On the spot PR offer to German Businessman but 100000 over stateless Indians still waiting for citizenship

Senator S. Ramakrishnan, 4/6/2012
In was reported in the media that the prime minister offered permanent residence status to a German businessman on the spot upon request. The German lived in Malaysia for the past five years and made the request during the prime minister’s dialogue session with investors.  While we welcome more investment to flow into the country, there are also about 4 million legal and illegal workers in Malaysia. Millions from Indonesia who land on Malaysian shores illegally have become citizens within short periods. But 100000 over Malaysian Indians either born or residing in Malaysia before independence are denied citizenship by the BN government. Why the double standard Mr. Prime Minister?      

Since becoming prime minister in 2009 Datuk Najib has promised to resolve the Indian’s citizenship problem. An Indian task force was created for this purpose. But till date only about 2500 Malaysian Indians have received blue identity. The recipients are all elderly people who have suffered all these years without citizenship. To these people citizenship at this stage of their life is of little use except for medical help in local hospitals. There are many children and youngsters born in Malaysia still holding red identity card. Why the drag and delay in processing citizenship for Malaysian Indians but for German businessman it was on the spot decision. Why the double standard sir? Malaysian Indians are voters whom you are trying to win them over. But your administration is refusing to provide citizenship. Is it because you only want the Indian votes but not willing to provide equal rights to them? Please change the divide and rule policy Mr PM.

An attempt to submit  citizenship application to the prime minister’s office by PKR leaders recently was sabotage by MIC youth. Gangsters were deployed to block the PKR leader’s submission and these gangsters started a fracas in which PKR members were injured. UMNO uses MIC youth gangsters to dent and deny the demand for Indian right to citizenship. With MIC around Malaysian Indians don’t need enemies. They will help UMNO to keep Malaysian Indians downtrodden and stateless. They are UMNO stooges and not Indian representatives in BN.
Malaysian Indians are given false promises of citizenship just to win over the Indian votes. We need a political solution to this problem. Under the BN regime UMNO will never accept Indians getting more rights. Indians need a regime that provides equal opportunity and equal rights. Indians should not ever accept the denial of citizenship by UMNO/BN government. We are not second class or third class citizens to UMNO. For that to happen we need to dump UMNO and their cohorts once and for all. Malaysians have equal voting rights to bring about a more equitable and fair government.  It’s now or never.