KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar today called on the Indian community to not be upset with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's decision to appoint only one ethnic Indian to Cabinet, adding that the entire Cabinet is responsible for their welfare.
Malaysia Gazette reported him as saying that there is no need to create sentiments that the welfare of Indians will be neglected because there are still many ethnic Indian MPs who will bring up the matter in Parliament.
"In Parliament, we also have many representatives of the Indian race, who can help the Indian community and see through the aspirations of the Indian people to ensure that this community is not left behind in all the policies implemented," he was reported saying.
Sivakumar, who had met with members of his ministry earlier, also said that the agenda to strengthen the human resource policy will be announced within two weeks.
"So far there has not been any policy planning. Give me time for about a week or two, for me to know in detail about all operations related to the ministry," he said.
Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister (II) P. Ramasamy was among those who expressed disappointment with Anwar’s Cabinet appointments, pointing to a lack of representation from leaders of the ethnic Indian community.
Ramasamy added that this was despite the Indian community shifting its political allegiance to then Pakatan Rakyat (PR) since the 2008 general election and had "flocked en masse” to throw their weight behind DAP and PKR.
Anwar has yet to name the deputy ministers in his administrations.
