MIC manifesto pledges aid, preservation of cultural practices

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC launched its manifesto for the 14th General Election (GE14) yesterday, outlining four thrusts and 22 initiatives to improve the lives and wellbeing of the Indian community.

The four thrusts focused on fulfilling the basic needs of the community, realising the potential of children through education, increasing the community’s income and wealth, and enhancing social participation in religious and cultural practices.

The first thrust was catered to those in the B40 group, offering affordable homes under various government programmes to increase their home ownership.

The second thrust was to ensure each Indian Malaysian child received a good education.

The third was to provide aid for members of the community to develop their businesses.

“The thrust includes setting up a cooperative bank to help Indian entrepreneurs get financing.

“That is besides ensuring that at least 10 per cent of the community-owned companies are involved in vendor programmes under the Finance Ministry.

“The manifesto also pledges to have at least seven per cent of Indians employed in the civil service and GLCs,” said Dr Subramaniam.

The fourth thrust ensured that the social and religious practices of the community were preserved.

“The last thrust ensures that our religious practices are supported and protected,” he said at the MIC headquarters here.

“This includes the transformation of temples into community centres for the implementation of capacity-building programmes for Indian Malaysians.

“They will also become centres of academic development for children in the B40 group.”

He said the manifesto was in line with the Malaysian Indian Blueprint.

He said the launch of the manifesto showed the maturity of the party in keeping up with the times.

“To my knowledge, this is the first time in MIC history that we are doing this.

“We need to keep up with the times so we do not get lost in the transition of history.”

He said he wanted members of the community to stand together to ensure that pledges in the manifesto could be realised, and the Indian Malaysian Blueprint would be recognised as an initiative that brought betterment to the community.