Leaders hail blueprint to push community forward

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Indian leaders have welcomed a 10-year blueprint to improve the lot of the community, saying all in the country should take pride.

Former long-serving MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu described the Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB) as a gift to the present generation of Malaysian Indians.

“In my time, we had no such plan. The present government has given us a big ray of hope.

“We thank the Prime Minister and all those who had given their support to strengthen efforts to help the Indian community. Especially in education, because a lot of change is happening around the world. Malaysian Indians don’t want to be left behind,” he said.

Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI) president Tan Sri Kenneth Eswaran said he believed in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s sincerity in wanting to help the community.

“Barisan Nasional component party leaders and Cabinet members are here and this shows their full support.

“For Malaysian Indian entrepreneurs, there will be a RM500mil revolving fund, which will help develop industries run by them,” he added.

UKM Institute of Ethnic Studies principal research fellow Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria said the blueprint was “emotionally moving” as it was a culmination of years of painstaking efforts by various groups of people.

“It is critical that issues like poverty, education, business development and citizenship are addressed, but the blueprint must be effectively implemented and its progress monitored,” he said.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said he was pleased that there would be more avenues for Malaysian Indian students to enter public tertiary institutions.

“Avenues like school resource centres and polytechnics should be opened up so the base numbers for Indian students entering public universities will be higher,” he said.

MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who was present at the launch of the blueprint, said he shared the joy of Malaysian Indians.

“The blueprint shows the Government’s commitment to help the Indian community.

“It is the duty of the Government to help the poor, mainly those in the IB40 group.

“This is especially so in education, providing jobs and creating business opportunities,” Liow added.

The blueprint shows the Government’s commitment to help the Indian community. It is the duty of the Government to help the poor, mainly those in the IB40 group.

Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai