Posts Tagged ‘Protest’

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Coalfields Estate problem never ending

August 3rd, 2010
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Then (2007):

Workers get option to buy houses:

Workers of three estates belonging to Kuala Lumpur Kepong (KLK) Bhd will be able to own single-storey terrace houses after KLK implements the housing schemes.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the company had already agreed to implement the scheme after obtaining the approval from the relevant authorities.

“The workers in Tuan Mee, Caledonia and Coalfield estates will be the main beneficiaries,” he told voters at a community centre.

Tuan Mee’s senior manager Chuan Chong Meng, National Union of Plantation Workers general secretary Datuk G. Sankaran, MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel and other MIC leaders were present.

Samy Vellu said the estate workers had put forward a proposal for the houses two days ago.

“This is how the Barisan Nasional Government works. We discuss and got the approvals within a short time for the benefit of the estate people,” he said.

Samy Vellu said estate workers who wanted to upgrade their houses or even own bungalows could do so after discussions with the company, which is constructing the houses.

He said that there would also be other infrastructure like schools, temples and a playing field that would help to upgrade the standard of living of the people.

Officials said the estate workers would be given priority to buy the houses at RM35,000 while others would have to pay RM42,000 for the two-room houses. [still got two room houses ah???]

Samy Vellu also added:

KL Kepong Berhad will be asked to allocate land for housing and agriculture for workers in the Tuan Mee, Caledonia and Coalfield estates, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

He said this came under the Selangor government’s regulations requiring estate owners to provide housing schemes for the workers.

Samy Vellu said this following a request for land by Tuan Mee Estate MIC branch chairman K. Ramavellu at a meet-the-people session at the estate last Sunday.

“I will have discussions with KL Kepong, which owns the estates, on the matter. We will urge them to allocate land for housing for the more than 200 workers in the three estates.

“We will also ask for agriculture land so that the people can farm and cultivate vegetables to raise their income,” he added.
He said that more than 56 housing schemes for estate workers had been implemented by the various estates in the country, with the first scheme in Dovenby Estate in Sungai Siput.

Earlier in his speech, Samy Vellu said the estate workers in the country were being paid a monthly wage because of his relentless efforts in compiling a working paper for the Cabinet.

He claimed that when opposition candidate Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was at the helm in Guthrie, he had opposed housing schemes for estate workers.

“He (Khalid) was the one who insisted in putting the estate workers in low-cost apartments. If he had the interest of the estate workers in mind, he should have approved the housing schemes for them.

in 2009, Xavier said this:

Xavier said one of the conditions imposed by the state government concerning land status conversion was that approval for estates larger than 40ha would only be sanctioned if the landowners agreed to provide housing for the displaced estate workers.

“The luckiest lot come from the Bukit Raja Estate in Klang where they recently signed the S&P with Sime Darby for terrace houses costing RM70,000 each but valued at RM150,000,” he said, adding that Coalfield Estate workers in Subang also successfully fought for their cause.

In late 2009, there were attempts to relocate workers to other estates. Also, workers couldn’t afford to buy the houses allocated to them due to inability to obtain loans.

Now:

July 2010 saw Palanivel visiting the estate:

A 15-year dispute between workers and palm oil estate owners over their residence and job has yet to be solved, although numerous promises.

The 30 families of Coalfield estate are hoping for terrace houses and better facilities where they are now, instead of forcing them to a new housing area – located across the road from the estate.

Yesterday, when Datuk G. Pala­nivel visited the estate, they told the Plantations, Industries and Commo­dities deputy minister that they were tired of the empty promises made to them since 1995.

“We were living without water and electricity supply since December,” said Coalfield estate action committee chairman Lobat Rajoo.

“But yesterday (Thursday), the utilities were restored.”

He said their woes began after a change in ownership of the estate in 1995.

Lobat said that in 2009, the previous owner, claiming to be their current employer, had told them to vacate their quarters at Coalfield Estate by June 30, last year.

“They wanted us to move to Desa Coalfield by purchasing houses there but not all of us can afford a RM35,000 house with our RM21 pay a day,” he said after handing a booklet documenting their plight to Palanivel.

The minister, who met the estate management, said: “I have told them not to be harsh on the workers but adopt a give-and-take attitude.

“Their (the workers) requests are simple and they are poor.” [so what? you think these companies care about this?]

As of yesterday, the school also asked to be moved:

MALAYSIA Nanban reported that parents of students in Ladang Coalfield Tamil School in Sungei Buloh will stage a protest against the plantation owner and housing developer.

The estate workers, who defied an order to vacate their homes, have now been asked to move the school.

A spokesperson for the parents, Lobat Raj, slammed the management and developer KL-Kepong Sdn Bhd, for using various tactics to shift the school and two places of worship, a church and a temple. The oil palm estate has been earmarked for a housing project.

He said that the developer and the management are more interested in making profits rather than considering the welfare of the estate workers.

He said that the estate workers want the school to be located near their houses instead of the present location which is about 4km away.

About 400 people, comprising parents and locals planned to gather at the school field yesterday.

Lobat said that no state government representatives have been invited because the parents have no faith in the exco in charge of Indian affairs, PKR’s Dr Xavier Jeyakumar.

Firstly, these folks should ensure they are registered voters. Then talk to politicians. Who can solve this problem within 2 months, gets their votes in next election. If nobody helps, then you realise that you are indeed worth less in their eyes.

Anyways, 4KM is still OK as long as the school is not in middle of cemetery, next to electric cables/sewerage pond/industrial plots or other unimaginable places (which seems to happen to Tamil schools). Probably the parents can try negotiate for a school bus or two vans as well to ferry some of the poor children.

As for housing loan, there are schemes to help people with low or fluctuating income to obtain loans. They should be guided on this procedures. Who will do it? MIC or HRP or DAP/PKR? Who will help the folks from A-to-Z of getting their houses?

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cow head protestors sentence

July 27th, 2010
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I was surprised to read that the cow head protestors pleaded guilty. Thought that these guys had “bertaubat” (repented)….until I read that the charges had been amended to illegal assembly instead of seditious act. Two of them were found guilty under Sedition Act and fined RM3000, and one of them have to serve 1 week jail sentence as well. The others paid RM1000 each as fine.

The 12 cow-head protesters, who pleaded guilty earlier Tuesday to a charge of illegal assembly, were fined RM1,000 each or a month’s jail in default by the Sessions Court here.

Two of the men were also fined RM3,000 each for a sedition charge, one of whom was sentenced to a week in jail as well.

Four others on the same sedition charge were given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.

Judge Hasbi Hasan fined the 12 men after they pleaded guilty to committing the offence at the State Secretariat building on Aug 28 last year.

The 12 were Ahmad Mahayuddin Abd Manaf, 36, Ibrahim Sabri, 43, Eyzva Ezhar Ramly, 31, Mohd Azmir Mohd Zain, 35, Ahmad Suhairy Zakaria, 30, Mohd Hilmi Ni, 40,Jainuddin @ Zainuddin Md Yusuff, 67, Mohd Jurit Ramli, 39, Mohamad Nordin Zakaria, 46, Jamil Mohamad Isa, 40, Rahimuddin Md Harun, 39, and Azhari Shaari, 39.

Eyzva Ezhar and Mohd Azmir Mohd Zain were each also fined RM3,000 or three months’ jail on the sedition charge. Eyzva Ezhar was also sentenced to a week in jail.

Eyzva Ezhar was ordered to serve his week in jail after he completes his current jail time. He is currently serving time in a prison in Jelebu for a previous drug conviction that will end on Aug 4.

Four – Ahmad Suhairy, Mohd Hilmi, Ibrahim and Ahmad Mahayuddin Abd Manaf – were granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal after the other two pleaded guilty to sedition charge.

The 12 were part of group – which brought a cow’s head to the gate of the State Secretariat building – protesting the relocation of a 150-year-old Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple from Section 19 to their neighbourhood in Section 23. They were all earlier charged under the Sedition Act 1948.

For me, it looks much lighter than a slap on the wrist. MHS says its warning for other possible protestors:

Hindu Sangam president Mohan Shanmugam described the fines imposed on the cow-head protestors today as “minimal” but still served as a warning to groups looking to stoke religious tension.

… “We welcome the justice,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted. “Although the charges are very minimal but it shows that everyone charged will be brought to justice. This is a warning for everybody.”

What do you think? Should the punishment be more harsh to show the seriousness of the issue?

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Sinthamani Ashramam to be demolished?

June 29th, 2010
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I was surprised to read this letter from HRP to PM Najib (who else?):

Extract from the letter:

We have been instructed to write on behalf of the Sintamany Orphanage, Jinjang Kuala Lumpur who has been served with a notice to demolish this seven year old Sintamany orphanage and the adjoining Hindu temple.

This home was founded by a 26 year old youth Praveendran a/l Balasamy who was moved to do so when he found a 13 year old Indian boy loitering by a rubbish dumpsite.

Today this home has 65 children with the youngest being an eight month old baby, thirty-five of these children are in primary school, 5 in secondary school, 2 old folks, three single parents and the rest being baby sitted at the home. This Sintamany home is also an orphanage to the abandoned, distressed, single mothers elderly and sickly Indians who have no where else to go.

This home is currently occupying an almost one acre unused land in Jinjang Utara belonging to the UMNO led Government of Malay-sia.

Last month some 50 UMNO policemen and welfare officers stormed this home bullied and harassed the occupants there to move out. Two children aged three and five become ill and were hospitalized as a result of this.

Other children sent to the government welfare homes are being forcibly converted to Islam like in the latest cases of Darshini and Banggarama (The Sun 25/11/2009 at page 4) .

Many of these orphans have been denied even their rightful birth certificates and this home is applying for the same for them.

It is the duty and responsibility of any government in any part of the world to take care of or orphans and One Malay-sia seems to be the exception in so far as the poor ethnic minority Malaysian Indians are concerned.

This home has never been assisted with a single cent or even a single cup of rice by the UMNO led Malay-sian government despite the RM 850 Million 2010 national budget as social safety net for the poor, disabled and senior citizens (News Straits Time 18/10/2009 at page 23). The pre existing poor local working class Rumah Panjang Indian community and other well wishers help maintain this orphanage. Why should the pre existing poor help this orphanage out financially when it is the duty and responsibility of the government.

This is a Tamil saying Mr . Prime Minister that if one cannot help the least one could do is not to do damage.

So please do not damage and demolish this Sintamany Orphanage on 30/06/2010 at 9.00 a.m.

Instead we urge your goodselves as not only the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on the Indians but also the Prime Minister for all Malaysians not including and segregating the Malaysian Indians to grant this home RM 200, 000.00 per annum and also the land this orphanage is  sitting on to be alienated to this orphanage in order for the poor, powerless and politically voiceless up to sixth generation Malaysian born Indians a shelter and a roof they need over their heads.

IF we remember food, shelter and clothing are the basic necessities in the life of a any human being and is about the most basic economic theory.

I remember reading that the home was indeed on public land, but all this while there was no interference or indication of the land going to be used for other purposes. I think its only wise to relocate the home to another location. It will look very very bad on government, DBKL, FT Minister Nong Chik, FT Deputy Minister Saravanan, PM Najib, and 1Malaysia concept if such noble efforts are just brushed aside in the name of development or progress. It may well drag down the Indian community support (82% in mid May according to Merdeka Center) towards PM and 1Malaysia when news goes around that government is going around demolishing ashramam nowadays.

The ashramam has been benefactor of few charity drives. Even announced in THR Raaga, appeared in Star news paper, and got donations from big companies.

Oh, they are on Facebook as well.

I guess it will need intervention of MIC folks since the authorities won’t be listening to HRP any time soon (what a shame though).

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Gas Bocor?

June 25th, 2010
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Can’t believe I’m actually reading about this. Only 6 weeks or so and already having problem.

Major differences are emerging among the three top leaders of the Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu or GAS movement started by former MIC Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan to pressure long-time president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to step down.

Sources close to the GAS movement said if the differences are not ironed out, a split in the movement was inevitable and would be a boon to Samy Vellu, who has announced he will only retire “about” September 2011.

His term expires in May 2012.

The differences are partly because of a clash of egos and partly because some leaders are having second thoughts after jumping onto the anti-Samy Vellu bandwagon.

Another reason, sources said, is that some GAS leaders have other agendas other than ousting Samy Vellu like joining up with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) if the attempt to dislodge the party veteran fails and their re-entry into MIC is permanently blocked.

The differences are mainly between founder Mugilan (picture) and expelled CWC member Kumar Amman on one side, and Klang businessman and another expelled CWC member, K.P. Samy.

GAS sources told The Malaysian Insider their differences had been there from the beginning when GAS was formed and held its first rally on May 30 which did not see the anticipated 15,000 people turning up and was dismissed as a non-starter.

Simmering differences surfaced today when K.P. Samy issued a statement in the Makkal Osai newspaper, in which he has an interest, distancing himself from Mugilan.

K.P. Samy said he had nothing to do with GAS plans to distribute 500,000 CDs and posters detailing Samy Vellu’s alleged misdeeds over the past 30 years.

He also said the CDs would not be distributed at the second GAS rally in Klang on July 4, which is organised by him.

GAS supporters were shocked by the announcement as they had been looking forward to receiving the CDs and making the July 4 event a success.

“I have no connection and have nothing to do with the CDs,” K.P. Samy said in the statement published in Makkal Osai.

The statement will come as sweet music to Samy Vellu who has been looking for a chink in the GAS armour to exploit and defeat the movement.

At the GAS press conference a fortnight ago, K.P. Samy did not voice any objection when the CDs and other GAS plans to attack Samy Vellu were announced to the press by the three leaders, who sat jointly together on the same table.

“I have to consider the legal implications,” K.P. Samy said when contacted today while declining to explain why he did not raise objections to the CD plan at the press conference.

Additionally, the July 4 gathering that K.P. Samy is organising is not promoted as a GAS protest rally — as the May 30 gathering was —but as an “Indian awakening” forum to decide on the “future of the Indian community”.

A tall order for an expelled MIC CWC member, a GAS supporter said.

Also, no mention is made of GAS, Samy Vellu or CDs in advertisements that are appearing in the Makkal Osai newspaper to promote the July 4 gathering.

Additionally, the July 4 gathering in Klang has also come under attack from the Tamil Nesannewspaper owned by Samy Vellu’s family, who are calling the gathering an anti-Barisan Nasional and “society destroying” event.

Mugilan and Kumar Amman could not be contacted for comment but their aides say they are working hard not to let the differences split their GAS movement.

“While Mugilan is focused on the mission which is to oust Samy Vellu, K.P. Samy is distracted by other issues like legal implications,” said an aide of Mugilan. “We are unhappy with the differences. There are only three of us and we can’t see eye to eye.

“You should have thought of the legal implications before jumping into the GAS movement,” he said, referring to K.P. Samy’s statement today de-linking from the anti-Samy Vellu CDs.

He accused K.P. Samy of having other political agendas like jumping ship to PR if the GAS movement fails and his re-entry into MIC is permanently blocked.

A staunch supporter of former MIC deputy Datuk S. Subramaniam, K.P. Samy has links with DAP vice-chairman and Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, who is on the lookout for “good” candidates in the next general election and thinks K.P. Samy fits the bill.

In contrast, Mugilan and Kumar Amman are staunch MIC/BN men focused on getting Samy Vellu out and rehabilitating and reforming the MIC and winning Indian support in the next general election.

While GAS is heading for a likely split, the political pressure over Samy Vellu’s retirement is also undergoing a change.

It seems unlikely that Samy Vellu can be pressured to step down earlier than September 2011 and the BN political establishment also appears to have come to terms with that deadline.

The camp of deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel, which was also focused on pressuring Samy Vellu to step down through lobbying the media, has eased off the pressure after Palanivel was made a deputy minister and “endorsed” as successor.

If these changes hold, the GAS movement could become irrelevant over the next 15 months as Samy Vellu’s reaches his retirement at his own pace.

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Annual event is here again!

May 24th, 2010
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The annual event is back! Ye folks, the annual begging appeal for PSD (JPA) scholarship and IPTA places session is on again. MCA and MIC have both set up helpline to ensure their relevantness. So, go ahead and contact them if you feel you have a valid reason to appeal.

This is what MCA says:

MCA Youth will collect the data of last year’s excellent SPM students who failed to get the Public Service Department scholarship.

Its chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the list of successful applicants was out last Friday but not all excellent students were selected.

“For those who did not receive the scholarship, it must be understood that the number of scholarships are limited to only 1,500.

“All parties, especially parents must understand that not all of those who scored straight As are eligible for the scholarship,” he told reporters after chairing the Johor Baru MCA division meeting here Sunday.

Dr Wee, who is also Deputy Education Minister, said over 7,000 students scored straight As and of the number, about 200 obtained A+ for all subjects.

He said the youth wing would collect the data and analyse it within a week before discussing the matter with party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and other leaders.

“We will then talk to the department. We urge those who want to appeal for the scholarships to submit their details to the wing at youth@mca.org.my,” he said.

MIC says this:

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S. K. Devamany has called on the prime minister to intervene in the selection for Public Service Department (PSD) overseas degree scholarship programme.

He said he had received complaints from many students that they were passed over for the scholarship despite achieving excellent results in last year’s SPM examination.

“The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) must interven and give a solution to the unfair and discriminatory award of PSD selection of foreign degree scholarships,” he said in a statement Sunday.

Devamany also urged PSD to review the selection criteria of its scholarship award.

“The PSD has yet to fully understand the meaning of 1Malaysia which the Prime Minister has adopted as the slogan of his administration,” he said.

Devamany, who is also MIC vice-president, said the scholarship must be offered based on meritocracy and to underprivileged students who had achieved excellent academic results.

“This is the national direction. When excellent students who obtain straight As are denied scholarships despite fulfilling more than the minimum criteria, they become frustrated that their hard work and efforts were in vain,” he added.

He urged students who failed in their applications for the overseas scholarship programme to appeal to the PSD.

We been hearing this for last, what, 5 0r 10 years? Do they think we are dumb? Just publish (on website) all the recipients’ name, complete with the parents name, income range and occupation, SPM results, the marks obtained during interview, and the overalls marks that allowed them to get the scholarship. Is that so difficult? Is it a national security stuff? Every year also talk nonsense and waste our time. And this time, pull in 1Malaysia pulak lagi 🙂 Haiyoo..make me want to cry… Hello, for this thing all, no need slogans, just plain common sense will do.

This time, there’s a video by a student that didn’t get place in IPTA :

This girl says more than 90% of her schoolmates in MRSM got places in matriculation and/or IPTA, but she, being one of the top students in her school, didn’t get anything.

So, what’s going to happen? Someone will come as a knight in shining armor and give this girl a place in IPTA? After that, all of us supposed to “ooh” and “aaah” over such gracious acts? We must offer our thanks profusely and pledge eternal loyalty to some groups?? Go get a life.

Note: i’m kind of tired reading about MIC’s internal problem, so won’t be blogging about it any time soon.

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