Press Statement on Presentation by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee at 5th “Diversity Matters??? : A Commonwealth Forum, 19 November 2008
In his plenary presentation to the Commonwealth 5th “Diversity Matters??? conference currently ongoing at the Malaysian branch of Monash University, CPI Director Dr. Lim Teck Ghee spoke on what happens when diaspora communities such as Malaysian Indians are excluded or marginalized in the nation’s development. Focusing on the HINDRAF movement as a case study, Dr. Lim attributed the growth of the Malaysian Indian under class to two major factors – government neglect and the massive influx of foreign labour which has provided competition to the Indian working class, and in many instances displaced Indian labour or reduced their wage returns.
He called on the Government to acknowledge the legitimacy of the concerns expressed by the HINDRAF movement and to address these concerns fairly and transparently, notwithstanding the extremist language used by some of the movement’s leaders in drawing attention to the plight of the Indian under class.
According to Dr. Lim, the main stumbling block to integration of diaspora communities in Malaysia stemmed from a narrow nation building paradigm and from state policies that sought to differentiate settled “immigrant??? from longer settled “Bumiputra??? communities. He pointed out that developed and resilient nations are marked by
• high social cohesion and low conflict
• inclusion of all social groups
• access and equality of opportunity for all citizens
• rule of law and vibrant democratic institutions
• a neutral and race-blind bureaucracy
• open societies
He called on all stakeholders in Malaysia, especially the Government, to learn from the lessons of the past but at the same time to not be imprisoned by past paradigms. Noting that full social rights should not be delayed or reduced because of economic disparities that were far more complex than the conventional ethnic typologies used by Government to address them, he argued that there was a need to match rhetoric with action in practicing tolerance and fairness. All communities should engage in positive tolerance and practice and internalize fairness as a prerequisite for the healthy growth of our modern pluralistic society.
Kuala Lumpur, 19 November 2008