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Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email The controversial Deepavali celebrations at Ipoh Little India was launched on Friday by Lim Kit Siang. At the same time, a nationwide campaign calling for the ban on the Hindraf movement to be lifted.
Lim Kit
Siang urged traders and patrons of
Little India to mark this year’s Deepavali celebrations with a
unified voice condemning the ban.
But there’s no mention on who organised the campaign. DAP? Pakatan Rakyat? Perak state?
| Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email How much does one spend for Deepavali? Clothes, prayer items, raw material for food/cookies, decorations, firecrackers (legal ones), house cleaning/painting (once every few years?), travelling back to home town, angpow for kids, etc. How much would it cost? RM500? RM1000? RM2000? RM5000? As for me, Deepavali has always been a low-key affair. So, most expenses will originate from Then.
Looking at the article from the NST, one “in-fashion” punjabi suit going for RM200, imagine if you have to buy 2 or 3 for your siblings, girlfriend, wife etc. I guess clothing is the single biggest cost for Deepavali
I was in Klang twice in October (and I think another 2 trips are in order if going by Then’s calculation). The crowd was less. I went on first day of Raya evening and also last Saturday night. Maybe the crowd is waiting for the last few days for better bargains.
The looming financial crisis has not dampened the spirit to shop for sarees and salwar kameez this Deepavali.
While saree shop owners admit that the Deepavali crowd in the Brickfields and Masjid India areas is a bit slow this time, they are still confident the cash registers will start ringing soon enough.Women were still coming in for the latest Anarkali salwar kameez made popular by actress Aishwariya Rai, said Jothika Collections owner Thilagavathi Supramaniam.
“The Anarkali suit is the in-thing this Deepavali,” she said.
“Even though it is pegged at RM200 and more per suit, there is no shortage of buyers,” she said, adding that they were largely popular among the young crowd.
The Anarkali, designed with an empire line, boasts a traditional Moghul-style that has been revived with a contemporary look made popular via Bollywood and comes in classic colour combos — green with red and pink with grey.
The dinner saree is also a best-seller. Those who can afford to buy such premium products were not really affected by the dampened economy, said Thilagavathi.
“Sales for the lower range of sarees and salwar kameez are slightly down, but we have a steady stream of customers for our exclusive sarees like the dupion silk, brasso, traditional silk and sequined chiffon laser ones which come in vibrant colours.”
The prices for these sarees, range from RM120 to RM900 each.
“When Deepavali comes around, everyone wants to own at least one new outfit.”
So, the community is still spending money while the economy is in turmoil. Yeah, its once a year affair, so I rather not complain much. We hope that there’s enough left to cover for next few months.
So, how to be more prudent this Deepavali? Less clothes? Less food? Less travelling? Smaller open house?
| Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email After a war of words between the has-been and the current boss, Ipoh’s Little India is all set to be bathed in lights today. I guess the traders and community are relieved that their rice bowl and entertainment is not affected. As I mentioned many times, people are less bothered with who does it anymore. MIC, PKR, DAP, PAS, Gerakan – doesn’t matter. There’s no more loyalty to parties. Last time MIC used to organise the Deepavali bazaar (naturally because they were part of the ruling government). Now its Pakatan’s turn. According to the Star, the rental are lower this year, and the same traders are still given chance to take up the trading lots. Part of the money collected from the stalls rental will be given as aid to Sathia Devi, and the balance to build and arch in Little India.
The Deepavali bazaar and celebrations at Little India will begin early with trading starting today and cultural shows on Thursday.
Perak executive councillor A. Sivanesan said 86 stalls had been set up for the celebrations. Local artistes will be performing daily from 7.30pm to 11.30pm in the cultural nights until the last day of the bazaar on Oct 25.
Sivanesan said Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang would launch the Deepavali celebrations at Little India.
A committee, consisting of state government officers and members of non-governmental organisations and traders’ associations, had decided to rent out the stalls to the same operators who took part in last year’s celebrations.
The stalls would be let out to traders once they have paid a fee of between RM200 and RM450. The fee is based on the location and size of the stall. Last year, the stalls were rented out for between RM500 and RM1,000.
Sivanesan, who visited Little India yesterday, said the committee estimated the stalls would yield a collection of some RM25,000. Part of the proceeds collected would be donated to the family of student S. Sathiah Devi, 23, whose mother and the family’s sole breadwinner died recently in Sitiawan, he added. “The balance will be used to build an arch in Little India,” Sivanesan said, adding that there had been requests from the people for an arch.
If anyone can take some pictures of the bazaar, please share!
| Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email I don’t know what to say. Maybe have to bang my head on the wall!!! Small town like Ipoh also getting bad name no thanks to politicians.
The city’s Little India is shaping out to be a battle scene for two political parties fighting for the right to hold their own grand Deepavali celebration.
Perak executive councillor A. Sivanesan from Pakatan Rakyat is crossing swords with an equally determined Perak MIC chairman Datuk G. Rajoo over the matter.
Sivanesan said the state government rejected Rajoo’s application yesterday to hold the celebration in Little India as the Ipoh Barat MIC had been organising the event over many years “to make profits.” Rajoo is Ipoh Barat chairman.
He added that Pakatan planned to organise the annual event this time with the backing and participation of local hawkers, businessmen and organisations.
“We have received complaints from traders that, in the past, Ipoh Barat MIC never involved the public when organising the celebration.
“This time the community will decide with Pakatan on how the celebration should be done,” he told reporters at the state secretariat yesterday.
Sivanesan, who is also state Health, Environment and Human Resources Committee chairman, accused the MIC of making profit from the festival through sales of trading lots.
“But we (Pakatan) are not doing it to make money. As a veteran politician, Rajoo should understand that the final decision is in the hands of the state executive council,” he said.
A defiant Rajoo, however, said Ipoh Barat MIC would carry on with its preparations for the Deepavali celebration, which they had been doing for the past 16 years, as they were doing it legally.
He said they had received approval in May from the Ipoh City Council for the week-long celebration.
“We paid RM2,770 for the lots and we were issued an official receipt. We’ve even received payment for 83 stalls,” he said, adding that the state government was being unfair and that Sivanesan should not have meddled as the council was an independent body.
Rajoo also denied that MIC made a profit from the event, adding that the party had even subsidised the traders.
issues:
1. profit. MIC says no profit but actually gives subsidy. state says MIC makes profit.
– very easy. MIC can expose how much it charges per lot. By right, they paid RM2770 (total or per day?) to Ipoh city council, and created 83 lots. That means a lot is only RM876.75. So, if the charge is extra RM50 for electricity, water, and miscellaneous expenses, still OK. Of course, they have to show last year’s records as well. Then we can know who is lying.
2. public. state plans to involve community and alleges MIC never did so.
– This is publicity stunt. Obviously Pakatan will get feedback from all quarters, especially the business community and perhaps many “new” Pakatan supporters will try their luck. The community was with MIC previously so can get something, now the community sway towards Pakatan…also hoping to get something.
3. legality. MIC already have approval from city council, but state government rejected it.
– This is critical issue. Is this interference by state government? Who has the legality to approve or reject the application? Can MIC sue the council?
| Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Finally, PM Badawi tells his version of the HINDRAF Raya open house visit. He was gracious enough to allow them in as he thought they wanted to wish him and the other ministers but was disappointed that their intention was not so. He said the group did not wish him “Selamat Hari Raya” except for one person. The others told him to release HINDRAF ISA detainees and repeal the ISA. According to the Star:
Relating the incident to reporters, he said the police and security personnel who initially denied the Hindraf group access, sought clearance from him.
“I discussed it with (Deputy Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the other ministers. In that spirit I told the security team to allow them in.
“They came in and there was a lot of noise, I don’t know why,” said Abdullah, who was at the time welcoming visitors to the open house with his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, Najib and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
“I heard very clearly ‘Hapuskan ISA, Lepaskan Hindraf’ (Repeal the ISA, Release the Hindraf detainees),” he said, adding that he did not know if another group of 70 people who arrived later had wished anyone as he had left for prayers by then.
Earlier, the Star published this version online (extracts only):
Abdullah said the police and security personnel, who had initially denied the Hindraf group access, sought clearance from him.
“I discussed it with (his deputy) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the other ministers. My view was that they wanted to come to the open house, which is open to all and we do not stop any group from coming to wish us and join other guests. “We even welcomed non-Malaysians who came in huge numbers. In that spirit I told the security people to ask them to come in. But they came in and there was a lot of noise, I don’t know why,” Abdullah said on Monday.
Abdullah said those around him pointed out that none of the Hindraf supporters had wished him Selamat Hari Raya.
“The rest I heard very clearly – ‘Hapuskan ISA, Lepaskan Hindraf; Hapuskan ISA, Lepaskan Hindraf’ (Repeal the ISA, Release the Hindraf detainees). That was all they wanted to say to me. They did not have the spirit of Hari Raya, to enjoy and join in the celebration,” he added.
“But this one has created a lot of unhappiness to many people,” he said, adding he was told that when he went for prayers in between, another group of about 70 people were there.
“I was not present, if they were some among the 70 who wished Selamat Hari Raya, I wouldn’t know. But when I was there and this happened, nobody was interested to wish Selamat Hari Raya.
“Some of them even skipped my ministers. Even Datuk Seri Najib, some of them skipped also,” he said.
To a question he said no action was being planned against the group.
The NST quoted him as being disappointed with the HINDRAF members:
The prime minister said except for one Hindraf member, none of them conveyed Hari Raya wishes to him or his cabinet colleagues.
“No Raya wishes at all. Instead, they were saying things like ‘Hapuskan ISA (abolish ISA)’ and ‘Lepaskan Hindraf (release Hindraf detainees)’. I was very disappointed.”
Abdullah said he had given clearance for the group to enter the hall at the Putra World Trade Centre in the spirit of Aidilfitri.
“Our open house is for everyone and we do not stop anyone from attending.”
He said except for the morning prayers, the festivities had become a national celebration.
“We have thousands of guests and usually there are no problems. But this one has created a lot of unhappiness.”
While yesterday online version quotes from NST:
“Only one of them said ’Selamat Hari Raya’ (greetings) to me. The rest said ’Abolish ISA’ (Internal Security Act) and ’Free the Hindraf Leaders’,” he said.
“It was I who allowed them to attend, in the spirit of Hari Raya,” he said.
The prime minister said he believed that the open house was for everyone and that no one should be prohibited from attending it.
“Why should I prevent any Malaysian group from coming to the open house. Even non-Malaysians came in huge numbers,” he said.
more quotes from Malaysiakini:
“I feel disappointed, actually,” he told a press conference after chairing a meeting with members of the International Advisory Panel to the Malaysia Biotechnology Corporation at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
“We don’t prevent any group from coming to our open house, to wish Selamat Hari Raya, and to mix with other guests. This is the spirit of Hari Raya,” he said.
“Why should I prevent Malaysians from coming to our open house? It’s open for everybody, even tourists and non-Malaysians who came in big numbers.”
However, he said the activists’ entry into the hall where the main reception was held was accompanied by “a lot of noise”, due in part to their sloganeering over the Internal Security Act (ISA) and demands for the release of their leaders currently being detained.
“What I was told by someone who was observing … behind me, was ‘Pak Lah, did you realise that only one of them said Selamat Hari Raya to you?’,” said Abdullah, adding that they had failed to shake hands even with other cabinet ministers.
“The rest (of their words), which I heard very clearly, was, ‘Abolish the ISA! Free the Hindraf! Abolish the ISA! Free the Hindraf!’ That’s all they wanted to tell me. This is not the spirit of Hari Raya, where you wish (Selamat) Hari Raya, are happy and have fun and socialise.”
Abdullah said the Hindraf crowd created “a lot of unhappiness to a lot of people who were around”.
He said, however, that “there is no report (to warrant) severe action” against the activists for their conduct.
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