ELECTION WATCH (18): Sending Sami Away2Shuilin Temple

Operation Samy: Sungai Siput

A group of us took a weekend trip to Sg Siput to help Dr Jeyakumar campaign for his Parliamentary seat against Samy Vellu. Dr Kumar of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is standing in this election under a PKR logo.


Dr Kumar’s Operations Centre. The majority of the volunteers are estate workers. We found out that most of them took 2 weeks no pay leave to help out at the centre. The average daily wage of the estate workers is about RM18 per day. It is a major sacrifice by these people to forego their 2 weeks wages to volunteer here. At today’s commodity prices, it is pittance to pay these wages. Modern day slavery? There were also a few Chinese elders from nearby New Villages who took time off from their small businesses to help in the campaign. One of them was an “apom” seller. Some good people brought food and bottled water for these volunteers. Election campaigns require a lot of money.


Volunteers inside the Operations Centre and part of the convoy. These volunteers do translation work, database maintenance and some logistics support. There were 3 young volunteers from Penang who were incredible in translating Dr. Kumar’s speeches during his walkabouts and ceramahs. They were equally eloquent in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Cantonese. These volunteers also took leave from work to come here. There is still hope for Malaysia with such passionate and committed youngsters.

Barisan Alternatif’s (BA) ceramah stage is on the left. Samy Vellu’s supporters set up a stage back-to-back with BA’s stage (on the right). Karaoke music will be at full blast and scantily dressed girls danced on stage whenever Barisan Alternatif ceramahs are held here. The Police and the local council said they cannot do anything as they claimed that the stage was set up by the Ministry of Information. In other areas, hired hooligans destroyed Barisan Alternatif’s posters and banners.


Members of JAG (Joint Action Group) came all the way from KL to protest against sexist MPs. Voters were urged not to vote for any of these sexist MP’s. Samy Vellu is one of the sexist MP’s.

One of the main social issues in the estates is the plight of single mothers. These women’s husbands have either passed away, ran away or are in jail. These women do not have any support from the community and Govt. Dr Kumar hopes to build nurseries and daycare centres for them so that the women can go out and earn a living.


An entourage of Barisan Alternatif supporters on their walk about to the estates. The estates and villages were far and few in between. Campaign coverage in these innerland is difficult. Some estates have only about 10-20 houses with small pockets of population.

We drove about 40 mins. to reach a small village with only a handful of people. There were a few Samy Vellu’s strongholds which we avoided for fear of our safety.


One of the passionate supporter of Dr. Kumar. The good doctor has been working here with the estate workers since his university days in the late 70’s. He stayed and lived with these people during his student holidays.


Some of the dilapidated worker’s quarters in the estate. It is ironical that with today’s high commodity prices and the big profits earned by these companies, these estate workers are still living in such squalid conditions. Many of the workers live on credit. In a good month, they may earn RM700-800. In a bad month, they will be lucky if they can take home RM300-400. Weather conditions do not ensure that they have work everyday. When their money ran out before the next payday, some families live on rice and weak curry gravy for days. Chicken is a luxury.

Recent influx of illegal foreign workers have resulted in a threat to the locals livelihood. These foreigners are willing to work for as low as RM10 a day. The Govt has refused to set a minimum wage for the estate workers.


Some of the ladies from the walkabout posing with Dass and his family. Dr Kumar stayed with Dass and his mother when he (Dass) was only 5 years old. He is now a father of 3 beautiful kids. Dass is the sole breadwinner in the house. This was the first estate that Dr Kumar worked with years ago and he still returns to the estate to look after them. Dass is a second generation rubber tapper. His mother recently retired because of old age. She received a measly RM8000 in gratuity after working for 38 years. That is how cheap loyalty to the estate management is worth!

Dr Kumar has been championing the rights of the estate workers in Sg Siput ever since he left University in the 70’s. This is his third attempt to unseat Samy Vellu, the self proclaimed champion of all Malaysian Indians. He is determined to continue this fight regardless of winning or losing in this election.

Michael Meegan in his book “Surprised by Joy” related the story of a 15 year old HIV infected child prostitute in Nairobi who has to support her 2 younger siblings. The young girl told Michael that "I don't want you to carry me, but if you can just hold my hand while I step up." Dr Kumar is certainly holding the hands of these estate workers to help them step up.

( Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj is currently practising in a private hospital in Ipoh after resigning from Govt service. He was harassed and intimidated by the authorities for his work with the poor. Together with his wife, Rani, they maintain a service centre in Sg Siput to serve the poor.)

Pictures and write-up by: SH Tan

DESIDERATA updates at 10.0pm Wednesdae, still recovering from Drive-lag:):

Yes, sdr SH,

Desi is NOT tech-savvy, hence I'm gonna ask my ER to
"visualise"!:)the pix that I could not C&P!

Maybe I 'll add thy email, OK! ..Dear ER, hera ye: Senghai.Tan@motorola.com

Regards, keep Fighting Until Fridae midnite -- the
Morons are up to No Goode with the "reversal" of using
indelible ink!:(

YL, Desi

***********************

Just add that I spent a full-day wit' Sdr Terence Netto up north to survey the Opposition scene where PKR comrades are fighting very hard to upset the BN incumbents -- and there are optimistic signs March 8 may reward all the Volunteer workers like SH Tan and his band with a SURPRISE WIN, sending dedicated and principled polticians for a Goode Cause -- both PKR's Dr Lee Boon Chye and PSM-via-PKR's Dr Jeyekumar may walk into the agust House with the Voters' discerning eyes.

Dr Lee said he was glad to face a newbie, Ling Hee Leong, whose Q-able repur=tation precedes him! A paper billionaire-at-27 with thy Pappa'sministerial links, boy? Grow up man, you don't get Billions after "working very hard for two long, donkey years", paraphasing your own words!

As for Dr Jeyakumar, the odds against siting-duck of semi-value has been reduced day-by-day as the "HINDRAF" battalions maketh their presence felt. What an earth-shattering landmark "win" it will bewhen the Hindraf's "WIND OF CHANGE" sweeps through the so-called BN strongholds and make minced meat of the cow, donkeys and monkeys and robber barons pulling wool over the Rakyat's eyes for decades.

TIME4CHANGE!
VOTE OPPOSITION!
VOTE PKR!:)