MP SPEAKS In a recent interview with Vasantham, a talk show in RTM2, MIC president Dr S Subramaniam touched on various issues faced by the Indian community and stressed that the MIC’s next mission is to ensure that the ongoing special programmes for Indian Malaysians are retained permanently within the government systems so that they become policies rather than one-off or interim measures.

This is the right approach that should be adopted, but there are three questions which Subramanian should answer, namely:

1. Why has the MIC only realised the need for permanent policies now after having been around in politics for so long?

2. What are the policies which the government has implemented that will be made permanent policies? Why only present ongoing policies?

3. What is the time frame for achieving the new mission?

I am quite baffled that Subramanian has mentioned the future dwindling Indian population and the uncertainty of future BN leaders’ attitudes towards the Indian plight as the reasons why permanent policies are now needed.

Have not he and other MIC leaders been telling the people to put their trust in BN government?

Should not the BN government be permanently fair to the Indian community irrespective of the Indian population size now and in future?

Subramaniam should also reveal the list of government measures which he plans to fight to make them become permanent.

Will the permanent policies include the following:

1. Common university entrance examination for STPM and matriculation students?

2. Common intake criteria for matriculation colleges.

3. Equal treatment to all vernacular schools.

4. Equal and fair economic empowerment to all races.

5. Increased intake of Indian civil servants (Indian civil servants made up 17 percent in the 70s but now it is 4 percent).

Subramanian should also state what time frame he is setting for his new mission.

The Indian community has trusted the government and given it many chances before; there should not be any delay if the government is sincere in wanting to resolve the Indian plight.

M KULASEGARAN is Ipoh Barat MP and DAP national vice-chairperson.