Economic and Social Conditions

Issues Confronting Malaysian Hindus

Hindus, who make up 85 per cent of Malaysian Indians, face a number of serious economic and social issues. These problems include the

• second highest infant mortality rate in the country,
• lowest life expectancy rates - 67.3 years compared to national average of 71.2,
• highest school drop-out rates best seen in the data that only 5.0 percent of Indians reach the tertiary level compared to the national average of 7.5 percent,
• highest incidence of alcoholism,
• highest incidence of drug addiction in proportion to population, and
• highest number of prisoners in proportion to population.

Also, there is widespread notion that the largest number of gangs are now Indian gangs and that 60 percent of serious crimes in Malaysia are committed by Indians.

Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram (MHDM) has planned and carried out various programs to address those social ills. One such program is the Basic religious education classes and courses organized at local, district, state and national levels. There is also Hindu Basic Course (HBC) organized annually for youths for the past 5 years.

Recommendations

• There has to be comprehensive programs for Hindu youths to participate and benefit from the Malaysian government initiatives. More opportunities need to be provided to Hindu youths to participate in the various programs organized by the government.
• The government needs to allocate special funding to be given to Hindu NGO’s, including Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram, to carry out various activities which have proven to address numerous economic and social ills of Malaysian Hindus.
• There needs to be a special allocation of funds for community level MHDM branches to organize and carry out programs such as the HBC.
• All prospective Hindu brides and grooms are requested to attend compulsory Hindu Marriage Course and undergo compulsory blood test for HIV.
• Single mothers should be provided with facilities for shelter, food provisions and funds for their childrens' education and health. A monthly minimum equivalent of RM 1,000.00 be provided to each single mother in Malaysia.