Following in the footsteps of peninsula-based Gerakan, MIC is seeking to secure a foothold in Sabah politics.
KOTA KINABALU: The minority Indian population in Sabah is seeking to revive a “nominated-seat” once held by the community in the State Legislative Assembly.
According to Sabah MIC Youth, when the state constitution was first drafted, the goverment had made allowances for “nominated seats” in the state assembly mainly to cater for the minority groups in Sabah.
In the past, Indians in Sabah had a “nominated” seat in the assembly but that has since somewhat disappeared.
Making the request to Chief Minister Musa Aman, Sabah MIC Youth chief Taren Sunil Manoharan said it was necessary for Indians in Sabah to have a voice.
“This is because the problems faced by the Indians in Sabah are peculiar and are not necessarily the same faced by Indians in Peninsular Malaysia.
“For example, some of the Indians residing in Sabah were brought to work here under the Migration Fund Board Scheme from Malaya.
“Those people entered into an agreement with the Migration Fund Board which was established on Aug 25, 1966.
“Among the terms of the agreement are that these people are eligible to obtain permanent stay status in Sabah and to participate in the land settlement scheme after they had worked for two years in Sabah.
“Unfortunately, these terms were not fulfilled by the authorities concerned.
“As a result, some of these people and their children and grandchildren have been neglected and they are living below the poverty level,” he said.
‘Notable role’
Manoharan said many of these migrant workers also did not have proper documents even though their parents and grandparents were brought from Malaya to work in Sabah.
“The Indian community in Sabah has been around for umpteen years and has contributed a lot to the development of the state.
“Although we are not a very large group, we are nevertheless a sizeable minority and we need a voice in the state assembly,” he said.
Urging Musa to look into the community’s request, Manoharan said the Indian community in Sabah had played a “notable role in the public service, especially in the teaching and medical profession and the police force”.
“We’ve also been every active in business and trading, thus providing many work opportunities for locals.
“With a voice in the Sabah state assembly, our BN state government would be able to get regular input from MIC on different matters affecting the populace, ” he said.
Manoharan also offered the state government an alternative proposal in the event Musa was unable to accomodate Sabah MIC Youth’s request.
“We hope our chief minister will consider our appeal for a nominated seat.
“Alternatively, we would like to request for a senatorship as MIC has always supported the BN government both at the state and federal levels.
“Giving MIC Sabah a role in the state assembly or in the Senate (Dewan Negara) would further enhance that bond of cooperation.
“It would also give MIC Sabah a platform to voice the grievances of the Indians residing in Sabah,” he said, adding that they were not trying to pressure the state government.
“Rather, it is an appeal to the state government to accommodate our humble request with due consideration.
“We understand that it is entirely the prerogative of the chief minister to consider our appeal,” he said.
KOTA KINABALU: The minority Indian population in Sabah is seeking to revive a “nominated-seat” once held by the community in the State Legislative Assembly.According to Sabah MIC Youth, when the state constitution was first drafted, the goverment had made allowances for “nominated seats” in the state assembly mainly to cater for the minority groups in Sabah.
In the past, Indians in Sabah had a “nominated” seat in the assembly but that has since somewhat disappeared.
Making the request to Chief Minister Musa Aman, Sabah MIC Youth chief Taren Sunil Manoharan said it was necessary for Indians in Sabah to have a voice.
“This is because the problems faced by the Indians in Sabah are peculiar and are not necessarily the same faced by Indians in Peninsular Malaysia.
“For example, some of the Indians residing in Sabah were brought to work here under the Migration Fund Board Scheme from Malaya.
“Those people entered into an agreement with the Migration Fund Board which was established on Aug 25, 1966.
“Among the terms of the agreement are that these people are eligible to obtain permanent stay status in Sabah and to participate in the land settlement scheme after they had worked for two years in Sabah.
“Unfortunately, these terms were not fulfilled by the authorities concerned.
“As a result, some of these people and their children and grandchildren have been neglected and they are living below the poverty level,” he said.
‘Notable role’
Manoharan said many of these migrant workers also did not have proper documents even though their parents and grandparents were brought from Malaya to work in Sabah.
“The Indian community in Sabah has been around for umpteen years and has contributed a lot to the development of the state.
“Although we are not a very large group, we are nevertheless a sizeable minority and we need a voice in the state assembly,” he said.
Urging Musa to look into the community’s request, Manoharan said the Indian community in Sabah had played a “notable role in the public service, especially in the teaching and medical profession and the police force”.
“We’ve also been every active in business and trading, thus providing many work opportunities for locals.
“With a voice in the Sabah state assembly, our BN state government would be able to get regular input from MIC on different matters affecting the populace, ” he said.
Manoharan also offered the state government an alternative proposal in the event Musa was unable to accomodate Sabah MIC Youth’s request.
“We hope our chief minister will consider our appeal for a nominated seat.
“Alternatively, we would like to request for a senatorship as MIC has always supported the BN government both at the state and federal levels.
“Giving MIC Sabah a role in the state assembly or in the Senate (Dewan Negara) would further enhance that bond of cooperation.
“It would also give MIC Sabah a platform to voice the grievances of the Indians residing in Sabah,” he said, adding that they were not trying to pressure the state government.
“Rather, it is an appeal to the state government to accommodate our humble request with due consideration.
“We understand that it is entirely the prerogative of the chief minister to consider our appeal,” he said.
1 comment:
Sabah now have been infected by the dead wood "MIC" now.... They can't even defend the Rights of the poor Indians in Peninsular now heading to Sabah ... Not enough YES MAN in now in Sabah pulak... i wonder how sincere are this MIC in helping the Indians in Malaysia ... If it is Human Rights Party or Hindraf, i can see they are fighting the cause of Indians BUT MIC no no for sure ...Pls MIC intervene Interlok and Tamil School issue first ... prove yrself first before asking a SEAT pls
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