MIC president S Samy Vellu was not threatening the government with his demand that the Indian community's economic equity be raised, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today.

In an interview with the News Straits Times yesterday, Samy Vellu warned that if the government failed to do this, his party would withdraw its support for the Barisan Nasional (BN).

"No, no, he was not," responded Najib when quizzed on this at a press conference in Putrajaya.

According to Bernama , the deputy premier also disagreed that Samy Vellu's demand was an ultimatum to the government.

"Every request by a community will be decided in the BN spirit," said Najib, who is the ruling coalition's deputy chairperson.

He added that like any other component party, MIC could bring up its requests at the cabinet and BN supreme council meetings.

Samy Vellu had accused the government of failing to help the Indian minority group improve its wealth.

Consider request

The MIC president, who is also works minister, said the government had ignored calls to help the Indian community achieve an equity target of three percent by 2010.

The Indian community accounts for eight percent of Malaysia's population but holds just 1.5 percent of equity.

Meanwhile, Najib said the government will consider MIC's requests.

"The government will take note and discuss the party's requests within closed-door in the BN spirit," he added.

"MIC's nine-point requests and that of other communities are being considered by the government which is in the midst of drawing the Ninth Malaysia Plan," he told reporters.

Kayveas' remark

In another development, the deputy premier said local authorities could not be blamed entirely for corruption as other departments were involved.

He was responding to a statement by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department M. Kayveas yesterday that corruption in the local authorities was the main reason why Malaysia dropped to 39th place in the world's Transparency Index last year.

"In the approval of (building) plans, other technical departments are also involved," said Najib.

Kayveas has been on the warpath against local authorities after he accused them of being corrupt to the core and run in a clandestine manner.

The deputy minister, who came under fire from various councillors, has remained steadfast about his assertions.

Last week, he told malaysiakini that these councils were corrupt even from the point of 'cutting grass to collecting rubbish'.