‘Shocked’ MIC offers help to PKR

MIC wants to sort the issue of 300,000 Malaysian Indians allegedly without documentation.

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC, shocked over PKR’s claims that there were over 300,000 Malaysian Indians without birth certificates and identity cards, has offered to help the opposition party solve the issue.

Speaking to FMT, MIC secretary-general S Murugesan said the MIC, touted to be the largest Indian-based political party in the country, was willing to “sort out” the issue if PKR hands over the 300,000 applications for the birth certificates and identity cards.

On Thursday, PKR vice-president R Surendran staged a protest in front of Parliament, urging the government to issue MyKads to those who do not have proper identification.

Surendran also claimed that there were 300,000 Indians in the country without proper documentation.

However, the figure quoted by Surendran was the cause of contention as MIC and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were handling the matter over the last few years.

“We have made so much progress, getting people proper documents. The 300,000 figure just does not make sense. We would have known if that many Indians were without birth certificates or identity cards,” Murugesan said.

“I am surprised with the figure thrown by Surendran… we are prepared to put aside all political differences to sort out this issue if the claim is true,” he added.

He said that the MIC on its part was willing to send its officers to Surendran’s office at the PKR headquarters to collect the list of 300,000 Malaysian Indians who do not have birth certificates or identity cards or both.

“Yes, we would send some of our MIC officials to his office on April 26 at 11am to collect the details. Let’s work together on this for the betterment of the Indian community,” Murugesan said.

He said the figure quoted by Surendran was “too high” and would mean some 20% of Indians living in the country did not have identity cards or birth certificates.

“I hope Surendran was not giving false statements over this matter for political mileage,” he added.

Murugesan also said MIC will ensure all the 300,000 Indians get birth certificates and MyKads if they submit relevant documents.

He added that the MyDaftar campaign launched on Feb 23 last year could only identify about 15,000 who were without proper documentation.

From that number, he said, only 9,529 people submitted the relevant application forms through the campaign.