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Archive for January, 2008

more on indian cultural centre

January 20th, 2008

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The Star reports on the delay of Indian Cultural Centre, offering another view compared to the MK report .

Interestingly the report names Kamala Ganapathy and NGOs while MK focused on Nadarajah of Batu Caves committee.

Indian Cultural Centre not delayed on purpose

source

KLANG: The Selangor government is not deliberately delaying the construction of the Indian Cultural Centre that it announced recently as claimed by some parties.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said the state government had already allocated the funds for the construction of the centre but was still waiting for the proposal on its design to be submitted.

“I do not have in-depth knowledge of Indian culture and therefore it would be unfair for me to decide on what the centre should feature. “That is why I handed the task to (state executive councillor) Kamala Ganapathy and various Indian-based non-governmental organisations to come up with the concept for the centre,” he said during the Selangor 2008 Budget and Business Opportunities Seminar here yesterday.

Dr Khir said the parties involved were still discussing the various aspects of the Indian culture that should be showcased at the centre and the state government therefore could not start the project. “As soon as they submit their proposal, we will study it and start its construction,” he said, adding that he was also aware that not all Indian-based NGOs got the chance to have a say in the project.

He said it was not possible to include every NGO as there was a large number of them but this did not mean that they could not present their views to the state government. The state government would consider any views it felt were valid and add them to the list of things needed at the centre even if the construction had begun.

Dr Khir said the state government had never ignored the needs of the Indian community and only recently approved a RM2mil allocation for Tamil vernacular schools. “Education is important to help the Indian community better itself and that is why this fund has been made available,” he said.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Indian Cultural Centre Politicians

Thaipusam holiday to win back community support

January 20th, 2008

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Just came back from Maran to catch the news and heard that Thaipusam has been declared as public holiday in KL and Putrajaya. The signs were already there since last week. However it is surprising that after so many years of lobbying by MIC and others, the PM seems to realise that Thaipusam causes massive jam in KL and people complaint about it. How convenient indeed! 🙂 Is it some sort of bribery to win back the Indian community?

I suppose after cabinet meeting, it may be extended to few other states with high Indian population like Malacca and Kedah.

What surprises me is that first PM said its to be discussed further, and suddenly we get holiday for two federal territories.

What surprises me even more is that, last year, the government were mulling about reducing the number of public holidays .

Thaipusam declared a public holiday for Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya

By : NST NEWSDESK
source
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has announced that the Government has declared Thaipusam a public holiday for Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. This year’s Thaipusam falls on Wednesday (Jan 23).

Currently, Thaipusam is a public holiday in Negri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, Johor and Selangor.

PM mulls over holiday for Thaipusam

By SHAHANAAZ SHER HABIB and MARTIN CARVALHO

source

newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pledged to the Indian community yesterday that he would consider declaring Thaipusam a national holiday.

The Prime Minister said the annual festival, which falls on Wednesday this year, was nearing and the community was filled with expectations.

Addressing a Ponggal Festival (Tamil New Year) event at Bukit Bintang here last night, Abdullah said he understood and appreciated the meaning of a poem read out earlier by an Indian participant, who called for Thaipusam to be made a holiday.

Part of the poem read:

Sambutan Thaipusam semakin dekat
Warga menanti pengumuman cuti

(Thaipusam is nearing,
The people are awaiting news of a holiday)

The Prime Minister, in a pantun-style reply of his own, said he would have a meeting before making a decision. “I have to hold a meeting before a decision can be made. I promise you, I’ll consider it,” he added.

Thaipusam is currently a holiday in Selangor, Penang, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

Samy Vellu thanks PM for considering national holiday for Thaipusam

BERNAMA

source

KUALA LUMPUR, SUN:

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu today thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for agreeing to consider MIC’s proposal to declare Thaipusam a national public holiday.

The Works Minister hoped the decision could be made at the next weekly Cabinet meeting as stated by the prime minister yesterday. “It will be a long-awaited decision to have Thaipusam declared a national holiday or even a public holiday for the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory,” he told Bernama.

Abdullah had said yesterday he would consider declaring Thaipusam a national public holiday after seeking approval from the Cabinet.

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Posted in Indian, Religion

Tags: Thaipusam

Balamurali the Kuih Bakul maker

January 20th, 2008

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Time to make ‘kuih bakul’

By GLADYS TAY

source

gladys@thestar.com.my

JOHOR BARU: He is a property and real estate agent, but in the weeks before Chinese New Year, B. Balamurali puts aside everything to produce a festival favourite – the “nian gao”, commonly known as “kuih bakul”.

His interest in making the cake began more than 10 years ago when he was employed at a biscuit company, which made Chinese foodstuff such as “tau sah peah” and “ang ku kueh”.

“When the company went bankrupt in 1998, I started my own biscuit factory but it did not work out,” he said at his temporary bakery at a Taman Johor Jaya shoplot here. “So, I decided to work full-time as a property and real estate agent. But for six weeks every year, I concentrate on this.”

Balamurali also employs a fresh batch of workers every year, because it is not a full-time business venture. “It is a bit difficult because I have to train new people every year. But I like doing this,” he said.

Anyone passing by his bakery will not fail to notice the group of Malay and Indian workers making the traditional Chinese cake that comes in either banana-leaf or plastic packaging. During the six weeks, he has about 40 workers working on two shifts from 9am to 4am. “We produce approximately 4,000 of ‘nian gao’ every day,” he said.

Balamurali said 80% of his “nian gao” is exported to Singapore while 20% is sold to retailers in Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

The 39-year-old father of four said the banana leaf “nian gao” is how the cake was originally made.

Balamurali said the cake, if stored in an icebox, could be kept for up to a century.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Role Model

selangor govt focus on indian children birth cert problem

January 20th, 2008

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Once more, Selangor govt gives attention to the Indian community. Toyo mentioned that number of Indian children with out BC is relatively quite high (TV3 Buletin Utama today). Does it mean that the sole party representing Indians for the last 62 years has failed?

KHIR: Selangor giving attention to Indian children without birth certs

BERNAMA

source

SHAH ALAM, SUN:

The Selangor government is stepping up efforts to gather information on Indian children without birth certificates, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said.

He said the state government would enlist the services of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to collect their personal details to care for the children’s welfare and they could go to school for a better future.

“NGOs have already started gathering information on the number of affected children and their place of birth. We have to verify they are Malaysians to avoid foreigners from taking advantage by claiming to be locals,” he said at a meeting with 15 Indian NGOs here last night.

Failure to trace the fathers was among reasons why the children did not have birth certificates, Dr Khir said. Nevertheless, he believed this problem can be overcome from the mothers’ personal identification documents or the child’s birth records in hospitals.

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Posted in Indian

Tags: Politicians

Fewer Stalls at Batu Caves for Devotees sake

January 20th, 2008

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Finally, the committee is starting to look at making it a pleasant experience for the devotees.

Fewer stalls to make it easier for devotees

By : Suganthi Suparmaniam

source

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of stalls at the Batu Caves temple has been reduced to create more space for the crowd to walk as a larger crowd is expected this year.

Temple trustee M. Thevarajo said about 300 stalls would be set up this year, compared with 400 last year. He said the management was working closely with the police to ensure the Thaipusam celebrations proceeded smoothly on Wednesday.

St John Ambulance, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Rescue 911 and volunteers will be stationed in the temple premises to assist the public. Extra police personnel would also be at hand.

Gombak acting police chief Superintendent Abdul Karim Abu Hassan said more than 1,000 police and Federal Reserve Unit personnel would be stationed 24 hours at the temple from today till Jan 27.

Abdul Karim said several roads in the temple’s vicinity, including the entrance and exit roads, would be closed to traffic from tomorrow until Thursday. He advised motorists to use alternative routes. The closed roads are a stretch of Jalan Sungai Tua and Jalan Batu Caves Lama, starting from the Amaniah Mosque traffic lights, all the way to Jalan Perusahaan.

The Batu Caves bypass will also be partially closed tomorrow and Wednesday for a chariot parade from the Selayang exit to the junction facing Taman SBC.

Motorists from the north heading towards the east coast can use the Beringin roundabout, going through Jalan 35 in Selayang Baru to Jalan Sungai Tua, passing Kampung Nakhoda, Wira Damai and Taman Sri Gombak to Ampang.

Motorists from the east coast heading towards the north can use the Taman Sri Gombak route, going through Wira Damai, Kampung Nakhoda and Jalan Sungai Tua to the Rawang/KL route.