Indian Community Must Be Confident Of A Better Future - Najib

KLANG, Oct 15 (Bernama) -- The government will strive to ensure that the Indian community will have a better future, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak.

"Nambike (confidence) ... we must have confidence of a better future," he said when launching the 1Malaysia Deepavali Carnival organised by the Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jalan Tengku Kelana here Saturday night.

He said the Indian community must be confident that Malaysia, as their place of birth, could provide a better future for them.

"There must be a feeling that the Malaysian soil is the place of birth of all races," he said.

Najib said Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) had been instructed to set up a special unit made up of Indian officers to ensure that loans would reach the target group.

He said that in the 2012 Budget, the government allocated RM100 million for Indian small entrepreneurs under the AIM micro-credit scheme to enable them to continue and succeed in their business.

Najib said the budget also provided allocations and benefits to all strata of society.

He also disclosed that 2,000 applications for MyKad and birth certificates from the Indian community had been approved by the Home Ministry.

This was an effort by the Special Implementation Task Force and the Home Ministry to resolve the problem of citizenship documentation faced by the Indian community, he said.

"I wish to show that the spirit of 'Ore Malaysia' (1Malaysia) is a most meaningful concept for all Malaysians. If we can unite under the Ore Malaysia concept, I believe Malaysia will become a more successful country and the 2020 Vision will be a reality," he said.

Najib said that during the Deepavali, to be celebrated on Oct 26, the light was considered important to brighten up the darkness.

Thus, he called on the Indian community to regard the Barisan Nasional as the light that was capable of bringing a better future for them.

Also present were the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk G.Palanivel, who is also the MIC president, Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri S.Subramaniam and president of the Malaysian Indian Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry Datuk K.K. Eswaran.