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Political will needed to ensure blueprint for Indians succeeds

I refer to Malaysiakini’s report ‘Najib dishes out millions for Indians, says not for polls’ (April 23, 2017).

Premier Najib Abdul Razak hails the federal government’s first-ever blueprint to uplift Indians in Malaysia, with an allocation of more than RM1 billion, as a serious document and not just empty talk or political rhetoric.

A former deputy minister who resigned from the government claims it is an “April fool’s trick”, while a well-respected academician and deputy chief minister of Penang calls it “a political ploy to remain in office, a little while longer”.

Of course, you have also at this launch, many political shenanigans, adventurers, past politicians and persona non grata types, who are truly the reason why the Indian Malaysian community is at the bottom of the economic and social barrel, screaming their heads off in excitement, hypocrisy and superfluous claims.

I am certain Prime Minister Najib is only too aware whom I am alluding to, after all he has being in politics for far too long and knows of these actors?

As for me, as one who has had a track record of service, to both the government and consumers in Malaysia, Asean and the Asia Pacific Economic Community (Apec), in volunteerism, I pray dear friend the premier will not take these individuals seriously, for they are great actors, full blue-blooded professional apple polishers, who with their family members and cronies benefited from the allocations that was made available by the government in the past and the real reason,why Indian Malaysians are where they are today.

Now what is the main penetration and emphasis of the announced 10 year plan to uplift Indian Malaysian?

The 10-year Indian blueprint plan includes:

  • RM500 million for a shares scheme under Permodalan Nasional Berhad for the B40 group (those whose household income represents the lowest 40 percent);
     
  • Special assistance to increase admission of Indians into higher education institutions like universities, colleges and polytechnics by at least 7 percent;
     
  • Cooperation with the Indus Education Foundation, with a sum of RM40 million for four years, to tackle problems related to progress in higher education;
     
  • Raising the participation of Indian Malaysians in the public service by at least 7 percent at all grade levels by 2016;
     
  • A special approval system under the Home Ministry to help Indian Malaysians born before 1957 to gain citizenship; and,
     
  • A Special Implementation Task Force to be the ‘touch-point’ between the government and the community via 10 service centers located in areas with high Indian populations.

New faces needed

First, for any initiative to succeed in Malaysia, it must be chaired by both the premier, his deputy, the chief secretary to the government, head of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), senior civil servants and new faces both political, civil society and NGOs to be effective.

The operative word being ‘new faces’.

For good governance, transparency, accountability, compliance reasons, we cannot and should not allow a political party or their nominees, to drive this which is a national effort - period.

For far too long we have had great programmes planned but allowed political parties, recycled political nominees, individuals, and groups who are not passionate, committed to initiate change, and they have no clue about, except enriching themselves.

Prime minister sir, we need individuals with a track record of sincere urging holistic change types sitting and making decisions for a demography left behind by public policy decades ago.

And unless this is done, this initiative will also fail.

Then, another pertinent issue is the authenticity of the data contained in this blueprint, since the last blueprint might have been in 1974, about four decades ago?

This is why questions are being raised, as to the background and identity of the researchers associated with the genesis of this blueprint, which is to propel the Indian Malaysian community to advance in the age of globalisation and global competitiveness?

The fear is, if the blueprint is based on false or inaccurate data then before even starting, we have failed.

It is thus better to address what is the true nature of the Indian Malaysian population first, as I am certain they are more than the 1.7 million touted by sources?

This is also pertinent, as to address the exact number of Indian Malaysian families who fall below the poverty line, or, who receive certain levels of income?

As an advocate of good governance, my fear is, if the data gathered is political in nature, questionable or suspect, questions may be raised on the blueprint, which we should avoid!

As you, prime minister, sir, rightly pointed out.

What is also the real number of locally born Indians not accorded citizenship, is it about 20,000 to 25,000 or more than 300,000?

We need to finalise that as you rightly alluded to.

It is critical to know that number as we want them to benefit from this blueprint.

As a lead consumer advocate in the country, I have no other agenda but want this historic blueprint, which I will call herein, the Najib Blueprint for Indian Malaysians to succeed.


DR JACOB GEORGE is president, Consumers Association of Subang & Shah Alam, Selangor (Cassa).

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