High time stateless Indians issue addressed, says MP

IT is time for Putrajaya to address the issue of stateless Indians in the country instead of simply dismissing the Opposition’s claims as false, said Klang MP Charles Santiago.

He was responding to remarks by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who rubbished the Opposition’s claims that about 300,000 Indian Malaysians in the country are stateless.

“I’m not going to argue with him (Najib) on the figures, but all I want to tell him now is to solve the problem.

“The issue must be addressed as there are many Indians and Chinese who are stateless simply because they do not have the right documents,” he told reporters yesterday.

Santiago, who is from DAP, commended the Government’s nationwide Mega Mydaftar campaign but pointed out that the issue was still unsolved as people still approached him for help on a daily basis.

“I can’t solve their problems. I had to refer them to Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam (MyDaftar Special Implementation Task Force coordinator),” he said.

MyDaftar initiative was launched in February 2011 to resolve documentation issues faced by the Indian community.

“The Government must therefore consult all stakeholders, including the Opposition, to find a concrete solution to the issue of stateless Indians,” Santiago said.