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Kashwini wins national spelling competition

October 26th, 2007
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Bookworm spells her way to winning national contest championship

By Malina Jeya Palannews@nst.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: With her hands clasped, her nervousness was obvious as she waited for the spell master to announce the word to be spelled.

The competition was intense but 11-year-old Kashwini Arumugam confidently spelled the winning word, "monstrous", enunciating it carefully.

There was loud applause as she was announced the winner of the first national spelling championship yesterday.

"I'm so happy. Some of the words were difficult but I pulled through," she said.

The Year Five pupil of SK (P) Methodist, Kuantan, said her secret lay in her voracious appetite for reading.

"I read about five books a week, most of them story- books, such as Enid Blyton and my favourite Harry Potter books.

"I love reading because it improves my vocabulary and broadens my knowledge."

She said her friends and teacher helped her practise for the competition.

Her mother, Ranitha Rajaratnam, said she was proud of her younger daughter's achievement.

"I'm so happy for her. She is a responsible and helpful child.

"I don't have to nag her to do her homework or read."

Ranitha said she started introducing books to her daughters when they were 4.

"I never bought them toys. Instead, I gave them books as birthday presents and rewards for doing well in school.

"I believe that reading is important and parents should inculcate this habit in their children," she said.

The competition, themed the "Knowledge Discovery Spell- ing Competition", was held at Sekolah Wawasan, USJ 15, Subang Jaya, and involved 26 children from 18 schools nationwide.

Aifos media chairman E.A. Scheers said the competition was organised with the Education Ministry to improve the standard of English and general knowledge.

Education Ministry deputy director-general Md Hasidin Zaini said he hoped the competition would be an annual event for youngsters as it would develop their confidence in English.

First prize winner Kashwini walked away with a trophy, a Champs hamper worth RM250, a three-day stay at Langkawi Resort and a two-year subscription to Knowledge Discovery magazine.

Runner-up 10-year-old Tan Zer Tong received a Champs hamper worth RM200, a two-year subscription to Knowledge Discovery Magazine and a three-day stay at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort.

Certificates were given to all participants, including consolation prize winners, who also received Champs hampers worth RM100 and a one-year subscription to the magazine.

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MIC reacts

October 8th, 2007
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One good thing about the leaders fighting with each other, plus the efforts of various individuals and organisations, is the drastic action taken by MIC especially. The exposure on issues affecting the Indian community now sees MIC moving into hyperdrive (wonder how long that will last). They realise that the must be SEEN doing the work as well. For long periods of time, the leaders may be able to hoodwink the public, but not for all the time. Some of the suggestions (which hopefully will not remain as that) are:

set up a “road map” for Tamil schools

"submit our proposal to ask for 80 new Tamil schools"

single mothers would be asked to join cooking classes

Samy Vellu: Active, aggressive candidates to be chosen

source

By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC will introduce many new faces in the next general election, party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said. He added that candidates chosen would be those who have been active and aggressive in their party work. “I don’t want to give any shocks, because the present MIC MPs have been there for one or two terms only. “We have not decided how many candidates will be chosen by the party,” he said after chairing a closed-door interactive session with MIC division and branch leaders on preparations for the general election here yesterday.
He said the party, which has over 650,000 registered voters, aims to get as many votes as possible for Barisan Nasional. 

On the closed-door session, Samy Vellu said he had advised them to accept differing views on improving the livelihood of the Indian community. He also directed them to set up a “road map” for Tamil schools in the country. “I’ve directed them to submit to me the names of Indian estate workers who have moved out to housing estates and who need to provide education for their children. “We will submit our proposal to ask for 80 new Tamil schools to be built in housing estates,” he added. Samy Vellu also said single mothers would be asked to join cooking classes to be set up by the party soon. “Many of them earn less than RM250 per month, and the classes will help them earn extra income by setting up businesses,” he added. 

On another matter, Samy Vellu said the MIC”s support from the Indian community would not waver even with the formation of new political parties to attract the Indians. “Many parties have come and gone, but MIC still remains the strongest Indian party,” he said when asked to comment on the formation of the Malaysian Indian United Party by Datuk K.S. Nallakaruppan, who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) recently. Nallakaruppan had quit PKR on May 25 following a rift with its de facto leader and his former best friend Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

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Karpal joins Samy Vellu in attacking Kavyeas

October 3rd, 2007
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Kavyeas seems to stir up one controversy after another – from MPAJ, Stephen's Corner, Taiping seat, CTOS, MIC, MAIKA, Tamil School status, etc.

Is that sign of a caring, charismatic leader fighting for the public, or as Karpal Singh puts it, "Kayveas is steadily becoming an embarrassment…but the country as a whole"?

Kayveas unfazed, continues to take digs at Samy Vellu

source
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk M. Kayveas is unperturbed by what he terms as Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's attempts to embarrass him. 

Although the MIC president had released a letter which could be potentially damaging to Kayveas, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) president remained unfazed and said he was more concerned about the plight of the Indian community.

Kayveas's letter, dated April 12, 1985, was written to thank Samy Vellu for STG2,000 education loan for Kayveas who was studying in England at that time. “By publishing the letter, Samy thinks he is embarrassing me but the joke is on him as his act only shows how low he can go. By writing the letter, it shows my culture and tradition of thanking people who have helped me. “The contents of the letter were genuine and written in high respect and hope on the man  who has taken charge of the uplifting of the Indian community. 

“But it is very clear that he did not live up to the letter.

“It is good that the letter was made public as it is clear that after 22 years, he has failed the Indian community. “The claims of STG2,000 became an answer to the questions raised regarding the bad state of the Indian community. “As far as I am concerned, questions raised regarding the present situation of the Indian community have yet to be answered and fulfilled,” Kayveas said yesterday.

MIC released the letter on Monday as proof that Kayveas had benefited from monetary assistance from the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) despite the PPP leader accusing MIC of lacking commitment in helping the Indian community. When contacted, Samy Vellu declined to comment further on the matter.

Amid the raging war of words between the two party leaders, Samy Vellu received a show of support from an unexpected source – the leader of an opposition party, no less. DAP chairman Karpal Singh voiced out his displeasure over Kayveas’ behaviour and even went so far as to call for him to step down as member of parliament for Taiping. “Kayveas is steadily becoming an embarrassment, not only to his voters in the Taiping parliamentary constituency, but the country as a whole. “Politicians should think before they speak, and not the reverse,” he said in a statement yesterday. Karpal said the government should upgrade Tamil schools, giving Indians their fair share of seats in universities and colleges in the country, and do away with discrimination against Indians in public service. “The government should strive for meritocracy which should be the acid test for public service and enrolment in universities and colleges,” he added.

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Tamil schools with few pupils to be relocated

October 1st, 2007
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Its hard to evaluate. if MIC managed to do this now, then we can say that its due to the pressure and exposure of events like HINDRAF protests, SMS circulation, Kavyeas comment, etc. If MIC don't do anything, we say they are useless.

anyway, the keyword is "has agreed, in principle,". Everything in principle only. reality can be totally opposite.

On the other hand, in spite of calls for closure of Tamil schools, we have 52% of indians children enrolled in them! It means that one out of every two children aged between 7 and 12 you meet will be a tamil school student.

Tamil schools with few pupils to be relocated

source

KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has agreed, in principle, to allow for the relocation of Tamil schools, especially those from estates to “Indian-majority” urban housing schemes in the urban areas. MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who disclosed this, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had given the green light following a request from the party.  

The relocation would involve Tamil schools with few pupils, especially in estates where the numbers were between five and 15 , he told reporters after chairing the Tamil School Action Committee meeting here. Samy Vellu, who is the Works Minister, assured that no Tamil school would be closed down “even if they face a student shortage”. He said there were now 12 such Tamil schools; five in Perak, Johor (three) Negri Sembilan (two) and one each in Selangor and Pahang.  

Samy Vellu said schools with a higher enrolment, such as the Kulim Tamil School which had about 1,000 students, would be divided into two and located side by side.  

He said 52% of Indian pupils were studying in Tamil schools.  “There are more than 105,000 Indian pupils studying in 523 Tamil schools nationwide,” Samy Vellu added.

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Malaysian Maha Sinnathamby honored with doctorate by USQ

September 19th, 2007
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Australian university honours Malaysian tycoon

BERNAMA

MELBOURNE, Wed.:

Malaysian-born Maha Sinnathamy, creator of the A$12 billion Greater Springfield residential development near Brisbane, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). 

Multi-millionaire Sinnathamby, who has a deep commitment to education, was instrumental in attracting the Toowoomba-based USQ to establish a campus in Springfield last year, now home to many students from Asia.

He was conferred the doctorate by the university’s chancellor, Bobbie Brazil, to the delight of his family, corporate colleagues and academic staff. Greater Springfield, Australia’s first privately-built city, 28km south-west of Brisbane, has won international acclaim for its uniqueness. Sinnathamby, a product of Seremban’s St Paul’s Institution, who grew up in Negri Sembilan, said: “I’m extremely proud of this honour because I have a lifelong passion for education.”

The university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Bill Lovegrove, said the conferral of the doctorate on Sinnathamby was in recognition of his distinguished service to the Springfield community and to USQ, while also acknowledging his strong advocacy of the ideals of the university. Apart from his business acumen, Maha possessed some unique personal characteristics, Prof Lovegrove said. “Among them are his broad vision, an entrepreneurial spirit, a tenacious nature, a willingness to take risks and think outside of the square, a community focus and commitment in the face of adversity. “These ideals align closely with those of USQ and help to explain the close ties that have formed between the university and Maha,” he said.

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