The MIC has called for the setting up of an Indian Economic Empowerment Council besides the strengthening of Indian financial and non-financial assets to boost the community's economic strength.
Its treasurer-general Senator Datuk Jaspal Singh said Indian equity should also be increased with structured programmes to support Indian entrepreneurship.
He said all these could be implemented through Indian development units in every ministry.
He said all these could be implemented through Indian development units in every ministry.
Jaspal said the government should work towards helping other marginalised and low-income communities like the Indians while it tried to enhance the economic status of bumiputras.
"The rationale is that Indians are more economically deprived than the bumiputras," he said in a statement.
He said it was important to bring the Indian community into the mainstream of development given their support for the Barisan Nasional government in the last general election.
He said the MIC can only deliver Indian support to the government if it is seen to be concerned about the community.
Jaspal said there is peril in not doing much for Indians as the increasing crime rate in the community is due to poverty and a lack of education.
"It is a depressing sight to see thousands of tattooed Indian youths being arrested and dragged off to prison," he said adding that it would make a great difference to Malaysia if the 7.3% Indian component of the population could be productively employed.
On Indian equity, he said it remained at less than 1.5% despite a target of 3% being set under the 9th Malaysia Plan period.
The Sundaily
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