DAP parliamentarian for Ipoh Barat M Kulasegaran has challenged Works Minister and MIC president S Samy Vellu to a debate over the marginalisation of the Indian Malaysian community.

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby, Kulasegaran said he hoped the time and venue could be decided within two weeks.

This comes on the heels of a heated exchange in Parliament between Samy Vellu (photo) and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang, who had accused the minister of being responsible for the "underclass" status of Indians.

Samy defended himself, saying that Indians were "doing far better" than they had been in the past.

However, Kulasegaran begged to differ with the minister's opinion.

"It is a known fact that the Indians have lost out in almost all aspects of progress compared to the other major communities in Malaysia," he said, reading from a statement.

He said the position of Indians has plummeted during Samy Vellu's tenure as a cabinet minister, citing as examples the "now worthless" RM100 million Maika Bhd investment fund and the 5 percent drop in the number of Indians in civil service since 1980.

"We have facts and reasons to dispute Samy," added Kulasegaran.

Letter to PM

In another development, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has written to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to protest a "most unsatisfactory reply" to a question in the Dewan Rakyat on the delay in creating the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

Lim had asked the Abdullah to respond to public concern about the government's ability to prevent crime and to report on implementation of the Royal Police Commission's 125 recommendations, in particular the IPCMC.

However, Abdullah's three-paragraph written reply did not address the second part of the question on the recommendations.

"It is most shocking and totally unprecedented that the written answer completely ignored the part of the question asking for a status report," said Lim.

He claimed this was the first time in his 33 years as a MP where there was a "clear evasion" of a parliamentary question.

Lim said he believes that the reply had not been vetted by Abdullah or by Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharum (photo), but was written by an inexperienced civil servant.

"I do not believe that, with Johari's parliamentary and political experience and background, he would have countenanced such ministerial evasion and parliamentary irresponsibility," Lim said.

"Clearly, the reply was drafted by a civil servant who did not know how to respond to the question, as the recommendations have become political minefields. The officer must have thought discretion the better part of valour to avoid answering it altogether."

He expressed regret at this example of the state of governance especially with regard to ministerial responsibilities in Parliament.

"This is an awful example for all cabinet ministers as the written answer was given in the name of the prime minister. Is the administration of Abdullah now on auto-pilot?"