Posts Tagged ‘Economy’

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Happy birthday pak lah!

November 27th, 2007
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thanks to MK for highlighting this. nothing in the star and nst about PM's birthday (yet). btw, i'll be covering the merdeka center survey next. oh..there's also the "remove the cross" from school issue to settle. my…my…hands are getting full!

Abdullah: I'll continue with my style
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75325

Nov 27, 07 1:34pm

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said he will continue with his style of administration since Malaysians are happy with it.

Responding to a finding of a recent survey, Abdullah said that he was happy with the survey that showed Malaysians were happy with the administration of the present government.

quoted Abdullah as saying.

"We will continue to administer the country like we are doing now," he added.

The premier, talking to journalists at the end of his two-day visit to Egypt, also said that he welcomed constructive criticism from everyone.

"If someone wants to criticise, then it is fine as long as it is constructive criticism and we will try to do whatever possible to overcome the problems we face.

"The important thing is that we will do everything possible to ensure success of the national vision to uplift all Malaysians. To those who supported the current government, I wish to say thank you.

"To those who criticise, I would also say thank you but please ensure the criticisms are fair and not overboard, do not make your own conclusions without knowing the truth," he said.

Economy, safety and corruption

Bernama also reported that Abdullah, who turned 68 today, when asked what was his birthday wish, he said: "I just want to stay healthy and be happy".

The survey, conducted by the Merdeka Center for the New Straits Times, found "a stable and positive voter support for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the Barisan Nasional government".

It said that the public confidence in the PM and the government remained stable and positive despite some major concerns.

The survey – polled among 1,024 respondents – indicated that Malaysians were concerned on economy, public safety and corruption.

One in five respondents had listed price hikes, the rising cost of living, jobs and other economic issues as the "most important problem affecting Malaysia today".

Crime and public safety came in as the second biggest concern while the third biggest concern was corruption.

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rally affects economy says DPM

November 27th, 2007
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the thing is when we look at public perception and surveys, many people are worried about bread and butter issues. the rural folks and the urban poor want to have chance to make a living. they are not worried about international issues or things that happen to the rich and well-off. elections are won by making sure the issues that are local to the area are taken care off – electricity, school, roads, surau, community centre etc. now, when the people want to air the grouses on their issues, they are asked to think and consider about tourism, national image etc. of course they don't care bit.
to handle the crowd, the govt should focus on solving or placating their "local" issues, and not ask them to think about economy affected, tourist run away etc. those thing won't register with the peaceful, simple-way-of-life indians who come from the outskirts of big towns.

meanwhile, koh tsu koon suggests that more peaceful way such as signature campaign to be used instead of assemblies and rallies.

Illegal rallies 'will affect economy, people's lives'

By : Shamini Darshni

PETALING JAYA: The government will not back down from the political challenge posed by the Hindu Rights Action Force, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.

"We will meet the challenge. We will not back down from a political challenge," he said.

Asked to comment on Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar's assertion during an interview with Al-Jazeera that the group's intention was to embarrass the government, Najib said: "His intention is political. If we were one-sided, there is no way the Indian community would have supported us, and the Barisan Nasional would not have won. "Suddenly, he wants to raise this issue. It is just politically motivated," Najib said after witnessing the handing over of three Dauphin helicopters from Eurocopter Malaysia to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. He said illegal street demonstrations could severely affect the economy and people's everyday lives.
 

More than 240 were arrested as thousands of protesters, organised by Hindraf to deliver a petition to the British High Commission, clashed with police on Sunday. Police had cordoned off a 4-km radius from the high commission, leaving the usually busy Jalan Ampang devoid of weekend traffic and shoppers.

In George Town, Gerakan's message to Hindraf supporters was to engage in constructive dialogue. The party's acting president, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, yesterday said there were always many peaceful channels for the Indian or other communities to resolve problems. Koh said the BN was open to suggestions and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had a soft spot for the marginalised. "Taking to the streets is a dramatic way of expressing one's feelings which can only lead to many other problems. "It is Gerakan's hope that the community can come together with concrete solutions to solve their problems.  "Any problems which affect a community affects the country as a whole.

Although the MIC has and will continue to take the lead in helping to resolve issues faced by the Indian community, other BN component parties also have an important role to play," he said after the state legislative assembly meeting here. Koh admitted that while the Indian community was well represented in certain professions and businesses, there were also many areas where the community was left out. "Let us always go back to the New Economic Policy (NEP) spirit, with the sole objective of wiping out poverty and re-arranging the different communities in the country. "We should also look at the issue from all aspects and have a pragmatic approach to address it," he said, adding that the idea of petitioning Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was unrealistic.

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najib denies samy vellu is mandor

November 27th, 2007
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Najib: Government ready to deal with political challenges

source

PETALING JAYA: The Barisan Nasional Government will face the “political challenges” thrown by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) group which defied the law and went ahead with its rally on Sunday.  “We will meet the challenge. We will not back down from political challenges,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said when asked if the Government was pressured by the group, which alleged that Hindus in Malaysia were being marginalised. He pointed out that if the Government had practised discriminatory policies against the Hindus as claimed by Hindraf, the Indian community in the country would not have supported the Government all this time and Barisan Nasional would not have been able to achieve big victories in elections. “Now, they suddenly want to raise the issue (of being sidelined). It’s politically motivated,” he said at a ceremony for the delivery of three Dauphin AS 365N3 helicopters by Eurocopter to the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency yesterday. 

Najib reiterated that street demonstrations only produced negative effects on the national economy, besides inconveniencing the people. “Businesses are affected and the people are also inconvenienced by a few days of traffic jams as police set up roadblocks,” he said.

Hindraf defied a court order and went ahead with its gathering on Sunday and police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the illegal gathering. Thousands converged at various locations in the city to give support to Hindraf's plan to submit a petition with 100,000 signatures to the British High Commission. The petition was to ask Queen Elizabeth II to appoint a Queen’s Counsel to represent the Indian community in a class-action suit filed against the British government for bringing in Indians as indentured labourers to the then Malaya and exploiting them. Hindraf called off its protest after seven hours without handing over its memorandum to the British High Commission.  

At another function later, Najib denied claims that MIC leader Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu was a “mandor” of Umno and an ineffective leader for the Indian community.

In Penang, acting Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the Indian community could use other avenues to air grouses, as they were well represented in the Barisan Nasional coalition. Dr Koh said the Indian community could use signature campaigns to highlight their grievances.

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Free schooling in Malaysia

November 12th, 2007
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When free is not so free actually. Abolishment of school fees will cost RM30 million as mentioned here.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said today that he was proud to mention that education in Malaysia is free when he spoke at Unesco's 34th general conference in Paris recently.

He said the people should regard the free education as the government's recognition of them and as such, should not deny their children education.

"At least be proud and convinced that the educational opportunity for our children is free," he told reporters at Parliament's lobby after winding-up debate for his ministry in Dewan Rakyat. – from Bernama

The schools students are grouped into A,B,C categories based on parent's income status. Thus the amount for MSSM, Insurance, and other facilities (computer labs, library, wakaf, cleanliness, etc.) will be based on the groups. A HM, a teacher, and a administrative staff I talked to have verified this.

So, to clarify, school fees and exam fees (UPSR, PMR, SPM, STPM) have been abolished, but all other fees will remain. That's a new definition of free schooling.

Guidelines on school charges

source

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Education Ministry has issued guidelines pertaining to the maximum amount in additional payments that schools can impose on students following the abolition of school fees from next year. 

Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said the guidelines were only a reference and the amount was still at the discretion of the schools and the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). 

"The ministry has asked for the additional payments be set through discussions between the schools and the PTAs. We give guidelines on the ceiling level. 

"For example, RM2 for the Malaysian Schools Sports Council and RM1.50 for personal insurance. If a parent's income is quite low, they (the school and PTA) can lower the amount and give exemptions to those who cannot afford it, including the poor and single mothers," he told reporters after opening the state education exposition at the Terengganu Trade Centre here.  

According to the guidelines, additional payments are introduced for management purposes and each item proposed by the school must be approved the State Education Department, which will monitor all the payments. 

The additional payments have been categorised into three packages. 

Schools in Package A are those in the "high socio-economy" group where the majority of parents comprise big business people or civil servants in the professional group. Primary schools under Package A can impose additional charges up to RM38.50 and secondary schools RM55.50. 

Schools in Package B, for the "medium socio-economy" group, can charge a maximum of RM30.50 for primary schools and RM44.50 for secondary schools. 

The ceiling in Package C, schools in the "low socio-economy" group, is RM23.50 for primary schools and RM33.50 for secondary schools. – Bernama

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khairy complains paper not deliver on deepavali

November 10th, 2007
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Khairy: Only the needy should enjoy subsidies
Andrew Ong
Nov 8, 07 4:08pm
source
Umno Youth has urged the government to revamp how it subsidises various areas of the economy in order to ensure that only the needy and deserving receive such privileges.

The Youth wing’s deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said that at present every Malaysian enjoys government subsidies in areas such as electricity, water, fuel and essential food items.

In all, the government had to foot RM35 billion, or 25 percent of government income, lamented Khairy during the debate on economy and education at the Umno assembly today.

He said the present situation would cause wastages as subsidies have made certain commodities too cheap.

“Imagine: A pakcik on a motorbike pays RM1.92 for a litre of petrol. A towkay in a Mercedes-Benz pays the same price. Why? Why must we subsidise those who are already rich?” asked Khairy.

He said continuing government subsidy efforts would be a burden on the country’s finance in the long run and ways must be found for equitable distribution of subsidies.

Give warning before removing subsidies

But Khairy urged the government to give prior warning before removing subsidies so that the masses can prepare themselves.

“Please give a little bit of notice. Don’t wait until the 11th hour to make an announcement,” he said.

On education, Khairy said Umno Youth suggested that the government improves the standard of English classes in schools instead of using the language as a medium of instruction for science and maths.

Khairy said the objectives of teaching science and maths in English were noble but it had not achieved the desired results.

“It was supposed to improve the command of English. It was supposed to improve the performance of students in maths and English. Instead, their performance worsen,” said Khairy.

On Oct 30, Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced that the government would not force students sitting for public examinations to only use English in science and math.

The controversial move was first mooted by former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2002.

Be part of supply chain

On Malay entrepreneurs, Khairy said the Malays lack control of the supply chain and this explains their poor standing in various industries.

“Today is the first time the Umno president’s speech is not being read by the masses because a particular ethnic group controls the distribution line of newspapers and they are on holiday,” he said.

Khairy was referring to ‘no publication’ day of almost all the major newspapers in Peninsular Malaysia as it was the Deepavali holiday.

Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had yesterday delivered his annual presidential address yesterday but it was only carried in Utusan Malaysia, Kosmo and Oriental Daily today.

He was using this as an example of how the Malays are often at the bottom of the supply chain.

“If you look at the distribution network, all is control by a certain race. We have always allow this distribution network to be controlled by one race. Only today, we know the implication. This is because we did not control the distribution network.”

While he did not name the ethnic group which control the distribution network, it is an open secret that Indian Malaysians made up the majority of the newspaper vendors.

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