No ‘peanuts’ for this Indian leader

A seven-year-old support letter written by then works minister Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu to help secure a national service camp in Perak, is returning to haunt the person benefitting from the “surat sokong” (support letter) – MIC Youth Chief T Mohan.

 

Following Mohan’s statement on Oct 17, that the government does not give “peanuts” to the Indian community in Budget 2014, he has received a barrage of criticisms. 

 

Among them is that he has been receiving much more than a can of peanuts through the offices of Samy Vellu – the then MIC president.

 

The criticisms centre on Silver Line Services Sdn Bhd, of which Mohan is a major shareholder. A letter written by Samy Vellu to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to secure a national service camp in Sungkai, Perak, used the race card to help Silver Line gain an advantage.

 

“The involvement of the Indian community in the National Service programme is very limited. Hence I appeal to your good self to consider the application by Silver Line Sdn Bhd. 

 

“The approval of the application is in line with the government’s aspiration to improve the economic standing of the Indian community,” read the letter which was dated July 28, 2006. 

 

POWER chairman S Gobikrishnan said the camp (Kem Sinaran Suria) is one example where the Indian community is left in a lurch while only a handful of connected Indians are benefitting.