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Longhouse Kg Muniandy housing problem

February 12th, 2010
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Housing issue never seems to end. Case after case continues to happen. This one is long house occupants problem. Incomplete information doesn’t boost the confidence or the trust of the people. When negative news occurs often, how can one expect the public to trust the authorities or developers?

Long-house residents in PJS 1, formerly known as Kampung Muniandy, have no idea where they are going when their homes are demolished after Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 14, to make way for a school.

“Where are we supposed to relocate to?” asked the residents association’s assistant secretary, M Sukumaran.

He claimed that he received a SMS from Selangor’s housing, building management and squatter exco, Iskandar Samad’s personal aide, known as Kamaruzaman, confirming the demolition.

The residents have been given an option of accepting RM300 on a monthly basis for a period of 36 months or RM500 for a period of 24 months.

Sukumaran said that he had been invited to meet Iskandar Samad tomorrow. “We will not be attending the meeting as there is no invitation in black and white.”

Iskandar had announced that the developer would be building the low cost homes and the residents would be given an off-payment to assist in rental payments. However the residents now need to know where their new homes will be.

Sukumaran had recently led a group of residents in sending amemorandum to Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim pleading for his help in resolving their housing woes but there has been no response as yet.

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Department for Indian Development?

February 12th, 2010
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This article interests me for three reasons:

1. Proposal by MIC to set up a government agency for Indians. Now, this may be possible since there’s such department for Orang Asli community. However, there’s severe lack of funds for government, so I doubt this proposal will be a reality. Then the other communities like Chinese, Siamese, Indian Muslims, Peranakan Melaka etc. will be requesting their own departments.  Maybe a middle path would be some sort of project monitoring office set up for the duration of the 10th Malaysia Plan. The question of its membership would also be a problem. One can imagine it to be crowded with MIC-affiliated people, which will reduce the credibility. If such a department does materialise, it should have non-partisan members, preferably multi-racial. However, I still think its wishful thinking.

2. The second thing is the statement by Samy Vellu that “progress had been made as many of the party’s recommendations were implemented by the Government in the Ninth Malaysia Plan”.  I wonder how to prove this statement. Was the intended outcome achieved? “Many” of the recommendations may be implemented, but how well and how effective?

3. I still don’t agree to a measly 3% equity. We should put a higher target of at least 8%. That will create a sense of urgency on the seriousness of the problem.

The MIC has proposed the setting up of a Malaysian Indian Development Agency (Minda) to monitor and implement government initiatives for the Indian community, especially in the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

The proposed government agency is expected to complement the Special Cabinet Committee for the Development of Indians chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the party had proposed that Minda be made a government agency.

He told reporters after chairing a special MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting here yesterday that Minda would ensure that the party’s recommendations for Indians under the 10MP would be implemented.

Samy Vellu also said that the party would be submitting its recommendations later this month. The recommendations include setting up a cooperative for Indians to be run by the Government with an initial capital of RM100mil, identifying the actual number of poor Indians, developing a Youth Visionary Programme with a government grant of RM100mil for school dropouts and the unemployed and having yearly allocations for Tamil schools.

Samy Vellu said the party’s recommendations would also be discussed at the next meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee for Indians.

“Within the next five years, the equity participation of Indians must be increased so that we can reach the target of 3% by 2020,” he said.

To a question, Samy Vellu said progress had been made as many of the party’s recommendations were implemented by the Government in the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

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Yet another temple demolished in KL

February 9th, 2010
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Yet another temple demolished. That phrase is becoming common even though it was not supposed to be. This time, in KL, a place were the Deputy Minister Saravana pledged that no temples will be demolished without proper relocation plan or or solution. DBKL also has a committee consisting of MHS officials (well, not sure if the committee still exists or not). And yet still got temples being demolished. Interestingly, the DBKL officials say they have authority to demolish new structures built illegally. If that’s the case, then need to provide proof that the structure is new and the place was not a temple prior to this. But the followers say its a 60 year old temple. So, which is which? Maybe it is 6o years old, and the new structure was built to replace an older (and most likely smaller basic) one?

Anyway, this will make Deputy Minister Saravanan hot under the collar as its his head is on the block now.

A Hindu temple in Air Panas, Setapak was demolished by the Kuala Lumpur city council (DBKL) yesterday morning, leaving local villagers crying foul.

According to Om Sri Maha Kaliaman Alayam temple caretaker Ravi Shankar, about 20 DBKL enforcement officers came with bulldozers to demolish the more than 60-year-old temple without any notice.

DBKL officials however refuted the allegations, stressing that the building was in fact a new structure.

“We have the authority to demolish any new structures that have been built illegally, without notice,” said Sadiaah Hashim, administrative assistant of the DBKL squatter division.

Ravi has since made a report against DBKL at Sentul Police Station. He said that worshippers were praying at the temple at around 9am when a team of DBKL enforcement officers moved in to demolish the structure. “We did not try to stop them. We were taken by surprise and scared.”

MIC information chief, P Kamalanathan confirmed the incident and said that DBKL should have offered an alternative site before demolishing the temple.

“It should not havehappened. They should have consulted the local community leaders before demolishing the sacred place,” he said.

Lawyer P Uthayakumar who assisted the caretaker in making the report said: “According to the principles of Article 11, the temple should not have been demolished just as people do not demolish mosques.”

The Human Rights Party (HRP) have also submitted a letter to the prime minister, federal territories minister and Kuala Lumpur mayor to condemn the demolition and demanded that all Hindu temples be gazetted.

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Girl with PR status can’t go to school

February 9th, 2010
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I thought there was some circular on students without proper identity documents studying in schools.  There’s a guideline on compulsory education at primary school level,  while children with at least one parent who is a citizen or PR, and children of foreigners is able to enter school, but without certain privileges like free text books etc., and need to pay higher fees. For secondary school education, things get complicated. As long as either one parent is citizen, the children should be able to proceed to secondary school. The previous Education Minister, Hishamuddin also made some statements. This was echoed by Minister Sharizat.

So, wonder what is the problem with the case below. The student is adopted and has PR status. I suppose the parents are citizens, but if they are not, it makes things more complicated.

And the school said something about the parents needing to follow the procedures by Home Ministry. Maybe that is one part of the solution.

On the other hand, is there a problem in giving the girl citizenship?

Unlike other children, 14 year old Darshin Ponnuthurai has been unable to attend school for the past few weeks due to complications with her application to attend school, according to her adoptive parents.

“We submitted the necessary forms on Jan 11. However, the Selangor state education department did not get back to us till today,” said a worried Ponnuthurai Manickam, her adopted father.

He said that his daughter had not encountered any schooling problems thus far, but things changed when she tried to apply for a transfer to SMK Taman Tasik in Ampang.

He added that the matter has also been brought up with the Prime Minister’s Department Public Complaints Bureau, but had later been informed that it was under the deliberation of the Home Affairs Ministry.

Ponnuthurai spoke to reporters today at a press conference organised by the Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) in Kuala Lumpur.

He explained that Darshin holds permanent resident status although she was born in Kuala Lumpur, as they could not trace her biological father.

HRP pro-tem information chief S Jayathas urged the National Registration Department to issue Darshin an identity card within two months as she was born in this country after Sept 1962.

He argued that under the federal constitution, Darshin is a citizen and should have an identity card as she was born here.

When contacted today, SMK Taman Tasik headmaster Zaini Mohammad Zain advised the parents to follow the proper procedures set by the Home Affairs Ministry.

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Makkal Osai goes online

February 9th, 2010
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At least its a good step forward. The page is bare and have lots improvement to be on par with Star or Malaysiakini, but bearing in mind the financial deficiency of Tamil papers, its a praise worthy move.

Hopefully they will improve from time to time.

Visit Makkal Osai at:

http://www.makkalosai.com.my

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