Taking its queue from Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s strategy in Felda two weeks ago, Selangor brought out its bag of goodies yesterday aimed at wooing Hulu Selangor's Indian community.
The Pakatan Rakyat state government, which has come under fire from the Human Rights Party for its lack of affirmative action towards Indians, distributed RM522,000 to aid infrastructure development in 97 Tamil schools in the Selangor.
Nineteen percent of Hulu Selangor’s 64,500 registered voters are Indians.
Health, Estate Workers and Poverty Eradication portfolio chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the allocations were part of RM4 million set aside for upgrading Tamil schools in the state for the year 2010.
“On the average each school received RM5,000 to RM10,000 each. It for essential repairs and upgrading works. The funds were donated to the respective PTAs," Xavier said.
He said seven Tamil schools in Hulu Selangor received additional funding.
The additional funds were for infrastructure improvements including the upgrade and repair of toilets and the building of reading huts.
The seven schools were SRK(T) Ladang Nigel Gardner, SRK(T) Lima Belas, SRK(T)Ladang Kerling, SRK (T) Changkat Asa, SRK (T) Bukit Beruntung SRK (T) Batang Kali and SRK (T) Sungai Choh,
“Five schools received RM25,000 each while SRKT Batang Kali received RM31,000 and SRKT Sungai Choh received RM49,000.
“This is a record. BN has administrated the Selangor for 50 years and this has never happened," he said after the cheque presentation ceremony here.
The ceremony also saw 160 excellent students from the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency receive RM100 each for their success in the UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM respectively.
MIC hoodwinked community
Meanwhile on the issue of MIC, Xavier said the party had failed the Indian community and its leaders had long since ignored issues facing rural Tamil schools and those in estates.
“They’ve hoodwinked the community into thinking MIC is the only saviour …but their views are changing and many are switching their support to the Pakatan,” he said..
He added that the Indian community had punished MIC in the March 2008 general elections when it almost wiped itself out.
Hulu Selangor, with its 64,500 registered voters, was one of MIC’s strongholds which fell to PKR in the March 2008 political tsunami.
The recent death of Hulu Selangor PKR MP, Dr Zainal Abidin paved the way for a by-election on April 25. Nomination of candidates is set for April 17.
Until the March 2008 election, the seat was held by MIC deputy president G Palanivel. Palanivel, who held the seat from 1990 to early 2008, lost to Zainal by 198 votes.
While MIC is set on fielding him again, factions within its coalition partner Umno is dead against the idea.
As of now it is still a tumultuous state in the BN camp as to who the candidate will be.
PKR however is set to announce its candidate later today.
by FMT
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