Has Sivanesan Successfully Resolved Indian Issues Or Was His Claim Just A Ploy For Political Support

---

 
THE political fire ignited by the 2007 Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally was a crucible for change, and DAP leaders, many of whom were once vocal advocates, rode that wave of grassroots fury straight into power.
Now, the time for reckoning has arrived. As an ex-Hindraf lawyer and current Perak exco, the burden of expectation falls heavily upon V. Sivanesan.
The question is blunt and cuts to the core of his mandate: Has Sivanesan succeeded in resolving the stateless issues of the Indians in this country, or was the outcry merely a ploy for political support?
For over five years, serving as a state executive councillor (2018-2020 and 2022-present), Sivanesan has held the levers of power in Perak.
The time for pointing fingers has passed, the time for accountability is now. The people of Perak demand a straight answer,  have all the temple land issues in the state been resolved? The very community DAP championed is now watching.
Issuing guidelines and resolving land disputes for Hindu temples is easy, but a fight for dignity and heritage is the true measure of his capacity.
The emotional narratives and promises made by anti-MIC leaders about visiting estates and resolving documentation crises seem to have evaporated into thin air. Governance cannot be built on emotional manipulation and fabricated statistics. We must rely on facts, not fiction.
The community wants to know the real world resolution rate for the stateless people whose hopes were pinned on this political shift.
Sivanesan’s recent public mockery of MIC for losing deposits in Jelapang and Buntong seats speaks volumes. The arrogance in his statement, rather than demonstrating confidence in his own accomplishments, reveals a troubling focus on tearing down rivals instead of articulating solutions.
This rhetoric drew a swift and fiery response from MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan: “If you’re confident in representing all Malaysians, step out of Chinese majority constituencies and contest in Malay majority seats in the next general election.”
This is not just a political taunt; it’s a profound challenge to the very legitimacy of DAP’s claim to represent the entire Malaysian Indian community.
When political disagreements devolve such as Sivanesan’s sarcastic instruction to Saravanan to “flush his poem into the toilet”, it doesn’t demonstrate strength but a lack of decorum and capacity for constructive debate.
While diversity of thought strengthens democracy, the descent into insult is dangerous.
Sivanesan’s action in Perak to issue a five year moratorium on new temples on government land, though perhaps aimed at creating order, drew heavy criticism for seemingly failing to protect existing, long-established temples on state land.
The core demand was not for new guidelines, but for the regularisation and gazetting of existing temples with historical significance. The Indian community’s frustrations were the fuel for political change. They deserve more than just an exchange of insults.
By continually using the MIC as a “punching bag”, Sivanesan is attempting to cling to his old opposition identity. The public, however, gave them power to act, not just to complain about their predecessors.
They deserve resolution. The question hanging over Sivanesan is simple: Where are the results? 
M Vivekananthan is the aide to Tapah MP Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

---