I believe that never before in all our
budget proposals have allocations for a particular community assumed
such overwhelming proportions. Where his largesse was not especially visible in gifts to Muslims, it was more than compensated for in donations to the Malays.
Apart
from the division into Operating and Development Expenditures, the
budget is also split into “Across the Board” and “Specific Races”
components. You are right, good sycophant Deputy Minister of
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Saraswathy Kandasami, Indians
also stand to benefit from the first component, which includes health,
utilities, and infrastructure.
But so do Malays, Chinese,
Kadazans, and Ibans. If this primary component represented effective
assistance for all, everything would have been fine. It is the second component that is shameful. Billions are allocated towards the Malay-Muslims; just management and development of Islamic affairs received RM1.9 billion.
Some
apologists like Saraswathy may also argue that non-Malays are also
beneficiaries in the monthly allocations for civil servants, police,
army, Felda, and teachers. Yeah, sure, when they constitute a tiny
fraction of these services. And you want the Indians to be eternally
grateful for that miserable RM30 million which Umno leaders would scoff
at?
As an Indian, I find the allocation of RM30 million a
deliberate humiliation. Or perhaps a warning to remind us where we stand
in the local landscape - go to the back of the bus. I do not
think anyone would oppose assistance to Malays and Islam. But it is
shocking the degree that Anwar reached in this pious voyage on which he
set forth.
How ironic that in giving glory to his God, he achieved it in such an unjust and unfair manner. But
like Saraswathy assured us, all is fine for the Indians. Yeah, sure,
Anwar made it all fine with some unintelligible quotes from
Thiruvalluvar.
Mikka Nandri. (Thank you very much). Aiyah.
BobbyO: The RM44 billion budget for the Entrepreneur Development Ministry is for all? Are you sure deputy minister? Experiences
have taught us a lot that, in the end, the Indian community gets
peanuts. Look at the example of poor Indian students who scored good
grades.
They have to run around
looking for scholarships or aid to further their studies, while those
who score less are given scholarships and all forms of aid. Billions
are given away to government servants who already have a job. The
government departments are predominantly made up of one race.
Billions
are kept aside for Felda and Risda. Billions are kept aside for
religious schools and staff. The list goes on, while the Indian
taxpayers who contribute to the Treasury are made to beg for the bones
or leftovers.
MIC failed big time to speak out, as they were too
busy looking after their positions and perks. Now it looks like the
Indian political leaders in PKR and DAP are doing the same.
All silent as a church mouse.
Thor:
Many Indians might feel it doesn’t matter whether they vote for
Perikatan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan. Anwar is full of empty promises
and is similar to previous leaders. The budget is a move by Anwar to bolster his Malay and Muslim credentials. He doesn’t care about the Indian votes.
I
won’t be surprised if many Indians feel betrayed. If Indians withhold
their votes for Harapan in the next elections, the coalition will be in
trouble, especially with PKR seats. The seats held by DAP are pretty secure, but there is a high chance PKR might be wiped out in the next elections.
I think we are reaching the crossroads where many Indians will think twice before they vote for Harapan.
Kilimanjaro: Saraswathy is an apple polisher. The PKR Indians are “bankrupt” and work at the behest of Anwar. The
pittance announced during the budget against the colossal handouts to
the Malays should convince Indians not to vote for Harapan.
He has
his sights on PAS and other Malay parties. These days he gathers around
him Indians who are “yes” people who care for themselves rather than
for the Indians. You know what is so irritating about what she
said? It is like rubbing salt into the wound. Former prime minister Dr
Mahathir Mohamad used to talk the way she is doing now.
Former
prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did the same. There are schemes and
government efforts, blah blah blah, that cover all Malaysians. Would she dare to talk to the Malays like that? What a hypocrite. Harapan has now become a cheap tool for its leaders to make sensational and mesmerising speeches to attract the Indian votes.
Indian politicians like Saraswathy carry that banner high enough, thinking that the Indians can be duped forever.
Dummies Dhimmi: Rubbish! Whatever any prime minister says they are giving something to Indians, it rarely sees the light of day. It’s
a call to a handful to take it and make it disappear. Stop segregating
us or give reasons to segregate. Help the helpless regardless.
Give opportunities and encourage those who can catch their own fish. Stop spoon-feeding, stop preferential treatment. Build
better, move all people up the ladder by providing better
infrastructure like hospitals, schools, roads, and other facilities. Improve the quality of life and make world-class education the primary drive.
Optimus:
Seems like we are stuck in a rut with never-ending race and religion
topics making the headlines daily nowadays: the Malays and Islam, PAS
and the green wave, and now Indians being neglected.
The news
won’t be complete if we leave out the Chinese, so let’s recap this
famous headline, “Apa lagi Cina mahu?” (What more do the Chinese want?) What is wrong with this country?
I think and believe that successive governments gave allocated some amounts fur the Indian community but the problem was that the implementation was flawed. Somehow the suffering infuses on the street did not see or benefit from the allotted funds. That is the problem. RM30 million is a lot of money but how are these funds going to be utilised such that suffering Indians benefit. That is the crux of the matter.