Community upset no Tamil minister in Cabinet

Compiled by BENJAMIN LEE, C. ARUNO and R.ARAVINTHAN

THE Tamil community is stunned that there is no Cabinet minister from the community, Makkal Osai reported.

According to the daily, this was the first ministerial Cabinet in the country’s history since independence without a single full minister from the Tamil community.

It noted Sungai Buloh MP Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan and Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, both of Tamil descent, have been appointed as deputy ministers in the reshuffle.

However, not having any Tamil ministers is still seen as a loss because the community comprises the majority of Indians in the country.

The loss is also seen as a further setback to the Indian and Tamil agenda after former Penang deputy chief minister II Dr P. Ramasamy was dropped from the position.

The daily noted the recent changes in the Cabinet was an attempt by the Prime Minister to ensure his administration lasts the full five years by satisfying all parties in the unity government.

But it claimed it has become clear to them that satisfying them or keeping Pakatan Harapan’s promises was not a priority now.

The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.