Is Najib fooling Indians with empty promises?

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has yet to deliver on his promise to increase Indian participation in the public and private sectors.

Malaysian Indian Business Association (MIBA) president P Sivakumar said: “The mainstream media recently gave prominent coverage that Najib had fulfilled his promises to the rakyat.”

“In 2008, Najib pledged that Indians will be represented in the civil service to the tune of 7.4% from a disputed 2 to 4 %. He has yet to keep to his promise to Indian community.”

In fact, BN first made the pledge in November 2007, days after the arrest of the five Hindraf leaders for organising a mammoth rally which subsequently resulted in the tsunami of 2008.

“Former PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made the pledge in 2007 and Najib reiterated it, but Indians continue to be sidelined despite many reminders from both sides of the political divide.

“Securing jobs in the civil service is one of the aspirations of the Indian community and today it has become a social concern,” said Sivakumar.

Recent mega roadshows by BN’s Special Indian Task Force still needs transparency and the number of Indians in the civil service and in the GLCs must be revealed, said Sivakumar.

“If after more than four years, the executive is still not able to deliver, then there should be measures taken, like making it compulsory for a quota to be in place at the Public Service Commission and monitored until the government’s directives are met.”

He also said that the members of the PSC should be represented by capable and talented individuals rather than political party appointments in order to bring about a competitive and effective public services delivery system.

“It has been alleged that Iskandar Malaysia has around 300 staff but only two Indians, and when GLCs take over an entity they get rid of the non-Malays first,” he said.

“The private and public sectors recruitment should be non-racial and based on merit and talent. MIBA wishes to state that its demands for the quota is temporary until the 7.4% target is met.”