COMMENT BY PROF DR.P.RAMASAMY,
FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER II, PENANG
There are limits to MIC’s patience
I am glad that there are few MIC leaders like the Deputy President M. Saravanan who is willing to tell the Madani government off for not implementing its promises.
In the recent MIC general assembly, Saravanan pointed out that while the party is still supporting the government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the party’s support cannot be taken for granted.
He added that the party which is old as Umno is not only disrespected but taken for ride for some time.
Although Saravanan did not spell out the alternative course of action, there is sense of frustration and anger among the ranks in the MIC.
The MIC might not be a strong party as before, but still the party has some level of support in the Indian community.
It should not be forgotten that it was the first Indian party that gave representation to the Indian community for four decades after political independence in 1957.
It was precisely the arrogant hegemonic Umno that reduced the effective role of the MIC and MCA.
It is the same weakened Umno in the present government that seeks to sideline both the parties that stood thick and thin with it for decades.
Even if Umno has washed its hands of the MIC and MCA, surely Anwar ought to know better.
PKR has high Indian membership of 40 percent but Indians are most neglected in the party.
The party even refused to appoint an Indian leader to a ministerial post.
If PKR has abandoned the Indians what chance is there for Anwar to recognise and respect the MIC.
Umno is not interested in the MIC simply because the party is fighting for its survival. There is no time for the MIC or even the MCA.
It is about time taking the cue from the statement issued by Saravanan, the MIC leadership thinks about the larger interests of the Indian community.
Forget about expecting bread crumbs from the government. Even these are not easy to obtain.
In short, sad to say, the present government has no respect for Indians!