PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s assurance that the government will take care of the Indian community is nothing more than sweet talk, said P. Ramasamy.

The Penang deputy chief minister II said under the Perikatan Nasional government, Indians had lost their pride and dignity and were content to settle for the crumbs that Muhyiddin deigned to throw their way.

“It is well and good to talk about shared prosperity, but it is evident that Indians have lost whatever prosperity that they have gained in the past few decades.

“The nature of the interplay of race and religion in the interests of Malays and Muslims has excluded the non-Malays, particularly Indians, from being beneficiaries of economic, political and social development.

“It does not take a rocket scientist to understand why Indians are in the present predicament,” the DAP leader said in a statement today.

Muhyiddin yesterday vowed to uplift the Malaysian Indian community through shared prosperity.

“We will take care of you. This is our pledge to you,” said Muhyiddin in a speech at the MIC annual general assembly.

Ramasamy dismissed the promise, saying overtly racial and religious policies have put a powerful damper on the socio-economic progress of Indians.

“All the sweet talk by Muhyiddin or any other race baiting leaders will mean nothing for the future wellbeing of the Indian community.

“The community that shed tears and blood for this country are treated as second or third class citizens.”

He also lashed out at MIC president S. Vigneswaran for blaming the Indians for the demolition of their temples.

“Such a statement is not in keeping with the facts and circumstances surrounding Hindu temple demolitions in this country over the last few decades.

“In short, it puts the blame on the victims and not on the perpetrators who camouflage temple demolitions under the guise of illegality.”

He said Vigneswaran’s statement would serve to spur racists and religious bigots to destroy more non-Muslim places of worship. – April 4, 2021.