Posts Tagged ‘Education’

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MP Parit Sulong says destroy statues and destroy crosses in missionary schools

November 27th, 2007
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i can already see the apology coming soon, the standard "my constituency have many chisrtians (other options are women, indians, disabled people). I have them to build/repair/obtain something. I have donated RMxxx as donation for the school/hall/temple/building. Please understand, I'm not a racist or against religion. If i had accidentally said things that may have heard the rakyat, i apologise". kes tutup.

taken from http://www.parlimen.gov.my/hindex/pdf/DR-29102007.pdf – mukasurat 143-144.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong] : …..Tuan Yang di-Pertua, saya ingin menyentuh satu perkara tentang Kementerian Pelajaran iaitu sekolah-sekolah mubaligh seperti Convent, La Salle, Methodist dan sebagainya. Saya difahamkan Lembaga Pengarah di sekolah-sekolah ini sebahagiannya ditadbir dari gereja-gereja di luar negara seperti di Vatican City. Saya juga difahamkan permohonan untuk membina surau
di sebahagian sekolah-sekolah ini terpaksa mendapat kebenaran daripada Lembaga Pengarah yang mana Lembaga Pengarah ini sebahagiannya ditadbir oleh gereja. Jadi amat memalukanlah, bagi diri saya, tentang pentadbiran sekolah-sekolah ini yang masih lagi dikawal oleh pihak gereja. Begitu juga saya difahamkan tentang iklim sekolah-sekolah tersebut, banyak ibu bapa Islam menghantar anak-anak mereka ke sana, mereka kompelin sebab ada kalanya sekolah dimulakan dengan lagu-lagu gereja. Ini saya tidak tahu benar atau tidak, tetapi ia apa yang saya dapat daripada ibu bapa sendiri tetapi yang jelas di sekolahsekolah
ini terpampang simbol-simbol agama. Saya rasa kecewa di dalam negara Islam, Malaysia ini, kalau saya pergi ke sekolah convent, ada terpampang patung St. Mary di depan depan sekolah convent…

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading] : [Bangun]

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Silakan Yang Berhormat bagi Sri Gading.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Ya, Yang Berhormat bagi Sri Gading.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: Bagi saya sudah tidak terkejut, Yang Berhormat bagi Parit Sulong, cerita ini… [Disampuk] Bukan soal biasa. Soalnya kenapa boleh berlaku seperti ini? Satu. Hari Raya yang lepas, saya diberitahu oleh seorang bapa, waktu Aidilfitri disambut, sekolah jenis-jenis ini tidak ditutup. Terima kasih.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Bukan sahaja patung, tetapi Ahli-ahli Yang Berhormat pergilah, tengoklah salib Kristian diletakkan di depan-depan sekolah. Saya tidak faham Kementerian Pelajaran, adakah pegawai-pegawai tidak nampak atau memang dasar kita membenarkan perkara ini. Walau bagaimanapun, saya sebagai orang yang bertanggungjawab kepada diri saya, agama, bangsa dan tanah air ini, saya menyatakan pendirian saya bahawa patung-patung ini hendaklah dirobohkan, salib-salib ini hendaklah dimusnahkan dan pengaruhpengaruh gereja di sekolah-sekolah ini hendaklah dihentikan.
Begitu juga dana yang dikumpulkan di sekolah-sekolah ini. Adakah kita mendapat laporan? Kalau boleh kementerian mendedahkan dana sekolah-sekolah ini. Saya difahamkan ada sekolah-sekolah ini juga ditaja oleh pihak-pihak gereja. Dana-dananya datang daripada gereja-gereja dan adakah pihak kementerian pantau sumber-sumbernya? Adakah audit-audit dilaksanakan?

and i received this from a forwarded email:

Below is the translation of the hansard at the Third Meeting of The Fourth Session of Eleventh Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) on Monday, 29 October 2007 as seen at http://www.parlimen.gov.my/hindex/pdf/DR-29102007.pdf – pages 143-144.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Yang Di-Pertua, I would like to touch on a matter regarding the Ministry of Education, which are Christian missionary schools like Convent, La Salle, Methodist, and so forth. I was made to understand that the Board of Directors at these schools are partially administered by churches in foreign countries, for example in the Vatican City. I was also made to understand that the application to build a 'surau' in some of these schools had to go through the approval of these Board of Directors whereby they are partially administered by the church. Therefore, it shames me that the school administrations are still controlled by the church. I was also made to understand that many Muslim parents send their kids to these schools, and that they have complained that sometimes, the school is started with church songs. I do not know if this is true, but what I discovered from these parents are the display of religious symbols. I feel disappointed that in an Islamic country, Malaysia, if I go to a convent school, the statue of St. Mary is displayed in the front of the school.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: [Stands up]

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Please proceed, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Yes, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: I am not shocked at all, Yang Berhormat for Parit Sulong. It's not just a simple question. The question is, why has this happened? One. During the last Hari Raya, I was told by a father, when Aidilfitri was celebrated, these types of schools were not closed. Thank you.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Not only statues, but fellow Yang Berhormat, go and see for yourselves, Christian crosses are displayed in front of schools. I do not understand the Ministry of Education, did the officers not see that, or is it our policy to allow such a thing? Nevertheless, I, as a responsible person to my religion, race, and country, I state my views that these statues need to be demolished, these crosses need to be destroyed and church influences in these schools need to be stopped. Also, the funds that are collected at these schools. Do we have a report? If possible, the ministry should reveal the funds for these schools. I was made to understand that these schools are also sponsored by the church.

Translation taken from:
http://www.darnmalaysia.com/2007/11/23/morons-of-parliament-demolish-christian-statues-destroy-the-crosses/

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I will hand over says samy

November 27th, 2007
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Samy Vellu unperturbed by Hindraf protest

source


KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 27, 2007): MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu today dismissed his community's biggest anti-government protest as an opposition ploy and denied he was out of touch with the increasingly agitated Indians.

Sunday (Nov 25)'s Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) rally by more than 10,000 people, who defied water cannon and tear gas to protest racial discrimination, could pose a headache for the government ahead of early polls as Indians are traditionally seen as a vote-bank for the ruling coalition.

In an interview with Reuters, Samy, the combative head of the main ethnic Indian party and Malaysia's longest-serving minister, branded protesters as "trouble makers" and said he was not losing sleep over the bloody demonstration.

"We have fought worst battles than this during elections," the ebullient 71-year-old leader said.

"We don't worry about this. We are confident of winning the next elections handsomely," said Samy, the Works Minister and an architect by training.

"They (the protesters) are fighting to create problems. They are trouble makers," said Samy, dressed in a smart black suit and red tie, as he attended to a handful of Indians in his ministry. His luxurious Mercedes Benz was parked on the driveway.

He has been leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and a cabinet minister since 1979. MIC is a junior partner in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling coalition, which is set to call general elections in the next few months.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition dominates the 219-seat parliament with 199 seats.

His friends regard Samy as the "champion of Indians" but foes say he stands in the way of solving the many socio-economic problems facing Malaysia's 1.8 million Indians.

The community, which forms just 7% of Malaysia's 26 million people, is in a parlous state, said a Hindu rights group which called the protest.

It said Indians lacked educational and business opportunities, adding that a government affirmative action policy in favour of majority Malays had marginalised them.

The Indians have always struggled to air their grouses openly. The community's economic clout is a scant 1.5% of national wealth and that too is in the hands of a few top businessmen.

UNFINISHED JOB

Many blame the MIC and Samy, known to some for his authoritarian style, for not quickly solving their woes.

And Sunday's protest, which attracted Indian doctors, lawyers and other professionals as well, could be an eye-opener to the BN, politicians said.

A senior leader of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the bulwark of the 14-party BN coalition, said BN should study the Indian grievances and try to overcome them.

"We have to look at the real issues, what is causing this unhappiness and I think BN has to pay attention to it," he said. Samy took the criticism in his stride.

"To me, I can throw the records on the floor on what I have done. I am not a man on the streets. I am a man on the job. There's always unfinished business." But he gave no hint when he would step down.

"I have been around for 29 years. At an appropriate time I will hand over." – Reuters

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Why I walked on Nov 25 by Geetha K 27/11

November 27th, 2007
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Why I walked on Nov 25
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/75320
Geetha K
Nov 27, 07 12:31pm
Before the break of dawn on Sunday, I received a SMS informing me that thousands of Indians had gathered at the Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur and truckloads of Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel were also there. My blood chilled.

Debates on why I would walk and why I wouldn’t be walking became irrelevant. It was why I HAD to walk.

Around 8am, by the time I had arrived at the heart of all the excitement, scores of Indian men drenched by the water cannons were heading away from Jalan Ampang. It appeared that the authorities had started their peacekeeping duties very early.

People whizzed along on motorcycles, the police presence was overwhelming and the anxious protestors were mostly upbeat.

As I walked along Jalan Kia Peng, I experienced, for the first time, the stinging sensation of tear gas. Prior to this, little did I realise how painful and nauseating it would be. And this was not even a fresh blast. It made me wonder how I would handle being in the thick of things-if that were to happen.

And It happened, not too far away.

The lethal cocktails were fired liberally as people scurried about to escape the choking fumes. Between tears and dribbling saliva, I continued my march through the city’s business heartland.

Like all species subjected to constant persecution, the protesters too soon became immune to the warnings, threats and chemical attacks. They kept their resistance and played the game to the end. There was the Queen’s figurehead on one banner and numerous posters of Mahatma Gandhi – I couldn’t help smiling as I thought of how some of my more posh friends, Indians included, who would sneer at such imbecilic measures.

Leaderless, but not clueless

But back to the Great Indian March! The crowds were obviously leaderless but clueless they were not.

Eavesdropping on sporadic bits of random conversations was the best way to get into the pulse of this long suffering race. Something neither Nat Tan or Haris Ibrahim could have achieved, I assumed. But something both would have been proud to be part of.

When Haris did make an appearance (as a Bar Council observer, not a participant mind you), he was treated like some sort of a hero – going by the way a small crowd thronged towards him and his mates.

The clear embarrassment on the lawyer’s face was evidence of how desperate the crowd was.

I was gratified to learn that the protest was not about the money, the queen or even the world learning about their plight. It was simply an act of breaking the shackles, which was something the average Malaysian who had never experienced life as a marginalised, ignored, economically, educationally and socially deprived Indian, could understand.

Against the backdrop of the gleaming, iconic twin towers, thousands of Indians had gathered, a sight never witnessed by our nation’s capital before. The few women present were mostly middle-aged, dressed not in the least like the swanky Klites.

It was quite painful to stand there and watch these women being hauled up and pushed into police trucks, with a look of fear etched on their faces – not unlike stray dogs rounded-up by local council officers.

If this was the treatment meted out in public imagine what they must have faced back in the police stations.

Police and thief

Rows and rows of FRU personnel, plainclothes police officers, fire engines, dog units, red cross teams, low flying helicopters and thousands of defiant, I must say resilient, protesters played cat and mouse for a good six hours.

Some protestors even resorted to flinging the tear gas canisters back to where they came from, much to the shock of those who had fired them. This brought back childhood memories of playing police and thief, but this time around, it was not clear as to who were the good guys and bad guys.

At about 1.30pm, the march drew to an end with the appearance of P Uthayakumar who delivered a short, but stinging speech, declaring victory for the poor.

The poor, who he said have had their places of worship destroyed by the dozens, whose economic share had dwindled, whose number of vernacular schools had dropped, whose enrollment in institutes of higher learning had reduced and whose participation in the civil service had nosedived.

Now which other race in Malaysia could say the same? I would love to hear the PM’s answer on this, especially after his utterly lame response of ‘there are poor people amongst all races…”.

True, but which other race faces this much of marginalisation and discrimination?
Even more galling is the PM’s pledge to continue working with the MIC .

Are you Mister Prime Minister too stung and blinded by the overwhelming use of tear gas by your loyal faithfuls?

But really, why did I walk on Sunday? To compare events as they happened and as reported by the mainstream Malaysian media was one agenda of course.

I also did not want to be filled with questions and doubts when reading postings on the electronic media, which many members of our ruling elite accuse of being ‘full of lies’.

Nevertheless, the reason closest to my heart was simply to be there in flesh and spirit for my fellow Malaysians.

GEETHA K is a Kuala Lumpur-based freelance writer.

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comments by MHS, Hindu Dharma Mandram and YSS

November 27th, 2007
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Rally not our way, say groups

By : K. Harinderan

KUALA LUMPUR: Sunday's demonstration by Indians has set them back and trivialised all their hard work in the past, a senior official of a Hindu organisation said yesterday. 

"Street protests are not our way," said R. Gopal, vice-president of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, Federal Territory. "Indians in this country are basically law-abiding and would not resort to violence to solve problems." He said the demonstration organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) was disappointing as "we have lived together and enjoyed peace in Malaysia".

His sentiments were echoed by a spokesman for The Malaysian Hindu Dharma Mandaram, a religious organisation, that said Indians should not resort to street protests to resolve issues as these would lead to violence. 

They could take their grouses to the prime minister through the proper channels, he added.

The executive director of Yayasan Strategik Sosial, Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, suggested the formation of a parliamentary select committee comprising multi-racial leaders to address grievances such as education, housing and freedom of worship. He said dissatisfaction had led Indians to take to the streets. Jayasooria said the government should address the root cause and why the group claims to be marginalised. "Although there are efforts by the government to eradicate poverty and to address these issues, many of its policies are not made known," he said. "This can be seen as sidelining or the mishandling of grievances, which has led the group to react in such a manner. In my view, claims made by Hindraf were merely a catalyst to the stand they took on Sunday."

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Devamany clarifies and Nazri asks him to quit MIC

November 27th, 2007
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MIC MP: Rally reflects govt's failure
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75313
Yoges Palaniappan
Nov 26, 07 6:59pm
A Barisan Nasional MP departed from the norm today when he said the rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) reflected the Indian community’s disgruntlement towards certain government policies.

K Devamany (MIC-Cameron Highlands) added that the rally proved the failure of government policies which do not benefit the Indians.

The ruling politician made the remark after interjecting Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) who argued that the rally was a cry of desperation from the Indians.

"Some 50,000 people took to the streets yesterday. It shows the government's failure and it needs to be looked into carefully," said Devamany.

The MIC MP stressed this point again during a different question which saw Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum providing statistics on the number of Indians in the military, police and other security forces.

Johari said there are 3, 292 Indians in the police force, which makes 3.5 percent of the 94,729 police personnel in the country.

"We have also advertised in the media like newspapers, radio and television stations to increase the percentage," he added.

High hopes, limited avenues

Dissatisfied with the explanation, Devamany said even though the government promised many things to the Indians under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the community's reaction through the rally demonstrated its frustration.

"Youths from the lower and middle class participated in the rally. This goes to show that they are given high hopes but limited avenues to achieve.

"What are the actions taken by the government to prove that it is serious in eliminating poverty in the Indian community?" he asked.

At that point, Lim stood up and told Devamany not to be a hypocrite by practising double standards.

He was referring to Devamany's interview with satellite station Al-Jazeera yesterday, in which he condemned the rally.

Met at the Parliament lobby later, Devamany claimed that he was ‘set up’ by Al Jazeera which deliberately cut him off halfway during the interview.

"Al Jazeera did not allow me to finish my interview. I was initially told that the crowd was unruly and violent. So I gave my opinion that violence must not be condoned.

However, I wanted to add that if the crowd came in peace, the police must be cautious in exercising force," he explained.

Devamany also stressed that the government must give priority to underprivileged Indians.

"More opportunities must be given in the civil service, education and SME in terms of training and funding," he said, adding that the rally was a "voice from below" which must not be brushed aside.

"It is high time that the government give consideration to the grievances of the Indians," he said.

Resign from MIC

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, commenting on Devamany's response in the Dewan Rakyat, questioned where the latter got the fact that 50,000 people participated in the rally.

"Has he been demonstrating with the others to know that there were 50,000 people there?" he asked, adding that parliamentary debates must be based on facts.

"If he says that the government has failed, what does he stand for in MIC?" he asked.

He said if Devamany feels that the government has failed, the only honourable way is for him to resign from MIC.

"I believe the MIC is 100 percent behind the government," he added.

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