PETALING JAYA, JULY 2- Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan is involved in some sort of a ‘cover up’ by refusing to reveal the full list of non-Malay students awarded matriculation seats for 2013, charged an Indian-based NGO.
A Thiruvengadam, president of Malaysian Indian Education Awareness and Welfare Foundation (PKP-KIM) said the deputy minister’s statement by itself shows the ministry’s “opaque” stand on matriculation seats for Indian students.
Kamalanathan said that he will only reveal the list of names to individuals who approached him instead of disclosing the list to the media as requested by Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran.
The Hulu Selangor MP has adamantly refused reveal the names, claiming it was not the practice of his ministry to release the names through the media.
“Why is the deputy minister so afraid to reveal the name list through media if he is being transparent about the seat allocations?” asked Thiruvengadam.
He added that revealing the list to media was not an offence under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) hence, it is clear that the MIC Putra coordinator is defending Umno’s racist education policies.
Who’s telling the truth?
Thiruvengadam slammed both the BN government and the MIC for giving contradictory statements on the matter.
“The public is confused. While MIC says the number of seats given to Indian students was 1,850 seats, Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin put the figure at 1,800.
Hindraf’s blueprint signed by BN government, on the other hand shows that the total number of seats meant for Indian students is 2,100.
“Who is is telling truth and giving the right figures?” asked Thiruvengadam. To complicate matters, it is learnt that on Friday during the cabinet meeting, Muhyiddin agreed to fulfill the 1,500 seats initially promised by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
“From all these numbers we can assume that no one has any idea on the exact number of seats allocated to Indian students in 2013,” said Thiruvengadam.
Meanwhile, a group of angry parents is planning to proceed with a rally called “Duduk dan Bantah” in front of Education Ministry on July 4, at 12pm to urge the government to fulfill the matriculation places for Indian students.
“It will be a unique gathering where all the protesters will sit on mats and holding umbrellas as a sign of the protest,” said one of the organisers.
He said that several Pakatan MPs will also participate in the protest to show their support for Indian students denied their right to a decent education.
