Ensure rebuilding of Tamil schools in Malaysia before 2011: MIC

Kuala Lumpur, Nov 21 : The Malaysian Indian Congress has urged the Government to set up a committee to co-ordinate the rebuilding and refurbishing of Tamil schools using a 50million ringgit allocation under the stimulus package.

MIC president S. Samy Vellu said the proposal would be tabled by party's secretary-general S. Subramaniam, who is also the Human Resources Minister at the next Cabinet meeting.

"We want 60 percent of the Tamil schools to be rebuilt or refurbished before 2011," The Star quoted him, as saying.

Samy Vellu said the party also urged the Government to expedite the implementation of the proposals submitted to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Finance Minister Najib Tun Razak to increase equity participation of Indians.

"The proposals include the setting up of a mechanism within the Perbadanan Nasional Bhd to assist poor Indians to buy shares through a 50 percent grant and 50 percent loan from the Government," he said.

Samy Vellu said they would ask Najib, the chairman of the Cabinet Committee for the development of Indians, to hold a meeting every three months. The last meeting was on July 1.

He said the MIC would also request for more Indian representation in the Public Services Commission.

"We are also not satisfied that only 105 Indians of the 2,000 Indians called for interviews by the Public Services Department were selected. Their selection was based on their CGPA grades. We feel the PSD should have also considered their SPM/STPM results."

ANI