MIC leaders, especially Datuk Seri Palanivel should present the Indian community with its report card on the 7 Indian issues mentioned by Datuk Samy Vellu in 2008.

Speech by M.Kula  Segaran,   MP for Ipoh Barat and DAP Vice Chairman at "maraum maratum" ( Go for Change) nationwide Tamil ceramahs at Selama,  Perak, 29thSeptember 2012

MIC leaders, especially Datuk Seri Palanivel should present  the Indian community with its report card on the 7 Indian issues mentioned by Datuk Samy Vellu in 2008.  

As expected, the Finance Minister Datuk Sri Najib announced an election budget—a budget with cash handouts and goodies aimed at winning voter support.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin said it was a continuation of what Najib and Barisan Nasional had done, which was putting the people first.

He even said that the budget is the best to date .

Muhyiddin can deny the fact that the Budget 2013 is an election budget and Najib himself will not also admit it but the fact is simply too obvious, it is an election budget.  

It is certainly an election first budget.

Among the goodies and allocations meant for the Indian community are: -

1. Special allocation of RM 100 million for Tamil schools;

2.RM 50 million to train 3,200 Indians students to equip them with skills in line with market demand;

3. Allocation of RM50 million via TEKUN -Skim Pembangunan Usahawan Masyarakat India 

MIC leaders will definitely sing their praises about the Budget and how Najib is a good Prime Minister who takes care of the Indian community.

But does Najib really deserve the praise? Is he so good as often praised by MIC leaders? Has he done enough for the Indian voters?

BN has ruled the nation for more than 5 decades and there are still many long standing problems faced by the Indian community.

So can Datuk Palanivel tell us how much of the long standing issues have been resolved?

Let’s just take a look at the issue of unfair categorization of Tamil schools into fully aided and partially aided schools. 

Presently out of 523 Tamil schools, 370 schools are categorised as partially aided. These schools suffer financially and are always having to raise funds.

Why should there be such unfair categorization ?  Ought not all schools to be accorded the same treatment?  

I wish to remind MIC leaders that before they sing more praises about Najib, they should retake a good look at the 7 critical issues which former MIC president Datuk Seri Samy Vellu mentioned in 2008.

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.

MIC leaders, especially Datuk Seri Palanivel should present  the Indian community with its report card on these 7 issues.  

Controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik from India has arrived in Malaysia to address several forums across the country.

He is known to have made very unacceptable and insensitive comments about other religions, including Hinduism.  

Naik was denied entry into the United Kingdom and Canada in June 2010. 

A few days ago, MIC Youth chief T Mohan has himself said that Dr Zakir Naik had insulted the Hindus on the Vinayagar Chathurti (Birthday of Lord Ganesha) prayers in a talk in India recently.

Mohan said that many Hindus were incensed with his talk.

What then is the reason that the BN government has not barred his entry to Malaysia?

Did the MIC Ministers raise the issue in the Cabinet? If so, what is the rationale fro the government to allow him to speak in Malaysia?