[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 11 Aug 1999
Time: 10:07:53
Remote User: -
ULASAN
LIM SANGAT MARAH BILA NGO INI DATANG JUMPA DIA. DIA KATA SI KETUL HITAM BERSAMAAN DENGAN 4 MENTERI CINA MCA. INI MESTI MENGUNDANG KEMARAHAN ORANG CINA PULA.
APA YANG LIM SIBUK SANGAT, MASYARAKAT INDIA SUDAH TOLAK SI KETUL HITAM.
ADA FAHAM?
======================================================================================================================================================== Lim defends Samy Vellu's role
By A. Letchumanan
KUALA LUMPUR: Human Resources Minister Datuk Lim Ah Lek defended MIC president Datuk S. Samy Vellu's role as the sole Indian representative in the Cabinet during a heated argument with representatives of NGOs which are against the dissolution of the South Indian Labour Fund.
The 15 representatives of 41 NGOs came to Lim's office to hand over their memorandum urging the Government to reconsider its decision to dissolve the fund although the minister had already rescheduled another date to meet with them.
A surprised Lim told the representatives that he could not meet them as he had been scheduled to meet Samy Vellu on the issue.
While Lim was explaining, one NGO member questioned the need for him to have discussions with Samy Vellu while the NGOs were not allowed to have their say.
A visibly upset Lim said: "Samy Vellu is the Indian representative in the Cabinet and has fought hard for the rights of the Indian community.
"As one person, he is doing a great job which is being carried out by four MCA ministers for the Chinese community.
"He (Samy Vellu) raises Indian issues in the Cabinet and also sees (Datuk Seri) Dr Mahathir after the Cabinet meeting every week."
Lim said that Samy Vellu had raised ex-gratia payment for the 365 former workers of Golden Hope and Galleva estates and the workers would be getting their dues soon because of his persistence.
While promising to study the memorandum, he said that it was the NGOs and the opposition parties which had "twisted the facts and painted a picture that the Government had taken all the money and the land from the fund."
Lim said that was a "ridiculous lie" and the Government would not touch a sen of the RM2.3mil or property in the dissolved fund.
"The 6.07ha land in Nibong Tebal will be used for the construction of a skills training centre," he added.
Lim said RM300,000 from the fund had been allocated to the Welfare Ministry to look after the inmates and the payment of allowances while the balance would be used for the construction of the estimated RM10mil centre.
He said that the ministry would prepare a paper to be submitted to the relevant ministries for their feedback before a Cabinet paper was prepared.
Lim said the centre, which would be named after the late N.T.S. Arumugam Pillai, who donated the land, was aimed at benefiting the Indian community, especially the children of estate workers.
"We want to give some form of opportunity to the Indian community to learn skills which will increase their income as well," he said, adding that the centre would be headed by a notable Indian person.