The Coalition of Malaysian Indian Business NGOs demanded that the government set aside RM1 billion for the development of Indian entrepreneurs and businesses in the 2013 budget.
“We can help the government plan for Indians to achieve the 3% equity by 2020. Right now, the government has no plans!”, the General Secretary of the Coalition George Gunaraj said in a statement issued on behalf of the Coalition.
He questioned the so-called allocation of RM180 million for Indian businessmen and called it a “farce”.
He asked, “The RM180 million claimed to be for the same reason is a farce as the funds are with the banks and Indian businessmen still need to work with the banks to be eligible, so where is the RM 180M?
“For one thing, those interested must still apply to one of the banks allocated, with the same criteria for eligibility as any other businessmen.”
Is this a privilge?
He pointed out that the SME Corp allocation of RM 10 million, through E2 and BAP, will require the banks to evaluate the applicant just like they would any other applicant, and asked “so how can it be a privilege to Indians?”
Further, “the SME Corp takes a cycle time of more than 3 months to evaluate a company and is not business friendly!”, he claimed.
The Coalition urged the government to identify one instituition to hold the funds for easy access by needy businessmen.
Gunaraj in his statement, endorsed by 1. Malaysian Indian Entrepreneurs (MIE), 2. MIE Chapters of Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, 3. Malaysian Indian Business Association (MIBA), 4. Indian Builders Association, 5. Malaysian Indian Contractors’ Association, 6. Women Indian Business Association (WIE), and 7. Persatuan Peniaga India Rawang (RIBA), drew the attention of the government to the following matters:
1.The coalition also asks the government if it will change Bumiputra only policies in the government sector and GLC sectors to allow competent Indians to participate, whether in small, medium or large contracts? As long as these policies are not touched, the RM180 million will disappear in the thin air, with no really needy Indian businessmen benefitting. The coalition cannot understand how RM180 million will ever change the demographics of Indian equity. As of now, no GLC allows non-Bumi suppliers/vendors to participate in their businesses. Will this change?
2. If the government is really comitted to support Indian economic elevation, we ask the government to give us, Indians, one GLC to takeover and run. We can use this as a vehicle to develop and support Indian businessmen, prove our worth and chart our course.
3. The Malaysian government has forgiven, and/or forgotten several hundreds of million ringgits (and up to billions!) owed by tycoons, GLCs and NPLs. We are now asking the government to forgive ALL of the NPLs by Indians especially from the 2008 BSN Micro finance scheme. Then, all of these people can get back to doing business again. If the government is truly supportive of Indian needs, then this is a small sacrifice. The total amount owed is less then RM10 million!
4. RM 180 million is too little and too late but to complement the various mechanism, the government must undertake other strategic initiatives to elevate the marginalised Indian business community to mainstream economic life. Support various measures to increase the “capacity building” for long term positive effect on the Indian business community, namely :-
– Enhance business knowledge through colleges on entrepreneurship.
– Financial facilities for start-up and setting up incubators/business angels.
– Government can through policies, licensing methods, tendering processes award contracts, grants and business opportunities.
– Open doors to GLC’s vendor supplier contracts and perhaps eliminate “bumiputera only” policies for business.
– Public Service Commission and Public Service Department should make a solemn declaration that the government will treat all recruitments in civil service fairly and transparently and that racial or regional discrimination will not be tolerated. In this respect a civil service ombudsman to act on cases of racial discrimination within the service as well as to respond to allegation of racially biased policies and programmes should be appointed. A mono-ethnic civil service is the single biggest obstacle to 1Malaysia.
“The Coalition has businessmen and professionals as members throughout Malaysia, and we can engage with governments that will work to elevate the Indians in Malaysia”, George Gunaraj said.
