Election fever with Indian theme

Its always interesting to read the papers prior to the election. Ministers and MP's going all out making their usual promises. This year, there seemed to be a focus on the Malaysian Indian community. Thaipusam being declared a national holiday after all these years.

Then of course, we have the Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo setting up a special unit to handle the plight of Indians without birth certificate. The star carried the story:

A special committee under the Home Affairs Ministry will be set up to handle the plight of 40,000 Indian children nationwide who do not have a birth certificate.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said the decision to set up the committee was made after he highlighted the matter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the Umno Supreme Council last week.
He said many Indian-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) had approached him to help raise the plight of the children.
“These children are unable to attend school, register for programmes or get jobs as adults.
“The Prime Minister was shocked when I informed him and immediately asked for a special committee to be formed under the Home Ministry,” he said during an Indian cultural show organised by the Barisan Nasional Volunteers Association here on Saturday night.
Dr Khir said the state government was working closely with several NGOs to get the parents to register their children.
He added that the birth certificate should be issued quickly if all the requirements were met.
He said the requirements included information on the hospital of birth and supporting facts from grandparents or close relatives.
“We have to be careful. We have to safeguard against foreigners who might use the chance to register for citizenship,” he said.

The prime minister said he was shocked. Shocked?? Why? Is this the first time he's heard of this problem despite all the publicities on many Malaysians without birth certificates and IC's?

Well, I am of course glad that it is being done but like the sms that has been going around, lets not be fooled by promises and fly by night actions. The welfare of Malaysians as a whole has to be taken care of despite race and religion. Malaysians want follow through, quality of life, fairness and equality in every aspect be it education or business.