Charles Santiago and NGOs highlight stark realities of Indian community in meet with Bersama

Charles Santiago and NGOs highlight stark realities of Indian community in meet with Bersama



FORMER DAP MP Charles Santiago has called for structural reforms to address the deep-rooted socio-economic challenges facing Malaysia’s Indian community, warning that temporary election-cycle promises are insufficient.

After 19 NGOs under Gelombang Saksama met with Bersama leaders Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and Wong Chen, Santiago highlighted the stark realities the Indian community faces. Intergenerational poverty, low equity ownership, entrenched discrimination, and high school dropout rates continue to erode progress.

“The Indian agenda cannot keep returning as an election-cycle promise. Transformational change requires permanent institutions that outlast any change in government and are run by professionals, not politicians,” he said.

Statistics underline the urgency: qualified Indian applicants receive only a 9% callback rate for jobs compared with 33% for Chinese and 13.1% for Malays.

Half of Indian workers earn below RM2,600, while income inequality within the community widened by 10% – far higher than among other groups. Despite comprising just 6.5% of the population, Indians account for 22% of the prison population and 22% of those on death row.

Gelombang Saksama presented three demands: a dedicated statutory agency with its own mandate and budget, a funding vehicle to mobilise resources for long-term development, and the reinstatement of the Cabinet Committee on Indian Affairs to ensure political oversight and coordination.

Santiago stressed that only permanent, independent institutions can deliver meaningful change.

“We need structures that guarantee continuity, accountability, and fairness. Without them, the community will remain trapped in cycles of poverty and marginalisation,” he added. — Aug 22, 2026