pywong
8th April 2012, 01:26 PM
HINDRAF's stand on BERSIH 3.0
We welcome the initiative taken by Bersih to continue to push for changes to the electoral process in Malaysia. This is in line with Hindraf’s primary objectives of seeking fundamental changes, so the skewed and racist system that caused the marginalizion of the Indian poor may be corrected. Bersih 2.0 led to the establishment of the Parliamentary select committee, that led to the 22 recommendations of the Select Committee, which in turn led to the Minority report by the Pakatan Lawmakers that is now leading to the “Duduk Bantah” protest of the 28thof April 2012 by Bersih. This is history slowly working itself out in our midst. We welcome it.
Even as we express positive sentiments about this process of electoral reform, Hindraf has concerns about certain paradigmatic oversights in the process. The focus of the recommendations by the PSC and the response by the opposition lawmakers and Bersih centres around a variety of matters relating to the machinery and procedures underlying the electoral process . The possibilities for fraud in the electoral rolls, the checks and balances or lack of them, the structure and responsibilities of the EC and the administration of remote voting seem to predominate the discussion.
However, Hindraf’s concerns goes beyond these procedural and structural matters. The Indian poor are currently effectively disenfranchised by the system. This is true of other minorities in the country too. This fundamental issue of the disenfranchisement of minorities is a direct result of the working of our democratic system. The system which has the electoral process at its centre, does not now protect the rights and interests of minorities. This effectively excludes important interests from government and from policy. The possibility of minorities’ interests being served by majority representatives is not guaranteed, as current Malaysian politics is rooted in the ethos of promoting communal interests, overtly and covertly.
Many will argue this is not the case - but fail to explain why all the minority groups in the country are faring poorly in most socio-economic terms. Others will argue that we do have representation of minorities –look for example at the number of the minority Indian reps in Parliament. Adequate minority representation goes beyond minority members being included in legislatures. Minority rights are also dependent on how legitimate these members are as representatives of the minority community and whether they have power and influence over policies affecting the minorities they purport to represent.
Hindraf is seriously concerned with this issue of the disenfranchisement of the minorities. The fact that these have not received the attention in the current reform effort, makes our point about the consistency of the exclusion of minorities. It is Hindraf’s expectation that a reform movement such as Bersih’s will take cognizance of such serious systemic weaknesses and address them in the true spirit of reform. Reform is not only about better procedures, it is very much about a better system.
For a political system to be truly democratic, it has to allow minorities a voice of their own, to articulate their distinct concerns and seek redress, and lay the basis for a deliberative democracy. Reforms should also target progressive goals such as these.
We support the current efforts of Bersih, and urge Bersih to move on to address this serious issue of disenfranchisement of the minorities with the same urgency and compulsion as they are pursuing the current reform efforts.
Thank You
N.Ganesan
National Adviser
Hindraf Makkal Sakthi
We welcome the initiative taken by Bersih to continue to push for changes to the electoral process in Malaysia. This is in line with Hindraf’s primary objectives of seeking fundamental changes, so the skewed and racist system that caused the marginalizion of the Indian poor may be corrected. Bersih 2.0 led to the establishment of the Parliamentary select committee, that led to the 22 recommendations of the Select Committee, which in turn led to the Minority report by the Pakatan Lawmakers that is now leading to the “Duduk Bantah” protest of the 28thof April 2012 by Bersih. This is history slowly working itself out in our midst. We welcome it.
Even as we express positive sentiments about this process of electoral reform, Hindraf has concerns about certain paradigmatic oversights in the process. The focus of the recommendations by the PSC and the response by the opposition lawmakers and Bersih centres around a variety of matters relating to the machinery and procedures underlying the electoral process . The possibilities for fraud in the electoral rolls, the checks and balances or lack of them, the structure and responsibilities of the EC and the administration of remote voting seem to predominate the discussion.
However, Hindraf’s concerns goes beyond these procedural and structural matters. The Indian poor are currently effectively disenfranchised by the system. This is true of other minorities in the country too. This fundamental issue of the disenfranchisement of minorities is a direct result of the working of our democratic system. The system which has the electoral process at its centre, does not now protect the rights and interests of minorities. This effectively excludes important interests from government and from policy. The possibility of minorities’ interests being served by majority representatives is not guaranteed, as current Malaysian politics is rooted in the ethos of promoting communal interests, overtly and covertly.
Many will argue this is not the case - but fail to explain why all the minority groups in the country are faring poorly in most socio-economic terms. Others will argue that we do have representation of minorities –look for example at the number of the minority Indian reps in Parliament. Adequate minority representation goes beyond minority members being included in legislatures. Minority rights are also dependent on how legitimate these members are as representatives of the minority community and whether they have power and influence over policies affecting the minorities they purport to represent.
Hindraf is seriously concerned with this issue of the disenfranchisement of the minorities. The fact that these have not received the attention in the current reform effort, makes our point about the consistency of the exclusion of minorities. It is Hindraf’s expectation that a reform movement such as Bersih’s will take cognizance of such serious systemic weaknesses and address them in the true spirit of reform. Reform is not only about better procedures, it is very much about a better system.
For a political system to be truly democratic, it has to allow minorities a voice of their own, to articulate their distinct concerns and seek redress, and lay the basis for a deliberative democracy. Reforms should also target progressive goals such as these.
We support the current efforts of Bersih, and urge Bersih to move on to address this serious issue of disenfranchisement of the minorities with the same urgency and compulsion as they are pursuing the current reform efforts.
Thank You
N.Ganesan
National Adviser
Hindraf Makkal Sakthi