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Improving education tops list of MCA Youth resolutions

August 19th, 2007
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anything we can learn from here? or is it all eyewash only?
 
Improving education tops list of resolutions

source

MALACCA: Science and Mathematics papers for next year’s Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examinations should be in Chinese for Chinese schools, with teachers posted there being fluent in the language.

These were among 12 resolutions passed at the 44th MCA Youth Convention here yesterday.

Some of the other resolutions called for:

• action against teachers who gave tuition to be stopped;
• more places in matriculation to non-Bumiputeras;
• a serious look into the methods of calculating co-curriculum points for STPM students;
• support for moves by the MCA to get more Public Services Department scholarships for Chinese students;
• a proper method of selecting contractors to prevent cases of shoddy workmanship in government offices and buildings with Chinese contractors encouraged to participate in tender exercises, and
• the Internal Security Ministry and the police to be more effective in public safety.

Meanwhile, Wee Meng Chee, the Malaysian undergraduate in Taiwan, whose infamous rendering of the Negaraku thrust him into the limelight, featured prominently in debates at the meeting.

MCA Youth head Datuk Liow Tiong Lai called on Malaysians to allow the attorney-general to study the case.

"We do not want this matter to be used as a racial issue. We want it to be resolved amicably," he said.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who was a guest, agreed that the issue should be resolved amicably

"We in Umno have our opinion while our counterparts in MCA Youth have their opinion. We can sit down and talk it over while allowing the law to take its course."

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MCA Youth Assembly says wave handphone, not sword

August 19th, 2007
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MIC youth probably can copy and paste from MCA youth. no need to waste time.
 
This is what i liked the most : "He said the authorities should do away with labels like ‘Muslims and non-Muslims’, ‘bumiputras and non-bumiputras’ among Malaysians to eradicate racism and advocate the spirit of ‘rakyat Malaysia’. "
 
of course in the end, it is all rhetorics to please the crowd and play to the gallery.
 
 
Stick to the Constitution

MALACCA: The MCA Youth has pledged to defend the sanctity of the Federal Constitution to ensure a united and progressive society that allows the freedom to practise one’s religion. 

Movement chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the spirit of the Constitution must be preserved for a long time for the sake of the future generation and the document must be the reference point. 

“Whenever there is a conflict of opinions about a situation we are not comfortable about, we should refer back to the Constitution,” he said during his speech at the opening of the movement’s annual general assembly. 

Liow said it was not MCA’s culture and certainly not the MCA Youth’s, to wave a sword when making a point. 

“If we wanted to wave something, why not a handphone? A handphone signifies communication and can also be said to promote understanding. We in the MCA Youth rather wave the Federal Constitution,” Liow said as he held out a copy of the document. 

His entire central committee then stood up and waved copies of the country’s supreme law to loud applause from the floor. 

Party deputy president Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy opened the assembly which was held at the Pay Fong Middle school hall here yesterday. 

Liow reminded the delegates not to take lightly the unity which had been enjoyed since independence but instead strive to not only preserve but also to strengthen it. 

“We must appreciate the unity and remind ourselves of the spirit behind our Federal Constitution, which is full of spirit of solidarity, natural justice and goodwill.” 

Quoting Perak Raja Muda Raja Nazrin Shah, Liow said the integrity of that document must be protected at all costs and that many misunderstandings may be avoided if the principles embodied in the Constitution were adhered to strictly. 

“We should not pressure others or to cause tension but instead promote the culture of open-mindedness and always be ready to engage in healthy discourse. 

“In the Barisan family, we are brothers, there is no master and slave, there is no question of who is being scared of whom or who should kowtow to whom,” Liow added to applause. 

He said the authorities should do away with labels like ‘Muslims and non-Muslims’, ‘bumiputras and non-bumiputras’ among Malaysians to eradicate racism and advocate the spirit of ‘rakyat Malaysia’. 

Liow also revealed that the Education Ministry had allocated RM14mil for Chinese primary schools under a four-year adoption programme by MCA Youth. 

He said the move was to upgrade the quality of education in Chinese primary schools to a higher level that was comparable to international standards. 

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Education and Crime to top MCA AGM

August 17th, 2007
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both the Sun and Star focused on MCA’s AGM coming Sunday. Among the hot topics expected are related to education, crime prevention and economic opportunities. In fact, education matters are paramount to them till it takes up more than half of the resolutions proposed.

MCA is also worried about the support from the community since tension rising from antics of UMNO. In the end, MCA suffers since the chinese voters are not like the malays or indian voters who follow blindly. DAP will gain when MCA has a problem. Only option is for BN to field non-chinese candidates to fight DAP in their areas. But that would mean exchange of seats which will not go down well with other components.

THE STAR: Crime among the hot topics at MCA annual general assembly

By LOONG MENG YEE and NG SI HOOI
source
KUALA LUMPUR: Fighting crime will be among the main topics for debate by delegates to the 54th MCA annual general assembly, said party secretary-general Datuk Ong Ka Chuan.

He said the rising crime rate was also likely to be discussed. “People are very concerned about the crime rate in areas such as Johor Baru. We want to come out with crime prevention programmes as well as work with police to combat crime,” he said in an interview.

Ong added that many of the resolutions received from the grassroots touched on public safety. “The community is worried. They are calling for a stronger police presence. There are even suggestions of starting night patrols. “The high presence of foreign workers is also very worrying, especially the ease with which they can gain employment as security guards.”

On Sunday, 2,341 delegates will attend the assembly, which is expected to be opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, at the Dewan San Choon here.

There have been many resolutions submitted on the economic sector calling for equal opportunity to participate in national economic programmes such as the Iskandar Development Region in Johor and Government projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

“Another area of potential for the Chinese community is the modern agriculture sector. This will especially be attractive for rural youth and get them to stay in their home towns.”

THE SUN: Chinese support to dominate MCA debates
source
Giam Say Khoon
PETALING JAYA (Aug 16, 2007): Chinese support for the MCA is expected to dominate the debates at the party’s annual general assembly (AGM) on Sunday.
According to an aide of MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, the party chief will focus on topics relating to the political strength of the Chinese community.

The source said the Chinese community always voted for opposition parties when it wants to disagree or show dissatisfaction to the ruling parties and “current sentiments don’t look good”.

“If the support (of the Chinese community) continues to split half for MCA and another half for the opposition parties, it is very worrying because they may vote emotionally just to disagree with Umno,” the source said.

The source said such sentiments of the community will weaken MCA’s voice in the Barisan Nasional, leaving the opposition to deal with Umno.

“The political relationship between the Chinese and Malays may worsen as Umno will never agree with the opposition. It is time for the Chinese community to think deeply,” the source said.

Selangor MCA organising secretary Lee Wei Kiat said the delegates would want the central leadership to five more attention to fighting crime.

“Increasing crime rates have been worrying delegates. They hope to raise the issue with central leaders so that the matter can be given priority by the Cabinet to look for more effective measures in crime prevention,” he added.

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Poll by Merdeka Centre say 71 percent indians support PM

August 12th, 2007
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54% of chinese and 80% of the malays, plus 71% of the indians….BN does not need to worry.
 
NST: Go to the ground, says Khairy

BERUAS: Barisan Nasional component parties must work together and resolve outstanding issues which might cause discord among the public, especially those involving the Chinese community.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said it was the responsibility of the component parties to go to the ground and provide a detailed explanation of such issues to the people.

"Take, for example, sensitive issues (involving the Chinese). It would be better if the explanation (to the community) was done (by the MCA or Gerakan) as it would be more credible than if it was carried out by Umno.

"We have to ensure that all races fully understand the concept of give-and-take instead of just focusing on the economy and how to help the Malays," he said after opening the Beruas Umno Youth divisional meeting yesterday.

Khairy said this when asked to comment on a poll carried out by the opinion research firm, Merdeka Centre, in June which showed that only 54 per cent of the Chinese community supported the present administration led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
In the same poll, 86 per cent of Malays and 71 per cent of Indians gave the thumbs up to the administration. The telephone interview survey involved 1022 respondents throughout the peninsula.

"We should not ignore the survey. We have to resolve this matter now instead of hoping that it (findings) will just go away on its own.

"The Chinese community must understand that we also give space to other races and not only to Malays. We (Umno) are not a racist party. Hence, the need for this stand to be explained properly to them."

Meanwhile, Gerakan vice-president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said that racial overtones at the last Umno general assembly still worry Chinese voters.

Their fear of being sidelined as well as worries about the rising inftation and crime rate have made them unhappy, he said.

"It is hoped the government will take measures to soften the impact on the community in the next few months."

Chang, who is Perak Gerakan chief, said political leaders from all Barisan Nasional component parties and Chinese leaders in the community must combine efforts to explain the issues.

 
 
THE STAR: Treat survey findings seriously, Khairy urges BN parties

BERUAS: Barisan Nasional component parties cannot regard lightly the findings of a survey on the people's support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said yesterday. 

He said the Barisan must find answers and provide an explanation over the findings of the survey, conducted by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, that 71% of respondents supported the Prime Minister while 21% did not.. 

"We have to find the cause. We have to provide the explanation because we believe there is nothing that cannot be explained," he told reporters after opening the Beruas Umno Youth delegates meeting.  

Khairy was referring to a news portal which had quoted the findings of the telephone survey conducted by the centre between June 14 and June 20, involving 1,022 respondents aged 21 and above in Peninsular Malaysia. 

The Merdeka Centre, which has its office in Bandar Baru Bangi, is an opinion research firm set up to concentrate the capabilities of a team of dedicated social scientists and professionals in the field of economics, political science, communications, marketing management and civil society. 

Khairy said he was not accusing the component parties of not having done their best in explaining to the public the findings of the survey, but hoped that they would step up efforts in view of the next general election. 

On the reported plan by PAS to win at least 40 parliamentary seats in the next general election, Khairy said there was no way the opposition party could achieve that, considering the Prime Minister had the support of 80% of the Malays. 

PAS now has six seats in the Dewan Rakyat. 

On another matter, Khairy described as dangerous the mocking of the national anthem Negaraku by a Malaysian student in Taiwan. 

He said Umno Youth felt that the action of Wee Meng Chee, 24, who went by the nickname Namewee, could incite anger among the cosmopolitan population in the country. ? Bernama  

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Narayanasamy talks about 1957 independence parade

August 11th, 2007
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50 years of Merdeka: Joy was etched on every face

By : SONIA RAMACHANDRAN

S.P. Narayanasamy (in front of the microphone) welcoming (from left) then Selangor menteri besar Datuk Harun Idris (1964-1976) and former federal minister Michael Chen (later Tan Sri) for a Mariamman Temple function. In the background (third from left) is MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
S.P. Narayanasamy (in front of the microphone) welcoming (from left) then Selangor menteri besar Datuk Harun Idris (1964-1976) and former federal minister Michael Chen (later Tan Sri) for a Mariamman Temple function. In the background (third from left) is MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

S.P. Narayanasamy still gets goose bumps talking about the eve of the independence celebrations at Dataran Merdeka as he was one of the first to hold the Malayan flag. The man, who was also responsible for leading MIC members in a parade before Tunku Abdul Rahman, took a trip down memory lane with SONIA RAMACHANDRAN.

S.P. Narayanasamy garlanding Tun V.T. Sambanthan (left) at a ceremony.
S.P. Narayanasamy garlanding Tun V.T. Sambanthan (left) at a ceremony.

S.P. Narayanasamy says he was excited by the occasion.
S.P. Narayanasamy says he was excited by the occasion.

KUALA LUMPUR: It was 10pm and the stage was set for the momentous occasion due to unfold at the playing field beside the (Royal) Selangor Club (the field now known as Dataran Merdeka).

He was dressed in a white shirt and a pair of blue short pants, and couldn’t wait for the festivities to begin.

It was the night of Aug 30, 1957, and S.P. Narayanasamy was about to witness the greatest moment of his life.

The then 22-year-old was filled with excitement as he was the one in charge of the MIC members taking part in the parade in front of then Malaya’s chief minister Tunku Abdul Rahman that night.
It was also the night where Tunku would become the prime minister at the stroke of midnight.

"The celebration that night was for two purposes. One was to welcome independence and the other was to honour Tunku with the title Bapa Tanah Air.

"I don’t know how the term was later changed to Bapa Kemerdekaan," said Narayanasamy, 72.

He remembers that the whole field and roads, as far as the eye could see, being flooded with people of all races and from all walks of life.

"It was, after all, the first time we were going to experience an independent Malaya and we were so excited.

"Unity then was also more prevalent compared with now. We were there together waiting to usher in our new nation.

"I felt very great as we realised a very great thing was about to happen.

"We had such hopes and vision for the country that was about to be born," said Narayanasamy, who was a bank officer with the Indian Bank then.

The gathering, said Narayanasamy, was organised by Alliance party leaders, namely, Omar Ong Yoke Lin (now Tun), the Selangor Alliance chairman Abdul Aziz Ishak and former MIC president (its fourth president from 1951-1955) K.L. Devaser.

"The stage was where the fountain is now and Tunku and the other Alliance leaders were standing on that stage."

For the parade, MIC was represented by 35 members from the youth and women’s wing, while from the MCA and Umno there were more than 50 members each, said Narayanasamy.

"I was the MIC deputy national youth leader then and I was in charge of the MIC members taking part that night. So all the MIC members in the parade were under me."

Also on the agenda was the presentation of a gold medallion, consisting of the emblems of all the Malayan states to Tunku.

That was when trouble almost broke out.

"The youth leaders were discussing who was going to carry the medallion on a flower-laden tray to Tunku.

"Some of the MCA youth leaders said that since MIC had not contributed any money, only the MCA and Umno youth should be the ones to carry the tray," said Narayanasamy.

Objecting to this, Narayanasamy took the matter to then MIC Selangor secretary A. Tharmalingam (later Tan Sri and who passed away recently), who took it up with Ong, Abdul Aziz and Devaser.

"They then finally agreed that a youth member from all three parties should hold the tray and take it up to the stage. I proposed Kamatchie Devar, the sister of Puan Sri Janaky Athi Nahappan (a retired senator and wife of the late Tan Sri Athi Nahappan who was a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department)."

Then the awaited moment arrived. As the clock at the clock tower started to chime, Narayanasamy and the other parade leaders from Umno and MCA stood together holding the brand new Malaya flag.

They then passed the flag to the three state leaders: Aziz, Omar and Tharmalingam.

"We were all standing to attention when the flag was hoisted and Tunku was standing on the stage together with then MIC president V.T. Sambanthan (later Tun) and then MCA president Colonel H.S. Lee (later Tun). Then we marched about nine metres and saluted the Tunku."

Narayanasamy still remembers how the air reverberated with shouts of "Merdeka!", followed by that of "Bapa Tanah Air".

"We then gathered in front of the stage to listen to the leaders deliver their speeches."

After the leaders had left and the celebrations had died down, the revellers continued to hang around the field and by 8am the next day, they had all walked to Stadium Merdeka for the official Merdeka celebrations.

Narayanasamy, who did the same with his five siblings, recalls seeing the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Gloucester and former high commissioner to Malaya, Sir Donald MacGillivray, in their fine headgear.

"The crowd was unbelievable. It was two to three times the size of the one at the field. Then I saw Tunku raising his hand and his shouts of Merdeka reverberated through the stadium.

"We were all so excited as we felt the white man was returning something precious back to us.

"Joy was etched on every face of those present that day, irrespective of race or creed.

"I will never forget that day. It was the greatest event I have ever seen," he said.

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