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Yet again, MIC goes back on its words and admit there are problems with the community, and the list of problems is getting long.  First they denied, then said maybe, and now making the list longer. Makes me wonder sometimes if this whole HINDRAF thing is some sort of sinister plan by MIC. MIC calls itself as “custodian” but looking at the problem with the community, it seems to have failed miserably as a custodian. Maybe its time for the community to take custody of itself instead of giving it to others. Anyway, do read the interview with SV and have a good laugh.

ELECTION 2008: ‘MIC is custodian of Indians’
NST interview with MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu
source

Q: What is the MIC’s strategy to help BN win this general election?
A: The MIC has generated emotional energy in every leader to reach peak performance to win the elections with great success. It will require discipline to keep our energy, commitment and responsibility to deliver the votes to BN. [what is this emotional energy?]

Our approaches are simple yet dynamic. The MIC has 610,000 members, of whom 85 per cent are registered voters [The Star reported only 65% of MIC members are registered voters. Which is true?]. This means the MIC has a vote bank of 518,500 people and the balance of the registered Indian voters are in the hands of our friendly partners such as the IPF (Indian Progressive Front) and several Indian-based religious, business, educational and social non-governmental organisations. [oops, he forgot Indians in PPP and Gerakan. Oh, I forgot, Gerakan is a Chinese party in disguise.]

Q: How are you convincing the electorate, especially Indians, to vote for BN?

A: We tell them of our track record. Our past victories and support was possible because ordinary people acknowledged that the BN-run government served the interests of the community and brought socio-economic development for all communities.

We tell Malaysian Indians that there is no alternative to the MIC and any replacement by opposition parties will not in any way protect the interests or legitimate rights of Malaysian Indians.

The MIC is working hand-in-hand with Umno, MCA and other component parties to secure Indian voters as we have done in the past general elections. In 62 parliamentary and 130 state seats, Indians comprise 10 per cent or more of the registered voters. This is a significant size and the MIC role is to bring in these voters for the BN. This is our commitment and duty.

Q: How would you describe the people’s support for BN, especially the MIC?

A: The majority of Indians know that the MIC is their only representation in the government. You cannot have the government without the MIC. If the Indians decide not to support the candidate from the MIC, they will not be represented in the government [no need to worry, Kayveas and his mosquito party, PPP is there!]. They know MIC has stood alongside with and for them from the very beginning of the Indian political history in this country. It is our duty to affirm the position that MIC is the custodian of the Indian community in Malaysia.

Q: What are the pressing issues facing the Indian community?

A: Among pressing socio-economic issues arising from rural-urban migration are a lack of technical skills, lack of housing facilities leading to sprouting of illegal urban squatters with poor housing and living standards, lack of educational opportunities and low level of literacy, high dependency on wage employment, employment in low wage occupations, rise in social issues such as large numbers of single mothers and dysfunctional families, alcoholism, high rate of school drop-outs, high crime rate, gangsterism and social unrest.

[the list of problems is quite long, but just weeks back, MIC bravely said the community is fine and there’s no problem. Did these problems mushroom overnight or were unearthed by HINDRAF? Looks like PM’s lying habits also exists in MIC. Why don’t MIC run campaigns (like taking an advertisement in papers) on anti-alcoholism and importance of education? They control at least one newspaper, but not making use of it. Are the any research being done by MIC or YSS with colloboration with govt agencies or universities on the above problems? For example, who are these gangsters and gangs? How to stop samsu shops and use of alcohol? Why is there lack of housing? Why Indians get employed in low wage occupations? And finally, is social unrest an issue or a symptom?]

These are the factors that have impeded upward mobility and prevented advancement of the “underclass sections” in the Indian community from participating in the development process of the country. In addition, various barriers [what are these barriers?] have denied access and limited Indian participation in the national development process. There is also a failure at the implementation level [who makes this implementation and who monitors?] which has resulted in the ineffectiveness of current delivery mechanisms.

Q: And what has the MIC done to address these issues?

A: We laid out several programmes for the promotion of Indians and for the socio-economic ramifications of the country. The MIC took the burden on itself and we have created a new outlook to establish an educated Indian community. We first bought the Vanto Academy for RM4.7 million to give a push to Indian students to enter into the universities. With a lot of difficulty and without much resources, we managed to raise additional funds that enabled the MIC to build the TAFE college in Seremban. The government gave us an initial grant of RM8 million. We built a modern technical college in collaboration with the government of Western Australia. We have produced 44,000 para-professionals.

When it comes to Tamil schools, in the last 20 years, MIC has rebuilt almost 100 schools [what about the partially-aided schools?] with RM30 million in grants from the government and an additional RM7 million raised by the MIC.  Now, we have built the RM500 million AIMST University that will provide more than 12,000 higher educational opportunities for young Indians and Malaysians of all races. The MIC, through the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED), has since 1985 provided scholarships and loans to 7,000 students valued at RM85 million.

Q: What is your main concern about the Indian community?

A: We want more opportunities in all fields. This is what we have been asking the government, and the government has been accommodative, although I must say that it may not be enough. The government has promised to do more for the Indians. We are confident. But the people must understand the constraints and the limited resources available. It is not just about the poor Indians. It is also about the poor Malays, Chinese and other minority groups. But I can assure the Indian community that the MIC will continue to fight for their rights as it has been doing for the past 50 years.

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