Task force to look into Indians without papers

©The Star (Used by permission) KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will set up a task force to look into the problems faced by Indians born in Malaysia who have no birth certificates and identity cards, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The Deputy Prime Minister said there were 20,000 to 30,000 Malaysian Indians who had no documentation and that he had raised the issue at last week’s Cabinet meeting. “Malaysians born in this country must be given ICs and birth certificates. We have decided that the Home Ministry will set up a special task force to provide genuine citizens with proper documents,” he said yesterday in his speech at the Bazaar Deepavali in Brickfields. He stressed that this applied to only Malaysians of Indian origin born here, and not those who came from India for work or other purposes. Najib said Malaysia was a unique country with its multi-religious and multi-racial nature and it was important to respect each other. He, however, pointed out that of late, there had been some efforts to cause racial problems in the country. “I invite all Malaysians, regardless of race and religion, to return to our basic principles of mutual respect. Do not make statements that would hurt another race. And do not act in a way disrespectful of other races or religions or others’ festivals and celebrations,” he said. “We have to work together, all communities, all walks of life,” he said, adding that he felt very welcomed in Brickfields and thanked the Indians there for garlanding him more than 25 times. “I smell sweet from all the garlands and when I go home my wife is going to ask me why. And I will say it’s because I went to Brickfields and not because of anything else!” he joked. He said that as a Malaysian, he wanted to feel very much at home, regardless of whether he was in Brickfields, Kampung Baru or Petaling Jaya. Najib also supported the proposal to develop Brickfields into a “Little India”. “Brickfields is a unique place because it is a microcosm of the Indian community,” he said, adding that in the past the Government had acquired three pieces of land in the area from Tenaga Nasional Bhd to erect Hindu temples. “We will continue to develop this area. It is important for us to be one,” he said. Earlier, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique said Brickfields had a 100-year history and suggested that it should be developed into a Little India like those in Vancouver, London and Paris. Also present at the Bazaar Deepavali were MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan.