Happy Deepavali!
On behalf of KEADILAN and Pakatan Rakyat, I would like to wish a Happy Deepavali to all Malaysians who celebrate this festive day, be you Hindu, Sikh or Jain. Deepavali, or in its shorter form Diwali,– the victory of enlightenment over darkness. In the spirit of today’s celebration, I would like to call upon my fellow Malaysians to remember with me those who face their own darkness every day.
As you light dipa lamps with your family, spare a thought to Mrs Indra who still waits for justice for her late son Kugan, a victim of police violence. While you feast on laddoo and barfi, remember mothers such as Mrs Suppama who are denied government welfare, and even turned away from registration with the e-kasih system. As we celebrate today as Malaysians, let us remember the thousands of Malaysians of Indian ethnicity who are not recognised as citizens of this land; among them are 1,758 Malaysians who were raised in government-funded welfare homes, and who are now bereft without citizenship or any form of identification, despite being born and bred in this very country.
Deepavali, in its essence, is a spiritual celebration of light – celebrating the good which exists in every living soul. Diwali represents the victory of this light over every form of darkness – be they born out of ignorance and prejudice, or be they deliberate injustices which involve the community at large. In the spirit of Deepavali, I would like to remind all Malaysians, myself first and foremost, that our journey still lies far ahead, and our struggles are too near for us to ignore, even during a celebration such as today. May the Light shine brighter than ever upon us, and may it be a guide in our constant journey towards the betterment of Malaysia.
Deepavali Nalvazhthukal (தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துகள்)
Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
President
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
No comments:
Post a Comment