Run Makkal Run

/* November 12th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions 3 comments »
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Odinan, odinan, ellaiyai thandiye odinan (He ran, he ran, until over the boundary he ran) – a well-known dialogue in Tamil comes to my mind.

Well, DAP is taking the fight/campaign to free HINDRAF 5 ISa detainees to a different level. Its organising a Run for Freedom activity which involves a distance of 350km! Yup, all the way from Klang to the gates of Kamunting detention center. Many Pakatan Rakyat MPs and ADUNs will be running in order to get some airtime and publicity as well. It will be like the Olympic torch run, where only one person will be running at a time and will pass the “torch” (in this case a special flag) to the next runner.

I Wonder how the police going to stop this activity. Easiest is to claim “no permit”.

The organisers are looking for 5000 people to participate. So, those who are concerned about the HINDRAF 5 and oppose ISA can show their support by taking part in the run.

DAP Selangor has found a novel way to increase awareness on the continued detention of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders and to add pressure on the government to free them.

The party is organising a run – dubbed the ‘Makkal Sakhti 5 Freedom Run’ – over the weekend (Nov15-16).

Organising chairperson Dr Wong Ang Peng said he expects some 5,000 people to participate in the 350km run, which will kick off in Klang and end at the gates of the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak.

He said there will also be a ‘special flag’ which will be passed from one runner to another during the entire journey. The last runner will hand the flag as well as ‘three larger banners’ to Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming in Kamunting.

DAP Selangor will also canvass for signatures from the public in support of the cause.

Later in the night, an anti-ISA candlelight vigil will be held to call for the release of the five and protest against the Internal Security Act.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai will be the first runner when things get off the ground at 8am on Saturday in Klang. The run will be suspended at 7pm in Sabak Bernam and will resume the next morning.

Meanwhile, various Pakatan Rakyat leaders are expected to take part in the run. PKR’s Manikavasagam will run through his Kapar parliamentary constituency as will PAS’ Dzulkefly Ahmad through his Kuala Selangor seat.

Also figuring in the run will be DAP Selangor chairperson and Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah, Puchong MP Gobind Singh, Selangor exco Ronnie Liu, Klang MP Charles Santiago and Selangor state speaker Teng Chang Khim.

Controversial blogger and just released ISA detainee Raja Petra Kamaruddin will be present at the start of the run in Klang.

The freedom run will pass through Kapar, Kuala Selangor, Sekinchan, Sg Besar, Hutan Melintang, Setiawan, Pantai Remis, Simpang and Taiping before reaching Kamunting.

“Traffic will not be obstructed as there will only be one runner at a time on the road,” explained Wong.

Those interested in participating can contact Dr Wong at 012-6644432.

Muthupalaniappan to go for it

/* November 12th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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muthupalaniappan

Barely a day after saying he is “considering” going for MIC president post, Muthupalaniappan confirms his intention. That’s a very speedy decision indeed, considering he had to consult with party veterans. He was even advised to announce his decision in two or three weeks time, but I guess things changed overnight.

“I am receiving overwhelming support and good words from MIC and the Indian community regarding this,” he told Malaysiakini.

According to Muthupalaniappan, he decided to contest after taking into consideration the interest of the party and the socio-economic condition of the Indian community in this country.

“I shall and will bring change to MIC and to the community,” he pledged.

Stressing on the importance of consolidating ranks and bringing the community together, the 68-year-old Seremban-based lawyer said: “Unity is the key to success.”

Muthupalaniappan also vowed to re-admit expelled MIC leaders and members as well as to reinstate all the closed branches.

This is the meaning of a re-branding exercise, he said, adding that he would be able to bring the different camps together.

“We also cannot rule out younger leaders in the ranks. They are essential to pull in the younger generation’s support. “I would not name any because they might then fall out of favour with Samy Vellu just because I named them… I do not want to disrupt their chances,” Muthupalaniappan was quoted as saying in this article.

Muthu did not waste his time and already started his promises:

  • He has promised to activate some 1,000 defunct MIC branches and woo back expelled members.
  • He also promised to settle the Maika Holdings issue, which has been haunting Samy Vellu for years.

KIMMA refutes PPP statement

/* November 11th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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I was wondering when KIMMA will issue a response over PPP’s statement that 3000 ex-KIMMA members have joined PPP. Two of them were even given supreme council seats.

KIMMA says only a fraction of 1 percent of its members jumped ship. Well, if KIMMA has 80,000 members as claimed, THAT WOULD MEAN 3.75 PERCENT, not fraction of 1percent.

KIMMA president says the party has not disbanded or merged with others:

“These statements and reports are rejected outright as being unfounded, misleading and baseless. They were obviously (made) with ulterior motives,” said its president Mohd Ali Naina Mohd.

“Kimma has not been disbanded, dissolved or dismembered, nor has it compromised the priciples laid down by its founders by merging with any other political party,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

He clarified that an insignificant number of former Kimma members had decided to join a political party but the number did not represent a fraction of one percent of the total membership of Kimma.

Meanwhile, Mohd Ali said Kimma accepted and respected the ex-members’ decision to join another political entity as any democratic party should.

However, he added that the party regarded as mischievous the assumption that its membership could be used to bolster the sagging political influence of certain parties.

Either one or the other is lying. Why is it nowadays we see more leaders lying? Bad upbringing or circumstances?

Vice and gambling increasing in Perak?

/* November 11th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Let’s look at the figures given by Perak police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah:

  • 18% rise in arrests made on foreigners engaged in vice activities across the state this year. A total of 987 foreigners, mostly from China, some from Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries, were arrested in 305 raids conducted from January to October this year. The figures did not include the recent arrests of 36 foreign women found hiding in a special room at an entertainment outlet in Ipoh during a raid on Nov 9. This is an 18% increase on the same period last year.
  • From January to September this year, police confiscated 1,385 computers used for gambling in 125 raids in cybercafes in Perak. This is a 75% rise from the same period last year.

The police are now asking the state government to :

  • either stop issuing entertainment licences to errant operators or tighten the rules in a move to combat prostitution.
  • to make it mandatory for karaoke operators to use glass windows in each of their karaoke rooms at their outlets.

Perak Education, Local Government, Housing and Public Transport Committee chairman Nga Kor Ming replies:

“If they have the evidence of operators infringing the law, the state government will give its full cooperation to the police to act against the errant operators,”

“We want to uphold the law and the matter must also be handled with the full compliance of the law,”

Looks like Pakatan Rakyat is having a problem containing such criminal activities. Or is it possible that the police have a freer hand in taking action, thus able to make more arrests and raids? Whatever it is, the numbers are not a good sign. The statistics should also be compared with other states to see if such trend exists or only unique to Perak. I can imagine that more developed states like Penang, Selangor and Johor having higher statistics.

UMIC Treasure Hunt 2008 around the corner

/* November 11th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Just 4 more days left for the Treasure Hunt. Those interested, can download application form HERE. OR drop by www.umic.org.my

The hunt will be from about 8am until 4pm in KL area. Maximum four people to a team. Its a car treasure hunt, so at least one member must have driving license, and obviously, you’ll need a car 🙂

So, hurry up and send in your participation forms to the organisers:

PURPLE ANTZ EVENTS
32C Faber Plaza, Jalan Desa Bakti, Taman Desa, 58100 KL
www.purpleantz.biz | Fax: 03-5162 1430
Rajj | rajj@purpleantz.biz | 016-2200 765
Shirley | shirley@purpleantz.biz | 019-3242 818
Saravanan | saravanan@umic.org.my | 013-354 4455
Perumal Naidu | perumal@umic.org.my | 016-738 8200