He had been relatively anonymous until he made some remarks in Parliament last year that was deemed sympathetic towards the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). But Cameron Highlands MP S.K. Devamany has dismissed suggestions that this action made him a hero in the eyes of some and helped him win the March 8 election when his more senior MIC colleagues lost. He says his victory had more to do with luck and a higher purpose. A first-timer in the Cabinet as a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, the former school teacher tells DEBORAH LOH about his new duties and his analysis of the social problems that Malaysian Indians face

Q: What is your portfolio?
A: I'm under (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department) Senator Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz in the Economic Planning Unit division. I'll be looking into the mid-term review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan that will be tabled in Parliament. My focus will be on development for minority communities like the Indians, the Orang Asli, and the Sabah and Sarawak minority groups. Although I am from the MIC, I will not focus only on the Indians as my portfolio demands that I also look after other minority groups that are lagging behind.

Q: Has the prime minister spoken to you about the Indian community?
A: That's probably the reason I am here. The PM has placed me here to look at macro policies pertaining to the development of Indians and to translate what is in the 9MP (Ninth Malaysia Plan) for Indians into results. I'll be the bridge linking the MIC, the Indian community and the NGOs (non-governmental organisations), and the central government.

Q: Which are the problem areas in the Indian community that ought to be given priority?
A: The MIC and NGOs have put forward the people's grievances in writing. But we find a lack of implementation. For example, in the 9MP there are already many provisions for Malaysian Indians, such as increasing their participation in the economy, increasing their share of corporate equity, participation in selected unit trust schemes and more jobs for them in the public sector. These will be brought up again in the mid-term review. The MIC president (Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu) has spent two weeks with me working on these proposals, and both of us, together with Minister of Human Resources Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, have met with Amirsham and senior officials of the EPU.

Q: Do you get a sense that in the first half of the 9MP, we saw a lot of media focus on the cutting of red tape to facilitate private sector transactions, but little on socio-economic delivery?
A: We'll have to look at the actual figures before we can conclude that there was more drive towards private sector initiatives rather than government sector initiatives. Bear in mind that this government was only about four years old, and in this short period of time there was a shift in policy direction towards human capital development and agro-based development as a means to reach the poor. There was little time for the people to feel changes at the micro-level, although the policy at macro-level was very clear.

Q: Is there anything the MIC would have done differently in hindsight after the election?
A: I'm not interested in "what should have been". I'm interested in the here and now. Let's not dwell on the past. Let's look at the shortcomings and then reconcile, re-unite and be effective representatives for the community.

Q: Long-standing problems such as displaced estate workers with no birth certificates or MyKads were not often highlighted until the Hindraf came into the picture. How has MIC been addressing such problems all this while?
A: The branches and divisions have been handling this. Problems were brought to the respective MIC representatives in the vicinity. This was ongoing although it was not done publicly. What's happening today is that the pace of migration (out of estates) is higher. It's an everyday problem. We have to strengthen the effectiveness and leadership at our grassroots to ensure that these problems go all the way up.

At the same time, when such matters are taken up with the respective government authorities, the problems are not dealt with effectively. MIC leaders can take the problems to the agencies, but the agencies must have the will and efficiency to solve them.

Q: People are unhappy, not with the MIC but with unresponsive government agencies?
A: When government agencies fail to respond effectively, it tarnishes the image of the political party that represents the people. A person goes several times to an agency, is asked to come back again, is given unclear answers like, "kita akan kaji" (we will check), "kita akan lihat" (we will see), all this "akan, akan", or, "belum buat keputusan" (no decision yet) -- this is a culture that frustrates people. Government service agencies at the grassroots level must make sure they can solve problems quickly and be friendly and caring. In the case of estate children without birth certificates, he or she cannot go to school. Why should we penalise the child for the mistakes of the parents? Of course, we need the parents to show proof, but it should not be so stringent as to make it impossible for the children's development.

Q: What about other problems like alcohol abuse and domestic violence in the Indian community?
A: We need to create support agencies in squatter and estate areas. Government-linked companies have a role and MIC has been fighting for them to give more care to estate workers.

First, we must understand the problem, which is that the family unit is under tremendous pressure because of urban migration. The estates are now bringing in foreign workers at a fast rate as companies go for profitability. The Indian community is very much affected by this. In the estates, they have a community established over a long period of time, with temples, community organisations, a leadership system, and Tamil schools.

When they become displaced, they face housing problems and move into squatter areas. They need more money because living in urban areas costs more. Both husband and wife start working and the children are not given proper nurturing. Parenting, child development, the teaching of good values -- all this is affected. We have to understand this to see if such problems are the result of certain policies. It is now good that the government is committed to reducing our dependency on foreign workers.

Q: How is the MIC pushing for changes to take place in the estates?
A: We have been fighting for basic wages, more facilities, health workers, schools and clinics. We discuss these things in the Barisan Nasional behind closed doors. As a political body, we can only push but in the end it must be implemented by the government. When nothing happens, people will question and say we are not effective representatives.

Q: The Hindraf rally in November brought out not only poor Indians, but also the middle class and even wealthy Indians. What do you make of this?
A: I feel it's an echo of their inner frustration. Probably some of them didn't get the opportunities they were seeking. Better-off Indians still face problems getting opportunities in the business world, getting licences, entry into universities and finding better jobs.

Q: But some were wealthy Indians doing really well as lawyers and doctors, how is it they could identify with Hindraf?
A: They are sympathisers. This has happened throughout the world whenever issues of social justice are raised. It cuts across class.

In any society where the have-nots move up and become the haves, and where the lower class moves up to become the middle class, those who have moved up will come back to champion for the lower class. That is where they came from and when they see their brothers and sisters deprived, they will come back to champion for them.

Malaysians are now very educated. They already have a car, home, they're already ok. So now they talk about social justice. It's a progression. A nation progressing towards developed status will go through this civil society process.

Q: A process which takes place on the streets is not welcomed by the more traditional-minded segments of society.
A: You ought to be very happy that after the Hindraf protest, and now, after the election, whatever the results, the nation did not go into turmoil. This reflects that we are moving towards a developed democracy. You must take this positively. New state governments led by the Opposition have been formed -- with ripples here and there -- but otherwise without violence. And that's a beautiful thing for the nation.

Q: Does having a Cabinet post place more pressure on you to be careful in what you say?
A: I will continue to speak out. It is the manner I say things. It is not what I say, it's how I say it. And whether your intentions are pure and good.

Q: Is it something you learnt last November after your remarks which appeared to sympathise with Hindraf?
A: What I said was a spontaneous reaction to the frustration of the people. I was perturbed with developments at the time. Now, being inside the government, I can translate the frustration into action and facilitate the implementation of pragmatic programmes.

Q: So it wasn't a calculated statement and you genuinely didn't expect the backlash?
A: No, I didn't.

Q: Given the election results, do you think the Indian community is now less inclined to have a race-based political party to look after them?
A: Maybe the intellectuals can appreciate the non-race based concept, but the ordinary folk don't understand yet. Race-based politics cannot be thrown away overnight. We still have to work on that platform because the man in the street still has bread and butter concerns. In that sense, the Barisan Nasional concept is still very relevant.