Indian community needs lasting reforms, not just handouts, says group

Association for Advocacy & Community Empowerment executive director K Gunasegaran has urged Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to focus on lasting socioeconomic reforms for the Indian community, rather than merely providing financial aid.

Gunasegaran argued that the government's success should be gauged by the number of Indians achieving financial independence, not by the number of individuals receiving assistance. He expressed his concerns in response to Anwar's announcement of more than 630,000 Indians receiving RM1.1 billion in Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah aid prior to Deepavali.

While appreciating the government's recent allocations, including RM150 million for entrepreneurial financing and RM50 million for Tamil schools, Gunasegaran emphasized the necessity for sustained efforts to enhance educational achievements, employment opportunities, and household incomes. He advocated for a Cabinet committee on Indian socioeconomic development, chaired by Anwar, to coordinate initiatives across various ministries.

Without such coordination, programs may become disjointed, with each ministry pursuing its own agenda without a unified set of measurable objectives, Gunasegaran explained. He further proposed the creation of an independent statutory agency dedicated to Indian socioeconomic transformation, tasked with overseeing development programs and monitoring progress in education, employment, and poverty reduction.

Gunasegaran stressed that the Indian community is not seeking perpetual handouts or preferential treatment at the expense of others. Instead, they seek a fair chance to overcome long-standing socioeconomic disadvantages and to actively contribute to the nation's development and prosperity.