Policies, not more Indian ministers will make a difference - business group

The leader of a business group has urged all quarters to stop bickering about the sole Indian representation in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet, noting that the Indian Malaysian community is still in the doldrums despite the presence of more ministers in the past.

According to Nivas Ragavan (above), the Indians, who make up just 6.2 percent of the census population of 33.5 million, are ranked the worst in the poverty bracket.

“The statistics speak for themselves,” the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KLSICCI) president told Malaysiakini.

Describing the New Economic Policy (NEP) as a “miserable failure”, Nivas said it would be meaningless to have a special bumiputera programme or a special Indian blueprint.

“The results will be the same,” he added.

Nivas said Malaysia should instead move forward with needs-based and affirmative socio-economic upliftment policies.

With such a framework in place, he added, ministers regardless of race and religion would advocate and implement policies for all Malaysians who need education and socio-economic empowerment.

“Indian Malaysians would no longer need Indian ministers to be represented in the cabinet to ensure their voice is heard and rights are met. We have the other 10 Indian MPs to ensure check and balance with regard to the needs-based policies.

“We have had up to four Indian ministers prior to this. The result of their representation speaks for itself. The MIC or Pakatan Harapan alone cannot advocate for the rights of Indians.

“It is the government of the day that needs to advocate sincere political will to implement the needs-based and affirmative education and socio-economic upliftment policies for all Malaysians regardless of race and religion,” he added.

Needs-based policies

Nivas pointed out that Indian Malaysians supported Harapan and Anwar because they were convinced of the needs-based policies advocated during the campaign period.

“The Malays, Chinese, Indians and those in Sabah and Sarawak deserve to be in the mainstream economic agenda of the government.

“Each community contributed to the development of this nation. No one should be left behind and marginalised.

“Anwar has promised needs-based economic policies without compromising or breaching the Federal Constitution that protects the special privileges and rights of the king as the head of the country, Islam as the official religion and Malay as the official language,” he added.

Nivas said during a meeting with the Selangor Indian consultative council members in October, Anwar reaffirmed his support for needs-based policies and indicated that he is not in favour of Indian blueprints.

“I strongly agree with him on this.

“We need a fair distribution of socioeconomic and education policies in our annual budgets and in the 12th as well as 13th Malaysian Plan. Malaysia needs needs-based policies and not goodies,” he added. - Mkini