Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he would ask MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to explain his statement that if the government continued to ignore the Indian community, he would seek support from other countries.
Najib, who is Barisan Nasional deputy chairman and deputy prime minister, said he did not know that the former Works Minister had come up with such a statement.
“I do not know. I will have to ask him what he meant by that. In terms of government policy, it is a fact that we have been giving fair and equal consideration to all races in the country.
“Whatever is needed by the Indian community, we are prepared and willing to consider it but all this must be done in the context of consensus under the Barisan Nasional.”
Najib was asked about Samy Vellu’s interview with an Internet news website, in which he said he go overseas for aid, “if this government does not do anything”.
Najib said the government was prepared to consider concerns raised by all races but not in the form of threats.
“We will look into concerns made through applications, proposals and others but definitely not in the form of threats.”
Najib said the decision not to renew the publication permit of Makkal Osai was made by the Home Ministry and not the Cabinet.
“It is a decision for the ministry to make and it was not discussed in the Cabinet.”
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar had said the vernacular newspaper’s permit was not renewed as it had breached guidelines governing the publication of newspapers in the country.
Hamidah Atan
NST online
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