Indo-Malaysian self-assertion via Internet

It was almost reminiscent of Tiananmen Square in 1989 when the Internet helped relay the news to the world. It happened again on Nov 25, 2007, Sunday, when as the world remained oblivious of the plight of the minority Indians in Malaysia, the Internet took on the responsibility of keeping up a flow of information for all those interested and concerned, about the perhaps first organised call for equal rights by Indians in Malaysia.

 

For most of us back home, the whiff that something was not quite right in our backyard came from the report of Tamil Nadu state chief minister M Karunanidhi’s statement in the newspapers, calling for the Central Government to ensure that Indians in Malaysia were protected. Tamil Nadu politicians in general and the Tamil media in particular, have always been quick to rush to the defence of Tamils world-wide. And thus, PMK leader Ramdoss, actor-turned-politician Sarath Kumar and the AIADMK supremo jumped onto the bandwagon soon after, calling for the Union Government to act quickly.

 

But the statements revealed the general fuzziness that marks the understanding of the issue in India. Although reports of demolition of temples in Malaysia in recent times have been trickling in, it never grew into even a double column story. Even Kumudam.com which has been one of the few popular publications following the issue in Malaysia, dismissed the arrest of 80 Indian activists, including one of the leaders, in a mere three lines on Friday.

 

Thanks to Tamil films that have eulogised Singapore and Malaysia and the Tamil media that has covered Senior Malaysian Minister Dato Samy Vellu’s frequent visits to Chennai, it is a little disconcerting for the average Tamil to realise that undercurrents have marked the celebrated bon homie between the Malays, Chinese and Indians. But even as the dominant media is putting together the story that was, the Internet marches ahead trying to tell it as it is.

 

Among the 360,000 results that Google returns for ‘HINDRAF’ (Hindu Rights Action Force) and chronicles the organisations efforts, the most interesting perhaps are the Wikipedia account of the organisation that incorporates the announcement, ‘This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses’ and the Al Jazeera’s report on the rally in You Tube.  

 

The backgrounder is provided a host of web links (like Carbon copy) and of course by Wikipedia which details the efforts of HINDRAF to secure justice from the British Government which brought the Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and left the ‘Indo-Malaysians’ to the tender mercies of the majority Malays. Accompanied by pictures of the rally, it gives a brief biographical sketch of at least two of the founding lawyers behind the organisation who have now been arrested.

 

Just what the Indians thought of the damage control attempted by the Indian ministers in the Abdullah Badawi’s cabinet was for all to see in Blogosphere. While milder reactions extended to questioning Samy Vellu about the 100 temples that he had helped save from demolition, strident ones bayed for his blood. More than any newspaper or television report, the discussion forums in blogs where interestingly Indians assumed Kollywood names such as Vallavan and Dhalapathi brought out the pent up feelings.

 

Perhaps, the second biggest protest in a decade in Malaysia has been quelled. Perhaps, the Indo-Malaysians’ efforts at self-assertion may soon become history. But the Nov 25, 2007 incident has proved yet again that the Internet is perhaps the most powerful tool in the armoury against any dispensation.