By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Indians must unite for the good of everyone because that is “the key to their future”, Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president S. Samy Vellu has said.
In his Pongal festival message on Monday, he urged the people not to allow themselves to become “tools of those who wish to split the community for their own agenda”.
“When we speak with one voice, we will achieve our goals. When we act with one determination, nothing can stop us from fulfilling our dreams,” he said, adding that the party would never bow to pressure because the MIC existed solely for the well being of the Indian community.
Vellu, who is Malaysia’s works minister, said the community must appreciate all opportunities given to them and make full use of them, The Star said Tuesday.
MIC is the largest party of ethnic Indians, comprising mostly those who migrated to present-day Malaysia during the British era. Predominantly Tamil Hindus, they form eight percent of Malaysia’s 27 million population.
MIC has been part of the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, composed of local Malay, Chinese and Indian parties.
The party has been facing a challenge from the Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf), a group that courted controversy by staging a protest rally November last year to highlight discrimination by the government. The rally was declared illegal and five of its organisers have been jailed on charges of threatening national security.