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He said of the 523 Tamil schools in the country, 180 are fully-aided schools, while the remaining were partially-aided, of which 66 schools have been rebuilt through government and private funding.
“We are going to rebuild another 160 Tamil schools with the help of the government,” he said.
On temples, Samy Vellu said only temples that were built or extended on private land without government approvals were demolished and not hundreds of temples as claimed by Hindraf.
If temple already existed before indepedence, can application be made after building constructed? How many application has been made and rejected so far? What happened to the committee to monitor temple issues under DBKL and Perak govt?
On allegations of mistreatment of estate workers, Samy Vellu said the number of Indian estate workers had dwindled drastically, with only about 20 per cent still engaged in the plantation sector, while the rest have migrated to urban areas. “The MIC has been helping these people to get jobs and houses in towns,” he said, adding that in Kuala Lumpur alone, out of 5,000 squatters, the MIC, with the help of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, has secured 2,000 units of houses.
BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, Sun.:
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu is willing to meet the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), a non-governmental organisation, to iron out Indian community issues and unresolved matters.
He said he was ever ready to meet any individual or organisations who were unhappy with the alleged shoddy treatment accorded to the Indians or wanted to resolve the community’s problems.
“I am always ready to listen to their views and explain to them the efforts taken by the government in resolving the woes of the Indian community,” the Works Minister said when asked by reporters if he was willing to meet Hindraf officials.
Hindraf, said to be aligned to an opposition party, submitted an 18-page memorandum to the Prime Minister’s office last Sunday on what it alleged as the marginalisation of the Indians by the government.
It also called for an end to the special privileges given to the Malay community.
While stressing that Hindraf had not approached him for a meeting, Samy Vellu said he was willing to meet them to discuss only matters concerning the Indian community.
Samy Vellu also rebutted some of the allegations made by Hindraf that the government had neglected Tamil schools and demolished hundereds of Hindu temples.
“There is no truth to such thing and I have the figures to substantiate them. Please do not make wild allegations,” he said.
He said of the 523 Tamil schools in the country, 180 are fully-aided schools, while the remaining were partially-aided, of which 66 schools have been rebuilt through government and private funding.
“We are going to rebuild another 160 Tamil schools with the help of the government,” he said.
On temples, Samy Vellu said only temples that were built or extended on private land without government approvals were demolished and not hundreds of temples as claimed by Hindraf.
“There is a limit to accusations. We must have an open mind and see things clearly,” he said, adding that the MIC has sought fresh applications for government grants to build and rebuild more temples.
On allegations of mistreatment of estate workers, Samy Vellu said the number of Indian estate workers had dwindled drastically, with only about 20 per cent still engaged in the plantation sector, while the rest have migrated to urban areas.
“The MIC has been helping these people to get jobs and houses in towns,” he said, adding that in Kuala Lumpur alone, out of 5,000 squatters, the MIC, with the help of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, has secured 2,000 units of houses.
