Voice Of Indian

Penangites: Do you know how to contact your State Assemblyman or MP or their Service Center

2008-04-18T11:40:00.001+08:00

MP
1. Bagan : Lim Guan Eng - Contact his special assistant: Foo Yu Keong 016-4988847
2. Permatang Pauh: Datin Seri Wan Azizah - contact Jamaliah 019-2140305
3. Bukit Mertajam: Chong Eng - 012-4286629
4. Batu Kawan: Prof Ramasamy - 019-2183489
5. Nibong Tebal: Tan Tee Beng - 012-4800801
6. Bukit Bendera: Liew Chin Tong - 012-2236968
7. Tanjung: Chow Kon Yeow - 019-4706189
8. Jelutong: Jeff Ooi - 012-2956356
9. Bukit Gelugor: Karpal Singh - 012-4289476
10. Bayan Baru: Datuk Zaharain - 012-4382211
11. Balik Pulau: Mohd Yusmadi 012-3093465

ADUN / State assemblymen
Sungai Puyu: Phee Boon Poh - 012-4711111
Bagan Jermal: Lim Hock Seng - 019-4491986
Bagan Dalam: Tanasekharan - 019-4469054
Permatang Pasir: Mohd Hamdan (PAS) - 012-4112139
Penanti: Mohd Fairus - 017-3567320
Berapit: Ong Kok Fooi - 019-4587107
Machang Bubuk - Tan Hock Leong - 012-4850366
Padang Lallang - Tan Cheong Heng - 012-4873101
Perai: Prof Ramasamy (number as above)
Bukit Tengah: Ong Chin Wen -019-2217753
Bukit Tambun: Law Choo Kiang - 012-4287383
Jawi: Tan Beng Huat - 012-4975877
Sungai Bakap: Maktar Shapee - 012-4202472
Tanjung Bungah: Teh Yee Cheu - 017-4729990
Air Putih: Lim Guan Eng (as above)
Kebun Bunga: Ong Khan Lee - 016-4586391
Pulau Tikus: Koay Teng Hai - 012-4279564
Padang Kota: Chow Kon Yeow (as above)
Pengkalan Kota: Lau Keng Ee - 012-4422511
Komtar: Ng Wei Aik - 019-2459305
Datuk Keramat: Jagdeep Singh - 012-4883571
Sungai Pinang: Koid Teng Guan - 012-4740008
Batu Lanchang: Law Heng Kiang - 012-4988630
Seri Delima: RSN Rayer - 019-4132681
Air Itam: Wong Hon Wai - 016-4006821
Paya Terubong: Yeoh Soon Hin - 012-4239550
Batu Uban: Raveentharan - 012-4658231
Pantai Jerejak: Sim Tze Tzin - 012-6068084
Batu Maung: Abd Malek - 019-4451005
Balik Pulau: Mohd Yusmadi - 012-3093465

Free Expo Kerjaya And Pendidikan in NIBONG TEBAL. PENANG

2008-04-18T08:46:00.003+08:00

E-Community Service, Federation Manufacturer of Malaysia, Northern NGO's, Government and Non Government Institution are jointly organizing EXPO KERJAYA dan PENDIDIKAN as below

Date : 20th April 2008 (Sunday)
Time : 10am to 5pm
Venue : Dewan Arumugam Pilai ( Beside Yawata Supermarket )
Jalan OOI Kar Seng
Nibong Tebal

Our Aim is to provide facilities to Indian students to further studies and FMM will bring a lot of job optunity in this expo. ( Those who come please be prepared and bring your certs and other documents )

Our Target is Indian students who completed PMR,SPM, STPM and Jobless youth.
Admission is FREE FREEEEEEEEEEEE......

For further enquiries please do not hesitate to call the following personnel's

David : 017 435 1679 Gopal : 013 4404006 Suresh 019 - 4744166

Dr. Sivaji : 016 - 412 7525 Andy : 012 - 5747039 Vicky : 012-2744477

'YOUR JOB AND MY JOB IS TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY'

Abolish I.S.A - Penang Forum

2008-04-17T08:53:00.001+08:00

Dear Concern citizens,
This is beyond race and religion. Basic Human Right is denied under I.S.A. Please provide your support for below forum.

FREE FOR ALL!!!! OPEN TO ALL RACES
ABOLISH I.S.A" STOP CRUELTY!!!!
FREE OUR HINDRAF LEADERS

-There are hundreds of people being detained under the I.S.A
- How would you feel if you were arrested for fighting for your rights?
- How would you feel if your family or friends is being detained without trial?
- Are your mouth and eyes force to be SHUT?
- Do you love freedom and democracy?
- Do you believe all human has their rights to stand for what they believe?
In democratic country we DO NOT NEED I.S.A. which infringes basic Human Rights!
The I.S.A is a violation to the WORLD INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ACT
A forum on Abolish ISA will be held:-
DATE: 19th April 08
TIME: 7pm till 11pm
VENUE: Penang Chinese Town Hall PENANG

GUEST AND VIP :
YB LIM GUAN ENG
YB PRO. RAMASAMY
YB KARPAL SINGH
YB RSN RAYER
YB RAVEEN
THANENTHIRAN
SPECIAL INVITED SPEAKERS :
MR. SYED IBRAHIM (GMI President) & MS. NALINI (GMI Secretary)
MS. LATIFAH KOYA (Human Right Lawyer)

For more info contact:-
STANLEY:- 016 - 498 2125 EVENT COORDINATOR
KALAY:- 012 - 563 7614 EVENT COORDINATOR
SELVA:- 016 - 489 4830 EVENT COORDINATOR
VASANTHA:- 012 - 462 8353 HINDRAF PENANG COORDINATOR
WE DEMAND AS CITIZENS OF MALAYSIA:
ABOLISH ISA!
RELEASE ALL ISA DETAINEES!
CLOSE DOWN KAMUNTING DETENTION CAMP!

Makkal Osai loses licence

2008-04-17T08:50:00.002+08:00

Thursday April 17, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has rejected an application for renewal of the publishing licence of Tamil daily, Makkal Osai.

Yesterday, a letter signed by a ministry official by the name of Abdul Razak Abdul Latiff, on behalf of the ministry’s secretary general, said: “We regret to inform you that the licence will not be renewed.”

Following the rejection, Makkal Osai will soon file an appeal against the decision by the Home Ministry.

The newspaper’s general manager S.M. Periasamy said that they were informed of the decision by a telephone call from the Home Ministry yesterday.

“When I went to the ministry in the afternoon to check if the phone call was true, they handed me the letter rejecting renewal of our licence.” The letter did not state any reasons for the rejection.

“I pleaded with the Home Ministry officials, including Abdul Razak, and they told me to submit an appeal against the decision,” he said.

“It was a sad day for the newspaper because more than 100 people will become unemployed at the stroke of a pen.”

Periasamy said his staff was shocked at the decision, adding that the office received many calls from the paper’s readers, some of whom expressed anger over the paper’s closure.

“I’ve told my workers to calm down and continue to come to the office as usual pending further instructions,” he added.

Periasamy denied that the rejection was due to publication of opposition news reports.

“We published news covering both the Barisan Government and the Opposition, as was seen during the general election. We are in the dark over the reasons,” he added.

The newspaper started operations as Tamil Osai in 1981, and later changed its name to Makkal Osai in 2005. It has a daily circulation of 52,000 copies and 95,000 on weekends.

Periasamy, who joined the newspaper in 1989, said former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam met with Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar yesterday.

Makkal Osai submitted an application for renewal on July 16, 2007, three months before its permit expired on Oct 15 last year.

The day its permit expired, the daily continued publication with the understanding that the Government was in the process of considering its application for renewal.

Besides Makkal Osai, the other two Tamil dailies are Tamil Nesan and Malaysia Nanban.

Black 14 Dinner Turns Into Illegal Gathering, Say Police

2008-04-15T12:32:00.000+08:00

April 15, 2008 02:42 AM

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- A so-called Black 14 dinner organised by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) at the Sultan Suleiman Club in Kampung Baru Monday night turned into an illegal gathering of what police estimated to be 7,000 people.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the people began to gather at 8.30pm and dispersed at 10.30pm on the orders of Dang Wangi police chief ACP Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman.

"The application made to the police on April 8 stated that a dinner was to be held and that only three top leaders of the party would give speeches but there was no dinner for the people, only for the party leaders," he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters here Monday night.

He said the three top party leaders who were to have spoken were PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Sultan Suleiman Club deputy chairman Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad and not PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The gathering was held to celebrate the end of the five-year ban on Anwar holding public office following his conviction on corruption charges. Anwar was convicted of corruption after he was sacked as the deputy prime minister and finance minister in September 1998 and sentenced to six years in jail.

Asked why a permit was required for a gathering at a private club, Muhammad Sabtu said it was not a function held indoors.

"The ceramah (talk) contributed to traffic congestion and the presence of the large number of party supporters posed a hazard for the public and night market traders in the vicinity of the club.

"It is an offence to hold a gathering or meeting without a permit and Section 27 (3) of the Police Act allows the police to stop any gathering or meeting held without a licence," he said.

Kuala Lumpur Police, comprising 1,350 personnel including Federal Reserve Union (FRU) and General Operations Force personnel, began to control traffic flow from about 4pm, he said.

Muhammad Sabtu said no arrests were made but the police were looking at the legal aspects to determine whether to make arrests later.

"The police did not arrest anyone Monday night but arrests may be made depending on the investigation, and even Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would not be exempted if it is found that he had violated the law," he said.

BERNAMA

DAP declines to reveal counter offer

2008-04-01T17:11:00.000+08:00

Tuesday April 1, 2008
By NIK KHUSAIRI IBRAHIM

PENANG: Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam retracted his resignation from DAP after a private conversation with party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim, who confirmed this Tuesday, however refused to disclose if he had made any counter offer to persuade Sivasubramaniam to stay on in the party.

Sivasubramaniam had tendered his resignation on Monday only to retract it six hours later.

His resignation would have put the DAP-PAS-PKR coalition government in Perak in a precarious position, as it would only have a one-seat majority in the house. Barisan Nasional currently holds 28 out of the 59 state seats.

Asked if Sivasubramaniam’s dissatisfaction was due to the allocation of state exco seats which did not include any Indians from the party, Lim said the matter had been settled.

"We will hold further discussions (behind closed doors) because this is an internal party matter," he told a press conference on Tuesday.

Sivasubramaniam, who is Perak DAP assistant secretary, had faxed a letter to Lim stating his dissatisfaction with the Perak DAP leadership.

He had claimed that Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham did not fulfil his promise to appoint two state executive council posts to Indian assemblymen.

Lim said DAP had accepted Sivasubramaniam back into its fold although his action had caused uneasiness within the party

Only 10 SIM cards per person, says MCMC

2008-04-01T17:06:00.000+08:00

Tuesday April 1, 2008
PUTRAJAYA: Mobile phone users are not allowed to buy or have more than 10 SIM cards from one telecommunication company effective Tuesday.

Dealers registering details of prepaid card buyers must also transmit the information directly to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) via a GPRS MyKad reader.

Commission chairman Datuk Dr Halim Shafie said these measures were necessary to prevent abuses and enhance the security of data provided by consumers.

"At present, many of the dealers input the details of buyers of prepaid cards manually either via forms or online. This information is then stored with the dealers before it is eventually sent to us.

"This allows more opportunities for the sensitive information of consumers to be compromised. Using the reader, which costs some RM2,000 apiece, the information will be channelled directly to us," he said, adding that guidelines on the matter had already been issued to both telecommunications companies and dealers earlier this year.

Dr Halim was speaking to reporters Tuesday at a conference on the local communications and multimedia market, which was launched by Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Joseph Salang here.

He said the guidelines would also require service providers to keep better records of their dealers as well as to ensure registration of prepaid card buyers was done properly.

Failure to adhere to the guidelines can result in the telecommunications firms penalising their dealers, including suspending or even terminating their contract.

Asked on the grace period for the dealers to obtain the GPRS MyKad reader, Dr Halim said the MCMC would continue to monitor the progress of the implementation of the guidelines.

"The reader should be regarded as a tool of trade by the dealers for their businesses," he said.

On the restriction for sale of not more than 10 SIM cards to a customer, he said the MCMC had traced one man who had more than 400 SIM cards.

"When we asked him, he said people have been registering as mobile phone users under his name so this was clearly a case of fraud. To prevent such abuse in the future, we will restrict the sale for the purpose of security. Why does a person need 400 SIM cards in the first place?

"In this case, we compounded the service provider," he said.

Buntong assemblyman quits DAP

2008-03-31T16:56:00.003+08:00

Monday March 31, 2008

PETALING JAYA: Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam has quit DAP, leaving the DAP-PKR-PAS coalition government in Perak teetering on the brink of collapse.

Sivasubramaniam: 'I cannot accept the decision made by the Perak DAP'
In a letter to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng dated March 31, Sivasubramaniam said he had had lost confidence in the Perak DAP as it failed to fulfill its promise to appoint two Indian state executive council members.

He added the decision was a "big slap" in the face of Perak Indians and tantamount to deceiving the community.

"My victory in Buntong was a mandate given by the Indian community in the area, and therefore I cannot accept the decision made by the Perak DAP," he added.

When contacted, Sivasubramaniam said he would not vacate his seat and would instead serve as an independent.

“I have no intention of joining any Barisan component party but will fight for the people of Buntong as an independent,” he said.

He also questioned why DAP central executive committee member A. Sivanesan, who is from Selangor, was chosen as an exco over other Perak DAP leaders.

Sivasubramaniam claimed that he and state party committee member and Tronoh assemblyman V. Sivakumar were supposed to get the exco posts as they had worked hard and sacrificed a lot for the party.

He added that even if an Indian Perak DAP member were to get an assembly Speaker or Deputy Speaker post, it could not “do much for the Indian community.”

“This is not right. The leadership should be discussing the allocation of exco posts and other appointments with all 18 DAP assemblymen,” said Sivasubramaniam.

Of the 10 exco members sworn in on March 29, six were from DAP, including one Indian representative, Sungkai assemblyman A. Sivanesan.

In the March 8 general election, the Opposition coalition won 31 state seats in Perak - 18 seats went to DAP, seven to PKR, and six to PAS - while Barisan bagged 28 seats.

With Sivasubramaniam's resignation from DAP, the coalition is left with 30 assemblymen.

Samy wants Hindraf 5 released

2008-03-31T11:37:00.000+08:00

Monday March 31, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has urged the Government to release the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under the ISA.

He said his call was not a publicity stunt or a move to win back Indian support for the party.

“This is done in fairness, sympathy and, also, we feel that as Indians, we have to do something about it. It is not a publicity stunt,” he said.

Samy Vellu said two of the leaders – R. Kenghadaran, 40, who is very ill and M. Manoharan, 46, who won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor on a DAP ticket on March 8, – should be freed sooner.

Important speech: Samy Vellu stressing a point at the MIC divisional leaders workshop in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Samy Vellu said the wives of Kenghadaran and Manoharan approached MIC for help to get their husbands released.

He said another two, V. Ganabatirau, 34, and K. Vasantha Kumar, 34, had not been that involved in the Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 last year. The fifth detainee is P. Uthayakumar.

Speaking to reporters after opening a workshop on Rebranding the MIC here yesterday, Samy Vellu said: “I will raise it with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after he returns from Sabah.

“If he wants to release all of them, it is up to him. We have no objections and we don’t want them to be kept inside for too long a period,” he said.

“I will also meet Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

“I had already made some moves on this earlier but I did not tell anyone. I will now make a firm move to see what can be done by the Government with regard to their plight,” said Samy Vellu.

Samy Vellu said he was harshly criticised by certain people when he spoke to Abdullah and the Attorney-General to reduce the attempted murder charges against the 31 people detained during the Hindraf rally but had still continued to assist them.

“If they (those detained) had gone ahead with the advice of their lawyers, many things could have happened.

“They should not simply be attracted to those people who want to argue for them. Many people like to argue for them so that they can get publicity. We don’t want the publicity, we want the truth,” he said.

On claims by P. Wathyamoorthy, who is overseas, that he would face a murder charge if he returned home, Samy Vellu said this was not true and Wathyamoorthy had nothing to be afraid of.

110 MIC members join PAS supporters club

2008-03-31T11:29:00.000+08:00

Monday March 31, 2008

TAIPING: The Kampung Jebong MIC branch in Simpang here was officially dissolved when all 110 of its members quit the party on Saturday night to become members of “Kelab Penyokong PAS” (PAS Supporters Club) instead, the former branch chairman M. Muninathan said.
Muninathan, accompanied by his former branch committee members, submitted their application forms to Bukit Gantang MP Roslan Shaharom during a function held at a temple in the village.
When accepting their applications to join the club, Roslan said the welfare of the former MIC branch members and members of the Indian community there would be taken care of.
“Don’t assume that without (MIC president Datuk Seri S.) Samy Vellu and the MIC, your welfare will be neglected.
“We will take care of you because any problem affecting the Indian community, will affect members of other communities too,” said Roslan.
Roslan said he was indebted to the Indian community here as more than 95% of Indian voters within the Bukit Gantang parliamentary constituency had voted for him in the recent polls.
With Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, the Changkat Jering assemblyman, and Tai Sing Ng (Kuala Sepetang) being appointed exco members, there were two representatives from the Bukit Gantang parliamentary constituency in the state government.
“The appointment of Tai and Mohd Osman means there will be extra allocation for Bukit Gantang residents,” he said.

Raja Petra and editors to pay RM7mil for libel

2008-03-27T08:51:00.000+08:00

ALOR STAR: A High Court here has ordered blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the group chief editor and editor of PKR’s organ Suara Keadilan to pay a total of RM7mil to Universiti Utara Malaysia and its vice-chancellor Tan Sri Dr Nordin Kardi for libel.

High Court deputy registrar Priscilla Gengadaran made the order yesterday following a judgment in default she handed down on Feb 26 after the three had failed to file their defence within the required period.

She ordered the damages to be paid to the plaintiffs for claiming that Dr Nordin was a plagiarist on the Malaysia Today website and in the 98th edition of Suara Keadilan in November 2006.

Nordin and UUM had filed a lawsuit against Raja Petra, PKR, Suara Keadilan group chief editor and the editor. Only PKR had submitted its defence.

Priscilla ordered Raja Petra to pay RM2mil to Dr Nordin and UUM respectively. She also ordered each of the editors to pay RM1mil and RM500,000 to Dr Nordin and UUM respectively.

Dr Nordin told a press conference yesterday that the judgment showed that there was room for the public to take action against bloggers who made slanderous remarks.

“Politicians and artistes who are the usual targets should take action to ensure bloggers do not make libellous statements,” he said.

Dr Nordin said that if the defendants paid up, he would use the money for the benefit of UUM.

"Special Officer" Post Will Be Created To Help Indian Youths, Says Sabri

2008-03-26T12:32:00.000+08:00

March 25, 2008 21:19 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) -- In the absence of a parliamentary secretary, The Youth and Sports Ministry will create the post of a "Special Officer" to look after the development needs of Indian youths, said its newly-appointed minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He also said that the ministry was looking at a new mechanism to channel funding to sports associations in the states of Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor.

Most likely it would follow the example of Kelantan which has been in opposition's hands since 1990, he told reporters after making a visit to the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil here Tuesday.

Also present were his deputy, Wee Jeck Seng, National Sports Council director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong and National Sports Institute director Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz.

On Malaysia's preparations of the Beijing Olympics, he said that he would be chairing a steering committee on it next week to ensure the athletes who have qualified and others making it in time received the appropriate buildup.

He added that the ministry would also place special emphasis on using the Internet to get closer to youths as they were more technologically savvy.

-- BERNAMA

Can Hindraf move the Chinese ground?Even fake sms causes Chinese to boycott nasi kandar

2008-03-22T12:00:00.000+08:00

BUTTERWORTH, March 21 — In an unexpected revelation of the depth of support for Hindraf – from the Chinese community – an sms calling on Penangites to boycott their favourite nasi kandar stalls and restaurants has caused business to take a nosedive here.

"We lost customers, most notably the Chinese,” Malaysia Muslim Restaurant Operators Association president Sihabutheen Sirudu Mohamad has told New Straits Times.

He said people had been told wrongly that nasi kandar workers were involved in the illegal gathering last week to protest the Penang Government’s move not to carry out the New Economic Policy.
The Star reported that the SMS ended with the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) slogan, Makkal Sakthi (People’s Power).

Hindraf called a news conference today to deny it was involved in the sms, and called on Penangites to return to the 250 or so nasi kandar stalls in the state.

“We appeal to the people of all races to support the nasi kandar operators as the cuisine is the pride of Penang,” Hindraf national coordinator R. S. Thainenthiran said.

He added: "Business is business, and it must not be associated with politics," he said.

Nasi kandar spokesman Sihabutheen was quoted in The Star as saying: “Business has dropped by 10% to 15%.”

In the polls recently, detained Hindraf leader M. Manoharan won the Kota Alam Shah parliamentary constituency under the banner of the Democratic Action Party, a party previously seen as a rival only to the Malaysian Chinese Association, a component of the ruling coalition.

Hindraf: Don’t boycott nasi kandar

2008-03-21T16:06:00.001+08:00

Friday March 21, 2008
MYT 3:50:46 PM

BUTTERWORTH: Penangites should stop boycotting nasi kandar, said Hindraf coordinator R.S. Thanenthiran.

The boycott apparently took effect following the circulation of an SMS alleging that nasi kandar operators were involved in last Friday’s street protest at Komtar.

Thanenthiran said the allegation was baseless and Hindraf did not issue any such statement or SMS.

“This is an act by some irresponsible parties,” Thanenthiran told a press conference Friday.

The SMS calling for a boycott of nasi kandar ended with the Hindraf slogan Makkal Sakthi (People’s Power), he said.

“People who received the SMS were misled into thinking that it was Hindraf who had sent the SMS but we did not.”

He alleged that last Friday’s protest at Komtar was started by politicians not nasi kandar operators.

“We appeal to the people of all races to support the nasi kandar operators as the cuisine is the pride of Penang,” Thanenthiran said.

Sihabutheen said if customers continue to believe in the SMS, business would see a further drop.

“As it is business has already dropped by 10% to 15%,” he said.

There are more than 250 nasi kandar outlets in Penang. The Indian Muslim fare is popular among people of all races here.

Special Prayers

2008-03-21T11:07:00.001+08:00

Dear all,

Grand Homam & Sangabishegam to mark 101 days in ISA detention of our 5 HINDRAF leaders:

Date: 23rd March ,Sunday

Venue: Waterfall Hilltop Murugan Temple,Penang

Time: 10am-12pm

Please attend and give your support......Jai Hindraf!

ACTOR RAGHUVARAN PASSES AWAY

2008-03-21T10:55:00.006+08:00

Raghuvaran (60) the noted character actor of Tamil cinema passed away early this morning at a private hospital in Chetpet, Chennai, due to a cardiac arrest. The actor was married to actress Rohini, but the marriage failed and they went through a messy divorce. The couple has an 8-year-old son Nanda.
Raghuvaran's claim to fame was his stylized way of acting and his dialogue delivery. He had a huge following among the masses. He stole the thunder whenever he played the villain with the swagger and with the way he drawled on his dialogues. Right from his first film Ezhavathu Manithan(1982), he created his own acting style.

But it was in the role of the villain in commercial Tamil cinema that he shone in, especially when he was paired with the superstar Rajinikanth in Baasha, Muthu, Arunachalam etc. He was the Superstar's favourite as he excelled in the role of the bad man in his films. The Superstar knew that unless the villain is given equal importance as the hero, his character will not become popular with the masses.
Raghuvaran has acted in over 100 films in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi films and has been praised as a natural actor. Most of his roles were of a villain or supporting actor. He has also acted as hero in a few movies, which did not do well at the box-office.
He became famous with his role as the protagonist of a Tamil soap opera, "Oru Manidhanin Kadhai" (One Man's Story), about a well-to-do man who becomes an alcoholic and faces the consequent difficulties.
Unfortunately, in real life too, he is known for his controversial drug addiction. His family split on this regard, and he has also undergone deaddiction courses.
But Raghuvaran was a very colourful person. His last release was Jayaraj's Silanerangalil (Feb 29, 2008) where he played a negative character.

I Won't Accept Minister's Post As Long As Abdullah Is PM, Says Khairy

2008-03-19T14:16:00.000+08:00

Wednesday, 19 March 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth vice-head Khairy Jamaluddin said he would not accept any offer to join the Cabinet as long as Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the Prime Minister.
Khairy, who is also the Member of Parliament for Rembau, said he had informed his father-in-law of the matter before the general election on March 8, and Abdullah had acepted his stand.

"That's not fair to PM (Prime Minister). I stayed out of his way as much as possible. I'm just a normal MP and want to focus on my job. There are people who are there to help and assist him," he told reporters after attending the meeting of the Umno Youth Exco and State Umno Youth heads which was chaired by the movement's head, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein at the Umno headquarters, at Menara Dato Onn, here today.

Khairy said this when commenting on the allegation that he had influenced the Prime Minister's decision in making government policies, and responding to reporters' question why he was not included in the new Cabinet line-up announced by Abdullah in Putrajaya today.

He said his focus now was to discharge his duty as a member of parliament in the Dewan Rakyat to face the opposition.

On the outcome of the March 8 general election which saw five states falling to the opposition, Khairy said it was a lesson to the BN to be more sensitive to the voice of the people.

"I have learnt that we have to listen to the people more, and the party needs to listen to the people more. We cannot isolate ourselves, we must reform the party and take note," he said.

On the claim that he was the cause for the BN defeat, Khairy said the defeat was a joint responsibility and the actual reason for the defeat would be studied.

"I'm not bothered if people make all kinds of accusations. What is important is to build up the party. If it's found that my services are not required in the party, then we will have a party election soon, let the election decide on the future of Umno leaders.

"But I will not shirk from my responsibility as the Umno Youth vice-head. I have the responsibility of regaining the strength of Umno Youth and BN Youth," he said, conceding that everyone have their personal shortcomings.

Khairy said: "All of us from the top leadership down to the grassroots including myself must do some soul-searching. Certainly from the indications given by the people, there are many shortcomings from the personal level right up to the party."

On the decision of the Umno Youth Exco meeting today which did not take any action on the Member of Parliament for Jerlun who is also Umno Youth Exco Member, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who had called on Abdullah to step down as the Prime Minister through a letter written last week, Khairy said it was the personal view of Mukhriz.

He said further discussion on the matter was "counter productive", and what was important was that the majority of the party members supported the leadership of Abdullah and his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, to continue to lead the country.

The Malaysian INDIAN DILEMMA by Janaki Raman Manickam

2008-03-18T16:32:00.005+08:00

Dear All

This is the only book that compile Indian story from Bristsh colonial time until 9th MEP.
The author Mr. Janaki Raman dedicated 15 years in research to compile many photos, facts, statistic to complete this book.
Only 2000 copies were printed due to less demand in the market for Tamil books.
He also dedicated himself to social service activities for indian in estate now days.
That is job for today. But everything needs money right?
So, he asked me to promoted his finding on this book called The Malaysian INDIAN DILEMMA.
The Book cost RM 35 - RM 50.(Normal cover and Hard cover) 450 pages, all in TAMIL.
Many photograph in this book are unseen before.
Also the statistics. I can say, this is a complete version of our lost history in Malaysia.
Pls support him by buying this book, which I think every Indian must have in their house.
This will encourage him to come with more books about Indian Issues in Malaysia today.
Pls feel free to see this programme.
Above are some capture of the book front/backpage.

Where can you get the book,
Human Development and Research centre
No 5, Jalan seruling 58, Taman Klang Jaya, 41200 Selangor.
H/P : 013 - 392 7727 Fax : 03 3323 8036.
Mr. Janaki Raman Manickam.

KJ & Pak Lah

2008-03-18T16:15:00.001+08:00

PM announces new Cabinet (2nd update)

2008-03-18T14:11:00.001+08:00

Nation
Tuesday March 18, 2008
MYT 2:02:29 PM

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced his new administration on Tuesday, trimming his Cabinet from 32 to 27 seats, of which more than half featured new faces.

He also scrapped the post of parliamentary secretary and dropped big guns such as Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz (former International Trade and Industry Minister), Datuk Azmi Khalid (former Home Affairs Minister) and Datuk Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis (former Science, Technology and Innovations Minister).

Abdullah merged the Home Affairs and Internal Security ministries, saying that they had many overlapping functions, and named former Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar as its minister.

"I am still surprised with the post although I was sure I will move from the Foreign Ministry," Syed Hamid said.

"I have to learn fast to regain public confidence in security related matters. Judging from the election results, Malaysians expect some things to be done," he said.

In the 12th general election on March 8, the Barisan Nasional saw its two-thirds majority in the 222-seat Parliament pared down to a simple majority, lost control of four states including industrial centres such as Selangor and Penang, and failed to wrest Kelantan back from PAS.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, formerly Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister, said he was looking forward to the challenges of his new portfolio.

"I know the challenges in this ministry are very big and the expectations of the rakyat are very high, particularly in trying to make Malaysia the centre of excellence for higher education.

"What I know is that the work is going to be very different from the ministry I was heading before, but I will reserve my plans for the ministry until I have been briefed by the ministry staff," said the Pasir Gudang MP.

Khaled took over the portfolio from Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who is now the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister.

The full list:

Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz
Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim
Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz

Deputy Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department
Datuk Johari Baharom
Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim
Datuk K. Devamany
Datuk Hassan Malik

Finance
Minister - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Second Finance Minister - Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop
Deputies - Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Datuk Kong Cho Ha

Defence
Minister - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Deputy - Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop

Internal Security and Home Affairs
Minister - Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Deputies - Datuk Chor Chee Heong, Senator Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh

Housing and Local Government
Minister -Datuk Ong Ka Chuan
Deputies - Datuk Robert Lau , Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin

Works Minister
Minister - Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad
Deputy- Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

Energy, Water and Communications
Minister - Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy- Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry
Minister - Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputy - Datin Paduka Rohani Abdul Karim

International Trade and Industry
Minister -Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputies- Loh Wei Keong, Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan

Foreign Affairs
Minister -Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Deputy- Tunku Azlan Abu Bakar

Education
Minister -Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Deputies -Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Razali Ismail

Higher Education
Minister - Datuk Khaled Nordin
Deputies - Khoo Kok Choong, Datuk Idris Harun

Transport
Datuk Ong Tee Keat
Deputy - Anifah Aman

Human Resources
Datuk S. Subramaniam
Deputy- Datuk Noraini Ahmad

Women, Family and Community Development
Minister-Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen
Deputy- Noriah Kasnon

National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage
Minister- Datuk Shafie Apdal
Deputy-Datuk Teng Boon Soon

Science, Technology and Innovation
Minister- Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy- Fadilah Yusof

Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Development
Minister - Datuk Noh Omar
Deputy- Datuk Saiffuddin Abdullah

Natural Resources and Environment
Minister - Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas
Deputy - Datuk Abu Ghapur Salleh

Rural and Regional Development
Minister - Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib
Deputy- Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Minister - Datuk Shahrir Samad
Deputy - Jelaing Mersat

Plantation Industries and Commodities
Minister - Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy- Senator A. Kohilan

Youth and Sports
Minister - Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaacob
Deputy - Wee Jack Seng

Health
Minister - Datuk Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy- Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad

Information
Minister - Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Deputy- Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

Tourism
Minister - Datuk Azalina Othman
Deputy - Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abu Taib

FT
Minister - Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique
Deputy- M. Saravanan

Nizar sworn in as Perak MB

2008-03-17T12:50:00.000+08:00

Monday March 17, 2008MYT 12:20:36 PM

KUALA KANGSAR: Perak PAS secretary Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has been sworn-in as Mentri Besar.
The Pasir Panjang assemblyman took the oath of office before the Regent of Perak, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah at Istana Iskandariah here at 11.45am on Monday.

Mukhriz’s Letter to PM

2008-03-17T08:15:00.000+08:00

12th March 2008
Dato’ Seri,
Let me take this opportunity to thank you and the party’s leadership for the faith in me and the chance to contest in Jerlun as a Barisan Nasional candidate. With the blessing and hard work of the party’s leadership and machinery as well as the people of Jerlun, I have won the elections and am now a new Member of Parliament.
However, sadly enough, my victory is rendered meaningless in view of the defeat that Umno and the Kedah BN suffered in the hands of the opposition. Apart form Kedah, four other states as well as the Federal Territories also received similar humiliation in defeat.
In fact your own state of Penang was wrested by the DAP from the BN. Kelantan is again under Pas rules. In other states, the BN also suffered a similar humiliation when the level of BN support by the people has tremendously reduced. This, Datuk Seri, has never happened in the history of BN rule.
The sole intention of my letter to you is meant to save UMNO and BN from being rejected further by the people and from being no longer relevant to our religion, race and nation.
Dato’ Seri, the people are unhappy and the message from them is very clear, and that is they have rejected you as the nation’s chief executive.
Contrary to your claim that you still have the support of Umno and other component parties, the reality is that even our own party members had reneged in their voting pattern by supporting the Opposition and inflicting the BN its defeat.
Dato’ Seri, when the people held street demonstrations you openly dared them to resort to the ballot boxes to demonstrate.
They took your challenge by coming out, especially tho people in the Peninsular, and they demonstrated their feelings by voting us out at the BN at State and Parliament levels.
It is therefore clear that your leadership and your handling of the issues faced by the people and the nation are no longer accepted. Let’s not deny the truth just for the sake of keeping your seat as Prime Minister.
For the love of this country and the people, I beg that you take responsibility for the defeat. We can save UMNO, the BN and the nation only if you relinquish your positions as Prime Minister and the President of UMNO.
Dato’ Seri, I hope you will understand that I make this plea with the intention of salvaging a very dire situation. A move has been made to woo the BN representatives to join the Opposition. The enemy needs just 35 seats more to topple the government of your leadership.
If you do not resign in the near future, I fear that the situation will become untenable and that the Malay support for Umno and BN will be a thing of the past.
This plea I make without malice, and I am aware that your reaction and that of other UMNO members could very well be hostile.
But come what may, I am prepared, for the sake of the Malays and UMNO, to face the consequences of my action. With all humility, I leave my fate to Allah SWT.
Dato’ Seri, I am sure that you will do the right thing for the sake of the people and the nation. May Allah SWT bless you for the sacrifice you make by stepping down.
WasallamYours Sincerely
Mukhriz MahathirJerlun Member Parlament

Protestors at Komtar

2008-03-14T16:49:00.005+08:00

It is an illegal gathering and why water cannon or tear gas was not being used to disperse !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Law is equal for everyone……………

FRU moves in to disperse protestors in Penang

2008-03-14T15:48:00.001+08:00

Friday March 14, 2008
MYT 3:45:31 PM

PENANG: The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) is moving in to disperse protestors who have gathered near the Komtar building.

Protestors began gathering in the area after Friday prayers to demonstrate against the DAP-led state government.

Earlier Friday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had warned the public not to assemble illegally at the location.

He said those who defied the order would be arrested for illegal assembly.

Asalkan Bukan Umno / Anyone But Umno.

2008-03-14T15:24:00.002+08:00

Mereka tidak mahu diri mereka dilihat - ini Melayu, ini Cina, ini India atau ini Bumiputera. Mereka mahu dilihat dan ditakrif bahawa mereka adalah warga Malaysia yang setaraf.
DARI JELEBU
Hishamuddin Rais
Rakyat Malaysia dalam pilihan raya ke 12 telah memilih ABU – Asalkan Bukan Umno/Anyone But Umno.
Ada masalah ke? Apa masalahnya?
Apa masalah DAP menubuhkan pentadbiran baru di Pulau Pinang? Apa hal jadi kalut apabila PKR akan menubuhkan kerajaan baru di Selangor? Apa halnya bila DAP mendapat undi terbanyak di Perak dan menubuhkan pentadbiran baru? Kedah dan Kelantan di bawah PAS ada problem? Apa problemnya?
Ada masalah ke apabila PKR akan mentadbirkan Wilayah Persekutuan/Kuala Lumpur?
Soalan-soalan saya ini timbul kerana saya terus membaca di akhbar-akbar lekeh arus perdana yang memaparkan berita yang cuba menimbulkan agenda perkauman Melayu. Saya juga menerima tek pesanan ringkas yang cuba mengapi-apikan sentimen Melayu untuk menimbulkan perasaan anti-bukan Melayu kerana rakyat telah memilih ABU.
Mari kita lihat bagaimana sebuah akhbar Melayu arus perdana yang lekeh lagi melekehkan. Lihat bagaimana akhbar ini menguruskan sentimen anti-bukan Melayu. Apabila rakyat memilih Abu kelihatan akhbar ini di laman rencana dan di ruangan surat pembaca telah cuba menerangkan kepada pemilih ABU bahawa kini ‘ ketuaan Melayu telah hilang!”
Ha ha ha … surat khabar corot ini masih lagi memainkan keset lama tentang ketuanan Melayu. Saya telah jelak , mual dan hendak muntah membaca dan mendengar agenda ketuanan Melayu. United Malay National Organistions ini cuba disamakan sebagai Melayu. Tolong sikit beeb… bukan semua Melayu berpayung di bawah agenda ketuanan Melayu. United Malay National Organisations mengakui ada hampir 2 juta ahli. Woit! Dalam negara ini ada berapa juta lagi orang Melayu?
Tidak semua Melayu di Malaysia ini bersetuju dengan konsep ketuanan Melayu. Tidak semua Melayu akan menyahut seruan ketuanan Melayu. Tidak semua Cina mahu bertuankan ketuanan Cina. Dan tidak semua India mahu bertuankan ketuanan India. Dan tidak semua Punjabi mahu bertuankan ketuanan Benggali.
Mereka yang telah memilih ABU kerana mereka mahu bertuankan keadilan, ketelusan, kebenaran dan kesaksamaan derajat. Mereka telah muak dengan agenda pecah dan perintah. Mereka tidak mahu diri mereka dilihat - ini Melayu, ini Cina, ini India atau ini Bumiputera. Mereka mahu dilihat dan ditakrif bahawa mereka adalah warga Malaysia yang setaraf. ( Kenapa berat dan ngok sangat kepala untuk memahami bahawa agenda ketuanan Melayu ini telah lama bungkus dan telah di humbankan ke dalam tong sampah sejarah.)
Apa salahnya anak muda itu di terima masuk ke fakulti perubatan walhal kelulusan anak muda ini cukup cemerlang. Anak muda ini di tolak hanya kerana dia Cina dan tidak termasuk dalam agenda ketuanan Melayu. Ini perbuatan gila. Orang sakit di Malaysia ini kalau dia sakit dia tidak mengira bangsa apa, agama apa atau dari parti apa doktor yang mengubati.
Kenapa kontrak buat bangunan sekolah itu di berikan kepada si Polan ini? Dalam masa enam bulan sesudah siap sekolah ini runtuh rahai? Jawabnya si Polan ini di beri kontrak kerana dia Melayu dan ini agenda ketuanan Melayu. Ini kerja gila. Pengundi ABU mahukan yang terbaik bukan yang TERMELAYU.
Kenapa Naib Canselor di universiti-universiti semuanya Melayu walhal kebanyakan dari mereka benak, tidak berilmu, bebal dan tidak ada mengeluarkan tulisan-tulisan ilmiah. Jawabnya Naib-naib Canselor ini dilantik hanya kerana mereka Melayu dan ini agenda ketuanan Melayu. Ini kerja gila, kerja orang bodoh. Dunia akademia bukan mahukan Melayu. Dunia akademia mahukan mereka yang bijak , berilmu dan bukan berMelayu. Ilmu datang bukan kerana dia Melayu tetapi kerana insan profesor itu berilmu dan ada keupayaan untuk berfikir, menulis dan berhujah secara ilmiah. Kaki bodek tidak termasuk dalam Cv dan biodata untuk menjadi profesor di universiti.
Dalam ruangan pembaca di media yang sama saya juga terbaca tentang ‘ survival Melayu’. Mula-mula saya ingatkan ini program TV yang bernama “ survival’ rupa-rupanya bukan. Survival yang di perkatakan oleh akhbar lekeh ini ialah survival Melayu.
Haha haha.. lawak betul akhbar ini. United National Malay Organisations bukan oksigen beeb. Tolong lah beeb... Manusia Melayu telah wujud ribuan tahun tanpa United Malay National Organisations. Pertubuhan ini pula baru muncul pada tahun 1946, ini pun kerana perancangan British yang sedang nazak dipukul oleh perjuangan rakyat Malaya yang mengangkat senjata.
Saya tidak tahu bagaimana dan apa pertalian United Malay National Organisations dengan kunun apa yang di panggil ‘survival’ Melayu. Tapi saya tahu apa yang tidak akan ‘survive’ dan pupus nanti. Yang akan pupus ialah ‘contract junkies’. Yang akan pupus nanti ialah Mat Subcon. Yang akan pupus nanti ialah mereka yang tidak berkelayakan untuk masuk universiti pasti tidak akan dapat masuk universiti. Tolong lah beeb...jangan samakan makhluk-makhluk ini dengan 300 juta susuk-susuk yang dipanggil Melayu di Nusantara.
Selepas – ‘survival Melayu ‘ muncul pula apa yang kunun dipanggil agenda perpaduan Melayu. Satu lagi lawak tengit. Apa barang yang di panggil perpaduan Melayu ini? Benda ini ada di jual di Maidin ke? Ada di jual di Chow Kit ke? Berapa harga sekilo?
Perpaduan Melayu untuk apa?
Susuk Melayu tidak pernah bersatu, tidak akan bersatu dan sampai dunia kiamat pun TIDAK akan bersatu. Susuk Cina tidak pernah bersatu, tidak akan bersatu dan sampai kiamat pun tidak akan bersatu. Susuk Arab tidak pernah bersatu, tidak akan bersatu dan sampai kiamat pun Tok-tok Arab ini tidak akan bersatu.
Jangan mimpi dan jangan berkhayal tentang perpaduan Melayu. Benda ini tidak pernah wujud. Dalam sejarah perjalanan tamadun manusia, dari semenjak manusia keluar dari gua-gua batu di Kenya Afrika susuk yang di panggil manusia ini telah terpencar-pencar dan tidak pernah bersatu.
Menggunakan satu bahasa ibunda juga tidak akan menjanjikan perpaduan. Buktinya negara Arab yang semuanya bercakap Arab. Mereka tidak pernah bersatu. Satu warna kulit tidak juga menjanjikan perpaduan. Buktinya benua Afrika – mereka semuanya berkulit hitam. Satu asal usul budaya dan bahasa yang sama juga tidak menjanjikan perpaduan. Buktinya Cina dan Taiwan. Satu agama dan satu konsep tuhan pun tidak akan menjamin perpaduan. Buktinya Pakistan Timur dan Pakistan Barat. Pakistan Timur kini menjadi Bangladesh.
Manusia bukan batu bata yang boleh disusun mengikut rasa. Manusia mempunyai akliah.
Mengapi-apikan rasa benci antara kaum dan bangsa ini adalah jenis politik bankrap. Ini jenis politik orang kalah. Jenis politik inilah yang telah di tolak oleh ABU. Mengajukan kebencian terhadap sesama manusia bukan sifat insan yang berilmu, berfikiran dan bertamadun.
Menakut-nakutkan orang Melayu bahawa mereka akan hilang Dasar Ekonomi Baru adalah cerita hantu lama. Cerita hantu ini telah menjadi tidak seram lagi. Menakut-nakutkan orang Melayu bahawa mereka akan hilang hak keistimewaan samalah seperti George Bush sedang cuba menakut-nakutkan rakyat dunia tentang ‘keganasan Islam’. Orang Melayu tidak akan ambil pot. Rakyat dunia tidak akan ambil pot.
Untuk sementara waktu ada susuk Melayu akan termakan racun bergula dari akhbar-akhbar lekeh lagi melekehkan. Ini samalah seperti ada sebahagian rakyat dunia yang termakan propaganda Bush tentang cerita seram ‘ kejahatan Islam’.
Sebenarnya di belakang agenda menakut-nakutkan Melayu ini ialah para cukong, para contract junkies, para Ali dan Baba, para Mat Subcon, para lanun dan penyamun, para perasuah dan pengguna C4, para komisen agen, para broker projek – mereka inilah yang sedang dalam ketakutan kerana rakyat telah memilih ABU – Asalkan Bukan Umno/Anyone But Umno.

Denial syndrome must end

2008-03-14T08:54:00.001+08:00

Friday March 14, 2008

The winds of change have swept through not only the political landscape but also the media environment. It's time for media practitioners to do some serious soul-searching to stay relevant and accurately feel the pulse of the nation.

THE SMS has got to be the most effective weapon in helping the Opposition knock out the Barisan Nasional. With over 22 million mobile subscribers, the SMS link connected urban and rural Malaysia such that news in one part of the country reached another part in mere seconds.

Three hours before polling closed, Malaysians were flooded with messages alleging electoral fraud in several constituencies contested by key Barisan leaders. That was enough to further raise the political temperatures of many Malaysians, who had already made up their mind to vote against the coalition.

There were more blows to come. Umno Youth deputy leader Khairy Jamaluddin was accused of being in a sex video. Those who took the trouble to check the blog found it didn't even resemble him, but the question remains – how many people were duped into believing this rumour or took the trouble to check?

Some of these messages were serious and direct but most poked fun at the Barisan. And certainly they worked effectively in this general election.

The bloggers and alternative media also inflicted serious wounds onto the Barisan but the impact may not be as strong as it has been made out to be. Admittedly, Urban Malaysia preferred these channels of information to the mainstream media, which certainly was part of the debacle of the Barisan defeat.

But it was the mammoth-sized ceramah, especially in Penang, that translated into votes, especially in the western states of Penang, Perak, Selangor and Kedah.

New Media analyst Oon Yeoh correctly commented in an article that the Internet was mainly for city folk. Many rural folk do not have access to the Internet and so did not benefit from information sent via online media, blogs or e-mail, he said.

During his visit to Jelutong, where blogger Jeff Ooi contested, Oon found out that most voters had barely heard of Jeff's blog and even fewer had visited it. It was the Chinese dailies, according to Ooi, who helped make him a known face to Penangites.

Oon wrote that one of the volunteers, a 42-year-old salesman who wanted to only be known as William, confessed he had never heard of Ooi before nomination day, much less visited his blog.

Ooi himself stopped blogging midway during the campaign period, preferring to give press conferences to the print media, speak at ceramah and meet his voters directly.

It was the traditional method of campaigning that played the major role. Certainly, it was the Rocket symbol, rather than Jeff Ooi the blogger, riding on the anti-establishment mood that led to his strong victory.

Some Barisan candidates also turned to blogging, hoping to connect with the young, but they gave up because the number of visitors was just too low.

Another development was that the Internet helped raise over RM100,000 in online donations, primarily for the Opposition candidates, with a large portion coming from overseas. It is probably the first time in Malaysian political history that political donations were raised this way.

Two news websites emerged during the elections, MalaysiaVotes.com and MalaysianInsider.com, but being newcomers, it was difficult for them to compete with the more established Malaysiakini.

The websites of mainstream newspapers had an even tougher time, being overly cautious on accuracy, particularly on results, and not wanting to rely too much on unconfirmed news.

In the end, the alternative media scored better as it did not have to worry too much about accuracy. An example was the newsflash on the purported 14 unopened ballot boxes in Lembah Pantai, implying there would be rigging. The report turned out to be false.

But this election was a wake-up call to the nation, not just to the leadership, but also the media. A serious and honest soul searching is required to truly feel the pulse of Malaysians. The mainstream newspapers have to learn, quickly, or face being abandoned by their readers.

As Bernama general manager Datuk Azman Ujang rightly said, Malaysians have spoken loud and clear, “not only on what kind of government they want but also the kind of media they prefer”.

Despite the mainstream media bashing, newspapers have sold well over the past two weeks, with the Singapore Straits Times quoting a media consultant G. Manimaran as saying that “for the first time in 20 years of journalism, I am seeing people queuing up to buy newspapers”.

With opposition parties now in control of five state governments, the media, including government-run TV stations, must be prepared to relook its editorial policies. Some vernacular newspapers, too, must end their communal slant as they should take into account that the votes for the Opposition came from all races.

The winds of change have swept through Malaysia and the fact is everyone, especially the media, has to wake up to that reality. It should be accepted, not resisted. The denial syndrome has to stop.

Historical Moment

2008-03-12T15:16:00.001+08:00

Dumb & Dumber

2008-03-12T15:09:00.002+08:00

W.P.M - Worst Prime Minister Award

2008-03-12T15:05:00.002+08:00

Penang: Muhd Fairuz, Ramasamy are deputy CMs

2008-03-12T12:04:00.001+08:00

Beh Lih Yi | Mar 12, 08 10:45am

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today announced that PKR’s Penanti state assemblyperson Muhammad Fairuz Khairuddin and DAP’s Perai representative P Ramasamy would be made the state’s deputy chief ministers.

Muhammad Fairuz will be the Deputy CM 1 and Ramasamy, the Deputy CM 2.

Lim, who was sworn in yesterday, said the decision to pick the duo was to have a leadership to represent all communities in Penang.

This is the first time an Indian has been awarded such a high post in Malaysia.

The DAP-led opposition made a clean sweep in Penang in the last general election, totally wiping out the BN’s hold in the island state.

30 NGO India mahu Samy dilantik Senator

2008-03-12T11:22:00.007+08:00

BENTONG 11 Mac – Sebanyak 30 pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang mewakili masyarakat India di negeri ini mahu Presiden MIC, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu dilantik sebagai Senator bagi membolehkannya kekal dalam Kabinet.
Penyelaras kumpulan NGO itu, S. Sivalingam menegaskan, kegagalan Samy Vellu mempertahankan kerusi Parlimen Sungai Siput pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 Sabtu lalu bukan petunjuk penolakan kaum India terhadap bekas Menteri Kerja Raya itu.
“Kejutan di Sungai Siput tidak mewakili kaum India kerana pengundi di kawasan itu terdiri daripada pelbagai kaum,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.
Antara NGO yang hadir termasuk Kelab Tamil Bell, Persatuan Taman-Taman Perumahan Karak, dewan-dewan perniagaan dan persatuan-persatuan masyarakat India Pahang.
Pada pilihan raya umum baru-baru ini, Samy Vellu yang memperoleh 14,637 undi tewas kepada calon Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Dr. Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj yang mendapat 16,458 undi.
Sivalingam berkata, kekalahan Samy Vellu dipengaruhi pelbagai faktor termasuk muslihat, salah faham, masalah setempat dan emosi.
Menurut beliau, peranan media juga memburukkan keadaan apabila media kerap melaporkan kelemahan di Kementerian Kerja Raya sejak dua tahun kebelakangan ini.
“Kelemahan-kelemahan kementerian lain tidak pernah ditonjolkan dan ini membuktikan Samy Vellu sengaja dipermain-mainkan,” jelasnya.
Sehubungan itu, Sivalingam menggesa pucuk pimpinan Barisan Nasional (BN) tidak menjadikan faktor kekalahan sebagai alasan untuk mengetepikan Samy Vellu daripada barisan Kabinet yang akan dibentuk dalam tempoh terdekat ini.
Beliau juga mencadangkan pucuk pimpinan BN mengadakan mesyuarat dengan semua pemimpin parti komponen terlebih dahulu sebelum memutuskan tarikh pembubaran Parlimen dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang.
Selain itu, beliau meminta wakil-wakil rakyat pembangkang daripada kaum India menunaikan segala janji yang mereka taburkan ketika berkempen pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12.
“Buktikan keberkesanan anda sebagai wakil rakyat. Dulu anda bertanya, kini tiba masanya anda menjawab segala persoalan yang akan timbul,” kata Sivalingam.

P.S.Maybe we have to prepare another petition to protest this. Do you'll think agree with me? Pls comment.

New CM waives summonses

2008-03-12T09:50:00.000+08:00

north@thestar.com.my

PENANG: New Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has introduced a series of populist decisions from giving a one-time waiver of summonses issued by local councils to the abandoning of New Economic Policy measures by the state administration.

He said the state government also wanted to foster harmonious relations with the Federal Government in all respects and he would seek an appointment with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss moves to address the needs of the people of Penang.

He said this during a press conference after being sworn in as Chief Minister at his new office in Komtar here yesterday.

Lim said the key areas of the new agenda for Penang included the economy, governance and social needs of the people. (See chart)

He said the agenda for change would “re-establish rule by the rakyat.”

He also said that the Chief Minister, state exco members, speaker and deputy speaker, as well as the heads of the Penang and Seberang Prai municipal councils would be required to publicly declare their personal assets.

On the move to waive summonses issued by the Penang and Seberang Prai Municipal Councils before March 11, Lim said the move was to help reduce the burden faced by the people, especially the poor.

However, further offences of such nature would not be excused, he said.

Lim said he hoped to discuss with Abdullah the possibility of using Petronas’ proceeds to fully fund the construction cost of the Federal Government’s second Penang Bridge project.

He also hoped federal funding to Penang would not be affected by the change of government, adding that the funding was provided for under the Federal Constitution.

“I don't think Abdullah wants to see Penangites suffer just because they exercised their right to vote in the March 8 elections,” he said.

On how he felt being the Chief Minister, Lim replied: “Being a former prisoner, I did not expect to sit on the chief minister's chair. It is really a transformation and quite an experience for me.”

First Tamil Signboard

2008-03-11T08:38:00.003+08:00

Thanks to our YB.Theresa KoK

Appoint Indians as deputies in state govts, says Hindraf

2008-03-11T08:31:00.000+08:00

Nation
Tuesday March 11, 2008

BUTTERWORTH: An Indian should be made a Deputy Chief Minister in Penang while in Perak and Selangor, they should be appointed Deputy Mentri Besar, Hindraf acting chairman R.S. Thanenthiran said.

“DAP, PKR and PAS can make the necessary amendments to the state constitution to create a Deputy Chief Minister or Deputy Mentri Besar post just as the Barisan Nasional government had done in the past.

“If they are unable to provide this post, they should then allocate two or more state exco seats for Indians,” he said.

Thanenthiran noted that the three political parties had used Hindraf’s Makkal Sakhti (People’s Power) slogan to garner support from the voters.

Ideally, he said, DAP’s A. Sivanesan and M. Manoharan should be made Deputy Mentri Besar in Perak and Selangor respectively while DAP’s Dr P. Ramasamy should be made Deputy Chief Minister in Penang.

Indian Association Penang president K. Vijayakumar said Indians should be allowed to play a key role in the state administration and government agencies.

“There are many competent and qualified Indian professionals in Penang, Selangor and Perak,” he said.

Seberang Prai Indians Social Welfare Association secretary T. Vijiakumaran said the Chinese, Malays and Indians, should be given equal opportunities, especially in securing government contracts, business licences, and seats in higher education institutions.

Vijiakumaran said there should be more Indian municipal councillors as well as top-ranking officers in government departments and agencies.

Dr M calls for Pak Lah to resign

2008-03-10T12:46:00.000+08:00

Dr M calls for Pak Lah to resign
Mar 9, 08 2:14pm/ Malaysiakini
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today his successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has "destroyed" the ruling coalition after disastrous weekend elections.
Mahathir, who led the ruling Umno which helms the Barisan Nasional coalition for 22 years before stepping down in 2003, lashed out after its worst performance in history.
"My view is he has destroyed Umno, destroyed the BN and he has been responsible for this," Mahathir told reporters.
He suggested Abdullah should resign, and said he had made a mistake in selecting him as prime minister.
"I think he should accept responsibility for this. He should accept 100 percent responsibility," he said.
"I am sorry but I apparently made the wrong choice."
Mahathir has previously said he never intended for Abdullah to serve more than one term, and that he should have opted instead for influential Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak who is now leader-in-waiting.Worst ever result
BN suffered its worst ever result in Saturday's polls, losing its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time since 1969 and conceding four more states to a resurgent opposition.
Abdullah was punished over rising crime and inflation in an election also tinged by rising racial tensions between majority Muslim Malays and minority ethnic Chinese and Indians.
"I think the people must have been very angry, all the races, Chinese, Malays and Indians," Mahathir said.
"The problem is we (the government) have become so arrogant. We suppress any opinion that we do not like and they begin to believe in their own reports which are not actually consistent with what is happening in the country."
Abdullah was Mahathir's hand-picked successor when he stepped down, but after the new leader dumped several of his pet projects he began launching accusations of economic mismanagement, nepotism and corruption.

Samy to stay on as MIC chief

2008-03-10T08:35:00.000+08:00

STAR/Monday March 10, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who crashed to a shock defeat in the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, will continue as the MIC president and restructure and rebuild the party.
In a statement, he said he was not feeling unhappy but reminded the MIC members that they were in a very challenging period.
“We have to move in the direction where the wind is blowing and we hope a day will come when the new wave will be with us,” he said.
Samy Vellu, who had been the Sungai Siput MP since 1974, lost to PKR's Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj by 1,821 votes.
He thanked the people of Sungai Siput for supporting him in the last eight elections since 1974.
“I am very grateful for being given the opportunity to serve this constituency and I believe I have done whatever possible to make the people of Sungai Siput happy.
“But times have changed and every good thing has to come to an end but there is always a new beginning,” he said.
Meanwhile secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who was one of three MIC leaders to have retained their parliamentary seats, said the MIC has to take cognisance of the results and the fact that the majority of the Indian community did not support the party in the elections.
“This is the first time we have suffered such a loss,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam, who retained the Segamat parliamentary seat, said that the next four years would be challenging to rebuild the confidence and to instil in the people the relevance of the MIC to the Indian community.
He said Samy Vellu was the president of MIC and should continue dictating the direction of the party.
MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan, who won the Tapah parliamentary seat, said it was normal for parties to win or lose seats in elections.
“Even Keadilan lost in many seats in the last general election but this time, it made some gains. Winning or losing is not all that the game is about but more about serving the people,” he said.
Saravanan, who is also Federal Territory MIC chief, said this was the best time to prove that “we are here not for position or power but

MIC chief Samy says goodbye

2008-03-09T15:58:00.002+08:00

2008/03/09

IPOH: After having served the Sungai Siput constituency since 1974, yesterday's unexpected defeat came as a major shock to MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu.

Samy Vellu, who turned 72 yesterday, made a quick exit from the Dewan Konvensyen Sungai Siput on learning the result for the parliamentary seat.

On his way out, the MIC supremo said "goodbye" to reporters and supporters who had gathered at the hall.

Samy Vellu lost to Dr D. Jeyakumar, a former chest physician, his nemesis since 1999, whom he had trounced in the last general election with a majority of 10,349 votes.

Good Bye Semi...V

Wife to seek freedom for victorious ISA detainee Manoharan

2008-03-09T15:50:00.001+08:00

BERNAMA
KLANG, SUN

The wife of election victor M. Manoharan is to seek his immediate release from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

S. Pushpaneela said she hoped that DAP chairman and lawyer Karpal Singh would fight for the release of her husband.

Manoharan, 46, had won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor on a DAP ticket, defeating Ching Su Chen of the Barisan Nasional (BN) by 7,184 votes.

“Since my husband has won the Kota Alam Shah seat, I hope Karpal (Singh) will fight immediately for the release of my husband. I know it will not be an automatic release,” she told reporters here.

Manoharan, a lawyer, was detained last December for alleged involvement in the organising of illegal gatherings on Nov 25 last year and making seditious statements against the government.
He is the third ISA detainee to contest on a DAP ticket in a general election. Chan Kok Kit and Chian Heng Khai contested on a DAP ticket in 1978 in Sungai Besi (Selangor) and Batu Gajah (Perak), respectively, when they were under detention, and both won.

Pushpaneela said her husband would not get to know the election result immediately.

“There is not much communication between us. I will inform him personally (of the election result) when I visit him at the Kamunting detention camp tomorrow,” said the mother of four.

Pushpaneela said all her efforts during the 13-day election campaign had paid off.

“I woke up at 5am daily to make the necessary preparations for the election campaign. Believe me, being a woman it was not an easy task,” she said.

Guan Eng will be sworn in on Tuesday as Penang Chief Minister

2008-03-09T15:41:00.000+08:00

BERNAMA
Penang /Sunday

Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of the DAP, which won 19 of the 40 state seats in Penang, is expected to take over the chief minister’s post on Tuesday.
He said he would be sworn in after the party and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which won nine state seats, making a total of 28, form the Penang state government with more than a two-third majority.

PKR won nine of the 16 state seats it contested, while PAS maintained its Permatang Pasir state seat, and lost the other four.

Yesterday, Penang PKR chief Datuk Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said the party had agreed to form a joint government with the DAP, and also on Lim ’s appointment as the new chief minister.

Lim said the party would also cooperate with other opposition parties to form the government in Penang and other states.
The oposition also won big in Perak, Selangor and Kedah in yesterday’s polls.

Lim said the Penang DAP-PKR state governmemt would pursue investor-friendly policies to ensure that Penang retains its edge as the leading industrial and manufacturing hub and put public interest first in the implementation or review of any project or policy.

“We wish to assure both local and foreign investors that we are fully cognizant of the importance of their major contributions to our state economy,” he said.

“We shall be holding dialogues, discussions and consultations with industries, commerce and small and mediaum industries upon taking up the reins of government.

“The manufacturing sector comprises around 42 per cent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs approximately 200,000 workers, of which half are in the electronic sector,” he said.

We won the battle...

2008-03-09T15:05:00.003+08:00

What a wonderful day......ha..ha...at last we manage to change the fate of Penang Island. Million thanks to everyone that voted for opposition.Not forgetting our " Hidraf Heroes" and " Makkal Sakthi" which was the root that made this tsunami victory .I was at Dato'Zahrain's ( PKR Bayan Baru) house last night when the announcement were made.....what a big relief after so much of battle.

Valgha Makkal Sakthi

Malaysian Indians aim to swing vote

2008-03-07T14:26:00.002+08:00

By	Claudia Theophilus in Kuala Lumpur

A political awakening sweeping Malaysia's ethnic Indian community could spell trouble for the incumbent Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in the country's forthcoming general elections.

For the first time, many Malaysians of Indian origin - particularly those in lower income groups - are actively campaigning for the opposition, a departure from the traditional support usually given to the ruling coalition.

The swing has been triggered by the government's move to crush demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur in November last year to protest against alleged racial discrimination.

Riot police fired tear gas and chemical-laced water cannon to disperse tens of thousands of protestors, mobilised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), in what was one of the biggest mass protest seen in the country in decades.

Since then, many Indians have embraced "makkal sakti", Tamil for "people power", as the battle cry for political change in the elections, joining the opposition campaign to reject five decades of BN rule.

Racial politics

Internet-savvy Indians, particularly younger activists, have embarked on an extensive campaign of mobile text messaging, emails and blogs to express their frustration with the government and to urge a vote swing.

They want an end to what they say has been a spate of demolitions of Hindu temples and discriminatory policies in education, business and housing.

Slightly more than half of Malaysia's population is ethnic Malay, followed by about 36 per cent Chinese and 8 per cent Indian.

Malaysia's political system is run along ethnic lines, with BN made up of 14 race-based parties and the core parties of the coalition - the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) - representing the three major ethnic groups respectively.

Ethnic Indians say the unequal distribution of wealth has denied them their rightful share of the economic pie, charges the government has repeatedly denied.

Since the Hindraf rally, many Indians have been campaigning to not only bring down the BN, but also to deny Samy Vellu, the head of the MIC and the de facto political leader of the community, a ninth term in office.

Frustrations

The disfranchisement felt by many Malaysian Indians marks a significant shift in the country's political scene.

M Ganesan, 31, who works in a private company in the northern state of Perak, said the fact that many ethnic Indians had travelled from across Malaysia to attend the Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur pointed to the widespread anger among the community.

"I don't understand why the government is blaming us for demanding our rights," he told Al Jazeera in Sungai Siput, the constituency Samy Vellu has held since 1974.

"We must deny the BN a majority. If they have overwhelming support, we will be in trouble because they will come after us."

Ganesan said most Indians were still angry that the government felt justified in using force against protesters during the November rally.

"We know that the statements assuring Indians that temples will not be demolished is a mere eye-wash," he said.

"If the government takes care of its people, they will surely support it," he added. "If not, they will definitely oppose it."

Samy Vellu's challenger, Jeyakumar Devaraj, a candidate for the opposition Keadilan party, is trying for the third time to unseat the incumbent.

"No doubt the Indians are very upset and I'm confident of a vote swing for the opposition," Jeyakumar told Al Jazeera at his operations centre.

"But this is also the best opportunity for all Malaysians to show their unhappiness with government leaders in other constituencies."

'Dent the armour'

G Kavitha, 32, a mother of three, conceded that the votes of Malaysia's relatively small and widely scattered Indian community would not be enough to change the government.

"What is more important is for Indian voters and the opposition as a whole to put a dent in the BN armour," she told Al Jazeera in Sungai Siput.

The "makkal sakti" grassroots movement may have caught on with the masses of lower-income Indians, but many middle-class ethnic Indians are still to be convinced that the ruling coalition has failed to deliver on its promises.

S Muthu, a self-employed youth in the capital, says the BN has done "many good things for the people".

"We must continue to support the government so that our country can see more development and become the best in the world," he told Al Jazeera at an opposition campaign rally in Klang, about 30km south of the capital.

It is a message not lost on the government, with Malaysia's overwhelmingly pro-BN press running numerous articles by prominent Indians including wives of former politicians and young businessmen praising the government for progress and stability.

The central theme of all the articles is a call for Indians to "vote wisely" for continued peace and to remember the benefits gained since independence in 1957.

To counter a strong vote swing in crucial seats, Abdullah Badawi, the prime minister, has pledged fresh initiatives to help poor Indians living in remote rubber plantations.

"This is not mere lip service," he was quoted as saying while campaigning in his Penang constituency. "It is a serious promise and we will do it."

Speaking to a gathering of local Indians he assured them that he would deliver "all that you ask for" if they return BN to power.

Source: Al Jazeera

Posted By : arun

DAP - Rocks Penang ,60,000 crowd and Rm123,000 on site donation

2008-03-07T12:25:00.004+08:00

The March 6 DAP Ceramah held last night at Han Chiang High School, located with the Jelutong parliamentary constituency rocks Penang last night

People came in red and white, DAP's colours. About 50,000 people gathered within the football field and the school compound, with another 10,000 surrounding the perimeter fencing by the roadside.

On-site donation broke a new record for DAP ... a whooping RM123,000.00. I was there personally with my bro in law shouting " Jom Ubah" and "Makkal Sakthi'' slogan's. Even though it started to rain for a bout 30 minutes, non of the supporters moved from the Han Chiang field. We were fully wet but our spirit's were heated up.It was truly an unforgettable experience in my life . Hope the crowd that turn up yesterday could change the fate of Penang tomorrow.

Photo: Courtesy from TV SMITH

Regards: arun

This is who we call " Imam Hadhari"

2008-03-07T09:58:00.002+08:00

The True Barisan Nasional Logo

2008-03-07T09:28:00.001+08:00

Samy Vellu posters in Kulim Kedah

2008-03-07T08:49:00.003+08:00

Mahathir: Samy stifled Indian voices

2008-03-07T08:43:00.000+08:00

Mahathir: Samy stifled Indian voices
Soon Li Tsin | Mar 6, 08 2:47pm
The problems plaguing the Indian community could be resolved by removing MIC president S Samy Vellu who stifled Indian voices, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.
In the second part of an exclusive interview with the Malaysian statesman, Mahathir said removing the MIC leader would allow more Indian voices to be heard.
"I know their main grouse is not with me, their main grouse is with Samy Vellu because with him there, another Indian has been deprived of the chance to come up," he said.
Speaking to Malaysiakini at his Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya, Mahathir deflected allegations that the root cause of the Indian community’s strife was due to his pro-Malay focus during his tenure as PM.
"So they want to blame me? It is not that. Samy Vellu did not ask for assistance. The problem is that he is preventing other Indians from having a say.
"(Indian Progressive Front president MG) Pandithan was got rid of, (former MIC deputy president S) Subramaniam was got rid of, K Pathmanaban died but of course before that, he was (former MIC vice president).
"That is his (Samy Vellu) way of doing things and of course the other voices cannot reach me. And of course, he doesn’t say there is this battling among the Indians," he explained.
Pandithan, who was formerly with MIC, started IPF in 1990 after falling out with Samy. The two parties have been at odds with each other despite being in the BN coalition.
Both Subramaniam and Pathmanaban have a history of bad blood with Samy in their failed attempts to challenge for the party presidency.
Mahathir also said in jest: "You know Indians are very political. Tunku Abdul Rahman used to say if there is one Indian, there is one political party. If there are two Indians, there are two political parties."
‘Don’t stay too long’
In the interview that lasted almost an hour, Mahathir also alluded that people should not stay in power for too long and chances should be given to others.
"It is up to him to decide (to step down). A lot of people will say "if you step down, we will step down" and they will cry and all that. But when I step down, nobody stepped down," he mused.
Samy Vellu who is the works minister and the longest serving Cabinet minister has been the MIC president since 1979 for 10 consecutive terms.
Mahathir also criticised Samy for creating excuses about bringing up Indian issues at the Cabinet level.
"That is his excuse. I know how much he talks in the Cabinet. Don’t (say) something that others cannot prove because nobody heard him in Cabinet except us.
"He talks, but these things were not the issues that he raised - like the recovery of money for the Indian community who were brought here by force and all that.
"He never mentioned that, I’ve never heard him. He never said that the Malays were committing genocide and ethnic cleansing. He never said that. Why didn’t he say that?" he asked.
Asked to comment on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the former PM said their demands were unreasonable.
"Quite a lot of their demands were quite unreasonable - practically denying the position of the Malays as the indigenous race on this country. You know this is something very sensitive to the Malays.
"If the government tell the Malays ‘sorry you’ve got the same status is the Indians’ I think there will be a big drop of support for the government from the Malays", Mahathir added.

Penang 'bribed' Motorola 1billion to stay

2008-03-07T08:40:00.000+08:00

Highly-confidential correspondence confirms that the Penang state government had asked the federal government to offer a RM1 billion project to Motorola in a desperate attempt to stop the American telecommunications giant from pulling out of the state.
If this wasn’t done, the Gerakan-led state government warned Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that its “catastrophic impact” would be “politically very detrimental” especially in the run-up to the general elections on March 8.
pak lah and koh tsu koon and motorola factoryThe three-page letter, signed by outgoing Penang chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon, was addressed to Abdullah and dated Dec 3 last year. Malaysiakini has seen a copy of the letter.
According to the letter, the government would offer a RM1 billion project to Motorola involving the upgrading of the police force’s radio network in exchange for the multinational staying put in Penang and pump in an additional investment of RM350 million over the next five years.
Motorola, which has a manufacturing facility at Penang’s Bayan Lepas Industrial Zone, announced its RM350 million investment in the state on Tuesday.
The stunning revelation comes as the opposition intensifies its attacks on the Gerakan state government over its poor performance in reviving the island’s economy.
Koh, who appeared to be on the defensive, has repeatedly denied such claims.
The state’s sluggish economy has topped voters’ concern and is likely to be an influential factor when votes are cast on Saturday.
In the letter to Abdullah, Koh - who is also Gerakan acting president - began by stating that he was “very concerned” over disclosures that Motorola was on the verge of announcing that they would be “pulling out their entire operations in Malaysia”.
Koh however stressed that Motorola’s pending decision “was not a threat for a bigger and new contract” but a “necessary business strategic response” to the perceived lack of support from the Malaysian government.
The government had earlier decided not to extend Motorola’s contract to supply and expand the existing radio network of the police force and the project - dubbed the Government Integrated Radio Network - had been given to another consortium.
Three ‘dire consequences’
The letter further stated that Abdullah had earlier promised Motorola executives during a meeting in February last year that the company would continue its work on expanding and upgrading the police’s radio network, which has been put in place by the American giant in 1992.
motorola factoryKoh, in the letter, went on at length to impress on Abdullah the importance of Motorola continuing to invest in the state. This included the company setting up its worldwide headquarters in Penang for certain products.
The outgoing chief minister told Abdullah that Motorola “will have no choice” but to move their product headquarters and related operations to another country, most probably China which Koh said had been “wooing Motorola very aggressively”.
Motorola needed to make a decision whether to accept the offer to relocate to China by early this year, he added.
Koh also listed out “three dire consequences” should Motorola decide to pull out:
* It would cause a total of 10,000 jobs to be lost of which 4,000 are direct jobs in the Motorola facility in Penang and the remaining 6,000 jobs among Motorola suppliers and vendors in the country.
* It would be a “bombshell” on the electrical and electronics industry in the country and the decision will trigger a highly probable domino effect with other multinational companies pulling out.
* It will be “politically very detrimental” especially in the run-up to the general elections.
Koh, who has been Penang chief minister for 18 years, appealed to Abdullah and the federal government to reconsider its decision not to award Motorola a new project “in this special case”.
However, he pressed the case for Motorola’s existing contract to be extended.
“From what I gather, the retention and expansion of the existing communication system for the Royal Malaysian Police radio network will cost less than RM1 billion for 10 years, and not more than RM4 billion as was erroneously conveyed,” Koh stated.
He added that the cost will cover an upgrading of “an existing communication system already in full operation” over a 10-year period and he will try his best to convince Motorola to further reduce the offer price.
Koh ‘arm-twisting’
Koh also stressed that Motorola has invested an accumulated amount of RM5 billion in Malaysia over the past 35 years and that it has “contributed significantly” to the nation’s economic development.
He cited Motorola’s move to make an additional investment of RM350 million in research and development and manufacturing over the next five years to back his argument.
“I sincerely trust YAB Dato Seri (Abdullah) will assist Penang, and Malaysia, to retain a major investor, avoiding the catastrophic impact of a pull-out and also to allow the police to continue with expanding a tested and trusted radio network,” pleaded Koh.
The controversial deal was first hinted at by opposition PKR leaders in Penang on Thursday, but without providing any documentary proof to substantiate their claim.
jeffooi pkr pc allegations 010308 pic1PKR Penang chief Zahrain Mohamed Hashim - who is contesting the Bayan Baru parliamentary seat and who said he had read the letter - described it as Koh ‘arm-twisting’ Abdullah.
Koh, when quizzed on the matter by reporters on Friday refused to respond apart from saying the question was ‘vague’.
Five days earlier, Motorola had announced its latest deal to invest RM350 million in Penang over the next five years. It is no clear whether the multinational had been awarded a government contract in return for its decision.
Coincidently, the announcement served as a lifeline to Koh who was caught in a whirlpool of opposition claims that Penang had lost its shine due the relocation of many multinational companies to other countries.
Launching the Penang Progress Report 2008 on Wednesday, a visibly relieved Koh had said: “The announcement by Motorola that it would be investing RM350 million more for its operations in Penang yesterday proves that the state is still competitive.”
“The DAP is trying to run down everything but refuses to see the progress,” Koh was reported to have said.
By: Beh Lih Yi
Source: Malaysiakini

Postal ballots put authenticity of entire electoral process at risk

2008-03-04T12:19:00.000+08:00

We denounce the postal voting for military and police personnel, as practiced now, as neither secretive nor transparent. No substantial changes have been put in place by the Election Commission despite BERSIH 's relentless campaign for reform in last two years.
Observation of the issuance of postal ballots on Saturday, 1st March 2008 in P118 Setiawangsa by opposition candidate Ibrahim Yaacob's agents revealed three serious flaws: breach of anonymity and secrecy, open opportunities for proxy voting, and multiple registration. This is why BERSIH's demands that postal voting for security personnel and their spouses must be abolished.

Postal votes make up a significant proportion of each constituency. In Setiawangsa alone, they form 26% of the electorate. If the integrity of these postal votes cannot be guaranteed, the probity of the composition of Parliament and State Assemblies is immediately compromised, and the entire electoral process becomes a sham. This is a grave violation of the human rights of voters of Setiawangsa and elsewhere in Malaysia to choose their leaders through a clean, free, fair and transparent electoral process.

BERSIH urges the public - at home and abroad - to support its signature campaign to push for a Royal Commission on Electoral Reform after elections with the power to both review the electoral process and to investigate claims of misconducts and irregularities. For now, we demand the Election Commission to immediately provide for full observation of the whole postal voting process in the military barracks and police station to minimize fraud. We will also lodge a formal protest with the Election Commission over these matters.

Below are the flaws in the process.

1. Anonymity and secrecy is not guaranteed at all. The "Postal Voters' Kit" issued to postal voters includes Form 2 "Identity Declaration Form" which contains both the name of the military or police personnel (who is voting) and the serial number of the ballot paper. As Form 2 will be put in the envelopes together with the ballot papers to be returned for counting, it is a real concern on the part of the military and police voters that their choices will be known and that they may face retribution if they vote opposition.

2. Proxy voting is unpreventable at all. The military and police personnel voting by post do not need to mark their ballot papers at the polling station; they are allowed to mark their ballot anywhere and then return their already marked ballot to the polling station, in army base (Markas) or police station. All this will happen in the absence of the party agents, creating an unacceptably large possibility for third parties to mark these ballot papers on behalf of the voters concerned, seal them, and distribute them to military personnel to cast. In fact, allegations of proxy voting ordered by senior military or police officers has always marred the authenticity of the electoral process in Malaysia, reducing her to the likes of authoritarian countries in Central Asia and Transcaucasia.

3. Multiple registration. In our observation of the preparation of the "Postal Voters' Kit" for Setiawangsa alone, six voters have been issued with two ballot papers. The names involved are listed out below.

Signed,

Ibrahim Yaacob (KeADILan Candidate, P 118 Setiawangsa)
Sivarasa Rasiah (BERSIH Steering Committee, KeADILan Vice President)
Tian Chua (KeADILan Information Chief)
Faisal Mustapha (BERSIH Secretariat)
On behalf of BERSIH

Names who appeared twice.

Kod : 188/00/12/600

No Siri : 11856
Nama : Nesam Banu Bt Mohamad Fahmi
No Kad : T375594

No Siri : 3896
Nama : Husaini b Mohd Said
No Kad : T0534732

No Siri : 3897
Nama : I'sak b Ali bawah
No Kad : T0534736

No Siri : 2700
Nama : Aishah bte Che Mat
No Kad : 761007-06-5728

Kod : 118/00/12/431

No Siri : 3906
Nama : Zulkhairi b Zainun
No Kad : T533580
93 Rejimen Semboyan, WP.

No Siri : 3954
Nama : Mohd Kamal b Keliwon
No Kad : T534766
93 Rejimen Semboyan, WP.

More on the curi duit in Penang

2008-03-04T11:01:00.000+08:00

Contributed by Raja Petra
Friday, 29 February 2008
By Little Bird
The Keadilan folks are saying a lot about the Port Klang Free Trade Zone scandal. They say that Ling Liong Sik, Chan
Kong Choy, and their UMNO friends, have made a clean RM900 million from the land scam. To build the port they took
the land from the kampong people - Chinese, Malays, Indians and even the Mah Meris.
Now the overbuilt port is growing weeds. There is a useless hotel resort built within the port area. What type of idiot
builds a hotel resort inside a port area? Answer: smart idiots who want to make money from the construction contracts
and commissions and dont give a hoot about what happens after that.
Then there is the Second Penang Bridge. I do not know if it is an act of Providence or not but progress on the bridge has
been stopped. Meaning the construction of the bridge has not started. The idiots do not even know how to share the
spoils of their corrupt, illicit gains.
The 2nd Bridge was costed by the Chinese sub-contractor at RM2.5 billion. People in Gomen are asking why involve a
foreign subcontractor in the first place? We have developed expertise to design and build bridges and highways.
Malaysian companies are now building highways in India and elsewhere. The Chinese are also providing an RM2.7
billion loan to build the bridge.
But of course the Chinese insisted that their RM2.7 Billion loan comes with strings. They stipulate that the main sub-con
must be Chinese and the design consultants must also be Chinese. This is a fair request. After all they are paying for the
bridge. It's business.
But thirty years ago the 1st Penang Bridge was designed by a local engineer (by the name of Professor Lim Fung Kee?).
And why the need to borrow RM2.7 billion from the Chinese? Don't we have more than enough money. The Economic
Corridors involve RM1 trillion or more so what is a measly RM2.7 billion?
The answer to these silly questions lies in corruption and commissions. The Chinese sub-contractor bid the bridge at
RM2.5 billion to UEM, the UMNO company and main contractor. UEM then slapped on another cool RM1 billion and
billed the Gomen the RM3.5 billion for the whole deal.
This means that UMNO makes a cool RM1.0 billion from Encik Taxpayer (that's you kawan-kawan, and me, our kids,
their kids, etc) who will be paying toll on this 2nd bridge forever.
Then the cost of steel went up by over 30%. The Chinese contractor has an escalation clause on the pricing of the bridge
up to a certain date before the construction begins. This means their original costing at RM2.5 Billion would not work
anymore. They asked to increase the price.
But it would be suicidal (before the General Elections) for the Gomen to announce that even before the construction
started the cost of the 2nd Penang Bridge had already increased from RM3.5 billion to RM4.25 billion (here is the
arithmetic: RM2.5 billion original cost + 30% escalation + RM1 billion UMNO commission = RM4.25 billion, give or take a
hundred million).
Someone suggested, to avoid the cost inflation, the increased cost be absorbed into the RM1.0 billion UMNO
commission. This means the UMNO boys will get much less than RM1.0 billion commission. But the Kepala Batas and
Penang UMNO boys became greedy. They refused to budge.
End result: because they are unable to solve the cost escalation, negotiations and progress on the 2nd Penang Bridge
has stopped completely. Has anyone heard Badawi, Nor Mohd Yakob or anyone else crowing too loudly about the 2nd
Penang Bridge anymore?
But don't hold your breath. After the GE is over, if BN wins big, they will relaunch the 2nd Bridge at a new price of at least
RM4.25 Billion. The real cost will actually be higher.
Then the Patrick Badawi clan has bought hundreds or maybe thousands of acres of land around Batu Kawan, the
landing site of the bridge on the mainland.This is stale news.
Malaysia Today: Your source of independent news
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008 Powered by Joomla! Generated: 3 March, 2008, 18:45

Prove of Phantom Voter!! BN fraud!!

2008-03-03T11:58:00.002+08:00

Please spend some time to check on SPR website for your family members who have passed away, some of them might have turned into Phantom voters…see below:
Tan Shin Joo, who passed away recently, his IC has been used as a voter in Puchong, gowever you can notice that in the process of creating Phantom Voters, SPR has made some mistakes on the Phantom identity, the IC last digits, 5229, 9 is odd number indicating it belongs to a male….but check on the SPR website it appeared as a female Indian voters…but Jantina still L….guess they have no time to validate all Phantom when they start the mass production..
Remember Tun Mahathir has said that this election is going to be the dirtiest election ever in the history!!!
The family of TAN SHIN JOO already made a police report yesterday, more to follow up soon.
BN want prove of Phantom voter….this is the prove!!!!

MEDAN KETERANGAN
Kad Pengenalan : 841027075229 /
Nama : V.NALYNNA A/P VISVANATHAN
Tahun Lahir : 1984
Jantina : L
Lokaliti : 103 / 30 / 10 / 036 - BLK C SRI ANGGERIK
Daerah Mengundi : 103 / 30 / 10 - PUCHONG JAYA BARAT
DUN : 103 / 30 - KINRARA
Parlimen : 103 - PUCHONG
Negeri : SELANGOR
Pusat Mengundi : SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN PUCHONG JAYA
Saluran : 6
Masa Mengundi : 08.00 PAGI - 05.00 PETANG
No Siri : 3705

Grouses from an Indian Uni student...Vote Wisely

2008-03-03T09:40:00.001+08:00

Why I would vote wisely in the election?
(as Uni students are banned from politics, I choose not to mention any
political parties)

1. I am lucky coz I wuz given a place in a local Uni to do my masters
degree, but all my other indian brothers & sisters were not as lucky
because of our quota system. Last year, there weren't any non bumi's
in my course. I struggled to get into this Uni as it used to be the
top Uni in the region. I wuz horrified when I found out that it wuz no
longer the top, and not even in the top 100 list. In fact, non of the
local Uni's made it to the top 100.

2. I am the only indian in my whole faculty who is doing this masters
programme. Actually, the only non-bumi.

3.As I come from a poor family background, and the sole bread winner,
I have to also work, while my classmates (mostly gov. servant bumi's)
are on paid study leave plus they get study loans from JPJ and MARA.

4. As I am more qualified than any of my other classmates, naturally,
I shud be getting better grades as the bumi's not only had low CGPA's
in their degree's/diploma's, they can't speak proper English, are
absent for most lectures and are too lazy to do their assignments.

5. But that's not the case here as lectures are pressured to give them
good grades.

6. Today, they wuz a security block in the campus, and all the cars in
front of me were allowed to pass, but I wuz stopped for almost half an
hour by a semi deaf, semi blind bumi security guard who accused me of
having a fake matrix card (as I looked different in the photo), and
refused to listen although I told him that I can also produced an IC
to prove who I am. He finally let me go when my classmate, an
Indonesian (a whole different issue)supported me.

7. Indonessian students feel so much more at home in the campus,
compared to us Indians and Chinese. In the recent Pesta Konvokesyen,
there were 3 Indon stalls but no Chinese or Indian stalls. Indon
students have more freedom in student organizations and gatherings
compared to us.

This list can go on and on….but this is only a small part of my story,
every Malaysian Indian has a different story to tell, but it all leads
to one problem…you know what I mean…so vote wisely for a better future...

P.S. Please vote wisely...

Ceramah DAP at Aulong OPA Hall, Taiping

2008-02-28T15:38:00.002+08:00

Date :28.2.08
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Aulong OPA Hall, Taiping
Speaker: Saudara Lim Kit Siang
Enq:012-455 0333

DAP Challenges Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to a public debate.

2008-02-28T09:12:00.000+08:00

Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng in Penang on Wednesday, 27th February 2008:
DAP challenges Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to a public debate on DAP’s proposed RM 35 billion fiscal stimulus plan granting an annual bonus of RM 6,000/- for working families earning less than RM 6,000 per month
DAP challenges UMNO Deputy President, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, to a public debate on DAP’s proposed RM 35 billion fiscal stimulus plan granting an annual bonus of RM6,000 for working families earning less than RM 6,000 per month (and not earning RM 6,000 a year as reported in the New Straits Times). Najib has said that DAP’s RM35 billion fiscal stimulus plan is an empty promise that will ruin the country because it is not based on the ability to pay.DAP has worked out that this plan would cost RM 35 billion based on 10.7 million working Malaysians. This sum is still only half of the RM 70 billion in gross profits earned by Petronas last year. For this fiscal year, gross profits are expected to exceed easily RM 80 billion. Is asking only half of the Petronas’ annual profits to be distributed to Malaysians excessive and unreasonable? The government can no longer ignore the plight of working families with the reason that the inflation rate is only 2% in 2007 when the reality on the ground is more than 20%.This RM 35 billion in annual bonus is less than the RM 43.4 billion annual cost in various subsidies such as fuel subsidies (RM 16.2 billion), gas subsidies given by Petronas to Tenaga Nasional Bhd and IPPs-Independent Power Producers (RM 18 billion) despite their huge billion ringgit annual profits as well as tuition, toll and fertilizers subsidies (RM 9.2 billion). To make the cost of the RM 35 billion annual bonus even lower, subsidies given to TNB and IPPs can be abolished since they are already recording huge profits.Apart from helping the poor and middle-class reduce the financial hardships of rising inflation, giving them RM 6,000 yearly would also help stimulate the economy. These working families would spend the money in the local economy and not go for overseas holidays like BN leaders, creating a multiplier effect that would stimulate and generate business for the local economy.The BN has brainwashed the people to think that giving money to poor working families is wrong, when that has been practiced by our neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Thailand. A government that does not give money to the poor when it can afford to do so is a bad government. Would Najib dare to debate with the DAP or hide behind BN’s control of the mass media to continue his distortions about the DAP?Foreign investors will be more attracted to a healthy democratic state that has a strong opposition to provide effective checks and balancesAnother distortion is BN’s advertisement that Malaysians are living well with low prices because the price of petrol and other commodities are lower than neighbouring countries such as Singapore. Such contentions are no different from comparing apples with oranges by completely ignoring the fact that Singapore has a higher standard of living and higher wages than Malaysia. And we should not diminish our devalue ourselves by comparing ourselves with a poorer country like Indonesia.DAP rejects Najib’s perverse logic that BN needs a two-third majority to provide a strong government that can gain the confidence of the market, investors and face up to the challenges of globalisation. Investors will be more attracted to a healthy democratic state that has a strong opposition to provide effective checks and balances.A survey of developed nations will show that almost all are healthy and functioning democracies with a strong opposition. For this reason, if Malaysia is to have any chance of becoming a developed state by 2020, Malaysians need to vote in a strong opposition that can deny BN its 2/3 majority.

Pendedahan TUN bahawa beliau hanya menzalimi ANWAR selama ini

2008-02-27T12:48:00.005+08:00

Oleh TVceramah

Pendedahan daripada TUN MAHATHIR yang selama ini beliau telah membuat
penganiyaan kepada Dato' Sri Anwar yang mana beliau telah diaibkan sebegitu
rupa. Oleh itu saksikanlah apa yang katakan oleh BELIAU kpd ANWAR
TVceramah :X'Klusive
: Pendedahan TUN bahawa beliau hanya menzalimi ANWAR selama ini

">http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=8080700249753879996>

DAP's Manifesto

2008-02-27T12:12:00.003+08:00

Old Georgians' Association, Taiping - 45th Annual Reunion Dinner

2008-02-27T11:47:00.001+08:00

Title: Old Georgians' Association, Taiping - 45th Annual Reunion Dinner

Description: Old Georgians' Association, Taiping, will be having its 45th Annual Reunion Dinner and Golf Tournament on Saturday, 29th March 2008 at 7.30pm and 1.30pm respectively. Contact the following for an invitation. You may also visit www.taipingoga.com for further details.

Duration: 7.30pm 29th March 2008
Contact person: Paul Loh, Lim Chin Hong, Yeap Thean Hock and Laurence David

Contact no: 012 5175831, 019 5533070, 019 5507538, 012 5186891

Commotion during Samy's visit to BN ops centre in Bagan Dalam

2008-02-27T11:37:00.000+08:00

By : Sharanjit Singh and S. Arulldas

BUTTERWORTH, Tues:

There was a slight commotion when embattled MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu was about to leave the BN operation centre in Bagan Dalam here today.

A group tried to gatecrash the function but were prevented by police men on standby everywhere Samy Vellu went. Several women were heard screaming that they wanted to meet him. The group eventually dispersed.

Earlier, Samy told the party’s candidates to toil for every vote as the campaign for the 12th general election heats up. “They have to slog it out. The MIC along with our BN partners will help them by going from house-to-house,” he said. “We will convince voters to continue supporting us.”

Citing the Bagan Dalam and Prai state seats that the MIC is contesting in Penang as examples, he said the level of support for the party candidates was slowly improving. “I am happy that we have recovered slightly in Bagan Dalam where our candidate was getting below 50 per cent support previously,” he said. “It has now gone up slightly and this is good. The situation is different in Prai but it is also recovering.”

Samy Vellu earlier visited the Taman Chai Leng wet market and met residents at a community hall there. The MIC has fielded incumbent P.K. Subbaiyah to contest in Bagan Dalam where the state executive councillor is facing the DAP’s V. Tanasekharan.

In Prai, MIC newcomer L. Krishnan is facing the DAP’s Professor P. Ramasamy in what is fast turning out to be a bruising battle for the hot seat. Both seats have come under the spotlight as candidates from both sides struggle to win over voters, especially the sizeable number of Indians in the constituencies.

Samy Vellu said many grouses and complaints raised by people in the constituencies had been resolved. Among the issues that had been raised were malfunctioning lifts at the Taman Teluk Indah flats which had been out of order for the past few years. The 21-storey flats only had four working lifts in the six blocks housing about 5,000 families who will be voting in Prai.

Samy Vellu said the state government had allocated RM1 million while the federal government had come up with another RM3.5 million to repair the lifts. The government had also allocated another RM4 million to upgrade the Taman Chai Leng wet market.

Asked why the problems were only being attended to now, Samy Vellu said a decision to repair the lifts was made six months ago. However, he said the money was released by the Treasury to the local council before it was redirected to his ministry. “This was not something that could be done in a day or two. Nevertheless, the problem is resolved now,” he said.

On the situation in other states, Samy said he was going all over to help MIC candidates in the campaign.

“I am spending one day in Sungai Siput and every other day elsewhere to help campaign for the other MIC candidates,” he said. “I am especially happy with the situation in Johor where the Menteri Besar had taken charge by helping out the MIC’s campaign.”

2nd Class Citizen

2008-02-27T09:01:00.002+08:00

This is what they treat to those NON BUMIPUTERA....!!!
>
> Vote for BN, we got bright future...BUT NEED TO PAY MORE & MORE & MORE,
> SPECIAL FOR THOSE NON BUMIPUTERA..
>
>
>
> The kelas tambahan is only for muslim students only. Non-muslims
> students
> must pay. This proves the marginalisation and 2nd class citizen
> treatment
> to non-muslims.
>
> Now, who wants to vote for BN?

Hindraf 5 to remain under ISA

2008-02-27T08:39:00.002+08:00

Rejected - Hindraf 5 to remain under ISA
Feb 26, 08 12:32pm
The Kuala Lumpur High Court today rejected the habeas corpus applications filed by five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Judge Zainal Azman Abdul Aziz told a packed courtroom that the detention order issued by the internal security minister was valid and met all the requirements under the ISA.
He said the court had taken into consideration the affidavits filed by the applicants and the affidavits filed in reply by the respondents, including the supporting affidavit by the minister.
However, he said there was nothing to show that the requirements were violated.
The judge also stated that based on previous cases, the minister could order a person to be detained under Section 8 of the ISA.
Hundreds of supporters
In their habeas corpus applications, the five stated that their detention was unlawful because of the vague grounds given for their arrest.
The five - P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, T Vasantha Kumar, V Ganabatirau and R Kenghadharan were held on Dec 13 for allegedly organising an illegal assembly on Nov 25 and for making seditious statements against the government.
Disappointed with the judgment, some 300 Hindraf supporters outside the courtroom shouted 'Valga Hindraf' (long live Hindraf) and 'Valga Makkal Sakthi' (long live people's power).
The detainees' counsels Karpal Singh and his son Gobind Singh Deo told the crowd that an appeal would be filed with the Federal Court tomorrow.
Gobind said while they respected the court's decision, they were not happy with it and vowed to fight for justice till the end.
No 60-day investigation
Karpal said the court threw out the defence argument that the detention was unlawful because there had been no 60-day investigation period beforehand.
"I think their detention has far-reaching consequences. You are placing dictatorial powers in the hands of the internal security minister," he said.
Hindraf infuriated the government by mounting a mass rally last November alleging discrimination against minority ethnic Indians in Malaysia.
Hindraf members immediately condemned the decision and vowed to punish the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in March 8 general elections.
"We are clearly disappointed with the ruling. On the 100th day of detention (on March 22), Hindraf will organise a worldwide protest," P Waythamoorthy, a brother of one of the detainees, told AFP from London.
Hindraf coordinator R Thanenthiran said many Indian Malaysians would cast protest vote in the polls, which are expected to reduce the government's large majority.
"We will teach the Prime Minister Adullah Ahmad Badawi a lesson in the election. We will reject his government," he said.

P.S. We have no choice rather than to reject 2/3 BN majority ,now they are very arrogant towards the Indian, must vote opposition no matter what, to save our leaders , now they can extend ISA as they wish and to punish our leaders of conscience , what fault they has made, they had only open our eyes for the truth.Please my brothers and sister please support this protest vote campaign.

Battle for Bukit Gelugor is on

2008-02-21T14:48:00.000+08:00

Thursday February 21, 2008
MYT 2:27:28 PM

By LOOI SUE-CHERN

PENANG: The fight for the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat is officially on, now that it is finally confirmed that DAP national chairman Karpal Singh will defend his seat against MCA's Datuk Koay Kar Huah.

There had been speculation in recent weeks that Karpal Singh would move to the Bagan parliamentary constituency to make way for DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Koay said it made no difference to him which Opposition candidate he faced.

"Whether it is Karpal Singh or Lim Guan Eng, I will still have to face an Opposition national leader. They are 'heavyweights' while I am just a 'lightweight', having served as a state assemblyman in the past.

"But, as a chosen MCA candidate, I am prepared to go all the way and give my best in the fight," said the Seri Delima incumbent.

Lim Guan Eng to contest in Penang

2008-02-21T12:18:00.000+08:00

Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 20th February 2008:

Lim Guan Eng to contest in Penang to lead the people’s movement of change from UMNO’s political dominance towards a functioning democracy with checks and balances as well as moving forward with a dynamic Penang that is shared by all

Over the past year I have received repeated requests from the DAP Penang State Committee and conducted many discussions in the Central Executive Committee (CEC), to lead Penang DAP in the 12th General Elections. Due to the prominence of Penang to the DAP as a front-line state, both Penang DAP and the CEC have stressed the importance of the leader of the party contesting in Penang to show the importance that Penang plays in the 2008 general elections.

I have decided to contest in Penang to lead the people’s movement of change from UMNO’s political dominance towards a functioning democracy with checks and balances as well as moving forward with a dynamic Penang that is shared by all. I humbly offer myself to the Penang to join in this people’s movement of change inspired by one single motivation that we as a country has somehow not realized our potential or fulfilled the promises made and can do so much better. Let us together share and learn from each other so that we can do better.

Penang was once the leading economic state in Malaysia. Penang also led in brain power the center for democracy and progressive change. However after suffering three consecutive devastating defeats in the 1995, 1999 and 2004 general elections, Penang is no longer the most developed state in Malaysia when its average annual growth rate from 2001-2010 of 6.1% (according to the Ninth Malaysian Plan) losing out to Selangor and even Johor, the mean monthly income of RM 3,531 is No. 3 in the country after Selangor’s RM 5,175.

Despite all the promises of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), how much of this RM 177 billion in investment is earmarked for Penang and the other states? Compared with Johor’s Iskandar Development Region (IDR) with RM 383 billion target over 20 years for Johor alone, Penang has clearly lost out in the race for foreign investment by having to share RM 177 billion with three other states of Kedah, Perlis and Perak.

Most projects are privatized leading to the people finally bearing the burden of the costs of the Penang Second Bridge or the highways. The question is why can’t the government use RM 4 billion from the annual RM 70-80 billion profits from Petronas to build the Second Bridge for free for the people of Penang?

Penang was also the center of democracy with the first local government elected in then Malaya in the 1950s. However with one-party control by BN and UMNO, the people have lost their rights and have to suffer from the incompetence, even corruption and lack of accountability, especially in local government services.

For instance, the Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) was not even mentioned in the Penang Draft Structure Plan 2005-2020, which is required by law for statutory urban planning, and yet it was approved in 2007. DAP is puzzled how Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi can launch the RM25 billion PGCC on 12.9.2007, when it has not been even approved by the local authorities.

Residents’ protests against the PGCCat the increased traffic congestion and the need of more public parks are ignored. What is the point of having a Draft Structure Plan that is not even complied with by the government? Or why the illegal building put up by UMNO Tanjung not torn down whilst a Chinese temple Tow Boo Keong in Bukit Mertajam is torn down? There is no more respect for the law.

The NEP has hindered economic growth. When it was introduced, Malaysia ranked third only to Japan and Singapore among East Asian nations in terms of GDP per capita; by 1990 it had fallen behind South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong as well. Had growth not been constrained by the NEP, it is argued, the economic performance and welfare of the bumiputera would have been even more greatly enhanced. The NEP must go and be replaced by a Malaysian First Policy that stresses on ability, needs, competitiveness and shared prosperity.

The high cost of living has eroded our living standards. Even though the government claims that inflation rate in 2007 is only 2%, this is a lie as the true situation on the ground is closer to 20%. The BN government can afford to help the people by distributing Petronas profits to the people. That the BN has failed to do.

The crime rate continues to escalate at a frightening rate. The government can keep us safe by employing 100,000 more police personnel to patrol the streets to protect us from criminals. That the BN has failed to do. The government can wipe out corruption in the police force by setting up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission recommended by the Royal Commission of Inquiry. That the BN has failed to do.

The time has come for the people to act on what BN has failed to do. March 8 is the day when the people must pass their verdict of the BN’s failed report card. We must prove that Malaysians demand better and good governance.

Finally, to make Malaysia safe for democracy, Penang must lead the battle to check and reduce UMNO’s political dominance. After this general elections, the Elections Commission will conduct a new constituency redelineation exercise requiring an amendment to the state constitution, which requires a 2/3 majority.

The redrawing of boundaries will lead UMNO to demand an increase in their seats to achieve their final objective of grabbing the Penang Chief Minister’s post. Everyone knows that no Gerakan or MCA State Assemblyperson would dare to say “NO” to UMNO’s proposals to increase UMNO’s seats. Only DAP dare to say “NO” to UMNO. To prevent UMNO from increasing their political influence, the people of Penang must ensure that DAP wins 14 state seats in Penang to deny BN its 2/3 majority. DAP is willing to even support the Gerakan candidate to ensure that the Penang Chief Minister’s post do not fall to UMNO.

Let us work together in this final battle for democracy for both Penang and Malaysia so that we not only have a voice but an equal place under the Malaysian sun. I humbly offer myself to Penang voters to serve them be their voice and learn from them as to how together we can make Penang and Malaysia not only better, fairer, freer but also give equal opportunities to do well and enjoy shared prosperity.

Let us have a Dynamic Penang shared by all!

Samy picks 15 new faces in line-up

2008-02-21T08:12:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: The promise of change among MIC's elected representatives was only more evident at the state level when Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu announced the party line-up yesterday.

The party, fielding 13 fresh faces and six incumbents at state level, elected to stick to seven of its nine members of parliament.

The party supremo, contesting in Sungai Siput for the ninth time, is sending Tapah MP Datuk S. Veerasingam, 69, to the Sungkai state constituency vacated by Datuk R. Ganeson.

The deputy domestic trade and consumer affairs minister's parliamentary seat goes to Federal Territory MIC chief Datuk M. Saravanan.

It is the end of the road for 72-year-old Subang MP Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar, who is being replaced by Shah Alam division youth chief and central working committee member S. Murugesan.

Samy Vellu told a press conference yesterday that the party was keeping its promise to introduce fresh blood while retaining incumbents with experience.

Among new candidates at state level are lawyers Ananthan Subramaniam (Lunas) and Thangasvari Suppiah (Hutan Melintang); orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vasan Sinnadurai (Pasir Panjang); and teachers Krishnan Subramaniam (Bukit Selambau) and Mogan Velayatham (Jeram Padang).

Businessmen Ramasamy Muthusamy (Behrang) and former district councillor Munusamy Mareemuthu (Permas) join their ranks.

Also on the list are Krishnan Lechumanan (Prai), Mogan Velayatham (Jeram Padang), Perumal Rajoo (Asahan), Mohan Thangarasu (Batu Caves), Vidyananthan Ramanadhan (Kahang) and Soorianara-yanan Muniandy (Tenggaroh).

Samy Vellu said the MIC would swap the Ijok state seat in Selangor for Umno's Bukit Melawati seat.

He said the line-up comprised seven lawyers and two who had read law but had never practised.

"This is because we feel they will be able to discuss and negotiate issues plaguing the Indian community and bring it up to the government.

"This will help alleviate problems faced by the Indian community."

Positively gushing about the changes he was introducing, the party supremo was confident that he had met the aspirations of the community.

"We are giving the Indian community new candidates. We are confident they will vote for these new representatives.

"The people have said that they want to be represented by qualified persons and we are giving them people who will be able to look into their issues."

Asked what would happen if the mix of new and old candidates did not go down well with voters, he said he would not resign "just because two or three persons lose".

"(Do) you want me to take responsibility and resign? I will be destroying my party... I won't do that," he said.

Samy will anounce today

2008-02-21T08:10:00.001+08:00

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
malaysiakini | Feb 20, 08

MIC president S Samy Vellu will announce the party's candidates for the 12th general election this afternoon.

The names will be disclosed at a special press conference at the Works Ministry in Kuala Lumpur.

MIC has nine parliamentary and 19 state seats.

Over the weeks, there has been intense speculation on the candidates after it was revealed that some of the old guards would be dropped in favour of new faces.

There was also talk that even Samy Vellu, 72, will not contest because of the pressure. But the MIC president yesterday laid this speculation to rest when he said this elections "may be" his last.

Rumours have also been circulating that Samy Vellu's former deputy turned political nemesis S Subramaniam will be included on the list.

However, nothing has been confirmed.

A party source said certain quarters have lobbied for Subramaniam's comeback which they felt could help assuage the disgruntlement of the Indian community to a certain extent in the wake of the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The source said these quarters, who were described as 'mutual friends', also approached the MIC president with the proposal.

Apart from this, he claimed that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his strategists - popularly referred to as the 'fourth floor' - were also receptive of the idea.

Subramaniam has also evaded the question on numerous occasions.

Season of miracles

Observers pointed out that under different circumstances it would have been a miracle for Samy Vellu to bring back his former estranged deputy into active politics.

However, they said the situation is different now and the MIC president is under tremendous pressure in terms of delivering the Indian votes for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

Describing Subramaniam's comeback as an 'unlikely scenario', the observers also did not rule out the possibility of this being a season of miracles as far as MIC is concerned.

Since the emergence of the Hindraf wave, it has been anything but smooth sailing for MIC and its leaders.

Pundits have warned that the March 8 polls - which coincides with Samy Vellu's birthday - could prove to be the most crucial for the party and its president of 28 years.

Feedback from the ground indicate that there is a prevalent 'anti-MIC' sentiment and the Indian community, known as true-blue supporters of BN, is now prepared to turn its back on the ruling coalition.

President's call

Meanwhile, sources also pointed out that unlike other parties, where the decision on candidates is a collective one, in MIC, the president calls the shots.

In view of this, the party's incumbent candidates and aspiring hopefuls have been kept at the edge of their seats regarding their political future.

While some candidates have already received the much anticipated phone call from the president, others are still grappling with a question mark.

Yesterday, Samy Vellu dropped another strong hint that nothing has been finalised when he said that the list could be subjected to last minute changes.

Among the old guards expected to be dropped are vice-presidents KS Nijhar and S Veerasingam while the new faces tipped to make their electoral debut are party info chief M Saravanan and central working committee members T Mohan and S Murugesan.

Samy: This may be my last term

2008-02-20T13:40:00.000+08:00

By A. LETCHUMANAN

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu says this may be the last time he contests the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat.

“I will contest this term and next term I won’t go for it. This may be my last term,” he said.

Samy Vellu, 72, said that if the Indian community decided they did not want him he was prepared to go even now.

“I am prepared but that decision must be made by the Indian community and not by outsiders because I represent the Indians in the government,” he said.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who is also Housing and Local Government Minister, said last week that this general election would be his last.

Speaking to reporters after attending the Pan-Commonwealth conference on professional services trade, he said there was no rift between him and his deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel.

Samy Vellu said certain Tamil newspapers were trying to destroy the MIC by reporting there was a leadership rift.

“There are also lots of people trying to do that (create a rift) but we will not allow that to happen,” he said, stressing that he would hand the party to his deputy when the time comes.

“I will give way at the opportune time. If I just leave the party now, the party will be in disarray.

“It is not that I wish to go on for another 100 years. Everybody has a time to go,” he said.

Samy Vellu also said he was unhappy with certain elected representatives who had failed to carry out their duties.

“I have decided to put in new faces, including professionals and party members, who are very active in political work even if they are not highly qualified,” he said.

On reports that certain MIC divisions were asking for locals to be fielded in MIC state constituencies, Samy Vellu said the seats did not belong to the divisions but to the party.

“There are only three seats in Selangor but there are 18 divisions in the state. We give opportunities to each division chairman,” he said.

On the Hindraf supporters who blocked his car in Prai last Saturday, he said they “asked me to tell Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to release the 180 people detained for taking part in an illegal assembly in Kuala Lumpur.”

“They did not talk anything about politics. This does not indicate that they hate me,” he said.

8 keys General Election issues for Penang

2008-02-20T12:40:00.000+08:00

Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng in Penang on Tuesday, 19th February 2008:

DAP identifies 8 key general election issues for Penang to decide whether to join in a Malaysian people’s movement of change towards democracy or continue with UMNO’s political dominance

DAP identifies 8 key general election issues for Penang to decide whether to join in a Malaysian people’s movement of change towards democracy or continue with UMNO’s political dominance that stifles democracy with a one-party state. As the home state of the Prime Minister, Penang voters will play an important national role in shaping the results of the coming general elections.

BN is not only expected to win the 2008 general elections. BN is expected to win big. The only question is whether we can allow BN an overwhelming mandate of tsunami proportions where BN won 91% of the parliamentary seat. There are 8 key reasons why we need to send in more ROCKETS into both the Parliament and the Penang State Legislative Assembly.

1. Say NO to UMNO’s Political Dominance

• Save democracy by having more people’s voices to prevent a one-party state.
• The next re-drawing of constituencies will be carried out in 2010, which can only be done by amending the State constitution with a 2/3 majority.
• UMNO will demand additional state seats to facilitate its designs of capturing the Penang Chief Minister’s post by 2013.
• Deny BN 2/3 majority to prevent UMNO from increasing its state seat allocation.
• Penang has lost state power over public transport and water supply to federal control.

2. A Dynamic Economy for Penang’s Future

• Advocate and promote a stakeholders’ economy for all where companies undertaking government contracts above RM 10 million in Penang have to contribute part of their profits.
• Attract investments that create more high-paying jobs (not low paying jobs that require importation of cheap foreign labour).
• Run the government administration free from the NEP that breeds cronyism, corruption, inefficiency and it benefits only a small group of Umnoputras.
• Upgrade hi-tech industries, manufacturing and SMIs/SMEs on the global value chain.
• Rejuvenate tourism and service industries such as building more green lungs, a new Penang Zoo, hotels and tourism heritage areas.
• Revamp and restructure Penang Development Corporation, InvestPenang, Penang Skill Development Centre and Penang Port Authority to stimulate greater foreign direct investments.
• Comprehensive plan to promote Knowledge-based economy to secure Penang’s place in the rapidly changing globalised world.
• Tapping into ‘Penang Diaspora’ to complement “Brain Gain” Programme.

3. Social & Environment

• Affordable housing for all.
• Enhance social justice and eradicate discrimination of all kinds, including discrimination against gender, race, religion, and the disabled.
• Reduce crime and enhance public safety by putting more cops on the streets.
• Enlarge green spaces and stop rampant development projects – e.g. the Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) that does not comply with the rules and is not even included in the Penang Draft Structure Plan 2005-2010.
• Overcome environmental pollution in Sg Juru and Sungai Pinang.

4. Thinking and Global Malaysians

• The state of our education system is pathetic. It is unfathomable how the BN government can afford to allocate more than RM1 trillion for the corridor projects instead of focusing on building a good education system which is clearly a key pillar of economic success.
• We want to pressure the BN government to keep politics and religious politicking out of national schools, accept and provide financially for all vernacular schools and respect the right to mother tongue education for all students.
• We support both Mathematics and Science being taught in student’s own mother tongue while focus on improving the proficiency of English through additional classes.
• We want to ensure our tertiary institutions achieve the highest level of accreditation and recognition from international bodies to build a skilled and world-class workforce in order to compete effectively with other economies. The days of low cost production are over.

5. Restoring Local Government Elections

• Unelected inefficient local government breeds mediocrity, incompetency and corruption forcing a generation of elected representatives to perform local councilors’ job that makes a mockery of democracy.
• Restoring local government elections as provided under Article 113 (4) of the Constitution.
• Full accountability for funding, expenditure and enforcement of the law to ensure transparency and justice and not injustices such as cases where only some hawkers are punished or the illegal building put up by UMNO Tanjung not torn down.

6. Respect for Rule of Law & Basic Human Rights

• No illegal demolition of houses of worship for all religions such as the Tow Boo Keong temple in Bukit Mertajam.
• Freedom to enjoy freedom of religion, speech and enacting a Freedom of Information Act.
• Installing road signs in other languages.
• Open tender for all state government projects, with priority given to Penang-incorporated contractors, with all details published for public scrutiny.
• Implementing an integrity law that requires public declaration of assets for all public officers.

7. Good-bye to Traffic and Public Transport Woes

• The state should maintain total control over the licensing and operations of public transport systems, and to ensure the quality of service.
• Holistic approach -- Multi-modal transport system integrating bus services, ferries, mass rapid transit (MRT) with comprehensive transit networks.

8. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

• With the breakdown of institutional check-and-balance systems i.e. judiciary, Anti Corruption Agency and the police, there is a need of a stronger opposition voices in the state assembly and parliament.
• It is important to ensure enough opposition candidates made it to both the state assembly and parliament because there are not many seats winnable due to uneven playing field.
• DAP’s role in both the state assembly and parliament is to ensure no community is being displaced from the process of development. We will champion the rights of all Malaysians regardless of race, creed, religion and gender.

Malaysians feel helpless that we continue to be led by BN wakil rakyats that insult our intelligence with the lack of substance in their speeches or shame us with their lack of content in their character. Malaysians should therefore give themselves hope by choosing change from a one-party state to a democracy with checks and balances.

British English vs Malaysian English

2008-02-20T04:46:00.000+08:00

Who says our English is teruk.? Just see below - Ours is simple,short,concise, straight-to-point, effective etc.........
WHEN GIVING A CUSTOMER BAD NEWS
Britons: I'm sorry, Sir, but we don't seem to have the sweater you want in your size, but if you give me a moment, I can call the other outlets for you.
Malaysians: No Stock.
RETURNING A CALL
Britons: Hello, this is John Smith. Did anyone page for me a few moments ago?
Malaysians: Hello, who page?
ASKING SOMEONE TO MAKE WAY ..
Britons: Excuse me, I'd like to get by. Would you please make way?
Malaysians: S-kew me
WHEN SOMEONE OFFERS TO PAY
Britons: Hey, put your wallet away, this drink is on me.
Malaysians:No-need, lah.
WHEN ASKING FOR PERMISSION
Britons: Excuse me, but do you think it would be possible for me to enter through this door?
Malaysians: (pointing the door) can ar?
WHEN ENTERTAINING
Britons: Please make yourself right at home.
Malaysians: Don't be shy, lah!
WHEN DOUBTING SOMEONE
Britons: I don't recall you giving me the money.
Malaysians: Where got?
WHEN DECLINING AN OFFER
Britons: I'd prefer not to do that, if you don't mind.
Malaysians: Don't want la...
IN DISAGREEING ON A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION
Britons: Err. Tom, I have to stop you there. I understand where you're
coming from, but I really have to disagree with what you said about the issue.
Malaysians: You mad, ah?
WHEN ASKING SOMEONE TO LOWER THEIR VOICE.
Britons: Excuse me, but could you please ! lower your voice, I'm trying to concentrate over here.
Malaysians: Shut up lah!
WHEN ASKING SOMEONE IF HE/SHE KNOWS YOU.
Britons: Excuse me, but I noticed you staring at me for some time.. Do I know you?
Malaysians: See what, see what?
WHEN ASSESSING A TIGHT SITUATION.
Britons: We seem to be in a bit of a predicament at the moment.
Malaysians: Die-lah!!
WHEN TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED
Britons: Will someone tell me what has just happened?
Malaysians: Wat happen Why like that....
WHEN SOME ONE DID SOMETHING WRONG
Britons: This isn't the way to do it here let me show you,
Malaysians: like that also don't know how to do!!!!
WHEN ONE IS ANGRY
Britons: Would you mind not disturbing me
Malaysians:Celaka u

Jokes

2008-02-19T17:06:00.000+08:00

Sardar comes back 2 his car & find a note saying "Parking Fine"
He Writes a note and sticks it 2 pole "Thanks 4 complement"
*****************************************************
How do you recognize a Sardar in School? He is the one who erases the
notes from the book when the teacher erases the board.
*****************************************************
Once a Sardar was walking he had a gloves on one hand and not on other
so the man asked him why did he do so. He Replied that the weather
forecast announced that on one hand it would be cold and on the
other hand it would be hot.
*****************************************************
A Sardar is in a bar and his cellular phone rings. He picks it up and
says "Hello, how did you know I was here?"
*****************************************************
Sardarji bought a brand new Maruti and decided to drive down from
Amritsar, where he lived, to Jalandar to meet his friend. He reached there in a
few hours.
After spending a few days there, he decided to return, and called up
his mother to expect him in the evening. But he didn't reach in
the evening and not the next day either. When he finally reached home
on the third day, his distraught
mother ran and asked him " Arre Puttar, ki hoya?" (What Happened,
My Son?) The
Sardarji got out, obviously very tired from long journey, and
said, "Oy, ye Marutti wale pagal hain, agge jaane waaste chaar gear banaate hain, aur
pichche jaane waaste sirf ik?" (These Maruti Car people are
crazy! They have four gears for going
forward,but only one for going back!)
*****************************************************
Santa Singh decided to start a chicken farm so he bought a hundred
chickens to begin with. A month later he returned to the dealer
for another hundred chickens because all of the first lot had died. A month
later he was back at the dealer for another hundred chickens for
the second lot had also died. 'But I think I know where I'm going wrong,'
said Santa, 'I think I'm planting them too deep.'
*****************************************************
Sardar-why r all these people running? Man- This is a race, the winner
will get the cup.
Sardar-If only the winner will get the cup, why others running?
*****************************************************
Teacher: "I killed a person" convert this sentence into future tense.
Sardar: The future tense is "u will go to jail".
*****************************************************
Sardarji was filling up application form for a job. He was not sure as
to what to be filled in column "Salary Expected". After much thought he
wrote : Yes!
*****************************************************
Sardar told his servant: Go and water the plants. Servant:It"s already
raining. Sardar: So what? take an umbrella and
go.
*****************************************************
Sardar wins 20 cr from Rs.20 lottery ticket. Dealer gave 11cr after
deducting tax.
Angry Sardar: "Give me 20 cr or else return my 20 Rs back.
*****************************************************
Postman:- I Have To Come 5 Miles To Deliver U This Packet
Sardar:- why did u come so far. Instead u could have posted it....
*****************************************************
Sardar's wish :when i die,i wana die like my grandpa who died
peacefully in his sleep not screaming like all the passengers in
the car he was driving..
*****************************************************
Sardar at an Art Gallery: I suppose this horrible looking thing is what
you call modern art ?
Art dealer: I beg your pardon sir, thats a mirror.
*****************************************************
Sardar was writing something very slowly.
Friend asked:" Why r u writing so
slowly?
Sardar: "I'm writing to my 6 yr old son, he can't read very fast.
*****************************************************
Flash news: A 2 seater plane crashed in a graveyard in punjab . Local
sardars have so far found 500 bodies and are still digging for more..
*****************************************************
A man asked sardarji, why Manmohan singh goes walking at evening not in
the morning. Sardarji replied "Arey bhai Manmohan is PM not AM".
*************************************************************

Mahathir Vs Pak Lah

2008-02-19T14:28:00.000+08:00

DR. MAHATHIR'S MEGA PROJECT

- KLIA

- SEPANG F1

- PUTRA JAYA

- CYBER JAYA

- MONORAIL

- ERL

- KTM KOMUTER

- KL TOWER

- KLCC

- SEKOLAH WAWASAN

- TWIN TOWER

- PENANG BRIDGE

- PROTON

and many many many more

(Akhirnya Tingkat Taraf dan Maruah Orang Malaysia pun Naik)

PAK LAH'S MEGA PROJECT SINCE BE COMING PM

- TOL NAIK

- ROKOK NAIK

- PETROL NAIK

- BIR NAIK

- BIL AIR & API NAIK

- TEPUNG NAIK

- GULA NAIK

- DIESEL NAIK

- CUKAI PINTU & TANAH NAIK

- KES JENAYAH NAIK

- PERHIMPUNAN HARAM NAIK

- KEHILANGAN ANAK NAIK

- GAJI DAN BONUS KAKITANGAN KERAJAAN NAIK

and many many many naik (Akhirnya Angin Orang Malaysia pun NAIK)

Lessons in Logic

2008-02-19T08:32:00.000+08:00

Lessons in Logic
If your father is a poor man,
it is your fate but,
if your father-in-law is a poor man,
it's your stupidity.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
I was born intelligent -
education ruined me.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Practice makes perfect.....
But nobody's perfect..... .
so why practice?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

If it's true that we are here to help others,
then what exactly are the others here for?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Since light travels faster than sound,
people appear bright until you hear them speak.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

How come 'abbreviated' is such a long word?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Money is not everything.
There's Mastercard & Visa.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

One should love animals.
They are so tasty.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Behind every successful man, there is a woman
And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Every man should marry.
After all, happiness is not the only thing in
life.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

The wise never marry.
and when they marry they become otherwise.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Success is a relative term.
It brings so many relatives.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

Never put off the work till tomorrow
what you can put off today.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

'Your future depends on your dreams'
So go to sleep
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

There should be a better way to start a day
Than waking up every morning
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

'Hard work never killed anybody'
But why take the risk
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

'Work fascinates me'
I can look at it for hours
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

God made relatives;
Thank God we can choose our friends.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

The more you learn, the more you know,
The more you know, the more you forget
The more you forget, the less you know
So.. why learn.

............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
A bus station is where a bus stops.
A train station is where a train stops.
On my desk, I have a work station....
what more can I say........

Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri ( Mata Amritanandamayi's senior disciple)

2008-02-19T08:13:00.000+08:00

Dear devotees,
In conjunction of AMMA's visit to Malaysia, Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri ( Mata Amritanandamayi's senior disciple) will be visiting Penang as well as conducting Bhajans and Satsang.
Below are the details of the program :
Date : 23rd February 2008 (Saturday)
Time : 7.00pm
Venue : Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama Hall,
37, Scotland Road ,
Penang .
Admission : FREE
Refreshment will be served.

Master Electoral

2008-02-19T08:08:00.000+08:00

Those whom registered recently pls verify your voting details.
http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/daftarbi.asp

Humble request

2008-02-18T15:13:00.000+08:00

Hi Brothers and sisters, I have a few humble request and I hope this request will be supported by all the Indians in Malaysia.
1) When you see any Indian face a problem - no matter what and where it is, please stop and render help to the fellow Indian, try to show that he/she is not alone, if he/she is wrong then explain the problem and try to educate him/her and try to correct the situation and solve the problem peacefully. If the Indian is caught in a problem where he/she is right then help them to stress that they are right and show our UNITY there and make sure no one dares to play the fool with us anymore. No violence please. Raise your voice if needed. This will bring a lot of changes, believe me.
2) Stop reaping off people with business that will make them loose money. Enough of us fooling each other, Now the time has come for us to help each other to uplift our community. It's the responsibility of each and every Indian to participate in activity for the uplifting of Indian community. Give them moral support, legal advice and support and co-operate each other for any cause. We can change anything and everything if we are UNITED. It's clear that we have established UNITY to certain level but we need more UNITY.
3) For service providers- please deliver a Quality job to Indians that seek for your service, only then they will come back to you. Indian contractors, suppliers and vendors are equally good as others, why should we pay others if we have our Indians who can deliver the same job for the same or even lower price? But the person who is responsible must make sure the quality is delivered is the same or even better than others, this will change the mind set of people. Remember - making money is important but to deliver Quality Job is more important to ensure continuity of orders(directly) and more money(indirectly). Forget about hit and run type of business. Give the best to other Indians. All of us know we can do it.
4) If there is a vacancy in your company or your friends company, please publish it somewhere - send mails to your friends and your friends will then send it to their friends. Somehow or rather the qualified and suitable person will receive it and apply. He/she may get the job. Let's all of us do it if possible.
5) There are a lot of professionals out there willing to help us. So if there is a problem then go and see them for advice. e.g. lawyers - if you have any legal matter then contact them for advise. But not MIC lawyers please, they will make your problem worst.
6) Education - Push your children to study hard, try your best, result is secondary, the most important thing is we have to try as hard as possible. Education is the most important foundation for our children's future. Sit and spend at least an hour/day to go through their school work and guide them in the subject that they are weak by yourself or if not send them for tuition. Please select a tuition centre that is teaching and not giving only work papers(exercise). We can buy workbooks ourselves. Not necessary to send them for tuition to do only exercises and we pay them for the table and chair that our children are sitting. I'm not saying all the tuition centres are bad but a lot out there are useless and merely money making only.
7) Please try ur best eat in indian run restoran or hawkers , let them earn some income ,so that our money own go to others.
8) Donate to Tamil school rather than spent on show and other uncessary donation,Help indian run old folk and cherity centre.
9) Help the need poor Indian who unaware of development programme that available ,let them grap it.

Dear Brothers and sisters, I can think of only the above at the moment, please add in the list if you have something to request. All of us should start to think of this, the time has come for us to stand on our feet and show the world that we can do it on our own.
***) VOTE FOR THE OPPOSITION - WE NEED TO CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COUNTRY. IT ALL DEPENDS ON OUR(INDIANS) VOTES NOW. THE GOVT. IS UNCERTAIN OF THEIR FUTURE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE INDIANS WILL NOT VOTE FOR BN THIS TIME ROUND EXCEPT FOR SOME MIC JALDRAS.
Please correct me if I have said anything wrong, trust me if there is something wrong then it is unintentional. I'm willing to accept constructive criticism and improve along the way if needed.

Pak Lah's 5 famous sayings/pledges first 10 days as PM - all broken/dishonoured.

2008-02-11T12:55:00.000+08:00

Speech by Lim Kit Siang at the Penang DAP Open House at Cheah Association, Penang on Sunday, 10th February 2008 at 11 am:

Abdullah's five famous sayings and pledges in his first 10 days as Prime Minister 51 months ago – everyone broken and dishonoured

The front-page headline of the mainstream media yesterday was on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's speech at the Gerakan-MCA joint Chinese New Year open house in Penang on the first day of the Chinese New Year of the Rat, viz:

"LISTEN – Heed what the people say and correct your mistakes" – New Straits Times;

"Listen …Hear out the people and correct mistakes, PM tell leaders" – The Star; and

"Dengar masalah rakyat – Arahan Perdana Menteri kepada pemimpin BN supaya terus dapat sokongan" – Utusan Malaysia.

Which Gerakan or MCA national leader present at the Gerakan-MCA joint Chinese New Year open house would have dared tell or just whispered to Abdullah that it was the Prime Minister himself who needed such advice most!

Let me here tell the Prime Minister what Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and no Gerakan or MCA leader dare to say – Pak Lah, you are the one who need most to heed the advice to listen to the people, which you promised to do when you first became Prime Minister more than 51 months ago but have failed to honour!

This was one of the five famous sayings of Abdullah in his first 10 days as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia in November 2003 which completely swept Malaysians off their feet and gave him the unprecedented landslide general election victory in March 2004, achieving what no other Prime Minister had ever done – crushing the Opposition and winning over 91 per cent of the parliamentary seats!

Malaysians will never forget the five famous pledges of Abdullah in his first 10 days as Prime Minister in November 2003, viz:

"Work with me and not for me" –1.11.03
"I will work very hard" – 1.11.03
"I'll serve with integrity, efficiency and fairness" – in Parliament 3.11.03
"Top two issues – Government to focus on education and corruption" – 7.11.03
"Tell me the truth" – 9.11.03
Something is very wrong when a Prime Minister at the end of his first term in office had to plead publicly: "I work very hard. I really mean it and you know it."

The press reported that when Abdullah said this, he was greeted with applause from those who attended the Chinese Assembly Hall's Chinese New Year Open House. But how many of those who politely applauded him believed him?

No one would have imagined that Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad would ever have to make such a declaration at any stage of his 22-year premiership that he had to work very hard – whether one agrees with his policies and actions or not. This had not happened to previous Prime Ministers. Why is it necessary for Abdullah to plead that he is hard-working after four years as Prime Minister?

Before Abdullah asks other Barisan Nasional leaders to conduct a self-examinination of their performance, Abdullah should do it to himself. I believe I dare say without contradiction that for the past full year of parliamentary meeting from March last year, Abdullah would have gone down in history as the Prime Minister who had the least parliamentary attendance of any Prime Minister in the 50-year history of Parliament although he holds the most number of Ministerial portfolios!

Similarly, before Abdullah could credibly ask other Barisan Nasional leaders to "listen" and heed what the people say to correct their mistakes, he must himself set a good example. Abdullah has said that he has "Big Ears" but his "Big Ears" have not ensured that his famous saying, "Tell me the truth" is taken seriously in Cabinet, Barisan Nasional or the Malaysian press – or the country would not have been plagued with so many nation-building, political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious problems.

This is not the time to assess in detail Abdullah's five famous sayings and pledges made in his first 10 days as Prime Minister. Suffice it to say that Abdullah has broken and dishonoured everyone of them – aided and abetted by the entire Cabinet (rightly dismissed as "half-past six" Cabinet by Tun Mahathir) and Barisan Nasional leadership.

The Prime Minister must rightly be reminded of his five famous sayings and pledges – a task which could not be performed by any Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP or any Barisan Nasional leader. This is what the DAP and Malaysian voters must do, forthrightly, vigorously and critically, in the 12th general election campaign.