Malaysia to survey ethnic Indians in rubber estates

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will do a survey of the Indian community working in rubber plantations starting with those in Selangor state.

Tamil Nesan daily quoted Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim as saying that the survey by the special affairs department was aimed at “understanding the community better”.

It was also to find out ways to improve their living condition.

Thousands of Indians, mostly from Tamil Nadu, came here to work on the rubber plantations during the British era and have stayed on. A number of them are poor and ill-educated. They are facing socio-economic problems, including child marriages, alcoholism and divorces.

Multiethnic Malaysia is home to 1.7 million ethnic Indians in a total population of 27 million.

One of its prominent leaders and the country’s Human Resource Minister S. Subramaniam Sunday advised the youth to “change mindset” and opt for education and jobs in areas where the demand was growing.

“Our community has a perception that each Indian family should at least have a doctor in a family.

“However, we must have the right mind to decide which field offers a higher demand and supply in order to help us grow,” he told the 150 Indian students who attended a ceremony organised by Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) Sunday.

“Everyone must understand the supply and demand scenario in any profession.”

MIC president S. Samy Vellu urged the students to appreciate their parents and not forget to fulfil their responsibility once they graduated, The Star newspaper said.