From what I understand (will be improved time to time as understanding increases):
Selangor government says:
there’s enough raw water as the dams are full (and its raining nearly everyday for last 2 weeks or so)
SYABAS is not able to deliver water properly due to loss of water (non-revenue)
will take over SYABAS management to improve its services
treated water is enough but SYABAS incompetent to deliver the water
Langat2 WTP is waste of money and that better water management is the way to go
it has not gazetted the increased water tariff as per concession agreement with SYABAS (which means no price hike)
says SYABAS has no authority to ration water as that comes under state.
SYABAS says:
there’s enough raw water but not enough TREATED water. Treated water means already processed by Water Treatment Plants (WTP) to ensure the water is safe for consumption. The raw water from sources (dams) is channelled to WTP and then channelled to homes/industries.
its not in charge of water treatment as that falls under state government duties (providing sufficient infrastructure to process raw water fit for consumption). Its job is to channel the treated water to homes/industries. It just pays money to WTP for the treated water.
its has informed state government since 2010 about possible shortage of treated water but
that state government had not allowed the construction of Langat2 WTP
the state government had barred SYABAS from making capital expenditure which resulted in SYABAS unable to undertake work to reduce non-revenue water
has applied to SPAN (National Water Commission) to ration water
Notes:
state government has 30% stakehold in SYABAS.
daily water needs in Klang Valley (plus Putrajaya) is about 4,364 million litres per day (MLD) and the treatment plants’ capacity is 4,371 (MLD)
Langat2 expected to supply 1,8900 MLD if constructed and can supply until 2025 before shortage happens again
So, what’s the conclusion? Even if allow for new WTP (Langat2) to be built, it will take at least 4 years.
So, congrats to those who secured a place in IPTA. As mentioned in the article below, give it a try. Don’t reject the place given to you.
The national MIC Youth Higher Education Bureau has called on Indian students to accept places in public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) and not reject them on grounds that it is inconvenient.
Its chairman Mahaganapathy Dass said that every year, about 250 Indian students failed to report to their IPTA, citing factors like distance, travelling expenses and suitable courses as part of their reasons for rejecting the offers.
“Despite being accepted, some students opted out because they were unwilling to study outstation or have no means to make the journey to their IPTA,” he said, adding that the bureau would be helping as many as 60 students from low-income backgrounds in covering their travel expenses to their respective universities this year.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UTM) economics student Vinodh Elamkovam said he found himself in the same dilemma when he received his acceptance letter in 2009.
The Alor Setar native, who lives with his uncle and grandmother, said he was reluctant to leave his family and had never been to Terengganu before.
“Moving far away and changing my lifestyle weighed heavily on my mind,” he said.
He finally decided to take up the offer after an uncle advised him not to give up on the opportunity.
Vinodh urged Indian students who had been offered places not to reject them for reasons like inconvenience.
Moving on, if you have secured a place, MIC Higher Education Bureau is trying to help out the students from low income families with some travel expenses.
If you didn’t get a place in IPTA, contact them to help you with the appeal process:
Applicants may call the bureau’s helpline at 03-4043 1111, send an email to higheredu@pemudaimc.org or fax them at 03-4043 6100.
Applicants sending appeals by fax must include a copy of their STPM transcripts, appeal letter and their IPTA application letter.
GEORGE TOWN: Two 14-year-old students from SMK Kulim, S. Rama Murthi and R. Sri Arivesh, have done the country proud by winning a prize in the Genius Olympiad 2012 International High School Project Fair on Environment, in New York.
They won third place with their creation of an alarm system called “Neighbours Wonder”, in the competition participated by 246 students from 50 countries, which was held from June 24 to 29.
The gadget can help emergency users to ask for help from their neighbours when the wireless alarm system is installed parallel with other houses in a residential area.
Rama Murthi said the idea to develop the system was in line with the 1Malaysia concept mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, as it could foster the spirit of cooperation among neighbours, regardless of race.
“We spent about RM300 to create this alarm system and are proud to have won,” said Sri Arivesh.
Both were the youngest participants, compared to the others who were between 16 and 17.
A very touching story. Boy from poor family gets place to study in France. Straight As JPA scholar Sugan Selvarajah didnt have money to buy initial clothes etc. Didnt give up but went to Malacca govt CM office to ask help, and succeeded!
And read about how he improved his English. From old newspaper collected by his mom for recycling! Puts most of us to shame for the excuses we give. Really touching to read about it.
Kudos to the parent for their responsibility and state govt for support.
But PSD (JPA) should have been proactive to help such cases in 1st place. Must improve the system.
MP Kubang Kerian YB Salahuddin (PAS) during a debate on the Public Assembly bill with Deputy Higher Education Minister YB Saifuddin (shown live on Astro Awani. Caveat: I DID NOT watch it), mentioned about Thaipusam (along with Maulidur Rasul festival) as example of procession or demonstrasi jalanan. He mentioned perarakan Thaipusam and also said “secara separa sedar” (semi conscious” and “walaupun ada Kavadi” (even though got Kavadis), and also tanpa perlu gas pemedih mata (without need of tear gas). The clip below extracted the part about Thaipusam statements.
These statements were picked up by YB Kamalanathan and blogged at his website:
I think saying that the participants are semi conscious is not appropriate and lacks sensitivity. In fact its a bad example as in our social climate, we can easily misunderstand and get angry. Most of the devotees walking along the chariot or at Batu Caves are perfectly conscious! He should apologise for this wrong statement, possibly due to his ignorance. Next time invite him to join Thaipusam festival as observer to see how things are. Anyway, this coming from PAS is expected. They aren’t really into understanding all faiths.
The YB tried to justify and explain, but I think he should just apologise and move on:
“The point that I was making was not about religion.
“I was talking about Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. I highlighted Thaipusam to make a point about how Malaysians throughout the years, even before independence have gathered and organised themselves in large numbers.
“This was part of a list of other examples that I used to put my point across,” he said.
The Kubang Kerian MP stressed that he had no intention to insult the religious event which is a major Hindu celebration here.
Salahuddin, who met with Kamalanathan, to explain his comments on the matter said that to drive his point across, he used the examples of the gathering against the Malayan Union led by Onn Jaafar (1946), the Perarakan Kerandah 152 (2009) which demanded for the importance of the Malay language, Thaipusam and Maulidur Rasul celebrations to commemorate the prophet’s birthday.
“I did not mean to insult any religion. Why then did I bring up the example of Maulidur Rasul?” he asked.
Kamalanathan, who is the Hulu Selangor MP, took Salahuddin to task yesterday for his comments on Tuesday during a debate entitled “Street demonstrations: Does it build or destroy democracy?” organised by Malay daily, Sinar Harian.
Salahuddin reportedly said that thousands of Hindus gathered during Thaipusam peacefully without the intervention of the authorities.
The PAS leader was also alleged to have said that some Hindus carrying kavadi were semi-conscious and yet they do not need tear gas to keep the situation calm.
Calling Salahuddin “naive”, Kamanathan said his comments were both “insulting and hurting” to the Hindus.
“Belittling the practices of another religion and calling the devotees semi-conscious street demonstrators show lack of understanding and respect for the Hindu devotees,” he added.
‘Just stating facts’
Salahuddin, however, stressed that he was not insulting but merely stating facts about how the public could organise themselves.
“It was only to show that the public is capable of organising themselves. We have the devotees who are semi-conscious but still controllable,” he said.
“Then I also mentioned the large crowds that march during the Maulidur Rasul. You don’t need to use tear-gas to control the crowd.
“That is the point I was making that as long as excessive force is not used, the gatherings have always been peaceful,” he added.
Note: YB Kamalanathan forgot to mention about the Maulidur Rasul part on his blog. In spirit of 1Malaysia, he should also stand up for fellow Muslims and demand apology from the YB for insulting/desecrating/slighting/hurting their feelings.
Now, the part about Thaipusam being street protest or street demonstration (demonstrasi jalanan).
“assembly” means an intentional and temporary assembly of a number of persons in a public place, whether or not the assembly is at a particular place or moving;
“counter assembly” means an assembly organized to convey disagreement with the purpose for which another assembly is organized, and held at the same time, date and place or approximately at the same time, date and place as the other assembly;
“simultaneous assemblies” means two or more assemblies to be held at the same time, date and place, but which have no relationship to each other;
“participant” means a person intentionally or voluntarily present for the purpose of an assembly;
“street protest” means an open air assembly which begins with a meeting at a specified place and consists of walking in a mass march or rally for the purpose of objecting to or advancing a particular cause or causes;
“prohibited places” means— (a) the protected areas and protected places declared under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959 [Act 298]; and (b) the places as may be specified in the First Schedule;
These are the locations specified in First Schedule:
Dams, reservoirs and water catchment areas
Water treatment plants
Electricity generating stations
Petrol stations
Hospitals
Fire stations
Airports
Railways
Land public transport terminals
Ports, canals, docks, wharves, piers, bridges and marinas
Places of worship
Kindergartens and schools
And this is the Third Schedule:
ASSEMBLIES FOR WHICH NOTIFICATION IS NOT REQUIRED
Religious assemblies
Funeral processions
Wedding receptions
Open houses during festivities
Family gatherings
Family day held by an employer for the benefit of his employees and their
families
General meetings of societies or associations
Para 11: Consent of owner or occupier of place of assembly
11. The organizer of an assembly, other than a religious assembly or a funeral procession or an assembly held at a designated place of assembly, shall obtain the consent of the owner or occupier of the place of assembly for it to be used for the purpose of the assembly.
Reading the above extracts from the Act, some questions arise:
1. What is the difference between assembly and street protest? Street protests is defined to be an assembly that is “open air” and for purpose of a cause (for or against). Assembly can be stationary or moving, while street protest involves marching (moving la..). So, if its (i) indoor or (ii) assemble for no reason or (iii) assemble and don’t move, its assembly. Quite ridiculous. Even people want to assemble to lepak also got reason or cause – melepak.
2. Note the phrase “street protest”. If you take basically any event involving thousands of people, it will fall into the “street protest” category. The definition doesn’t mention that “not including religious activities”. Example, gathering of million youths at certain location, people marching during uniformed bodies activities, event parades, religious events, and yes, even funeral procession (you are support the cause of sending of the person on his last journey).
The only exemption given is that religious event or funeral need not provide notification to authorities. That’s all. It doesn’t say its not street protest. Yes, common sense will tell you obviously a religious parade or funeral procession is not a protest. But this law doesn’t specifically state so? So does that mean a religious procession can be a street protest per the definition above?
3. Why is place of worship is prohibited? Does it mean we can’t “assemble” at Batu Caves or the local shrine any more? Need to get approval? Sounds contradictory to the “no notification needed” clause.
Conclusion: If you don’t know what you are talking about, better don’t talk about it. Give other example that you really know of. If not, end up like this la.
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