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Parlimentary Panel issues idea that is sure to be controversial!!!

May 9th, 2007
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My, my…what is this? the parlimentary panel is getting into a big problem…
“The committee is also recommending that the Education Act 1996 be amended to allow the teaching of religions other than Islam in government schools to be financed by public funds. Currently, public funds can only be applied towards the teaching of Islam.
“Section 51(a) of the Act should be amended as government revenue is collected from all contributors, taxpayers and various sectors regardless of ethnicity and religion.” It said the recommendation comes from opinions voiced by non-governmental organisations, associations and individuals at its public hearings during its two-year tenure.”
Teaching of other religions in schools?…the world is going to kiamat! What would PM and his cabinet say? SV, PPP and MCA, Gerakan…want to agree with the panel or side with UMNO, who will oppose this.
Worse still, panel suggest to have inter-faith discussions. What? after PM said no such things will be allowed? End of Maximus Ongkili and the panel?

Hold inter-faith talks for unity, says panel
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/20070509081034/Article/index_html
A PARLIAMENTARY panel has called on the Prime Minister’s Department to organise inter-faith dialogues among religious leaders to promote harmony among the races.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity and National Service is recommending that the Prime Minister’s Department put in place a body or mechanism to supervise and manage these discussions.
“We feel religious representatives should always be given the opportunity and space to hold dialogues among themselves in a harmonious environment,” said the committee in its report tabled yesterday.
The committee is also recommending that the Education Act 1996 be amended to allow the teaching of religions other than Islam in government schools to be financed by public funds. Currently, public funds can only be applied towards the teaching of Islam.
“Section 51(a) of the Act should be amended as government revenue is collected from all contributors, taxpayers and various sectors regardless of ethnicity and religion.” It said the recommendation comes from opinions voiced by non-governmental organisations, associations and individuals at its public hearings during its two-year tenure.
“We found that many of the opinions touched on the importance of racial unity and national integration in the interests of economic stability and a peaceful and harmonious environment.
“Among the points stressed were the racial composition in the civil service, religious practices and the distribution of wealth. Our recommendations are based on these opinions and responses by relevant government departments.”
While a specific National Unity and Integrity Policy was unnecessary as such principles already existed in the Federal Constitution, Rukun Negara and the National Education Policy, the committee felt that a “multi-culturalism policy” was needed.
“Guidelines on a multi-culturalism policy must be drawn up to ensure that all development programmes take our diversity into account. This will help to create a Malaysian public which is mutually respectful, kind and tolerant.
“We also recommend that there be a ‘Unity Impact Assessment’ to make sure that development programmes do not deviate from the road to unity and integrity in tandem with development.”
The report, which also looks at the present education system and how it affects national unity, takes a strong view of race-based clubs in schools.
“The setting up of racially-based school clubs and associations should be restricted.
“Such clubs segregate students and their activities into their own ethnic groups, rather than benefit them.”
All students should also be taught about various world civilisations and religions.
“Important principles such as values and morals, consistent in all faiths, should be taught during the students’ respective religious lessons.”
The 11-member committee headed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili is also recommending that membership in Integration or Rukun Negara clubs be made compulsory for students.
On National Service, it said trainers and educators should improve their expertise in their respective areas.
“Trainers should also be made up of various ethnic groups, not just to reflect the programme’s philosophy but to ensure that its effectiveness and objectives are achieved.”
The report, with 12 recommendations, is the committee’s first after its inception in December 2004.

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MIC to go all out to register voters

May 3rd, 2007
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MIC’s confidence is sky high! Would this be chance to demand for extra seats in coming election? Or MIC going to ask for more goodies for Indians?
– Most Indians voted for BN
– Malays supported BN due to promises by MB to personally look into their problems. In other words, the Malays still want their own people there in the form of a proxy for MB. Cikgu Parthiban not enough. Also, strong campaign by UMNO and the development projects in IJOK swayed the votes.
– Chinese voters are the trump cards. they seem to know what the Indians and Malays votes would be and they voted accordingly. Forcing MCA to be more vigilant. All this “discussion behind closed doors” story doesn’t seem to placate the Chinese voters.

MIC to go all out to register voters
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/5/3/nation/17612431&sec=nation
KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC will conduct a massive voter registration exercise, its president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.
He said a national committee, to be headed by one of the party’s three vice-presidents, would be set up to spearhead the campaign.
“We want every eligible Indian to be registered as a voter to face the next general election,” Samy Vellu said.
He said that in the Ijok by-election, it was found that many Indians had not registered as voters.
“The Indian votes are very crucial for Barisan Nasional, as evident from the Ijok by-election,” he said in reference to the polls on April 28, which saw Barisan’s K. Parthiban beating Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim of Parti Keadilan Rakyat by a 1,850-vote majority.
Samy Vellu, who said that almost 80% of the registered Indian voters in Ijok had cast their votes for Parthiban, added that the more than 4,000 MIC branches had been given a month to submit to the party headquarters the list of eligible but unregistered voters.
“The MIC headquarters will then assist the Election Commission to register them,” he said, adding that he had asked all branch heads to make house-to-house visits to identify the new voters.
In some cases, he said, a single house would have as many as four or five unregistered voters.
Samy Vellu also said the MIC branches had been told to identify voters who had changed their house addresses so that they could be traced during an election. – Bernama

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NEWS:Villagers fork out RM1,455 to thank DAP

April 25th, 2007
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Villagers fork out RM1,455 to thank DAP http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=17687
Giam Say Khoon PETALING JAYA (April 20, 2007): About 70 Machap Baru “grateful” villagers today resorted to a “Fancy It” way to thank the DAP for contesting in the recently concluded Machap by-election in Malacca. They passed the hat around to collect about RM1,455 and placed a “Thank-you” advertisment that was published in Sin Chew Daily today.
For the DAP, it was the first time that the party has received such a response from the electorates, though it contested the seat with little hope of winning. However, it managed to garner more Chinese votes compared with in the 2004 General Election.
A check with Sin Chew showed that the 10cm X 11cm black and white advertisment cost the villagers RM1,455.30, before discount if any.
Basically, the villagers thanked the DAP for “forcing” the Barisan Nasional (BN) to spend money and bring “development funds” to the villages in Machap.
Translation of the advertisement:
“Thank you DAP
The villagers of Machap Baru would like to thank DAP for participating in the Machap by-election, enabling us to enjoy various allocations, benefits and treatments, like building a recreational park, upgrading road, lamp, and irrigation system, building low-cost houses, upgrading the Machap clinic as well as allocations for three Chinese primary schools in the area.
In the past 50 years, the villagers have never been given the chance to enjoy all these infrastructure development.
Because of the by-election, the villagers’ lives have changed drastically, it is a blessing for the villagers and we hereby thank the DAP. – From a group of grateful Machap Baru villagers.”
When contacted, DAP’s losing candidate Liou Chen Kuang thanked the villagers for their support for putting up the advertisement.
“Obviously, the advertisement consisted some sarcasm against the BN. The infrastructures problems were already there for quite some time.
“The problems were only settled during the by-election,” he added.
Liou said he hoped the state government would keep its promise and realise all the pledges made by BN during the by-election campaigning period.
He said the government should always be concerned about the peoples’ woes, not just during elections.
A villager who wanted to remain as anonymous and who contributed to the advertisment, told theSun by phone that the villagers had chipped in for the advertisement to thank the DAP sincerely.
“We also want to tell MCA that they should keep their promises made during elections. If it was not for the DAP which made a lot of noise, we would not have all the infrastructure problems resolved,” he said.
The villager also said the government should not neglect the people once the election was over and they should continue to answer the people’s call.
Liou was defeated by MCA’s Lai Meng Chong with a majority of 4,081 votes in the by-election on April 12 following the death of Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam on March 15.
DAP secured 527 votes and MCA got 914 votes in Machap Baru compared with DAP’s 356 votes and MCA’s 1,270 votes in 2004.

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Groups express shock over EPF move on contributions

April 22nd, 2007
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Are those MPs really representing the rakyat or have sold their souls to the devil?
All of us should write letter of protest to our respective ADUNs. Get their details from www.parlimen.gov.my and send an email/sms/letter.

Groups express shock over EPF move on contributions
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/21/nation/17509821&sec=nation
KUALA LUMPUR: Workers groups have expressed shock that employees aged above 55 will have their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions slashed by half under the proposed EPF Bill (Amendment) 2007.
The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) described the proposal as unfair and an exploitation of that group of workers. Cuepacs vowed to take up the issue at its Congress meeting today.
“We will not agree to it,” said Cuepacs president Omar Osman.
He said the 43,000 civil servants who had opted for the EPF scheme were already at a disadvantage compared to those under the pension scheme as the Government did not provide them with free medical treatment after retirement.
“So if you slash their EPF contributions too, this will cause them even more hardship,” he added.
It was reported that under the proposed amendments, once an employee reached 55 years of age, he or she would only have to contribute 6.2% of their salary to the EPF instead of the current 12%.
Employees who contribute 11% of their salary to the fund, would, after the age of 55, only contribute 5.7%.
MTUC deputy president Mohamed Shafie Mammal said the proposal was tantamount to punishing senior citizens.
“They are doing the same work. They should be enjoying the same benefits as the rest of us. There is no reason to slash contributions. This is blatant discrimination on those aged 55 and above and very unfair,” he added.
“We are supposed to be a caring society,” he added.
Federation of Consumers Asso-ciation (Fomca) president N. Mari-mutu asked how the contributions could be slashed with the retirement trend moving towards the age of 60.
“Contributions for older and the younger workers should not be different,” he said.

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NEWS:Pace of life quickens in Ijok

April 21st, 2007
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Pace of life quickens in Ijok
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/21/nation/17511663&sec=nation
Sri Hartini: Notes that locals in Ijok are feeling an air of importance. IJOK: The leisurely pace of life here has suddenly quicken with both an air of urgency and merriment as the campaigning for the by-election becomes more intense.
Strangers by the busloads have arrived and the banners and flags of the Barisan Nasional and Parti Keadilan Rakyat decorate the constituency.
Long-time resident Wee Ah Lee, 60, who helps her son operate a seafood restaurant in the heart of town, said that many strangers had been coming to eat at their restaurant.
“You can tell they are not locals. They dress differently and there is an air of importance about them. Their handphones are always ringing, they come in nice cars and their dressing is very modern,” said Wee.
“It is the by-election. It has turned our town merrier, more people, more activities and better still, more business for my shop,” she added.
Although illiterate, the mother of five said she had voted in all the elections.
“I do not know big, national issues. But I know the Government must make sure the roads are all right, there are enough schools for our children and more importantly, help us out when we have difficulties.”
Outside Wee’s shop, housewife Sri Hartini Jonoh, 51, fetched her son Mohd Shazrin Zaini from school on a motorcycle.
She also notes how locals here are feeling an air of importance as the whole nation watches the outcome of this by-election, which is expected to be a hard-fought one.
Asked which candidate would most likely win, Sri Hartini said it was a tough call.
“Even within my own family, there are divided views. I’ll vote for the party, not candidate, because I am choosing a party with a good track record of service.
“My siblings do not agree. Some think it’s the candidate that is more important because the candidate is the first person we go to for help.
“However, all of us agree that we cannot accept corruption, bad public service or arrogant leaders. The elected leaders must remember that they are there to serve us,” said Sri Hartini.
Long-time voter: According to Wee, the by-election has turned Ijok merrier with more people and activities going on. Selangor MCA secretary Datuk Ch’ng Toh Eng said that just like customers, Ijok voters were kings at the moment.
He said Barisan leaders and supporters who went canvassing were bombarded with requests for help and some were even criticised.

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