‘Set up Indian Affairs Ministry’

B Nantha Kumar | March 19, 2013

Malaysia Nanban Tamil daily feels that setting up an Indian Affairs Ministry is the only way to solve the problems of the community.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should establish an Indian Affairs Ministry to ensure the government’s promises to the Indian community are met, the Malaysia Nanban reported today.
The nation’s leading Tamil daily claimed that it was not enough for Najib to make promises for the community as Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition pact, had already attracted the Indians through its policies.
In an article today, a commentator known as “Evukanai” claimed that the Malaysia Indian community was disappointed with the government because it was unable to deliver on Najib’s promises to the community.
The writer argued that the civil service, which is dominated by Malays, was the main reason why policies and promises to the community were delayed or never materialised.
He cited the matriculation intake for students last year when only 700 Indian students secured their matriculation seats when a total of 1,509 seats were granted to the community.
He said MIC’s failure to ensure Indian officers occupy high positions in the Education Ministry was one of the reasons why only few Indian students obtained matriculation seats.
The paper also said the Serendah crematorium project was another example why the people were shunning the Barisan Nasional.

Waythamoorthy’s hunger strike
The crematorium was completed some six months ago but it is still not open to public. During the Hulu Selangor by-election in 2010, Najib promised RM2 million to build a crematorium in Serendah.
However, the project was mired in controversy after it was found that the building did not meet certain specifications.
The newspaper also highlighted Najib’s promise to re-organise Tamil schools in the country.
It said although a whopping RM540 million was awarded to all Tamil schools, the conditions of the Tamil school were still deplorable.
Malaysia Nanban also raised a question over the prime minister’s promise to build seven new Tamil schools but till now there are no signs of the schools.
The Tamil daily insisted that an Indian Affairs Ministry was the best solution to iron out the woes of the community.
Makkal Osai, meanwhile, requested representatives from both BN and Pakatan to set aside their political differences to meet Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy, who is currently on a hunger strike.
The Tamil daily’s managing director S Sunther called on Pakatan and BN to meet Waythamoorthy at least on humanitarian grounds.
Sunther visited the latter yesterday along with MIC central working committee member KP Samy.
Waythamoorthy, on March 10, went on a hunger strike to press BN and Pakatan to endorse Hindraf’s five-year blueprint to solve the problems of the marginalised Indian community.