No Indian reps in Pakatan’s budget committee, claims NGO

There is no Indian representative in Pakatan Rakyat's national budget committee and this has irked several Indian-based NGOs.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat must admit at least two Indian representatives in its “national budget” committee as this would enable the opposition pact to draw up plans to assist the community, if it came to power after the next general election.

The Federation of Indian NGOs president A Rajaretnam, in making the call, said the community was frustrated and vexed with the opposition pact for not including even one Indian in the committee entrusted to draw up the alternative “national budget”.

“Why aren’t there any Indians in the committee? Pakatan has so many Indian MPs and state assemblymen. They are capable of bringing up the woes of the community but why are they not included in the committee?” he asked.

Speaking to FMT, he said Pakatan should immediately appoint two Indian leaders to sit in the committee.

Pakatan set up the alternative “national budget” committee early this month to come up with a comprehensive alternative strategic budget for the country. This was to counter the national budget to be tabled by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also Finance Minister, next month in Parliament.

Pakatan component parties – DAP, PKR and PAS – have two representatives each in the committee. The committee is also made up of industry experts, academics and corporate figures.

The PKR committee members are Tian Chua (Batu MP) and Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai), DAP is representated by Liew Chin Tong (Bukit Bendera) and Tony Puah (Petaling Jaya Utara) while PAS has Dzulkifli Ahmad (Kuala Selangor) and Rosli Yaakop (PAS Negri Sembilan
deputy commissioner).

The alternative “national budget” will focus on a more “decent and sustainable growth” whereby top priority is given to “increasing disposable income”, “redistributive justice” and creating a “sustainable and not reckless” national expenditure.

Rajeretnam said both Pakatan and Barisan Nasional should not treat the 1.8 million Indians in the country as their slaves and behave like their “mandores”.

“Times have changed. We want to have a say on policy matters too,” he said, adding that Pakatan was “always using the multi-racial party” card to sideline and marginalise the Indian community.

“While Pakatan claims to champion the cause of all communities, it has conveniently sidelined Indians. This is even before it came to power. Why is it so difficult to have two Indians in the community?” he asked.

He said the Indians supported Pakatan in the 2008 general election after being let down by the BN which did not address various social issues affecting the community.

“But now it seems like Pakatan is also doing the same thing,” he said.

Not true, says Sivarasa

Meanwhile, when contacted, former PKR vice-president R Sivarasa denied that Pakatan has sidelined Indians in drawing up an alternative national budget.

“Actually, there are a few Indian MPs in the committee. But this was not stated in earlier news reports. I am also one of its committee members,” he added.

He said Pakatan was concerned about the Indian community and if the opposition pact came to power, it would never forsake them.

However, Sivarasa admitted that the committee was recruiting a few Indians “advisers” to sort out the grouses of the community.

“We will not forget the role played by the Indians in the 2008 general election. They ensured our victory in at least four states and reducing the BN’s two-thirds majority in Parliament,” he added.