Media statement by M.Kula Segaran in Ipoh on Monday, 21^st May 2012:

PR stand is the 2000 acres meant for Tamil schools should be professionally managed and politicians should stay away

A lot of controversy has occurred as regards the alienation of 2000 acres for Tamil schools in Perak. Presently there are 134 Tamil schools in Perak out of which 50 are fully aided and 84 partially aided.

The partially aided Tamil schools suffer the most, as they need to raise money to run and manage the schools.

In late 2008 Malay Islamic schools and Chinese Independent schools were promised and land were allocated to them. Tamil schools were to be allocated land but there was no United Body to represent the Tamil Schools in the State and the PR State Government collapsed and was taken over by BN.

We totally agree and are happy with the alienation of 2000 acres for Tamil schools as it would go a long way to help Tamil schools financially. Thus with the expected oil palm income arising from this 2000 acres Tamil schools need not spend time to 'hunt' for monies. Tamil schools could and concentrate in the core issue of education and nothing else.

Presently the 2000 acres has been parked under Yayasan Perak for the last 3 years. If the land had been planted with Oil palm we would be seeing monies flowing in by now.

From news reports we hear Perak MIC has now made it clear they want to run and manage the 2000 acres. No body in their right thinking mind agrees with this idea. Further we totally oppose this idea.

I issued a statement on 30th April2012 to say that that politicians should stay 'far' away from managing this 2000 acres. And further I said "Malaysian Indians cannot and will not forget the sorry state of how politicians managed MAIKA Holdings Bhd. Initially in 1983 MAIKA raised over RM130 million from poor Indians with promise of returns of handsome dividends which never ever materialize. From day one MIC politicians had mismanaged MAIKA and running at a loss for over 25years . The same fate happened for Koperasi Didik.

The above bitter experience further strengthens the call to ask politicians from MIC or PR to stay clear of running and managing the 2000 acre.

We would suggest an Indian based organization which has a good track record on palm oil management should be given the opportunity to manage this land.

Immediately after my statement, former Perak Exco Dato Rajoo and present Perak Indian Affairs adviser to Perak MB, Dato Veerasingam have express their views that MIC knows best how to handle and manage this land for Tamil schools and they don't need any advice from us.

For the record how many thousand of acres has Rajoo, Veersingam or for the matter MIC has managed successfully? Can this be revealed for Malaysians to judge their ability and performance?

MIC management of MAIKA speaks volumes. If it had been properly managed to day it would be a billion ringgit company employing thousands. But all went wrong as politicians got involved and MAIKA eventually was a loss running company.

It is said oil and water cannot mix so do politicians and business should not mix.

Politicians should learn and endeavor to improve the management of the Government. Leave business to be run and manage by business people.

The 2000 acre belongs to the Tamil schools. We all should assist in getting the best people to manage the said land. Definitely MIC politicians are the least qualified and the worst to look up as custodian of this land!

To day we have clear statement from PR leaders led by Dato Seri Nizar that politicians from the Government or from the opposition should stay clear from running business and trying to managing the 2000 acres land.

* M. Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman & MP for Ipoh Barat