DAP SLAMS PAS - malaysiakini

DAP has taken its Pakatan Rakyat coalition partner PAS to task, saying its outburst against the abolition of the 30% bumiputra requirement for public listed companies is misguided.

DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua said although the outburst was well-intentioned, taking steps instead to liberalise the financial markets was the way forward.

“As stated, bumiputras failing to achieve the 30% equity despite nearly 40 years of the New Economic Policy only proves that achieving equity through regulation will not achieve the objective of increasing their wealth in the shortest possible time,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Pua said the current 19% wealth ownership, if accurate, had remained stagnant since the 1990s.

“Secondly, for bumiputras to achieve not only 30% of the nation’s wealth, but also a meaningful 30%, it is critical for the capital markets to be liberalised to attract global capital,” he said.

Pua said liberalising the financial markets would allow for a more dynamic economy accompanied by greater wealth creation

PAS BETRAYS PKR! - malaysiakini

Pas, a member of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition government in Selangor, is unhappy with the appointment of Low Siew Moi as acting head of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS).

Selangor Pas commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamad Ali, who is also a state executive councillor, said today that the party would help the state government find a more suitable candidate.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced yesterday that Low, who is PKNS corporate and accounts deputy general manager, would be appointed acting general manager for a year following the retirement of Datuk Harun Salim at the end of October.

The appointment also did not go down well with the corporation’s staff. At the Selangor State Assembly, their representatives, led by PKNS Senior Officers Association president Idris Ishak, submitted a memorandum of protest to Khalid during recess.

Hasan told reporters later that he had discussed the matter with Khalid who had indicated his willingness to shorten Low’s tenure if Pas was able to come up with suitable candidates.

Hasan said he had asked Khalid why two most senior officers — Deputy General Manager (Administration) Md Nasir Md Arshad and Deputy General Manager (Technical) Abdul Ghani Hassan — were not appointed to succeed Harun.

He said Khalid had told him that Low was appointed because of her professionalism and administrative ability but Pas was of the view that the two deputy general managers had their own strengths and should have been considered for promotion.

Hasan said Khalid wanted the new general manager to bring reforms to PKNS and dignify the rights of bumputeras in trade, business and economy in urban areas, town outskirts and new development areas despite the fact that Low was not a bumiputera.

He said Pas would hold a meeting soon to look at the list of party members who could bring PKNS to greater heights. - Bernama betrays

WILL SOTHINATHAN BE THE NEXT MIC PRESIDENT? - MALAYSIAKINI

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — A significant number of Malaysians reading this article were not even born when Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu became the president of MIC.

He took over in 1979 on the death of Tan Sri V. Manikavasagam and has stayed on since through many ups and downs, reinventing himself and the MIC several times along the way.

But he faces his greatest challenge now after Indians, mostly working-class Tamils, abandoned the MIC in large numbers during the March 8 general election and voted for the opposition.

The revolt was so extensive that many Indians even overcame their fear of Islam and voted for Pas.

With the political landscape so radically changed, Samy Vellu faces three major challenges now:

First, is how well he can win back a good number of the Indians back to the MIC and by extension to the Barisan Nasional.

Second is to reorganise the MIC into a truly mass-based grassroots organisation, as it was in 1970s and early 80s, and find a successor to hand over power at an "appropriate" time.

Third is Samy Vellu's desire to erase the humiliating defeat he suffered in Sungei Siput and exit the political stage as a winner so he will be remembered as a hero.

Samy Vellu is not sparing time, resources and money to meet and overcome all three challenges.

He has become intensely focused since March 8 on how to erase that defeat, re-brand the MIC and exit honourably, party insiders said.

If necessary, he has told his close confidants he wants to stand again in Sungei Siput and win to erase the humiliating defeat.

"If anything this is what Datuk Seri (Samy Vellu) really desires… to consolidate, win and hand over and walk out as a winner," a senior MIC leader close to Samy Vellu told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity.

"He has told his inner circle that if he achieves this he will die happy," the MIC leader said.

In comments made on Deepavali day, Samy Vellu revealed some of his inner thoughts when he said he had "fixed" the time to transfer power but still wants to contest as president in March 2009.

"I will also go. I have fixed the time already," he said, rejecting criticism he was hanging on compared to other BN component party leaders who are handing over to their successors after seeing the writing on the wall.

Next March about 3,600 MIC branches will elect a president and up to now there is no challenger in sight for Samy Vellu.

One reason why challenging Samy Vellu is futile is because a challenger needs at least 300 MIC branches to endorse his challenge to qualify to contest.

He has the added weight as an incumbent to use "carrot or stick" methods available to him to ensure he gets the nominations and challengers are denied the same nominations.

Another reason is that he has successfully duped long-time rival Datuk S. Subramaniam into believing that he stands a chance of inheriting the party if he plays along and does not whip up a storm among the party grassroots.

The only other possible challenger is his current No. 2 Datuk G. Palanivel who appears to have lost steam after his defeat in the March polls.

Samy Vellu privately accused Palanivel of stirring up some anti-Samy Vellu sentiments soon after the polls but the initial stirrings have not taken off and become a broad based movement to oust the veteran.

While the ground is ripe for a revolt against Samy Vellu, there is no leader brave enough to lead such a movement.

"The grassroots are crying for a rebel leader but none dare to wear that hat," said a MIC Selangor division leader.

Samy Vellu is also not waiting for a rebellion to develop.

Since the polls, he has been striding forward with his re-branding of the MIC by holding numerous forums and "re-thinking" sessions with party branch and divisional leaders.

The yields from the "re-branding" are uncertain but a lot of time and money is being invested in giving the MIC a new oomph!

By June 2009 Samy Vellu has to anoint, select and finally have "elected" a successor and the field is wide open with incumbent Palanivel expected to defend his post and with Subramaniam, vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan and outsider Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan making it a four-cornered fight.

Samy Vellu has repeatedly said he would not interfere but would accept as deputy anybody elected by the delegates, a promise few MIC delegates are willing to take at face value.

The talk is Samy Vellu is expected to back Sothinathan, largely because he had handled Samy Vellu's and the party's finances before being co-opted into the party hierarchy in the early 1990s as a counterweight to Palanivel.

"Sothi has inside knowledge… he is family," party insiders said. "The other possible successor is one way or other too sullied for associating with Samy Vellu's opponents."

At stake is also an estimated RM800 million in assets — cash, buildings, businesses, colleges and universities — that are variously owned by the MIC or held in trust, the party insiders said.

Unlike his BN colleagues, handing over of power for Samy Vellu is more complicated with the line between personal, family, party and public all criss-crossing and unclear and near impossible to unravel.

"Samy Vellu is looking for continuity, stability and a personal victory before exiting," MIC insiders said. "That means he would stay at least until 2013 before finally bowing out, if at all!

WILL SOTHINATHAN BE THE NEXT MIC PRESIDENT? - MALAYSIAKINI

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — A significant number of Malaysians reading this article were not even born when Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu became the president of MIC.

He took over in 1979 on the death of Tan Sri V. Manikavasagam and has stayed on since through many ups and downs, reinventing himself and the MIC several times along the way.

But he faces his greatest challenge now after Indians, mostly working-class Tamils, abandoned the MIC in large numbers during the March 8 general election and voted for the opposition.

The revolt was so extensive that many Indians even overcame their fear of Islam and voted for Pas.

With the political landscape so radically changed, Samy Vellu faces three major challenges now:

First, is how well he can win back a good number of the Indians back to the MIC and by extension to the Barisan Nasional.

Second is to reorganise the MIC into a truly mass-based grassroots organisation, as it was in 1970s and early 80s, and find a successor to hand over power at an "appropriate" time.

Third is Samy Vellu's desire to erase the humiliating defeat he suffered in Sungei Siput and exit the political stage as a winner so he will be remembered as a hero.

Samy Vellu is not sparing time, resources and money to meet and overcome all three challenges.

He has become intensely focused since March 8 on how to erase that defeat, re-brand the MIC and exit honourably, party insiders said.

If necessary, he has told his close confidants he wants to stand again in Sungei Siput and win to erase the humiliating defeat.

"If anything this is what Datuk Seri (Samy Vellu) really desires… to consolidate, win and hand over and walk out as a winner," a senior MIC leader close to Samy Vellu told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity.

"He has told his inner circle that if he achieves this he will die happy," the MIC leader said.

In comments made on Deepavali day, Samy Vellu revealed some of his inner thoughts when he said he had "fixed" the time to transfer power but still wants to contest as president in March 2009.

"I will also go. I have fixed the time already," he said, rejecting criticism he was hanging on compared to other BN component party leaders who are handing over to their successors after seeing the writing on the wall.

Next March about 3,600 MIC branches will elect a president and up to now there is no challenger in sight for Samy Vellu.

One reason why challenging Samy Vellu is futile is because a challenger needs at least 300 MIC branches to endorse his challenge to qualify to contest.

He has the added weight as an incumbent to use "carrot or stick" methods available to him to ensure he gets the nominations and challengers are denied the same nominations.

Another reason is that he has successfully duped long-time rival Datuk S. Subramaniam into believing that he stands a chance of inheriting the party if he plays along and does not whip up a storm among the party grassroots.

The only other possible challenger is his current No. 2 Datuk G. Palanivel who appears to have lost steam after his defeat in the March polls.

Samy Vellu privately accused Palanivel of stirring up some anti-Samy Vellu sentiments soon after the polls but the initial stirrings have not taken off and become a broad based movement to oust the veteran.

While the ground is ripe for a revolt against Samy Vellu, there is no leader brave enough to lead such a movement.

"The grassroots are crying for a rebel leader but none dare to wear that hat," said a MIC Selangor division leader.

Samy Vellu is also not waiting for a rebellion to develop.

Since the polls, he has been striding forward with his re-branding of the MIC by holding numerous forums and "re-thinking" sessions with party branch and divisional leaders.

The yields from the "re-branding" are uncertain but a lot of time and money is being invested in giving the MIC a new oomph!

By June 2009 Samy Vellu has to anoint, select and finally have "elected" a successor and the field is wide open with incumbent Palanivel expected to defend his post and with Subramaniam, vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan and outsider Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan making it a four-cornered fight.

Samy Vellu has repeatedly said he would not interfere but would accept as deputy anybody elected by the delegates, a promise few MIC delegates are willing to take at face value.

The talk is Samy Vellu is expected to back Sothinathan, largely because he had handled Samy Vellu's and the party's finances before being co-opted into the party hierarchy in the early 1990s as a counterweight to Palanivel.

"Sothi has inside knowledge… he is family," party insiders said. "The other possible successor is one way or other too sullied for associating with Samy Vellu's opponents."

At stake is also an estimated RM800 million in assets — cash, buildings, businesses, colleges and universities — that are variously owned by the MIC or held in trust, the party insiders said.

Unlike his BN colleagues, handing over of power for Samy Vellu is more complicated with the line between personal, family, party and public all criss-crossing and unclear and near impossible to unravel.

"Samy Vellu is looking for continuity, stability and a personal victory before exiting," MIC insiders said. "That means he would stay at least until 2013 before finally bowing out, if at all!

"Don't be surprised if he contests in the next general election," they sai

YB CHARLES SANTIAGO VS KEDAH MB - MALAYSIAKINI

PRESS STATEMENT YB CHARLES SANTIAGO

Charles Santiago : Kedah MB should be a Leader of All Malaysians

Date : 11 Oct 2008

The announcement by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak to increase the Bumiputera quota for housing is in complete contradiction with the efforts by the opposition alliance to shun race-based policies.

His suggestion does not just endorse the New Economic Policy, which only helped line the wallets of those close to the ruling elite, but also plays along the dangerous game of racial politics.

The Bumiputeras currently enjoy a 30% quota and therefore further increment to 50% would deprive other communities from buying houses, especially the poor and lower middle classes.

Azizan’s subtle threat to direct government-linked companies to build the houses, should private developers refuse to do so is shocking as the Menteri Besar should not pump public funds for projects that only favor a particular community.

As part of the Pakatan Rakyat we should work together to create policies that are targeted to help vulnerable communities. Affirmative action should be need-based and not race-based.

Yours sincerely,

CHARLES SANTIAGO

Member of Parliament, Klang

MALAYSIAKINI : HINDRAF IS ILLEGAL

The government today declared the Hindu Rights Actions Force (Hindraf) an illegal organisation with immediate effect.

MCPXHome Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the decision was made after the ministry was satisfied with facts and evidence that showed "Hindraf had and was being used for unlawful purposes and posed a threat to public order and morality".

"Based on powers vested under Section 5(1) of the Societies Act, Hindraf from today is declared an illegal organisation," he said in a statement today.

He said the order was being made as a result of monitoring and investigation on the organisation's activities by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and Home Ministry, since Hindraf's inception.

Syed Hamid said if left unchecked, Hindraf would continue to pose a threat to public order, the security and sovereignty of the country as well as the prevailing racial harmony.

"The decision to declare Hindraf an illegal organisation is not based on one or two of its activities that are in contravention of the law but covers all the actions it has taken since being formed," he said.

Syed Hamid said Hindraf had all the criteria of an organised movement because it had filed for registration with the ROS on Oct 16 last year.

He added that the application was yet to be approved.

He also said that the organisation had actively exploited the Indian community to organise illegal assemblies and street demonstrations without permits.

Such acts, he said, had resulted in some members of the Indian community to rise up against the government.

Causing racial hatred

Syed Hamid also said that Hindraf's actions also caused hatred among the Malays and Indians in the country.

"Hindraf has also tried to secure support from foreign countries for the purpose of pressuring the government to bow to its demands," he added.

Syed Hamid advised the public to distance themselves from Hindraf and not participate in any way in any of its activities.

In recent weeks, Hindraf has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons for visiting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's open house during the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebrations to deliver an anti-Internal Security Act message to the premier.

The act was seen by many in the government and the Malay media as unIslamic and uncalled for. Numerous calls were made for the organisation to be banned.

Hindraf gained prominence last November for organising a mass rally in Kuala Lumpur to highlight the plight of Indians in this country. Almost 30,000 people participated in the rally which brought the capital to a standstill.

Following that five Hindraf leaders were arrested and detained under the ISA last December.

Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy had by then left the country to London to gain international lobby for the movement. He is still based in London and has been moving the organisation with the help of several key coordinators here.

Mark of the PM's failure

In an immediate reaction DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the banning of Hindraf was a testimony to the failure of the prime minister to take nation-building to a new and more mature level.

"It is a retrogressive, vindictive and petty step which will hamper the nation-building healing process vital for Malaysians to feel one and united people again," he said in a statement.

He said that the "ham-fisted measures to ban Hindraf will only aggravate the disaffection among the Indian community".

He gave an assurance that opposition MPs will raise in Parliament the banning of Hindraf.

"I invite MPs from all the BN component parties to join with Pakatan Rakyat MPs to take a common stand - to demand that the home minister revoke the ban on Hindraf...," he said.

HINDRAF TO CONCIDER JOINING BARISAN NASIONAL - malaysiakini

PETALING JAYA: The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) will only consider being a direct member of Barisan Nasional if its leaders are released from the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Hindraf national event coordinator Kannan Ramasamy said the movement also wanted to negotiate with the Government to ensure the safe return of its chairman P. Waythamoorthy from London.

He was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ah­­mad Badawi’s proposal to allow direct membership into the Barisan without the need to join any of the component parties.

“All this while, we have been calling for negotiations and even sent official letters to the Prime Minister. But until today, we haven’t had any opportunity to discuss issues of concern,” he said.

Kannan added that if Barisan were to accept direct members, the coalition must then view all as equals.

“Without a change of mindset from Umno and reformation of the Barisan strategy, the move to allow direct entries would not aid the current situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, All-Malaysia Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president Puan Sri Jayashree Gnanapan­di­than said the party has yet to decide whether to join Barisan.

the star (13 October 2008)

MALAYSIAKINI : ANOTHER TEMPLE TO BE DEMOLISHED BY PAKATAN RAKYAT

YB S Manikavasagam received news that Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor has issued a notice to demolish a temple in the premises of House No 13, Jalan 5, Taman Indah Serendah, Hulu Selangor. Not very pleasing news coming out of with consideration of the previous demolished temple at Ampang.

Notice by Majlis Daerah

Is this another Sabotage ? What the local Authority trying to show? Can Pakatan Government overcome it?

We understand Majlis Daerah issued notice after received a complain from it’s Councilor (Ahli Majlis) whom happen to be member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and neighbour residing next to temple since he was disturbed by height of the statue of about 1.8metre.

YB S. Manikavasagam has send his representative to identify the root cause of the problem while awaiting feedback from State Government. He hope the Local Authorities will justify their action to the State Authority by not taking sensitive matters on their own hands.

We would like to hear from representative of Hindu organisation and other NGO on possible solution.

FROM: http://www.mpkapar.com/manikavasagam/posts/noticedemolishtemple/

Malaysiakini: MIC making use of young Indian youths

MIC Blogger PUNITHAN SHAN seen in this filepic above, has been appearing on all the major Blogs for the wrong reasons. It is rather clear that this poor lad has been used by Samy Vellu and the MIC to mislead the people into believing that Hindraf and MIC are working together. This however has failed to bear fruit. Punithan also has been attacking , Pakatan Rakyat and Anwar Ibrahim with such venom in his Blogs. Punithan Shan is a nobody who has been used by MIC who has nothing else but a collection of gorgeous looking girls in his Facebook and Friendster sites.

http://indiansmalaysia.blogspot.com

http://samyaavee.blogspot.com/2008/10/malaysiakini-malaysian-indians-are-not.html

MALAYSIAKINI : Samy Vellu faces calls for him to step down as party chief

KUALA LUMPUR: With the recent announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that he is not seeking re-election in party polls and is stepping down in March, the attention now has shifted to the MIC.

Calls for president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to follow suit are getting louder, with the latest coming from former vice-president Datuk M. Muthuppalaniappan.

He said Samy Vellu should not seek re-election when his term expires in March.

"It may be difficult to give up power after enjoying it for over 30 years. But Samy Vellu should follow the wisdom of other BN leaders who have announced their desire to retire and pave the way for new leaders to take over," he said.

However, Samy Vellu loyalists are sticking with their boss in wanting to see him re-elected.

Youth chief T. Mohan said the MIC needed Samy Vellu's guidance to recover after the March 8 polls.

"He is contributing to the party and is rebuilding it through a re-branding exercise before handing over to the next president."

He said that Muthuppalaniappan's statement was expected as it was widely known that he could not get along with Samy Vellu.

Mohan said it was unfair to ask Samy Vellu to follow Abdullah's footsteps as the scenario in Umno was different from the MIC.

There is also fear that Samy Vellu may pick his own man to take over the leadership.

"If he thrusts his cronies to the leadership, then Samy Vellu will be the shadow president and MIC will continue to remain irrelevant," said Muthuppalaniappan.

Former central working committee member K.P. Samy said an open and free fight should be allowed for the party's top posts.

"It will determine a president of the grassroots' choice, reflect the credibility of the elected president and avoid a shadow leadership."