‘Hate politics’ used to target Anwar over Indian woes, says deputy minister

R Ramanan speaking to members of the Malaysia Indian restaurant owners cooperative in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A deputy minister has decried the use of “hate politics” against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim by claiming that the prime minister was marginalising the Indian community.

R Ramanan said the Anwar government had never marginalised any community. “But certain parties continue to play up the sentiment of hate politics, claiming that the prime minister is marginalising the Indians,” he said here, Bernama reported.

He also hit out at certain parties, especially politicians who held no posts. “If you want to blame the PM for everything, how come you never contested in any election?” said Ramanan, who is deputy minister of entrepreneur development and cooperatives.

He challenged the politicians to stand for election as an independent candidate instead of making appearances during the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election campaign “to show as if they are fighting for the community”.

Ramanan, who is a deputy information chief of PKR, said the prime minister was fully committed to ensuring the agenda’s success.

He said that on Friday, he had announced the approval of a RM100,000 grant for the benefit of the Malaysian Indian restaurant owners cooperative, and had recently announced RM30 million in additional funds for an Indian community entrepreneurship scheme, and a special fund of RM50 million for a programme to benefit over 10,000 Indian women entrepreneurs.

He said all these initiatives for the Indian community entrepreneurs could not have been realised without the prime minister’s mandate.

Separately, former MIC Youth deputy chief V Mugilaan said Indian voters in Kuala Kubu Baharu should not be swayed by emotion or influenced by certain parties to boycott the coming by-election on May 11.

“Boycott is not a solution to any issue, we need to be smart and not lose out on important things that will benefit the Indian community just because of emotions,” he said, urging Indian voters to support the Pakatan Harapan candidate, Pang Sock Tao of DAP.

Pang is making her electoral debut in the state assembly seat by-election. She faces Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau Ke Xin (independent).