Kepala Batas, Malaysia - The problems faced by the Indian community in the country will be seriously looked into and addressed, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
“This is not just an empty promise but a serious promise that we will carry out. I am listening to your problems and demands.
“We will discuss your problems and will execute whatever we have promised in the Barisan Nasional’s manifesto if we win in the coming elections.
“These include education for the Indians and problems faced by Indians in estates,” he said in his address to about 2,000 Indians at a dinner at Dewan Millennium here. They comprised members and division leaders of the Kepala Batas MIC, Indian Progressive Front and People’s Progressive Party.
Abdullah said the Government was aware that there were many other problems affecting the Indians that had not been settled.
He said the Kepala Batas district office was doing its best to resolve problems affecting the community, including Indian temples and land matters.
Meanwhile, in KLUANG, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said a special education fund has been established to help some 85,000 children of estate workers.
Hishammuddin, who is the incumbent MP for the Sembrong parliamentary seat, said the fund was a contribution from government-linked companies in Malaysia.
“Some 85,000 children will benefit from the programme,” he said during a gathering with the people in Pamol Estate yesterday.
Hishammuddin, who noted that there were about 100,000 students studying in 526 Tamil schools in the country, said the Government had allocated RM4bil to manage Tamil schools throughout the country over the past six years and another RM64mil had been set aside to build and upgrade these schools.
Hishammuddin said all school heads would be informed to allow the enrolment of children without birth certificates.
He said the meeting on the matter would begin today with heads of Tamil schools in Perak, followed by those in Pahang and Negri Sembilan.
Source: thestar.com.my (3 Maret 2008)
