There Are Many Types Of Indians

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 I received the following:
 



   
My Comments :
There are many types of Indians. But before that we really do not know exactly how many Indians there are in Malaysia. Strangely while the absolute numbers of all the racial groups in the country are increasing the number of Indians seems to be shrinking.
For the past 24 years (since 2000) the "official census" indicates the number of Indians in Malaysia has been stagnant at around 2.0 million people or getting less (1.7 million to 1.8 million ??) But all the other races are increasing in their absolute numbers. Absolute numbers means the actual head count or the actual kira kepala. Why is the Indian population decreasing in its absolute numbers? Is that really true?
But the number of Tamil Hindu owned restaurants (especially the banana leaf restaurants - yumm yumm) is increasing. And for breakfast and lunch ALL OF THEM are usually full to the max capacity with mostly Hindu Tamil visitors. Yet the absolute numbers of Indians is decreasing? Strange.

Could it be that the Tamil Muslims (who are said to number over 350,000 people) are not counted as Indians anymore? I am just guessing here. That could be one plausible reason.

The large majority of Indians in Malaysia are Tamils - Hindus, Muslims and Christians combined.  There are a significant number of Sri Lankan Tamils  as well. But Tamils are Tamils.  Then there are other Indians like the Malayalis, the Punjabis etc.  Two of our prime ministers are of Indian origin - one Malayali Muslim and one more Tamil Muslim origin.

I believe the grievance in the above  messages refers to the Indian Hindu Tamil community. Again this is the largest Indian community in Malaysia. They easily make up 75% to 80% of the Indians in Malaysia.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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