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Insurance for the poor registered under eKasih

May 26th, 2011
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This is a good idea since it provides a safety net in case the head of the household dies. As its well documented that those in the low income background and underserved communities are more susceptible to illness, poverty, occupational hazard, and social ills, which can  lead to death, this insyurance scheme is well placed to provide temporary reprieve to the family who may have lost their sole breadwinner.

Only thing is the the amount is a bit low (RM10k to RM20k). I think it should be raised to RM30k  – RM50k, which of course will involve more cost for the government. Maybe can do it in stages. The RM10k sometimes is used up to settle debts and other expenses, and not to plan for future.

 

 

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil yesterday presented compen­sation money amounting to RM295,000 to 19 low-income families in Selangor whose heads of household had died.

She said insurance protection was among the initiatives under the National Key Results Area (NKRA) to give financial aid to low-income families when the heads of household were deceased.

The Government began providing life insurance protection against death or permanent disability to low-income families early this year.

“The insurance protection is given to heads of households, their spouses and their children under three schemes: life insurance, accident insurance and death khairat (benefits),” she said yesterday.

“All heads of households registered with the e-Kasih system under the Prime Minister’s Department up to January this year are eligible for protection under the schemes.”

She said the Government had allocated RM12mil to pay the annual insurance premiums to Allianz General Insurance Company (M) Bhd for 100,000 families nationwide.

“Allianz has paid compensation amounting to RM3mil following the death of about 200 heads of households,” she said.

Shahrizat said that in cases of death, the next of kin would get compensation of RM10,000 but if the head of a household sustained a permanent disability, he would get RM20,000, his spouse RM10,000 and his children RM5,000. — Bernama

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/26/nation/8760620&sec=nation

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ADUN Manoharan to sue Education Ministry over partially aided status of vernacular schools

May 24th, 2011
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Not sure why he wants to sue on behalf of Selangor schools only. Perhaps because he’s ADUN in Selangor. But if its applicable for one state, then can extend to others as well. Should get few ADUNs from other states to join in as well.

Obviously there are some guidelines on establishing the status of the school. The land on which the school stands on primarily is the main issue.  If any part of a schools is privately-owned, then it can’t be fully aided.  Probably the ADUN should look to change the guidelines or ensure the landowner donates the land to government.

 

Kota Alam Shah state assemblyperson M Manoharan has threatened to sue the Education Ministry for failing to recognise all vernacular schools in Selangor as fully-aided public schools. 

A notice of proceedings was issued to Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today, urging the ministry to fulfil Manoharan’s demands in 21 days, or else be slapped with the suit. 

According to the notice, there are a total of 108 national-type Chinese schools (SJKC) and 97 national-type Tamil schools (SJKT) in the state. 

“Regretfully, only 55 SJKC and 30 SJKT are categorised as fully-aided schools while 53 SJKC and 67 SJKT are categorised as partially-aided schools,” read the notice. 

Manoharan (right) argued that all schools should be treated fairly, in line with the federal constitution, to ensure racial harmony. But now, numerous schools in Malaysia’s most developed state are in deplorable conditions. 

Contacted for details, Manoharan cited the widely reported case of SJK (C) Chung Hua in Klang, which reportedly cannot even afford to pay its water and electricity bills.

“Students can’t even get decent food from the canteen because the operator cannot store food in the fridge because electricity is turned off at night. 

“This is because it is a partially-aided school. The government only pays the teachers’ salaries and nothing else,” he said. 

PE classes in carpark

He also cited the case of SJK (T) Batu 4 in Kampung Jawa where, despite having a student population of 900, there are no laboratories or library because all available space is used for classrooms. 

“There is also no field. Physical education classes takes place in the car park. Teachers, too, are affected. There are 55 of them, but only one toilet,” he said. 

He said that the situation distressed students, parents and teachers in partially-aided schools throughout the state. 

“Children must love to go to school. This is difficult for those in partially-aided schools, particularly Tamil schools. They are typically badly equipped and are as hot as boiler rooms, without proper facilities,” he said. 

Manoharan adds that he had taken up the issue because he had visited several badly affected schools in the state and is very distressed about the situation. 

“I feel it is a form of cleansing, a move to finish off vernacular schools. What is so difficult for the government to pay to upkeep the condition of schools? 

“They spend millions lighting up certain places, millions on water splashing all over the place. Why can’t they afford money for education?” he asked.

 

source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164491

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Posted in BornInMalaysia, Tamil-Schools

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7As UPSR result in SRJKT Ladang Escot after 64 years

May 16th, 2011
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With today being Teachers Day, I wonder how a school’s condition affects teachers as well. Just take example of SRJKT Ladang Escot which ran on diesel generator and water from mountain area until last year. Thanks to the by-election in Hulu Selangor, they managed to see some good things happening at the school. Of course, one can ask, what was being done after all the previous elections….

There are many more schools in dire conditions, in rural areas, in towns. Hope these basic problems can be fixed.

 

TWO students of SRJK(T) Ladang Escot made their school proud when they scored straight As in the UPSR examinations last year, a breakthrough for the 65-year-old school.

Parents and teachers of the Tamil primary school firmly believe that a more conducive school environment has helped pupils in their studies.

Headmistress P. Murugayee said the school’s overall passing rate for the examinations for Year Six pupils also improved significantly from about 40% in the previous years to 50% last year.

The school set up in 1946, has been without electricity supply for a long time. It finally received electricity and clean water supply during the Hulu Selangor by-election in April last year.

The school, which has 60 pupils currently, was running on a generator with the diesel supplied by the parent-teacher association (PTA) and raw water channelled from the nearby mountain water.

All smiles: Students studying in a more comfortable classroom, which is equipped with fan, lights and projector.

“We are pleased to see this improvement, it is our best achievement so far.

“The children can learn in brighter and cooler classrooms without the noise from the generator,” she said.

Since having electricity and water supply, Murugayee said the school managed to have longer classes and more activities involving parents and pupils.

“Many pupils come from poor families with little awareness about the importance of education and we have organised a few motivation and education awareness sessions in school,” she said.

She added that with donations from the private sector and allocation from the Education Ministry, the school was able to conduct some renovations in 2009 when a proper canteen was built and some classrooms extended.

“We also have computers, photocopy machine, projectors and other multimedia facilities now to help motivate the children and allow more activities in the classroom,” she said.

P. Vijaya, 48, a mother of one of the UPSR top scorers and a Year Three pupil, said the school environment was now more conducive to learning.

“It used to be very warm in the classroom and my children always complained to me. Water and electricity supply are important for the school,” she said.

Year Six pupil S. Elvis Anderson said he was glad the school finally had electricity and water supply as their classrooms were more comfortable and they could have many activities in the school now.

Meanwhile, Kuala Kubu Baru assemblyman Wong Koon Mun, who visited the school said education was important for every child and no one should be deprived of a quality education in an encouraging environment.

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/5/16/central/8657133&sec=central

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SJKT Ladang Vallambrosa’s unusable field

May 6th, 2011
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A problem indeed. Need money, but not sure if can get budget. Maybe some company can do a CSR and build the perimeter wall for the field.

I’ve been to the place and the field is quite bad. Plenty of stones around. Not suitable for games.

SJK(T) Ladang Vallambrosa in Kapar has a large field, but it is of no use to the 637 pupils because of its terrible condition.

If trying to avoid rocks and stones was not perilous enough for the primary school pupils, they also have to dodge cow dung and dog poo when they use the field.

One of the reasons why the field is in such bad shape is because it is not fenced up, unlike other parts of the school.

Herds of cattle from a nearby estate wander into the field in the mornings and afternoons to graze, leaving little grass but plenty of manure behind.

The school parent-teacher association (PTA) is appealing for about RM350,0000 in funds from the Government, politicians, organisations and individuals to help improve the facilities.

Their priority is to build a perimeter wall around the 70-year-old school to keep animals and thieves out.

Thieves have cut the fence of the school to steal copper pipes from the air-conditioner compressors as well as wire from the lightning arrester, PTA chairman A. Balasubramaniam said.

“We want another guard house to be built at the back of the school to improve security,” he added.

Balasubramaniam said the school also needed a tarred road to its new building as well as a covered walkway to shelter teachers and students from the rain.

“There is also a need for a proper car park, as teachers now have to leave their cars by the side of the road outside the school,” he said.

source:  http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/2/nation/8591952&sec=nation

 

 

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more non-Malays get aid from NS Welfare Dept

April 28th, 2011
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Hmm…does it mean got lots of poor non-Malays in Negeri Sembilan? BTW, it would have been good to have the breakdown of the allocation and recipients, so that can be more transparent.

Interesting to note that in the span of 7 years, the number of recipients increased 5 fold.

The correct way is to provide without looking at the race or religion. If poor, means poor la. Not poor Malay or poor Indian etc.

I just hope the term hardcore poor, poor and low income is updated. RM450 is not hardcore poor, but worse than that. I think hardcore poor should be upgraded to those household earning RM750 and below while poor should be from RM751 to 1500. Low income should be from Rm1501 to RM3000.

THE number of non-Malays getting financial aid from the Welfare Department in Negri Sembilan is higher than the number of Malays, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said talk that the state government only gave financial aid to needy Malays was not only baseless but is akin to a “hate campaign” against the state leadership.

“There are voices here and there which say that the state government only gave aid to Malays. It is sad that some people are willing to stoop so low and spread lies to discredit the state government,” he said at a meet-the-people session organised by the Rembau MIC at Bandar Seremban Selatan.

Citing an example, Mohamad said when he took over the state leadership in 2004, the number of people receiving monthly aid from the Welfare Department was just above 4,000.

“At the end of December last year, the number of recipients increased to 21,875. The state government spends close to RM5mil a month to give out aid to the needy and non-Malays account for more than half the number,” he said, adding that RM60mil was allocated annually for this purpose.

Mohamad said the number had surged almost five-fold after his government introduced the social security and safety net plan.

“I am proud to say that we do not have hardcore poor in Negri Sembilan today due to our social security and safety policy,” he said.

Under the programme, households with total earnings less than RM450 a month were given aid by the department.

“The people are also given aid by other agencies such as the local councils, Negri Sembilan Foundation as well as by Barisan Nasional assemblymen,” he said adding that the majority of the 1,115 people who received allowances in his constituency were also non-Malays.

Mohamad however, said the Malays also received allowances and aid from the state Islamic Affairs Council and Baitulmal.

The aid is given out from the zakat (tithe) paid by Muslims.

He said any individual, irrespective of race, colour or creed would be given aid as long as he or she was eligible.

“Our agenda is to strengthen unity. Negri Sembilan is a progressive state because we give priority to strengthen unity that has been long built by our forefathers,” he said.

Mohamad said the state received RM5.1bil in investments last year and this showed that foreigners had faith in the country’s system.

In a separate event, Mohamad handed out financial aid amounting to RM40,000 to needy families.

He also presented revision books and monetary rewards to students who did well in their UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM examinations.

Some 4,000 people, including MIC president Senator Datuk G Palanivel, information chief Datuk V.S. Mogan and former vice-presidents Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan and Datuk S. Sothinathan attended the event.

Earlier, Palanivel received forms from some 600 new members to join the MIC.

Palanivel also gave out loans totalling RM60,000 from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia to allow women to venture into business.

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/4/28/central/8557298&sec=central

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