I received below from a whatsapp group. I can't deny much, as there's truth in it too. Though, we have to see both sides, whatever seen on mainstream media was only on the positive side, well we always had the other side to see.
"Was Samy Vellu a success story or a failure?
Love the man or hate the man, he was a unique (not necessarily towering) personality. At this moment of his death much is being said by individuals about how this man helped them.
Many got money fro him. Many got scholarships from him. Many got money from him to pay their rentals or electricity bills. Many got money from him to pay off Ah Longs and many got money to even get their kids married. A few businessmen were also created by him.
The list actually goes on. He was very helpful to many individuals. He helped many who came to see him for help. He would dish out money to them in one way or another. He also donated to many Indian NGOs who would come to him for help to put up buildings.
Yes, the list is long but why is then Samy Vellu hated by the many, many people, especially the young, the educated, the intellectual and the likes?
Here is why. Whilst he gave out plenty of handouts to the poorer segment of the community, he actually compromised the future of the young generation of Indians in this country. He actually sold out the future of the young generation to racist & apartheid policies that the UMNO regime under Mahathir Mohamed were implementing.
We all know now that Mahathir was and still is a religious bigot and a towering racist. So Mahathir’s only agenda when he come to power was the dominance of Islam and the suppression of the Chinese & Indians under the NEP and to push for pro Muslim & Malay policies, which even the Malays now realise that these policies have actually weakened them intellectually and even morally.
Unfortunately, Samy Vellu had already been compromised in terms of his integrity by Mahathir, just like Ling Liong Sik. Mahathir knew a lot about their wrong doings, not to mention Maika. So the ground was perfect for Mahathir to bring in Religious & Racist policies which neither Ling or Samy Vellu would object to.
Even the extreme step taken by Mahathir one morning to try and declare Malaysia as a Muslim Nation was not objected by either of them. The opposition under Lim Kit Siang & Karpal Singh had to battle tooth & nail to stop this.
The compromise of Samy Vellu was devastating. The Indians lost jobs in the Government. The Indians would not get contracts in government tenders. No more admissions in local universities. Even recognised Medical universities in Russia were de-recognised by Mahathir because they had a high enrolment of Indians. No business opportunities. No licences. Not even Indian stall on the great North South Highway that he apparently built.
The Indian had to fend for themselves. No Education, Employment or Business opportunities. Yes, Samy Vellu was dishing out some pittance to those who went to him to beg for help.
But, from the policy angle of the government, literally everything was taken away from the Indian community by Mahathir and the subsequent UMNO regimes during Samy Vellu’s era.
Thousands of parents sold their homes to educate their children. Many borrowed money and many many many talented kids were denied education because they could not get admission into local university due to the apartheid policy of the NEP, which is still in force today.
Actually, this article can go on and a book can be written about what a great failure Samy Vellu was for the community at large. How the Indian community continues to produce the gangsters, labourers of today in Malaysia. It was all due to the compromise of Samy Vellu who did not speak up when he ought to have spoken up for the right reasons.
Dear Tun Samy Vellu, we know you worked hard. We know you probably tried hard as well. But, we are very sorry Samy Vellu, you were not the leader the Indian community in Malaysia needed. You lacked the vision and the intelligence and you lacked the integrity to take the community forward even though you had control of the MIC which at that time was the mouthpiece of the Indian community. You lost that too.
We bid you farewell with a very heavy heart that you failed us miserably.
Good Bye Samy Vellu.
👌Samy Velu was a puppet whose strings were controlled by Mahatir."