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http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/20070507081920/Article/index_html
SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s claim that he can prove how Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ignored the needs of Indians while in government is no empty boast.
The MIC chief still has the letters of rejection issued by the Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader to members of the Indian business community who had applied for opportunities to better themselves.
“For nine years, he rejected all applications from the Indian business community and I have the letters to prove it,” he said after opening the general assemblies of MIC Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri 2007 at Dewan Jubli Perak.
He said Anwar, who was the former deputy prime minister, was out of touch with reality and had no grounds to accuse the MIC of neglecting the needs of Indians.
“He never helped the community while in government,” he said in rejecting Anwar’s allegations made in Malaysiakini. On the defeat of Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim in the Ijok by-election, he said Indian voters wanted to teach him a lesson as he had also ignored the needs of Indians.
‘The reality is this. He (Khalid) had forced Indian workers off estates. I have the photographs to prove this.”
Samy Vellu also rejected allegations that the Barisan Nasional had used money politics to win by-elections.
He said the Indians had found their feet in business and other sectors with the Barisan Nasional government, reducing the number of Indians in estates from 80 per cent to 38 per cent.
“Opportunities for Indians to obtain higher education followed by jobs have brought changes to the community.”
Samy Vellu added that the MIC was evolving with new leaders coming to the forefront to work with veterans.
“This is a healthy trend with young leaders like new Ijok assemblyman, K. Parthiban, emerging to enhance the party leadership.”
Earlier, Samy Vellu said Wanita MIC should look into the plight of the 10,000 single Indian mothers who were largely in dire straits
