PROBLEMS AMONG INDIANS IN MALAYSIA – ON A GENERAL PERSPECTIVE

Most Malaysian Indians of all age group are faced with Social, Economical and Political Frame uncertainties. They are poor in terms of health, wealth and leadership. A large group of them are suffering from diabetes, chronic heart problems, liver problems and kidney related problems cancer and other due to factors induce by lifestyle. I believe that not many of them could be involved or related with STD due to their rich cultural heritage which is gradually eroding. They are mainly pre-occupied with Vengence related Serial Dramas, Violance related Movies etc.

The problems with Indians in Malaysia is not due to diversity in Indian language like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, or any other languages, but the problems among Indians is mainly due to poor social, cultural and academic cultivation among parents. Example: about 30 years ago, a standard four Indian student may know who is Abraham Lincon, Alexender the Great, Marco Polo, Parameswara etc but today; if you were to ask any of the current year 2008 Indian students in standard four – who these guys are – the definite answer is “don’t know”; comparatively asked them who is Nayantara, Ajit, Rajinikanth etc – they will know. Now – what is the problem here; where have parents gone wrong, where has the society gone wrong, where have our leaders gone wrong or are all plain ignorant.

Are we Indians Poor in wealth that we are unable to fund our Tamil schools’?

With referance to Thaipusam, sited just as an example, look at some of the scenarios on what happens during a one day festival.

Millions of coconuts will be smashed on the roadside.One family might smash 108 coconuts and another family may smash 1008 coconuts. Assuming 250 individuals smashing 108 and another 250 individuals smashing 1008 coconuts; the total smashed coconuts will be 279000. In actual fact the 500 individuals may need only to break only 500 coconuts, the variance will be 278500, and if each coconut is priced at RM1.50, the total loss is about RM 417,750. If we were to multiply the scenario to 20 temples throughout Malaysia, where the celebration is grand in scale – the total loss RM 8.355 Million.

NOW ARE INDIANS POOR or they wished to remain poor!

In my view if indeed they are true hindu’s, they may know why we break coconuts ( please see to that I used the term break coconuts and smash coconuts ) else its better for them to find out why. Below is the link : http://www.shaktimarg.com/confused/coconuts.html

Another form of lost comes in by the lost of millions of liters of milk, washed away in the name of god during the "Paal Abishegam". Assuming 9000 individuals pledge 5 liters and another 1000 individuals pledge 10 liters of milks for the abishegam, the total liter of milk washed away is about 55000 liters. If the 10000 individuals were to pledge only 1 liter each, that’s a saving of 45,000 liters, and if each liter of milk is priced at RM 2, the total sum washed away is RM 90,000. If we were to multiply the scenario to another 20 temples throughout Malaysia that celebrates this festival at a grand scale, the total loss is 18 Million.

NOW ARE INDIANS POOR or they wished to remain poor!

On a daily affair, when a few tablets of camphor is sufficient, we may see individuals burning one whole box of camphor during the temple festivals, and if 50000 individuals were to do the same throughout Malaysian during 100’s of temple festivals throughout the year, with each box costing RM4, the total loss is about RM 20 Million going up in smoke.

NOW ARE INDIANS POOR or they wished to remain poor!

What I am trying to say here is that there are some practices within our lifestyle that we need to adapt to changes, rather then wasting in the name of GOD. GOD did not ask for things to go to waste. These losses can be utilized to make the world a better place for most individuals in need as we Indians fail to understand our culture and its cultural protocols which we need to learn from sharing of experience, knowledge, observation and critical analysis, and this includes me as well. The stage is as if we are still at infant stage of knowledge about our culture which is more than 5000 years old and rich with spiritual significances, but we tend to be lazy and conveniently say that its all for God that I do this contribution to held on our ego. Please share the wealth responsibly for the people and the temples.

Are we Indians Poor in wealth that we are unable to fund our Tamil schools’?

Now that we have general holidays, general public holidays, birthdays, anniversaries etc, our Indian youths have more reason to consume alcohol in abundance about 3 large bottles of beer per night. Now let us do some simple calculation. Averagely on one Saturday night, about 250,000 Indian youths may go to restaurants, pubs etc for some entertainment. Now stretch this to another 4 Saturdays per month, as they have more reasons to celebrate, - this makes about 3 Million beer bottles per month. The total sum of consumed beer with each bottle at a price average of RM 12, the street value in consumption is RM 36 million. Besides these, its needless to say or talk about the hundreds of lost lives due to escalated fights during this drink sessions which goes beyond the term of ‘entertainment’ and another hundreds of families hopes, happiness and dreams shattered.

Is every Indian family in Malaysian who has Cable TV Connection ready to make a sacrifice of about RM 60 per year? Well how – Approximately there are 500,000 Indian homes with Cable TV connection and if each family can put aside one months subscription fee, we have about RM 30 Million, that can be channeled back to the society.
On the factor above, who is to be blamed? The government or their parents lack of awareness or the societies ignorance. Only and only if, these fund has been channeled back to the society, we will be a progressive society.

IF THERE IS A WILL TO SURVIVE, THERE IS A WAY TO SURVIVE (valla ninital vallam, waliya-illai bumi-iyil ) – a quote from one of a famous song
Now are Malaysian Indians poor?
Yes. Poor in financial terms
Yes. Poor in awareness
Yes. Poor in shredding off their ego
Yes. Poor in self analysis and self motivation

My pessimistic view is that most of us may blame that we are poor and weak because our LEADERS failed us – and this may be true. My optimistic view is that our ignorance and lack of devotion to god the creator, the preserver and the destroyer makes us lose mankind’s sanity towards insanity and leads us astray and it makes us poor, weak and timid.

Some of the social ills that we can avoid begins’ at home with our parents, we as parents, our family and circle of friends guidance to make the world a better place to live. For example, the lack of civic consciousness within the community , will be a simple concern. Its related with the disposal of rubbish and waste around the neighborhood but not within their house compound. Who is to be blamed for this, the government or the parents ? Have we forgot the practice of good actions begin at home. Furthermore, generally the current Malaysian Indian socities poor view in spiritual and religious knowledge escalates the society to fair poorly.

The addiction to samsu, alcohol and cigarettes, movies and serials that eventually brings upon the downfall of the society itself - but then, we tend to blame the government or their parents lack of awareness regarding this social illness.

The Tamil school students lack the motivation to participate in sports mainly subjected to non-availability funds, proper sports equipment and its related facilities. In the past, the Malaysian Indians had strong participation and contribution in the success and development of sports in Malaysia, but today our youth is keen to spend their time on cable tv channels, SMS chats and Attam Noooru Vaagai etc. but of course the producers and service providers will have all the good excuses, in making those program to be successful, because at the end of the day its all about money and business returns.

In recent years, we have claims that not many Malaysian Indians feature in team sports, as the team selection is biased, but then how about Malaysian Indians participation in individual sports like swimming, badminton. Basically we can say the acheivement is not that great.

Why?

It could be because, we fail because to motivate our kids and our society to take up sports as we are more attached to tamil programs in televisions.(I am not preaching that all programs are bad, but how many of Indians families watch good educational / motivational – tamil programs in tv – I doubt the number will be big). At the same time we also do see the potentially talented students pre-occupied with SMS chat, Video Games etc.

Why is there a communication barrier among Indians in general to mix with all level of society and among their own society, we are very divided. One reason as for current trend is some of us are Malay medium educated and some Tamil medium educated. – There is no harm in these, but what we may need to compensate our loss. We may need the parents to encourage the activities that could allow healthy participation through academic, sports and cultural related programs.

I believe my view above may upset a few, may awake some who are still in a state of denial, in a state of ignorance or awake the state of anger among some – but then again its my view and I respect that your view may differ. The topic of discussed above is in general in referent to Malaysian Indians irrespective of the race, religion, faith and norms but to the fact of the poor social standing, poor academic acheivement in general and poor social values.

Thanks