Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Malaysians of remote Indian origins in KT.

...the MIC operations centre in Kuala Terengganu.....

The MIC has been around in Terengganu for almost 45 years now and I had the opportunity to speak to the state chairman R. Suppiah 69,who has been serving in this capacity for the last 13 years. It was interesting to note that with a membership of a little over 520 members, mostly businessmen and professionals and of equal proportions in gender, they are still renting a shop-lot along Jalan Sultan Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, which now serves as the Markas for BN's coalition partner, the MIC.
the state chairman R.Suppiah(left) with A. Sandrasegaran. ( I was fascinated with the "designer" mineral water bottle !)

I was duly informed that there is only 1 Hindu temple in Kuala Terengganu, but was taken aback to hear that there were still Indians in Terengganu with "red" identity cards but Suppiah was quick to add that the branch has made all the necessary applications for and on behalf of these stateless people even if they were not members of MIC. Very noble, I'd say but why have they been so ignorant for so long ?

I further queried if there was a church for Christians in Kuala Terengganu and was told that the St. Teresa's kindergarten alternates as a chapel where the faithful congregate when the need arises, as according to him, they numbered a little over 20 people. Can somebody verify this, please ?

The ""mp-in-waiting" and hopeful for the BN in Kuala Terengganu, Wan Farid Wan Salleh has promised unconditionally that the grouses of the Indians and MIC in particular, will be looked into, no matter what the out-come of this by-election is.......hmmmm....guess we'll just have to wait and see now, won't we ?
...the MIC team headed by state chairman(in white shirt) Suppiah with A.Sanderasegaran(in stripe shirt), manning the "markas" in Kuala Terengganu with 2 operations assistants seated far left and right.....

I also learnt that there were about 200 Indians of the Muslim faith who ran businesses and were non-MIC members and without the "bin" but with a "A/L" or "A/P" in their identity papers in Kuala Terengganu. Perhaps Suppiah was referring to these persons who were the "red" IC holders ! Again here, he was mechanical and cautious in answering and decided to brush-off my line of questioning.

2 comments:

zorro said...

I heard that until a few days ago the markas was non-operational as the outlet was sealed because of non-payment of rent. Rental was paid a few days ago. How did he last 13 years as top-dog? Bad Question really.....samy also lasted long...these are not only deadwood....they are driftwood, used for decorative purposes in ikeban floral arrangement and in aquariums.

nightcaller said...

Yes, what Zorro said might be true. Formally, MIC Terengganu is under the Isaacs family domain. And for those who are familiar with Kuala Terengganu, Isaacs family owns the first private school i.e Grammar school and the Isaacs clan ancestral home is near Jalan Kolam marked by hundred year old tamarind tree near the low cost flats.

And guess what? I will be travelling down to KT this coming week, and may bump into the BR bloggers. heh heh heh...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...