PM mahu isu PPSMI diselesai segera
07/03/2009 5:54pm
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berharap agar keputusan berhubung isu Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sain dan Metematik Dalam bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) dibuat segera bagi mengelakkan isu yang lebih besar tercetus.
HIDUP PAK LAH-JANGAN LETAK JAWATAN
Indian Malaysians deserting Pakatan?
Thursday, 05 March 2009 23:23
Malaysians have indeed awakened. Indian Malaysians, for instance, voted in droves for the opposition in the last general election. It is time to tackle the root causes of their discontentment, says P Sivakumar.
Malaysia’s two million Indians, who make up less than 8 per cent of the population today have been largely sidelined by the NEP policy since 1971. Once traditionally very staunch supporters of the ruling Barisan National, the majority of them have switched camps following years of grassroots agitation concerning their neglect under the NEP, the demolition of historical temples and some sensitive religious issues. We thank the Government for the immediate halt to temple demolition and the positive attention given to religious rights made possible after the outlawed Hindu Action Force (Hindraf) took to the streets with an unexpected turnout of some 30,000 Indian Malaysian supporters in November 2007.
Nearly 85 per cent of Indian Malaysians are ethnic Tamils, about 70 per cent of them are descendants of plantation workers. Of the 8 per cent of Malaysians who are Indians, 80 per cent of them are Hindus, 15 per cent Muslims among whom are Tamils and Malayalees who have wangled their way into the bumiputra preserve. The rest are Christians, Sikhs, Gujaratees and others.Today after 51 years of Independence, the Indian definition has become a metaphor for backwardness.
Even though the median family income of Indian Malaysians, according to official statistics, is higher than that of Malays, certain segments of the Indian Malaysians live in abject poverty and form part of the lowest strata in terms of economic ownership. The official statistics indicate Indians account for only 1.2 per cent of traded equity since 1971. According to Hindraf, 15 per cent of Malaysian juvenile delinquents, 50 per cent of all convicts in prison since 2004 and 41 per cent of the beggars in 2003 were Indians.
The percentage of Indians in the civil service fell from 40 per cent in 1957 to less than 2 per cent in 2005. According to official records, 30-35 Indians per 100,000 committed or attempted to commit suicide annually as compared to 10-12 Malaysians per 100,000 in 2006. In education they make up less than 5 per cent of the university intake of over 45,000 annually.The current agitation in Malaysia by Indians is directed against discrimination and violation of human rights, which is evident in the piling up of complaints with Suhakam. Apart from the economic hardships, they have specific grievances.
Their immediate concern is to be treated equally and offered business opportunities and government jobs. This is where their expectations are understandably high in the Pakatan controlled states because they had thrown in their lot with the Pakatan Rakyat and provided their crucial support to vent their frustrations and demonstrated their anger for the detention of the Hindraf leaders without trial under the infamous ISA.
A political awakening
The now outlawed Hindraf as you can see had provided serious data and hard facts that had baffled MIC, the 60-year-old Indian political Party. These data and facts were used to awaken the Indian ethnic minority in Malaysia regarding the root of their discontentment.Many feel that if not for the actions of Hindraf, the Indian minority issues would not have received such an extensive national and international attention unheard of over the last 60 years of the MIC leadership which by and large depends on the charity of BN leadership for handouts.Indian Malaysians are seeking equality after 51years of Independence. The people of the world are more affluent now. What Malaysia needs now is a sacrifice of the rich and super-rich of all races to refrain from grabbing everthing under the NEP and allow the poor of all races to benefit a little in order to move up and progress.
Pakatan supremo Anwar Ibrahim to his credit has pledged to cater for the needs of the Indians and all other neglected segments of our society and that is why he has won their support perhaps permanently. The BN may argue that the Indians are not a force when it comes to voting in any constituency. However the Indians would be the deciding factor in at least 40 to 50 constituencies s in the next general elections based on assumptions from the last general elections.. Thus the Malaysian Indian Business Association (MIBA) does not see many Indians deserting the Pakatan unless the BN comes up with something more tangible and meaningful rather than the same handouts..The Hindraf Five must be released unconditionally and they should be allowed to form a public policy think tank which will contribute to the building of a strong and progressive Indian Malaysian community.
Such a think tank will adopt a balanced and inclusive approach when addressing the community’s grievances.BN leaders cannot avoid the changing patterns in the globalised world of today especially so when a coloured person has become president of the United States – something that was deemed impossible. If, Americans can set aside their prejudices, cross party lines and elect Barak Obama purely based on merit, why are we stuck with our narrow mindedness, bigotry and unfair policies? Why can’t we move on? It is only proper for Malaysia to seriously promote a Malaysian national identity in order to unite all the people of the land. Malaysia, being a founding member of the Association of South East Asian Nations signed the Asean charter on 21 November 2007. Under the Asean Charter and also as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Malaysia is duty-bound to promote and protect human rights irrespective of race, religion and gender. In keeping with this moral obligation, the MIBA humbly requests the Prime Minister of Malaysia to release all those languishing under the ISA or failing which they should be tried in a court of law so that we will be seen as a nation that honours and respects the rule of law.
P Sivakumar is president of the Malaysian Indian Business Association
Political tsunami still making waves
Home > World
Oil paintings of Malaysian ministers being sold in downtown Kuala Lumpur. (AP photo)
AP
First Published : 07 Mar 2009 10:11:33 AM IST
Last Updated :
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians called it a political tsunami when public discontent loosened the government's five-decade grip on power in elections a year ago. The period since has been likened to a circus.
The National Front coalition remains in power, and main opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has had to back off claims that he would topple the government within months.
But normally predictable Malaysian politics is increasingly less so, as new cracks keep opening up in the ruling coalition.
The prime minister is being forced out by an open revolt in his own party. The National Front lost two special elections to fill parliamentary vacancies, an unimaginable result in the past. And the government's attempt to oust an opposition-led state government has wound up in deadlock, with both sides claiming to be in charge.
The unprecedented weakness of the National Front has emboldened Malaysians to demand more rights in a country accustomed to virtual one-party rule since independence in 1957.
In last year's March 8 election, the ruling coalition had its worst-ever showing, losing its longtime two-thirds majority in parliament and control of five of Malaysia's 13 states.
Malaysians realized for the first time that "there can be alternative governments ... that the power to shape opinions and decisions comes from them," said Tricia Yeoh, a political analyst who advises the opposition.
"This translates into a more demanding public, holding governments accountable to standards higher than they themselves would have imagined prior to March 8th, 2008," she said.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was widely blamed for the setback, resisted resignation calls for months before agreeing in October to step down around March 31.
"We have been in power for so long that some people (in the party) take it for granted. We are telling our people times have changed," said International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, a vocal critic of Badawi. "It is a question of survival."
The public appears lukewarm toward his successor, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. In a poll of 1,018 registered voters, 41 percent said he would do a good job, while 36 percent disagreed. The nationwide telephone survey by the Merdeka Center had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Razaleigh Hamzah, a respected ruling party official, said Najib's ascent "will not magically set us on the path to restoration."
Najib spearheaded campaigns for the two special elections, but the ruling coalition lost both.
Much of the voter anger stems from the government's empty pledges to curb corruption and cronyism, especially in awarding public contracts.
The ruling coalition has also failed to resolve racial and religious grievances of ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities in this Malay-majority nation, including alleged police killings of Indian suspects.
Fears that Malaysia may tumble into its first recession since 1998 have increased disquiet. The economy grew just 0.1 percent in the final three months of 2008, and 22,000 people have lost their jobs since October.
The National Front's sole success was in wresting back control of the northern state of Perak, which it had lost in the March 2008 elections. But even that may have backfired.
It coaxed three lawmakers to leave the rival People's Alliance coalition, tipping the balance in the Perak legislature in its favor.
But instead of waiting for a vote by lawmakers, the National Front got the state's sultan to appoint a new chief minister from its coalition. The move was condemned as unconstitutional, and the People's Alliance and the national lawyers' association are demanding elections to end the deadlock. The National Front has refused.
Oil paintings of Malaysian ministers being sold in downtown Kuala Lumpur. (AP photo)
AP
First Published : 07 Mar 2009 10:11:33 AM IST
Last Updated :
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians called it a political tsunami when public discontent loosened the government's five-decade grip on power in elections a year ago. The period since has been likened to a circus.
The National Front coalition remains in power, and main opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has had to back off claims that he would topple the government within months.
But normally predictable Malaysian politics is increasingly less so, as new cracks keep opening up in the ruling coalition.
The prime minister is being forced out by an open revolt in his own party. The National Front lost two special elections to fill parliamentary vacancies, an unimaginable result in the past. And the government's attempt to oust an opposition-led state government has wound up in deadlock, with both sides claiming to be in charge.
The unprecedented weakness of the National Front has emboldened Malaysians to demand more rights in a country accustomed to virtual one-party rule since independence in 1957.
In last year's March 8 election, the ruling coalition had its worst-ever showing, losing its longtime two-thirds majority in parliament and control of five of Malaysia's 13 states.
Malaysians realized for the first time that "there can be alternative governments ... that the power to shape opinions and decisions comes from them," said Tricia Yeoh, a political analyst who advises the opposition.
"This translates into a more demanding public, holding governments accountable to standards higher than they themselves would have imagined prior to March 8th, 2008," she said.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was widely blamed for the setback, resisted resignation calls for months before agreeing in October to step down around March 31.
"We have been in power for so long that some people (in the party) take it for granted. We are telling our people times have changed," said International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, a vocal critic of Badawi. "It is a question of survival."
The public appears lukewarm toward his successor, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. In a poll of 1,018 registered voters, 41 percent said he would do a good job, while 36 percent disagreed. The nationwide telephone survey by the Merdeka Center had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Razaleigh Hamzah, a respected ruling party official, said Najib's ascent "will not magically set us on the path to restoration."
Najib spearheaded campaigns for the two special elections, but the ruling coalition lost both.
Much of the voter anger stems from the government's empty pledges to curb corruption and cronyism, especially in awarding public contracts.
The ruling coalition has also failed to resolve racial and religious grievances of ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities in this Malay-majority nation, including alleged police killings of Indian suspects.
Fears that Malaysia may tumble into its first recession since 1998 have increased disquiet. The economy grew just 0.1 percent in the final three months of 2008, and 22,000 people have lost their jobs since October.
The National Front's sole success was in wresting back control of the northern state of Perak, which it had lost in the March 2008 elections. But even that may have backfired.
It coaxed three lawmakers to leave the rival People's Alliance coalition, tipping the balance in the Perak legislature in its favor.
But instead of waiting for a vote by lawmakers, the National Front got the state's sultan to appoint a new chief minister from its coalition. The move was condemned as unconstitutional, and the People's Alliance and the national lawyers' association are demanding elections to end the deadlock. The National Front has refused.