It is a great joke that MIC’s Federal Territory chief has challenged the opposition to list down what they have done for the Indian community and Tamil schools.
On Zip it, critics of MIC told
TCM: Mr Saravanan, have you joined our beloved PM in his deep sleep, or have you been instructed to come out with a face saving statement for Samy Vellu? We all know your (lack of) background but you don’t have to prove everyone right by coming out with silly statements. What do you think Hindraf has done? What do you think so many Indians have tried to do but are threatened? You use the government machinery to suppress Indian voices and you now asks such silly questions.
Mr Saravanan, MIC is the Indians’ representative in the government. The government is supposed to give equal rights to all citizens of Malaysia regardless of ethnicity. MIC’s role within the BN government (remember, MIC stands for Malaysian INDIAN Congress) is to ensure the rights accorded to Indians. It is NOT to siphon off the little crumbs thrown by Umno to the Indians into their own pockets.
The role of the opposition in a democratic society Mr Saravanan, is to act as a check and balance to government. The government has control of the funds, not the opposition. The opposition is there to ‘oppose’ any misuse and abuse by the government. Thus the term ‘opposition’. Get it?
Pukal: Where’s MIC’s Deputy President G Palanivel? Is he still around? Why has he never defended his boss S Samy Vellu? The MIC Info Chief says that MIC has done a lot but what was it doing before this? Why did they have to wait till Hindraf brought up all the matters? Whatever MIC says, they only trying to take care of their own backs. They never learn from their mistakes. Look at the MIC Info Chief, they still have the attitude of finger-pointing if they fail.
It’s pointless for Saravanan to blame others for MIC’s failure. Be independent and show what you can do. Don’t talk. Show us the results. We have lost trust in you on your MIC, Saravanan.
KSN: Actually I am not surprised by statements like that from MIC’s Saravanan. When the opposition has no access to public funds, what can the opposition or NGOs do to help marginalised Indians and any other community for that matter? What the opposition is saying is that when they form the government, when they have control of public funds, they will use it fairly and without discrimination, not practising cronyism etc.
Please Saravanan,do not ask silly questions and do not make silly statements. It is like saying when people point out the uncontrolled rise in prices affecting daily life, that our costs are still cheaper than neighbouring countries,conveniently foregetting to say that their average income is five times than ours, like Singapore for example.
So folks in BN, ensure whatever you say ensure it is intelligent and sensible. Malaysians are not stupid, not any more.
Venugopal: The response M Saravanan gives a bad impression of leaders holding positions in MIC. No organisation created by humans is free from criticism and at the same time MIC is the only organisation that has survived after colossal failures over the last 30 years.
Failed people cling on the positions and take the entire community down the drain. People must have dignity and pride to be leaders of a community and to serve the needs of the needy people. Here we have people jostling for power, position and dato ship at the expense of the poor people. Time will tell the how far it goes.
Concerned Malaysian: Hello, Mr Saravanan, you are wrong to say opposition won't be able to do anything and they can't get a single thing done. The rakyat knows and understands that the role of opposition at present is merely as a ‘watch dog’ and pressure group. Why? They do not have the money and power.
Why not give the opposition one term and test them on whether they are just good for empty promises or are able to deliver? Yes, you are right, ‘... the government has acknowledged that the Indian Malaysian community has some legitimate grievances and is now looking into these’.
But why only after the pressure came from Hindraf? The government admitting Indian grievances without an affirmative action plan is meaningless.
Maran: It is a great joke for Saravanan, MIC Wilayah Persekutuan's chief to challenge the opposition to list down what they have done for the Indian community and Tamil schools. The BN and MIC are ruling parties and they have all kind of resources/finance to help the rakyat .
But the opposition is financially weak and they don’t have the mandate to upgrade the Tamil schools. It is government’s duty to take care of the voters - not the opposition’s. If Saravanan doesn’t know this simple theory, how he is going to help the community? Shame and pity on him.
Mooshie Mooshie: Hey Saravanan, Federal Territory MIC chief or whatever you are known as. Do you know what you are talking about? Asking what the opposition has done for the Indians and Tamil schools. Here’s a question to you - how can you be so blind? How can the opposition be doing anything when the government is collecting the taxes?
It is the government's responsibility then to provide development - do not blame the opposition for your mistakes. I am a Chinaman but cannot tahan when you say this things about the opposition. Do not bark up the wrong tree Mr Ex-Senator. Stay cool.
Chandra: The middle-class Indians have woken up and MIC may need to review its stand as a representative of the Indians. Thugs and gangsterism have their days numbered at the MIC. This is due to the poor and self-centered leadership. The common feeling among the educated Indians is that the leader does not have a clue what is happening to the Indians and can do nothing about it. Thus the educated Indians stay away from bad rubbish and carrying on living.
Shukor: What difference can you make? You can attack Samy Vellu any way you like but he is still standing. BN wants him and you cannot make any changes at all unless the PM says ‘bye, bye’.
Believe me, this coming election the MIC will still achieve what they want. Hindraf will be forgotten and thrown aside. Recall what happened to Pandithan, Subra and many others. Nothing can shake Samy. Except you. So Indians, prove to us what you can do this election.
On Haidar refuses to disqualify himself
Concerned Layman: The refusal of Haidar Mohd Noor to recuse himself from the proceedings is very troubling to say the least. His stubborn stance reflects on the quality of our judiciary taking into consideration his position. His statement that he, ‘hardly had any contact’ with the former chief justice who is related to him reflects a careless statement in the dispensation of justice.
Coming from a person with a legal and judicial background, it is very troubling in that he is not concerned with the legal and judicial implications of his refusal to step down. The very excuse ‘hardly any contact’ in itself seems to be very similar to the answers being dished out by the key players in this case.
It will be too early to preempt a conclusion to this case but one must ask why is the commission’s terms of reference are so restrictive. That in itself indicates a desire not to reveal the whole truth.
Tej Fernandez: Now that the dirt is out in the comedy court, will the cases involving the merry-making judge, lawyer and appellant be re-heard? Or is the commission just putting up a wishy-washy show ( sandiwara ) for the public's benefit in the run up to the elections? At least we now know that there was some truth in MGG Pillai's stories! Bless him!
On Bibles confiscated by Customs Dept
A Well-Traveled Christian : This is mind-boggling. It seems, as if, that having already succeeded in alienating the Hindus, BN is determined to lose 100 percent of the Christian vote for the coming elections. Christraf, anyone?
On Don't call polls during CNY, Pak Lah told
Five Year Man : I think it has been almost a year since Malaysians have speculated on when the GE will be held. It has come to the extent that all other activities have come to a standstill, not mentioning the loss of valuable productivity time.
Why can’t we just follow the period given in the constitution -five years? All these guessing games should stop and Malaysians should move forward. As a developing country, we are still lacking in so many fields and we are losing ground to our neighbours.
On When you believe your own spin
Dennis Madden: Efficiency? Five years ago I thought Malaysia 20:20 stood for 20 years behind time and 20 percent efficiency. Now I think the country is 30 years behind the rest of the world and the word ‘efficiency’ has been removed from the dictionary - together with 'service' and 'maintenance'
On Islamic authorities getting out of hand
Concerned Citizen: DBKL has recently replaced all the street signs in Taman Seputeh. Now, the street names also appear in Jawi script apparently to attract Arab tourists. When the mayor was informed that Arab tourists never come to Taman Seputeh, his spokesman replied that having street names in Jawi was in line with Islam Hadhari.
I hope that he is not pulling a fast one on us residents of Taman Seputeh. I appeal to the PM to make a clarification. In the event what DBKL says is true, then other residents in housing estates in Kuala Lumpur should also enjoy what residents of Taman Seputeh enjoy.
