‘Tamil school problem still being ignored’
By Humayun Kabir | May 18, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
IPOH: Tamil schools that were closed because of poor enrolment are not being substituted with new ones in semi-rural and urban areas to cater to the Indian community, the DAP claimed.
Party national vice-chief M Kulasegaran said that nearly 60% of Indian parents preferred to send their children to Tamil schools rather than national schools.
He also said that in Perak, there are over 17,000 pupils studying in Tamil schools – 9,000 in national schools and over 1,500 in Chinese schools.
“Over 70% of the 134 Tamil schools in the state are located in former estates and about 80 of them have an enrolment of fewer than 100 pupils,” said Kulasegaran, who is also Ipoh Barat MP.
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Don’t give up on Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Articles, June Rubis on Thursday, 19 May 2011, 9:08 am
June Rubis
The Malaysian Insider
May 19, 2011
MAY 19 — Discovering the fresh corpse of an orangutan was probably the last straw. It had been shot several times and left to die on a riverbank. We discovered the corpse while paddling up a river in Batang Ai National Park.
Killing an orangutan, a totally protected animal, in Sarawak is an offence that could lead to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of RM30,000. Very few have been prosecuted for wildlife crimes in Sarawak, and the lack of prosecution or arrests does not necessarily mean that no crimes have been committed.
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Finding the nation’s voice
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Media on Thursday, 19 May 2011, 8:18 am
Christopher Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 19, 2011
MAY 19 — Everyone knows that a democracy is a political system where periodical elections take place. But democracy is much more than just elections. It involves the existence of a space which allows for people to freely debate on public issues and government policies as well as presenting alternative ideas without the fear of repercussion. Indeed, the health of a democratic society is dependent on the existence of such a space.
This space — which could take various forms, i.e. physical, print, broadcast or virtual — also known as the public sphere enables people to freely gather to discuss and identify societal or political problems so that such discussions will lead to political action for the good of society.
Tahrir Square in Eygpt is a good example of how the public sphere was utilised by ordinary Egyptians who want to see political and social changes in their society. Through the mass protests throughout the country where Tahrir Square served as a focal point for hundreds of thousands of people gathered together to demand a change of the government, which had overstayed its welcome. Their efforts were crowned with the government bowing to the wishes of the people. Read the rest of this entry »
Teoh’s death IS about the MACC
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Teoh Beng Hock on Thursday, 19 May 2011, 7:58 am
The Malaysian Insider
May 18, 2011
MAY 18 — Datuk Seri Shafee Abdullah is right that that the public should focus on Teoh Beng Hock’s death but wrong to say that the blunders of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should not be in the picture.
That is part of the task given to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating the cause and circumstances of the suspicious death of the Selangor political aide. But it is also performing its original mandate of reviewing the propriety of MACC’s interrogation methods and procedures.
Of course we want to know what happened to Teoh on the morning of July 16, 2009 but a critical element to reaching any finding will be the surrounding circumstances of the case and the behaviour of the MACC.
Read the rest of this entry »
‘Christian Conspiracy’: Bona Fide or Bogus?
by Haider Yutim
Malaysian Digest
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
The nation is shaken again by an inter-religion strife after an arguably unsubstantiated news report from Utusan Malaysia entitled ‘Kristian Agama Rasmi?’. The allegation of a ‘Christian conspiracy’ that came out on front-page was akin to pouring gasoline over sparks that’s been kept under control by the government. And all it took was a three-word headline. A police report was lodged against the alleged conspiracy by DAP Bukit Tumba branch committee member Mohamed Razali Abdul Rahman who purportedly witnessed the so-called secret pact between DAP leaders and pastors at a hotel in Penang. Following Razali’s police report, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar stated that investigations into an alleged Christian plot to unseat Islam as the federal religion was a priority for the police.
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A desire for better quality of life
Posted by Kit in Brain drain on Thursday, 19 May 2011, 7:45 am
Setec
The Malaysian Insider
May 18, 2011
MAY 18 — My primary reasons are different from that of most migrants from Malaysia:
1) English as the first language — I believe English is the language for all; I do not believe in multi-lingualism, e.g. learning Chinese, Tamil, etc.
I think this idea is not anti-nationalistic. For example, English is the first language in non Caucasian-majority countries like Singapore, Zimbabwe, etc.
2) One schooling system — a good majority of people in Malaysia are racists by supporting vernacular and religious schools. Chinese go to Chinese schools, Indians attend Tamil schools, Malays get education at religious schools, and the rest end up in government national schools.
I’m a product of government national schools; however, I’d only support government national schools if all lessons are in English (pre 1971). Read the rest of this entry »
10 days in May (16)
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Teoh Beng Hock on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 9:20 pm
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
Utterly incensed by Shafie’s outrageous defence MACC re TeohBengHock death – “Focus on Teoh death, not MACC clangers” http://bit.ly/loWqsV
Is Shafie attorney for 29mil Msians or 4MACC? Is he attorney 4justice/truth? Y ignore MACC blunders which can b telltale signs of crime?
Shafie said “hallmark question” whthr TBH’s death is suicide or not.What abt “hallmark Q” TBH was murdered or not? Y did Shafie rule it out?
RCI misused by MACC 2exculpate MACC, incriminate DAP or contend TBH suicide.Who gave orders 2MACC 2gun 4Sgor PR govt result in TBH death? Read the rest of this entry »
Terbunuh kerana operasi cegah maksiat?
Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
May 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
Soalan: Dr Asri, semalam ada berita seorang telah terjatuh mati kerana lari dari intipan pihak pencegah maksiat sebuah jabatan agama. Bolehkah perkara macam ini berlaku. Bolehkah kita cegah maksiat sehingga menyebabkan orang mati? Minta tolonglah Dr Asri huraikan kes ini.
Kenali mangsa, KL.
Jawapan: Ya, saya berdukacita dengan berita kematian seorang individu kerana lari daripada intipan pihak pencegah maksiat yang cuba menangkapnya kerana khalwat. Kes ini bukan yang pertama. Sudah berapa banyak kes yang sama berlaku dalam negara kita. Walaupun sudah kritikan dibuat, tetapi hal ini tetap berulang. Apabila berita tersebar dalam media, ia telah memalukan keluarga mangsa, memberikan mesej yang salah mengenai Islam kepada bukan muslim dalam negara ini, yang sememangnya telah lama salah faham disebabkan tindakan masyarakat muslim itu sendiri. Di sini saya suka menyebut beberapa perkara secara umum mengenai kes-kes yang telah berlaku; Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia slips in economic competitiveness
By Yow Hong Chieh
May 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Malaysia fell six slots from 10th to 16th in a closely-watched international ranking of economic competitiveness despite recent government assurances that it was winning the fight against graft while improving accountability and transparency.
The Institute of Management Development (IMD) 2011 World Competitive Rankings released yesterday also saw Singapore knocked off its perch by this year’s joint leaders Hong Kong and the United States.
Even as the US regained the top spot after losing it for the first time in decades to Singapore last year, Malaysia is now only two places above the spot it occupied two years ago after dropping the most in ranking out of the top 20 countries. Read the rest of this entry »
Unapologetically Sarawakian
By http://rakyatsheart.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 1, 2011
UH-OH, WHAT’VE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO? Seriously, for someone who has not written anything more than work emails and business proposals in the last 10 years, it’s more than a mental block that I have to deal with. It’s not unlike getting a 50-year old who only knows how to ‘pangkah dacing’ his whole life to ‘mark the Rocket’.
Growing up as a kid on the banks of mighty Sarawak River, along the Gambier Street shophouses, I was fortunate enough to experience 1st hand the ‘rojak’ of cultures that’s Sarawak – not only did we ‘tolerate’ each other’s existence, we mingled. You had the ‘tambang’ operators from across river, the kopi-o stall taukeh, the long-eared Orang Ulu who’d just stepped off the green-coloured STC bus at Ban Hock Lane, the tattooed Iban, the ‘kuli’ at the docks, the mee jawa and satay seller who plied his trade outside a Chinese kopitiam, the Indian spice trader, the barber shop frequented by men and children alike from all ages. Read the rest of this entry »
Shafee: Focus on Teoh death, not MACC clangers
Posted by Kit in Teoh Beng Hock on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 6:42 pm
By Shannon Teoh
May 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) lawyer today urged the public to focus on Teoh Beng Hock’s death and not the blunders by the anti-graft body in its investigations into Selangor DAP.
Datuk Seri Shafee Abdullah, who is representing the MACC in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh’s death, said that despite these errors, justice must still be served and the question of whether the DAP aide committed suicide be answered.
“Ask yourself honestly, whatever monkey things the MACC officers may have been blundering, wrong in certain procedures, a little harsh in questioning, the hallmark question is whether this suicide or not,” he told reporters outside the RCI courtroom today. Read the rest of this entry »
Giving my family a better chance
Posted by Kit in Articles, Brain drain on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 6:39 pm
By Narayan
May 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
MAY 18 — I am Narayan, aged 44, and an Australian today. I was Malaysian till last year. I moved to Australia in February, 2007. My family joined me in Australia in July, 2007.
My children are Australian and my wife is Malaysian… still holding on to a string of hope to maybe retire in Malaysia.
Why did I leave? Am I a “pengkhianat” (traitor)?
Let us examine it from my family’s eyes.
Economy of the middle-class: In Malaysia as a senior manager in various private sector companies and even in a GLC at one time, I would be paying 30 per cent tax. In return, I could keep a reasonable home 45km out of the city, travel by public transport, have a maid, kids in suburban Sekolah Kebangsaan, need insurance to top up for medical costs, and go to a private hospital each time. Read the rest of this entry »
Tunku Aziz: I have failed to attract Malays
Posted by Kit in DAP, Tunku Abdul Aziz on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 6:34 pm
By Shannon Teoh
May 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim admitted today that his appointment as DAP vice chairman in 2008 has failed to bring in Malay support to the party that has been labelled as Chinese chauvinists by its critics.
However, he said that this was not the fault of the party whose members are largely Chinese as it has shown its commitment to multiracial policies, but that Malays and Bumiputeras were the ones choosing to hold back.
“If it was to recruit more Malays, then I admit that I’ve failed completely,” he said of his appointment as vice chairman three years ago. Read the rest of this entry »
Why I left Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Articles, Brain drain on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 6:30 pm
By ES
May 18, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
MAY 18 — I’ve left Malaysia for about nine years now, and lived and worked in several countries such as Singapore, China and, now, Hong Kong.
The past and recent news reports on brain drain have pretty much summarised the reasons for leaving Malaysia except they were not accepted by our leaders. I’ll just echo some of the findings by relating my personal experience.
Social injustice
Unable to get into local universities even with good academic results. Mine was a working-class family and my dad had to work extremely hard to save (barely) enough money to put me through a private college (whose quality could be questioned).
It was a twinning program with an American university. A large portion of our class (100 per cent non-Bumiputera) didn’t end up going to the America for their final year to “twin” with the university because of financial difficulties. Those who did, like me, mostly have remained overseas. Read the rest of this entry »
Why, why, why?
By KJ John | May 18, 11
Malaysiakini
Why would the ‘naughty boy of Malaysian journalism’ Utusan Malaysia carry such a headline as Kristian agama rasmi? (Christianity as the official religion?), when it is probably not the truth, not reality either, and not possible, and never in the minds or hearts of any Christian.
Christians are generally rational and not merely emotional but we also seek to love every neighbour at the end of the day. And yet the recalcitrant publication accused all Christians with one sweep of their ink-spill. And, most terribly, even the government of Malaysia’s initial reactions were also ‘idiocratic’ to say the least.
I am really upset, hurt, and therefore insist and ask Utusan for an apology for hurting our feelings and sense of dignity; of every Christian in Malaysia.
Read the rest of this entry »
Cops release Bidayuh villagers suspected of arson
Posted by Kit in environment, Sarawak on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 4:13 pm
By Keruah Usit | May 18, 11
Malaysiakini
Five Bidayuh defenders of Native Customary Rights (NCR) to land were released today after being initially suspected of committing arson at a logging camp in Tebedu, Sarawak.
The camp is owned by Alliance Bahagia, a logging contractor employed by the state-run Sarawak Foundation.
Papai Anak Atin, Barak Anak Kolol and Mani Anak Marin of Kampung Temang Mura, Karia Anak Daruh of Kampung Patah and Peter Anak Laiong of Kampung Mawang were arrested in Tebedu last Friday and taken to Kuching, around 90 minutes’ drive away.
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RCI to re-examine ‘suicide’ note
Posted by Kit in Teoh Beng Hock on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1:54 pm
By Teoh El Sen | May 18, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: The “suicide” note purportedly written by Teoh Beng Hock would be re-examined to extract and decipher a few words that were blacked out by someone, perhaps even the author.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry investigating Teoh’s death was re-convened briefly this morning to decide on the application made by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to re-analyse the note.
Shafee’s application made via a letter last week (May 11) had asked the commission to ascertain what was written beneath an erased part of the note and subsequently admit that as evidence.
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Anwar to lead even if jailed, says Guan Eng
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Court, Lim Guan Eng, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1:44 pm
By Clara Chooi | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng declared today that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will remain as Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) opposition Leader in Parliament even if he is jailed for sodomy.
Lim said the PR leadership have agreed that Anwar will hold on to the post “as long as he is still an MP” and until all legal avenues are exhausted.
“There is no replacement of opposition leader. Definitely no replacement. As long as he is an MP, he will not be replaced,” he told reporters after attending the launch of the George Town Festival 2011 at the Lot 10 shopping centre here this morning.
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Non-Muslim PM! Why not?
Posted by Kit in Constitution, nation building on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1:39 pm
By RK Anand | May 18, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
Huddled in the driver’s seat of those red and white cars zipping through traffic is a political animal, whose eyes light up when prodded on the happenings in the nation. These are the asphalt soothsayers who predict the fate of politicians and political parties for a fee determined, at least among the more scrupulous ones, by a meter affixed to the dashboard.
In one such episode on a sweltering afternoon, the catalyst being a mangled Proton being towed, a cabbie laments about the deplorable state of Malaysian-made cars and how he is forced to drive a particular make, because that is the rule.
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TI-M chief confirms no ‘Christian Malaysia’ pact
Posted by Kit in nation building, Religion, UMNO on Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1:11 pm
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal | May 18, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — There is no pact between Christian and DAP leaders to turn Christianity into the constitutional religion of Malaysia, Datuk Paul Low asserted today.
The Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president, who was an invited guest speaker at the Unashamedly Ethical Conference (UEC) on May 5 in George Town, vouched for the organisers of the event and stressed that the only pledges which were presented then were anti-corruption pledges.
“I categorically confirm that no pact or pledge for Christianity as an official religion or for a Christian prime minister was made on the evening of May 5 or at any time during the conference,” Low told reporters here today.
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