MACC chief among 'most influential' for biz ethics

Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), has been named one of the 100 influential people in business ethics for 2010 by the New York-based Ethisphere Institute.

Ranked fourth in the eminent list, he was adjudged for his role in the government and regulatory practices category.The other eight categories are thought leadership; business leadership; corporate culture; investment and research; design and sustainability; media and whistle blowers; NGOs; and philanthropy.

Brickfields residents: Two-way street will cause traffic chaos

BRICKFIELDS residents are unhappy with the announcement made by Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad Ismail that Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad will revert to a two-way street by end of March.The residents are saying that if Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad reverts to its original two-way street and with traffic still coming into Jalan Tun Sambanthan, all hell will break loose.Rukun Tetangga Brickfields B chairman S.K.K Naidu expressed dissapointment with the mayor decision.“No one consulted us. We have had a series of meetings with Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin on this matter and the last one was held on Sept 30 last year.

Samy Vellu, Palanivel on collision course over MIED

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel is set to clash with predecessor Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu over the latter’s intention to keep heading the party’s cash-rich education arm by loading more supporters onto the board to overcome dissenting votes.The Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED), with assets of about RM1 billion, has been chaired by Samy Vellu since it was established in 1984 and will discuss an expansion to its ranks in a board of trustees meeting on March 7.

The Fetish

Written by Iskandar Dzulkarnain, Malaysia Chronicle

The waves of uprisings by citizens of Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria and Libya that is also holding the breath of other regime leaders in other parts of the world is most noticeable.What is also an obvious pattern is that the leaders of the affected countries are said to have stashed away exorbitant sums of money in banks across the globe - out of their own countries - J. D. LovrenciearWhy do they do it? Is it a Fetish with money? Do they go into an orgiastic frenzy, while counting the dollar bills with their grubby hands? And like squirrels they faithfully stash it away for winter.

Allow anti-racism march, US group tells Hisham

KOTA KINABALU: New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to respect Malaysia’s international and legal obligations and allow Sunday’s Solidarity March Against Racism to proceed. HRW’s deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson, called on Hishammuddin to overturn a decision by the police to deny a permit for the march in Kuala Lumpur, saying that the organisers on their part should ensure that the walk is carried out in an orderly and peaceful manner.

RON 95 stays at RM1.90, assures Najib

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak guaranteed today that the government will not be increasing the price of subsidised fuel RON 95 amid escalated global oil prices, for now. Oil prices are expected to shoot up to its highest levels following violent clashes in Libya and tensions in other countries in the Middle East, which could interrupt crude oil exports. “We are monitoring the situation but at the moment there is no plan for us to increase oil prices,” Najib told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting today.

Be happy with Little India’ minister drubbed

KUALA LUMPUR: A minister has come under fire for allegedly telling Bukit Jalil estate residents, who are facing eviction, to be contented with the Little India project when they wanted to negotiate compensation.Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin had purportedly said this when he met the residents on Wednesday.According to Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arutchelvan, the minister had told the residents that they should be glad the government had spent a lot of money for the Little India project in Brickfields.

Ex-estate workers dig in at KL City Hall

Some 90 Batu Estate residents are rallying in front of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) building awaiting an undertaking from the authority not to evict them from their homes by next week.The residents have decided dig in there until DBKL guarantees not to clear them out under the Essential Law (Squatters Clearance) Regulations 1969."We are not going to move, we want them to give us the pledge," said residents representative Thilagendran Vadiveloo.

PM launches legal aid foundation for the poor

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today launched a foundation which will provide legal aid to the poor.People from households with an annual income of less than RM25,000 can seek aid from this National Legal Aid Foundation.The foundation has 12 members on its board of directors, with Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail as the chairperson and Bar Council president K Ragunath as the deputy chairperson.Its assistance will cover criminal, civil and syariah court cases.At the launch at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), Najib said justice was a prerequisite in a progressive and successful nation.He said the foundation, set up under the initiative of the government and the Bar Council, would meet the desire of the government to ensure that justice was for all.

Source- Bernama

Gerakan leader calls for ban on Interlok

GEORGE TOWN: For the first time, a Gerakan leader has publicly called on the government to ban the controversial Malay novel, Interlok.Breaking away from his party's muted stance on the controversial issue, Penang Gerakan legal and human rights bureau head Baljit Singh also slammed leaders of other ethnic communities, including from Gerakan, for keeping mum on Interlok.

“Other ethnic communities should also oppose Interlok; they should not leave the fight exclusively to the Indians,” he told FMT here today.He said the novel was incongruous with nation-building and undermined Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.He said the novel contained disparaging and unsavoury remarks on the Indian community.He added that Interlok had shattered the country’s cherished multi-racial unity.

Muhyiddin Wants Firm Action Against Hindraf

CHANGLUN -- Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin wants firm police action against a group calling itself Hindraf which is reported to be trying to hold a mass rally this Sunday.He said that Hindraf, the Hindu Rights Action Force, had been banned and using or championing its name was in itself an offence."They (planners) know that they would need permission from the police (for such a rally)," he told reporters here.

'Interlok' a classic work of racism, says analyst

Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) director Lim Teck Ghee has added his voice to calls for the novel Interlok to be removed from the Form Five Malay literature syllabus due to its perpetuation of “offensive stereotyping” of minorities.This, while the controversial novel celebrates the virtues of the Malay race, culture and value system.

As such, Lim noted, it has led some quarters to see the novel as “the classic Malaysian racist book”. In remarks e-mailed to Malaysiakini today, the former academician-turned-social activist said some may be tempted to invoke freedom of expression to justify maintaining the book as required reading in secondary schools.

No permit for march against 'Umno's racism'

The Human Rights Party's (HRP) application for a permit to carry out a peaceful march against the novel Interlok on Sunday has been rejected by the Dangi Wangi police.The party on Feb 11 submitted its application to the police for a permit to hold a 'People's March in Solidarity Against Umno's Racism'.The gathering is to protest the education ministry's decision to retain the use of the controversial novel Interlok, which critics argue portrays the Indian community in a negative light and therefore is not suitable for use as a school textbook.

Interlok: When The Indian Cries, Nobody Hears

Hartal MSM

Interlok is a less-than-subtle vehicle to knock into the heads of young students (who have to study this novel for their exam) that the Chinese pendatang — referred to repeatedly in the book as "bangsa asing" — must be grateful for the opportunities given by Malaysia.The book propagates a popular picture that Chinese and Indian immigrants set sail here because they were impoverished, and coming to this land of milk and honey with nothing except the shirt on their back. And the immigrants then proceed to dispossess the natives, just stopping short of daylight robbery.

RM23,000 offer: ‘Take it or leave it’

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has given the Bukit Jalil estate residents one week to decide whether to accept its new offer of RM23,000 each to move out of their homes.Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the new offer was the best the government could do for the plantation workers.The new offer is more than the RM5,000 previously offered by the government as compensation for having to move out.“My ministry and the Human Resources Ministry have decided that the Bukit Jalil residents will be moved to a new place regardless of whether they accept or refuse the new offer.“This is the government’s final decision and there will be no more ‘bargaining’ with the residents.

Little India paved in the colour of gold, but… — A. Kadir Jasin

One of my favourite quotes is by British author Samuel Johnson who said the road to hell is paved with good intentions.Governments everywhere claim good intentions to be the reasons for doing things, more so when the good things produced bad results.It was for this reason that I had resisted commenting on the government’s million-ringgit transformation of the iconic multi-ethnic Brickfields into Little India.

It is one of those 1 Malaysia projects which came about following Prime Minister Najib Razak’s walkabout in Pantai Dalam, Petaling Street and Brickfields.The sparkling but not necessarily spanking clean Little India is threatening to harm the government’s popularity.While the contractors who harvested RM35 million in government contracts and the landlords who are merrily upping rentals are pleased, the traders and residents are not.I am familiar with Brickfields, having started to frequent it as early as the 1970s when Bernama’s office was located at Wisma Belia in Jalan Syed Putra (then Lornie Road).

How rich are Malaysia's top civil servants and ministers?

Written by J. D. Lovrenciear

There have been numerous reports especially in the new media about the extravagance of top civil servants and ministers and MPs and MBs. Even their family members have been accused of leading jet-setting lifestyles, having a range of expensive cars in their garage, over-whelming jewellery, and courting the world of the rich and famous here and abroad as well, having lands and businesses that would have taken an entrepreneur a light year to build, etc. In some instances even the dwellings of certain individuals were deemed fit for kings.


Top civil servants upon retiring were also said to take off with very attractive appointments as Board members and Executive Directors of leading private sector organizations. This also means that on top of receiving their pensions, they also get paid handsomely, sitting on these Boards.Perhaps, in view of the impending general elections the Honourable Prime Minister should make it mandatory for all top civil servants and ministers as well as even those from the ‘opposition’ MPs to publicly declare their assets.

Hindraf invites UN to monitor Feb 27 rally

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has requested for observers from the United Nations (UN) to monitor its 'People's March in Solidarity Against Umno's Racism' this Sunday. The march will start from the KLCC at 9am, and end at the Dang Wangi Police station.The demonstration is to protest against Interlok, the controversial novel that Form Five students use as a compulsory literature text.Hindraf national information coordinator, S Jayathas , said that it would only be fair if the UN were to to witness how the protestors were being handled by the police.

Lorry driver wants second post-mortem done on daughter

SHAH ALAM, Feb 22 — A man today sought for a second post-mortem to be done on the remains of his daughter, who died just five months after getting married, claiming there were elements of abuse in her death.
M. Subramaniam, 52, a lorry driver, filed an application to the effect through his lawyer Gurmit Singh Hullon at the High Court registry here.Subramaniam is seeking a court order for a second and independent post-mortem done on the remains of his daughter S. Pakiam, 23, at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Petaling Jaya by forensic pathologist Dr Karunakaran Mathiharan.

All Malaysians safe in New Zealand after quake

KUALA LUMPUR: All 390 Malaysian students in Christchurch are reported to be safe today after a strong earthquake hit the New Zealand city, toppling buildings, igniting fires and causing multiple deaths.Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A Kohilan Pillay said: "Officers from our High Commission in Wellington went to Christchurch after the earthquake struck this morning and found the students safe."

Xavier pleads to be retained as exco

SHAH ALAM: Embattled Selangor exco Dr Xavier Jeyakumar may get a reprieve despite rumours that he will be dropped from state lineup.According to an insider, Xavier had pleaded with party de factor leader Anwar Ibrahim, during a meeting last Wednesday, to be retained as executive councillor in the state cabinet.
"Last Wednesday, Xavier and his son met Anwar at 9pm at the headquarters. Xavier begged Anwar to keep him in the post.

"After listening to Xavier, Anwar tapped him on the shoulder with a file and said 'this is your last chance'," said the insider.It is understood that PKR trasurer William Leong was also present during Xavier's meeting with Anwar.But whether Xavier's pleading with Anwar will carry weight with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is another matter.

Blind support for police injustice

Since 2000, 147 people have died in police custody, but there is little accountability, transparency or any real investigations by the authorities.

Since 2000, at least 147 people have died in police custody (unless otherwise stated, statistics are from the police released during P Uthayakumar’s ongoing sedition trial) but yet there is little accountability, transparency or any real investigations by the authorities responsible, namely the courts, the police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the hospitals which provide medical assistance or conduct post-mortems.

Despite the obvious seriousness of any death in custody, these important state institutions in most, if not all of these cases, chose to gloss, downplay, cover up, ignore or even make outrageous claims over these deaths – causing these institutions to lose credibility and public confidence.Just look at the recent deaths of A Kugan while in custody of the USJ police station in January 2009 and Teoh Beng Hock while in custody of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Shah Alam in July 2009, which caused extraordinary public outcry, anger and fear over the conduct of enforcement agencies during interrogations, the practice of torture and the lack of clear standard operating procedures.

‘Hindraf rally will push for Anti-Racism Act’

KUALA LUMPUR: Organisers of a rally themed “Malaysia, the world's most racist” to be held at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre on Feb 27 are expected to go ahead with their plans with or without police permission.

Human rights movement, Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, and its political wing Human Rights Party (HRP) Malaysia said that "notwithstanding the hostile attitude adopted by the police”, similar gatherings would be held nationwide.HRPM pro tem secretary-general, P Uthayakumar, said although no police permit has been issued todate for the planned rally, they had a copy of the application which had been signed and stamped by the police.

Bukit Gasing: Old and diverse

PETALING JAYA, Feb 22 — Some of the Klang Valley’s oldest and diverse neighbourhoods are in the constituency termed as Bukit Gasing.This is essentially where Petaling Jaya, a dense satellite town to Kuala Lumpur, started and where most Malaysians of the Tun Razak generation got their start when they migrated from their kampungs to the Klang Valley.

When it comes to diversity, it is almost hardwired into Petaling Jaya’s communal soul. The vibrancy and tolerance shared by ethnicities, faiths and nationalities that call PJ home is perhaps due to the fact that each group does not make up a perceivable majority.Bukit Gasing is part of the Petaling Jaya Selatan parliamentary constituency. “PJ Old Town”, where PJ itself began in the early 1950s was set up to accommodate new Chinese villages during the Communist Insurgency, says Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee Poh Lin. The area also had its own kampung Melayu, which is now known as Section 4.

Police clamp on anti-Interlok forums contin

While previous arrests have only occurred when forums are under way, the police today tried to pre-empt an anti-Interlok forum in Hulu Selangor by arresting its organiser, prior to tonight's event.Malaysiakini was alerted to the arrest of M Gobalakrishnan, 26, whose name appeared as the contact person on fliers promoting the anti-Interlok forum by a representative of the Human Rights Party (HRP) this afternoon.

"They came to his house at 12.30pm today, with an arrest warrant. They picked him up and took him to the local police station."I believe they arrested him for organising an illegal event," the Indian party's information chief S Jayathas said when contacted.

However, Jayathas said, the forum would go on despite the absence of Gobalakrishnan, who was picked up by six plainclothes police officers.

Devamany denies ‘Interlok traitor’ SMS

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department SK Devamany has denied defending the controversial Interlok novel.The MIC leader was responding to a widely circulated text message accusing him of being a traitor for condoning the use of the book in schools.

According to the text message, Devamany, while speaking at a Barisan Nasional (BN) meeting in Kuantan last month, said he found nothing wrong with the book.“The book was published 20 years ago, why was the Indian community silent then? Why blow up the issue now? This is the work of Pakatan (Rakyat),” he was quoted as saying.The text message also claimed that Devamany was then reprimanded by Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob, who told the deputy minister not to insult his own race.

Below is the actual text message being circulated:

(Ucapan Dato SK Dewamani dlm Perhimpunan BN di Kuantan pada 30-01-2011, (Saya pun seorang Sasterawan India, bagi sy tiada apa2 Kesalahan dlm Buku Interlok,Buku ini Terbit 20tahun dulu, kenapa kaum India diam pd masa itu, tiba2 nak besarkan masalah, ini semua adalah kerja pakatan)inilah ucapan Troghi sk Dewamani. Walaupun MB Pahang seorang kaum Melayu tetapi beliau Marah SK Jangan Hina Kaum sendiri.)

Terima Kasih, Raja!

Bayangkan! Daripada seorang yang tidak pernah membaca novel Interlok karya Sasterawan Negara Datuk Abdullah Hussain, akhirnya saya mengkaji secara mendalam edisi 1996, 2003, 2005 dan 2010 novel berkenaan.Segalanya bermula pada 15 Disember 2010 apabila Pengerusi Biro Pengaduan Am, Datuk T Murugiah membuat pengumuman rasmi berhubung penarikan balik teks Komponen Sastera Dalam Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Malaysia (Komsas) itu “didakwa mengandungi unsur negatif serta boleh menyinggung perasaan kaum Melayu dan India” (Sinar Harian, 21 Disember 2010).

Pada 20 Disember 2010, Presiden Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (Pena), Mohamed Saleeh Rahamad membuat kenyataan kepada media:“Biarpun ada unsur kejelekan pada sesetengah tempat, pengakhirannya membawa kepada pemahaman bersama bahawa perpaduan antara kaum penting, seklai gus mendaulatkan perpaduan kaum yang bersesuaian sebagai pemangkin perpaduan di kalangan pelajar.” (Berita Harian, 20 Disember 2010)

Hindraf leaders arrested in police crackdown

GEORGE TOWN: Eight Hindraf Makkal Sakti were detained during an anti-Interlok forum at Simpang Ampat, Penang, this evening.Among the eight are Human Rights Party president W Sambulingam, 48, Perak Hindraf chief P Ramesh, 45, and Selangor Hindraf deputy chief CF Mani, 35.The trio was arrested at 11.30am and released six hours later by Kulim police during a similar forum in Paya Besar, Lunas, this morning. Also detained was Hindraf-HRP adviser N Ganesan, 60.

Others were K Maran, 48, A Govindasamy, 32, R Kumaraguru Naidu, 42, and S Sundar, 42.Police arrested only three people including Sambulingam, while the other five voluntarily surrendered themselves and entered into the police truck.The forum began at 6.30pm at Meenatchi Amman Kovil community hall with an address by Sambulingam and Ganesan.Earlier, heavy police presence, including lighting strike force personnel armed with batons, were visible in and outside the temple compound.

Coming: Interlok's ideal antidote

Come August, barring the unexpected, Malaysian readers will be able to access the ideal antidote to the controversial literary text, Interlok, which is said to be disparaging of Indian Malaysians. A book, 'A History of Indians in Malaysia: From the Melaka Sultanate to Hindraf,' is set to be published in that month. It will tell the story of Indian Malaysians' contribution to the development of the country.

 

The author, Carl Vadivella Belle, is what academics would call an 'Indologist,' in the same vein scholars of Chinese studies are termed 'Sinologists.' He is in the final stages of completing the manuscript for publication.Vadivella Belle, aged 62, became enamored of things Malaysian when he was the Attache (Development Assistance) at the Australian High Commission here in 1976-79.Fascination with the annual Thaipusam festival led this former Lutheran to become a Hindu in 1981.

Indian student forced to say ‘keling babi’

PETALING JAYA: A 28-second video that depicts a Malaysian Indian student forced to say “keling babi” by his school mates is making its rounds on Youtube. In the video, the antagonist who is behind the camera says: "Cakap sekarang, aku sepak sekarang. Aku terajang karang. Cakap keling babi. Cakap keling babi.” (Say it now, I'll slap you. I'll kick you. Say Indians are pigs. Say Indians are pigs.)

When the student concerned did not respond, the antagonist continues until the Indian student relented.The video has been viewed more than 18,000 times since it was put up on Feb 12.It was first uploaded by someone who identified himself as Amingenji and subsequently uploaded by Hindrafmakkalsakti.

Interlok panel under SMS attack

PETALING JAYA: Three Indians in the eight-member independent panel appointed by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to amend portions of Interlok have been called traitors to the Indian community.In a widely circulated short messaging service (SMS), one of which was sent to FMT, the three were accused of humiliating Indians.

The trio are Professor NS Rajendran (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris), G Krishnabagawan (former information ministry official) and Uthaya Sankar (Sinar Harian deputy editor).The head of the independent panel tasked with amending some controversial contents of Interlok, Shamsul Amri Baharudin, however, refused to be drawn into responding to the anonymous SMS.

Palanivel makes sweeping changes in MIC

Newly appointed MIC president G Palanivel has made sweeping changes to the party national line-up, including re-appointing S Murugesan as party secretary-general.Murugesan, a lawyer-cum-politician, was removed from the post early last year by the then president S Samy Vellu after the former criticised him for sacking several national leaders.Palanivel, who took the helm of the party late last year, had appointed Murugesan as party information chief barely three weeks ago.

He has also appointed V Mogan, the Negri Sembilan MIC chief, as the party information chief in place of Murugesan.The current secretary-general T Rajagopalu will take over Mogan’s place as the Negri Sembilan MIC chief.All these changes were endorsed by the party’s central working committee (CWC).

HRP questions ROS' double standards

The Human Rights Party (HRP) has given the authorities 14 days to approve its longstanding application to be formally registered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS). This is in view of the speedy approval for the registration of Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party (MMSP) and constitutional amendments sought by new party Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita). HRP pro-tem secretary P Uthayakumar , in his capacity as the party's lawyer, made the ultimatum in writing today to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

Toll charge on NPE's PJS booth reduced

The toll rate at the Petaling Jaya Selatan 2 (PJS 2) toll plaza along the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) near Kampung Medan, Petaling Jaya will be reduced from RM1.60 to RM1 effective 12.01am tomorrow.The announcement was made by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in his speech at the 'Pesta Chap Goh Mei' at the Selangor state level and the presentation of donations organised by the Selangor BN at the Padang Taman Dato' Hormat PJS 10 in Petaling Jaya today.Najib said the government had promised to do the best for the people and this was one of the examples in line with the 1Malaysia concept.

Interlok edisi murid akan dipinda

PETALING JAYA: Pengarah Institut Kajian Etnik, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Profesor Datuk Shamsul Amri Baharuddin berkata, panel pakar yang dilantik Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin telah mengadakan perbincangan berpandukan terma rujukan yang ditetapkan oleh kementerian dan bersetuju untuk membuat pindaan.
Beliau berkata: “Kami tidak menetapkan berapa banyak pindaan, pembetulan fakta dan penyuntingan yang akan dilakukan kerana kami tidak mahu mana-mana kesilapan atau bahagian yang menyentuh sensitiviti kaum tercicir jika kerja-kerja pindaan dilakukan secara tergesa-gesa.“Bagi tujuan itu, panel akan bermesyuarat semula dalam masa dua atau tiga minggu lagi untuk mengadakan perbincangan lebih teliti dan mendalami kerja-kerja penjernihan itu,” katanya.

No let-up in Interlok protests

IPOH: The Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) is not letting up the political pressure on the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to remove the controversial Form Five Malay literature book “Interlok” from the education system.It has drawn up programmes to continue with its people's power protests to demonstrate to the government that the Indian community is dead set against the book.

Certain portions of the book were deemed to have offended the sentiments of the Indian community with their alleged racist attack.Although Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had responded to the vocal protest of the community by removing the offending sections, he stopped short of removing the book from the education system.Even though MIC seems to support Muhyiddin’s move, the Indian community, NGOs and HRP were not prepared to compromise.

‘Gazette land for Tamil school’

MERLIMAU: A new building for a Tamil school will be coming up here thanks to the upcoming Merlimau by-election.Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has already officiated at a ground-breaking ceremony for the school which has been squatting on someone else's land for more than 20 years.But an amused PKR leader from the Alor Gajah division, G Rajandran, said the school, which was over 40 years old, had never seen a deputy prime minister visit the area.

"If not for the by-election, we won't get such a powerful visitor. This is the first time in the school's history that a deputy prime minister has visited them.... I hope he doesn't make empty promises," said Rajandran.He said the Tamil school, with 175 students, had been squatting on a small piece of leased land within the compound of another secondary school for more than two decades.

Barring students from taking Tamil: ‘It’s a lie’

PETALING JAYA: Kluang district education officer Shaharudin Sharif today rubbished an allegation that the Kluang High School in Johor has barred its students from taking Tamil as a optional subject."It is not true. There are two teachers who are still teaching Tamil in that school," said Shaharudin.He was responding to allegations via a phone message to FMT that the school had barred its Indian students from taking Tamil as an optional subject and a teacher has been transferred.

Demolition of Batu Estate homes put off

KUALA LUMPUR: Ex-Batu Estate workers whose homes were to have been demolished, got a two-week reprieve when Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) ordered housing developer Mayland Sdn Bhd and the residents' lawyer, SP Muthu Veloo, to negotiate."We'll give you two weeks to negotiate and iron out the differences," said DBKL security and enforcement operations officer, Osman Ismail, to Mayland representative Syed Attila Aidid and Muthu after a 15-minute discussion.

Osman led DBKL's enforcement unit complete with lorries, trucks and heavy machinery to the residential area of the former estate workers.Scores of DBKL personnel were on standby at the entrace of the housing estate waiting for Osman's order to demolish the workers' homes.But a plea from residents and Muthu bought them some time.Muthu told FMT that DBKL was gracious enough to allow them further negotiations.

Losing Indian support: Pakatan must blame itself

GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Rakyat should blame itself for the loss of Indian support and not others, said a local DAP leader.Jalan Bagan Luar DAP branch head G Asoghan said Pakatan should get rid of its denial syndrome and stop blaming Barisan Nasional (BN).“Pakatan should reflect on whether it had done enough to maintain the overwhelming Indian support shown for the coalition in the 2008 general election,” he told FMT.

He blamed the Pakatan state governments in Penang, Kedah and Selangor, as well as the coalition’s top leaders and Indian elected representatives for the decline.Pakatan governments, he said, should have implemented various programmes within its administrative powers and financial capacities to benefit the Indian community.He pointed out that Pakatan should have used state powers on land matters to resolve the landless status of Tamil schools, Hindu temples, burial grounds, crematoriums and Indian residential areas.

MRT project: KL traffic gridlock expected

Kuala Lumpur residents will have to brace themselves for horrific traffic conditions when the construction of the city's Mass Rail Transport (MRT) project starts this June. The duration of the ordeal is however unclear, as the environmental assessment report released on Monday by the project's consultant ERE Consulting Group does not state the project's time frame.

According to the report, the roads affected include Persiaran Surian (with a capacity of 5,300 cars per hour), the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP, 8,400 cars per hour) and Sprint Highway and Jalan Semantan (that peak at 12,6000 cars per hour). “Traffic congestion is expected to be significant at the Bukit Bintang and Cochrane stations (of the proposed Sungai Buloh-Kajang line) due to movement of construction vehicles… and its surrounding land use.

“Several schools (SM Jalan Cochrane, SRK and SMK Convent Jalan Peel) are located within the locality of the Cochrane station,” read the report.It adds that elevated works along Jalan Damansara (near Taman Tun Dr Ismail) is expected to cause congestion, as would reduction from four lanes to two lanes in Jalan Cheras (near Taman Mesra) and Jalan Semenyih. “It is essential not to reduce the capacity of (the Jalan Semenyih/Jalan Besar junction) as all major arterials of Kajang town intersect at this junction,” it said.

D-Day for former Batu Estate workers

KUALA LUMPUR: Batu Estate's ex-workers are facing their D-Day tomorrow as Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) safety and enforcement department decided in favour of Mayland Developers Sdn Bhd to demolish their homes located next to Putramas Condominium.Notice of the demolition has already been issued to the 38 former workers.

Yesterday, the ex-estate workers submitted a memorandum to DBKL and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to stop the demolition.Representative V Thilagenthiran questioned DBKL's involvement in the dispute between Mayland and the workers, some having lived there for the past 70 years.
"Why is DBKL interfering in the matters of two parties over a private land?" he asked."The demolition would violate a High Court judgment that we are the rightful residents in October 2003."

Interlok Petition TO PRIME MINISTER

Dear My Fellow Friends,


Please support this move.

Thank you.

http://www.petitiononline.com/Interlok/petition.html

Hindraf seeks IGP help over anti-Umno march

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is seeking a meeting with inspector-general of police (IGP) Ismail Omar to discuss matters concerning the movement's planned march on Feb 27 to protest against Umno and the use of the novel 'Interlok' in schools.In a letter to Ismail today, Hindraf chairperson-in-exile P Waythamoorthy said that the movement fears that agent provocateurs would be employed by Umno to disrupt the event.He said that as the planned march is well intended and peaceful, the police is thus obliged to ensure that no untoward incidents occur.

“If you refuse to do the necessary, we will hold you responsible for any untoward incident that may occur during the march and you will be liable for negligence in failing to provide protection to innocent civilians protesting peacefully,” he wrote in the letter.

‘Please, give me back my baby’

IPOH: Valentine's Day is meaningless to 36-year-old M Indira Ghandhi who has not seen her three-year-old daughter since her husband drove off with her two years ago.Indira, a mother of three, has not only been denied access to her third child, Prasana Diksha ,by her estranged husband who converted, but is also facing the problem of having been made a bankrupt by him.

Desperately missing Prasana, who turns three on April 1, Indira is grappling with depression and financial instability."There is no Valentine’s Day celebration for me and my family as I have not seen my youngest daughter for the past three years."It is pure mental torture and agony that my husband is inflicting on me and my children. He has destroyed the peace and happiness of my family," she said.

Palanivel calls for patience over Interlok row

MIC president G Palanivel today urged all parties to refrain from issuing statements with regard to the sensitivity of the Interlok novel.Palanivel said since a panel has been set up by the education ministry to study the Interlok novel used as a Form Five literature textbook, and consider the appropriate amendments, and submit its recommendations, issuing sensitive statements would only aggravate the situation.

The independent panel of eight people comprises linguists, academicians, literary experts and representatives from the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and the Indian community.The novel, written by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, sparked controversy following the education ministry's decision to use it as a literature textbook as it allegedly contained text regarded as sensitive to the Indian community in the country.

Dr M: Taib must not get into a Mubarak situation

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed said today Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud should have a successor ready before he considers stepping down after three decades in power.Mahathir, himself having served as prime minister for 22 years before resigning in 2003, said it was best left to Sarawakians to decide on Taib's continued leadership. However, he stressed, it must be an orderly process.

"It is up to the people of Sarawak to decide (when Taib should step down). I think they know best," he said at a press conference after launching the Palestinian Cultural Organisation Malaysia in Shah Alam.

"But if he does step down, he must have someone to replace him, or else it will be like (Hosni) Mubarak... he stepped down and I don't see any successor to take over," he said referring to the deposed Egyptian president, fled his country last Friday after 18 days of massive protests demanding his resignation.

51 Hindraf supporters freed

PETALING JAYA: Fifty-one Hindraf Makkal Sakthi members who were arrested for participating in the People’s March for solidarity against the Barisan Nasional (BN) were released yesterday.The movement’s pro-tem secretary-general, P Uthayakumar, said the release was carried out in stages.“The first batch was freed in Ipoh at 3pm, followed by those in Jalan Travers in Kuala Lumpur at 8.30pm and the others at the Gombak and Seremban police stations at about 11pm,” said Uthayakumar.

However, 24 others – 18 men and six women – are still being detained at the Seremban police headquarters. Yesterday morning, the police moved in to stop the Hindraf 16-car convoy which started in Negri Sembilan, Perak, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, with each convoy ending in another destination in the respective states. The police claim it was an illegal event.The protest was aimed at Umno and also to pressure the government to remove the controversial Interlok novel from schools.

Lawyers: Can DPPs act independently?

The Royal Commission of Inquiry investigating the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock began its hearing in a packed courtroom in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

The inquiry was recorded by close-circuit television and the proceedings were telecast 'live' in the media room, as well as outside the courtroom on the third floor.

Among those present were Beng Hock's younger sister Lee Lan  and mother Shuw Hor, who were accompanied by their lawyers Karpal Singh and Gobind Singh Deo.

Federal Court judge James Foong heads the panel.He is assisted by former Federal Court judge Abdul Kadir Sulaiman, former Appeals Court judge T Selventhiranathan, Penang Hospital's forensic pathologist Dr Bhupinder Singh and dean of Cyberjaya Medical Science College University Professor Dr Mohamed Hatta Shaharom.

Interlok novel must be withdrawn, decides Niat

Representatives of more than 140 Indian NGOs assembled at a special closed door session in Kuala Lumpur yesterday afternoon decided unanimously that the controversial Malay literature textbook 'Interlok' must be withdrawn."It has failed to meet the first five of the six criteria set by Jabatan Sastera. It is the unanimous decision of the meeting that 'Interlok' novel must be withdrawn", the chair of the session Haji Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim  told the press conference at the end of the session.

In addition to the representatives of the 140 Indian NGOs, who, according to Thasleem, the chair of National Interlok Action Team (Niat), "represents some three-quarter million Indians." Leaders of all the political parties had also been invited, with Deputy Minister M Saravanan turning up for a while. Senator S Ramakrishnan and M Kula Segaran were at the meeting till the end.

Big problems in Little India

KUALA LUMPUR: With rising costs and falling sales, businesses in Brickfields are feeling the pinch.Many traders and shopkeepers in the newly-converted area of Little India are seeing unexpected losses.
Some have even packed up and left for good.In June 2010, Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) started its RM35 million Little India programme that promised to see the beautification of the Brickfields district.But many of the heavy-handed development projects here have not gone down well with the traders.Accompanying the new-look Brickfields are higher rentals, changed traffic system and lack of parking space.

All these factors have allegedly contributed to losses in business for traders in the area.In mid-2010, florist A Karuppiah, 62, was paying RM1,600 rent a month for his shop.Today, he is paying RM2,800 a month – a 75% increase."Before Brickfields was turned into Little India, we were making a comfortable profit. Today, we are unable to make a profit," he told FMT.

59 Hindraf, HRP members detained in 4 states

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 – Police today detained 59 Hindraf and Human Rights Party (HRP) members in Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur for staging illegal protests against “Interlok”.A Bukit Aman spokesman said among those detained, 21 were held in Kuala Lumpur, five in Selangor, six in Perak and 26 in Negeri Sembilan.“Similar protest convoys were also held in Kedah but no arrests were made. As of 7pm, police have only detained members in four states,” he told Bernama tonight.

'Mydaftar' campaign to help Indians with no documents

Members of the Indian community who have no identity documents are advised to take the opportunity to apply for these documents during the eight-day 'Mydaftar' campaign beginning Feb 19. MIC vice-president M Saravanan said the campaign was to ensure that they obtained their identity documents and avoid facing problems in future. "The Mydaftar campaign had been approved by the government to assist the Indian community who are facing problems as they have no birth certificate, identity card and still possess the red identity card and have yet to apply for a citizenship," he told reporters after attending a briefing on the campaign together with the Indian community at the Public Housing Project in Kampung Air Panas Baru, in Kuala Lumpur today.

The campaign is being organised jointly by the Special Implementation Task Force of the Cabinet Committee on the Indian Community, and the National Registration Department, and supported by several other government agencies besides the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the MIC. Saravanan, who is also the Deputy Minister of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing, said under the campaign, the Indian community without any personal documents would be assisted in filling up their application forms by the Special Implementation Task Force, the MIC, NGOs and volunteers supporting the campaign.

Source - Bernama

‘MIC Youth practises caste politics’

KUALA LUMPUR: Just a few days after branding MIC Youth chief T Mohan as a dictator, former MIC Youth public complaints unit head R Ramanan today claimed that the former also practised caste politics in the movement.The businessman-turned-politician alleged that the party Youth wing has suffered tremendously after Mohan took over as its head a few years ago.

" I can give a simple example of Mohan's caste-based politics. He has ran numerous programmes and invited only leaders of his own caste. As far as I know, he did not even invite the party president (G Palanivel) to any Youth functions as the guest of honour.""I believe that Palanivel was not invited because he is not the same caste as Mohan. I challenge him and the Youth wing to answer this... why didn't they invite Palanivel to any functions? Can they answer this question?" he told FMT.

Nurul Izzah decries silence on walkway cost

Lembah Pantai parliamentarian today revisited the 142-metre-long air-conditioned elevated pedestrian walkway, touted to cost RM70,422 a metre or RM10 million, and expressed shock over the cost."I am still asking, what are the exact figures for this construction?" Nurul Izzah Anwar said, describing the cost given as incredulous and declaring that she would raise the matter in Parliament next month.

"Apart from the cost of building it, the elevated pedestrian walkway is air-conditioned, so what is the maintenance cost involved? "Is there any cheaper alternative that could have been used?" Nurul Izzah  told reporters during the visit to the site at Jalan Pinang in Kuala Lumpur this morning.The first phase of the pedestrian walkway project links the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre with Impiana Hotel. Nurul Izzah said she was still waiting for a full response to her questions from Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

There Once Was a Dream Called Malaysia: Now, a gap between image and reality

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Former U.S. ambassador John Malott created a major stink here with a recent opinion-editorial entitled The price of Malaysia’s racism published in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week.Not only did Malaysia's famous cyber community come out in full force to either praise or criticise his article, but the BN government and its support groups also rushed in to counter what they called his "spin".

No less than Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ran him down, as did Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali. The government-controlled mainstream press did what they could to damage-control and the New Straits Times even ran an op-ed of its own hotly, refuting Malott's views and accusing him of being a stooge for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.Malaysia Chronicle decided to seek some answers and sent off several questions to him, which he has kindly taken the trouble to reply to. The Q&A is published below without editing changes to any of his answers.

Blood Bank appeals for A, O blood

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 11, 2011): The National Blood Bank has appealed for 400 to 500 units of blood, particularly of the A and O types, to meet the demand in hospitals in the Klang Valley. The blood was required to meet the demand in the post-Chinese New Year period and during the school holidays next month, it said in a statement.

Xavier and Derek come under fire on temple issue

PETALING JAYA: Selangor state exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar and MBPJ councillor Derek Fernandez were taken to task for issuing statements that the Bukit Gasing Sivan temple is endangering public safety.“Who are they to issue statements seemingly on behalf of the temple committee?” asked Independent MP N Gobalakrishnan."They are not even in the temple committee."

He was commenting on a press conference by Xavier and Derek on Feb 8 where Derek was quoted as saying that cracks on the floor of the temple has made it structurally dangerous.Gobalakrishnan alleged that Derek, the MBPJ planning committee and development member, had a ‘vested interest’ for issuing the statement since he is a Bukit Gasing resident.

20 keluarga rayu pembangunan

MERLIMAU - Siapa sangka di celah kemajuan negeri Melaka dan kesibukan Pekan Merlimau, ada lagi mereka tertinggal dari menyedut nafas kemodenan gara-gara tinggal di kawasan pendalaman.A Ragunathan, 40, nyata seorang warganegara yang tabah walau terpaksa menanti pembangunan biarpun 20 lagi pemilik lot di Kampung Paya Yoki Batu 15 ini belum berpindah lagi gara-gara tiada pembangunan di situ.

Penternak lembu ini mewakili 20 penduduk lain ketika ditemui berkata, terdapat kira-kira 20 lot tanah yang diwarisi keturunan masing -masing sejak 25 tahun lalu, namun kini hanya dia sekeluarga yang berpindah ke situ kerana menguruskan perniagaan perternakan peninggalan mendiang bapanya.Bayangkan, pintu masuk ke kawasan rumahnya hanya boleh dilalui seawal 7 pagi dan ditutup 7 petang apabila pemilik ladang Sime Darby mengambil sebidang tanah berhampiran untuk dijadikan ladang sejak berbelas tahun yang lalu.

No reason to keep temple closed

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Party today sent a legal notice to the Selangor government seeking clarification on steps taken to reopen the Bukit Gasing Sivan Temple in Petaling Jaya.Its pro-tem secretary-general, P Uthaya Kumar, wants the state government to disclose the reasons for the stop-work order on the temple in 2008 and other details under the Freedom of Information Act 2010 (Selangor).

"We act for the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and the scores of devotees of the Bukit Gasing Sivan temple in Petaling Jaya."According to a recent news report in Tamil daily Makkal Osai, the state government announced that the temple will remain closed, contradicting a state assemblyman's earlier statement," said Uthaya in the letter.Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan had said on Monday that the hilltop temple will be re-opened to the public after the deities have been moved to a new shelter built just beside the main building. The temple was ordered to be closed by the state government for safery reasons

‘MIC Youth chief a dictator’

KUALA LUMPUR : MIC Youth chief T Mohan has been branded a dictator by a member of the wing's executive council. R Ramanan made the allegation following his dismissal as the head of MIC Youth's public complaints bureau.Speaking to FMT, Ramanan said he was shocked when he received the letter, informing him that he would be relieved of the post, on Monday.

According to him, Mohan was not capable of being a national leader because he acted according to his own whims and fancies."Why must he replace me with someone else when I performed well in my job?” he asked.“This is not the only incident, Mohan has made many decisions which have not gone down well with the grassroots,” he added.The vexed Ramanan also accused Mohan of subscribing to caste politics, choosing his line-up based on this.“I will strongly state that Mohan still practices caste system in MIC,” he said.

Mahathir blames police over Ops Lalang

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had pointed at the direction of the police over Ops Lalang, which saw 106 people arrested including top political dissidents under the Internal Security Act in 1987.In the most recent book on Mahathir, 'Doctor M: Operation Malaysia - Conversations with Mahathir Mohamad', the former premier of 22 years revealed that he was furious over the mass crackdown."Well, I would have handled it differently, except that the police wanted to do these things because they say it is necessary...

"I actually met all of the opposition members (beforehand) and assured them that they would not be arrested. And you know what the police did? They arrested them. My credibility is gone," he said."You must have been furious!" retorted Tom Plate, the interviewer and author of the book.

Ex-US envoy launches broadside at M'sia's racism

Former United States ambassador to Malaysia John Malott has lambasted Prime Minister Najib Razak's hypocrisy over his 1Malaysia slogan in a scathing article published today in the Asian Wall Street Journal.

Malott (left), a frequent critic of the government since ending his three-year tenure as US ambassador in 1998, told Najib to take “a long look in the mirror” if he was serious about achieving his 1Malaysia goal.

“Despite the government's new catchphrase, racial and religious tensions are higher today than when Najib took office in 2009.

“Indeed, they are worse than at any time since 1969, when at least 200 people died in racial clashes between the majority Malay and minority Chinese communities,” said Malott in his AWSJ commentary.

Butt out, ex-GAS men tell Samy Vellu

PETALING JAYA: Former members of the defunct Gerakan Anti Samy Vellu (GAS) have thrown their support behind MIC president G Palanivel, and asked his predecessor not to interfere in the party.This followed a report in FMT yesterday that S Samy Vellu, angered by Palanivel's move to bring back several sacked leaders, was sharpening his knives for the new president.

Commenting on this, former GAS coordinator V Mugilan urged Samy Vellu to keep away from MIC politics and allow Palanivel to do his job.“He should respect the new president by not interfering in the latter's presidential duties. Follow the example set by former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik and former Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik who never interfered in party affairs after quitting their post,” he said.

'Sivan Temple not open, site still unstable'

Contrary to claims, the Sivan Temple in Bukit Gasing has not been re-opened to the public, as the Petaling Jaya City Council does not deem the site to be safe as yet.MBPJ development and planning committee member Derek Fernandez  said this was based on information obtained from the Public Works Institute (or Ikram by its Malay acronym).At a meeting this afternoon involving MBPJ, Ikram and the temple committee, all parties agreed that the site remained unsafe following the most recent landslide on Jan 7.

Speaking to reporters later, Fernandez said: “Those are not (minor) cracks on the floor of the temple. It is clear that the earth is moving and this is dangerous. Ikram has carried out inspections. They are the experts, so we should leave it to them.”Chairperson of the temple trustee committee, Indrani Samy Vellu, denied that the temple has been opened daily.

AG files appeal on Kugan death acquittal

The Attorney-General's Chambers has filed a notice of appeal against constable V Navindran, who was acquitted on a charge of causing grievous hurt to forklift driver A Kugan, who died in police custody in January 2009.

The notice was filed on Wednesday, Feb 2, five days after Navindran's acquittal by a sessions court in Petaling Jaya.The chamber's Appellate and Trial division head Kamaludin Md Said confirmed this with Malaysiakini today and said his office was awaiting the fixing of a date by the High Court to hear the matter.

Kamaludin had on Jan 28 said the AG's Chambers would file the appeal after getting a full report from its officers.Navindran, 28 , was acquitted on the charge without his defence being called by sessions judge Aslam Zainuddin, who ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

From blind love to blissful wedding

IPOH: It was literally love at first “hearing” for blind couple R. Subramaniam and S. Logeswary.Subramaniam, a receptionist said he was attracted to his wife’s sweet and gentle voice that he called her every two days after he was introduced to her by mutual friends.Subramaniam who works at the Malaysian Association for the Blind in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, said he “burnt the telephone lines” for six months before finally meeting Logeswary, who was living in Malacca then.

“The first time I called her I was scared as I was not prepared for the outcome.“When she did not reject me after the first call, I knew I had a chance,” he said after their traditional wedding ceremony at the Sri Muneeswarar Temple in Kampung Jalan Spooner, Falim near here yesterday.

Anti-Indian Interlok campaign will backfire

KUALA LUMPUR: If the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) and National Writers Association (Pena) go ahead with their plan to campaign against Indian candidates in the 13th general election, then it will be Barisan Nasional which will suffer.According to DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago, since MPM and Pena were aligned to BN, the coalition's Indian-based parties would receive the worst brunt of the campaign.

"It is the Indian BN parliamentarians who would be more affected, especially the MIC. MIC would suffer more. It is the first time that organised groups within BN are going against its framework."In the recent by-election, the Malays did not vote Pakatan Rakyat Indian leaders because of the Interlok controversy," he told FMT.Santiago was commenting on MPM and Pena's statements vowing not to support any Indian candidates in the upcoming election.

Bukit Gasing Sivan Temple now open

The Sivan Temple atop Bukit Gasing in Petaling Jaya is now open to the public. So declared two former leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) who had once been detained under the Internal Security Act.The duo - DAP's Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan and Human Rights Party secretary-general P Uthayakumar - called on all Hindu devotees and everyone to come back to the temple.

"It is safe... the landslide more than two years was not caused by the temple," Uthayakumar said at the temple compound yesterday.In April 2008, the Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya city halls ordered the closure of the Sivan Temple after extension work on the temple was deemed to have caused a landslide on the Petaling Jaya side. Uthayakumar claimed that it was not a landslide but erosion of the topsoil.

Relocate Tamil school now, says rep

PETALING JAYA : The federal government has been urged to relocate the Seaport Tamil school in Kelana Jaya immediately. The relocation plan has been delayed since 2008.Speaking on behalf of the residents, Seri Setia PKR assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad today called on the Public Works Deparment (PWD) to commence contsruction of the new school building.

He said since the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government had allocated 1.5 acres of land in Desa Mentari for the new building, there was no reason to delay the relocation.

Sour grapes Dr M: Kuan Yew wants to be "big" but he's just a "mayor"

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed dismissed in a recent book Lee Kuan Yew’s achievements as the founding father of Singapore, and accused the island republic’s minister mentor of once wanting to be prime minister of Malaysia.“The fact remains that he is the mayor of Singapore,” the former Malaysian prime minister was quoted as saying in “Doctor M: Operation Malaysia — Conversations with Mahathir Mohamed”, written by US journalist Tom Plate based on interviews with Dr Mahathir over the last two years.

Samy sharpens his knives for Palanivel

PETALING JAYA: Newly crowned MIC president G Palanivel is headed for troubled waters after a spate of political manoeuvres that has ruffled the feathers of several MIC top guns.And the disgruntled faction is said to be led by none other than Palanivel's immediate predecessor, the mighty S Samy Vellu."The discontent began after Palanivel brought back several leaders sacked by Samy Vellu into the party. These people were very anti-Samy Vellu but they have cordial ties with Palanivel.

Why Interlok must go

From Naragan, via e-mail

You wake up in 2011 from a deep slumber beginning in 1957 and look around and see. You are appalled by what’s before you. What had been the natural order of things while you were deep in slumber now begins to look like a terrible scheme to deprive you of your dignity, your pride, your identity, your everything. You are appalled. You have to stand up and say NO! For if you do not the future is lost.

‘Inquiry mind’ student: ‘Claims not true’

KUALA LUMPUR: A school in Brickfields here today refuted claims that it held back the school leaving certificate of a 17-year-old student who questioned the “celebration of independence” and the tenets in the Rukunegara."We will normally give the school leaving certificate when students come to collect their SPM results in March," senior staff in SMK Vivekananda said.

They were commenting on a FMT report on Wednesday that the student, Nicol Paul Miranda, had complained that the school threatened not to release his school leaving certificate over his remarks. The certificate is a requirement to further his tertiary education.Nicol, a Form Five student, has since left SMK Vivekananda after his SPM.

Najib-Rosmah's ties with Saudi king help evacuations

The government of Saudi Arabian granted unlimited access for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), MAS and AirAsia to airlift Malaysian evacuees from Egypt to Jeddah after getting a call from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's wife Rosmah Mansor.

Reporting this today, the Star said the rare move was made possible due to the close personal relationship between Najib and Rosmah Mansor and the Saudi monarchy.“I am very happy with the Saudi authorities for granting us all sorts of special concessions in the airlifting of our citizens,” said Najib according to the English daily.

Interlok: NGOs tell Malays not to vote for Indian candidates in GE

More than 100 NGOs under the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) coalition have vowed not to support any ethnic Indian leader from any political party in general elections after this.This is because, according to the coalition, Indian leaders and activists have distorted and influenced the government into bowing to threats and pressures over the 'Interlok' novel controversy. “This is our first step in spreading awareness of this movement so that Malays do not give their support to any ethnic Indian leader, whether in the BN or the opposition, starting this general election,” said the coalition in a memorandum they submitted yesterday to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Demand inquest, custodial death victims' kin told

Family members of detainees who die in police custody have been urged to be more proactive in demanding an inquest into such sudden deaths, so as to help prevent these from recurring.

"When a person dies in custody, the family must take the initiative and demand their right to an inquest," Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) secretary-general Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim.

"In some cases, I do not blame the family members, for many may not be aware of this right. Those in the know should proceed with their demand for an answer. They should not wait until a NGO makes a move," he told Malaysiakini.

As many as 147 deaths in police custody have been reported since 2000 and several NGO activists have demanded guarantees from the Home Ministry and the police that such deaths will no longer occur.

Hindraf to rally nationwide against racism

KOTA KINABALU: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi is planning a series of demonstrations against racism after its Feb 27 rally at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) against Interlok, the controversial novel that Form Five students use as a literature text.Hindraf not only wants Interlok out of the schools, but also seeks to put related issues under public scrutiny, according to its chairman, P Waythamoorthy, who spoke to FMT last night from London, where he has political asylum.

School reports student with ‘inquiring mind’ to police

SUBANG JAYA: Teachers in a school in Brickfields have allegedly lodged a police report against a 17-year-old student who questioned the 'celebration of independence' and the tenets in the Rukunegara.Nicol Paul Miranda, an ordinary Form Five student, who has since left SMK Vivekananda after his SPM, said the school is also threatening not to release his school leaving certificate which is a requirement to further his tertiary education.
Relating the reasons for his suspension, Nicol said: "I questioned why are we celebrating independence when our democracy has not evolved. It is still under the BN regime."He said his second brush with the authorities took place via his Civics answer sheet for the SPM trials.The question was on the pros of Rukunegara.

Egypt: M'sian student sleeps with knife out of fear

Parents of Malaysian students in Egypt who are increasingly worried over their children's safety due to the violent revolt against the Egyptian regime, are urging the Malaysian government to immediately bring these students home.One of the parents, Salahul Ahmad Jamal Mohd, 57, said his son who was studying in Mansoura, Egypt had told him that he had to sleep holding a knife out of fear due to the uncontrolled and worsening turbulence in that country.

Hindraf-HRP to be neutral in Merlimau

GEORGE TOWN: The Human Rights Party (HRP) - Hindraf Makkal Sakti political axis will take a neutral stand in next month’s Merlimau state by-election.HRP pro-tem secretary-general and Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar said the stance was adopted due to the indifferent attitude shown by Pakatan Rakyat towards the Indian community.“We will not participate in the campaign to woo Indians for Pakatan. So long as we are not there, Pakatan will never secure the majority Indian votes,” he told FMT, adding that HRP-Hindraf would never back Barisan Nasional either.

They're Back! HINDRAF Accuses UMNO Of Engineering Racism, Plans Protest March

Kuala Lumpur - The Hindu Rights Action Force of HINDRAF is back in the limelight after a long hiatus. This time, it plans to organise a protest March, scheduled on February 27 at KLCC to “show solidarity against racism perpetrated by UMNO and its allies.The coalition of several mostly Indian-based NGO’s have laid low for three years, following the acceptance and launch of BN friendly Makkal Sakti party by Prime Minister Najib Razak.