It has almost been a year since Pakatan Rakyat seized control of Penang but MIC president S Samy Vellu said the Indian community there has not benefitted despite the appointment of Prof P Ramasamy as a deputy chief minister.

He said although Pakatan Rakyat could take credit for appointing the first Indian Malaysian to a powerful post, MIC however felt that his appointment was "a sheer waste" based on his "zero performance" so far.

"Although he (Ramasamy) has publicly announced that he was not representing a particular community, the Indians had placed high hopes on him to bring changes," he added.

A year ago, Samy Vellu said, many had hailed Ramasamy's appointment with "a great sense of jubilation and pride with the Indian community thinking he is cut out for the job."

"What good is it to have an Indian placed in a very powerful and influential post but yet he has not done anything for the Indian community, let alone for the other races," he added.

Samy Vellu said Ramasamy had instead only questioned and challenged the economic and social transformation and benefits initiated by MIC for the Indians through the federal government.

He lambasted Ramasamy for taking a swipe at MIC for reportedly urging the federal government not to channel any allocations meant for the Indian community through MIC as the party would only mismanage it.

'Stop harping on trivial matters'

Samy Vellu was referring to the many "goodies" announced for the Indians, including a 7.4 percent quota in civil service and an RM50 million allocation for Tamil schools by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak last Monday after chairing the Cabinet Committee for Indian Affairs

"I am deeply shocked to see a man holding such a high position being unable to understand the simple theory of how the government machinery operates," said the MIC president.

Samy Vellu also criticised the former university lecturer for "harping on trivial matters and being an armchair critic."

"With his background as a university lecturer for 30 years, Ramasamy could have used his position and experience to bring development and initiate new plans for the Indians, not just in Penang but the whole country.

"Instead, he picks on what we (MIC) do and takes the credit by saying if not for Pakatan Rakyat, there would be no move on the part of the federal government to bring social development for the Indians," he said.

He also chided Ramasamy for talking about the welfare of the Indians when he had publicly told them that he was not representing just one race.

In view of this, Samy Vellu challenged Ramasamy and other Indian elected representatives from Pakatan Rakyat to list out their contributions to the Indian community.

"Don't just take credit for making noise over certain incidents but tell us what have you done economically and socially for the betterment of the Indians," he said.

Samy Vellu said the Indian community had expected "major changes" when Pakatan Rakyat took over Penang "but it looks like all is lost now."