MIC president G Palanivel had announced on June 16 that those who were rejected for matriculation would be given seats in AIMST University.

This announcement was to calm down the 400 plus students who got more than 7As but were rejected by the Education Ministry.

But MIC/BN must explain why despite making a public announcement that 1,500 seats were allocated for Indian students, only about 780 seats are given?

Palanivel said 700 seats were given. MIC sec-gen S Murugesan said 800 seats were given. Prime Minister’s Special Officer Ravin Poniah’s secretary said 500 over seats were given in the first intake.

So what is the real figure?

But the education minister couldn’t be bothered about the broken promise of the prime minister.

Indians are only needed for votes and nothing more than that.

During the appeal period for those students who were rejected in the first application where assuming only 700 were taken in, both Human Resources Minister S Subramaniam and Palanivel had announced that the balance of 800 seats would be filled.

But in the appeal, only 81 students were taken in.

Instead of demanding that the PM fulfill his promise, MIC leaders gave him an escape route by announcing that those who were rejected for matriculation would be given places in AIMST University.

With MIC around it is so easy for Umno to just ignore Indians. Umno keeps MIC to act as its apologist to Indian community. MIC has compromised our rights to education many times over.

Can MIC offer scholarships to all these 400 over students? They owe an explanation to the Indian community how they are going to support and sponsor the education of these students from pre-university and university level.

MIC vice-president SK Devamany said that the intake of students for matriculation consists of 90 percent bumiputera and 10 percent non-bumiputera.

Why should it be so? What is the entry requirement for Malay students? Aren’t we citizens of this country and contribute to the coffers and economy of this country?

It is the racial discrimination that makes Indian students have low expectations and have low self-esteem. With MIC/PPP around we don’t need enemies.

The BN government has systematically alienated the non-Malays from the education system.

These 400 over students will not be able to go back to the government education institutions, and its scholarships and other support.

Umno can rob us in daylight despite openly promising in front of a large ponggal gathering in Kapar in February this year.

The excuse is that the Education Ministry did not receive any circulars stating that an extra 1,000 seats were to be offered to Indian students.

As long as the Indian community is naïve, ignorant and forgiving, Umno and their MIC/PPP dispatch boys will keep us begging for a pittance.

Be the change agent for the change we want to see.

It’s now or never.