Most Indians marginalised since pre-independence 
Malaysiakini
Oct  14, 2006

The Asli Report A large portion of the ethnic Indian community are victims of systemic marginalisation both economically and socially since pre-independence, said the Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute (Asli) in its controversial proposal for the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

Prepared by Asli’s Centre for Public Policy Studies, the study titled Case of Low Income Malaysian Indians believes that there is a lack of specific policies and plans meant to resolve problems of abject urban and rural poverty faced by ethnic Indians.

Among the study’s 12 recommendations, it said funding must be made available for development projects specific to the Indian community and it should be monitored and implemented properly.

The study concedes that most of its recommendations (see table) were not new, and warns that the lack of political will in implementing these suggestions would see the Indian poor suffering further.

“The fact that there is a pattern of repeated advocacy of old proposals and recommendations unfortunately reflects the extend of the community’s marginalisation and the failure of the country’s developmental machinery to respond to the long standing grievances and shortfalls in meeting the basic requirements of the Indian poor,” read the report.

Distribution skewed

A check with the Ninth Malaysia Plan showed that policies on skill training, recruiting more non-bumiputeras and entrepreneur development made specific references to the Indian community.

It should be noted however that Asli submitted the proposals in February this year, a month before the plan was tabled, and that other interest groups might have submitted similar proposals.

Though widely unknown, the study explains that past perspective plans such as the New Economic Policy and five-year Malaysia Plans had emphasised poverty eradication irrespective of ethnicity and the restructuring of society to eliminate the identification of economic functions with ethnic groups.

In practice however, the study claims such strategies, policies and the distribution of benefits have been highly skewed towards the Malay community.

“Sharp contradictions have arisen as the country’s strategies have become focused on creating a Malay commercial and industrial community. The poverty eradication programmes have also assumed a rural Malay bias,

“Although the incidence of rural poverty remains relatively high and the Malays form the largest group among the poor, the numerically small and economically weak ethnic minorities are increasingly feeling alienated, neglected and marginalised,” it said.

Haunting figures

According to 9MP figures, household income of Indians (1999 prices) was at RM3,215 in 2004 compared to RM2,522 for bumiputeras. The growth rate for household income of Indians however were at 3.5 percent between 1999 to 2004, while the bumiputeras were at 4.9 percent.

“On the other extreme, another set of social indicators show that the community is in distress,” argues the study, adding that up to one-third of Indians do not own houses, more than bumiputera and the Chinese.

The study quotes statistics which showed that Indians had the highest suicide rate and while constituting only 7.5 percent of Malaysia’s 26 million population, a higher proportion of Indians were arrested for serious crime or gang related activities.

“Studies in developed countries have shown a link between crime and inequality and indicated that groups or gangs engaging in unlawful activities are more likely to form in situations where the chances of achieving success legitimately are small,” continued the report.