File picture shows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak receiving a garland from MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (right) at the launch of the Action Plan for the Indian Community at PWTC, April 23, 2017. — Bernama pic

SEPANG, July 11 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today extolled his efforts towards the development of the Indian community here while taking a veiled swipe at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

While the prime minister did not mention Dr Mahathir by name, his remarks made reference to the latter’s lineage that includes ancestors from Kerala, India on the paternal side.

Najib also stressed that improving the Indian community has consistently been part of his administration’s agenda since he took office in 2009.

“As Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam mentioned, in the period I have been PM, almost RM900 million has been allocated for Tamil schools,” Najib said, referring to the MIC president and health minister.

“And he (Subramaniam) also stated that I have done more for Indians than previous PMs including one who is of Indian descent,” he said during his speech at the celebration of Tamil education in the country.

Najib stressed that education was the key to helping to improve the future of Indians in Malaysia and urged all parties to be more committed in developing this.

He explained that there was no better catalyst for a group’s betterment than knowledge and education.

“If someone is given the knowledge and educated properly, the person will be someone successful that will bring up his family, parents and even his extended family.

“That’s why as a community, I would like to encourage the Indians to give importance to education,” he said.

The Pekan MP also said Putrajaya’s Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB) launched this year will help unify the community and further include it in the country’s progress.

* A previous version of this report included quotes that did not attribute the origin of the prime minister’s remarks to Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.