Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Confronting Malaysian Indian Stereotypes and State Neglect: The ‘SuguPavithra’ Episode Within Mainstream National Discourse

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
New Media in the Margins

Abstract

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, a small YouTube channel, “SuguPavithra”, captured hearts through its simple and humble cooking videos. The hosts, the married couple Sugu and Pavithra, were ethnic Malaysian Indians (specifically Tamils) living in poverty within an oil palm plantation, a fate shared by many Malaysian Indians who experience the marginalisation of plantation life. Their sudden online success allowed the family to experience upward social mobility. This chapter focusses on the rise and fall of their channel and its popularity among the ethnic Malay majority, widely attributed to Pavithra’s humble presentation and strong “Malaysian values” (as expressed through her eloquent use of the Malay language)—indeed, what is most striking about the channel is its popularity among their predominantly Malay audience. Ethnic Malay influencers commonly dominate Malay social media spaces, but SuguPavithra’s breakthrough has garnered much attention, breaking class and ethnic barriers in these spaces. Fans lavished them with praise and support but remained silent on the structural issues that led the couple to seek new alternatives to escape poverty. At the height of their popularity, news broke out that Sugu was charged with domestic abuse, thus reinforcing negative Indian stereotypes about the couple. This chapter unpacks the structural issues that have historically (and continue to) marginalise Malaysian Tamils, both socially and politically.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. 1.

    For a brief but comprehensive study of the Malaysian Indians under colonial rule, Michael R. Stenson’s Class, Race and Colonialism in Peninsular Malaysia: A Political History of Malaysian Indians is a useful introduction. For postcolonial dynamics, see Dr. Athi Sivan T. Mariappan’s dissertation for the University of Amsterdam, Spatial and Occupational Mobility of Plantation Labour in Malaysia: Retrenchments, Outmigration and Closure of Plantations, 1951–2012, which includes data not available to Stenson.

  2. 2.

    See a Free Malaysia Today article, “YouTube cooking stars adjusting to life under the limelight”, for instance.

  3. 3.

    The “National Principles” that serve as the national philosophy, created in the aftermath of the 13 May riots to reinforce unity, racial tolerance and harmony. It has no legal basis and is meant simply to instil those values.

References

Main References

  • Appudurai, J., & David Dass, G.A. (2008). Malaysian Indians: Looking Forward. SIRD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armitage, C.J., Panagioti, M., Rahim, W.A., Rowe, R., & O’Connor, R.C. (2015). Completed Suicides and Self-harm in Malaysia: A Systematic Review. General Hospital Psychiatry, 37, 153–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2014.12.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baxstrom, R. (2005). Wrecking Balls, Recognition, Reform: The Ambivalent Experience of Law, Justice, and Place in Urban Malaysia (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Johns Hopkins University).

    Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, H.A. (1996). Government and Society in Malaysia. Cornell University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ghazali, K. (2010). National Identity and Minority Languages. UN Chronicle, 47(3), 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, C. (2008). Ethnicities and Education in Malaysia: Difference, Inclusions and Exclusions. In G. Wan (ed.), The Education of Diverse Student Populations (pp. 183–208). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Khalid, M.A. (2018). Climbing the Ladder: Socioeconomic Mobility in Malaysia. Asian Economic Papers, 17(3), 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, A., Mustaffa, M.S., Hamdan, A.R., & Ahman, R. (2014). Influence of Psychological Factors on Suicide Ideation Among Malaysian and Indian Adolescent. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 143, 347–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khazanah Research Institute. (2016). Climbing the Ladder: Socio-economic Mobility in Malaysia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahiri, D. (2008). Malaysian Indian Community: Victim of “Bumiputera” Policy (ORF Issue Brief No.12). Retrieved May 13, 2012, from http://www.orfonline.org/cms/export/orfonline/modules/issuebrief/attachments/malaysia_1203067850658.pdf.

  • Lillard, L.A., & Willis, R.J. (1994). Intergenerational Educational Mobility: Effects of Family and State in Malaysia. Journal of Human Resources, 1126–1166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manirajan R. (2018 November, 2). 2019: Education Gets Biggest Allocation. New Straits Times. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/427594/2019-budget-education-gets-biggest-allocation

  • “Money, Family & Media—Pavithra Comes Clean About Family’s Troubles.” (2020, August 1). The Rakyat Post. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.therakyatpost.com/2020/08/01/money-family-media-pavithra-comes-clean-about-familys-troubles/

  • Nagarajan, S. (2008). Indians in Malaysia: Towards Vision 2020. In K. Kesavapany, A. Mani & P. Ramasamy (Eds.), Rising India and Indian Communities in East Asia (pp. 375–398). ISEAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadarajah, M. (2004). Another Malaysia Is Possible and Other Essays: Writings on Culture and Politics for a Sustainable World. Nohd Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • “No Breaks.” (2003, February 20). The Economist. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.economist.com/asia/2003/02/20/no-breaks

  • Ponnusamy, W.M. (2009, January 7–9). Malaysian Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations, Annual Report-2008 (presentation). Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) and Pravasi Bharathiya Divas International Conference, Chennai.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. (2010, January 7–9). Malaysian Indian Minority & Human Rights Violations Annual Report-2009: Malaysia Truly Racist (presentation). Pravasi Bharathiya Divas International Conference, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramachandran, S. (1994). Indian Plantation Labour in Malaysia. S. Abdul Majeed & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, S., & Manogaran, M. (2011, November 28). Political Development in Malaysia (Presentation). Conference Hall, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramasamy, P. (2004). Nation-Building in Malaysia: Victimization of Indians? In L. Suryadinata (Ed.) Ethnic Relations and Nation-Building in Southeast Asia: The Case of the Ethnic Chinese. ISEAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rathakrishnan, B., Molugulu, N., Parasuraman, B., & Narasappa, K. (2012). The Relationship of Stress, Alcoholism and Sexual Behavior with Mental Health Among Secondary School Students: A Study in Sabah, Malaysia. European Journal of Social Sciences, 31(3), 376–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ravallion, M. (2020). Ethnic Inequality and Poverty in Malaysia Since May 1969. Part 2: Poverty. World Development, 134, 105039.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, K. (2013). Challenges to the Rights of Malaysians of Indian descent. E-International Relation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, J.K.P. (1980). Cultural Pluralism, Nation‐Building and Educational Policies in Peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development, 1(2), 155–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • “YPS: 40pc of Malaysian Indians still at bottom rung of the income ladder.” (2015, May 15). Malay Mail.

    Google Scholar 

Online and Media Sources (in Chronological Order)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gender Studies Programme, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Shanthi Thambiah

  2. School of Media and Communication, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Benjamin YH Loh

Authors
  1. Shanthi Thambiah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Benjamin YH Loh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin YH Loh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Media and Communication, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Benjamin YH Loh

  2. School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, TAS, Australia

    James Chin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Thambiah, S., Loh, B.Y. (2023). Confronting Malaysian Indian Stereotypes and State Neglect: The ‘SuguPavithra’ Episode Within Mainstream National Discourse. In: Loh, B.Y., Chin, J. (eds) New Media in the Margins. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7141-9_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation