Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Prof Ramasamy -- Changing Mindset or Running Away From Issues?

I read an interesting article in the NST this morning and wanted to share it. On page 13 of the paper, Penang Deputy Chief Minister Prof Dr P. Ramasamy was quoted as saying that he wanted to change the mindset of Penangites.

"I have been trying hard to change the mindset of not only Indians, but also other races. We have adopted a multiracial approach to handling issues. I am an Indian, but I don't hold an Indian affairs portfolio.

"Many Indians still come and see me because of their mindset that Ramasamy is an Indian and he must be in charge of Indian affairs. I tell them look, the state government represents all communities and if they have problems involving local government issues, they should have to see the executive council member in charge of that," he said.

Let me at the onset state that I am not against Prof Ramasamy. What irks me is that he must remember he became the Deputy Chief Minister by virtue of being an Indian. If you don't handle Indian problems, who will? Is there an Indian affairs portfolio in the state taking into account the various problems and issues faced by Indians in the country generally?

Although he is from the opposition, which claim not to be race based, he should look after his own kind first before leaping to help "others". For me Prof Ramasamy is disowning responsiblities.

Only a fellow Indian understands the problems faced by another Indian.

Another pertinent point here is that although opposition leaders and political pundits had come to the conclusion that race based political parties were facing their doom, aftermath of the General Election, how come the rakyat are going to their own kind to solve problems.

If the conclusion had been correct, then the people of Penang, irrespective of race, should be flocking their own elected representatives may he be a Malay, Chinese or Indian.

Why do they look for Prof Ramasamy to solve Indian woes and Lim Guan Eng to ease Chinese based problems. In this case, actions of the people speak louder than words of politicians!



p/s Euro scores: Poland 0 Croatia 1, Germany 1 Austria 0.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is funny! How can Prof Rama who is known for his intellect be soo brazen as so say in such many words that he would and cannot help solve Indian problem. Dear YB (thats Prof Rama) please do not use Indians for your own benefit, then dump us when you have used us. I was really unhappy with what I read that I spent or rather wasted RM1.20 to read what he had said. Prof Rama let me tell you that I am truly dissapointed!

Anonymous said...

i support u fire within. sometimes this proffesors better stick to teaching only, they aint no politicians.SG

Anonymous said...

It's a pity that S.Murugesan lost and it's sad that M.Saravanan won.
Probably they should have switched their seats.

The main issue here which is very much a fact is that we Malaysian Indians (profesional or not) are sick and tired of Samy Vellu and his team.

We want a new face/figure which is of a profesional background to head the community.Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam is the best shot for now.

Even some in Umno want a leadership change which is only in it's 5th year.Obviously we Indians want a leadership change as well in MIC,which is already in it's 30th year or something....i think we all has stop counting.

People like Samy Vellu,Palanivel,
Sothinathan,Vigneswaran,G.Rajoo should just leave the leadership to those who are truly from a profesional background and has no scandals involving them.

Datuk R.Karunakaran (MIDA),Datuk N.Sadasivan (MAS),Datuk V.Danapalan (TM) and Dato' J. Jegathesan (JJ Consultans) are the kind of profiles we want to see as MIC leaders.I think apart from Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam,only YB Tuan S.K Devamany fits this criteria.

As the community is already known to have the most police cases,the last thing we need is a joker with previous police records to be our leader.

It has to have not only new but fresh and vibrant leaders nationally and also in its divisions.

Only than,MIC can dare say it's revamping itself.

>>>BY THE WAY,THIS FROM S.MURUGESAN'S WEBSITE ITSELF<<<

Anonymous said...

I THINK MIC SHOULD JUST DESOLVE FROM BEING A POLITICAL PARTY AND JUST BE A NGO!I THINK THAN THEY'LL DO MUCH BETTER.

AS A MEMBER OF A RULING COALITION,
YOU NORMALLY DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS YOURS!UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS WHAT MIC IS DOING!

BEFORE THE ELECTIONS,HINDRAF IS RUBBISH FOR MIC ESPEACIALLY SAMY VELLU BUT NOW AFTER THE ELECTIONS HINDRAF IS EVERYTHING!

WHEN IN AN INDIAN HAVE AN ISSUE, THEY SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO GO TO AN INDIAN IN POWER BUT RATHER TO ANYONE OF ANY RACE WHO ARE IN THE CAPACITY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WHEN AN INDIAN HAS A ISSUE WITH EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP,HE OR SHE MUST BE ABLE TO MEET THE EDUCATION MINISTRY OFFICIALSAND THEY MUST BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.WE DON'T NEED TO GO TO SAMY VELLU AND THAN HE'LL GO TO THE EDUCATION MINISTRY AND CRY(LIKE HE SAYS) TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WHY THE MIDDLEMAN JOB?

IF AN INDIAN HAS AND ISSUE WITH LOW COST HOUSING,HE OR SHE MUST BE ABLE TO VISIT THE LOCAL GOVERMENT AND HOUSING MINISTRY OFFICIALS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.THEY DON'T HAVE TO MEET SAMY VELLU AND THAN HE'LL GO AND CRY TO DATUK SERI ONG KA CHUAN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

AT THE SAME TIME,IF SOME MALAYS HAVE ISSUES HERE IN FT.YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SOLVE IRREGARDLESS OF BEING AN INDIAN.

ENOUGH OF RACIAL POLITICS,ENOUGH OF SAMY VELLU.THIS IS NOT INDIA,ITS
MALAYSIA......LETS MOVE OWN FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

VIjay said...

HI Datuk Saravanan,
Personally i will agree to the point from TamilKingdom that Datuk Dr Subra should be elected as the next president...n even Datuk Devamany can be considered.
Their approach are more professionalism and not skeptical as our current president.
Do you know majority of the Indians in Malaysia are frust with MR.SAM?He is keep on mentioning that the Indian people needz him but actually they dont.

Datuk Saravanan,
On your personal views do you agree that the leadership should change?
Pls comment...n ensure to post this comments since it is an open friendly forum.
Thanks

Old Fart said...

You say, "Only a fellow Indian understands the problem of another Indian".

Why did you not continue and also say , "It takes an Indian to also seduce another fellow Indian into submission to his socio-economic environment". This is also what MIC has very successfully done all these years.

Mr Saravanan, I asked you to read some of the stuff I have written about the Indian condition in Malaysia. How you so called Indian politicians have put us in such a position. How, by your "representing" us in Parliament you have muffled our Indianness and have stopped us from becoming the economic powers that we can be. The best thing MIC can do is to admit how it failed the Indians and that the Indians are best left alone.

Anonymous said...

Datuk Saravanan,

I dont belong to any political party but I think with all due respect you are wrong, Prof is right.
Its because of this logic that UMNO represent Malays and MIC for Indians that Indians have been left far behind, because UMNO being the supreme party never cared about us, only about the Malays. And MIC although wanted to help Indians have been powerless and at various times had useless leaders.

Its time where an Indian must be able to approach any Malaysian and any Malaysian wakil rakyat should equally represent him or her. Prof Rama said he represents all race, what is wrong? which means he represents 40% indians in his constituency too.

This colonial henchman culture shd stop, where they used an indian to manage indians and chinese to manage chinese. If an Indian has a problem, he or she should not go and see Prof Rama is she is in Kepala Batas but to see Pak Lah. And a Malay in Perai should see Prof Rama. A chinese in Tapah shouldnt see Ong Ka Chuan but see you Datuk!

So I believe i represent the indian youth voice by saying, enough to race based politics.

Thanks Datuk.