@VellPaari slams Pakatan Indian leaders #Negaraku #Malaysia

*_Poisoning the Well with Irresponsible Fallacy_*

1. Claiming is one thing. Proving to get things right is another. But drops of poison in the well, every now and then is an entirely different agenda. So has been the anthem of Pakatan Leaders in the ongoing outcry of apparently 300,000 Malaysian Indians being stateless. By any stretch, I’m not criticising the opposition for saying this.

2. Except what I do think in a logical context is, perhaps along with the numbers the Opposition has been rejoicing about, there should have been an equal amount of emphasis in bringing these *_300,000 stateless people_* out. To guide and show them the way towards getting their documentation issue sorted. 

3. But then again, can anything of such good come out of the opposition? That is on the premise that this *_‘300,000 stateless Malaysian Indians’_* really do exist.

4. Plus, I promise you this will only get more interesting. You’re just about to find out how grave this so called “300,000 cases of undocumented ethnic Indians” is to the Pakatan. In the Pakatan Harapan’s Alternative Budget, it had *_no single hint on the documentation issue experienced by Indians._* So, now talk about the ‘severity of the issue’, as quoted by MPs Charles Santiago & N. Surendran. Why bother complain when you and your potentates have done absolutely nothing to rectify the issue? 

So, there are always two sides to a coin. 

5. Without proper documentation, a stateless person loses the privilege of opening a bank account, landing themselves a legal job, owning properties, access to public health services and most importantly is denied from enrolment in school.

6. Recognising the severity of this problem, in 2009, the Government established Special Implementation Taskforce on Indian Community (SITF) under the Prime Minister’s Department to play a major role towards resolving citizenship and documentation cases. Under the Mydaftar campaign which was carried out from 2010 to 2015, a total application of *_12,726 was received, out of which 7,049 Indians had their documentation issue resolved, while 4,974 is still in process._*

7. This year, in line with the targets set in Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB), Socioeconomic Development of Indian Community Unit (SEDIC) in collaboration with SITF launched the *_Mega-Mydaftar campaign_* to identify and resolve Malaysian Indians with documentation and citizenship issues. 

8. Reaching out nationwide and covering 23 places, the campaign received 2,500 applications. This is part of an unceasing effort until all cases are resolved. On 31st October 2017, in Menara DBKL, PM Najib had personally handed out citizenship documentation to around 177 successful applicants from this year’s approved 1054.

9.  So yes, I am aghast at the way N. Surendran & Charles Santiago toys with this issue, contradicting to the very claims he puts out to the public. We need more people walking the talk and not merely at loggerheads over an issue just to fight one over another for the upcoming elections.

Thank You.

*PRESS STATEMENT*

*DATUK SERI S. VELL PAARI*