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Kampung Buah Pala residents protest photos
/* July 2nd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions 1 comment »
Kedah DAP to pull out from state government
/* July 2nd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions 1 comment » Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email This may be signs of things to come. In Penang, its PKR. In Selangor, its PAS. In Perak, its all three of them.
In Kedah, the DAP has one representative in the state assembly. The state DAP has decided to pull out, subject to HQ feedback. Reason given – “undelivered promises” by the Kedah government, and not giving equal treatment to all Kedahans.
State DAP chairman Thomas Su Keong Siong, said the decision to demolish the 30-year-old abattoir was the last straw.
“We are pulling out of the state government as we find we can no longer work with other PR assemblymen,” he told reporters here two hours after the abattoir, located near a densely-populated rsidential area, was demolished by Alor Star city council workers.
The demolition, which started about 3pm, proceeded smoothly for about two hours despite the presence of a small group of DAP members, including Su, who held placards protesting the move.
Su, who is also state assemblyman for Pasir Pinji in Perak, said the state government had failed to handle the issue properly.
He said he had met state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Phahrolrazi Zawawi on Tuesday to ask if the state executive council had agreed to the state DAP’s request to delay the demolition.
“He told me he would raise the matter with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak. Today, I received an SMS from the state executive councillor (Phahrolrazi) that the matter had not been discussed at the weekly state executive council meeting today,” he said.
Su, who was careful not to mention Azizan’s name throughout the press conference, said he had also learnt that the city council was planning to demolish a multi-purpose hall at a Hindu temple in Jalan Pegawai and a Chinese temple in Jalan Tanjung Bendahara here.
He said other issues that substantiated the DAP’s claims about the state Pas included the state government’s policy of a 50 per cent housing quota for Bumiputeras and the delay in approving a building plan submitted by the Kedah Buddhist Association.
The problem came to a boil after an illegal pig abattoir was demolished by Alor Setar City Council two days ago. The demolition of the slaughterhouse was another reason which had prompted the state DAP to quit the pact.
“Although the slaughterhouse was operating on land belonging to the Alor Setar City Council, the state government has the power to postpone the demolition. This will give more time for the Kedah Pig Traders and Slaughterer Association which operates the slaughterhouse to find a new site,” he said.
Mayor Datuk Khazali Din was quoted as saying recently that the abattoir had been erected illegally on the site for the past 30 years.
The council had ordered the association to vacate the place several times since 1995 with the latest in May this year.
Kedah MB says its DAP’s fault because didn’t do anything to solve the problem in the last one month (Kedah DAP had failed to deliver on an alternative site for the facility after asking for a month’s grace) , while Kedah PKR admits that its shoulders part of the blame for not acting fast to solve the problem. However, PKR supports the demolishment.
Manikavasagam helps solve birth certificate problems
/* July 2nd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments » 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.
students suffer from pollution
/* July 2nd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments » Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email I guess the lack of enforcement causes this problem. Imagine two development projects and you in the middle. How la? I don’t like to say it but I think probably the developers and authorities are not so bothered because its just another Tamil school. Hopefully the developer will do something to reduce the pollution or maybe the parents need to protest to get noticed.
Dust makes school daily torture
KUANTAN: Labourer R. Batumalai knows the value of a good education but off and on these past few months, he was forced to stop his son from going to school because of health reasons.
His 10-year-old son Viknaraja has asthma and his problem worsened from breathing in the dust churned up by the two construction projects near his school, SRJK (T) Bandar Indera Mahkota.
Work began early this year on two government projects to build multi-storied buildings.
The school, which has more than 400 pupils, is sandwiched in between the two sites. Batumalai, 49, said the school population had to endure the daily problem of dust and muddied roads.
“My son often complains of cough, sore throat and breathing difficulties and has to miss school for days. He is not the only one. His classmates have been missing classes since the construction work started.
“I don’t want my son’s health to be affected yet I don’t want his grades to fall. This can’t go on,” said the father of three.K. Sangaran, 53, said his niece in Year Six also complained of the dirt and the noise coming from the sites.
“The school’s window panes are coated with dust. The roads around the school leading towards the sites are muddy.
“It gets dusty on hot days but when it rains, mud flows onto the roads and into the school compound.
“The pupils are forced to trek through the mud to get to their classes. Imagine having to face this daily. How can they study in a polluted environment like this?”
Sangaran said the pupils often complained of itchy eyes and skin and believed these were caused by the dust.
“There is also the noise problem. With such a racket coming from the sites, how can the children study and concentrate?”
Headmaster R. Govindasamy said the parent-teacher association met the developers and asked them to show consideration for the pupils but their pleas seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
He said the problem was also raised with the state Education Department and the Kuantan Municipal Council.
“The Year Six classes are the ones directly affected as their classrooms are near the road. When it is windy, they have to close all windows yet the dust manages to come in,” said Govindasamy.
A council spokesman said action would be taken against the developer for failing to keep the roads in the area clean.
Honorary Doctorate for Datuk Krishnan
/* July 2nd, 2009 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments » 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.
