2,500 matriculation spots for Indians won’t affect support, senator tells Anwar
Published on: Tuesday, March 19, 2024
By:
FMT, K Parkaran
Senator C Sivaraj says 2,500 matriculation seats for the Indian community would go a long way in empowering them. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: A government senator has urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to show his commitment to uplifting the socio-economic status of Indians by providing 2,500 matriculation seats for the community.
C Sivaraj said Anwar should not fear losing support from the Malays as it was common knowledge that the Indian community lagged far behind and was in need of such assistance.
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“I wish to remind him that as prime minister, he must give fair and equitable treatment to all races. I am sure that even the Chinese and Malay communities will be happy if the prime minister helps the Indian community.
“I am sure that the Chinese and Malay communities will not stop supporting you just because you help the Indians. Giving the community 2,500 seats will go a long way towards lifting them out of the vicious cycle of poverty that they are trapped in,” he said during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Negara yesterday evening.
The former MIC vice-president, who quit the party last year, said he had raised the issue with the prime minister before but had yet to receive a response.
When asked about the suggested figure of 2,500, Sivaraj told FMT that a total of 1,600 seats were offered to the Indians in 2017.
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“In 2018, Najib Razak as prime minister promised 2,200 seats,” he added.
“However, the number has been below 2,000 since then. It was much lower last year.”
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According to Sivaraj, only 10% of an estimated 30,000 seats are offered to non-Malays, with about 5.4% going to the Chinese and the rest to the Indian community.
“Based on this, an average of about 1,100 seats were offered to Indian students from 2018. Offering them 2,500 seats would go a long way in empowering the Indian community in the long run,” he said.
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