I UNDERSTAND that Indian leaders or politicians in the DAP or PKR have a role to appease their respective party bosses.
However, appeasement politics should not be at the expense of legitimate interests and well-being of the Indian community.
A few weeks ago, Deputy Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister R. Ramanan, announced that Bank Rakyat is ready with a RM50 mil loan for eligible Indian entrepreneurs.
However, he failed or deliberately withheld information that there were conditions attached that it would not be possible for genuine Indian entrepreneurs to fulfill.
When some Indian small-time restaurant owners approached Bank Rakyat, they were informed that loans will be disbursed only if their restaurants had halal certification – a condition that they could not fulfill.
It is not that they were opposed to the certification but due to the nature of their business and lack of capital. Some Indian restaurant entrepreneurs later informed David Marshel, the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) deputy chairman of their predicament with Bank Rakyat.
Later, David through a TikTok video clip informed the public that Bank Rakyat’s loan scheme for Indian entrepreneurs had strict conditions that had to be fulfilled.
Not viable to obtain halal cert
Ramanan rather than proudly announcing the Bank Rakyat’s loan scheme to Indians should have been honest enough to specify the conditions attached for approval.
A few days ago, Ramanan was in the Sungai Bakap constituency in Penang to meet some members of the public alongside the PKR’s candidate in the coming by-election.
In a meeting with members of the media, he sought to cover his earlier mistake of non-disclosure of information about the Bank Rakyat’s loan scheme by encouraging Indian restaurant owners to obtain halal certification for not only the bank loans but to expand their businesses.
He pointed out the case of an Indian entrepreneur in Penang who successfully developed his restaurant business on the basis of halal certification.
Ramanan should be reminded that the majority of Indian restaurant owners or proprietors in the country are small-time operators with limited labour and capital.
The big-time proprietors with their connections have the necessary capital, labour and expertise to expand their businesses. Invariably, in the expansion of their restaurants, they have acquired the halal certification.
I don’t think that Indian restaurant owners are against getting halal certification as the process is long and arduous with significant capital outlays.
It would be difficult for ordinary Indian restaurant proprietors constrained by labour and capital to seek halal certification at an early stage in their business operations. This why they seek capital in the form of bank loans to build and sustain their businesses.
As the appearance of swallow does not make summer, the halal certification of one or two Indian restaurants in Penang does not make it easy for all Indian restaurant proprietors to seek such compliance.
Ramanan must be misguided in thinking that all Indian entrepreneurs especially the restaurant owners are wealthy and thriving. If they are wealthy and successful, they don’t need the advice of politicians like Ramanan in getting loans.
It is sad and tragic that Indian politicians in the PKR like Ramanan don’t really understand the plight of the Indian community especially the small and medium entrepreneurs. – June 22, 2024
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
