300 million not for MIC

/* May 27th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions 2 comments »
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After letters condemning MIC’s 300 million claim appears in papers (not to mention in kedai kopi and blogs too), Samy clarifies that the money WILL not pass through MIC, not even a single sen! Hmm…it would have been a non-issue if this clarified earlier. Perhaps they thought they can get away with it, but brader…this is 2008, not 1980s! Let’s hope for good news from PM in July.

Anyway, doing the maths reveals that:

100 mil  -investment fund

50 mil –  SME/SMI

30 mil – micro-credit

10 mil – agro business

50 mil – new schools

15 mil – pre-school

30 mil –  hostel

15 mil – single mothers / poor families

total: RM300 million.

» Read more: 300 million not for MIC

Passport still valid pulak!

/* May 27th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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NST, Star, and Malaysiakini carried news on second statement by Home Minister that Waytha’s passport is still valid. Previously it was claimed that maybe the passport expired, but rebutted by Waytha who said that his passport had few more years left. Now the passport is still “active” according to Immigration Department. So, i guess its the Brits fault then 🙂

The government today once again denied that it had revoked Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy’s passport.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has been informed by the Immigration Department of Malaysia that the Malaysian international passport issued to Waytha Moorthy s/o Ponnusamy is still active in our passport and travel document system. “In other words, the Malaysian government has never made any cancellation to the mentioned travel document,” said Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar Syed Hamid in a statement today.
“Waythamoorthy is now believed to be overseas and is still free to travel internationally,” added the minister.

http://malaysiakini.com/news/83460


PUTRAJAYA: The international passport of Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy was never revoked. Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said that he was informed by the Immigration department that Waythamoorthy’s passport was still listed as active in the Passport and Travel Document System.
“If the passport is still active, it means that the Government has never made any cancellation to his travel document. “Hence, his allegation that we have revoked his passport is baseless,” Syed Hamid said in a statement.

He added that Waythamoorthy was free to travel internationally as his passport was still valid.

source


PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry has again denied that it has revoked the passport of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waytha Moorthy.  Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said in a statement yesterday that the Immigration Department maintained Waytha Moorthy’s passport status as “active” in its system.”In other words, the government has never revoked his passport. He is still free to travel,” he said.

This is the second time the minister has denied news reports that Waytha Moorthy’s passport has been cancelled.

source

Krishnamoorthy gets award

/* May 27th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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Not sure how many of us still remember a lad by the name of Krishnamoorthy. He became famous last year during Raya holidays after saving people from a sinking ferry. There were lots of brouhaha over the apparent lack of appreciation for him. He did get RM10K from Kiwanis, appreciation certificate from Transport Minister,  but he was interested in getting a better job. After that, no news about him. This time, he is awarded an Unity Chain (along with RM5k). Six others also were honoured.

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and Datuk Michael Chong were among seven personalities honoured for their extensive contribution towards unity, peace and harmony among Malaysians.

Social activist Lee, 62, was named Tokoh Perpaduan (Unity Hero) while Chong, head of the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department was awarded the Kalung Perpaduan (Unity Chain) by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The awards were given in conjunction with the launch of Unity Month yesterday.
With a bang: Najib hitting a giant drum to signify the launch of Unity Month on Sunday. Helping him is Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

The other Tokoh Perpaduan was former Sabah Yang di-Pertua Tun Sakaran Dandai.

Other Kalung Perpaduan recipients were cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, S. Krishnamoorthy, Nafisah Abdullah and Mohd Afzal Hamzah.

Sakaran was honoured for his active role in promoting religious understanding in Sabah.

Lat received the honour for educating the public on racial integration through his cartoons and animation series while Nafisah was honoured for saving a Chinese woman and her nine-month-old baby in a fire in Kota Baru last year.

Nineteen-year-old “ferry fire hero” S. Krishnamoorthy received the Kalung Perpaduan because of his heroic act in saving 18 lives during a ferry fire off the coast of Mersing last year while labourer Mohd Afzal saved a Chinese woman from being a snatch theft victim in an incident in Brickfields last year.

source


Najib also presented medals to five other heroes and heroines for their acts of heroism and service which cut across racial barriers – MCA Public Complaints Bureau head Datuk Michael Chong; cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid who is better known as Lat; S. Krishnamoorthy, who single-handedly rescued 19 people in the Mersing ferry tragedy; Mohd Afzal Hamzah, who came to the aid of a snatch theft victim and caught her attacker; and Nafisah Abdullah, who rescued her Chinese neighbour’s baby in a fire.

Krishnamoorthy, 19, said the award was an unexpected honour as he felt he was just doing what he had to do.

source

What is patriotism?

/* May 26th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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The short article below ties patriotism to the word’s by the minister on youths questioning the “social contract”.

I’m curious: is questioning things like “social contract” deemed unpatriotic? Do we view this from legal aspect? From logical aspect? From natural justice aspect? From emotional aspect?

And how does one verify the answer to the question above?

THE level of patriotism among Malaysian youths was not as high as expected, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri said. Quoting the minister, Malaysia Nanban reported that the current index on patriotism among youths was only at 68.2%. He said many of them still questioned the social contract with which the country achieved its independence.

source

cream of crop?

/* May 26th, 2008 by poobalan | View blog reactions 1 comment »
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PSD claims cream of the crop were selected for PSD scholarship, but if you read the “Letters” page of the Star recently, it seems to show otherwise. I hope its not a case of shooting oneself in the foot here.

We can’t hide things in the current age. Today, news spreads in seconds. Lies can be uncovered easily. Two of the letters are available on the Star’s website while the other one is in the print edition only.


Letter 1 (source):

PSD should release details of scholarship recipients

I REFER to “Not for all top students,” (The Star, May 18) quoting the PSD Director-General saying that those who were awarded the PSD scholarship are the “cream of the crop”.

I am a 11A student and I was the top student of my school. I was denied the PSD scholarship. However, some of my friends who had fewer As were awarded seats for matriculation and PSD scholarships and they do not know which to choose.

They are my very close friends and they are shy to face me purely because I am the top student and I was not offered anything. They too feel sad for me.

As such I would like the PSD to be transparent and genuine in making such statements. I am sure many in my shoes would have encountered the same situation. » Read more: cream of crop?