Kuala Lumpur, Apr. 23 : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has asked the Malaysian Government to reserve at least 25 percent of the 100 million units of the free Amanah Saham Wawasan (ASW 2020) shares for the Indians to realise the community's 1.5 percent equity participation target, as outlined in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, by next year.

In a front page report, the Tamil Nesan daily quotes MIC president S. Samy Vellu as saying that the party would also ask the Government to allocate at least 20 percent from the 49 percent of the two billion units of ASW 2020 set aside for non-bumiputras to the Indian community.

The Star quoted Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS) president A. Vaithilingam as saying that the issue of conversion was the right of an individual, it must not greatly affect the lives of the non-Muslims.

He was referring to the conversion of three children aged between one and 12 by their father Mohammad Ridzuan Abdullah, 40, on April 12 using their birth certificates. He had filed for custody with the Syariah Court. The mother of the children was not aware of the conversion. (ANI)