“We do have a problem.” This is how Ve. Elanjelian, a consultant based in Malaysia, succinctly describes the issue of Tamils’ involvement in criminal activities.
The issue has been captured at least in two recent Tamil feature films – Kabali starring Rajnikanth and Jagat , made by the Malaysian director Shanjhey Kumar Perumal. Last month, at the 28th Malaysian Film Festival, Jagat bagged two awards including one for Perumal.
However, according to some observers, these creative works highlight only one aspect of the life of a section of the Tamil community in the south-east Asian country.
Referring to Kabali , P. Kamalanathan, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Education and a member of the Central Committee of the Malaysian Indian Congress (which is part of the ruling coalition at the Federal government), says the film portrayed a “very small segment of Malaysian Tamils, but the fact is, it’s not at all representative of the majority.”
Pointing out that the Tamils, once known as workers in rubber plantations, have diversified themselves into different fields of activity, the Deputy Minister, who has been a Member of Parliament since 2010, emphasises that “we have multiple billionaires, multi-millionaire businessmen, countless doctors, lawyers, engineers and many other professionals.”
Driven out of rubber estates
Concurring with Mr. Kamalanathan’s position that only a minuscule section of the community is involved in criminal activities, Mr. Elanjelian, who headed the organising committee of a recent official event on Tamil education, explains that in the 1980s and 1990s, palm oil became the major crop instead of rubbers and this development had driven out the Tamils from the estates where they were working for over 100 years.
Left by owners of the estates in lurch, the community had to migrate to cities. Even as it made efforts to redeploy itself in various fields of activity, some members of the community have taken to crime.
He points out that the roots of the Tamil community of Malaysia can be, broadly, traced to two countries — India and Sri Lanka.
While those with Sri Lankan links have come up the ladder, the other constituent of the community, whose ancestors were brought to Malaysia during the British colonial rule for work in the plantations, has not done that well.
In addition, the community is plagued by caste differences.
“There are not enough institutions within the community to support those who are lagging behind others,” Mr. Elanjelian says, adding that the present Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, has been taking steps to ensure that his government retains the confidence and support of the Tamils.
Many hurdles
P. Muthulingam, a social activist based in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and an observer of Tamils in various countries, feels that there are several hurdles for the Tamils of Malaysia to overcome while pursuing education, though they seem to be better off economically than hill-country Tamils of Sri Lanka whose ancestors too hailed from Tamil Nadu.
However, Kathiresan V. Sathasivam, Registrar of the 15-year-old AIMST University, Kedah, disputes this contention and says there are enough opportunities for all to pursue higher studies.
A. Fajarazam, Consul General of Malaysia based in Chennai, says that even in India, a large number of Malaysian students, belonging to Indian ethnic background, is doing medicine under a programme of the government of Malaysia.
“We don’t discriminate in providing an enabling environment regardless of the ethnic background of the students,” the diplomat asserts.
‘While Tamils of Sri Lankan origin have done well, those from India have been lagging in relative terms’
