The
MIC will be setting up a special committee and a call centre soon to help the Indian community to overcome its woes.
According to a Bernama
report, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked MIC to form a special committee to prepare a complete report on demands by the Indian community as a follow-up to the party's proposals in June.
The news agency quoted MIC president S Samy Vellu as saying that the directive followed a meeting with Abdullah on Wednesday.
"The committee was asked to study the proposals in the report titled "New Mechanism for the Indian Community" presented to the Prime Minister in June," said Samy Vellu.
Samy Vellu, who is also the works minister, added that Abdullah sympathised with the MIC's requests and promised to study them.
"However, he asked the special committee to put in new proposals."
The new proposals include data on non-Bumiputeras in the public sector, posts and vacancies at the federal, state and local authority-level, and giving priority to recruiting non-Bumiputeras in areas where they have high population concentration in sectors like welfare, education, health and youth.
On the call centre proposal, Samy Vellu said the hotline would enable the public to channel their problems to the party. He said issues such as temples and Tamil schools could be made known to the party through the call centre.
"The MIC is a responsible party which represents the Indian community and has the social, moral and political obligations to protect the interest of Indians.
"It will continue to struggle for the betterment of the Indian community so that they can progress together with the other communities towards achieving the objectives of Vision 2020," he added in the Bernama report.
While the NST says this:
PM open to MIC proposals
source
KUALA LUMPUR: The prime minister is sympathetic and open to proposals forwarded to him by the MIC leadership concerning socio-economic ills affecting the Indian community.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was very receptive to the proposals which were contained in a 12-page report entitled "Mechanism for Effective Delivery for the Indian Community".
He said the report was handed over to the prime minister in May.
"The prime minister even suggested including additional input among the proposals, so that all areas are covered."
Samy Vellu, who headed the committee that prepared the proposals, said they included investment opportunities, skilled training, micro-credit facilities, education, employment health and issues pertaining to temples.
He said Abdullah had directed his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to study the proposals and work with the MIC leadership to conduct periodic reviews to address the plight of the Indian community.
"The periodic review is to ensure that the proposals agreed to are carried out effectively," he said after chairing the party's central working committee meeting at the MIC headquarters.
Samy Vellu added that the proposals included budget allocations under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to ensure that the Indian community would not be marginalised when the country achieved its "Vision 2020" aspirations.
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