Posts Tagged ‘discrimination’

Education Ministry says non Malays not interested in teaching job

October 9th, 2008
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It would have been good if his claims were substantiated with statistics. The reason given by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail is that non-Malays are more interested in joining the private sector rather than the public sector as they feel the perks are better.

“From the feedback I get, they are not keen on making teaching their career. They prefer to become entrepreneurs as there are better prospects,” he said.

The above statement seem to condemn the Malays as lacking motivation, entrepreneurship, and dependent on government. Hmm….

One other possible reason is that the teachers can be posted to any part in the country. Even my cousin who is getting married soon is worried that she will be posted away from the future husband’s location. Secondly is the working environment in the schools – some are becoming very much alien as compared to those days – to much of religion. Even if teaching hours are shorter, the workload is heavy. Teachers might as well ask for normal 9 to 5 working hours. Finally, looking at discplinary issues in schools, teaching will soon be a high risk job. So, do one need all this trouble and stress?

Insisting that there is no quota system in the selection of teacher trainees, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail said although non-Malays are encouraged to join the service, many are still reluctant to do so.

“We are doing our best to attract the non-Malays but they are not applying. We do not select only Malays for teaching jobs,” he said.

Razali said there is a shortage of Chinese and Tamil teachers not only in vernacular schools but in national schools as well.

“In fact, I had also spoken with my colleague Dr Wee Ka Siong (Deputy Education Minister) on the possibility of holding campaigns to attract the Chinese to become teachers.

“We need to get the numbers to correct the racial imbalance,” he said Wednesday, adding that the ministry had also conducted “walk-in” interviews to attract non-Malays to teach in vernacular schools.

Razali was asked to comment if efforts are being made to get more non-Malays to join the teaching service to reflect the country’s multi-racial composition.

Asked if the non-Malays are staying away from the profession as they are not considered for promotions, Razali denied it.

“We don’t leave out the non-Malays when it comes to promotions. In fact, the ministry has even introduced the time-based promotions so that those eligible will be automatically promoted,” he said.

I think the imbalance is so much now, until its beyond repair. Unless there’s a discriminative policy to hire 70% non-Malays for the next 5 years (or something similar), the imbalance cannot be addressed. Just hiring few people per intake is meaningless

I suspect one reason why government sector needs non Malays is to take care of the office when festive season like Hari Raya occurs. Thus the racial imbalance needs to be addressed.

Action against HINDRAF under Societies Act

October 9th, 2008
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After Home Minister Syed Hamid started the ball rolling by labeling Hindraf visit to Hari Raya open house as “very threatening“, Deputy Home Minister added that government will take action using the Societies Act 1966.

Funny thing is, Syed Hamid said that the Government would study public feedback on the matter before responding to calls for the Hindu Rights Action Force to be banned. He claimed that the action during the open house could easily have become a danger to public order if the situation had erupted or if one of the members had been carrying something dangerous.

“Security cannot be taken for granted and we are worried about the prospect of other open houses being ambushed in this way.

“We are getting feedback before we decide on the next course of action,” Syed Hamid told The Star.

He declined to reveal what measures, if any, would be taken against the group or how long the Government would collect such feedback.

Syed Hamid, however, pointed out that the Government’s decision would not rest solely on the latest incident, but would encompass all that had transpired in the past with Hindraf.

“We can’t just react to one incident or action and there is no such thing as Hindraf as it is an unlawful society. It is not registered,” he said.

Actually there is something called HINDRAF. If not why are few people upset over nothing? There are many loose entities, like Aman Malaysia for example. Its just a feeling of affiliation.

I agree with this, but for the matter, anyone who visited the open house could have been an assassin, mentally disturbed or depressed, thus its highly likely that future open houses are installed with metal detectors, bomb squads, and also body checks being conducted. Forget Hindraf, you’ll never know when a demented person does something stupid. I remember reading that statistically every one in three person are mentally affected one way or another, which means potentially 8 million Malaysians can do something illogical, stupid, dangerous, and careless. But even if all Indians are HINDRAF supporters, that’s only 1.8 million people. So, whether HINDRAF attended or not, security was lax at the venue. Perhaps the police want to cover up their weakness?

Deputy Home Minister, Senator Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, said the government will take action against the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) under the Societies Act 1966 for causing a disturbance during the Hari Raya function hosted by the Prime Minister and Muslim Cabinet ministers at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday.

He said action would be taken soon on Hindraf, its committee, and members, even though the organisation was not registered.

“Action will be taken. We have many alternatives. Under the Act, whether the organisation is legal or not, it is still an organisation. If it is not legal, action will be taken based on the provisions for an illegal organisation, unless if it is legal then action will be taken under the proper provisions,” he said.

Wan Ahmad Farid said this when asked to comment on calls by several quarters that action be taken against Hindraf for their ’rudeness’ at the function on the first day of Hari Raya.

Wan Ahmad Farid said the government through the Home Ministry would not hesitate to take action against an illegal organisation as it had to follow the law.
“When it comes to the law, there must be no delay. Whatever action taken has to follow procedure and legal channels. What is clear in this matter is that whoever breaks the law must face action,” he said.

Wan Farid Ahmad, however, declined to state what action will be taken aginst Hindraf.

He said when action is taken, Hindraf cannot blame the government, or allege that it had not been given opportunity to voice its views.

I’m a bit lost here. When was HINDRAF given opportunity to air its views? Was it on TV because I missed it. However, if its leaders are taken into custody (fines won’t work), we are looking at 30-odd people being arrested. And definitely stronger support for HINDRAF.

HINDRAF condemns Utusan

October 9th, 2008
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After making police reports and voicing their plans to sue Utusan, Hindraf also vented their unhappiness over the paper’s continuing condemnation of HINDRAF, claiming that its politically motivated. I this is unavoidable because the paper is owned by a political party, so surely there will be an element of selective reporting.

Utusan Malaysia today front-paged calls for action against Hindraf supporters who were allegedly unruly at the ministerial Hari Raya ‘open house’ last Wednesday at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The report entitled ‘Tegas tangani Hindraf’ (Deal firmly with Hindraf) quoted several individuals who called on the government to take action.

Reacting to this, Thanenthiran said: “Umno elections are around the corner. Now, they are condemning Hindraf to get Malay support…(Utusan) is trying to please its political owners.”

He claimed that the daily did not present a true picture of what transpired at the event and did not contacted Hindraf representatives for clarification either.

Another coordinator, Jayathas said that photographs of the even available on HINDRAF website is enough to show what happened on that day. But I think, there must be independent evidence as well.

“They should go to our website and see the photos. These show very clearly that everything was done in a peaceful way. It is not our culture to create havoc in other people’s house,” he said.

On suggestions in the Utusan report that Hindraf was being rude to the Malays and Islam, Jayathas said it was a non-issue because the movement merely used the opportunity to ask Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA).

“How can they say that we are racist? In what way? We are just asking for the ISA to be abolished,” he said.

Hindraf’s legal advisor, lawyer Surendran said it was the police who acted unruly that day.

“They were intimidating and threatening to arrest people who came to participate in the ‘open house’. They (initially) prevented the Hindraf supporters from entering the venue.

“One even asked P Waythamoothy’s (Hindraf chairperson-in-exile) wife to remove her t-shirt (which carried a Hindraf logo),” he said.

Surendran said Hindraf has become the victim of a harsh campaign to incite hatred against the movement and Indian Malaysians.

“They creating something out of absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing violent happen during ‘open house’ (at) an open venue. Nothing wrong with that in a democracy,” he said.

On Home Ministry secretary-general Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof’s suggestion that Hindraf be ‘banned’, Surendran said that the statement was “absurd” and without justification.

“(Hindraf) is not a terrorist or armed movement. It is a mass movement of citizens calling for social improvement – not just for Indians, but all marginalised communities,” he added.

Although Hindraf is not a registered body, Surendran argued that the movement exists by virtue of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees the right to freedom of association.

Free HIV testing at government hospitals

October 8th, 2008
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Earlier, I wrote about compulsory HIV testing for Muslims couples effective 2009 and why its not applied for all Malaysians. Ms Umadevi (thank you!) informed that free HIV testing is available at local government hospitals. List of hospitals/clinics is at website of Malaysian Aids Council (MAC) – http://www.mac.org.my/hhosclinic.htm

She also pointed out that making it a law may cause tampering of certificates. She’s right in a way, because anything involving permits, approvals, licensing, and certification means potential for corruption.

However, the stigma of sexual activities and drugs may put off people from volunteering for HIV tests. Couples may find it difficult to convince their partners to go for the test, as it may be taken as sign of mistrust. Parents also can’t be pushy to demand the future son/daughter-in-law to go for test. If not, will be hard to get their children married.

Secondly, the discrimination still exists in that one group is forced, while another is not.

Limit for gopurams removed in Selangor

October 7th, 2008
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Common sense dictates that there should have been a valid reason for the previous Selangor government to impose a height limit for gopurams in the state (Gopuram is the tower that is on top of the temple. It is usually adorned with intricate designs, images and statues of Gods and so on). So, perhaps Khir Toyo or MIC fellas can explain to us the reason. Was it due to safety, aviation ruling, town planning acts, building acts, political decision, or based on whims and fancies?

Even the current government did not provide any reason for lifting of the limit.

The Selangor government had decided to lift the earlier 7.3m limit for the construction of gopurams (entrance towers) for temples set by the previous government, Makkal Osai reported.

State Executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar said that the current government had recently given approval for the construction of a temple gopuram for more than 12.8m.

He added that the previous state government had approved 929 sq metres of land, next to a sewerage reclamation pond, for the building of a temple and did not allow any extension or renovation.

One thing for sure is that more money will be spent to build elaborate and grand gopurams!!!