Seminar Series: Abstract

Political Activism amongst Indians in Malaysia
Arunajeet Kaur - PAH Candidate

On November 25th 2007, approximately 30 000 Indians (mainly Hindu Tamils) demonstrated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Initiated by the HINDRAF, a loose coalition of 30 Hindu/Indian organizations in Malaysia, they were agitating for Hindu/Tamil/Indian rights in Malaysia . Reasons of discontent were the errant demolition of Hindu places of worship, the disinclination of the UMNO government to hold an inquiry into the Kampung Medan ‘mini genocide’, March 2001, whereby some 1100 Indians were slashed and killed, the disproportionately high number of Indians who were killed in police custody, and the discrimination endured by Indians in gaining admissions to higher institutes of learning or skills and training in Malaysia. But the issue of discrimination endured by Indians with Malaysia is not new. Being a non – Bumiputera minority in Malaysia, these were old concerns rehashed within new contexts. Arunajeet attempts to understand why Indian Political activism has reared its head now , after 50 years of Independence and what were the antecedents to this phenomenon . Her project entails studying the nature and significance of Political Activism amongst Indians in Malaysia ?