KUALA LUMPUR – Another Indian leader is hitting out at Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan after he suggested on Tuesday that non-Malays cannot head the police force.
Deputy Penang Chief Minister II P Ramasamy today called for Saravanan to issue a public apology over the comments, saying MIC leaders are prone to make statements to reassure their “masters” in Umno that the party is on the right track.
“Whether Saravanan knows it or not, there is no constitutional provision that says that all the top positions in the country must be reserved for the Malays.
“Even one infamous former prime minister had remarked before a few times that there was nothing in the federal constitution that links ethnicity with top positions in the country.
“I am not sure what was the source of Saravanan’s information that says that the top posts in the country are meant for the Malays and not the non-Malays.”
Ramasamy claimed that Saravanan is working to butter up Umno, appeasing and humouring the Malay leaders in the Barisan Nasional lynchpin.
Saravanan rather than playing the racial card to appease his masters in Umno should be fighting for a more inclusive civil service.
“I call upon Saravanan to issue a public apology for insulting and demeaning the non-Malays and the Indians in particular,” said Ramasamy.
Yesterday, former cabinet member M. Kula Segaran demanded that the current federal government state its stand on whether only Malays can be appointed as inspector-general of police (IGP) under its rule.
In a statement, Kula Segaran said Saravanan’s remark in the Dewan Rakyat was dangerous, unfair, completely incorrect and misleading.
“Nowhere in the federal constitution is written what Saravanan has asserted in Parliament.
“In fact, even the position of prime minister is to be filled by any citizen of Malaysia as long as one has the majority support as an MP,” he said.
In his speech in the lower house on Tuesday, Saravanan had said that since Malaysia is made up of various racial backgrounds, priority must be given to certain races.
“For example, some here are saying all races must be given equally. Can a non-Malay be the IGP in this country? No. We must follow the pattern of our country.”
Saravanan, however, persisted with his statement, saying that since Malaysia is a diverse country, the people have to be sensitive with the positions of the different races.
“We must distribute based on racial composition. I didn’t say (non-Malays) can’t be IGP, but we must understand the sensitivity of this country,” he said. – The Vibes, December 2, 2021
