Posts Tagged ‘Politicians’

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PPP proposal on discount for house buyers

June 23rd, 2010
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This is one of the better things to come out from PPP in recent memory. As house prices are inflated and artificially increased over last one year, many people will find it difficult to buy a house. Imagine if 25-30 years ago, you can buy a double-storey house with your salary of RM2000 or less, now its a mini miracle if you can even get such a house for below RM300,000 in Klang Valley. Most are priced upwards of RM400,000 already. So, can someone earning RM4000 or so buy such a house? Considering increased food cost, need for own transport, petrol cost and telco bills, can forget it la.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M. Kayveas has suggested that non-Bumiputeras earning an income of less than RM3,000 be given a 10 per cent discount currently enjoyed by Bumiputera house buyers.

He said a Bumiputera house buyer received a 10 per cent discount, irrespective of the person’s financial capability, whereas a non-Bumiputera house buyer needed to pay that 10 per cent.

“In this way, it is believed that every citizen will be more confident on the implementation of the quota and status system,” he said in his policy speech at the PPP’s 57th annual general meeting here today.

The meeting was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The other parties should come out in support of this proposal. Would they?

Also, I think houses priced about RM500,000 should not be given any discounts.

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Flying Sikh dumps DAP

June 15th, 2010
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Well, would you believe it! The Sikhs in DAP would be incensed after Malim Nawar (my mother’s hometown actually) assemblyman Keshvinder Singh (a lawyer too) quit from DAP to be independent (i.e. BN friendly and firm supporter of PM Najib, Menteri Besar Zambry, and 1Malaysia). I believe Keshvinder is also the first Indian rep to quit DAP and be independent. Well done!

And for what purpose? For the “kebaikan of the rakyat” of course 🙂

According to him:

He also said he was leaving because he was “very disappointed” with the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leadership and the “excessive politicking” that got in the way of him carrying out his duties.

“I found it very hard to work with the Pakatan Rakyat people to serve my constituents,” he said, adding that he could not get any allocation for his constituents.

“I now realise that only Barisan can bring progress and prosperity to the people. I hope this decision will help me serve my constituents better,” he said at a press conference at a hotel here Tuesday.

“I will be going to my constituency soon to explain my decision,” he said, adding that he gave his resignation letter to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng earlier Tuesday.

In Malaysiakini, the following is mentioned:

Keshvinder said he chose to defect now instead of February last year – along with Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang), Mohd Osman Jailu(Changkat Jering) and Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) – because he didn’t know how serious the problems were at his constituency then. 

“When I started doing work there (after February 2009) I found that there are severe poverty issues that really need to be solved,” he said.

Keshvinder said he hoped the BN state government will provide financial aid so that he can serve his constituents. 

“The state and national DAP did not assist me in helping the people. I couldn’t do anything for my constituents as an opposition state assemblyperson,” he said, adding that he had been using his own funds thus far.

Good for him, until we find out (or remember) that he was one of the people who claimed there were offers to buy him over last time:

On Feb 5 last year, five Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen, including Keshwinder, had claimed they had been approached by agents to cross over to Barisan Nasional.

Keshwinder had said then that he had been offered RM10mil plus the position of the Perak MIC chief and a place on the state executive council.

So, which is which?

If really for “kebaikan rakyat”, why not just resign and force a by-election? We can literally see money falling down from sky (or podium) whenever there’s by-election. The people can get new school, new road, new surau, new temple, new bridges, etc. Maybe the voters in Malim Nawar should think about this. The amount of goodies they could get from by-election should last them till the next general election.

I’m curious too, in case the PR wins GE13 and Perak state, would he realign himself to be PR-friendly (assuming he stands under BN banner then)?

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MIC overhaul

June 8th, 2010
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Previously, it was rebranding and already two years of that. Have anyone seen or felt the outcome of the rebranding?  There was also mention of privilege cards. Anyone seen them?

The MIC website is still not up to mark in terms of content and presentation (I’m trying to be polite and nice here). No info on the new info center which will incorporate some sort of helpdesk so that makkal can reach them easily. You can forget about Putera or Puteri MIC’s websites because one runs on blogspot and the other can’t be found. Wanita MIC site was last updated in January (luckily this year) while Pemuda’s one is suspended (I even checked it today). You’d think that with 630,000 members, they can afford to get about 10-15 volunteers to man each wing’s website or even pay some company to run the sites properly.

Now there’s “overhaul” pulak.

Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said changes are expected to take place in the next six months, including changing the mindset and attitude of MIC members.

The party president said: “There must be a complete overhaul of our party machinery, right from the branch chairmen, division and state leadership in dealing with the problems of the Indian community.”

Speaking at Selangor MIC’s annual convention yesterday, Samy Vellu said branch leaders who were performing badly and not up to the expectations of the community would be replaced.

Samy Vellu said the country’s political landscape had changed after the 2008 general election.

“The people have become bold and will not accept anything but results.

“The days of trying to win the people’s hearts and minds through sweet-talk, promises and political slogans are over. ” he said.

He said Indians who deserted Barisan Nasional were returning to the MIC, adding: “We should accommodate them as it will help us to reach out to the Indian community.”

I can hear the cynics laughing already. I wish MIC all the best in the overhaul campaign. Would the overhaul take a long time? Some members won’t want to burden the president to stay longer to oversee the overhaul.

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Funds should not be allocated via political party

June 8th, 2010
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I disagree with this statement:

THE Government has been urged to give financial grants to Indian temples and Tamil schools, and provide more job opportunities for the community in government-linked agencies to ensure that they return to support the Barisan Nasional, Uthaya Surian reported.

MIC deputy president and Deputy Plantations, Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk G. Palanivel said the Government should channel the allocations through the party so it can strengthen ties with the people.

“We can win the confidence of the Indian voters if we do more than what the Pakatan government has done,” he was reported as saying yesterday.

Government allocated fund should be given by government department or NGOs, not political parties. There must be a clear line of separation between government and political parties so that the funds are misrepresented. I don’t mind if a minister hands over the funds as representative of the particular ministry or department, but its should not be using political party name. The money comes from the people via individual tax, corporate tax, trade tax and so on. Being a guardian of the national coffers should not be a license to use the money in a different capacity.

Government can give funds directly to schools or temples since these are registered entities. Just make use of the relevant department like Education Department (there’s a pengelola sekolah tamil or Tamil School coordinator at district level) or Unity Department officials to distribute fund. Don’t tell me the staff can’t communicate with tamil schools or temples.

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Cost of dying to increase!

June 3rd, 2010
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Hmm..die also no peace. I like Saravanan’s logic. Last time salary to cut rubber tree how much ah? So, logically should also increase the rate right? Maybe can increase 5 times? Last time work in factory earn how much? So now can increase kot? 🙂 Plus comparing private entity which has operating cost and profit in mind with a public infrastructure seems to be ludicrous. How he arrived at the subsidy of RM400, pure genius!

How much is the cost of maintaining a crematorium, and how many crematoriums are there which are managed by government? Is it that much a burden on our economy until can cause a major budget deficit? Hmm…need to analyse the impact of crematorium subsidy on national economy and budget. Maybe can be PhD topic.

Looks like the community get the short end of stick again. Die easily from suicide, bullets, and sickness and end up need to pay more for cremation.

BTW, wasn’t the graveyard already in existence since estate time? Need to check on this.

The cost of cremating the dead is expected to increase significantly when the government reviews the charges for public crematoriums soon.

Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M. Saravanan said the cremation fee charged by government-managed crematoriums was low compared with the fee charged at privately-managed crematoriums.

According to Saravanan, the cremation fee at public crematoriums was RM100 compared with RM500 at private crematoriums.

“Based on the RM100 fee, the government has to subsidise RM400 for every cremated body and this is the cost based on 20 or 30 years ago.

“The time has come for the government to raise the fee to may be RM200 or RM300, to overcome the cost of maintaining and managing such crematoriums,” he told reporters after visiting the Putrajaya Crematorium here today.

He added that the government was also considering reserving special plots for the burial of dignitaries, especially at Hindu cemeteries, since there was no such allocation.

The Putrajaya Cemetery at Presint 20 comprises an area of 87.457 hectares, with 59.32 hectares allocated for a Muslim cemetery and 24.857 hectares for non-Muslim cemeteries.

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