The meeting between the state government and 40 Indian-based NGOs and temple committees took place last week in a hotel in the island.

Deputy chief minister Abdul Rashid Abdullah, state executive councillors Dr Teng Hock Nan, Dr Toh Kin Woon and PK Subbaiyah, state MIC head Dr K Rajapathy and the state PPP leader Loga Balamohan were part of the state government delegation.

According to Subbaiyah, the meeting was called on by the Koh to get first-hand information from the NGOs on the Indian community grouses and grievances. “The state government wants to work out a policy to help out Penang Indians,” said Subbaiyah. Those who attended the meeting, however, did not believe in the state government promises.

A publicity stunt

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, many leaders questioned the sincerity and honesty of the Gerakan-led state government in safeguarding and enhancing the Indian community’s interests, benefits and rights in Penang.

In 50 years of independence, this is the first time the state chief minister has held a dialogue session with Indian NGOs and temple committees. However only NGOs, temple committees and local community leaders who are presumed as BN supporters were invited to the meeting.

One delegate even questioned if the meeting was a publicity stunt to canvass Indian votes with the election just around the corner.

During the closed door meeting, Koh, who is also the Gerakan president, gave assurance to approximately 120 delegates that his government would carry out all efforts within its powers to upgrade the standard of living of Penang Indians.

Government statistics revealed that Indians made up merely 150,000 of the state’s nearly two million population. However, many local leaders and politicians have frequently questioned the validity of the statistics because they believed the number of Penang Indians were far more than the official figures.

“The BN government tend to downsize the Indian population merely to hoodwink us on the quota system,” alleged a temple leader, who attended the meeting.

A 1998 state-sponsored Social Economic Research Institute (Seri) report on the well-being of Penang Indians revealed that many of them were living in hardship with 70 per cent of them working under the lower income bracket. Seri’s comprehensive report also revealed that majority Indians cannot afford to buy houses, living in heavy debts, and suffering from distress and alcoholism.

No new policy in place

Compared with other ethnic groups, Indians form the highest percentage in school dropouts, suicides and crimes.

Since the report disclosed the frightening truth of the Penang Indians, for the past 10 years local leaders have frequently called on the state government to implement a comprehensive blueprint to upgrade the community. However, until today, the state government has not unveiled any master plan to benefit Penang Indians.

At the meeting, local Indian leaders lamented that Koh did not unveil any policy to prove that the state government was serious in fulfilling its promises. “If Koh and his government was serious, he would have prepared and unveiled an official blueprint by now on the state government present and future efforts and plans to improve the standard of living of the Indian community,” said a delegate.

Although delegates raised various questions touching on housing, temples, Tamil schools and economic opportunities, Koh could not produce any blueprint to allay their fears that majority Penang Indians would continue to live in hardship.

“I can ensure you that the state government will carry out all efforts within its power to address all issues pertaining to Indian affairs,” said Koh. The assurance was not enough to convince the Indian delegates. Unlike the past elections, the Indian mood is different today.

“They are angry when Hindraf made them realise that they had been take for a ride by BN all these years,” said a leading MIC politician.