This is not a scene of a group of desperate people in some war-ravaged country. This is Malaysia and this is BN’s way of treating Indian community, with packets of rice. Yes, the elections will be here soon.

KUALA LUMPUR, 14 JAN: After more than half a century of trusting Barisan Nasional (and the Alliance of UMNO, MIC and MCA), the Indian community in Malaysia continued to be marginalised by the Najib administration.

DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng said the Indians have placed their trust or “Nambikei” in BN but yet Tamil schools were neglected, Hindu temples torn down and Indians marginalised with forcible eviction from estates.

“Only when Pakatan Rakyat state governments took over in 2008 by allocating funds yearly for Tamil schools and Hindu temples as well as giving land, did the BN government respond for the first time with funds.

“Even then the Indians are not given the opportunity to manage their own religious and cultural affairs like the Penang Hindu Endowment Board.

“DAP urges that a Malaysia’s Indian Endowment Board be established to allow Indians to manage their own religious and cultural affairs as has been done in Penang,” he said in a message in conjunction with Ponggal festival here today.

Guan Eng who is also Penang Chief Minister said that the Penang state government had also resolved the Kampung Buah Pala issue – a problem caused by BN when its leaders had secretively sold off the land without adequate compensation to the Indian villagers – when Pakatan state government offered double-storey terrace houses valued at RM800,000 each.

“DAP regrets the lies made by the Prime Minister that PR did not resolve the Kampung Buah Pala issue when it is only because of PR that Kampung Buah Pala is still alive and exists at the same place in Penang today,” he added.

Yet, he said the Indian community has given BN 56 years “to build a house” and the time has come to change to allow PR to do what is right based on integrity, justice and good governance.

“In celebrating a new beginning under Ponggal Festival, the time has come to change to the new way of governance by doing what is right for the people instead of doing right for oneself,” the Bagan MP added. – The Rocket