Delivery the problem in solving Indian issues, says Santiago
Former Klang MP Charles Santiago said the unity government’s policy is clear in helping the Indian community tackle poverty, address youth issues, and support women.
PETALING JAYA: The Indian community’s unhappiness with the government is due to the delivery of initiatives designed to help them, not government policy, former Klang MP Charles Santiago said.
“The unity government’s policy is clear in helping the Indian community tackle poverty, address youth issues, and support women.
“However, the delivery is the problem. On top of that, there are some leaders within the government fighting among themselves,” Santiago said in a press conference today.
He said those who have been tasked to solve the Indian issues are not doing a great job for the unity government.
“They should be giving a progress report on how much the government has given to the community, but there doesn’t seem to be one,” he said.
Santiago also suggested the government form a committee to monitor the social impact of programmes for the community.
He said there must be some level of reporting to show the growth of the community.
Last month, a sociologist also called for the reintroduction of a Cabinet committee or national council for the Indian community, a day after responsibility for the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) was handed back to the prime minister’s department.
Denison Jayasooria of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said the proposed body could be chaired by the prime minister and look into addressing the unresolved concerns in the community.
“This is most needful and urgent,” he said in a likely reference to the Cabinet committee for the Indian community set up by former prime minister Najib Razak in 2009.
He said the establishment of such a committee was among the “major concerns” Mitra must address.