Posts Tagged ‘Politicians’

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Ganesan as new Perak assembly speaker

May 5th, 2009
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If all goes according to plan, we will see the first time in 52 years an Indian will be appointed as state assembly speaker by the BN government. If all does not go well, we shall be maintaining the existing Indian speaker appointed by newly elected state government (in March 2008). Well, who cares about copying as long as something good comes out of it right? 🙂

Datuk R. Ganesan, the former two-term Sungkai state assemblyman, has been nominated as Barisan Nasional’s replacement candidate for the state assembly speaker’s post.

Ganesan, who was bypassed in favour of MIC vice-president Datuk S. Veerasingam in the last general election for the Sungkai seat, was nominated by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

The nomination was seconded by senior state executive councillor Datuk Hamidah Osman.

V. Sivakumar, the speaker from Pakatan Rakyat, posted Ganesan’s nomination as his replacement in his blog (speakforperak.blogspot.com).

In his blog entry on Thursday night, Sivakumar said the nomination, via a motion before the state assembly, was submitted to the office of the secretary of the assembly on Thursday morning.

“The motion dated April 29 was attached with an acceptance letter from Ganesan,” he said in his blog.

Speaking to the New Straits Times yesterday, Ganesan, who is Perak MIC secretary and the party’s central working committee member, thanked Zambry for nominating him.

“This is another journey in my political career since I joined MIC in 1976. I will serve to the best of my abilities,” he said, adding that he only knew about his nomination when he was called to Zambry’s office on Tuesday to sign the acceptance letter.

Ganesan, 57, a practising lawyer, was born in Hutan Melintang and served as a teacher before reading law. He was called to the Bar in 1997.

He has been the Ipoh Timor MIC division chairman since 2000, having served as the division secretary from 1994.

Married to Datin D. Saraswathy, who is headmistress of SRK (Tamil) Sungai Pari, Buntong, the couple have with three sons aged 18 to 28.

Ganesan was among three candidates proposed by MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for the post.

One of the other candidates named was Datuk Dr S.Vasan, who contested the Pasir Panjang seat last year but lost to ousted menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

There is the small matter of the speaker dismissing the motion as being not urgent or of importance.

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Kavyeas feeling the heat

May 5th, 2009
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No surprises in this. All talk and no action for how many years now? Stepping on the toes of other BN parties. Party called mosquito for obvious reasons. Obviously one will feel the heat.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M. Kayveas will defend his post in the party elections set to be held in the first week of June.

He said although the supreme council had passed a motion last week that there should not be a contest for the post of president, there was talk that someone would challenge him.

“I hear three names, including one who is not a supreme council member, going around the country looking for support,” he said at a press conference after the party’s supreme council meeting yesterday.

Although Kayveas did not name who his challengers were, party insiders believe that one of them could be former Youth leader Senator Datuk T. Murugiah.

On the issue of official line-up, Kayveas said that this time, he wanted to look at candid-ates who are loyal to the party and its leadership.

Nominations for PPP’s party election is on May 30 and the election date will be set after getting confirmation from Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

It seems got scent of money politics (in pun mau copy ka? just call it bribery la!) in the party, claims Kavyeas. Others may see it as a plot to oust the contender.

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Small Business and Agro Seminar very useful

April 30th, 2009
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A relative of mine attended one of the talks in Klang last week. She said Murugiah spoke well, and even though a big crowd was expected, less people turned up. She also said that a number of opportunities were revealed during the talk, not only limited to agri-based businesses.

The low turnout is being attributed to rumours of sabotage by Murugiah’s own party, PPP.

Those interested in attending can refer to www.minew.org (the link is also available on the sidebar).

KLANG: Indians are generally unaware of economic opportunities made available by the government to the community, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk T. Murugiah said yesterday.

He said many did not know that they could take loans from the government to start their own businesses or get involved in the agriculture sector.

“After I was appointed deputy minister, I visited many ministries and discovered many opportunities open for all, not just Bumiputeras.

“Because there is little exposure, the Indian community  do not know what has been made available by the government,” he said after launching a Small Businesses and Agro-Farming Seminar here yesterday.

The one-day seminar, attended by some 2,000 participants, was aimed at creating more awareness about business opportunities for the community.

Murugiah, who is in charge of Indian Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the idea for the seminar came about after Indians took part in street rallies after claiming that the government had sidelined them in terms of assistance and financial support.

“I want to create awareness so that Indians understand what has been done for them by the government.

“For example, there are the Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usahawan Niaga (Tekun) loans which many don’t know about.

“This is why seminars like this are needed so that they provide information about the government’s intentions.”

He said Indians should not criticise the government and approach unrelated parties without first approaching ministries to find out what was available for them.

Murugiah said up-and-coming Indian entrepreneurs should consider venturing into the bird’s nest business as it was lucrative and there was a huge demand in Malaysia.

“Bird’s nest can fetch up to RM6,000 per kilogramme according to grade and this business requires only a small capital,” he said.

On whether he would lodge a police report on the text message sent by certain quarters warning Indians to stay away from the seminar, Murugiah said he would leave it to the Prime Minister’s Department to investigate and take action.

The nationwide seminar was first conducted in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, in January, and later in Johor, Penang, Perak and Kedah before coming to Klang.

It will later be held in Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Pahang.

So far, some 12,000 Indians have participated in the seminar.

Another thing that he should focus on is the number of applicants, number of successful applicants, and the reasons why some applicants are rejected.  This statistics are equally important to ensure fairness and non-discrimination.  Next would be to analyse if such rates are consistent with other communities and if the same reasons affect the failed applicants in the other communities.

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Return of the Indians…to BN

April 28th, 2009
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Note the words “returning to BN”. Not “returning to MIC”?

First things first – the survey. How to judge the validity of the survey? Who conducted it? What was the sampling and methods used? Who were the respondents? Are the raw data available for independent verification and investigation? LOL…so many questions in just a minute’s moment. Well, let’s take it in a positive way and believe with our whole heart that Samy is telling the truth.

Next, analysis of his statements: Reasons for the “return” was partly due to RM130 million allocation for schools, quota for ASM units, and RM2 million for SJKT Ladang Bukit Jalil’s new building.  So, the more BN gives, more support from Indians.  “When no give, no support”, says community. Good.

And I hope the RM2 million will not be uncovered as part of the RM130 million as happened in another school in the north.

Samy also mentioned that “he had personally gauged their feelings during his nationwide tour of the country recently”. Again, how was the measurement done? We have heard similar stories before, and end up losing the by-elections. And Samy should also be well aware that public merely clapping hands, attending events, and saying supportive words will not necessarily transform into support and votes. The community may be just leading him on.

Perhaps he is buoyed by announcement that 30,000 youths are ready to join MIC Youth as mentioned by T Mohan recently.

Another possible reason for the return is the news that this will be his last term as president and he will quit by end of next year.

Ah…finally some news about MIC website. It was mentioned last year April or May that it will be upgraded. And looks like some major overhaul indeed as it has taken a year now… We hope its will be as good as, if not better than, the other political parties’ website.

Long time MIC supremo, S Samy Vellu, claims a preliminary survey by the party has revealed that many Indians, including youths wanted to join and support the party and Barisan Nasional, after seeing positive changes taking place under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Samy Vellu said the random survey conducted through direct contacts with Indian NGOs, support and civil groups and individuals throughout the country revealed that many of the requests made by the MIC for the community had been delivered by the Prime Minister.

He said some of the requests included the RM130 million allocation for Tamil schools and the 15 percent quota of the recent sale of 3.33 billion units of Amanah Saham Malaysia shares.

He also commended Najib’s deputy Muhyiddin Yassin’s “lightning speed” action in settling the Bukit Jalil Tamil school land problem with an allocation of RM2 million.

“This has also brought ‘a new paradigm shift’ in the thinking of the Indian community towards the BN.”

MIC to reach out more to the Indians

“Many Indians who deserted the BN in the last general election have shown renewed interest in returning to the BN,” said Samy Vellu.

He said he had personally gauged their feelings during his nationwide tour of the country recently.

“We will soon carry out a detailed survey through our branches and with the help of the Indian NGOs,” he said.

Samy Vellu said the survey was important for the party to implement strategies and changes within MIC so as to meet the expectations and aspirations of the Indian community.

He said the MIC would reach out more to the community through restructured and reorganised branches.

“Information on the party’s operations and programmes will be disseminated through the soon-to-be launched MIC portal which will also act as the ‘nerve centre’ of the MIC,” he said.

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Interview with Samy Vellu

April 27th, 2009
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Some interesting points from interview with Samy Vellu:

1. Samy plan to be around about 1.5 years more, meaning till end of 2010.

2. The deputy needs training.  So, that means current deputy will not be the deputy in September? Or the current deputy did not learn enough or not given opportunity to learn/train?

3.  He is not decided on who to endorse as deputy president. I guess the members are not confident enough to decide on their own. Need to get assurance from leader.

By PAUL GABRIEL

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu will stay a year-and-half at the most, as he wants time to “train” his deputy, who will be elected in September.

He said he would announce when he would step down during the party elections.

“The new leader will need time to be trained. I can’t just walk away.

“The new man will not be in a position to do what needs to be done. In September, I will announce that I will get out of the party at which particular time,” he said in an interview at the MIC headquarters.

Samy Vellu, 73, who has led the MIC since 1979, was returned unopposed for an unprecedented 11th term in March when his challenger’s nomination papers were rejected.

The president, who failed to retain his Sungei Siput parliamentary seat in the last general election, said he expected a four-cornered contest for the deputy presidency.

He named the contenders as MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who is the party’s sole Cabinet representative, vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel.

Asked if he would endorse any one of them to be his deputy and eventual leader of the MIC, he said this was his “greatest headache.”

“Now there are too many people clamouring for that post. Who should really be the person to be the next deputy president? All of them have served the party in their own way,’’ he added.

Samy Vellu said he needed to do some very deep thinking before deciding if he should endorse any one of them.

“This is going to be a very important party election. It could go either way – the candidates who win could keep the party going with new strategies and plans, or it could be the start of new problems and internal bickering thereafter,’’ he said.

On the expected candidacy of former deputy president Subramaniam, his long-standing arch-rival, Samy Vellu said they were friends and on talking terms.

“But the decision he is seeking can only be made by the delegates, not me.

“In the previous election (I sided against him) because of so many other factors,’’ he added.

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