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Small Business and Agro Seminar very useful

April 30th, 2009
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A relative of mine attended one of the talks in Klang last week. She said Murugiah spoke well, and even though a big crowd was expected, less people turned up. She also said that a number of opportunities were revealed during the talk, not only limited to agri-based businesses.

The low turnout is being attributed to rumours of sabotage by Murugiah’s own party, PPP.

Those interested in attending can refer to www.minew.org (the link is also available on the sidebar).

KLANG: Indians are generally unaware of economic opportunities made available by the government to the community, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk T. Murugiah said yesterday.

He said many did not know that they could take loans from the government to start their own businesses or get involved in the agriculture sector.

“After I was appointed deputy minister, I visited many ministries and discovered many opportunities open for all, not just Bumiputeras.

“Because there is little exposure, the Indian community  do not know what has been made available by the government,” he said after launching a Small Businesses and Agro-Farming Seminar here yesterday.

The one-day seminar, attended by some 2,000 participants, was aimed at creating more awareness about business opportunities for the community.

Murugiah, who is in charge of Indian Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the idea for the seminar came about after Indians took part in street rallies after claiming that the government had sidelined them in terms of assistance and financial support.

“I want to create awareness so that Indians understand what has been done for them by the government.

“For example, there are the Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usahawan Niaga (Tekun) loans which many don’t know about.

“This is why seminars like this are needed so that they provide information about the government’s intentions.”

He said Indians should not criticise the government and approach unrelated parties without first approaching ministries to find out what was available for them.

Murugiah said up-and-coming Indian entrepreneurs should consider venturing into the bird’s nest business as it was lucrative and there was a huge demand in Malaysia.

“Bird’s nest can fetch up to RM6,000 per kilogramme according to grade and this business requires only a small capital,” he said.

On whether he would lodge a police report on the text message sent by certain quarters warning Indians to stay away from the seminar, Murugiah said he would leave it to the Prime Minister’s Department to investigate and take action.

The nationwide seminar was first conducted in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, in January, and later in Johor, Penang, Perak and Kedah before coming to Klang.

It will later be held in Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Pahang.

So far, some 12,000 Indians have participated in the seminar.

Another thing that he should focus on is the number of applicants, number of successful applicants, and the reasons why some applicants are rejected.  This statistics are equally important to ensure fairness and non-discrimination.  Next would be to analyse if such rates are consistent with other communities and if the same reasons affect the failed applicants in the other communities.

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HINDRAF wants to talk with PM

April 30th, 2009
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I doubt if the new PM wants to meet a group that continuously blames UMNO for the discrimination that’s happening in the country. Perhaps he just might do that, and score another point with the community. Everyone would remember when PM Badawi said “who is HINDRAF” because the sole representative of the Indian community is MIC. Now that MIC has lost much ground and support, it remains to see if the new administration is willing to engage other groups as well.

With a stroke of brilliance, the administration can close the chapter on HINDRAF by promising to look into the problems raised by them – temple demolition, IC/birth cert problem, tamil school status, lock-up deaths, etc. In fact,  there’s been no news of temple demolition in last two months, and schools have been promised RM130 million for renovation works. If the administration can show that steps are actually being taken instead of merely promises, there won’t be a reason for HINDRAF to exist anymore. It can transform into a social service body instead of political pressure group.

Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy wants Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to consider having a dialogue with the organisation.

The chairman of the outlawed group, who is in self-exile in London, says he was prepared to meet Najib to highlight the grouses that had pushed Hindraf to mobilise members of the Indian community to the rally on Nov 25, 2007.

“It is timely for the prime minister and the government of the day to engage Hindraf and the Makkal Sakthi movement in a dialogue to discuss ways and means to tackle the various problems afflicting the Indian community in Malaysia,” said Waythamoorthy.

He added that Hindraf and the Makkal Sakthi movement had always been open to initiating an open and honest discussion with the relevant authorities to help solve the socio-economic ills plaguing the Indian community.

“Given that Najib is propagating his 1Malaysia philosophy, solving the Malaysian Indian problem must be made a top priority,” said Waythamoorthy who is recovering from heart surgery.

He added that he was keen to put forward to Najib the movement’s 18-point demand that was self-explanatory.

Among the points is the need for all Tamil schools in the country to be made fully-aided entities.

Currently, Tamil schools are only partially-aided and this has resulted in students having to make do with ramshackle structures for classrooms.

“We are willing to work with the current government to ensure that the interests of the Indian community is taken care off,” said Waythamoorthy.

Waythamoorthy, who spearheaded the movement with his elder brother Uthayakumar –, now detained under the Internal Security Act – recently reshaped Hindraf into a non-governmental organisation to tackle the various socio-economic problems faced by Indians.

He had also insisted in maintaining Hindraf as a non-political entity.

One party that agrees with Waytha’s move is Gerakan, well the Penang branch at least. No news from others.

Penang Gerakan has welcomed Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy’s request for a dialogue with the Government, saying it is a “positive step”.

State party chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said social and economic problems affecting the Indian community raised by the outlawed group must be solved urgently.

In a press statement he said the problems could be solved through consultations and discussions instead of confrontations.

“Waythamoorthy’s overture to have a dialogue with the Government is a positive step and Gerakan welcomes it,” he said.

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Apply for TEKUN loan

April 30th, 2009
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Application Forms for ‘Tekun’ Loan is now available at:

Yayasan Strategik Sosial (YSS)
Tingkat 5, Menara Manickavasagam
No 1, Jalan Rahmat
50350 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Phone: 6-03-4041 5958 (Mr Nareen)
Fax: 6-03-4041 5681
Email: enquiries@yss98.com

YSS will also be holding workshops every Wednesday from 10.00 am to 1.00pm at its office to brief applicants on how to apply and how to fill up the forms.

Closing Date : 15th June, 2009

Refer:

YSS website

Tekun website

Garis Panduan & Kelayakan Memohon

  • Warganegara Malaysia
  • Berumur 18 hingga 45 tahun
  • Pemohon berdaftar dan memiliki sijil pendaftaran Suruhanjaya Malaysia (SSM)
  • Peminjam harus terlibat sepenuh masa dalam perniagaan
  • Menyediakan satu rangka pelan perniagaan yang ringkas dan padat
  • Individu yang diisthiyarkan bangkrap/muflis tidak layak memohon.
  • Keperluan dokumen-dokumen perniagaan adalah ditetapkan oleh YSS dan Tekun Nasional
  • Keputusan YSS dan Tekun Nasional

    • Jenis Pinjaman & prosuder Pinjaman SPUMI

  • PINJAMAM SPUMI MIKRO (RM 500 hingga RM 10,000) ditentukan oleh pihak pengurusan TEKUN Nasional
  • PINJAMAN SPUMI MIKRO SEDERHANA (RM 10,000 hingga RM 30,000) ditentukan oleh pihak pengurusan TEKUN Nasional.
  • Tenpoh pembayaran balik ansuran adalah masa 3 tahun hingga 5 tahun dengan kadar faedah tetap 4% setahun.
  • Skim ini mengikut format TEKUN dalam membiayai pinjaman perniagaan
  • TEKUN akan mengenakan bayaran RM 30 sebagai yuran pemprosesan.
  • Elemen insurans dan simpanan juga ditetapkan dalam perniagaan ini.

    • Nota tambahan:

  • Borang diberi dengan percuma
  • Tiada Kos Urusetia
  • Maklumat lanjut sila hubungi pihak YSS
  • Borang terus diserahkan kepada pegawai YSS (pihak YSS tidak mengamalkan penghantaran melalui orang tengah)
  • Pemohon dinasihatkan membuat satu salinan dokumen sebelum menghantar kepada YSS.
    		•

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    Career Fair at Batu Caves

    April 30th, 2009
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    C3G Career Fair

    Date : 1st May 2009
    Venue : Dewan Sri Siantan, Batu Caves
    Time : 10am to 5pm

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    Indira waits for baby…

    April 28th, 2009
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    Mother’s Day is coming in a months time, so we hope Ms Indira will be reunited with her soon to be one year old baby.

    Indira GandhiPhoto from NST

    With the police seemingly at loss on how to find the wayward husband, Indira, with the help of Perak DAP and MHS, is distributing 5000 posters of Pathmanathan’s face with hope that someone can leads them to him. Earlier, she was holding a 27-hour vigil at Ipoh police station, waiting for the police to find and return her baby to her.

    indira-ipoh-police-station

    photo from NST

    … Family members gave Indira food and drinks and she used a toilet in the police station to brush her teeth, wash her face and change her clothes.

    She had obtained a visitor’s pass to be in the compound of the police station.

    She also held a prayer at a temple in Ipoh.

    Interestingly, she says that the police did not ask for photographs of her husband, so one wonder how they will identify him. Maybe use a photo from his conversion document?

    the Star reported :

    … However Indira Gandhi, who claimed that her husband K. Patmanathan, 40, took away their youngest daughter three weeks ago, accused the police of being unhelpful.

    She said the police had asked her to locate her husband first before they would retrieve one-year-old Prasana Diksa who was supposedly taken from their First Garden house here on April 4.

    “I’m very disappointed with the way police assisted me in this case. If I could locate him, I definitely would have gone to take my baby and come straight home.

    “Otherwise what else are the police there for?” she asked reporters at the district police headquarters here Saturday.

    … Police officials refused to comment when approached, but Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran told reporters that police had agreed to set up a special unit to trace the husband.

    … When contacted, Perak CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah urged all parties to be fair to be police, adding that it was not true they were doing nothing.

    “My officers are helping the mother even now. We have to locate the baby and we are carrying out investigations. We will assist and enforce the court order,” he assured.

    She also mentioned that the police asked her to locate the husband, so that they can then retrieve the baby from him. And there was this funny reply from a police officer:

    Earlier, when asked if police would enforce the court order, Ipoh crime chief Deputy Superintendent Glenn Anthony Sinnappah said the order was only about a civil court matter.

    I wonder what the DSP meant by that.

    The Star quoted this: Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Azisman Alias said police were still clueless about the whereabouts of Patmanathan and Prasana. NSt quoted this: Police have roped in the help of the Perak Religious Department to locate the estranged husband of Indira Gandhi, who had disappeared with their 1-year-old daughter.

    District police chief ACP Azisman Alias said police had already mobilised a team to look for K. Patmanathan and daughter, Prasana Diksa, but had yet to come up with anything.

    He said they had gone to look for him at his mother’s house in Pasir Puteh near here, and had kept watch to see if they had returned to the house.

    It seems he had called her up on Friday night (after she got the court order) saying that he was on his way to Singapore and had no intention of returning their baby to her. He then switched off his handphone. He was supposed to hand over the baby to her at the police station.

    Meanwhile, one person who supports Pathmanathan’s action in keeping the baby is Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harusani Zakaria who says that the father had received an interim order from the Syariah Court to keep her.

    how you can help:

    Those with information can call the Ipoh district police (05-254 2222), Sivanesan (017-240 2156), Malaysia Hindu Sangam’s J. Vijayalingam (016-505 8175) or Nanthakumar (012-588 0746).

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    Posted in BornInMalaysia, Indian, Religion

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