Indian community will be rewarded for being a ‘fixed deposit’

 

(The Star) - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak admits that the Indian community, while being a long-time “fixed deposit” for the Barisan Nasional in the country's general elections, had not been given the “interest rates” due to them.

“They had been our fixed deposit' all this while but we have not been paying high interest ... maybe our interest rates were not good enough,” said the Prime Minister, who is also the Barisan chief.

“However, in the last four years, the Barisan has been paying them higher interest rates,” he said in his keynote address when opening the 66th MIC general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.

“It is the feeling of being sidelined among the Indians that led to a dip in their support for the Barisan at the last polls.

“There were, among the community, those who wanted to see changes in the Barisan. They wanted it to be more attentive to the rights and aspiration of the Indians.

“It is not to say they wanted the Opposition less or that they love the Opposition, but they wanted a Barisan government that cares for the Indians and all Malaysians,” he added.

Najib said the expenditure of RM540mil for Tamil primary schools since 2009 was an example of the Government's commitment towards the betterment of the community, adding the Government would consider upgrading the MIC-run Tafe College to university status.

The Prime Minister was confident that the changes being made by the Barisan would be accepted by the Indians, based on the nambikei spirit and the trust they had put in the party to defend their future.

Telling them to be cautious before casting their votes at the next general election, Najib said there could be chaos and uncertainties for the community and the nation if they voted for the Opposition.

He also described the allegations by the Opposition that some 300,000 Indians in the country were stateless as a lie to dupe the community.

“Based on records, only about 9,000 had so far come forward to apply for citizenship and related documents.

“So far, 4,500 citizenship applications have been settled with 2,000 more in the process,” he said, adding that 7,000 MyKad and birth certificates had been issued to the applicants.