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Archive for the ‘Indian’ category
Kampung Buah Pala residents protest photos
July 2nd, 2009
Manikavasagam helps solve birth certificate problems
July 2nd, 2009 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email If indeed MP Kapar “Mike” Manikavasagam’s office has solved 200 cases related to birth certificates, its a commendable achievement. 200/14 months averages 14 cases per month.
He should come out with some sort of phamplet and guidelines to be distributed to other MPs and ADUNs in Selangor and other problematic states. If MIC, PPP, DAP, PKR, UMNO Youth etc. work and provide good results like this, it will reduce crime and social problems to a certain extent.
Nevash Nair, Malay Mail
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
“NOW, I am a true Malaysian, like how I always wanted to be.” These were the words of Rajan, 23, after receiving his birth certificate yesterday at Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam’s service centre at Pekan Kapar.
He went to the centre several months ago complaining that he did not possess a birth certificate or an identity card.
“I was born in an estate and my parents were uneducated. They did not know that I must have a birth certificate. Luckily, a nurse gave my mother a certificate stating that I was born in Malaysia and that my parents are Malaysians,” said Rajan.
“I faced so much of difficulty before a friend of mine told me to visit Manikavasagam’s office to get my birth certificate. Now I can get my identification card and move on to better things,” he added.
P. Bakiong was almost in tears when her six-year-old son Jery was presented with his birth certificate.
She told Malay Mail that she could not obtain Jery’s birth certificate because the child’s father was irresponsible and had left the family right after Jery was born.
“I was suffering for six years. I was approached by many parties who claimed they could get my son’s birth certificate for a price. I did not trust them and I came here finally. I am truly grateful for the help. Now I can send my son to school next year,” said Bakiong.
Manikavasagam’s office also proudly announced that they have solved all the birth certificate issues of folks from the Kapar slums that were highlighted two months ago.
“It took some time and it was tough. But we managed to get all the children their birth certificates. The single mothers will also be getting an allowance of RM450 starting next month. We hope that with this money their problems will be eased,” said Manikavasagam.
On May 6, Malay Mail highlighted the plight of single mothers and the problems faced by their children who did not possess birth certificates.
A youth movement called G2 alerted us to their plight. Malay Mail visited the slum and noted the high number of children who were Stateless in this small town. The children were also being recruited by drug pushers to carry out illicit dealings.
Manikavasagam visited the area a day after and pr0mised to solve the problem of the Statelessness of the children.
Shocked to have been told there are about 5,000 without BCs
Malay Mail Ist July 2009
DURING his campaign trail last year, S. Manikavasagam promised the residents of Kapar he would solve their birth certificate problems if he won the Kapar Parliamentary seat. It has been 16 months since the first-term MP was elected and as promised, Manikavasagam is on a mission to ensure all Malaysians are accorded their birthright.
How bad is the situation in Klang of folks without birth certificates?
If you look at Klang, it is not that serious. In my constituency, we do get cases of adults not having birth certificates on a weekly basis but the number is not alarming. But, if you look at the State overall, it is worrying. I was told that there are 5,000 cases of people without birth certificates. This is shocking.
Why do you think the number is so high?
Firstly, the lack of education. Many who do not have birth certificates are estate workers and rural folk. If we can educate them that a birth certificate is important and necessary, then we can say the problem is partially solved.
Secondly, the people must understand that even if they give birth at home, they must acquire a birth certificate immediately. And finally, the National Registration Department should be more proactive. Their officers should be on the ground more to spot cases like this in rural areas.
What other problems do you face when it comes to birth certificate issues?
There are folks who come to my office and claim that they paid strangers a large amount of money to get their birth certificates.
The amounts range from RM1,000 to RM5,000. These are scams. When the complaint reaches us, it’s already too late. I would like to advise the people of Malaysia they do not have to pay to get a birth certificate. If anybody approaches them and asks for a large amount of money, they should contact the police immediately.
How far has your focus been successful?
We have already solved 200 cases since I took office. We have had people calling my office from Kedah, Pahang and Johor asking our help to get their birth certificates. We take one case at one time. My volunteers are well versed in the issue after handling so many cases.
What I can do is advise other State assemblymen and MPs on how to go about the issue if they receive cases like these. My team will also carry on with their duties.
Honorary Doctorate for Datuk Krishnan
July 2nd, 2009 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email From The Star:
Honorary doctorate for pioneer film maker
PETALING JAYA: Datuk L. Krishnan, the doyen of Malaysia’s film industry has been conferred an honorary doctorate by Russia’s Kursk State Technical University.
The honour was in recognition of his exemplary work and outstanding contributions to the development of the film industry in Malaysia and Singapore.
Prof Dr Ian Mackaine presented the scroll to Krishnan, 86, on behalf of the university, in a ceremony held at the Tun Hussein National Eye Hospital yesterday.
In the citation, Dr Mackaine said Krishnan’s first movie, Bakti, launched the icon of Malaysian filmdom, (Tan Sri) P. Ramlee as a charismatic screen hero.
“He was the founding member of Shaw Studios and Cathay Keris Film Productions in Singapore before setting up Merdeka Studio in Kuala Lumpur from where he directed Tun Teja, the first film produced in Malaysia.
Illustrious recognition: Mackaine congratulating Krishnan after he conferred him with the honorary doctorate at a ceremony at the Tun Hussein National Eye Hospital Tuesday.“The pioneer film maker then went on to set up the first Malaysian commercial film production house, Gaya Filem in 1970, which won many awards during its time,” he said.
Krishnan also proposed the Made in Malaysia ruling for films to ensure the growth of the fledgling industry.
Dr Mackaine paid tribute to Krishnan for playing a key role in the setting up of the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) in 1981.
Krishnan also started the first 16-track recording studio in the country and the only private film processing laboratory, which still serves the entire industry.
Besides his involvement in the laboratory, the octogenarian is active in community work involving 10 organisations, including the Malaysian Film Academy, Malaysian Association for the Blind, the Tun Hussein National Eye Hospital, Medic Alert Foundation and the Discharged Prisoners Aid Society.
He has been hosting annual charity receptions over the past two decades.
Kg Bukit Pala showdown
June 30th, 2009 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email As it stands, the residents are pissed off with their ADUN lawyer RSN Rayer. He tried to give some excuse saying he is standing with them or something. They are also accusing the state government of not doing anything, not caring about them, just like the previous government. Lim Guan Eng will be waking up to a protest tomorrow from his own rakyat, who helped his representative to get a place in the state government. He was upset with HINDRAF’s claims, and asked them to protest at federal government level so that the federal government can do something under National Land Code.
HINDRAF is planning a series of protests at DAP offices throughout the country. That speaks something for their impartiality. At least they step on everyone’s toes once in a while. But it remains to be seen if they can get an estimated 10,000 people at KOMTAR this week. Probably less than half of that is my estimate.
Question also arise if the Indians in DAP will stand with HINDRAF or with Penang state government. My guess is party comes first for them. How about those in PKR ? – no news from Manikavasagam, Sivarasa or Gopalakrishnan so far. MIC should be having good time seeing the misery of DAP/PKR, but I’m not sure what they themselves are doing to solve the problem as well. It was their partners who caused all this problem in the first place. Which makes them, what, partners-in-crime? The role of the previous state government who caused all this headache for current state government should not be forgotten.
Can the state government buy back the land from the people it sold to? Probably not if it the buyers got it over some dubious and nominal fees, thus standing to make a large amount of money. Lim Guan Eng says the figure will be astronomical. if want to buy back And secondly, there may be no laws to compel for such buy-back options or to stop the development of the land. I guess the only way is to discuss with the developer or relocate the whole village to another location.
Anyway, Deputy CM 1 Mansor is doing some firefighting work – trying to talk to the developers, Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Bhd and Nusmetro Venture.
He said that he would ask the developers to hold on to the vacant possession directive served on the villagers while the state investigates allegations of misuse of power and corruption in the transfer of the land.
“I am confident that the developers will cooperate with the state,” he told a press conference here on Monday.
The residents filed an application today to set aside an ex-parte order dated June 16 obtained by the developers, to issue a writ of possession, which is to be enforced at 11am on July 2. In their application, the residents also applied for the bailiff’s notice, execution and enforcement of the writ to be set aside. In his affidavit, labourer K. Shanmugham said to date he and the other village residents had yet to be served with the Court of Appeal’s order dated May 11. He said the writ of possession was defective as the Koperasi and Nusmetro Venture have failed to obtain any permission from the authorities and the Penang Municipal Council to demolish the houses in the village. The application will be heard on a date yet to be fixed.
A bit of background on the village (from Malaysiakini):
Originally the village was legally gazetted as the Helen Brown housing trust under the Housing Trust Act 1950.
However, in 2005, the land office alienated the land to the state government without dissolving the trust which is a requirement under law.Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) had allegedly given planning approval in 2007 to Umno-linked Nusmetro before the land was legally transferred to the cooperative. This is a breach of the council’s building by-laws.
The land was only transferred on March 27 last year – nine days after Pakatan Rakyat captured Penang in the general election.The land transfer was done by certain land officers without the knowledge of the current government.
How would this turnout? I expect the talks between Mansor and opposition-controlled company to fail. There will be some bloodshed and arrests, and Kampung Buah Pala will cease to exist. After 6 months, we will forget all this and move on. In 2013, the issue will be raised again, but both parties will not be getting any mileage because one caused the problem, and the other failed to keep to its promise to solve the problem.
Veera Muneswarar Temple demolition in Ampang
June 29th, 2009 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Hindraf’s Jayathas issued statement that the temple – Veera Muneswarar temple – in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng was demolished by gangsters associated with MIC. MIC Youth denied this and claimed that they were in the process of finding a solution to the temple issue. The temple is 20 years old, so most likely its on private land that belongs to someone else.
There are few things that I like to note:
1. Vel Paari is right in the sense that just complaining is pointless. HINDRAF is limited to doing just that – protest because they don’t have locus standi to do anything else, save initiate legal proceedings. No one will accept their memorandum or ideas or solutions. They are considered “outlawed” organisation which is not even registered.
2. If I’m not mistaken, Deputy FT Minister Saravanan did pledge that no more temples will be demolished without proper alternative or solution. Looks like another broken promise for MIC?
3. Where/what is Hindu Sangam’s role in this? No statement yet from them.
4. What is DBKL’s role in this? Where is their committee on temple issues?
5. At least the developer removed the deities before demolishment, unlike the gangsters in local councils and their henchmen.
MIC Youth is unhappy with being blamed for playing a role in the demolition of a 20-year-old Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
The temple – Veera Muneswarar Alayam in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng – was demolished by some unidentified people and had prompted both Hindraf and MIC to converge at the scene to help the temple committee save the place of worship.
Hindraf, which for long has been in the forefront when it comes to protesting temple demolitions, issued a press statement immediately after the demolition, putting the blame on MIC, among others, for the demolition.
Hindraf’s S Jayathas bluntly blamed “MIC gangsters who worked with the developer” in demolishing the temple.
He also claimed that the police and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had failed to protect the temple and its devotees while allowing others to demolish the temple.
“It is disappointing that the police did not do anything despite the temple committee launching police reports previously against any attempts to demolish the temple,” he said.
But the main plank of his complain was against the MIC.
“Around 35 Indian guys that we suspect were MIC gangsters demolished the 20-year- old temple,” he said in a statement.
MIC Youth was naturally unimpressed with Jayathas’ sweeping accusations.
“This is what he does best – making such clumsy statements and then going away until another temple is demolished,” said MIC Youth wing advisor S Vell Paari.
MIC Youth in talks with developer
Vell Paari added that MIC was not involved in the demolition of the Jalan Yap Kwan Seng temple. On the contrary, he said, the movement was deeply involved in getting the problem solved.“We have been following up with this temple case from the beginning. We have spoken to the temple committee about three weeks ago and they told us that they wanted to deal directly with the developers.
“And when the demolition took place yesterday, we immediately sent our people over to see what was happening. We contacted DBKL who confirmed that they were not demolishing the temple,” he added.
He said that the demolition was done by the developer who had paid some people to remove the deities from the temple before tearing it down.
“Even then, it was MIC Youth members who helped the temple committee in sorting out the issues. We were there when they lodged a police report after one of them was hurt in the demolition process,” he said.
Vell Paari said that MIC Youth was now working with DBKL and the developer so that some form of arrangement can be made to save or relocate the temple.
“They want to remain in the same place. That will be tough but we are trying to find a best alternative spot for them as well as with adequate compensation from the developer,” he said.
Start finding solutions
He also challenged Jayathas to come up with a proper solution for the Jalan Yap Kwan Seng temple.“He should not just talk and make wild accusations. Can he sort out the mess for the temple committee? No point in making any noise but without being able to find solutions,” he said.
Temple demolitions have been a thorny issue for the past few years. In 2007, at the height of temple demolitions throughout the country, Hindraf capitalised on the issue by evoking raw emotions among the members of the Indian community.
The anger of the community towards the Barisan Nasional government was apparent when the ruling coalition, including MIC, was roundly routed in the 2008 general election.
Since then MIC had been playing a more proactive role in solving the issues concerning the Indian community.
