By Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 30, 2011
PUTRAJAYA, July 30 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak pledged to do all he can to bring the Indian community back into the “mainstream of development” but asked that MIC redouble efforts to secure the community’s vote.
The prime minister said there must be “quid pro quo” between Barisan Nasional (BN) component party MIC and the ruling coalition if both wished to benefit from their relationship as “loyal friends”.
“There must be an understanding. Can you all deliver for Barisan Nasional? You can deliver and we will deliver,” Najib (picture) told delegates at the 65th MIC general assembly here today.
Najib also stressed that unity within MIC at all levels was crucial for the party to be seen as the main choice for Indians come polling day.
“There cannot be factions within MIC. There must be only one MIC,” he said.
MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel had earlier called on the prime minister to reward “hardworking” Indians who toiled in rubber plantations and on railways and roads to make the nation what it is today.
Palanivel said Najib should assist Indians by increasing Budget allocations for the community, setting up a special purpose economic vehicle to improve their lot and by upping the number of seats for Indians in matriculation courses to 1,000.
“The Indian community is waiting for your good moves, sir, good announcements and good plans,” he said.
“If you can fulfill all the requirements that I have put forward… you can be rest assured that the Indian votes will automatically return to Barisan Nasional.”
The Indian community has always been a strong supporter of the ruling coalition but forsook it in Election 2008 after the government cracked down on the November 2007 Hindraf rally where 30,000 Indians marched for better opportunities.
Since then, the Najib administration has gone on a charm offensive to win back the Indian vote by making Deepavali a holiday for universities and providing vegetarian meals on campus and buses to take Hindu students to temples on Fridays.
The 2010 census showed there are 1.9 million Indians or 7.3 per cent of the 28 million population, far less than the 2.3 million foreigners in the country.
#1 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 8:05 am
This move by Najib only screams how completely lost he is. HE was actually smiling and grinning way too much when he announced Palanivel ministership and this declaration. But for WHAT?
The only achievement of these bunch that now runs MIC since 308 is getting rid of Samy Vellu – and they did it only with Najib’s forcing the issue. What can they do without help from Najib? Kamalanathan in Hulu Selangor? – Najib bought that seat for him – paying mercedes benz prices for a kancil. It simply not workable nationally.
So why is Najib smiling and grinning so widely? Because inside he already know that whatever MIC can do, he will still have to cough up a HUGE price. After getting one ministership, now they want position(s) in EPU. Perkasa is going to love that…
Najib is running in his very own self-created stationary spinning wheel. He is running desperately but not getting anywhere. Yet, he keeps doing it again and again. Its exasperating just watching him..even strangely hypnotic like watching that mouse in a spinning wheel.
#2 by k1980 on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 8:07 am
making Deepavali a holiday for universities?
I thought all along Deepavali has been a national holiday for all the states. Better to make Palanivel’s birthday a holiday for all the schools…..
#3 by wanderer on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 9:47 am
How many times must a man be cheated before he becomes wise?…the answer my
friend is sc*ew racist politicians! Never be
an UMNO thamby again…..
#4 by yhsiew on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 10:04 am
As Prime Minister Najib is obligated to help the Indians even if MIC cannot secure their vote.
#5 by vsp on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 10:46 am
Najib, how about this: You help me, I’ll pay my taxes; you don’t help me, then I pay no taxes. Okay?
#6 by monsterball on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 10:57 am
It’s the same….
“you help me…I help you” nonsense by Najib.
#7 by boh-liao on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 11:55 am
Cheap publicity/reward 4 MIC kaki, in d same stable as UmnoB feeding fr d same manger
Soon another elevation 4 MCA kaki like CSL, living in d same sty
A foreplay b4 GE13 2 get MIC n MCA sexcited n salivating 4 more
But no use 1 lah, NR n UmnoB where got credibility 1
失信于民的政府, 没有了公信力, 早已经完蛋,破产
#8 by boh-liao on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 12:25 pm
Like KTK, GP 钱途无量 $ path limitless
#9 by Cinapek on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 12:40 pm
This guy is pathetic.
His modus operandi is always you do something for me and only then I will do something for you in return.
Take the Hulu Klang byelection and the infamous three million ringgit “offer” to the Chinese school. Next at the Sibu byelection it is the “lu tolong gua, gua tolong lu” offer. Then when he returned from the Vatican visit, it is the “you respect Islam first and we will respect you”.
He blackmails his potential support to get what he wants instead of earning it through good performance and respect. He forgets he is the PM of ALL Malaysians and that it is his fundamental responsibility and duty to deliver to the public what is rightfully theirs and not hold them to ransom. Perhaps he feels and acts this way because he was not voted into the PM’s chair by the people but rather by a caucus of crooks and corrupted politicians from UMNO and hence his obligation is not to the people but rather to the UMNO power brokers that keeps him in that chair.
#10 by Jong on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 3:15 pm
Today : “You help me, ..I help you”
“You can deliver, and I will deliver”
2morrow: Be grateful, no other govt except
UMNO-led BN govt support vernacular
schools.
And what’s that Johor’s Sultanah talking about, suggesting getting rid of vernacular schools to be ‘a forward move’?
What has vernacular schools – Chinese and/or Indian, to do with students’ inability to possess good command of English language to communicate with foreigners?
Does she think Malays students without vernacular school education, perform better? That’s hilarious! LOL!!!
#11 by Jong on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 3:28 pm
This is what I call intelligent – “a forward move” –
Chinese to be taught in all Swedish schools
http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?news_id=9122&coun_code=se
#12 by good coolie on Sunday, 31 July 2011 - 8:08 pm
So, after all that railway and road building, we coolies are becoming important again. PM is drooling at us. But listen, let us support PKR! – they can’t be worse than those Barisan fellows. As for those MIC puppet- Ministers, show them the way that Samy went – out!