COMMENT BY PROF DR P.RAMASAMY,
CHAIRMAN, URIMAI PARTY INTERIM COUNCIL
In the recent cabinet reshuffle, the MIC was not given a place as was promised by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. In the days before the last state elections, Anwar promised the MIC leaders will be considered for government posts.
However, despite this promise, Anwar failed to consider MIC leaders in the recent cabinet reshuffle. Rather than getting upset and angry, the MIC president SA Vigneswaran said that the party would not take offence over the omission of the party candidates.
Not only this, Vigneswaran did not think that the non-appointment of Indian Tamil candidates might affect the welfare and well-being of the Indian community.
He added that the MIC will continue to discharge their duties towards the Indian community.
I am a bit taken back by the comments of Vigneswaran.
Even if the MIC is not bothered about the non-inclusion of its leaders in the cabinet list, surely, Vigneswaran cannot dismiss the importance of having one or two Indian Tamils as cabinet ministers.
It doesn’t matter if the MIC was not involved, but surely Vigneswaran being the leader of grand old party, the MIC, cannot dismiss the importance of Indian Tamils in the cabinet.
As a leader of MIC, he cannot adopt a cavalier attitude in cabinet appointments. As I have said before, if Anwar had the interest of the Indian community and on the basis of his earlier promise to the MIC, he should have considered the party’s candidates.
Anwar not only failed the MIC, a component party of BN, but failed to give considerations to Indian Tamil candidates from the DAP and PKR. Anwar was more prone to consider Malay and Chinese candidates.
Vigneswaran should not be entrapped by his own party interests. He should consider the larger and more fundamental interests of the Indian community, the majority of them are of Tamil origins.
Vigneswaran not only failed to speak up for the MIC but the concerns of the larger Indian community. Once MIC had two ministers and a few deputy ministers. Eventually, the number of ministers were reduced to one. However, under the leadership of Anwar, given his total disregard for the Indian community, there have been no ministerial appointments.
Yet there are one or two recent newly appointed ministers who had the temerity to say that others, non-Indian ministers can take care of the Indian problems. If this is the logic, then why can’t more Indian ministers be appointed to take care of the Chinese and Malay problems.
Even if Indian Tamil ministers are not effective, their symbolic presence in the government is important. Let the non-Indians not belittle the contribution of Indian leaders.
I am disappointed that Vigneswaran failed to take a strong stand in criticising the leadership of Anwar for ignoring the tragic plight of Indians in the country.
