Prof.Dr.P.RamasamyVia Malaysiakini,
Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy has rebutted claims that the Pakatan Rakyat state
government has been indifferent to the plight of the Indian community.
He emphasised that while it is unfair to expect drastic improvements to the lot of ethnic Indians less than five months after the March 8 election, Penang itself has seen several notable achievements to prove its detractors wrong.
Within his own parliamentary constituency of Batu Kawan, Ramasamy said Indians were appointed to head five village security and development committees (JKKK).“This had never happened under the Barisan Nasional in Penang. In the last (Gerakan-led) state government, only one Indian had been appointed to head a JKKK,” he said when contacted.
The DAP-led Penang government has also ensured Indian representation in the state executive council as well as city and municipal councils, said Ramasamy, who is also Perai state assembly representative.
He also cited the awarding of land to two Tamil schools, two Hindu temples and groups of goat and cattle breeders.A state-level committee was also set up to look into the plight of Tamil schools, while youth groups have been established to alleviate the problems faced by the Indian poor, he added.
The former academician-turned DAP politician was responding to criticisms against the Pakatan state governments this week from Indian-based groups, who alleged the DAP-PAS-PKR coalition had failed to fulfill promises made in the March election campaign.“Pakatan Rakyat ruling parties, be it DAP in Penang, PAS in Kedah and Perak and PKR in Selangor, seemed to have made empty electoral promises to the Indians," said Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) national coordinator TS Thanenthiran.
Small disgruntled group
They also described Ramasamy’s appointment as Penang deputy chief minister as having been more “a curse than a blessing” to the community.In a scathing retort, Ramasamy claimed the bitterness of this “small disgruntled group” was due to the failure to secure their own appointment as local councillors and members of a certain state religious body. “We can accept criticisms, but not mere attempts to discredit the Pakatan governments. Why don’t they come and meet the state government representatives to raise these issues?” he asked.Ramasamy also criticised them for insisting on setting up state Indian councils aimed at planning and implementing beneficial programmes for the Indian community.Unlike Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Rakyat is not merely a coalition of parties that represent exclusively the various ethnic communities, said Ramasamy.
“I’m helping the Chinese and Malay communities as well. I’ve given financial aid for suraus and Chinese temples. If they want state Indian councils, then should we also set up state Malay councils? What about state Chinese councils? What about state councils for Orang Asli? “This is not the Pakatan formula. We are a multi-racial coalition and we work for all races,” he stressed.
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