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Saturday, March 25, 2023

Ramasamy does not deserve the axe

 

From R Santhiram

I was surprised and quite disturbed to read a report in The Star on March 22 headlined “Ramasamy faces the axe in Perai”, and perplexed about what he has said, or written, to warrant this seeming attack.

Ramasamy is a prolific writer on minority issues as well as state, national and international events. He always provides an intellectual slant to the morbid, and often childish, happenings in our Parliament.

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He is a highly respected political leader in Penang and around the region. His contributions to Penang as the executive council member in charge of the education and human resources development portfolios, among others, are well documented in the many initiatives undertaken by him.

Of course, Ramasamy has rubbed some politicians up the wrong side with his abrasive comments, but there is always a semblance of truth in what he says or writes about, which is difficult to refute.

As the de facto leader overseeing Indian matters in Penang, no other state Indian leader, past or present, has been able to achieve so much in such a short period, for marginalised Indians, as effectively as Ramasamy has.

In particular, he has brought about tremendous changes in the infrastructural development of Tamil vernacular primary schools in the state. He has relentlessly sought out solutions to perennial land issues, and the miserably poor conditions of Tamil schools.

A noteworthy effort for vernacular Tamil schools is the provision of funds and assistance by the state, and the efforts of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) for starting up pre-school classes. This initiative ensures that there is a constant stream of pupils to fill standard one classes. And these Tamil schools are beginning to show that they are performing as well as, if not better than, national schools.

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Another notable contribution of Ramasamy is the reorganisation of the HEB to benefit poor Indians in Penang. The state’s Thaipusam celebrations, which generates hundreds of thousands of ringgit for the organisers, was treated as a cash cow only for the organising community. Penang Tamils were mere participants in the celebrations. Through his relentless effort, Ramasamy, together with the HEB, introduced the new golden chariot in 2017, after 231 years of the original silver chariot, which only benefited the organising community.

The golden chariot, managed by the HEB, has seen a few hundred thousand ringgit collected annually and re-channelled to the Indian community. The money is given as grants for the improvement of Tamil schools, offered as financial aid to deserving and needy tertiary education students, and given to displaced Indian families.

How is it that all this is possible now?

In the early 1990s, when I personally approached the then BN state government leaders for assistance to run some projects for Tamil schools, I was brazenly told that the budget at my place of work, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), was larger than the Penang state budget, and that I should look elsewhere for funds.

A cursory perusal of Ramasamy’s official social media accounts will show a constant flow of disadvantaged Penangites at his office seeking some kind of assistance or answers for their problems. And, no one gets turned away. He patiently and meticulously meets and tries to solve each person’s difficulties.

The reality is that not everyone likes a political leader no matter how much good they do. But it is deeply troubling that some Malaysian Indians are the ones conniving to bring down a hardworking and committed political leader like Ramasamy.

It is a crying shame if DAP thinks there is no place for Ramasamy in Penang, and that he is dispensable, or has overstayed his welcome in the party.

The Indians in Penang will not forgive DAP if they make that mistake.

Ramasamy is a beacon of hope for the marginalised and often dispossessed Indian community whose culture, religion and language are under constant threat in Malaysia’s fragmented society.

If a 75-year-old can be the prime minister, why can’t a 74-year-old, who has done a sterling job thus far, continue to contribute and serve as the deputy chief minister of Penang?

Is there such an urgent need to push him out to make way for some young leader? I can point out several politicians who are currently in their third term in office who have done significantly less for Penang than Ramasamy.

Can we also assume that they will face the unexpected demise of their political careers?

R Santhiram is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

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