Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email 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
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
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.
Our PM has resumed to same ‘old politics trick’. He has thrown in the biscuit/bone, let’s see how many of us ready to have a bite.
Hi indians,
Dont get paranoid over this Thaipusam (public holiday).Its just like bait to get indians hook to his bloody tricks as i agreed to (murali) comment.Anyway,im not that impress with holiday coz everyone can go on leave.What so great about this holiday?
Is this 1 day public holiday would ease our 365 days problems?
What we want is better living standard,job with reasonable income,house to stay and more over curbs on rising price on grocerious and oils!
Can they archieve this to our indians community and to this nation as well?If they can archieve this within a year and i would say they’re(government) man with the words!