Archive for the ‘Indian’ category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Thaipusam holiday to win back community support

January 20th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com 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

source

newsdesk@thestar.com.my

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

source

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.

2 comments »

Posted in Indian, Religion

Tags:

Balamurali the Kuih Bakul maker

January 20th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Time to make ‘kuih bakul’

By GLADYS TAY

source

gladys@thestar.com.my

JOHOR BARU: He is a property and real estate agent, but in the weeks before Chinese New Year, B. Balamurali puts aside everything to produce a festival favourite – the “nian gao”, commonly known as “kuih bakul”.

His interest in making the cake began more than 10 years ago when he was employed at a biscuit company, which made Chinese foodstuff such as “tau sah peah” and “ang ku kueh”.

“When the company went bankrupt in 1998, I started my own biscuit factory but it did not work out,” he said at his temporary bakery at a Taman Johor Jaya shoplot here. “So, I decided to work full-time as a property and real estate agent. But for six weeks every year, I concentrate on this.”

Balamurali also employs a fresh batch of workers every year, because it is not a full-time business venture. “It is a bit difficult because I have to train new people every year. But I like doing this,” he said.

Anyone passing by his bakery will not fail to notice the group of Malay and Indian workers making the traditional Chinese cake that comes in either banana-leaf or plastic packaging. During the six weeks, he has about 40 workers working on two shifts from 9am to 4am. “We produce approximately 4,000 of ‘nian gao’ every day,” he said.

Balamurali said 80% of his “nian gao” is exported to Singapore while 20% is sold to retailers in Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

The 39-year-old father of four said the banana leaf “nian gao” is how the cake was originally made.

Balamurali said the cake, if stored in an icebox, could be kept for up to a century.

Comments Off on Balamurali the Kuih Bakul maker »

Posted in Indian

Tags:

selangor govt focus on indian children birth cert problem

January 20th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Once more, Selangor govt gives attention to the Indian community. Toyo mentioned that number of Indian children with out BC is relatively quite high (TV3 Buletin Utama today). Does it mean that the sole party representing Indians for the last 62 years has failed?

KHIR: Selangor giving attention to Indian children without birth certs

BERNAMA

source

SHAH ALAM, SUN:

The Selangor government is stepping up efforts to gather information on Indian children without birth certificates, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said.

He said the state government would enlist the services of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to collect their personal details to care for the children’s welfare and they could go to school for a better future.

“NGOs have already started gathering information on the number of affected children and their place of birth. We have to verify they are Malaysians to avoid foreigners from taking advantage by claiming to be locals,” he said at a meeting with 15 Indian NGOs here last night.

Failure to trace the fathers was among reasons why the children did not have birth certificates, Dr Khir said. Nevertheless, he believed this problem can be overcome from the mothers’ personal identification documents or the child’s birth records in hospitals.

Comments Off on selangor govt focus on indian children birth cert problem »

Posted in Indian

Tags:

Fewer Stalls at Batu Caves for Devotees sake

January 20th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Finally, the committee is starting to look at making it a pleasant experience for the devotees.

Fewer stalls to make it easier for devotees

By : Suganthi Suparmaniam

source

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of stalls at the Batu Caves temple has been reduced to create more space for the crowd to walk as a larger crowd is expected this year.

Temple trustee M. Thevarajo said about 300 stalls would be set up this year, compared with 400 last year. He said the management was working closely with the police to ensure the Thaipusam celebrations proceeded smoothly on Wednesday.

St John Ambulance, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Rescue 911 and volunteers will be stationed in the temple premises to assist the public. Extra police personnel would also be at hand.

Gombak acting police chief Superintendent Abdul Karim Abu Hassan said more than 1,000 police and Federal Reserve Unit personnel would be stationed 24 hours at the temple from today till Jan 27.

Abdul Karim said several roads in the temple’s vicinity, including the entrance and exit roads, would be closed to traffic from tomorrow until Thursday. He advised motorists to use alternative routes. The closed roads are a stretch of Jalan Sungai Tua and Jalan Batu Caves Lama, starting from the Amaniah Mosque traffic lights, all the way to Jalan Perusahaan.

The Batu Caves bypass will also be partially closed tomorrow and Wednesday for a chariot parade from the Selayang exit to the junction facing Taman SBC.

Motorists from the north heading towards the east coast can use the Beringin roundabout, going through Jalan 35 in Selayang Baru to Jalan Sungai Tua, passing Kampung Nakhoda, Wira Damai and Taman Sri Gombak to Ampang.

Motorists from the east coast heading towards the north can use the Taman Sri Gombak route, going through Wira Damai, Kampung Nakhoda and Jalan Sungai Tua to the Rawang/KL route.

Comments Off on Fewer Stalls at Batu Caves for Devotees sake »

Posted in Indian, Religion

Tags:

Interview with MIC Secretary Dr S Subramaniam

January 20th, 2008
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


In previous elections, we only had to contend with issues pertaining to the party and leaders which we managed to overcome. This time, we are facing a much bigger problem which affects the people directly.

– what an understatement!

Issues raised by Hindraf like those pertaining to Tamil schools, Hindu temples, job opportunities for Indians in the government service and social ills in the Indian community have been raised by MIC at legitimate forums. In our party annual general assemblies, we discuss all issues relevant to the community and resolutions are forwarded to the relevant government agencies. These issues are also raised by our president at cabinet meetings and in meetings with ministers and other government officials.

– yes, issues has been raised. in fact, I think the resolutions at MIC general assembly has been more or less the same for quite some time now. How effective has it been as compared to a recent one time rally?

Many Tamil schools have been relocated and rebuilt and land has been given by state governments to relocate and rebuild temples.

– many tamil schools? how many?

We have made representations that partially-aided Tamil schools be converted to fully-aided Tamil schools.

– and what happened to the “representations”?

We will continue to serve, we will get the results’

PATRICK SENNYAH

source
MIC is coming under intense scrunity by Indians following the unprecedented street demonstration over Indian rights and the murder of a state assemblyman. Party secretary-general Dr S. Subramaniam tells PATRICK SENNYAH that the party will weather the storm

Q: Is the forthcoming general election going to be MIC’s greatest challenge ever?

A: Yes. In previous elections, we only had to contend with issues pertaining to the party and leaders which we managed to overcome. This time, we are facing a much bigger problem which affects the people directly.

We will do what we can to speak to the people to win their support. We hope they will be able to see the larger picture and continue supporting the Barisan Nasional. We are sincere and doing all we can to address issues affecting the Indian community. Only certain segments of the people have been influenced by Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force).

Tenggaroh state assemblyman Datuk S. Krishnasamy’s death is a tragic event. We have lost an effective grassroots leader. However, this will not have any bearing on the functioning of the party. We hope the police will identify those responsible.

Q: What has MIC been doing to counter allegations made during the demonstration?

A: Hindraf affected the way some people perceive the MIC. As people begin to think deeply about the issues concerning the community, the negative perception of MIC will fade away.

Issues raised by Hindraf like those pertaining to Tamil schools, Hindu temples, job opportunities for Indians in the government service and social ills in the Indian community have been raised by MIC at legitimate forums.

In our party annual general assemblies, we discuss all issues relevant to the community and resolutions are forwarded to the relevant government agencies..

These issues are also raised by our president at cabinet meetings and in meetings with ministers and other government officials.

There have been areas in which changes have been brought about. Many Tamil schools have been relocated and rebuilt and land has been given by state governments to relocate and rebuild temples.

We have made representations that partially-aided Tamil schools be converted to fully-aided Tamil schools.

But there are still areas which need to be addressed and we will continue to engage the government till we get positive results.

We have gone to the ground (MIC has been organising road shows) to tell the Indian community that the party has been representing the interests of the Indian community at all levels all these years.

Q: Do you think these road shows have helped repair the image of the party?

A: Clear-thinking people recognise the role of the MIC in the government as the representative of the Indian community and give the party the support it needs.

The MIC has presented all the issues at recognised platforms while Hindraf presented it on a different platform

Comments Off on Interview with MIC Secretary Dr S Subramaniam »

Posted in Indian

Tags: