PETALING JAYA: The welfare of the Indian community in this country will continue to be championed, especially in relation to urban poverty, infrastructure and utility facilities in plantation areas and educational aspects.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said these three issues have been his main focus in helping the Indian community for a long ago.

Ahmad Zahid who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development said the matter had also been discussed and planned with the late Datuk Seri Ramesh Rao, after being appointed as a Special Officer for Indian Affairs in the Deputy Prime Minister's office.

"I am looking into what he had planned (for the Indian community) which we had discussed several times and I have given my consent in principle.

"I will carry out what he had committed to do which will be carried out by another officer later," he told reporters after paying his last respects to the deceased at his family's residence here today.


Ramesh Rao, 52, who is believed to have suffered a heart attack, passed away at his home in Petaling Jaya on Saturday.

On Dec 24, the late Ramesh Rao who was also the President of the Pertubuhan Minda dan Sosial Prihatin was appointed as a Special Officer to the Deputy Prime Minister who looks after the interests and problems of the Indian community.

Ahmad Zahid said he created the post held by the late Ramesh Rao after seeing the need to help individuals, non-governmental organisations and Indian community as a whole.

"For almost five years they (the Indian community) did not have a special place or official in any Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister departments.

"I took the initiative (to create the position) not because 25 per cent of my voters in the Bagan Datuk Parliament consist of Indian voters but because of my relationship with political leaders who are from Indian parties including in the opposition," he said.

-- BERNAMA