Mipas claims that as a result of the slow pace of reforms, Indian voters have become disillusioned with the BN government.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) claimed today its “survey” indicated dwindling support for the Barisan Nasional from the Indian voters.
Its secretary-general, S Barathidasan, said that the slow pace of reforms has left many Indian voters disillusioned, contrary to popular belief that they are now flocking to the BN camp.
“It is not true that the ‘wind’ is blowing towards BN… the people still do not have full confidence and trust in the BN government, as many issues have not been settled,” he said in a statement.
Among the many unresolved issues that have corroded Indian support for the BN is the prolonged Lynas controversy.
Barathidasan cited the controversy over the setting up of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lynas as an example.
Opposition leaders have refused to be part of the panel after they claimed that the composition of the committee was unfair as it would not give fair representation to stakeholders who oppose the construction of the rare earth refinery in Kuantan.
They claimed that the PSC was just a public relations exercise, adding that the government has already made up its mind to allow the Australian mining giant to operate here despite concerns of radioactive pollution.
Barathidasan also said the government has failed to solve longstanding issues concerning the Indian community.
He claimed that discriminatory policies are still in practice: employment in the public sector among Indians is still low at 3.2% and many are still without proper identification documents despite living here for generations.
Eyewash
Education is also another major problem plaguing the country’s poorest voters.
While Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had announced the awarding of full scholarship to 100 Indian students with first-class degrees in public universities, the low number of Indian admission into them is still pitiful.
“How many Indian students are there in public universities? It could be fewer than 100. This full scholarship is just an eyewash… it is sandiwara politics [political gimmick] of the BN government,” Barathidasan said.
He added that the discrimination against the Indians is also reflected in the BN’s foreign policy.
Barathidasan charged that Malaysia, being a Muslim majority country, has been supportive of the Palestinian cause but abstained in voting on a United Nations resolution condemning ethnic cleansing of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
He claimed that sucha policy has alienated Indian support although Mipas gave no details of its survey.
Pundits claimed that Indian support has returned to BN as reflected in polling data collected from the majority of the by-elections held since the 2008 general elections, indicating that Najib’s intensified charm offensive on the Indian voters has been effective.
In another development, an MIC insider urged Mipas to reveal the findings of their so-called survey.
“We highly doubt if they had done any surveys at all. They are just a small outfit trying to show that they are still relevant in today’s politicis…perhaps they want to hoodwink Pakatan into giving them seats for the GE,” said the inside.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) claimed today its “survey” indicated dwindling support for the Barisan Nasional from the Indian voters.Its secretary-general, S Barathidasan, said that the slow pace of reforms has left many Indian voters disillusioned, contrary to popular belief that they are now flocking to the BN camp.
“It is not true that the ‘wind’ is blowing towards BN… the people still do not have full confidence and trust in the BN government, as many issues have not been settled,” he said in a statement.
Among the many unresolved issues that have corroded Indian support for the BN is the prolonged Lynas controversy.
Barathidasan cited the controversy over the setting up of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lynas as an example.
Opposition leaders have refused to be part of the panel after they claimed that the composition of the committee was unfair as it would not give fair representation to stakeholders who oppose the construction of the rare earth refinery in Kuantan.
They claimed that the PSC was just a public relations exercise, adding that the government has already made up its mind to allow the Australian mining giant to operate here despite concerns of radioactive pollution.
Barathidasan also said the government has failed to solve longstanding issues concerning the Indian community.
He claimed that discriminatory policies are still in practice: employment in the public sector among Indians is still low at 3.2% and many are still without proper identification documents despite living here for generations.
Eyewash
Education is also another major problem plaguing the country’s poorest voters.
While Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had announced the awarding of full scholarship to 100 Indian students with first-class degrees in public universities, the low number of Indian admission into them is still pitiful.
“How many Indian students are there in public universities? It could be fewer than 100. This full scholarship is just an eyewash… it is sandiwara politics [political gimmick] of the BN government,” Barathidasan said.
He added that the discrimination against the Indians is also reflected in the BN’s foreign policy.
Barathidasan charged that Malaysia, being a Muslim majority country, has been supportive of the Palestinian cause but abstained in voting on a United Nations resolution condemning ethnic cleansing of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
He claimed that sucha policy has alienated Indian support although Mipas gave no details of its survey.
Pundits claimed that Indian support has returned to BN as reflected in polling data collected from the majority of the by-elections held since the 2008 general elections, indicating that Najib’s intensified charm offensive on the Indian voters has been effective.
In another development, an MIC insider urged Mipas to reveal the findings of their so-called survey.
“We highly doubt if they had done any surveys at all. They are just a small outfit trying to show that they are still relevant in today’s politicis…perhaps they want to hoodwink Pakatan into giving them seats for the GE,” said the inside.
1 comment:
Tembikai asking nambikei from the Indians, thinking Indians are still stupid and can divide and rule... half the Malays have lost nambikei in Najib and its govt...so this tembikai head is trying to woe the Indians...BN is out.
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