I have heard this more than once. That the Indians in PKR are being sidelined in favour of PKR Malays.
Here is a comment by Muruga in Malaysiakini :
Brader Anwar did make the following statement which sounded like it was blaming the Indians in PKR for the ruckus.
"They think this is MIC" ?? Brader Anwar is certainly referring to the PKR Indians. You can read the full story in FMT here.
Obviously Brader Anwar is blaming the PKR Indians for throwing the chairs. This is evidence enough that the Indians there were having grievances.
Which begs the question "WHY WERE THE PKR INDIANS UNHAPPY?"
The answer is hinted at by the comment in Malaysiakini above by Muruga - that the computer voting could not click on the names of Indian candidates. There was no problem clicking on the Malay candidates names.
Just before the May 9th elections I attended a rally where plenty Indians (under Hindraf) were present and Tun Dr Mahathir was also present. One Indian woman recited a long complaint that currently there was no political party that catered for the Indians, especially the Indian poor and underclass. She went on to say that despite many Indians joining PKR, the PKR party was mainly a Malay party with little to show for Indian rights and grievances.
Now that the PKR is in the ruling coalition, it is yet to be seen if Indians will fare any better under the PKR.
In its early years the majority of PKR's members were Indians. The Malay folks now say that this is now no more the case. They say that the majority of PKR membership is Malay. Well I dont know since I dont know their real membership numbers.
But most certainly Indians make up a huge number of PKR's membership, far outstripping Chinese for example.
In his present stage of distress the Brader is seeking a closer friendship with Umno and possibly even PAS. The fact that both PAS and UMNO have refrained from fielding even a token candidate against the Brader in Port Dickson shows that they are smoothing the path for his return into Parliament and Government. This is the "Melayu - Islam" nexus. Indians have little role to play here.
To berjoget with UMNO and PAS, PKR itself must evolve and become a more Melayu party.
A few days ago I was in Rantau in Negeri Sembilan. The people there also said that many PKR Malays were leaving PKR to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu or Bersatu.
Although it was not said too loudly, the point came across that in Negeri Sembilan the Indians made up a large portion of PKR party membership. I think Indians are in the majority of the PKR membership in Negeri Sembilan. So many PKR Malays do not feel too comfortable with this situation.
The above comment by Muruga in M'kini seems to reflect this "uncomfortable" situation in PKR among its Malay and Indian membership.
This is Malaysia folks. Race will always be an issue. I have said this again and again - in Malaysia it is always race, race and race.
But there are very simple ways to solve this racial issue. I have come to understand this very well. No matter what is your race, your otak must accept that the Malays and the bumiputras of Sarawak and Sabah must be pre eminent in the politics of the country. Well this goes without having to say it because they do make up the numbers.
But it means other things as well - their perch on the power ladder must be maintained. You mess with this simple equation and you are looking for trouble.
Everything else falls in place after this. A free economy, a non interfereing government, a fair and just economic system (free and full competition, meritocracy etc) can all be worked out WITHOUT sidelining the Malays and bumiputras.
Maybe later. Tun Dr mahathir has just said in London that Malaysians are suffering in silence over something.
