I wish to congratulate the president of Malaysia Hindu Sangam for highlighting the chronic problems faced by the Malaysian Hindu community at its 25th annual general meeting. All the resolutions except one adopted were both protective and curative to the Hindu community (predominantly Indians) residing in Malaysia.

The resolution that I took exception to is the one that has deviated from the religious domain to the linguistic domain. It is the one calling upon the Education Minister to make it compulsory for all Indian Malaysian students to study Tamil at both primary and secondary schools.

I think this resolution is untimely, inappropriate, unjustified and against the principle of natural justice. This resolution does not augur well for the unity, betterment, cordial, and harmonious relationship among the multilingual Indian community of Malaysia.

There are now more pressing issues faced by the Indian Malaysians. The negative trends emerged among the community are clearly noticeable and conspicuous. These negative and anti-social ills need to be addressed and curbed.

The demographic trends of urbanisation, industrialisation, migration and phenomenal global changes have seen many Indians adjusting badly to the new scenario. The effects are clearly visible in the form of alcoholism, gambling, rape, robbery and gangsterism, all of which are more rampant among Indian Malaysians than the other ethnic groups.

Such social menaces have to be stamped out and the stigma attached to social ills and Indian Malaysians should be eradicated at all cost. The Malaysia Hindu Sangam can play a pivotal role towards this end and not by creating disharmony and hurting other non-Tamil minorities, which may happen if they are made to study Tamil.

One should not lose sight of the fact that non-Tamil Indians have to study their own mother tongue. Telugu language ranks among the top 15 spoken languages and is spoken by nearly 80 million people, even if the Telugus are a minority of the minority Indians in this country.

Since more then 70 million people in the world speak Tamil, and it ranks among the 17 largest spoken languages in the world, it should be open to all Malaysians and not just to the ethnic Indian alone. But it should be made optional and not compulsory. Making Tamil compulsory to all Indian Malaysians is detrimental and will affect negatively our language, culture and identity.

The Telugu Association of Malaysia objects strongly to Tamil language being made compulsory for all Indians. It is not that we love Tamil less but we love our mother tongue, Telugu, more. We have no objection whatsoever of Telugus studying Tamil. Many do. But. It should not be forced upon us at all costs. It should be optional.

Even in monolingual America, almost every ethnic group now has a cultural programme of their own. Cram schools and ethnic heritage schools abound to preserve culture, language, history and ethnic customs and values.

So please do not delve on sensitive issues of this nature in future. The Telugu Association of Malaysia is in position to charter its own future. Be magnanimous enough to accommodate all Hindus without fear or favour. Let us built bridges and not mountains between us and join hands for the betterment of the Hindu community.

Let all Malaysians irrespective of race, religion, colour, creed, majority or minority feel they have rightful, secure and fair place under the Malaysian sun. Our attitude will decide the attitude of our community.

Note: This letter of protest against making Tamil compulsory for all Indian Malaysian students at primary and secondary schools as the third language, was sent to various parties, including MIC which made the proposal at its recent AGM.