Ethnic Indians urged to join Malaysian armed forces

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 10 : Young Malaysian Indians should join the country's armed forces, a former soldier has said, lamenting that the number of those coming forward at present was 'discouraging'.

Negri Sembilan state's Ex-Warriors Association head Major Murugiah said the ethnic Indian youth must realise that serving and protecting the country was a good cause and they should be proud of it, reported Malaysia Nanban, a Tamil daily.

Estimated at about 2.5 million, ethnic Indians form eight percent of Malaysia's 28 million population, a bulk of which settled here during the British era.

Meanwhile, a top official of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), the country's oldest party of ethnic Indians, has urged that temples should not only be for prayers but also serve as a place to promote Indian culture and traditions.

They can also help raise the standard of living and ensure the development of the Indian community, MIC vice-president S. Veerasingam said at a seminar.

Tamil Nesan newspaper quoted him as saying that temples must organise religious classes for the young so they would be aware of their own cultures and not be influenced by others, The Star newspaper said.

He said temple managements should not focus solely on collecting donations but assist by giving financial aid to single mothers and poor students.