Don’t fall for these sweeteners

The sweeteners have started coming in for the Indian community. Of course I am talking about the two announcements made by the PM today:

1. He declared public holiday for Thaipusam in KL and Putrajaya, and

2. The setting up of a panel to reduce poverty – not just among Indians but among all races in the next three years.

Wow! Let’s take the Thaipusam issue first.

For 15 years the MIC and various other community representatives have been calling for this day to be made a public holiday. The government didn’t move an inch. Now, with just three days before the celebration, the PM announces a public holiday.

Makes me wonder! Makes me wary!

IS this just an election gimmick? Will the public holiday be continued after this year? Why not make it a national level public holiday? After all if KL is shut down, it means the whole nation – from business to finance to politics are shut down as well.

The PM might as well have announced a national level public holiday. His failure to announce it as such leaves a bit of suspicion on the longevity of this holiday for KL and Putrajaya Hindus.

Of course MIC will be claiming applause for getting the PM to give the holiday. However SV will know deep down that the impact made by the 30,000 protesters in KL on Nov 25 is still reverberating. And we should not forget the role played by Hindraf as well.

Now coming to the eradication of poverty, I am so amazed that after ignoring this matter for almost 50 years, the government has suddenly realized that there are poor Indians too.

Once again, I think the community has a lot to thank to the brave 30,000 protesters (and indirectly Hindraf for being the catalyst).

I don’t know if the government will be able to maintain the public holiday and achieve the poverty eradication, especially when the announcements are made after the government has been forced to act to placate an angry community with a loyal vote bank.

Once the election is over, it might just be status quo.

The community should remain awake. It should not fall for such sweeteners. It should ask for more as what is being asked are not sweeteners but fundamental rights.