Archive for July, 2008

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How many RM3 millions for Indians?

July 31st, 2008
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Today, Star reported that TEKUN has allocated RM3 million for young Indians (reproduced at the end).

The Government has allocated RM3 mil to provide financial aid to young Indian entrepreneurs, president Datuk Seri S. said.

He said that assistance would be channelled through Tekun Nasional, a body under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives and the -owned Social Strategic Foundation (YSS).

On 4th June this year, mentioned that TEKUN had allocated RM3 million as well. Is it the same RM3 million? At that time only 10 out of 300 students from INSKEN had applied for it.

If we go back to 3rd March this year, RM3 million is part of a special allocation by Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s department. This RM3 million had been used as a revolving micro loan fund with Yayasan Tekun. I didn’t say that, did.

In December 2007, Samy says this: “the Government provided business-training programs to Indian youths through the National Entrepreneur Skills institute while RM3mil has been allocated for business loans for Indians through the Tekun foundation”.

The RM3 million was first mentioned in July 2007 – “The government will also provide a special loan fund totalling RM3 million through Yayasan Tekun for 500 Indian youths to obtain micro business loans”. Yup, by .

Hmmm…that’s quite a number of “RM3 millions”. Hope they are not the same. If not, it is the same RM3 million being rerun for last one year. But if not many applied, then it doesn’t make much difference does it?

According to TEKUN head Abdul Rahim, Tekun, which was set up in 1998, has already disbursed RM90 mil to bumiputras to develop their business and was expanding it to provide assistance to the Indian youths. He said a decision of the applications would be made within 14 days if all the documents were in order, compared to the previous period of three months.

Tekun would request additional allocation from the government if the RM3 mil allocation was inadequate.

The rest of the articles as follows:

Speaking to reporters after a briefing by Tekun managing director Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan here Thursday, he said loans of RM10,000 each had been approved for three applications to develop their businesses so far. said Indians below 40 should use the opportunity to seek the financial assistance from Tekun to upgrade their businesses.

“No one should come and say that the government has not done anything for the Indian community. There are opportunities available,” he said.

said the and YSS would also organise workshops in the respective states to disseminate the information on Tekun to the youths over the next two months.

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IPF under control says Pandithan’s wife

July 31st, 2008
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Pandithan’s widow did hold the press conference as told earlier. Surprisingly, she said that:

I was elected as party president earlier this year by the party’s supreme council.

I thought there was supposed to be an AGM to confirm her position, but Jayashree said the general assembly will be held later.

Whatever. Anyway, Puan Sri Jayashree says that she’s in full control of the party. In her visit to several states, the party’s 380,000 members had pledged their loyalty and support to the leadership.

I’m determined to carry on focusing on eradicating poverty, solving welfare and health issues and creating an educated Indian society.

She blames it on Bersatu, a splinter party which it seems is not officially registered. That’s why there’s a one million ringgit suit on the group.

She said a splinter group which had left the party years ago had been attacking her leadership to tarnish the name and image of the party. “This group, claiming to be leaders of Bersatu, has been campaigning against us nationwide, saying it is the actual and legitimate . “They have been deceiving the people and confusing everyone by using our party’s name, flag, letterhead and registration number.”

She said ’s checks with the Registrar of Societies showed that Bersatu was never registered as a party or society and the group had been functioning under ’s name claiming to be its promoters.

“This is a theft involving the party’s name and symbols and neither Pandithan nor I have appointed anyone to be our promoters.”

She said the group’s activities had started before Pandithan died, adding that when he fell sick the group started tarnishing his name.

“Although Pandithan was upset, he did not want to take action against them as they were former party members and had taken part in the party’s struggle in the early days.

“But it is unfortunate that they continue to damage our name and reputation even after Pandithan’s death, giving us no option but to take legal action.”

has filed a RM1 million suit against Bersatu for using its name, logo and registration number.

Bersatu is headed by former secretary-general K. Panjamurti.

As for ’s future plan, it is still yearning to join BN and has asked to meet PM in September.

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MySMS new government service

July 31st, 2008
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The government launched MySMS service today morning. It basically a SMS-based service through which public can get information on various government department’s address, forms, data and so on. So far, 45 departments are offering their services. I’ve registered with JPJ to be reminded when my license and road tax is about to expire.

One unique future is that you can request certain forms to be sent to an email address you specify.

The SMS number is 15888. The list of services and other details are at http://www.mysms.gov.my

The charges are at most 15 and 20 sen only per SMS sent/received.

This is quite a good approach as many people own handphone as compared to Internet access. However, I worry that as more departments are hooked up, it will be difficult to remember the short codes.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia, I Was Here

Hudud laws anyone?

July 30th, 2008
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Nik Aziz sure knows how to trump his fellow party leaders. His statement on suggestion that hudud and gisas laws to be used by a merged – . As reported in Malaysiakini, was the first one off the blocks to oppose this suggestion. This was stated by its Youth secretary-general, Wee Ka Siong. The deputy minister has described Nik Aziz’s idea as “totally unacceptable by ”.

I am disappointed and gravely concerned with Nik Aziz’s statement to implement hudud and qisas laws as it would mean the creation of a theocratic Islamic state.

I urge to object against ’ proposal as it is a matter of principle.

So far, Gerakan and PRS (Parti Rakyat Sarawak), two small parties in the coalition had come out with statements that cautions the - discussions.

Have to wait another few days for , but its politicians who blog already have something to say. Check out Murugesan‘s blog. Not sure about Saravanan.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

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SJKT Azad land allocation cancelled by municipal council

July 30th, 2008
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The report in Nanban, carried by the Star says the Municipal Council retracted the land it once allocated to the SJKT Azad in Bagan Jermal, . This retraction was done after the general elections, while the allocation date was not mentioned. We can safely assume that it was before elections.

Here’s the flow of events:

The school, which began operating in 1946, is presently “squatting” at the Indian Association building and had submitted numerous applications to the state government for allocation of land so that new premises with proper facilities could be built. The school does not have enough classrooms. There is also no computer laboratory, science laboratory and library.

Previous government under chief minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and former state executive councillor P.K. Subbaiyah had approved the land near a Hindu temple in the Waterfall area that was identified by the school parent-teacher association in 2005.

The Municipal Council, which owns the land, had also approved the allocation for the school.

president and former Works minister Datuk Seri S. had also obtained the necessary amounting to RM750,000 from the Federal Government to build the new school.

The Municipal Council cancelled the land allocated to the school after the recent general election.

So, what happened?

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Posted in Indian, Tamil-Schools

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