Government should form a special Parliamentary Select Committee to look into the setbacks and sufferings of the Indian community and come up with effe

Part 5: Speech by M.Kula Segaran, MP for Ipoh Barat and DAP National Vice Chairman in Parliament while debating the Royal Speech on Wednesday, 14thMarch, 2012

Government should form a special Parliamentary Select Committee to look into the setbacks and sufferings of the Indian community and come up with effective solutions.

The first failure of the BN led government was its failure to keep to its promises. In 2000 it said by 2010 the Indians equity would be raised from 1.2% to 3%. Yet to date the Indians are stuck within the 1.2%. Now the goal post has been moved to 2020. Will the goal post be move again come 2020?

Last year, realizing that the support of the Indians is vital, the Prime Minister formed a cabinet committee known as Special Implementation Task Force on Indian Community (SITF). Has the plight and sufferings of the ordinary changed for the better?

The Indians, in comparison to the other races, suffer the most as they have high rate of 1) unemployment 2) dropout rate from schools 3) suicide rate 4) single mothers 5) lack of higher educational opportunities 6) involvement in criminal activities.

The above and many issues can only be addressed if the Government creates more opportunities in the Government and private sectors, gives land to farmers, and provides special assistance to get jobs in government service. (In 1971, there were 17% Indians in Government service and it has been reduced to less than 5%) Government must doo more terms of granting scholarships to the needy students, building houses for the poor and relocating rural Tamil schools to the urban areas.

I suggest the formation of a special Parliamentary Select Committee to look into the setbacks and sufferings of the Indian community and come up with effective solutions.