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Deepavali Bazaar in Ipoh set to light up

October 14th, 2008
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After a war of words between the has-been and the current boss, Ipoh’s Little India is all set to be bathed in lights today. I guess the traders and community are relieved that their rice bowl and entertainment is not affected. As I mentioned many times, people are less bothered with who does it anymore. MIC, PKR, DAP, PAS, Gerakan – doesn’t matter. There’s no more loyalty to parties. Last time MIC used to organise the Deepavali bazaar (naturally because they were part of the ruling government). Now its Pakatan’s turn. According to the Star, the rental are lower this year, and the same traders are still given chance to take up the trading lots. Part of the money collected from the stalls rental will be given as aid to Sathia Devi, and the balance to build and arch in Little India.

The Deepavali bazaar and celebrations at Little India will begin early with trading starting today and cultural shows on Thursday.

Perak executive councillor A. Sivanesan said 86 stalls had been set up for the celebrations. Local artistes will be performing daily from 7.30pm to 11.30pm in the cultural nights until the last day of the bazaar on Oct 25.

Sivanesan said Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang would launch the Deepavali celebrations at Little India.

A committee, consisting of state government officers and members of non-governmental organisations and traders’ associations, had decided to rent out the stalls to the same operators who took part in last year’s celebrations.

The stalls would be let out to traders once they have paid a fee of between RM200 and RM450. The fee is based on the location and size of the stall. Last year, the stalls were rented out for between RM500 and RM1,000.

Sivanesan, who visited Little India yesterday, said the committee estimated the stalls would yield a collection of some RM25,000. Part of the proceeds collected would be donated to the family of student S. Sathiah Devi, 23, whose mother and the family’s sole breadwinner died recently in Sitiawan, he added. “The balance will be used to build an arch in Little India,” Sivanesan said, adding that there had been requests from the people for an arch.

If anyone can take some pictures of the bazaar, please share!

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Samy Vellu to be last man standing

October 12th, 2008
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I think after the Sarawak CM retires, Samy Vellu will be the only leader from Mahathir era left. While calls are always there asking him to retire, it comes from ex-MIC members or the opposition (well, we can disregard the public’s voice since no one listens to us). After PM Badawi announced his retirement plan, the focus shifts to MIC:

Calls for president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to follow suit are getting
louder, with the latest coming from former vice-president Datuk M.
Muthuppalaniappan.

He said Samy Vellu should not seek re-election when his term expires in March.

“It may be difficult to give up power after enjoying it for over 30
years. But Samy Vellu should follow the wisdom of other BN leaders who
have announced their desire to retire and pave the way for new leaders
to take over,” he said.

There is also fear that Samy Vellu may pick his own man to take over the leadership.

“If he thrusts his cronies to the leadership, then Samy Vellu will be
the shadow president and MIC will continue to remain irrelevant,” said
Muthuppalaniappan.

Former central working committee member K.P. Samy said an open and free fight should be allowed for the party’s top posts.

“It will determine a president of the grassroots’ choice, reflect the
credibility of the elected president and avoid a shadow leadership.”

Don’t expect anyone from MIC to say otherwise. Following that lead is T.Mohan:

However, Samy Vellu loyalists are sticking with their boss in wanting to see him re-elected.


Youth chief T. Mohan said the MIC needed Samy Vellu’s guidance to recover after the March 8 polls.

“He is contributing to the party and is rebuilding it through a re-branding exercise before handing over to the next president.”

He said that Muthuppalaniappan’s statement was expected as it was widely known that he could not get along with Samy Vellu.

Mohan said it was unfair to ask Samy Vellu to follow Abdullah’s footsteps as the scenario in Umno was different from the MIC.

A leader who manages to oustay all his competitors is really good. Many pretenders came and left, but Samy Vellu is still around.

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BN Club to attract more voters

October 12th, 2008
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After outgoing (won’t be long before he is labeled lame duck) PM Badawi mooted plans to allow people to join BN directly without be a member of its component parties, many lauded it as a great idea. Hishamuddin even said that its his grandpa Onn Jaafar’s wisdom is being appreciated now.

Two people disagree. Ahmad Shabery mentioned some nonsense about its like dissolving UMNO and a humiliation, while the other is Samy Vellu. He said the “direct membership is not the only answer…”. While some MIC folks are jumping to ship to opposition, others may just join this new club, leaving Samy in charge of a skeleton party. A bit far-fetched I guess.

Even though PM Badawi mentioned it at Gerakan assembly, Deputy PM announced that:

Barisan Nasional is coming up with the terms and conditions to allow people to join the coalition without having to be members of component parties, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“The principle is quite acceptable. The management committee will look into the appropriate structure as well as terms and conditions to allow people to apply directly to join Barisan.

PM-elect in control of things.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

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Kya Hai Malacca?

October 12th, 2008
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Well, even though local Indians don’t get Datukship (who would if they support HINDRAF, are involved in crime, are drunkards, etc!) easily, we should be grateful that an Indian from India managed to get one. Even though its for the most stupidest of reasons, still we Malaysians should be grateful and be happy. Talk some more and its Kamunting for you. So, act grateful and respect the leaders (doesn’t matter if the don’t respect you or your views). Don’t question why the Yang DiPertua Negeri (head of state) approved the award, or even bother why other actors didn’t get Datukship.

Let’s look at some pathetic excuses:

“He is a well-loved, well-liked celebrity in Malaysia and he has helped develop the huge, income-earning Bollywood movie industry here,” said Mahadzir Lokman, whose events management firm works closely with Indian movie stars here.

“He has also starred in many top Hindi movies filmed on location in Malaysia, which has helped promote the country as a tourist destination,” he told AFP.

“This is one of the main reasons he was conferred this honor,” he added.

His 2001 movie, “One 2 Ka 4” was filmed at a popular resort in Malacca.

“This resulted in many people visiting Malacca. The award was given in recognition of this,” said Malacca chief minister Mohamad Ali Rustam, according to the Star daily.

I wonder how they quantified the profit that Shah Rukh Khan’s movies brought to our coffers (note that One 2 Ka 4 was taken a long time ago):

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said “there are six movies in which the various songs and scenes depicted several sites in Malacca.

“One is a scene from the movie One 2 Ka 4, which was shot at the A’ Famosa Resort in Alor Gajah.

“This has, indirectly, promoted the state and its attractions to the world,”  said Ali at the investiture ceremony at Dewan Seri Negeri, Ayer Keroh, here, yesterday.
“It would have cost millions to promote Malacca through advertisements but instead, Shahrukh has brought Malacca to the attention of the world through his movies.”Hindi movies are a phenomenon not only in Malaysia but globally. People all over the world can come to know about Malacca and its attractions through them.”

Ali said as a state where tourism was the main revenue earner, Malacca, which was recently awarded the World heritage
site status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), could capitalise on the millions of viewers of Hindi movies, especially those starring the Bollywood heartthrob.

Logically, would you praise and award the actor or the director/producer? Oops, didn’t I saw don’t ask questions? 🙂

Still, people are confused and asking 1001 questions.

Come on, its just a Datukship. Every Tom, Dick and Harry can get one nowadays. its no big deal. People don’t give much respect to Datuks like last time. Maybe 10 years ago yes, but today, there’s like thousands of them and probably couple of thousand fakes ones as well. Datukship – losing value.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

Raya open house visitors called to police station

October 11th, 2008
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Yup, following the hints given by Home Minister Syed Hamid, the police have started to call people in for questioning. But its not under the Societies Act. 4 people from HINDRAF and another 3 from the “Free RPK” group have been summoned. Surind Raj wrote about it in his blog. Another visitor, Haris Ibrahim have not updated his blog yet at the time of this posting.

Malaysiakini reports that 4 HINDRAF people were summoned – K Shanti, wife of Hindraf leader-in-exile P Waythamoorthy, Hindraf information chief S Jayathas, Selangor coordinator K Tamilselvam and national events coordinator R Kannan. Hmm…looks like they missed the small girl! The four of them have received a written notice under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code to report to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Tuesday to give their statements. According to the notice signed by ASP Sydney Clyde Jeremiah, they are being investigated for illegal assembly under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act, as well as trespass under Section 447 pf the Penal Code.

I’m not a legal expert, but illegal assembly? That’s going to be hard to stick with. Trespassing – possible if those people were found to have entered areas prohibited to the public or not part of the open house celebrations. However, Hindraf legal advisor Surendran (i suspect he will be arrested soon as well…for one thing or another) says:

Hindraf legal advisor N Surendran described the action against the activists as a form of harassment against the movement’s supporters.

“It was an open event. It is absurd to call it an illegal gathering and (to call it) trespassing is even more ridiculous. The authorities have really scraped the bottom of the barrel this time,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Free RPK group members were also not spared:

Blogger and commercial banker P Surind Raj told Malaysiakini that he and two others – lawyers Haris Ibrahim and Amarjit Sidhu – will have to report to ASP Sydney tomorrow afternoon.

However, there was no information as to which provisions of law they are deemed to have breached.

When contacted, Haris said that he has been summoned to give a statement but the police did not inform him if he was being investigated. “I will not presume that I am being investigated,” he said, adding that he would be at the Dang Wangi police station at 2.30pm tomorrow.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

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