Not all Indians are professionals

Certain groups in the MIC are trying to score grades by claiming to have done social research and development intervention strategies to uplift the welfare of the Indian community. What is upsetting is at times, BN leaders trumpet some findings and data on the success of Indian professionals as if the help for them came from the Government.

Yes, there were some scholarships here and there but not enough to meet the required numbers in order to bring about positive changes for te community. Perhaps MIED and .MIC President S Samy Vellu can be given credit. He did deliver loans to desperate Indians to become professionals but the actual credit should go to the hard-working parents who sacrificed their retirement pland and sold their properties to create the Indian professionals.

These parents are mostly heavily in debt due to their quest to see their children through to a sound professional career. If only the government had been somewhat fair in the distribution of the nation’s wealth and education opportunities, Indian parents would not be in such a bleak situation today.

Doesn’t the community pays taxes and fines? So why did 30,000 Indians rush to the streets if all was okay with the community? These so-called Indian professionals only make up to less than 10 percent of the Indian community’s 1.8 million.

The solution to the Indian woes is seeing results We need to see the results. We need to see the physical numbers in the intake for government jobs, into varsities especially for critical professional courses, in the extension of loans, permits and licenses.

If this change is to materialise, the government has to dilute the civil service with more non-bumiputera staff. A balanced multi-racial mix of staff from head to toe who will follow the directive of the policy-makers who should set honest goals of change to make all Malaysians happy. Care and importance should also be given to Malay-majority states so that help for the poor Malays and aborigines need not be interrupted.

A Malaysian strategy that should please all races should be in place and implemented in the most effective manner so that all Malaysians will feel a sense of belonging to their birth-land and relish in the fair and equitable distribution of wealth in the real sense.

The MIC has unveiled its candidates for the coming polls but I predict that this time around, the MIC is set to face its worst challenge. Perhaps the time has come for all Malaysians brothers and sisters to place as many Indians in Parliament as possible so that debate on issues faced by the community can take place. Parliament should see a well-balanced opposition in order to mould a better Malaysia for all.

The writer is president, Malaysian Indian Business Association.

P Sivakumar
Malaysiakini