Challenge MIC to list its political results and achievements since 2008 general election if it says that BN has delivered.

Speech by  M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at DAP function in Kulai, Johor  on Sunday, September 2, 2012

Challenge MIC to list its political results and achievements since 2008 general election if it says that BN has delivered.

2008 general election marks a very important chapter in the nation electoral history.The result shocked many, especially BN which suffered its worst ever electoral debacle. 

Some political observers had even believed that if the campaign period had been longer, even by 5 days, BN could have lost more seats and the state of Negeri Sembilan.

After taking over the post of prime minister ship, Datuk Seri Najib had talked about the need for BN and the government to change and reform.

While 1 Malaysia was the most heard logo a couple of months back, Janji di Tepati is now the BN‘s government’s favorite slogan.But has the BN government really delivered?

There was no doubt that Indian voters had contributed significantly to the 2008 political tsunami that dealt BN its worst ever electoral debacle.

It is therefore only logical that BN government should address and resolve the many long standing problems faced by the Indian community if it wants to regain the lost support. 

But what has the BN government done for the Indian community since 2008 general election?

Can the MIC shout loud and clear that BN government has really delivered in terms of helping the Indian community? 

Two months ago, , MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said Indian support for the party would be bigger this time around as the community had received tremendous benefits from the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He also said that MIC will ensure that Indian support for the Barisan Nasional will be stronger in the coming general election compared to the GE in 2008.

According to a Bernama report, Palanivel was quoted as saying that since taking over office in 2009, Najib has always been ready to engage in key issues and offered wider opportunities for the Indian community in education, development programmes and civil services.

Let me ask Palanivel two questions:-

1.     Does he still remember the 7 critical issues which caused MIC to do badly in the 2008 general election?

2.     Is MIC satisfied with what the BN government has done on these critical issues?

In February, 2008, the then MIC chief Dato Seri Samy Vellu said that there were seven critical issues that had caused uneasiness among the Indian community and the government must immediately take steps to address them. 

The seven were:

1. an equitable participation in the share market;

2. Indian intake in public universities;

3. better employment opportunities, especially in the public sector;

4. increase the number of government scholarships;

5. greater access to entrepreneurship training and micro-credit loans;

6. an effective urban poverty eradication programme; and.

7. the establishment of a dedicated mechanism to monitor and evaluate the delivery of public sector services in a just and fair manner.

Instead of going around claiming that Indian support for the BN government has increased, MIC should admit that MIC and BN have not delivered. 

I challenge MIC to list its political results and achievements since 2008 general election if it says that BN has delivered.