Posts Tagged ‘Protest’

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Sinthamani Ashramam to be demolished?

June 29th, 2010
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I was surprised to read this letter from HRP to PM Najib (who else?):

Extract from the letter:

We have been instructed to write on behalf of the Sintamany Orphanage, Jinjang Kuala Lumpur who has been served with a notice to demolish this seven year old Sintamany orphanage and the adjoining Hindu temple.

This home was founded by a 26 year old youth Praveendran a/l Balasamy who was moved to do so when he found a 13 year old Indian boy loitering by a rubbish dumpsite.

Today this home has 65 children with the youngest being an eight month old baby, thirty-five of these children are in primary school, 5 in secondary school, 2 old folks, three single parents and the rest being baby sitted at the home. This Sintamany home is also an orphanage to the abandoned, distressed, single mothers elderly and sickly Indians who have no where else to go.

This home is currently occupying an almost one acre unused land in Jinjang Utara belonging to the UMNO led Government of Malay-sia.

Last month some 50 UMNO policemen and welfare officers stormed this home bullied and harassed the occupants there to move out. Two children aged three and five become ill and were hospitalized as a result of this.

Other children sent to the government welfare homes are being forcibly converted to Islam like in the latest cases of Darshini and Banggarama (The Sun 25/11/2009 at page 4) .

Many of these orphans have been denied even their rightful birth certificates and this home is applying for the same for them.

It is the duty and responsibility of any government in any part of the world to take care of or orphans and One Malay-sia seems to be the exception in so far as the poor ethnic minority Malaysian Indians are concerned.

This home has never been assisted with a single cent or even a single cup of rice by the UMNO led Malay-sian government despite the RM 850 Million 2010 national budget as social safety net for the poor, disabled and senior citizens (News Straits Time 18/10/2009 at page 23). The pre existing poor local working class Rumah Panjang Indian community and other well wishers help maintain this orphanage. Why should the pre existing poor help this orphanage out financially when it is the duty and responsibility of the government.

This is a Tamil saying Mr . Prime Minister that if one cannot help the least one could do is not to do damage.

So please do not damage and demolish this Sintamany Orphanage on 30/06/2010 at 9.00 a.m.

Instead we urge your goodselves as not only the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on the Indians but also the Prime Minister for all Malaysians not including and segregating the Malaysian Indians to grant this home RM 200, 000.00 per annum and also the land this orphanage is  sitting on to be alienated to this orphanage in order for the poor, powerless and politically voiceless up to sixth generation Malaysian born Indians a shelter and a roof they need over their heads.

IF we remember food, shelter and clothing are the basic necessities in the life of a any human being and is about the most basic economic theory.

I remember reading that the home was indeed on public land, but all this while there was no interference or indication of the land going to be used for other purposes. I think its only wise to relocate the home to another location. It will look very very bad on government, DBKL, FT Minister Nong Chik, FT Deputy Minister Saravanan, PM Najib, and 1Malaysia concept if such noble efforts are just brushed aside in the name of development or progress. It may well drag down the Indian community support (82% in mid May according to Merdeka Center) towards PM and 1Malaysia when news goes around that government is going around demolishing ashramam nowadays.

The ashramam has been benefactor of few charity drives. Even announced in THR Raaga, appeared in Star news paper, and got donations from big companies.

Oh, they are on Facebook as well.

I guess it will need intervention of MIC folks since the authorities won’t be listening to HRP any time soon (what a shame though).

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Gas Bocor?

June 25th, 2010
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Can’t believe I’m actually reading about this. Only 6 weeks or so and already having problem.

Major differences are emerging among the three top leaders of the Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu or GAS movement started by former MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan to pressure long-time president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to step down.

Sources close to the GAS movement said if the differences are not ironed out, a split in the movement was inevitable and would be a boon to Samy Vellu, who has announced he will only retire “about” September 2011.

His term expires in May 2012.

The differences are partly because of a clash of egos and partly because some leaders are having second thoughts after jumping onto the anti-Samy Vellu bandwagon.

Another reason, sources said, is that some GAS leaders have other agendas other than ousting Samy Vellu like joining up with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) if the attempt to dislodge the party veteran fails and their re-entry into MIC is permanently blocked.

The differences are mainly between founder Mugilan (picture) and expelled CWC member Kumar Amman on one side, and Klang businessman and another expelled CWC member, K.P. Samy.

GAS sources told The Malaysian Insider their differences had been there from the beginning when GAS was formed and held its first rally on May 30 which did not see the anticipated 15,000 people turning up and was dismissed as a non-starter.

Simmering differences surfaced today when K.P. Samy issued a statement in the Makkal Osai newspaper, in which he has an interest, distancing himself from Mugilan.

K.P. Samy said he had nothing to do with GAS plans to distribute 500,000 CDs and posters detailing Samy Vellu’s alleged misdeeds over the past 30 years.

He also said the CDs would not be distributed at the second GAS rally in Klang on July 4, which is organised by him.

GAS supporters were shocked by the announcement as they had been looking forward to receiving the CDs and making the July 4 event a success.

“I have no connection and have nothing to do with the CDs,” K.P. Samy said in the statement published in Makkal Osai.

The statement will come as sweet music to Samy Vellu who has been looking for a chink in the GAS armour to exploit and defeat the movement.

At the GAS press conference a fortnight ago, K.P. Samy did not voice any objection when the CDs and other GAS plans to attack Samy Vellu were announced to the press by the three leaders, who sat jointly together on the same table.

“I have to consider the legal implications,” K.P. Samy said when contacted today while declining to explain why he did not raise objections to the CD plan at the press conference.

Additionally, the July 4 gathering that K.P. Samy is organising is not promoted as a GAS protest rally — as the May 30 gathering was —but as an “Indian awakening” forum to decide on the “future of the Indian community”.

A tall order for an expelled MIC CWC member, a GAS supporter said.

Also, no mention is made of GAS, Samy Vellu or CDs in advertisements that are appearing in the Makkal Osai newspaper to promote the July 4 gathering.

Additionally, the July 4 gathering in Klang has also come under attack from the Tamil Nesannewspaper owned by Samy Vellu’s family, who are calling the gathering an anti-Barisan Nasional and “society destroying” event.

Mugilan and Kumar Amman could not be contacted for comment but their aides say they are working hard not to let the differences split their GAS movement.

“While Mugilan is focused on the mission which is to oust Samy Vellu, K.P. Samy is distracted by other issues like legal implications,” said an aide of Mugilan. “We are unhappy with the differences. There are only three of us and we can’t see eye to eye.

“You should have thought of the legal implications before jumping into the GAS movement,” he said, referring to K.P. Samy’s statement today de-linking from the anti-Samy Vellu CDs.

He accused K.P. Samy of having other political agendas like jumping ship to PR if the GAS movement fails and his re-entry into MIC is permanently blocked.

A staunch supporter of former MIC deputy Datuk S. Subramaniam, K.P. Samy has links with DAP vice-chairman and Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, who is on the lookout for “good” candidates in the next general election and thinks K.P. Samy fits the bill.

In contrast, Mugilan and Kumar Amman are staunch MIC/BN men focused on getting Samy Vellu out and rehabilitating and reforming the MIC and winning Indian support in the next general election.

While GAS is heading for a likely split, the political pressure over Samy Vellu’s retirement is also undergoing a change.

It seems unlikely that Samy Vellu can be pressured to step down earlier than September 2011 and the BN political establishment also appears to have come to terms with that deadline.

The camp of deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel, which was also focused on pressuring Samy Vellu to step down through lobbying the media, has eased off the pressure after Palanivel was made a deputy minister and “endorsed” as successor.

If these changes hold, the GAS movement could become irrelevant over the next 15 months as Samy Vellu’s reaches his retirement at his own pace.

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Annual event is here again!

May 24th, 2010
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The annual event is back! Ye folks, the annual begging appeal for PSD (JPA) scholarship and IPTA places session is on again. MCA and MIC have both set up helpline to ensure their relevantness. So, go ahead and contact them if you feel you have a valid reason to appeal.

This is what MCA says:

MCA Youth will collect the data of last year’s excellent SPM students who failed to get the Public Service Department scholarship.

Its chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the list of successful applicants was out last Friday but not all excellent students were selected.

“For those who did not receive the scholarship, it must be understood that the number of scholarships are limited to only 1,500.

“All parties, especially parents must understand that not all of those who scored straight As are eligible for the scholarship,” he told reporters after chairing the Johor Baru MCA division meeting here Sunday.

Dr Wee, who is also Deputy Education Minister, said over 7,000 students scored straight As and of the number, about 200 obtained A+ for all subjects.

He said the youth wing would collect the data and analyse it within a week before discussing the matter with party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and other leaders.

“We will then talk to the department. We urge those who want to appeal for the scholarships to submit their details to the wing at youth@mca.org.my,” he said.

MIC says this:

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S. K. Devamany has called on the prime minister to intervene in the selection for Public Service Department (PSD) overseas degree scholarship programme.

He said he had received complaints from many students that they were passed over for the scholarship despite achieving excellent results in last year’s SPM examination.

“The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) must interven and give a solution to the unfair and discriminatory award of PSD selection of foreign degree scholarships,” he said in a statement Sunday.

Devamany also urged PSD to review the selection criteria of its scholarship award.

“The PSD has yet to fully understand the meaning of 1Malaysia which the Prime Minister has adopted as the slogan of his administration,” he said.

Devamany, who is also MIC vice-president, said the scholarship must be offered based on meritocracy and to underprivileged students who had achieved excellent academic results.

“This is the national direction. When excellent students who obtain straight As are denied scholarships despite fulfilling more than the minimum criteria, they become frustrated that their hard work and efforts were in vain,” he added.

He urged students who failed in their applications for the overseas scholarship programme to appeal to the PSD.

We been hearing this for last, what, 5 0r 10 years? Do they think we are dumb? Just publish (on website) all the recipients’ name, complete with the parents name, income range and occupation, SPM results, the marks obtained during interview, and the overalls marks that allowed them to get the scholarship. Is that so difficult? Is it a national security stuff? Every year also talk nonsense and waste our time. And this time, pull in 1Malaysia pulak lagi :-) Haiyoo..make me want to cry… Hello, for this thing all, no need slogans, just plain common sense will do.

This time, there’s a video by a student that didn’t get place in IPTA :

This girl says more than 90% of her schoolmates in MRSM got places in matriculation and/or IPTA, but she, being one of the top students in her school, didn’t get anything.

So, what’s going to happen? Someone will come as a knight in shining armor and give this girl a place in IPTA? After that, all of us supposed to “ooh” and “aaah” over such gracious acts? We must offer our thanks profusely and pledge eternal loyalty to some groups?? Go get a life.

Note: i’m kind of tired reading about MIC’s internal problem, so won’t be blogging about it any time soon.

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in honor of David

May 4th, 2010
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There was a brouhaha last week as the Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor proposed to rename Jalan Barat in PJ to Jalan V.David in honor of the statesman who fought for workers rights. David was also an MP for Bangsar, Puchong and Damansara.

Dr David, who died in July 2005 was a unionist and a former opposition DAP politician.

He won a seat in parliament representing the constituencies of Bangsar in 1959 and Damansara in 1978.

In parlaiment, he was known to be fearless and vocal in raising labour and Indian community issues.

He also served as MTUC secretary-general from 1976 to 1992. He was also the Transport Workers Union secretary-general from 1958 to 1995.

David was best known for setting up the Workers Institute of Technology (WIT) in Port Klang in the early 1970s, which provided education opportunities for thousands of workers’ children over the years.

At the international level, he served as the executive board member of the International Transport Federation and the International Confederation of Free Trade Union, and represented Malaysian workers at numerous International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conferences in Geneva, Switzerland.

He was arrested under the Emergency Ordinance in 1958 and then arrested again under the Internal Security Act 1964, 1969 (after May 13 racial riots) and 1987.

However, the proposal received opposition from some groups, and subsequently the plan was shelved. The Selangor MB said that PJ will be undergoing major redevelopment, and thus the renaming will be done later.

Meanwhile, members from four NGOs gathered near Jalan Barat in Petaling Jaya on Friday to protest the name change. Datin Paduka Norkhaila Jamaluddin, who is the chairman for Permuafakatan Petaling Jaya Selatan, Community Bestari Taman Medan and Kelab Kebajikan Wanita Petaling Jaya Selatan said the group was against the name change because they could not see the point.

“Why should we change the name because the (Malaysian Trades Union Congress) office is here? David did not contribute to the development of PJ,” she said.

“We have Jalan Barat, Jalan Timur and Jalan Utara, but you’re taking away one of them that is widely known among PJ folk?” she added.

She also said the change of name must have been politically motivated.

Kelab Rakan Muda Petaling Jaya Selatan chairman Jamaluddin Alias said the group wanted a convincing explanation.

“We never had to rename a road under the previous government, why are we doing this now while the person the road is going to be named after did not really contribute to this constituency?” he said.

Meanwhile, former MBPJ councillor Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou said Jalan Barat had its place in PJ history and thus should not be renamed.

“It has been and still is the policy of MBPJ to retain the name of the roads for historical significance. The exception in the case if the road is a numerical number. Thus Jalan 222 was renamed Jalan P.P. Narayan.

“Jalan Barat has been in existence these 50 odd years and all PJ residents know the locality,” he said, adding that the road was also the address for many famous landmarks in PJ.

He pointed out that changing the name to Jalan V. David would economically affect residents, offices, business centres as many would have to change their details on MyKad, bank accounts and others.

He added that PJ’s Jalan Barat, Jalan Utara and Jalan Timur served as directions leading to the administrative hub of the commercial part of “New Town.

“PJ is just 58 years old and all out effort must be taken to maintain all nooks and corners, and recognise them in history.

“If the Selangor Government wants to recognise the contribution of Dr V. David then replace one of the many roads with numbers such as Jalan 223 or in a new housing estate or even in Puchong where he was a MP,” he added.

According Selangor EXCO Ronnie Liu, there are plans to redevelop PJ (whatever that means):

Liu clarified the situation, saying there has yet to be a final word on which road will be renamed.

“Initially it was either Jalan Barat or Persiaran Barat, but because the whole area is to undergo extensive redevelopment we felt we should spend some time on planning… we will certainly go through with renaming (a road),” he said.

Meanwhile, MIBA president, Sivakumar had this to say:

I was annoyed when I saw a news broadcast recently on NTV 7 where a group of people were protesting against the re-naming of Jalan Barat to Jalan V David in Petaling Jaya.

Since independence, the government has been re-naming roads, particularly those with colonial names with that of prominent Malaysians to honour them for their contributions to society.

Dr V David was one such person. He was a well-known veteran politician who had done much for the cause of workers, particularly transport workers.

He was largely responsible for putting up the Transport Workers Union building in Jalan Barat of which he was the general secretary for a long time.

The Selangor government’s action in re-naming Jalan barat as Jalan V David is a fitting choice to honour this well-known personality since the Transport Workers Union building is located along that road.

After all, Jalan Barat is not anybody’s name but just an extract of a name and re-naming it as Jalan V David is not an obnoxious act as some make it out to be.

Even though the Selangor government’s action deserves praise, there are always people who are out to criticise or condemn such action.

However, to the Selangor government, I say Syabas! You have done a virtuous act to honour a fellow Malaysian whose contributions to society had remained unrecognised hitherto.

Readers may remember a similar scenario in Perak when a road (Jalan Silibin) was to be renamed after DAP stalwart P.Patto. Lots of protest and the family of late Patto was also unhappy over these complaints. In the end, the plan was shelved. So, I guess you can’t help comparing both cases.

I too think that instead of renaming a road, it would be better to allocate names to new roads or housing areas or buildings. This would be acceptable to all, except the few who have nothing better to do than oppose for sake of opposing. We also need to remember that some of the older generation may not be aware of iconic figures during their own time due to lack of education, exposure and/or awareness, while the younger generation won’t know most of the local multi-racial historical figures due to the way our school history books are written. So, better off to just give new road or facilities such names.

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Kamalanathan says NO to Perkasa

April 28th, 2010
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Looks like campaign buddy no more buddy :-) Earlier, I wondered what would be the reaction of new MP Kamalanathan on Perkasa’s nonsense. He follows PM Najib’s views which is disagreement.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who was instrumental in helping newly-minted Hulu Selangor MP P. Kamalanathan(picture) clinch Sunday’s poll, seems to have lost a friend in the MIC leader.

Kamalanathan, who had earlier stood by Perkasa’s struggles, did an about-turn today and took pains to stress to The Malaysian Insider that Ibrahim calling on the government to punish Chinese voters for failing to support them, was his own personal view.

“I do not share that view. It is his personal opinion. I do not condone anything that is extreme like this,” he firmly said when met at the Prime Minister’s office here today.

Kamalanathan also came to the defence of Barisan Nasional component parties MCA and Gerakan, which Ibrahim had taken to task for failing to garner Chinese support.

“It is not true what he said (about MCA and Gerakan). They worked very, very hard in the by-election. Very hard. I saw it with my own two eyes the amount of work and effort they put in.

“I have spoken with (MCA president Datuk Seri) Dr Chua (Soi Lek) and (MCA deputy president Datuk Seri) Liow (Tiong Lai) and they are extremely committed to the cause,” he said.

He pointed out that the prime minister himself had clearly said that the government would not ignore the needs of the Chinese community in Hulu Selangor just because they had not supported BN in the by-election.

“Today is proof of this. We will not deprive our citizens the right to have a good life in this country,” he said.

Kamalanathan was referring to the function at the Prime Minister’s office earlier this afternoon when Datuk Seri Najib Razak made good on his promise to help rebuild the SRJKC Rasa schoo by handing over RM3 million to the school board of representatives.

“We lost the Chinese votes because of something else… something was just not quite right and MCA and Gerakan should not be taken down for this.

“My responsibility now is to identify what happened and see what the real crux of the problem is,” said Kamalanathan.

He added that Najib was very sincere in his commitment to develop Hulu Selangor, and to deliver on all the pledges made by BN leaders during the campaign period for the by-election.

BN has made over RM70 million worth of pledges for allocations and development in the large constituency.

“Najib has also requested that (deputy election director) Datuk Nor Omar to list down all the promises made by our leaders so that we can deliver on them,” said Kamalanathan.

He assured the people of Hulu Selangor that the development process would be an ongoing one and that even those who had not voted for the BN would benefit from it.

“Yes, it is true that Ibrahim’s statement was irresponsible but Najib today proved that we will not be listening to those demands,” he said. Kamalanathan had secured a 1,725-vote majority victory over PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim during Sunday’s poll but had failed to recapture support from the Chinese community.

The poll results showed that less than 30 per cent of the community had chosen BN in the poll, down from the 35 per cent who voted for them in Election 2008.

Ibrahim had called the Chinese voters ungrateful and had urged the government not to fulfil its pledges for allocation and development in the Chinese areas of Hulu Selangor.

He had also asked the BN government to ignore the demands made by the MCA and Gerakan, claiming the two parties had failed to help BN wrest back Chinese support.

His statement has resulted in a mad scramble by BN leaders to explain to the people that Perkasa’s demands would not be met and that the Chinese voters would not be punished.

During the function earlier, Najib had also issued a clear warning to all parties never to dispute the promises made by BN.

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