The two Indias & 1 Malaysia — The Malaysian Insider
Today is a historic day with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh launching ‘Little India’ in Brickfields — Malaysia’s purple rendition of what it thinks India is.
Much has been done to upgrade what is a multiracial suburb in the capital city to show that Indian Malaysians have a place in the country.
Not the Indians who marched down Kuala Lumpur in November 2007 demanding compensation and for their space under the Malaysian sun.
Brickfields owes its new colours, arches and lights as much to the Hindraf march as to the Najib Administration’s move to retain and regain the support of all Malaysians under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia.
But it isn’t a representation of the confident India strutting across the global stage in recent years, apart from a stumble in the just-concluded Commonwealth Games.
India has changed. It has gone beyond the arches that now dot Brickfields. And Malaysia can learn much from it.
It can learn from the Times of India newspaper that began a campaign on New Year’s Day 2007 to inspire India that was then poised for greater success in the world.
The Times of India put it succinctly when speaking about the sub-continent of more than one billion people.
“There are two Indias in this country. One India is straining at the leash, eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives that the world has been showering recently upon us. The other India is the leash.
“The other India says, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll prove myself.’ The other India says, ‘Prove yourself first and then maybe I’ll give you a chance.’
“One India lives in optimism of our hearts. The other India lurks in skepticism of our minds. One India wants. The other India hopes. One India leads. The other India follows.”
The copy motivated and inspired many across the country. Even moved actor Amitabh Bachchan to put the words above into speech.
This the India of today. It isn’t about colours, buildings and street lights or a giant fountain. It is about people. To seek, to know, to do.
One hopes Malaysian leaders learn much from their Indian counterparts.
That a country riven by communities, groups, tribes, language, dialects, political ideologies and faiths is simply a nation of one people. Indians.
One hopes that for Malaysia. That we are Malaysians.
amoker · 6 hours ago
The indians here.. leaping forward or happy to be leashed?
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4th Generation · 5 hours ago
What the Malaysians whose forefathers came from the Indian Continent do not want the 34 million worth of decorations in a small streach of road. They only want to be known as Malaysian (without any prefex or suffex) and to enjoy all the benefits as loyal citizens of this country. My grandfather (in the late 1940,s and early 1950,s may have agreed to some conditions in order to get a malayan citizenship. His father and his grandfather have toiled in this country clearing the jungle for the plantations, roads and railway. They were slaves in this country and were only paid for work done on daily basis - no work due to sickness, rain, not called for work - then no pay!
Why should my father and I who were born in this country after independence still be bound by the agreement made by my Grandfather.
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LovePeaceMalaysia · 1 hour ago
What agreement friend? There are no such agreement, if do exist the UNO government would have layout it to the public long ago. They have manipulate & change the history ( you can find out at school syllabus ). what else they cant do? Don't simply buy anyone's words, it's some smart people's game to confuse & attack others morally. We all Malaysian, don't let others make you feel less Malaysian in you!
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MindlessMalaysian · 5 hours ago
Indians here still cannot comprehend what/who/how they will get their freedom, their rights, and their opportunities.
Its too bad, they can get so easily seduced with some breadcrumbs - can't really blame them - the minds have been coerced, seduced, conditioned that they should be servants and enslaved.
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ckh · 5 hours ago
Very inspiring article.....thanks MI
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film director · 5 hours ago
the indians in malaysia are doing well....despite all the hurdles thrown at them...all my indian friends are mostly millionaires now...done it their own malaysian way...
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ISEEU · 4 hours ago
The beauty of the Indians is that they will never speak bad or condemn their own motherland India no matter what. They are very patriotic.
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walski69 120p · 4 hours ago
There's one Malaysia that says although the days of government knows best is over, you still need to do it the government's way.
There's another Malaysia which knows that the diverse little strengths it already owns can come together despite the skin-deep differences that are shoved down our throats.
I want to be that OTHER Malaysia... Which one do you aspire to be?
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Lan · 1 hour ago
The Indians here have been under the leash of MIC for decades.
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johownathan · 1 hour ago
I am a Malaysian in heart, body n soul n I want 2 b known, 4 all practical purposes as one.
We do not want Malaysia 2 b a "Land of Contrast".
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