In the last couple of weeks there have been a good deal of interesting and important comments made on the Tamil/Indian Malaysian community. The guiding thread in all these comments has been the problems faced by the community, the causes of the problems within the community and suggestions of corrective measures. Watson Road Tamil School, Port Klang.
The most dramatic problem that took a lot of space in the mainstream media and caught a lot people’s attention recently was about the menace of gangsterism in the community.
If one surveys the various comments carefully, three causes for the problems of the Tamil Malaysian community come to mind. These causes are economic and political marginalisation; Tamil cinema; and Tamil schools.
No benefits
Many middle- and upper-middle class Tamil/Indian Malaysians hold a view that Tamil schools are practically useless. Students in Tamil schools do not benefit either educationally or economically. And, worse, Tamil schools have become a hotbed for nurturing and sustaining vices and gangsterism.
So why maintain an institution that does not do any good for the Tamil Malaysian community and generally embarrasses the Indian community. Their solution: Get rid of Tamil schools. Read more...