PARTI REFORMASI INSAN MALAYSIA (PRIM)
IBU PEJABAT PRIM

SUITE 8-10-5 (A) MENARA MUTIARA BANGSAR

JALAN LIKU OFF JALAN RIONG
BANGSAR 59100 KUALA LUMPUR

TEL:03-22825241 / 013-3504711
FAX : 03-22825616

MEDIA STATEMENT (6.02.2002)

HARDCORE POOR IN DEPUTY MINISTER’S CONSTITUENCY A NATIONAL DISGRACE

We refer to the Article in The Star dated 6.02.2002 “Samy asked to intervene over branch official’s plight, and The Sun 6.02.2001 “Palanivel rebuts allegation by ex-MIC official”.

In the NST Article last year dated 22.01.2001 (page 13) Hardcore poor Indians “not denied assistance” where the Deputy Minister said to date about 100 hardcore poor Indians are recipients of the Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia Scheme.

The fact remains that at least one million Indians are in the poor / hard core poor category but as at 22.01.2001 only 100 Indians have been assisted. The Deputy Minister in an earlier news report was reported to have said that these poor Indians could not be reached / traced unlike the Jawatan-kuasa kerja Kampong (JKK) who could trace the Malays. This is a lame excuse as there are thousands of MIC branches to do this. In any event it is the duty and responsibility of the Rural Development Ministry to identify the poor and eradicate Poverty irrespective of race.

In The Sun Report two years ago dated 25.08.2000 (page 20) (RM100 Million to eradicate poverty among estate workers nationwide) “The Rural Development Ministry has allocated RM100 Million to eradicate poverty and to raise the standards of the hardcore poor Indians in estates nationwide”.

Now with the Nigel Gardner MIC branch vice chairman’s claim of poverty the question is where and to whom did this RM100 Million go to if it did not reach people like Ayan Perumal and the people of Nigel Gardner estate. This is just the tip of the Iceberg.

In the NST Report on 5.02.2002 (page 8) Palanivel: “Nigel Gardner, Bukit Tagar estates given aid” the said Deputy Minister again said “Nigel Gardner and Bukit Tagar estates in Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency have received more than RM100,000.00 worth of assistance and 56 people from these estates were receiving monthly cash payments totalling RM6,210.00 from the district welfare office. What the Deputy Minister seems to be doing is merely “paper talk” and nothing is substantiated.

We challenge the Deputy Minister of Rural Development to show proof to us of the list of people receiving the “more than RM100,000.00 worth of assistance” the 56 people receiving aid and the RM100 Million within seven (7) days failing which we shall deem the same dubious and call upon for the resignation of the said Deputy Minister and a full prove in this matter by the Government of Malaysia.

We also call upon the Minister of Rural Development to order an immediate Inquiry as to whether the AIM and Ministry Funds are actually reaching the “right people”.

We also call upon the Human Resources Minister to probe the cutting of water supply to the estate and the complainant’s daughter “told to go home” claim.

To the MIC leadership we call upon them to act with compassion and dignity and not to further marginalise the Indian community.

The sacking of Ayan Perumal only goes to show that there is no “voice” for the Indian community under the present MIC leadership. This violation goes to the root of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which provides for freedom of speech.

We finally call upon the MIC leadership to stop “suppressing freedom of speech” and to be magnanimous when receiving “constructive criticism” from the people. The people must be allowed to express their grouses / problems without fear or favour consistent with a civil caring and sharing society and they should not be suppressed and oppressed by the MIC leadership and turning them into a riddled by fear society.

Thank You.

Yours Faithfully,

P.UTHAYAKUMAR
SECRETARY GENERAL (PRO – TEM)
PARTI REFORMASI INSAN MALAYSIA (PRIM)