Author Archive

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Deepavali Shopping amid Economic downturn

October 14th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


How much does one spend for Deepavali? Clothes, prayer items, raw material for food/cookies, decorations, firecrackers (legal ones), house cleaning/painting (once every few years?), travelling back to home town, angpow for kids, etc. How much would it cost? RM500? RM1000? RM2000? RM5000? As for me, Deepavali has always been a low-key affair. So, most expenses will originate from Then.

Looking at the article from the NST, one “in-fashion” punjabi suit going for RM200, imagine if you have to buy 2 or 3 for your siblings, girlfriend, wife etc. I guess clothing is the single biggest cost for Deepavali

I was in Klang twice in October (and I think another 2 trips are in order if going by Then’s calculation). The crowd was less. I went on first day of Raya evening and also last Saturday night. Maybe the crowd is waiting for the last few days for better bargains.

The looming financial crisis has not dampened the spirit to shop for sarees and salwar kameez this Deepavali.
While saree shop owners admit that the Deepavali crowd in the Brickfields and Masjid India areas is a bit slow this time, they are still confident the cash registers will start ringing soon enough.

Women were still coming in for the latest Anarkali salwar kameez made popular by actress Aishwariya Rai, said Jothika Collections owner Thilagavathi Supramaniam.

“The Anarkali suit is the in-thing this Deepavali,” she said.

“Even though it is pegged at RM200 and more per suit, there is no shortage of buyers,” she said, adding that they were largely popular among the young crowd.

The Anarkali, designed with an empire line, boasts a traditional Moghul-style that has been revived with a contemporary look made popular via Bollywood and comes in classic colour combos — green with red and pink with grey.

The dinner saree is also a best-seller. Those who can afford to buy such premium products were not really affected by the dampened economy, said Thilagavathi.

“Sales for the lower range of sarees and salwar kameez are slightly down, but we have a steady stream of customers for our exclusive sarees like the dupion silk, brasso, traditional silk and sequined chiffon laser ones which come in vibrant colours.”

The prices for these sarees, range from RM120 to RM900 each.

“When Deepavali comes around, everyone wants to own at least one new outfit.”

So, the community is still spending money while the economy is in turmoil. Yeah, its once a year affair, so I rather not complain much. We hope that there’s enough left to cover for next few months.

So, how to be more prudent this Deepavali? Less clothes? Less food? Less travelling? Smaller open house?

Comments Off on Deepavali Shopping amid Economic downturn »

Posted in Indian

Tags:

Business and Racial preference

October 14th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


I’m confused over the article published by the Star below. It’s title says “Keep race out of business, says Najib“, but the content seems to say the opposite. He stresses that non-bumiputra companies must do something and that GLCs (bumiputra-based) also must do something.So, in order to not be doing business along racial lines, you have to look at race before doing business. Is it just me having a confusion here?

Why not just do business with those that offer the best deal for your business, or people you feel comfortable working with?

Anyway, one can’t run away from racial lines because there are many rules and restrictions that requires bumiputra partners or only exclusive for bumiputra companies. This is unavoidable due to the policies set and also the constitution.

Perhaps the article should be retitled “Race must be considered in business, says Najib”?

Parliament: Keep race out of business, says Najib
By SIM LEOI LEOI

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government does not want business in the private sector to be conducted along racial lines.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak however said that all private companies were encouraged to build up a local vendor system to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises.

“So, all big non-bumiputra companies, particularly those which have received licences or contracts from the Government, should give priority towards the development of local small firms, including those owned by bumiputras.

“Goverment-linked companies (GLCs) also have a role in giving opportunities and guidance to all bumiputra and non-bumiputra businesses,” he told Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid (BN – Padang Besar).

Najib, recently appointed Finance Minister, also said that he had recently met with a few small businesses involved in the local furniture industry, particularly those contracted to supply furniture to the Government.

“They have asked for the tender system to be reviewed so that they will be considered later when awarding contracts,” he said.

5 comments »

Posted in BornInMalaysia

Tags:

More training places for temporary Tamil school teachers

October 14th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


MIC helps to double places (from 100 to 200) for training for Tamil school teachers. Now targetting 300 places. If one remembers, recently the Tamil Schools Teachers Union was unhappy with the 100 places allocated. Now, 200 places is ready for the 1400 temporary teachers in Tamil schools. This was revealed by Dr S.Subramaniam.

Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said MIC would seek the cooperation of the Education Ministry to ensure that the 1,400 temporary teachers who are currently teaching in Tamil schools across the nation would be given the opportunity to pursue the teacher’s training course during the holidays within the next four years.

He said the Education Ministry had previously approved 100 places in the course for such teachers during the holidays, but at the request of MIC, had doubled the number of places to 200.

He said, however, that MIC found this number to be insufficient and had urged the ministry to allocate at least 300 places each year for temporary teachers from Tamil schools.

But, I’m peeved at the excuse given over partly-aided schools problem. For how long are they going to keep on identifying problems? Most schools have their own set of problems, so a crack team should be assigned to each of the 370 over schools. The team must be given a deadline to get the school to apply for conversion and clear all the requirements needed. I think in this way, at least few schools could have converted every year in the last 5 years. But until now, no news of even one school being converted. I think the idea of looking at the big picture is paralysing the process.

He said MIC was also in the midst of identifying problems faced by partly-aided schools and was taking the necessary action to solve these issues so that they could be converted to fully-aided schools.

7 comments »

Posted in Indian, Tamil-Schools

Tags:

MP Kapar Manikasavagam in NST

October 14th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


I reproduce the full article from NST below.

I have the power to make a difference
S. Manikavasagam

I HAVE been fired from many jobs and arrested over my social activist programmes before I became a member of parliament for Kapar.
Prior to that, my whole life revolved around fighting against any injustice and issues of human rights under various non-governmental organisations like Policewatch.

My unexpected win in Kapar opened my eyes to a whole world of issues and made me realise that I had the power to make a change. After winning the Kapar parliamentary seat by a big majority, I also realised that my constituents wanted a change. They have such high hopes in me, especially the Indians who make up 13 per cent of Kapar’s 112,224 registered voters.

Kapar was a foreign area to me because I was actively involved in helping people at Batu Caves. In fact, I wanted to be an MP for Batu Caves but respected the party’s request to contest in Kapar.

As a first-time MP, I was quite nervous but my experience in dealing with constituency issues with senior MPs from PKR helped me cope with mine.
Issues in my constituency range from stateless people to clogged drains and perpetual flood problems. We have set up four service centres in Klang, one in each state assembly seat and have staff recording complaints or grouses from those who visit the centres.

They report back to me and if any of the complaints needs the state government’s attention, I bring the matter up with Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Otherwise, I try to help as many people as possible, especially with land title issues and stateless persons since I have experience in dealing with such problems. We are saddened by the fact that we have no proper allocation for remedial work such as replacing the drainage system to overcome flood problems.

There are so many economic and social issues in Kapar, including high unemployment and crime rate and investors pulling out causing some businesses to close down.

We have tried discussing with the police on efforts to reduce the crime rate but find it difficult to get cooperation. The last thing I want to do is hit out at the police. I want to work with them. There is much work that needs to be done.

Although I have to sacrifice my privacy and time with my family, I will not rest until I see a safe and well-developed constituency.

Apa macam? Boleh percaya ka? What is your opinion on Manikavasagam so far?

He is having a tough time because Kapar is a big constituency, and he is also facing a lawsuit over the Sujatha case. Kapar is also famous for its criminal activities, especially by Indians.

Do you think he can last the race? Will he be a one-term MP or continue to rise in politics?

What are the Kapar folks saying?

1 comment »

Posted in Indian

Tags:

MIC Youth launches eye care program

October 14th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


MIC Youth has launched a eye care program from Tamil schools students with cooperation from England Optical Group. A student just need to pay RM50 for a package inclusive of the spectacles frames for either short- or long-sightedness. If there are any students from poor family, MIC Youth will cover the cost.

The eye care company will also conduct computerised eye checks, eye washing via ultrasonic, and correction of spectacle frames throughout all Tamil schools in the country, for the next one year.

According to MIC Youth website, the MOU was signed recently, witnessed by Samy Vellu.

The official statement is on their website, together with photos

2 comments »

Posted in Indian, Tamil-Schools

Tags: