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IPF Assembly – D Day

June 30th, 2007
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Revelation day for tomorrow

source

By A. LETCHUMANAN

When president Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan announced that his long-time foe president Datuk Seri S. would be the guest-of-honour at the general assembly on July 1, some felt that this meant would soon be dissolved. The party's future will be known tomorrow. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Tomorrow will be a historic day for both the and Indian Progressive Front () � once bitter rivals, now friends. 

For the first time, president Datuk Seri S. will open the ’s general assembly, at the invitation of its president Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan, at Menara PGRM tomorrow. 

Their teaming up is expected to transform the political scenario concerning the Indian community and many feel the “partnership” will be for the betterment of the community. 

The assembly had been originally scheduled for last Sunday but was postponed as was with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad on an official visit overseas.  

Samy Vellu and Pandithan
Burying the hatchet: (left) and Pandithan shaking hands at the ceramah in Taman Seri Cahaya in April. It was the first time they appeared together in public in eight years.

Just a year ago, many would have scoffed at the idea of and Pandithan being friends again.  

Now, with the teaming up, many members are uneasy over their president's efforts to become pals with the . 

Pandithan brushed aside such opposition, saying that it was the work of a group of dissidents who were out to tarnish the party's image. 

The “dissidents” have been having a field day making all sorts of allegations via the Makkal Osai vernacular newspaper claiming that would soon be dissolved but Pandithan remains unfazed.  

Pandithan has said that he would reply to the allegations tomorrow, and close aides say he is expected to pour cold water on the claims that the party may be dissolved. 

After all, Pandithan has always said that he wanted the building to remain as a symbol of the 17-year struggle and work for the betterment of the underclass in the community, Youth chief Ravi Sankar said.  

On whether he regretted his past allegations against , Pandithan said he had decided to forget the past and look to the future. 

“Let bygones be bygones. It is not fair to talk about old issues,” he said, adding that had been magnanimous in accepting his friendship without condition. 

His animosity turned to admiration when visited him while he was recuperating in hospital last year. 

“I had thought of the animosity and how it had not brought any benefit to the community. I then decided to forget our differences and work with the ,” he said in a recent interview. 

Pandithan campaigned for Barisan Nasional’s K. Parthiban in the Ijok by-election in April and had also attended the general assembly where he was accorded a seat on the stage in May, a first for a non-Barisan Nasional party leader. 

Pandithan, who had always regarded as his mentor, rose up the ranks in and was a party vice-president, Tapah MP and parliamentary secretary to the Trade and Industry Ministry in June 1988. 

He was sacked after embarking on a fast-to-death effort to prove that he was not guilty of the charges against him, of inciting violence and unrest within the party. 

He had declared that the could only expel him “over his dead body” and threatened to fast to death until all charges against him were dropped.  

He also brought along a coffin with him to the headquarters in .. 

After being expelled from on July 16, 1988, Pandithan tried to return to the party but was unsuccessful. 

In August 1990, he formed .

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HindRAF hands memo over demolition of 79 temples

June 30th, 2007
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well, looks like all those sent letters (sometimes CC'ed to online forums as well) did not even warrant a decent reply from govt. speaks a lot about our delivery system!

Group seeks action over the demolition of 79 Hindu

source

PUTRAJAYA: Some 100 people from the Hindu Rights Action Force handed a memorandum to the special officer to the Solicitor-General Ilham Abdul Kaderover the apparent lack of action on the demolition of 79 Hindu nationwide. 

The group, which gathered in front of the Attorney-General's Chambers yesterday, expressed disappointment over the apparent lack of action although 99 police reports had been lodged over the matter. 

Chairman Moorthy said the memorandum stated that Hindu , some more than 100 years old and located on private land, had been demolished without proper court orders since last. Apart from the 99 police reports, the organisation had also sent out 74 letters and memoranda to the A-G's Chambers and other relevant state authorities but had so far received no response, he said.

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MIC to register 200,000 new voters

June 29th, 2007
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Party to register 200,000 new voters
 

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:

has registered 200,000 new voters and aims to register another 200,000 before the general election.

Party president Datuk Seri S said members have done a lot of work to register new voters.

"Our aim is to register 400,000 new voters. We have achieved about 200,000 now.

"Every branch member has been asked to look for new voters," he said after chairing the party central working committee meeting here yesterday.

also said he would meet all the party’s MPs and state assemblymen to prepare for the general election.
"I want to discuss with them the needs of the people in their areas and how we can go about promoting ourselves with new vigour to win the election."

On the list of candidates, said this would be decided after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad announces the date of the election.

However, he said, he was happy with the present candidates.

"They show an interest in working and in assisting the rakyat."

said such a positive sign would get them closer to the voters.

"They are doing their job well. And that also includes me," he said.

At present, about 500,000 members are registered as voters.

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More committees to solve temple and Tamil schools problems

June 29th, 2007
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only word that stands out is committee. i remember having a committee to discuss temple demolition. Then followed by or which asked its EXCO to lead a committee for temple relocation etc. Now, want to have another set of committee…
 
Assume 3 schools merge into one -> 150 schools become 50 schools. 523 – 150 + 50 = 423 schools. We also seem to hear always discussing with ministry. What is the outcome of these discussions so far?
 
 
 
wants space in new housing estates for
Minderjeet Kaur
source
KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:
 

will ask for space for Hindu at new housing estates where there are a lot of Hindus, to stop the sprouting of illegal nationwide.

president Datuk Seri S. said illegal were becoming a major issue within the Indian community.

"They will continue building illegal unless we provide them space in their housing estate," he said after chairing the central working committee here yesterday.

He said also wanted to combine smaller and would propose that the government provide additional land for this purpose.

For a start, he said state Exco members from each state would be asked to set up a committee which would be directed to meet every temple head and compile the feedback.
 

"The committee will also inform the temple heads not to build any illegal ."

said the party was looking at merging partially-aided schools with fewer than 50 pupils.

"Some schools have three teachers with four pupils. We are proposing to merge some of the smaller schools to increase the number of pupils," he said, adding the party would work on merging some 150 small schools.

"With the increase in number of students, we can ask for government assistance to provide more facilities in these schools."

He said the move would allow them to monitor and enhance the educational level of the students and provide transport for those staying far from their schools.

On the discussions by party leaders with Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on the future of these schools, he said: "We discussed problems faced by some of these small schools. Some teachers do not receive salaries and schools are running without any facilities."

He said would organise talks with headmasters and the parent-teacher associations from these schools to get their feedback and ways to improve the standards of the schools.

He added some of schools saw a decline in the number of students after most of the former estate workers migrated to cities.

"Previously, these schools had 120 to 150 students. But after the migration, the number has dropped drastically."

There are 523 Tamil schools nationwide.

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Let’s Protest – Wrong to display religious pictures?

June 29th, 2007
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Wake up call for all Indian youths to launch another call? I think we can do a weekly, since nearly every week there's news about against Indian community in one way or another. Maybe can set a fixed venue for weekly gathering to against issue A or issue B and so on…

Wrong to display religious pictures?

source

KUALA LUMPUR: Is it an offence to place pictures of verses from the Quran and Hindu deities in restaurants?

This is the poser following the confiscation of such pictures from two restaurants in Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, here.

A spokesman for Restaurant Aiswaria, A. Mohd Dhasthagi, said officers from the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim), Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Domestic Trade and Industry Ministry inspected the premises on Tuesday.

A notice was issued, saying that the restaurant did not have halal certification from Jakim and also did not have Muslim workers. The owner was asked to rectify the situation. The team took away a picture of Mecca and another with verses from the Quran.

Aiswaria owner Jehabar Ali Hussain Kader said yesterday: "I have not broken any laws. It’s ridiculous that I was cited for these offences. I never knew that it is an offence to display religious pictures in my premises. Being a Muslim, I purchase food items from a halal vendor."

He said he had Muslim workers.

Restaurant Seetharam, a few doors away, was also cited for similar offences. The raiding team confiscated three pictures of Hindu deities placed behind the cashier’s counter.

The employees said they were baffled by the removal of the pictures.

The issue was highlighted yesterday by opposition leader Lim Kit Siang. He had earlier visited the outlets with two other MPs, Chong Eng and Fong Po Kuan.

Lim said this was not the first time such raids were conducted and he feared it could set back inter-racial .

Jakim director-general Datuk Mustafa Abdul Rahman said he was not aware of the incident.

"If it is true, I will ask for a report from the officers involved. This is a sensitive issue and I can’t comment until I know the whole story."

Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said the display of religious pictures had nothing to do with the food served.

He said Muslims could consume food in restaurants as long as the ingredients were halal and the preparation followed Islamic principles.

"Islam allows the display of religious pictures and paraphernalia in a private area as long as it doesn’t disturb the peace. This incident must be investigated carefully as we don’t know what the real issue is."

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