Human Resources Minister M Saravanan will be calling up Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy to explain why the new Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) CEO was appointed.
This is after Ramasamy (above) accused Saravanan of "going overboard" in appointing Shahul Hameed Dawood to the post.
"Maybe he (Ramasamy) does not understand the matter completely, I will explain it to him," Saravanan told Malaysiakini.
Saravanan said while he is an Indian, the HRDF is not just for one race.
"The HRDF is for all races, every race contributes to it. So I have to ensure that HRDF is represented by every race," he also said.
Shahul's appointment had been criticised by certain quarters, and the objection was due to him being the principal organiser of a series of events in 2016 that featured preacher Zakir Naik, the televangelist from Mumbai, India.
Zakir was banned from giving public lectures in Malaysia after he made some controversial statements, which many deemed "racist" but the former has denied the claims.
Last year, Zakir had given a talk in Kota Baru, Kelantan, on the invitation of PAS, where he raised contentious issues against Chinese and Indians.
Ramasamy said even when Zakir’s talks were banned due to its "incendiary nature", it was Shahul who took the lead in appealing to the police to allow the preacher to continue his lectures on comparative religion.
Saravanan (above) had previously defended Shahul's appointment on grounds that he was the grandson of SOK Ubaidullah Kadir Basha.
Ubaidullah was one of the founders of the MIC in 1946, vice-president of the party and subsequently its permanent chairperson.
Saravanan said that Ubaidullah was "a famous person, contributed much to the Indian committee and Indians in the country".
He also said the party decided on Shahul’s appointment in remembrance of the contribution of his grandfather. - Mkini
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