Economic Identity and Malaysian Indians

Plantation worker Our Prime Minister is well aware that at every Cabinet meeting I raise matters concerning the Indian community. One such matter which is close to my heart is the plight of plantation workers especially those working in the rubber estates. These workers were brought to Malaya as indentured labours in 1876 during the colonial period. Since independence we have seen many changes in the plantations with regards to health and sanitation, housing, and living conditions, however the daily rated wages remained the same in spite of the fact that 95% of the plantations were locally owned.

When I raised the matter at the Cabinet meeting on March 2, 2000 and presented the study on ‘Plantation Workers, Towards the new millennium’, it was the Prime Minister who directed the Minister of Human Resources to bring about a change to this centenary old issue. It is with the direct intervention of YAB Dato Seri Dr Mahathir Mohammad that on April 22, 2003 the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association (MAPA) and the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW) signed a new collective agreement.

Mr Prime Minister sir, what can I say to you at this juncture then, that you will forever be remembered in history, as the Prime Minister who resolved the monthly wage issue. You will always be in the hearts and minds of the Indian community.

Indian Equity

The Indian community achieved a major success when the weak economic position and low equity participation was recognised in the Third Outline Perspective Plan and the Eighth Malaysia Plan. Government made a clear commitment to draw up specific strategies to increase the present 1.5% to 3% equity within the ten years.

Sir, while the Indian community has been successful at the macro policy level, there has been a serious concern over the implementation and delivery of this policy. To date there has been no action taken by any of the Government agencies. The Economic Planning Unit is supposed to undertake a study and draw up specific strategies. However our understanding is that no action has been taken. The Mid -Term Review of the Eighth Malaysian Plan is due for tabling in Parliament towards the later part of the year. The MIC therefore urges you to review this matter and direct the relevant agencies to take the appropriate action.

(Extract from the Address by MIC President Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu at the 57th MIC General Assembly entitled Towards a new identity: Malaysian Indians in a globalised society, held on May 10, 2003 at the PWTC, Kuala Lumpur)

(Submitted on 10th May 2003)