The socio-economic landscape of Malaya was radically transformed during the colonial period with the migration of Indian and Chinese communities to Malaya. Many new opportunities and challenges confronted these communities and they had to find new mechanisms to cope and survive within the new environments.
Historically, social and cultural groups provided the support mechanisms necessary to address issues, needs and concerns of migrant communities, in addition to the formal support structures instituted by the governing authorities. With the advent of independence political parties played a strategic role in ensuring that the community voices wee heard within the policy and delivering mechanisms of the newly-established state.
In the Malaysian Indian context, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), which was founded in 1946, worked in an effective partnership with the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) and the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) to secure independence for Malaya from the British. The migrant Indians and Chinese become citizens with the rights and responsibilities of full citizenship including the right of participation in the political and electoral process. This ensured the Indian voice and presence in government through a multi-racial framework and cooperation.
The MIC, which is the largest grouping of organised Indians in Malaysia, also initiated socio-economic projects on behalf of the community for its betterment. One of the earliest efforts was that of Tun V.T. Sambanthan, the 5th MIC President who founded the National Land & Finance Co-operative Society (NLFCS) in 1960. It mobilised savings of plantation workers and initially purchased rubber estates. However today, the economic activities of the co-operative society is diversified. Furthermore, the NLFCS is one of the largest and most efficiently run co-operative societies in Malaysia.
Another significant initiative was the founding of the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) by the current MIC President, Dato’ Seri S. Samy Vellu in 1984 to address educational concerns of the Indian community. This was done through the provision of study loans for higher education and the establishment of two Technical and Further Education Colleges (TAFE). In addition MIED has established a private university, the Asian Institute for Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) to enlarge the higher educational opportunities of the community.
What is significant here in the Malaysian experience is how the political party has ventured beyond the traditional boundaries of party politics. Alongside direct political activities and representation in government, the MIC has enlarged the parameters of politics by developing itself as a ‘socio-political movement’ for community transformation.
The significance of this model and strategy for replication by other diasporic communities globally requires further study and drawing of lessons from a cross-section of examples. Furthermore it provides the potential for smart partnerships across the diaspora to strengthen, enable and further enhance these creative and self-reliant initiatives for socio-economic mobility of minority communities.
(Abstract of a paper presented in a workshop session on Voluntary Sector & Development by Dr Denison Jayasooria at the Diaspora Conference organised by the Government of India, January 8-11, 2003 in New Delhi, India.)
(Submitted on 6th January 2003)
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