak relevan.
Titik perubahan datang dengan Himpunan Hindraf 2007. Seruan agar pengundi India menyokong pembangkang secara en bloc telah mencetuskan kebangkitan politik yang bergema jauh melangkaui komuniti India. Himpunan itu bukan sahajamenyemarakkan sokongan terhadap PAS, DAP, dan PKR padaPRU12, malah memberi isyarat jelas kepada pengundi Cinabahawa sudah tiba masanya menilai semula kesetiaan mereka terhadap BN. Walaupun masyarakat Cina sebelum itu agak selesa dengan susunan ekonomi BN, sikap BN yang mengabaikan hak asasi manusia dan ketelusan — ditambah dengan penindasan terhadap perjuangan Hindraf yang melabelkan kami mempunyai kaitan dengan LTTE dan penahanan dibawah ISA— menimbulkan kekecewaan yang meluas.
Kebangkitan Hindraf menandakan satu perubahan bersejarah. Kempen sukarela oleh penyokong kami atas arahan saya secara langsung menyumbang kepada kehilangan majoriti dua pertiga BN dan kekalahan lima negeri — satu gempa politik. Sejak itu, MIC dan MCA tidak lagi dilihat sebagai suara kredibel bagi komuniti mereka. Di bawah kepimpinan Hindraf, masyarakat India secara jelas diarahkan untuk menyokong PKR dan DAP dan arahan saya ini diterima sepenuhnya oleh pengundi India. Pada masa yang sama, masyarakat Cina beralih kepada DAP sebagai allternatif baharu, sementara PAS turut menyaksikan sokongan kaum India yang belum pernah terjadi sebelum ini — sesuatu yang amat mengecewakan UMNO. Ini berlarutan di PRU 13 bilamana Ucapan terkenal Najib selepas PRU13, “Apa lagiCina mahu,” mendedahkan betapa gagalnya BN memahami landskap politik baharu.
Kini, Bersatu yang merupakan bekas pimpinan dari UMNO, dan PAS, dilihat sama-sama buta terhadap realiti ini. Kedua-dua parti terus salah tafsir aspirasi pengundi bukan Melayu, menampilkan alternatif kosmetik seperti DHPP atau sayap bukan Melayu Bersatu sambil menawarkan kerjasama dengan MIC dan MCA seolah-olah itu sahaja cukup untuk menyelesaikan masalah legitimasi mereka. Strategi ini bukan sahaja naif tetapi juga menunjukkan salah faham mendasar tentang kematangan politik masyarakat bukan Melayu.
Hakikatnya mudah: pengundi Cina dan India tidak mencari susunan kuasa atau pemimpin kitar semula. Mereka mahukan ketelusan, keadilan, dan reformasi bermakna. Ramai pengundi Cina dan elit India kini semakin curiga dengan kompromi DAP, manakala masyarakat India semakin muak dengan drama MGR Anwar Ibrahim. Dalam suasana ini, masyarakat India sebaliknya menaruh harapan kepada pemimpin berprinsip daripada Hindraf, MAP dan Urimai, yang mempunyai rekod panjang dalam berkhidmat kepada rakyatdengan konsistensi dan integriti. Dengan latar ini, andaian bahawa menyambut MIC dan MCA ke dalam PN akan secara ajaib menarik sokongan bukan Melayu adalah pemikiran terlalu mudah.
Masyarakat bukan Melayu tidak lagi mencari representasi “tradisional” dan kepimpinan kitar semula. Mereka mahukan kepimpinan tulen yang berakar pada prinsip, bukan sekadar isyarat simbolik atau penyertaan kosmetik. Jika PN terus memperlakukan isu-isu bukan Melayu sebagai sampingan dan gagal merangkul kepimpinan tulen daripada masyarakat tersebut, PN tidak akan berjaya meraih sokongan mereka. Tanpa perubahan strategi yang asas, usaha PN untukmendekati pengundi bukan Melayu hanya akan dianggap sebagai tokenisme semata-mata.
Chinese and Indian voters are not looking for recycled leaders.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders’ enthusiasm over MIC and MCA’s interest in joining their coalition betrays a profound ignorance of non-Malay political realities. The inclusion of these two parties will not, by itself, translate into increased Chinese or Indian support. To understand why, PN must confront the root causes behind the rejection of MIC and MCA by their own communities. Without addressing these issues, both parties risk becoming liabilities rather than assets.
Since GE12, MIC and MCA’s ties with Barisan Nasional (BN) have been more of a burden than a benefit. Their marginalization within BN reflected BN’s own failure to adapt to the political maturation of non-Malay voters — a failure that rendered both parties increasingly irrelevant.
The turning point came with the 2007 Hindraf rally. Its call for Indian voters to support the opposition en bloc catalyzed a political awakening that reverberated far beyond the Indian community. The rally not only energized support for PAS, DAP, and PKR during GE12, but also sent a clear signal to Chinese voters that it was time to rethink their allegiance to BN. While the Chinese had long been relatively comfortable under BN’s economic arrangements, BN’s disregard for human rights and transparency — coupled with its suppression of Hindraf — stirred widespread disillusionment.
The Hindraf uprising marked a historic shift. Voluntary campaigning by its supporters directly contributed to BN losing its two-thirds majority and control of five states — a political earthquake. From then on, MIC and MCA were no longer seen as credible voices of their communities. Under Hindraf’s leadership, Indians were explicitly directed to support PKR and DAP, since Hindraf itself was not a political party. At the same time, the Chinese largely consolidated under DAP, while PAS also witnessed unprecedented Indian support — much to UMNO’s frustration. Najib’s infamous post-GE13 remark, “Apa lagi Cina mahu,” further exposed the depth of BN’s failure to understand the new political landscape.
Fast forward to today: Bersatu, an UMNO offshoot, and PAS appear equally blind to these realities. Both parties continue to misread the aspirations of non-Malay voters, projecting superficial alternatives such as DHPP or Bersatu’s non-Malay wings while offering partnership to MIC and MCA as though this alone would resolve their legitimacy problem. This strategy reflects not only naivety but a fundamental misunderstanding of political maturity among non-Malays.
The truth is simple: Chinese and Indian voters are not looking for recycled power-sharing arrangements or leaders. They want transparency, fairness, and meaningful reforms. Many Chinese are already growing wary of DAP’s compromises, while Indians are increasingly frustrated with Anwar Ibrahim’s MGR drama.
In this climate, Indians are instead looking up to principled leaders from Hindraf, MAP and Urimai. who have a long track record of serving the people with consistency and integrity. Against this backdrop, to assume that welcoming MIC and MCA into PN will magically win over non-Malay voters is simplistic and misguided.
Non-Malays no longer seek “traditional” representation. They want genuine leadership rooted in principles, not token gestures or cosmetic inclusion. If PN continues to treat non-Malay issues as peripheral and fails to embrace authentic non-Malay leadership, it will fail to gain their support. Without a fundamental shift in strategy, PN’s outreach risks being dismissed as nothing more than tokenism.
With GE16 looming, we have less than a year to determine the future of our political rights and the kind of legacy we want to leave for our children and grandchildren.
Our community is dwindling year by year, and with that, our political influence is shrinking.
The leadership of MIC, PKR, and DAP — which have dominated the political scene for decades — has failed the Indian people. MIC had 68 years to bring change, yet our community still stands on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, the Indian leadership in PKR and DAP remain subservient to Malay and Chinese interests, doing little to address the core issues that affect us.
The failure to jointly push the Unity Government for a comprehensive plan in the recent RMK-13 by MIC, PKR and DAP is clear proof of a failed Indian leadership duped by multi racial politics by Anwar Ibrahim.
On one side, BN played us for fools for 68 years using MIC as their puppet. We trusted PH, and they too made their leaders nothing more than puppets.
On the other hand, PAS and Bersatu are presenting a new brand of puppets as their Indian associate members, who are mostly uneducated and have no notable record of community service, as alternatives.
So, who should we blame for being taken for a ride?
Malay and Chinese politicians have long regarded Indians as immature and easily manipulated. This is why they continue to deceive us with promoting weak Indian leadership, empty promises and token gestures—such as handing out hampers, donating to NGOs, and funding Hindu temples, all while never addressing our real needs.
We need a comprehensive political solution. For this you have no choice but to give us from Hindraf and MAP a chance in GE 16. You have tried trusting others with no result. My team and I have proven records.
The time has come for us to take back control. We must place our trust in leaders who stand by principles and have a proven track record of fighting for the rights and dignity of the Indian community.
Hindraf and MAP have consistently championed our cause, and they’ve always stood firm for what is just and right.
It’s time for us to wake up from our complacency. Relying on leadership that offers mere handouts, allocations, or NGO grants as solutions is not enough. These are only temporary fixes, meant to short change us. What we need is real, systemic change. Government initiatives that address our community’s long-term needs are severely lacking, and it is time we demand more.
Let’s stand together for a future where our voices are heard, where our rights are respected, and where our community can truly thrive.