At last, Indian students apply to controversial institute
Published: Apr 21, 2005 8:14 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Since it opened in January, not a single Indian Malaysian student enrolled at the Arumugam Pillai Training Institute. However this may soon change.
Since it opened in January, not a single Indian Malaysian student enrolled at the Arumugam Pillai Training Institute. However this may soon change.
Bernama reported today that 53 Indian students have so far applied for the July intake at the RM60 million institute - built using funds donated by the late Indian philanthropist Arumugam Pillai.
If some of them are accepted, they will become the first batch of Indian students to study at the institute. Incidentally, the institute in Nibong Tebal was built specifically to cater for the educational needs of the marginalised community.
The intake of Indian students should temporarily end criticisms that the government and the MIC had reneged on their promise to build the learning centre for the Indian community.
MIC president S Samy Vellu has been lobbying the government to reduce the entry level requirements for Indians, asking for special courses to be provided for those who do not meet the qualification mark.
"Finally we have managed to convince Indian students to register (for the July 2005 intake) with the institute.
"We will discuss with the Human Resources Ministry to take in Indians who have not met the entry qualification but they will have to sit for an introductory course first," said Samy at the Pahang MIC annual delegates meeting today.
He added that another reason for the low applications from the Indian community was because many are unaware of the existence of the institute.
Indian money for Indians
Bernama reported that the controversy surrounding the institute began in 1998 when some objected to the government's decision to dissolve a RM5 million South Indian Labour Fund for the project.
The fund - Arumugam's brainchild - was established in colonial times with contributions from plantation owners for the welfare of their South Indian workers.
Arumugam had also donated his land to build a home to help look after aged South Indian labourers and their dependents.
In 1999, the government took over a seven-acre plot in Nibong Tebal to build the institute and transferred the residents of the home to government-run welfare homes.
The training institute was to benefit the children of estate workers in the area, which was once an oil palm plantation.
The Human Resources Ministry has also given an assurance, in a 1999 Parliament sitting, that the concerns of plantation workers would be taken into account when redeveloping the land into an industrial centre.
In 1999, Samy was also accused of taking RM2 million from the RM5 million fund for the government. He had refuted the allegations.
Bernama reported that at the time of its dissolution, the fund stood at about RM2.5 million and land at 5.83 hectares (14 acres).
Bernama reported today that 53 Indian students have so far applied for the July intake at the RM60 million institute - built using funds donated by the late Indian philanthropist Arumugam Pillai.
If some of them are accepted, they will become the first batch of Indian students to study at the institute. Incidentally, the institute in Nibong Tebal was built specifically to cater for the educational needs of the marginalised community.
The intake of Indian students should temporarily end criticisms that the government and the MIC had reneged on their promise to build the learning centre for the Indian community.
MIC president S Samy Vellu has been lobbying the government to reduce the entry level requirements for Indians, asking for special courses to be provided for those who do not meet the qualification mark. "Finally we have managed to convince Indian students to register (for the July 2005 intake) with the institute.
"We will discuss with the Human Resources Ministry to take in Indians who have not met the entry qualification but they will have to sit for an introductory course first," said Samy at the Pahang MIC annual delegates meeting today.
He added that another reason for the low applications from the Indian community was because many are unaware of the existence of the institute.
Indian money for Indians
Bernama reported that the controversy surrounding the institute began in 1998 when some objected to the government's decision to dissolve a RM5 million South Indian Labour Fund for the project.
The fund - Arumugam's brainchild - was established in colonial times with contributions from plantation owners for the welfare of their South Indian workers.
Arumugam had also donated his land to build a home to help look after aged South Indian labourers and their dependents.
In 1999, the government took over a seven-acre plot in Nibong Tebal to build the institute and transferred the residents of the home to government-run welfare homes.
The training institute was to benefit the children of estate workers in the area, which was once an oil palm plantation.
The Human Resources Ministry has also given an assurance, in a 1999 Parliament sitting, that the concerns of plantation workers would be taken into account when redeveloping the land into an industrial centre.
In 1999, Samy was also accused of taking RM2 million from the RM5 million fund for the government. He had refuted the allegations.
Bernama reported that at the time of its dissolution, the fund stood at about RM2.5 million and land at 5.83 hectares (14 acres).
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