Posts Tagged ‘Penang’

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Lim Guan Eng to sue Utusan over inter faith council

February 24th, 2009
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Well, Malaysiakini report says that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has denied a report in Utusan Malaysia today that the state had established an inter-faith council last year.

“These are lies…we have no such council,” he told reporters in Parliament today.

Thus, his lawyers will be file a defamation suit against the daily.

“And if they have any evidence of us setting up such a council, then bring it to the court,” he said.

The paper published the news on front page today:

Utusan Malaysia today published a front-page lead stating that the DAP-run government in Penang was insulting Islam with the setting up of the inter-faith council.

The daily quoted the Penang Islamic Council chief Shabudin Yahaya as saying that the inter-faith council must not be allowed to be established as it would place Islam on par with the other religions.

This, said Shabudin, was an insult to Islam.

The daily said that the inter-faith council was headed by Lim and three-Malay members as well.

Original Malay version:

DAP hina Islam?

Oleh HASNURUL MOHAMED
utusanpenang@utusan.com.my

NIBONG TEBAL 23 Feb. – Penubuhan Majlis Perundingan Antara Agama oleh kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang mesti dihentikan kerana ia meletakkan Islam sama taraf dengan agama-agama lain.

Yang Dipertua Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang (MAINPP), Shabudin Yahaya berkata, cubaan menyamakan Islam dengan fahaman agama lain ternyata menghina Islam dan tindakan seperti itu mesti dihentikan.

Katanya, MAINPP berasa cukup tersinggung apabila ada beberapa ahli jawatankuasa (AJK) majlis tersebut terdiri daripada orang Melayu.

‘‘Saya difahamkan ada tiga orang AJK Melayu beragama Islam duduk dalam majlis tersebut yang kononnya mahu menuntut kesamarataan agama.

‘‘Ini sesuatu yang cukup menakutkan kerana agama Islam dipandang sama seperti Buddha yang diasaskan oleh manusia bernama Gautama Buddha, disamakan juga dengan Kristian, Taoism dan Bahai,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada Utusan Malaysia ketika diminta mengulas ucapannya semasa majlis penyerahan Dana Zakat Program Didik Cemerlang Akademik 2009 di Sungai Dua di sini semalam.

Ketika berucap pada majlis tersebut, Shabudin melahirkan rasa kurang senangnya terhadap penubuhan Majlis Perundingan Antara Agama Pulau Pinang yang bertujuan meletakkan semua agama, termasuk agama Islam sebagai sama rata dengan agama-agama lain.

Majlis tersebut ditubuhkan tahun lalu iaitu selepas kerajaan pakatan pembangkang yang diterajui Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng mula memerintah negeri itu.

Majlis itu dipengerusikan Guan Eng sendiri. Mengulas lanjut, Shabudin yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Permatang Berangan, Tasek Gelugor berkata, agama Islam itu tinggi dan tidak ada yang lebih tinggi daripadanya.

Looking through my archives, I found that Guan Eng did mention setting up a council, but the name is different:

We have also formed an inter-religious council called Majlis Silaturahim to promote goodwill and understanding among all religions

Its from the Star article dated 23 June 2008.

Is there a difference between “inter faith council” and “inter-religious council”, or in Utusan’s report “Majlis Perundingan Antara Agama” which translates to inter-religious consultation council”?

BTW, isn’t the Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang under Penang state government authority?

Any comments?

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Posted in BornInMalaysia, Religion

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Indian community upset no funds for Chinese New Year

January 17th, 2009
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Yup, you read it right. The Indian community are questioning why the Penang state government is not allocating any funds to the Penang Chinese Town Hall for the Chinese New Year celebration this year. This was the report in TV3 at 8.27pm just now! There were 3 or 4 interviews with some Indian fellas. The first guy (PIBG rep of some Tamil school) seemed to be reading from a paper.

Its good that our community is concerned about Chinese New Year. This is the spirit we should have – concern for other Malaysians.

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Penang Island Makkal Sakthi Thaipusam activity

January 7th, 2009
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Makkal Sakthi Penang Island Thaipusam Service

click to view large image

English version:


THAIPUSAM COMMUNITY SERVICE PANTHAL AND 423 PAALKUDAM PROCESSION

COMMUNITY SERVICE PANTHAL

In conjunction with Thaipusam festival, Penang Island Makkal Sakthi members are organising social service activities. The social service will be provided on the eve of Thaipusam and on the Thaipusam at the PANTHAL.

VENUE :
BESIDE WATERFALL VINAYAGAR TEMPLE

DATE / TIME :
SATURDAY (07 / 02 / 09) 9.00 AM TO 10.00 PM
SUNDAY (08 / 02 / 09) 9.00 AM TO 10.00 PM

TARGET GROUP:

  • Those with identity card problem
  • Those with birth certificate problem
  • single mothers
  • poor families
  • old citizens
  • disabled people (OKU)


PAALKUDAM PROCESSION
Considering 423 days detention of HINDRAF Lawyers under ISA, Penang Island Makkal Sakthi organizing milk pot procession by 423 members of public. Those intending to participate Assemble with orange dress / T-Shirt and with milk pot at Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Lorong Kulit.
Time : 7.00 am
Public support and unity for the event is greatly appreciated.

Contact : MR.SURESH 019-4586587, MR.KALAY 012-5637614 , SARASWATHI 012-7162884 , MR.MARAN 012-5557522 , MR.SELVAM 016-4827974

Service to mankind is service to GOD, Long Life Makkal Sakthi!

Those interested to volunteer to help at the service counter:

All you have to do is to help them fill up the relevant application forms which will be provided to you. A briefing will be conducted to all those who volunteer to assist.

Duration of the service will be eve of Thaipuisam and day of Thaipusam. Worry not. You will not be station there the whole day. A shift pattern will be arranged to easy all volunteers.

We appreciate your active participation towards this noble course just for two days and who knows one day you will be proud to mention that you were part of the responsible Indian who volunteered to help and uplift the Indian community.

For the event to be successful, we need at least 75 volunteers to render their support. I’m sure many of us out there are just waiting to serve the community. You may provide your contact number to us for further communication. For any further clarification you may contact the numbers above


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    HINDRAF welcomes funds for Tamil Schools

    December 3rd, 2008
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    Extracts from Malaysiakini:

    Funds set aside for Tamil schools by the Penang and Selangor governments have convinced the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) that the strong support it lent to Pakatan Rakyat during the last general election was not in vain.

    MCPX

    “It proves that Hindraf’s campaign urging people to vote for a change was a correct decision. At least Pakatan governments have demonstrated that they care for Tamil schools, unlike the previous state Barisan Nasional administrations,” Hindraf national co-ordinator RS Thanenthiran told Malaysiakini yesterday.

    “Pakatan has fulfilled its electoral pledge to provide financial assistance, irrespective of race and religion.”

    The movement’s vociferous campaign for change was the main reason Indian voters who were pro-BN had switched en bloc to the Pakatan coalition in the March general election.

    Under its 2009 budget, Penang’s Pakatan government set aside RM1.5 million as development funds to be disbursed to 28 Tamil schools in the state.

    In the budget tabled at the state legislative assembly earlier this month by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the state government also set aside RM4.5 million for 124 Chinese and missionary schools, RM1.5 million for 15 religious schools, and RM1 million for five private secondary schools.

    The Selangor government, headed by Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, alocated RM4 million for Tamil schools in the state, besides setting aside RM6 million for Chinese schools.

    “Our campaign to switch Indian support from BN to Pakatan was not a waste after all,” said Thanenthiran, adding that the previous administrations had neglected Tamil schools in both states to the extent that they were left to “rot and meet a natural demise.”

    “It’s another example of the Umno-led government’s marginalisation of Indians,” he said, referring to Hindraf’s 18-point memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last year.

    The memorandum included a demand to the government to set aside yearly development funds for Tamil schools.

    Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ramasamy said the state allocation was being dispersed accordingly by a state-level Tamil school co-ordination committee overseen by him.

    Previously, the state government had difficulties communicating with the Tamil schools due to federal political intervention, but Ramasamy said the relationship had vastly improved since the committee was formed.

    “The committee would disburse the funds fairly and priority would be given to needy schools,” he said, adding that land has also been earmarked for the construction of new buildings for Tamil schools, SRJK Azad, SRJK Batu Kawan and SJK Ladang Valdor.

    We have to see if this will a continuous support or a one-off funding. we have to look at land availability, building construction, infrastructure etc. as well.

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    Statistics of Penang civil service employment

    November 14th, 2008
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    The Star had a mild version:

    The Penang government will ensure all races have the same rights and opportunities to join the public sector and that the recruitment of state employees is not dominated by a particular race.

    Deputy Chief Minister II P.Ramasamy said that as of Sept 30, 7,092 people worked for the state government, its statutory bodies and local authorities and, of the total, 81.95 percent were Malays, 12.92 percent Chinese, 5.05 percent Indian and 0.08 percent other races.

    Meanwhile, opposition leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim (BN-Penaga) said that to be fair, the state government should also ensure the Malays were given the same opportunities to join the private sector which was dominated by other races

    But Malaysiakini provided the explosive parts (excerpts below):

    The fireworks started when Deputy Chief Minister (II) Dr P Ramasamy accused the Umno-controlled Public Service Department (PSD) of ‘tearing up’ job application forms submitted by non-Malays.

    According to the former UKM lecturer, this was among the tactics employed by the Umno-dominated government to stop non-Malays from joining the public service and to ensure that the government sector is controlled by one community.

    “It’s a lie that non-Malays lack interest in joining the government sector. The truth is they were denied the chance to join,” he said in response to a written question.

    “There are instances when government officers have torn application forms of non-Malays,” he added, drawing flak from the opposition.

    However, the deputy chief minister insisted that his argument was based on facts unearthed during his own research on the lack of non-Malay participation in the public service.

    According to statistics disclosed by Ramasamy, the public service sector in Penang has a total of 7,092 employees, with 5,812 Malays (81.95%), 916 Indians (12.92%) and 358 Chinese (5.05%).

    The state public administration has 2,886 Malays (92.16%), 165 Indians (5.27%) and 79 Chinese (2.52%).

    Statutory bodies have 191 Malays (71.54%), 46 Chinese (17.22%) and 30 Indians (11.24%), while local municipalities have 2,735 Malays (74.1%), 721 Indians (19.5%) and 233 Chinese (6.3%).

    Later, Ramasamy explained to the House that the state government would conduct a study to implement a new policy to rectify the ethnic and gender imbalanaces in public employment based on meritocracy.

    To a question by Umno’s Azhar Ibrahim (Penaga) on whether a similar plan would be extended to the private sector, Ramasamy assured the state government’s commitment to wipe out racial and gender discrimination in all sectors.

    When Azhar demanded for the state government to unveil its plan in the next assembly sitting, Ramasamy hit back that the opposition was not qualified to give a time frame for the new Pakatan government to resolve an issue.

    Hmmm..quite an arguement!

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    Posted in BornInMalaysia

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