Forsaken Hindus of Malaysia

• In contrast to their global counterparts, the Indian diaspora in Malaysia, have performed dismally on all social and economic indicators.
• Practitioners of other religions, particularly Hindus have been systematically subjugated, denied basic rights and protection from the state.
• The genesis of the problem lies in Islam-supremacist and Malay-supremacist laws. Then there are a host of other laws like apostasy, blasphemy etc which slowly but surely stifles anything that is non-Islamic.
• The very same country for which their forefathers sacrificed lives has not marked anything beyond a whimper of protest.

In 2007 a 100-year-old temple of Hindus dedicated to Goddess Maha Mariamman was demolished in Padang Jawa in Malaysia. In the previous year between April and May, several temples were reduced to rubble followed by violence. In 2009 to trample the sentiments of Hindus, a group of 50 Muslims, protested dastardly with the head of a dead cow, considered not just sacred but equated with Mother, against the construction of a temple at a new site.

These incidents are a decade old but with the unabated persecution, conditions have only worsened. Even a cursory study on conditions of minority Hindus in Malaysia reveals that these incidents are not a decade or two old phenomena but a result of seeds of hatred littered centuries back, now ring-fenced by arbitrary laws favouring the majority Muslim Malay. It only gives a glimpse of the future that awaits them.   

Malaysia’s popular tourism tagline, “Malaysia, Truly Asia” showcases that it is a melting pot of cultures, of the three distinct ethnic communities Muslim Malays, Chinese and Hindu Indians living together harmoniously. But the series of events involving the majority Muslim Malay targeting the numerically, economically, and politically weaker Hindus, casts doubts on the tourism adage. The lackadaisical response of the Malaysian Government in safeguarding its subjects raises serious questions, whether this oppression is essentially state-sponsored?

 It is an irony that the Malaya peninsula, where once the Indian Culture ruled the roost is persecuting Hindus today. Inspired by the glorious Indian tradition and culture, the Malayan region had adopted the Hindu way of life and tenets of Buddhism. Hinduism and Buddhism were the primary religions until the mid-14th century when tentacles of Islam spread fast with the conversion of the ruler, King Parameshwara.

Series of events involving the majority Muslim Malay targeting the numerically, economically, and politically weaker Hindus, casts doubts Malaysia’s popular tourism tagline, “Malaysia, Truly Asia”.

The Hindus in Malaysia today are primarily of Indian origin, fourth or fifth generation descendants of indentured labourers, who were transported to work in rubber plantations by the British during the colonial rule of India.

As a cheap labour substitute, post the abolition of the African slave trade, British India started indentured labour policy. Starting from 1829 till the end of the Second World War, an estimated 3.5 million Indians were transported to work as indentured labourers in colonial plantations of British and other European countries.  Such indentured labourers in today’s Malaysia and Singapore were mostly Hindus from the southern region of India and predominantly speaking Tamil and a small minority speaking Telugu and Malayam.

These indentured labourers formed the early Indian global diaspora. They continued to work and settle down in the colonies after the completion of the mandatory work period as per the contract. However, they maintained umbilical relations with language, customs, and religion.  As a hallmark of the true Indian virtues, the global Indian diaspora which today is 31 million strong has earned a reputation of being well educated, law-abiding and have contributed immensely to every aspect of life. In fact, many have decorated the highest position of Government, like Mr Mahendra Chaudhry, former Prime minister of Fiji and Mr Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi, the current President of Suriname etc.

Today the Indian diaspora of Malaysia is about 21,00,000 and form about 7% of the country’s population, 86% of whom are Hindus and there are about 1,00,000 Sikhs and a minuscule number from other Indic religions. Sikhs were initially sent by the British East Indian Company as political prisoners in 1849 and again in 1865 as recruits in the armed forces of the British Empire.

There are innumerable cases of state-sponsored discrimination and repression against Hindus in Malaysia. Sikhs are not immune from institutionalised persecution either.

In contrast to their global counterparts, the Indian diaspora in Malaysia, have performed dismally on all social and economic indicators. Hindus lag other ethnic groups in Malaysia by almost all measures. Though they form just 7 per cent of the total population, they account for 63 per cent of those arrested under the Emergency Ordinance for violent crimes. They also constitute 41% of beggars and 20 per cent of child abusers. Ethnic Indians rank lowest in national elementary-school examinations; about one in every 12 Hindu children do not even attend primary school. This is primarily a result of planned state apathy. Muslims of Indian origin, even though referred to as Indians, have fared far better due to their affinity with the religion of the State.

The constitution of Malaysia states Islam is the “religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony” but, this is far from the truth. Followers of other religions, particularly Hindus have been systematically subjugated, denied basic rights and protection from the state. They are denied citizenship on flimsy grounds and declared stateless, deprived of education and jobs, their places of worship are subjected to vandalism and destruction. They are denied citizenship on flimsy grounds and declared stateless. There are around 3,00,000 (Three Lakhs) stateless Hindus in Malaysia. They are even denied of justice. People are forced to convert to Islam as a panacea to all their perils.   

The case of Bangaramma caused considerable disquiet and drew the attention of international media but to little effect. Bangaramma, a Hindu woman, was charged with apostasy. As a minor, she was in government-run children home, where she was registered as Muslim without her knowledge.  She grew up as a practising Hindu and married as per the Hindus rituals. But the government there refused to register her marriage and acknowledge her husband as the father of her children. As per Islamic Malaysia’s apostasy law, she was separated from her children and husband. 

Malaysia follows partisan legal system, majority Muslims use sharia courts for religious and family matters such as marriage, divorce, conversion, death etc and the minority come under the purview of secular legal system that was inherited from their British colonial rulers. In instances, when there is a collision between these two distinct systems, even though Shariah courts are subordinates to civil-courts, non-Muslims are subject to an unfair disadvantage and might as well relinquish any hope for semblance of justice. To make the matters worse, civil courts have abdicated their responsibility in matters involving Islamic issues.

Deepa Subramaniam’s case exemplifies the miscarriage of justice by Federal Court of Malaysia. She and her husband Viran Nagpan, both Hindus were married as per Hindu customs in 2003 and had 3 children. Ten years into the marriage Viren decided to convert to Islam and when Deepa resisted, he abducted their 11-month-old daughter and unilaterally converted her to Islam as well. Under the sharia law, their marriage was now not inadmissible and his conversion to Islam strengthened his case for custody of the child. The wails of the forlorn mother were drowned due to co-optation of Islam as a legal instrument.   

There are innumerable such cases of institutionalised denial of justice and repression against Hindus. Sikhs are not immune either. In one of the modules in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Hindus and Sikh Guru were portrayed in poor light. It was withdrawn after widespread outrage.

The genesis of the problem lies in Islam-supremacist and Malay-supremacist laws, which mandates for people to be recognised as natives, i.e. Malay, should be a Muslim, thereby removing any scope for the distinction between Malay ethnic identity and Muslim religious identity. Then there are a host of other laws like apostasy, blasphemy etc which slowly but surely stifles anything that is non-Islamic. The theology of Islam is so deeply entrenched in the psyche of the society that there is little hope of any change in mindset or scope for an amendment to the constitution to make it a little bit more inclusive.     

 Voices raised for equal and respectable treatment are muzzled with charges of sedition. Global human rights watchdogs have been mute spectators. They have not pursued the cases actively beyond a customary protest. Neither the British who transported them ensured that the civil liberties and rights are safeguarded nor has their country of origin seem to be concerned.

It is an irony that the Indian diaspora of the Malayan region that had resoundingly responded to the clarion call given by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to join the INA in the decisive moment of struggle for Indian independence have been left to fend for themselves.

It is an irony that the Indian diaspora of the Malayan region that had resoundingly responded to the clarion call given by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore in 1943 to join the Indian National Army (INA) in the decisive moment of struggle for Indian independence have been left to fend for themselves. Thousands of volunteers had stepped forward. It is estimated that around 20,000 people joined INA and many of them were from the second generation of indentured labourers, who had never visited their country of origin.

The very same country for which their forefathers sacrificed lives has not marked anything beyond a whimper of protest. Even the self-appointed custodians of “Tamil cause”, the Dravidian ideology-based politics parties of Tamil Nadu have given deaf ears to the distress calls.  It would not be a surprise if their existence eventually fades away just like the soldiers of INA. Unfortunately, the world at large has abandoned them to their malignant fate to cry and perish in the wilderness of Malaysian tropical forests.

_{(The author has done his management studies at Liverpool Business School. He is passionate about Business Strategy and has written on fraud prevention strategies. He has a keen interest in Geopolitics, particularly the role of the Indian diaspora in influencing diplomatic relations. The views expressed are authors own)}