The intake for the medical course in UM is a farce - from 16 places for Indian Malaysian students in 2001, it is down to one in 2003.

However, the real issue which needs to be tackled at the core is the rise in unemployment, gangsterism and drug abuse among Indian Malaysians.

It is problematic that the focus of political parties is on the institutions of higher learning, but not on kindergartens and primary schools.

The latter is very relevant for the community as this is where the synergy of all should be focused. Unlike national schools, Tamil schools are ill-equipped in the terms of manpower, material and equipment.

The government should recruit quality, dedicated and knowledgeable teachers to guide the students. Political-party connections should be barred or kept to the minimum and confined to junior teaching staff.

Sometimes you can see headmasters spending more time in political-party offices than in school. Teachers should be graduates and not Form Five school leavers. You come across primary-school teachers who do not even know proper grammar.

People are displaced when estates land is redeveloped. The government only wants their votes because these people will only vote for BN due to patriotism and loyalty.

What do they get in return? Their estate houses are demolished and they have to live in city slums.

Very soon, Indian Malaysians - currently the third biggest population group - will be taken over by Indonesians.