Appeal for Indian representation in govt bodies
KOTA KINABALU: Sandakan Indian Association (SIA) president Taren Sunil Manoharan has appealed to the Sabah Pakatan Harapan government to consider appointing Malaysian Indians into local councils and advisory boards to give them a platform to air their views.
“We are confident that the Pakatan Harapan Sabah government under the leadership of YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal will be bringing much progress and development to our state,” said the SIA president.
“However, we also hope that the Sabah government will consider having Indian representation in the various local councils or advisory bodies so that they can contribute their ideas and also raise pertinent issues especially those affecting the livelihood of the local Indian community. The move will also reflect the multiracial facet of our Malaysian society,” he added.
He said SIA would like to see Indians being given a chance to play a role in formulating blueprints that would benefit society as a whole. They could give accurate and in-depth information and feedback on local issues, especially those concerning the Indian community.
“Although our Indian community is relatively small in number here in Sabah, we do play a significant role in the economic development of the state. Many of us are businessmen, plantation managers, traders, restaurant owners (especially the ubiquitous Indian Muslim eateries) as well as professionals like doctors, lawyers, educators and engineers. In the government sector, local Indians have worked with dedication as teachers, police personnel, doctors as well as in other fields,” he said.
Taren added that the Indian community, just like other communities, had their own challenges to face in their daily lives. He believes that if they were given a platform in some government-sanctioned body to air their ideas, views and problems, many issues would be easier to resolve, especially with help from a caring government.
As an example, he said there were quite a number of Indians who had been in Sabah for decades but had still not been able to secure ‘permanent residence' status here.
“SIA has time and again appealed to the relevant authorities for help but to no avail. We believe that if there is an Indian representative (in the Chief Minister's Office for example) to give accurate feedback, the issue could be easier understood and maybe resolved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned,” said Taren.
“Indian restaurant owners also have their grouses with regard to the complicated and costly process of recruiting Indian cooks and workers from overseas. Here again we believe an Indian representative could be of great help to explain their predicament to the relevant authorities,” he added.
“Sandakan Indian Association therefore appeals to the State Government under Chief Minister YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal for kind consideration to include representatives from our community into advisory boards, councils or any department which the Chief Minister's Office considers suitable. May I even humbly suggest appointing an Indian as one of the six appointed State Assemblymen,” appealed the SIA President.