Was Palani’s ‘back-to-estate’ call stoked by fear?

Is RM850 a month enough for a family man in Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's high income Malaysia?

KUALA LUMPUR: Does MIC’s future in Barisan Nasional (BN) lie in getting Indians to return to the estates?

Talk has it that president G Palanivel’s ‘back-to-estate’ call may have been stoked by desperate Umno-sympathisers who are concerned that to ensure MIC’s political future in Umno-led BN, it has to boost its support in the rural areas after having lost its sway over urban Indians.

According to Malacca based PKR leader G Rajandran, MIC is facing a ‘huge problem’ gaining votes from Indians especially in urban areas.

“By sending back the Indian community to estates, it is easy for MIC (and Umno-BN) to ‘control’ them.

“We all know that Sime Darby is a BN (Barisan Nasional) crony company,” Rajandran said, adding that plantation and estates were now directly under Palanivel’s ministerial purview.

Rajandran was alluding to Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Palanivel’s contentious call earlier this month for Indians to return to estates which were facing shortage of workers.

Palanivel had reportedly said that the government had agreed to a minimum wage of about RM700 a month for the sector, compared to RM300 previously and that they would also be provided with free housing as well as free transportation for students.

In addition he said cost of living in estates were low and the environment secure.

Palanivel, had for reasons best known to himself, cited Sime Darby estates.

Have Felcra-style schemes

Sime Darby, a government linked companny (GLC), manages 130 oil palm plantations and some nine rubber estates in Malaysia.

According to Rajandran, the ‘strategy’ of wooing Indians with free house and other facilities would ensure that those ‘living below the poverty line’ remain a homeless community and dependent on BN for basic amenities.

“Palanivel is urging those living below the poverty line to go back to the estates.

“He should know that almost 50% of urban Indians are living under the poverty line.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to urge all of them to return to the estates.

Rajandran said if Palanivel was indeed genuine then he should, in his capacity as a BN component leader, urge the government to start resettlement scheme like Felda and Felcra for Indians,” he said.

Since his widely reported suggestion, Palanivel has been facing criticism from within his party leaders and outside.

In an immediate reaction to Palanivel’s back-to-estate proposal, MIC Youth chief T Mohan had slammed his chief saying estates would not guarantee a bright future for Indians.

Mohan urged the government to instead provide a Felda-like land development scheme for the community.

He also said the RM700 minimum wage by the government was too small.

MIC failed urban Indians

The Malaysian Consumer Advisory Association (MCAA) also lashed out at Palanivel saying that the president’s call was a ‘reflection that MIC had failed’ to upgrade the lives of the Indians in urban areas.

Said MCAA president M Varatarajoo: “Palanivel’s recent call to the poor urban Indian community to go back to estates for a better life reflects the failure of MIC in the last 53 years under BN government.

“In the early 70s, (former MIC president) (S) Samy Vellu, gave an assurance that all the plantation workers living in estates will
be given trained with new skill to help them fit in at urban cities and areas.

“But this never happened, ” he said.

Varatharajoo said at a time when both Umno and MCA were ‘pushing’ their respective communities to move forward, MIC was instead ‘pulling’ Indians back to the estates.

He also disputed Palanivel’s claim that estate workers would earn minimum RM700 and would enjoy free housing and transport.

“Palanivel does not know what he is talking about.

“A harvester earn RM25.70 for per day. The management gives RM2 Cola (Cost of living allowance) and RM2 pertrol money.
allowance(COLA) and RM2 for petrol money.

“Plantation worker also get RM 4.82 an hour for over-time. With all this they roughly earn about RM760 a month…sometimes they can touch RM1,000 with overtime.

“Now deduct EPF, SOCSO, NUPW fees, water and electricity… at best these workers take home RM850 a month witout a day’s break of work.

“You tell me is RM850 a month enough for a family man?,” asked Varathrajoo adding that Palanivel’s proposal was an invitation to return to the colonial days. - FMT