`Don't fault govt for Indians' low equity'

`Don't fault govt for Indians' low equity' KUALA LUMPUR: The government should not be blamed for the failure of the Indian community to increase their wealth in the country, said Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad. He said MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu should not fault the government as the weaknesses were with the community itself. "The Indian community's problems are more than just equity. Most of their problems are social problems such as gangsterism. "I admit Indians are among the poorest in this country but their participation and achievements in many other fields are amazing," he told Bernama yesterday. Shahrir, who is also Johor Baru MP, was asked to comment on Samy Vellu's outburst on Tuesday that if the gover nment failed to help raise the Indians' equity, the party would not seek its help again and "we (MIC) will close shop". Samy Vellu, who is also works minister, said the government had ignored calls to help the Indians achieve the 3% equity target by 2010. Shahrir said the Indian community had attained significant achievement as professionals and the inter-community income disparity was better than the Malays. "They have all the government assistance to increase their economic stake, for instance Maika Holdings, MIC's investment arm ... what happened to all that?" he asked. MIC should focus on real issues rather than talk about equity, he added.