Where’s the report, ask parents

/* January 7th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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I was just thinking about the Kampar bridge disaster two days ago (its new school term, and my mind just went to the families that lost their children)  and look at what appears in today’s news. So, what has been done so far? I know Perak state government had the contractor blacklisted. The outcome of  the investigation was announced, but I don’t remember the report being released. Teachers given counseling (parents and students?).  The parents started a law suit. Other than that?

The parents of the three drowned schoolchildren from the Kuala Dipang collapsed bridge tragedy late last year wants the Education Ministry to publicise its report on its investigations.

Former Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar said the three parents were hell-bent on pursuing the matter and wanted the findings to be made known to them.

”If there is nothing to hide, why keep it (the findings) a secret?” he told reporters during a press conference here on Thursday.

”The Government should tell the parents and the public what went wrong and punish those responsible for the tragedy,” said Sivakumar, also the Tronoh assemblyman who led the Pakatan Rakat ad hoc investigation committee into the matter.

”The matter should not be put aside as it has not been resolved yet,” he added.

Sivakumar said no action has been taken against those responsible for approving the contruction of the bridge since the Education Ministry completed their investigations last year.

”They already know the cause for the collapse of the bridge and also identified all the parties involved,” he said.

”Only the contractor who built the bridge has been made the scapegoat,” he claimed.

He noted that Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir had blacklisted the contractor and said he would not be awarded any more contracts.

1.8 percent Indians in civil service

/* January 6th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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1.8% of 1.2 million staff is about 21,600 persons, so says some guy in PM’s Department, but I remember MIC saying its around 3%. If we take Tamil school teachers out of the equation, probably left with 15,000 Indian staff in the rest of the civil service. No wonder some offices/branches don’t even have single Indian staff.

So, how to nearly triple the intake to 4.5%? If all the 42,000 vacancies are given to Indian solely, its about 5.3%. Can that happen in reality? You and I know the answer. 🙂

THERE are about 42,000 vacancies in the public sector and the Indian community should seize the opportunity to join the civil service, reported Malaysia Nanban.

More Indians should come forward and serve the Government as they consisted only 1.8% of the workforce in the public sector.

The press secretary to the Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department R. Rajendran said the Government was trying to increase the percentage of Indians in the public sector to 4.5%.

SK Tamil Rawang new building already cracking

/* January 6th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Well, why doesn’t this kind of news surprise us anymore? Kind of resigned to hear buildings cracking and roofs falling down nowadays.

THE SK Tamil Rawang Parents Teachers Association (PTA) is concerned over cracks appearing in the new four-storey school building despite it being only half-completed.

PTA chairman C. Paramasivam questioned the safety of the new building, and some of its facilities.

He said the gutter on the fourth floor of the building, and the drainpipe leading from it were too small to accommodate the large volume of water during a heavy downpour.

“Eventually, the centre of the building will give way and the roof will collapse.

“There is also a problem of stagnant water on all the floors,” he said, adding that they were worried over the safety of the pupils.

“There is also evidence of water leaking through the ceiling fan point,” he said.

Teacher Paskaran Krishnan, who is also the school warden, said he had organised a programme in the building about two weeks ago but found water leaking through the ceiling fan point during a heavy downpour.

“This happened even though the building has not been officially launched yet. After we lodged complaints, it was repaired.

“I hope the contractor will do a proper job and ensure there will not be any mishap in the future,” he said.

An electrical contractor who was in the school but did not want to be named, admitted that water had been coming down from one of the ceiling fan points and he had had to repair it.

Paramasivam added that the cement flooring was of poor quality and there were several cracks which had been patched up by the contractor.

When I walk along the corridor, I can feel that the floor is not really solid and hear the hollow sound.

“If, say, it were hit hard by a table or chair, it might crack.

“There are also signs of the cement flooring cracking although the premises has not been used by the teachers and children,” he said.

Paramasivam hoped those responsible would ensure that the building was completed according to specifications before it was handed over to the school.

The school is the only Tamil school in Rawang that can accommodate 1,600 pupils.

Another battle that goes to court

/* January 6th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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While most Malaysian are focused on the case between Herald and Home Ministry, another dispute is taking place, this one being between employer and employee. Hopefully the employees get a good deal.

The dispute over wages and terms and conditions of employment between the Malayan Agriculture Association and National Union of Plantation Workers will be decided in court.
This followed the collapse of their 2008-2011 collective agreement negotiation last year.

Union executive secretary A. Navamukundan said the matter was conciliated by the director-general of the Industrial Relations Department and the Human Resources Minister, but a settlement was not possible.

“The Minister then referred the matter to the Industrial Court,” he said.

Hearing on the dispute was fixed for two days since yesterday. A. Ramadas is appearing for the association while Ragunath Kesavan is representing the union.

Industrial Court chairman Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah and two panel members last month went on a field visit to the West Estate in Carey Island, Klang.

The collective agreement will decide the benefits of 75,000 plantation workers nationwide like palm oil mill workers, supervisors and loaders.

The union, in its proposal, is seeking reforms in the payment system and a quantum of increase that reflected a “living wage” that the government is promoting.

The association, meanwhile, said its salary adjustment and other benefits were based on prevailing economic conditions.

Selangor MB worried about Tamil schools UPSR results

/* January 5th, 2010 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Worrying is good start, dear MB. Question now is, what’s next? How about yearly allocation of RM10 million and land allocation/conversion for 5 schools per year?

About 45% of Tamil School pupils in Selangor do not fare well in the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination and this was something that had the state government worried, said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

He said this could be due to a lack of support from parents who were mainly in the lower income group or the absence of an effective mechanism to help them achieve better performance.

He said this when handing over financial aid from the state government to Tamil schools at the Selangor state secretariat building here on Tuesday.

At the function, 31 Tamil schools received financial aid totalling RM704,000 while Parent-Teacher Associations of Tamil schools received a total of RM508,000 in aid.

Khalid said there were 97 Tamil schools with an enrolment of 34,000 pupils in Selangor and that 80% of the pupils came from families in the lower income group. — Bernama

The funds given (704k/31 schools) is about RM22,710 per school.  If same number of PTAs got the 508k allocation (508k/31 = RM16,387), then its RM39,097 per school. Not sure how that amount can help the schools.

Its clear that Tamil school problem needs a massive and immediate action from the Education Ministry and state governments in terms of financial allocation, land procurement, school relocation, and school status conversion, but it had not been happening as fast as it should be. Instead, its worse than snail’s pace.

In spite of all the shortcomings and problems faced by Tamil schools, 55% have done well in UPSR. That’s something to ponder about. And given the effort by the schools, parents, community and NGOs, hopefully the percentage increases year after year.