Politicians at odds on minorities ministry

MCA welcomes Hindraf's proposal, MIC says it can be looked into and Amanah thinks there's no need for it.

PETALING JAYA: Politicians have given varied reactions to Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy’s call for the establishment of a ministry for minority affairs, with an MCA official saying it’s a timely proposal, the MIC Wanita chief giving it qualified support and a Parti Amanah Negara leader dismissing it as unnecessary.

Ti Lian Ker, who chairs MCA’s Religious Harmony Bureau, told FMT the current political situation called for the empowerment of an authority to represent minority interests.

“It’s time that we empowered a ministry, a department or officials to take up minority issues because in a politically charged or confrontational political environment, it is the winner who takes all,” he said.

Because Malaysian society had yet to attain political maturity, he said, many members of the public failed to understand the spirit of “the rule of the majority with due respect or recognition to the minorities.”

He spoke of instances in which politicians failed to defend minorities out of fear that they would “alienate or antagonise” the Malays. As a result, he said, MCA and MIC had sometimes been accused of failure to address minority issues.

“MCA or MIC have been the punching bag for all minority woes as a result of political convenience or expediency by so called multiracial parties who kick up a racial fuss but do not have the courage or ability to offer any solutions,” he said.

MIC Wanita chief Mohana Muniandy said there were already numerous initiatives to cater to the needs of minorities. She mentioned task forces set up for different minority groups.

“Under Prime Minister Najib Razak, there have already been several initiatives that cater to the urgent issues lingering among the minorities,” she said.

“But if Waythamoorthy is talking about putting all these under one department, then perhaps that’s something that could be looked into.”

Amanah Vice-President Mujahid Rawa told FMT he felt a ministry for minorities would be redundant.

He said there were already initiatives, agencies and programmes geared towards helping minority interests.

“The question is how effective are these programmes or agencies? Are the funds allocated for these reaching their targets?”

He said it would be better if these programmes were improved so that they would achieve the desired results.