Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email | PM ticked off for attack on Hindraf http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75591 |
|
|
|
|
The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) has lashed out at premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for castigating the Hindu Rights Action Force over its claims that Indian Malaysians are being mistreated.
“This is a ridiculous statement for a PM to make. He must use his ‘big ears’ and walk through the streets to look at the poor – be they Indian, Chinese or Malay – and listen to them,” he said in response to Abdullah’s statement that he has big ears and hears everything. “This country has a major problem. When we organised a meeting in 1999, there were 3,000 people. In 2007, it turned to be 30,000 people. Do want to see 300,000 people in five years time?" He said the government must examine the impact of poverty, as it has divided the nation along racial and religious lines.
However, he said that MIC, as a race-based party, will not be able to find solutions for the community’s depressed situation. "MIC cannot and will never solve the problems. If policy makers are serious about resolving the marginalisation, they have to revamp policies," he said. He said the MIC is not in the position to "shift even a sen into the pockets of Indians”. “MIC has to beg and promise 101 things to the government to ensure that the votes of the Indians can be garnered and presented on a silver platter, in order to even get a seat to contest in any election. That is the reality." Where’s the will? Another coordinator Charles Santiago said the government must reveal its political will in overcoming the marginalisation of the community.
"The problem must not be left to be addressed by MIC alone," he said, referring to the hotline set up by the Barisan Nasional component party, following the PM's request for advice on the community’s problems. "The people who attended the Hindraf rally (on Nov 25) are poor and vulnerable. They need help. They are Malaysians to begin with, therefore we feel that responsibility must not be left to MIC. It is the responsibility of the government to respond. "The federal government has legal and moral obligations to solve the problem. It must solve the issues using its policies, mechanisms and programmes." Santiago explained that Indians have had enough with being marginalised and want real action to address the matter. He said the MIC initiative to set up a hotline is not the solution. "The hotline will never resolve the deep structural and institutional problems that need to be undertaken to address the issues of Indian poverty," he noted. |
At a press conference in the Parliament lobby today, an emotional GCC coordinator K Arumugam questioned Abdullah’s stance in relation to “angry and hungry Indians”. 
Arumugam also clarified that it is not the GCC’s intention to bad-mouth the MIC, as there is agreement with president S Samy Vellu's claims that the party has done a lot for the community. 
He said this must start from the Prime Minister's Office, with the premier chairing a high-level task force to address issues pertaining to poverty within the community. 
