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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, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

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

On 4th June this year, Samy Vellu 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, Samy Vellu 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 Samy Vellu.

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.Samy Vellu 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.

Samy Vellu said the MIC 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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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 IPF 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 IPF Bersatu, has been campaigning against us nationwide, saying it is the actual and
legitimate IPF. “They have been deceiving the people and confusing everyone by using our party’s name, flag, letterhead and
registration number.”

She said IPF’s checks with the Registrar of Societies showed that IPF Bersatu was never registered as a party or society and the group had been functioning under IPF’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.”

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

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

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

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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.

Popularity: 1% [?]