There was a 70 minute stand-off when Pakatan Perak Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar and his Rights and Privileges Committee members were denied entry into the State Secretariat.
The six-member committee was to hold an inquiry into the conduct of BN-appointed state Speaker R Ganesan, who called police into the House to remove Sivakumar during the riotous May 7 assembly sitting.
The committee also wanted to interview three witnesses - Pokok Assam's Yee Seu Kai who lodged the complaint against Ganesan, DAP state chairman Ngeh Koo Ham and constitutional law expert Tommy Thomas.
Sivakumar said he informed state secretary Abdul Rahman Hashim on Sunday via a phone call that he needed the Speaker's room, or any other room, to conduct the inquiry.
"He told me to put it in writing. I did, and faxed him the letter. This morning, I rang him up to confirm booking of the room but he did not respond to my call. I then sent a SMS asking him to prepare a room but he did not respond to it either."
Wall of police personnel
Sivakumar and his six-member committee then arrived at State Secretariat at 9.55am to face a wall of police personnel blocking their path into the state government building.
Ipoh CID chief Glenn Anthony told Sivakumar that he had instructions from the state secretary not to allow him and his committee into the building.
Ngeh, who was also present, demanded an official notification from the state secretary.
Rahman's representative, principal assistant secretary Shamshuzaman Sulaiman, quickly retreated into the building and emerged with a hastily typed letter which said that Sivakumar was denied entry into the State Secretariat as no advance notice was given.
Sivakumar and Ngeh (right) hotly disputed this and said a written notice was faxed, and followed up with a personal phone to Rahman.
Shamshuzaman again retreated, and appeared 10 minutes later with another letter that he had signed, stating that Siva and company were prohibited from holding the meeting in the building as Rahman was not notified of the inquiry.
This again raised loud protests from Sivakumar and company and Shamshuzaman was forced to strike out the sentence that 'no notice was given'.
Inquiry now at 10am Thursday
Then at 11.10am Sivakumar announced to the media present that they were going to hold the inquiry at nearby hotel at 11.30am.
At a press conference later, Sivakumar said the committee interviewed the three witnesses and decided postponed the hearing of Ganesan's inquiry to 10am on Thursday at the State Secretariat.
When asked what they would do if Ganesan did not turn up for the inquiry and if they were again denied entry into the State Secretariat, Sivakumar said: "We will decide when the time comes."
Sivakumar had filed an affidavit at the Ipoh High Court seeking a declaration as to who is the rightful speaker of the state.
The hearing is scheduled for Aug 6.
When asked whether the inquiry is a contempt of court, Thomas (left) replied: "There is a separation of powers between Parliament, Judiciary and the Executive. There is no question of contempt of court as each of the three powers is equal in rank."
Sivakumar added: "Since Ganesan is holding the post of speaker before the court's decision on my declaration, likewise I can as legal state speaker use my powers to hold inquiries."
Penang Deputy Chief Minister (2) P Ramasamy today told MIC president S Samy Vellu to keep his nose out of the Kampung Buah Pala issue and to just concentrate in solving the woes besieging Maika Holdings.
Ramasamy also said that Samy Vellu should know the full facts of the situation in Kampung Buah Pala before saying anything negative about the Pakatan state government.
"What does he know about the behind-the-scene work which the chief minister and I are involved in?" asked Ramasamy today.
"We are in the midst of resolving the issue... we are in talks with the villagers and we are also negotiating with the developers," he added.
Ramasamy said that he was hopeful of finding a win-win situation before the Aug 3 deadline issued by the developer for the villagers to move out.
He said that he and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had sent a detailed proposal to the developer so that the villagers can be accommodated in the land which will also be developed as per the developer's plans.
"The most pragmatic option is for the developer to build double-story houses for the villagers in the same place where their village is located now.
"We think the cost of such a house would be about RM400,000 per unit... this should be an adequate compensation for them - they get to stay in the same village and they do get a house," he said.
Ramasamy was hopeful that both the villagers and developer will accept this solution.
In the worst case scenario, if this proposed deal falls through, Ramasamy said that the state government can then stop the development of the village.
"We will not be able to stop the eviction as there is a court order for that but we will surely stop the development in the area," he said.
MIC is at fault too
Ramasamy said that Samy Vellu was not privy to the behind-the-scene manoeuvrings and should not have criticised the state government and its leaders for failing to protect the villagers.
"MIC and Samy Vellu have no right to make any noise now as they were a party in the BN state government which approved the land sale in the first place."
Ramasamy was responding to Samy Vellu's attacks on him yesterday where the latter had stated that the DCM was incapable of settling the plight of the Kampung Buah Pala villagers.
"We are slowly beginning to understand the culture of Ramasamy. Being a deputy chief minister he is unable to open his mouth on the Kampung Buah Pala issue.
"He is not capable enough to convince the (Penang) chief minister to do what is necessary for the villagers. But now he wants to do something big," Samy Vellu had added.
Samy Vellu had also chided Ramasamy for leading a protest - to be held on July 30 - against Maika at the MIC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
"This is a matter which is very important to the Indian community and I am very happy that Ramasamy and his colleagues are resorting to street demonstration," Samy Vellu had said sarcastically yesterday.
Protest against Maika
Ramasamy however said that the protest by Pakatan's Indian leaders against Maika was over a legitimate issue, especially in light of the MIC's investment arm's failures to repay its shareholders.
"Maika is a long standing issue and I as an elected representative have received many complaints from my constituents who had invested in Maika.
"I am not undertaking this protest as the deputy chief minister but as an elected rep of the people.
"The protest memorandum is to call for the matter to be resolved and we want to do it peacefully," he said.
He said that Samy Vellu should first try to resolve the Maika issue before interfering with the Penang state government affairs.
Samy Vellu had said that his party would pay a premium to buy back the land for the villagers at RM3.2 million and had proposed to meet the CM over this.
The Kampung Buah Pala land controversy came about when the villagers were ordered to vacate the land before Aug 3 following the sale of the 2.6ha land by the previous state government to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Bhd.
PETALING JAYA: Johor MIC treasurer Datuk S. Balakrishnan has announced his decision to contest for a vice-president’s post in the party polls on Sept 12.
Balakrishnan who is a successful contractor, said he was confident as several divisions in the state have also given him their backing.
“I feel Johor, which has the third largest membership, should be represented at the top leadership,” he said.
“We have not put up a candidate for the past 15 years.”
Johor was last represented by veteran Tan Sri Pasamanickam in the 1980s.
Presently, the in-cumbent vice-presidents are Datuk S. Sothinathan and Datuk S. Veerasingam.
Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar quit as vice-president last year.
Nominations for the deputy president, three vice-presidents and 23 central working committee (CWC) seats will be on Sept 6.
Balakrishnan who won a seat to the CWC in 2000 retained it in the 2003 and 2006 party elections.
He said although he supported the leadership of Samy Vellu, he felt the time was right for him to move up the party ranks after being in the CWC for nine years.
“I will stand on my performance and contributions to the party in my campaigns. I will not join any camp,” he said.
Samy Vellu has endorsed Human Resources Minister and secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and treasurer-general Datuk S.K. Devamany and Deputy Federal Territories Minister and party information chief Datuk M. Saravanan to contest the vice-president posts.
Negri Sembilan state MIC chief Datuk T. Rajagopalu has decided to pull out of the vice-president race and concentrate on retaining his seat in the CWC.
Meanwhile, former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam who is again contesting for the deputy president’s post has launched his own blog to serve as a channel for communication with the MIC members.
“It will serve as a personal and interactive vehicle to seek the views and suggestions of the grassroot members and the Indian community on various issues,” Subramaniam said.
SEREMBAN: State MIC chairman Datuk T. Rajagopalu is pulling out of the race for the party vice-presidency.
He said: "I have thought about it and decided that it would be best for me to pull out. The state will support the team selected by Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and later work together with them to unite and strengthen the party."
It is learnt that Rajagopalu came to the decision following a meeting with party boss Samy Vellu, who was in Seremban to open the state MIC meeting on Sunday.
"There are bigger things to work on at the moment and I am sure I will get my chance when the time is right," Rajagopalu said yesterday.
The three vice-president candidates on the president's list are Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and MIC treasurer-general Datuk S.K. Devamany and Deputy Federal Territories Minister and MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan.
With Rajagopalu out, the only other candidate for the post not endorsed by the party president is former Kuala Lumpur MIC chairman Datuk V.K.K. Teagarajan.
Samy Vellu's son and MIC Youth adviser S. Vell Paari had earlier decided not to contest the post to concentrate on resolving the Maika Holdings issue.
However, according to a senior party leader, there is a strong likelihood that another candidate would go for the vice-presidency.
"There is still some closed-door negotiations going on and you will know who he is when the time is right."
Meanwhile, incumbent party vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan said there was no change in his decision to contest the No. 2 post although Samy Vellu had endorsed incumbent deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel, who is seeking re-election.
"I am definitely going for the deputy presidency. Though the president may have endorsed Palanivel, it is the delegates who make the final choice.
"I am working very hard and remain confident."
Former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam is also contesting the post of deputy president. The party's central working committee will meet on July 30 to fix the election nomination date.
KLANG: Hindraf’s P. Uthayakumar launched a new multiracial party called the Human Rights Party (HRP) with an objective to champion the rights of marginalised sectors of all communities.
He announced that he was giving up practising law and would fully concentrate on being a political activist and to lay the groundwork for the next general election.
He added that the outlawed Hindraf movement would continue to be apolitical and be led by his younger brother Waythamoorthy, who is still in self-exile in London.
Packed house: Hindraf supporters cheering at the launch of the Human Rights Party at the Hokkien Hall in Klang yesterday.
Uthayakumar said HRP would function as a pro tem organisation pending approval from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to its application made on June 18.
Speaking to reporters after the launch of the party at the Hokkien Hall here, Uthayakumar, who will be the party secretary-general, said HRP’s top echelon would be announced later.
He also identified 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats that the party would contest in the election.
He suggested that Indians in these constituencies register as voters to create Indian-majority areas and “to bargain for the marginalised.”
The former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee also launched his book, Malaysian Indian Political Empowerment Strategy: The Way Forward, which was conceptualised and written during his 514 days in detention in Kamunting.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Makkal Sakthi Party secretary-general Kannan Ramasamy offered Uthayakumar to take over the party instead of waiting for ROS approval for HRP.
He said the party’s top leaders are willing to relinquish their posts for the “Hindraf Five”, namely Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, V. Ganabathirau, R. Kengadharan and K. Vasantha-kumar, all of whom were just released from ISA detention.
In Seremban, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Indians would eventually lose out if they chose to be represented by several political parties.
PETALING JAYA: Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam will remain MIC’s sole Cabinet representative although Datuk G. Palanivel has been endorsed the “official” candidate for party deputy president.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said he had decided that Dr Subramaniam, who is party secretary-general, would keep his ministerial post.
He said the president and deputy president would concentrate on party affairs and work on strengthening the party to regain lost ground among the Indian community.
“We decided on this at a meeting recently,” he said while rebutting claims that Palanivel would be made a senator if he retained the deputy president post and take over the party’s sole ministerial portfolio.
Samy Vellu said the claims were made to confuse delegates in the run-up to the party polls on Sept 12.
Palanivel, the incumbent deputy president is expected to be challenged by former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.
Samy Vellu had earlier named him as his choice for the post. For the three vice-president posts, he picked Dr Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany and Federal Territories Deputy Minister Datuk M. Saravanan.
He also advised leaders contesting the 23 central working committee posts to prove their capability.
Samy Vellu said although there was no disunity in the Indian community, certain quarters had written off the MIC after the loss in the March 2008 general election.
He added that many who had gone away had realised their folly and now supported MIC in its activities and programmes.
“It is with the Indian support that our candidates won in Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan and Pahang,” he said, adding that the MIC was the sole Indian party in the Barisan Nasional.
Samy Velly also said that many Indians had been returning to seek assistance from the MIC to solve their problems over the past few months.
SEREMBAN: MIC vice president Datuk S. Sothinathan will not withdraw from contesting the deputy president’s post at the party elections on Sept 12.
“I will contest the post as I have been campaigning since announcing the intention on May 30,” he said when commenting on the decision by MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to back Datuk G. Palanivel in defending the No 2 post.
Sothinathan, 49, said he was confident delegates would vote wisely, adding every member has the right to contest. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has thrown his support for incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel to defend his deputy president post in September’s party elections.
Palanivel, who is a former aide to Samy Vellu, has yet to announce his candidacy but is expected to face former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.
Samy Vellu also urged members and delegates to throw their support behind Palanivel.
Samy Vellu, who was returned unopposed as MIC president for a record 11th term, said he picked Palanivel as he wanted continuity in the party.
“I am endorsing Palanivel because he is very efficient, strong and simple man of the people,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Samy Vellu had also backed Palanivel who defeated the then-incumbent Subramaniam for the deputy president post in 2004.
For the three vice-president posts, Samy Vellu endorsed Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and MIC treasurer-general, Datuk S.K. Devamany, and Deputy Federal Territories Minister and MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan.
“They are chosen as they are holding government posts and as such, are in a good position to serve the Indian community better,” he said.
The incumbent vice-presidents are Sothinathan and Datuk S. Veerasingam while the third post is vacant following the resignation of Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar last year.
Samy Vellu said he was drawing up the list of 23 candidates for the party’s central working committee adding there would be many new faces.
He said he had a responsibility to hand over the party to the right person.
“I have taken great care of the MIC for the last 29 years,” he said.
Palanivel, when contacted, said he was thankful for Samy Vellu’s endorsement.
Devamany said he would work hard to serve the party and community.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Youth adviser S. Vell Paari has decided not to contest the post of vice president to concentrate on resolving the Maika Holdings issue.
“I have decided to resolve the issue which is the only remaining issue being harped by the Opposition,” he said in a statement.
Vell Paari, who is the son of MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, said he was keen in contesting the post but felt that he had a moral obligation to the 60,000 Maika shareholders.
“It is not right for me to think of politics at the moment as I have not found a solution to refund the money to the shareholders,” he said.
Vell Paari added that he had discussed with his wife Shaila Nair, family members and friends before informing his father of his decision not to contest for the vice president’s post.
Meanwhile, Datuk S. Veerasingam said he would not defend his vice-president post in order to serve the people in Perak as adviser to the Mentri Besar.
“We are one big family in MIC and as a democratic party, there will be elections and competitions.
“After the elections however, we must work as a team,” he said.
Speculations were rife that Vell Paari, the MIC president's son, had his heart set on becoming a party vice-president this year.
However, Samy Vellu has endorsed three names for the three posts available and his son was not one of them.
Speaking to Malaysiakini today, Vell Paari explained why he has pulled out of the race.
According to him, it was the morally correct thing to do.
"The need of one individual does not outweigh the need of the community," he said.
"I did a lot of soul searching and had discussions with my family and friends. Two days ago, I informed my father of my decision not to vie for the post," he added.
The reason for this is because Vell Paari wants to resolve the Maika Holdings imbroglio before embarking on the quest to realise his political ambitions.
Maika Holdings is the debt-ridden investment arm of MIC, which Vell Paari overseas as chief executive officer.
What is the point of victory?
Vell Paari noted that he has the backing of an overwhelming number of MIC branches, and winning the post would not be a problem.
"But what is the point of victory when bigger issues loom? To me, Maika is the bigger priority. I have to solve this problem and reimburse the shareholders," he said.
Critics point the finger at Samy Vellu and his son for the woes faced by Maika, which has left 66,000 shareholders in a quandary over their investment.
Over the years, accusations that range from mismanagement and corruption have been levelled and denied.
Vell Paari's reputation had also taken a beating after he was implicated in the death of his former employee K Sujatha.
Observers noted that there is a possibility that his rivals could use this issue against him if he decided to run in the elections.
New solution in the works
Vell Paari explained that in the past, he had expressed interest in going for vice-presidency because there were certain solutions in the pipeline for Maika.
"However, the court injunction and so forth have frustrated this, forcing me to reconsider my decision," he said.
The president's son was referring to the injunction obtained by Nesa Cooperative, which is linked to his father's nemesis and former deputy S Subramaniam.
The injunction was to stop Maika Holdings from disposing its cash cow - insurance firm Overseas Assurance Capital Bhd - to settle its financial predicaments.
Vell Paari told Malaysiakini that he has already put a new plan into motion and believes that it will yield desirable results.
"I have already spoken to the MIC leaders, including Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam about it. It will be brought up to the government soon.
"I am sure the shareholders will be happy," he said.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders should not be too eager to mock Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's recent announcements on his 100th day 'goodies' to the people.
The announcements made by the prime minister may appear insignificant and insufficient to address the core issues faced by the country. However, the incoherent and quarrelsome Pakatan coalition may actually make the prime minister sound good and efficient.
At best, Pakatan's own performance in the last 15 months was mediocre. Apart from making some pledges to reform - such as the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act in Selangor, the intention to hold local elections and the declaration of assets by the state executive members - a number of Pakatan state governments' initiatives were equally populist.
Initiatives such as giving free water to households and a token allowance to the elderly will not help to eradicate poverty permanently.
None of the state governments have indicated how they are going to run their respective government differently from the previous administration. Ask any of the people who live in any of the Pakatan-run state; none of them can clearly explain the mid-term and long-term vision and direction of their new state government.
There is an apparent lack of effort from some of the Pakatan state governments to reach out to the people. As a result, the Kedah state government had announced a revision of 30 percent bumiputera quota for all housing projects to 50 percent.
Instead of trying to help homeless Malay families to own a home, the state government's insistence to implement the new quota would have been detrimental to the housing sector in the state.
The state government obviously did not consider improving the income of these families as an option to help them to be able to afford their own house.
Some of the Pakatan-controlled state governments must be careful with their own announcements. It would be a mistake to take it for granted that the voters will continue to support the lesser of two evils. Cynically, a number of people would seriously consider selling their soul to the devil if all possible options and hope have run out.
Until and unless these new state governments can spend more time to work out a new socio-economic agenda and not keep looking to (or blaming) the federal government for (or the lack of) solutions, the initial public sense of déjà vu may soon turn into scorn and disappointment.
Pakatan problems self-inflicted
Unfortunately, the hostile political environment has created a barrier for both coalitions to openly discuss the options for them to cooperate and co-exist. The need to cooperate is not an option but a political responsibility to the nation and a respect for the people's mandate.
Moreover, the current central planning economic model adopted by the BN government is outdated and sloppy. This model has created uneven regional development and unequal and unjust distribution of wealth in the country.
The physical evidence is obvious that developments were concentrated around the federal capital and areas nearer to the power centre. Those living in the resource rich states such as Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak have remained poor and neglected from mainstream development.
Instead of working collectively to push for more resources and autonomy from the federal government to plan, execute and manage their own economic agenda, the Pakatan-controlled states have evolved into a mirror image of the coalition – fractious, mutually exclusive and lacking a decision-making process and a dispute management system.
Most of the controversies and issues faced by the coalition were self-inflicted. Supporters of Pakatan may argue that the open arguments between its leaders prove that the coalition is democratic enough to accommodate a divergence of views and characters.
However, too many frictions may indicate that the coalition members lack self-discipline and mutual respect for one another. The recent conflicts in Kedah, Penang and Selangor exposed a lack of mutual understanding, a weak coalition partnership and a mutual distrust between the DAP, PKR and PAS.
The coalition has done poorly in measuring and managing the appropriateness, behaviour, efficiency and effectiveness of its own policy makers. When criticised, its leadership was quick to defend and protect some of their recalcitrant and non-performing leaders.
Pakatan had demanded their rival BN to take action against their leaders for making racist and socially inappropriate remarks but failed to act on its own kind. Hence, the likes of Kulim Bandar Baru parliamentarian Zulkifli Nordin will continue to make insensitive remarks.
The resignations of two top leaders in Penang and Kedah and the defections of two state executive council members and a deputy speaker in Perak to the BN should not be taken lightly. These are the symptoms of a more chronic disease morphing in the coalition if left untreated.
I was told that some leaders, after a short spell at the top, have become inaccessible and arrogant. The taste of power can turn a person into either a responsible leader or an egoistic elite. What Pakatan should not emulate is the BN's ability to alienate the civil society and the middle ground.
Policy vs personality
Pakatan's stunning victories in the last general elections do not belong to them solely. The battle was not won on the collective strengths of PAS, PKR or DAP alone but also the collective resolve of the people to push for a real change.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was right to point out that we should focus on policy and not personality. This is a valuable advice for the Pakatan coalition to take heed. It should prepare itself for an eventual leadership transition which will take place in the DAP, PKR and PAS in the next few years.
These parties will suffer a great setback if they were to continue to focus on personality politics. Iconic leaders such as Anwar Ibrahim, Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat and stalwart Lim Kit Siang are not easily replaceable.
A complacent Pakatan may end up seeing Najib and his coalition enjoying the last laugh.
PETALING JAYA: Former Selangor MIC youth chief P. Subramaniam is vying for a vice-president’s post in the September party polls.
The 42-year-old, who had been state youth chief for nine years, feels it is time for him to move up the party ranks.
Negri Sembilan MIC chairman Datuk T. Rajagopalu had earlier announced his decision to contest one of the three vice-presidencies.
The incumbents are Datuk S. Sothinathan and Datuk S. Veerasingam. Tan Sri K. S. Nijhar quit as vice-president last year.
The nomination for the three vice-presidents is scheduled for late August. Elections will be held during the party assembly on Sept 12.
Sothinathan has broken ranks with the party leadership and announced his bid for the deputy president’s post. He will go up against former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam while incumbent deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel is expected to announce his decision later
More than 30 Indian Malaysian medical students met MIC president S Samy Vellu in Kuala Lumpur today, to raise issues related to their studies in Russia.
The meeting, organised by Putera MIC, centred on problems associated with financial aid to the students, all studying in Kursk, Moscow and Volgograd.
Putera MIC's Russian chapter, formed on April 16 this year, now comprises 43 members. It is a platform to unite Indian Malaysian students and to raise matters affecting their interests.
Chapter head R Senthilraj said some students now get financial aid from MIC education arm, the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED).
“MIED is providing us with RM7,000 biennially. Some receive RM10,000 for the same period,” he said, in asking for more money and less interest.
Samy Vellu said that, in the past, MIED used to give RM20,000 to students and in extremely needy cases, RM25,000.
“The problem is with repayment. Students go missing for five years after completing their course and we are unable to recover the money. Hence the loans are now limited to RM7,000 and in extreme cases students receive RM10,000,” he said.
“We'd have RM50 million if they had all paid up. We only have RM3 million to RM4 million now. If you don't want to pay interest, don't take a loan.”
He also attributed the reduction of funds to the larger number of students in foreign universities today.
Talks with Health Ministry
In response to a question, he said that it would be possible for MIED to provide the money at the beginning of the semester in September instead of in January.
Over the issue of recognition of medical degrees, he revealed that there have been talks with the Health Ministry to do away with the qualifying examination.
However, he was less sympathetic to complaints that medical students from Russia are “treated differently”.
“Take that as a challenge and prove your capability,” he retorted.
He then quipped in Tamil: “You have to go through this mother-in- law, daughter-in-law problem for a short period of time.”
Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general S Subramaniam and Putera MIC coordinator P Kamalanathan were also present.
KUALA LUMPUR: Despite MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's earlier announcement that he will not endorse any candidate for the deputy president's post in the September party elections, talk is rife that he favours incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel. There are reasons for the talk.
One, Palanivel is always seen accompanying Samy Vellu to any event. As previous party elections indicated, the president's men always follow him.
There was also a recent news report that said Samy Vellu had endorsed Palanivel as deputy president.
Samy Vellu has since distanced himself from the report.
The third and most obvious are his attacks on the other two candidates -- former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.
Subramaniam was questioned on issues relating to Maika Holdings Berhad while Sothinathan, who was once said to be Samy Vellu's blue-eyed boy, was criticised for announcing his candidacy.
When asked if Palanivel was his endorsed candidate, Samy Vellu said yesterday: "You can take it that way if you want. But I have not endorsed anyone yet. I have my own candidates but I am not going to announce it now. Wait till the nomination."
A former party secretary-general said Palanivel was favoured by the president's son, S. Vell Paari, who had wanted the weakest candidate of the three to ensure that he would not be sidelined later.
Vell Paari, who is said to be after the vice-presidency, is said to have struck a deal with Palanivel for the party elections: help him win the vice-presidency and he will get his father to endorse Palanivel as the number two.
"Vell Paari knows if the other two candidates win, it will be the end of his political career. They will definitely not want him around," he added.
The post of MIC deputy president is being closely watched by party members after Samy Vellu's earlier announcement that he would hand over the party to the new deputy president after the party elections.
However, the new deputy president may not be able to take over the party so soon following Samy Vellu's statement that he wanted to finish his three-year term.
Samy Vellu, the party's longest-serving president, has been helming the party since 1979.
A MIC Youth leader has been accused of coaxing young boys to join the ruling component party and undergo a ritual to be part of a secret 'brotherhood'.
S Pravin Kumaran from Pahang had lodged a police report on Friday claiming that he was held against his will and coerced to join a shadowy group comprising young men.
However, after five days of being held captive, Pravin said he managed to escape two days ago from Pahang MIC Youth leader G Kumar Aamaan while they were in Kemaman, Terengganu.
The 22-year-old college student told reporters today that he got to know the MIC leader a week ago when he received a call from Kumar regarding a job offer.
"July 4 was the first time I heard from him. At that time, I did know anything about him except that he is a renowned MIC national-level leader," said Pravin.
"He offered me a job at a steel factory with a high salary and asked me to come down to Kuala Lumpur and on July 6, I met him in Puduraya (bus terminal) and from then on I was held like a captive," he recounted.
Pravin said from the time they met, he had to abide to everything he was instructed to do and that he felt as if he was being "hypnotized".
They bear similar tattoos
He added that he was forced to spend all the money he had brought with him to top up his prepaid mobile number.
"The five days I was with him, I was asked to arrange meetings with grassroots leaders, which I did, but things started getting fishy when I was not even allowed to speak privately on my mobile phone.
“All the calls I received was placed on loudspeaker mode so that others could hear my conversations as well," he said.
"I was being mentally tortured... they would not let me out of their sight. Although they were suppose to buy meals for me, they would get me only one meal and let me starve for the rest of the day," he said.
Moreover, during the five-day period, Pravin said that he was taken by Kumar to Manek Urai in Kelantan to meet with state-level leaders and to Terengganu, where he planned his escape.
"It was then that I was brainwashed to agree to become part of the brotherhood and I was asked to contribute RM30 for a special ritual where I would join 30 other boys from 16 to 24 to be members," said Pravin.
He said that he had met with several others from the 'brotherhood' and they all bore similar tattoos in the shape of 'Sanskrit Oum' (a Hindu religious symbol) on their body as well as wearing the same lockets around their necks.
However Pravin was unable to provide more details of the ritual as the event was to take place on Sunday.
Allegation meant to destroy reputation
When contacted, Kumar told Malaysiakini that the allegation was an attempt to damage his reputation ahead of the contest for MIC's central working committee in the upcoming party polls in September.
"The boy is a MIC member from Pahang and he called me wanting to meet so he came to KL.
"I had even spoke to his dad and they knew that he was with me... But suddenly yesterday morning, he went missing. We thought he went off with his relatives," said Kumar.
Kumar said he would wait for the police to contact him and expressed his willingness to assist with their investigation on the matter.
MALACCA: The Prime Minister’s Department has targeted raising 10,000 entrepreneurs from the Indian community in the next two years.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk T. Murugiah said the Indian community, especially the youths, were being encouraged to delve in small businesses, agro-farming and taking up franchises.
“To date, we have produced 3,000 entrepreneurs from the Indian community,” he told reporters after opening a seminar on small businesses, agro-farming and franchises here yesterday.
On measures announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in conjunction with his 100 days in office, Murugiah said this showed that the Government did not sideline the Indians. – Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Maika Holdings chief executive officer S. Vell Paari had behaved “as if he had lost a wife” at the funeral of actress K. Sujatha, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam told the Coroner’s Court.
Relating a video recording in his possession to coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu, Manikavasagam, a witness in the inquest into Sujatha’s death, said he identified MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and his son, Vell Paari, attending the funeral, in the recording.
He said their spouses, however, were not in the video.
The video recording of the funeral, which was in one of three VCDs sent to Manikavasagam, was among the evidence highlighted at the inquest.
When asked what was the relevance of the video to Sujatha’s death, he replied: “His (Vell Paari) reaction at the funeral. It was as if he had lost a wife.”
To this, Vell Paari’s counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran, objected and said it was merely Manikavasagam’s opinion and not a fact.
Manikavasagam said the third VCD was given to him last December by Sujatha’s friend in the entertainment industry.
The first two were posted to him anonymously, via Pos Ekspress in August, 2007.
When examined by deputy public prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent, Manikavasagam said the first VCD contained pornographic material while the second VCD contained an unspecified video.
In replying to a question, Manikavasagam said both Vell Paari and Sujatha were not in the first two VCDs.
He agreed with Geethan that both VCDs had no relevance to Sujatha’s death.
Manikavasagam surrendered the first VCD to the Bukit Aman police headquarters and addressed it to the Inspector-General of Police.
However, the second VCD, which he did not bring to court, was still in his possession.
Geethan: Why didn’t you surrender the second VCD? Have you seen it?
Manikavasagam: Yes I have seen the video. I don’t want to surrender it because I want to see how this inquest turns out.
Geethan: Why?
Manikavasagam: I surrendered the first VCD. But no action was taken by the police.
During the cross-examination, Kumaraendran demanded that Manikavasagam reveal his source for the third VCD.
To this, N. Surendran, who represented Manikavasagam, stood up and objected.
“By revealing the source’s name, the person would be subjected to danger,” he said.
Mohd Faizi later ruled that the first two VCDs were of no relevance and Manikavasagam did not have to reveal his source for the third VCD.
The inquest continues Friday.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- The coroner presiding over the inquest of actress K. Sujatha's death had a difficult task ensuring the proceedings did not reach boiling point when Member of Parliament for Kapar S. Manikavasagam took the stand Thursday.
Coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu at one point was forced to use his pen to tab the table several times to get the attention of the counsel representing Manikavasagam and Maika Holdings chief executive officer S. Vell Paari.
It came about after Vell Paari's counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran vehemently argued that most parts of Manikavasagam's testimony were secondary evidence and hearsay.
He contended that the inquest should not give much weight to the MP's evidence since the witness himself had admitted that he did not have any personal knowledge or evidence on Sujatha's death.
This resulted in Manikavasagam's counsel N. Surendran objecting to Kumaraendran's contention, saying that Manikavasagan in fact was an interested party in the proceedings since he had lodged several police reports following two anonymous letters and three video compact discs (VCDs) regarding the case that were sent to him by unknown individuals or people who did not want their identities revealed.
When the exchange of words got out of hand, Mohd Faizi reminded Surendran of his earlier ruling that he and his co-counsel M. Manogaran were only allowed a watching brief and not questioning witnesses.
Mohd Faizi also made several rulings including that the court would not compel Manikavasagam to reveal the identity of a man who he claimed had handed over the 3rd VCD late last year, which allegedly contained the recording of funeral rites for Sujatha where Vell Paari and his father Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had attended.
"This inquest is mainly to find out the cause of death and this VCD in my view is not relevant to the inquest," ruled Mohd Faizi.
The inquest was ordered following the death of the 28-year-old actress at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang on June 25, 2007, six days after her admission to allegedly drinking weed killer.
Earlier, questioned by deputy public prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent who is assisting the coroner, Manikavasagam said he lodged a police report on July 27, 2007 after receiving two anonymous letters and two newspaper cuttings in Tamil which alleged there was foul play in the actress' death.
He said three days before his police report, an Indian man had contacted him via handphone claiming he had already posted two letters containing information on Sujatha's death and wanted him to pursue the matter with police.
"Even Sujatha's mother contacted me three months after my police report asking whether a post-mortem was conducted on Sujatha's body and when I told her there was none, she urged me to get justice for her daughter's death," claimed Manikavasagam.
Queried furter by Geethan whether the caller was indeed Sujatha's mother, Manikavasagam said he was convinced it was her since the woman had called from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) office in Ipoh and had sought the assistance of a party member, R. Jenabala.
Asked by Kumaraendran why he had insisted that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan record his statement, Manikavasagam claimed that it was because there had been no investigations over his police reports and alleged that Sentul OCPD ACP K. Kumaran tried to cover up the case.
To a final question posed by Mohd Faizi whether he wanted to say anything further to assist the inquest, Manikavasagam said even though he did not have any personal knowledge on the cause of Sujatha's death, he still believed the actress was murdered.
The inquest continues tomorrow.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC is upset about the recent appointment of a non-Indian academician as the acting head of Universiti Malaya's Indian Studies Department.
Party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said he was "shocked and dismayed" over the decision to replace Dr S. Kumaran with a non-Indian.
He wanted the university's assurance that the department would continue to be headed by an Indian.
Samy Vellu said he would raise the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak if there was no solution to the problem.
MIC Unity and Youth Development Bureau head S.P. Muthu Veloo urged the university to state why Kumaran was relieved of his position when he had only two months to complete his term.
A university source said there had been squabbling among Indian academicians in the department.
"That's why a non-Indian was appointed, to settle the rift between them.
"Appointing any one of them would have worsened the situation."
The source added that the appointment was temporary.
If a former officer of the Sungai Siput land office is to be believed, there is enough land - 44 lots to be precise - to relocate 43 squatter families who have ordered to move out of their village by July 17.
But if the current officer's claim is correct, only 35 lots are available. This would result in the community being split up over two sites - 20 families in Taman Keladang and the rest in Kampung Perik.
The squatters at 'Kampung KTM' have been occupying railway reserve land for the last 30 years, but now have to move out to make way for the double-tracking project.
And they are not waiting for the conundrum to be resolved. They first engaged a private surveyor who “confirmed” that there are indeed 44 lots in Taman Keladang, about 4km from Sungai Siput.
They then lodged a police report yesterday against the land office for the allegedly intimidating content of the eviction notice dated July 3.
It states that the squatters will be fined RM10,000 each and may be sentenced to jail for a year if they do not vacate the site by July 17.
Residents committee chairperson M Muniappan said: “About 50 of us lodged the police report. We also stated that the land office has broken its promise to relocate all of us in Taman Keladang, and that it wants to divide the 43 families between two sites.”
Muniappan said Taman Keladang is a more convenient site than Kampung Perik, which is about 15km from the town.
Those forced to re-settle in Kampung Perik would therefore find it a financial burden to travel to work in Sungai Siput and to send their children to school, he noted.
“The proposed area is swamp land and is located in a flood-prone low-lying area. It will take us at least two years to fill the site and raise to the level of Kampung Perik. We are poor people and do not have the funds to reclaim swamp land,” he said.
Memo to land office
The squatters formed a committee to protect their rights and to negotiate with the state government seven years ago, after hearing that the double-tracking rail project was about to begin.
“Most of the residents are very poor people, who are odd-job workers. We cannot afford to be thrown out of our homes without compensation and an alternative site,” said Muniappan.
He claimed that 15 appeal letters had been submitted over the years to former Menteri Besar Mohd Tajol Rosli (left), asking for alternative land to be provided.
Political parties like DAP and PSM then began applying pressure on the authorities, while Hindraf and MP for Sungai Siput Dr D Jeyakumar also lent support to the squatters.
Bypassing them, the land office sought direct negotiations with the squatters, offering them a relocation transport allowance of RM1,000 and compensation of RM300 per month for two years.
However, the squatters were largely cool to the offer - only a few accepted it and moved out.
PSM Youth co-ordinator R Karthiees is now assisting the community to prepare a memorandum that will be presented to the land office tomorrow.
In it, they will demand a retraction of the eviction notice, and a dialogue session to resolve issues related to relocation.
They will also refuse relocation to the site in Kampung Perik, and insist that the whole community be resettled in Taman Keladang. Pending a solution, they will not move out of their village.
Hoping to resolve the plight of the co-operative movement in the country, MIC president S Samy Vellu has vowed to bring up the shortcomings of the Malaysia Co-operative Commission (MCC) and Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission Act 2007 to the Prime Minister as soon as it is possible.
He chided lawmakers who voted the bill in and for not consulting members of the co-operative movement beforehand.
"How could the people who drafted and passed this act be so careless? With this act, what will be the eventual fate of the co-operatives?" he asked.
Samy Vellu (right) told Malaysiakini that it is unfair not to have representatives from the Indian community in MCC as they had been the forefathers of the co-operative movement and were the pioneers of very big co-operatives such as the National Land Finance Co-operative Society (NLFS).
"Racial composition must be followed in every set up that they do. Then only people from other races will feel that they have a place in whatever new commission formed by the government.
"The multi racial composition of this country should be reflected in the commissions' membership. But here I see, no one from the Indian community is given any opportunity," he said.
He also wanted to know why the act had been passed without approval from members of the co-operatives.
"Co-operatives are a great way of bringing progress to the people. If such an act is created, it will hinder the growth of the co-operatives. This is very, very wrong.
"When you adopt a new act, that act should be approved by the people within the co-operative movement. Here, the rights of the members are deprived. In a co-operative, the member has the first right because he is the owner of the co-operative.
He said that it was the investment pf the individual member that made the co-operative strong and it is because of the trust the members placed in the co-operative that they invested money.
Second look needed
Samy Vellu, who also heads the Koperasi Pekerja Jaya (KPJ), said that he hoped the government will take a second look at the MCC and review the Co-operative Commission Act.
"The co-operative commission is very one sided. Very strong powers are given to them, very draconian powers. They can do anything to anybody. I don't think in a democratic country like ours, we should just grant such powers to one particular organisation," he said.
He also said that "such a big amendment" to the Cooperative Societies Act 1993, should have had the consent from all major co-operative societies.
"They never consulted anybody and just came up with the act. We've been told to shut up and adopt the act. That is very, very wrong because there was no consultation," he said.
He said that Section 43 of the act, in particular, is a "very dangerous clause" as it dictates that "all co operative societies must deposit into the Co operative Deposit Account funds 'not immediately needed for operations or investment' without provision for compensations".
This, he said, will discourage active cooperatives as most co-operatives work very hard in saving their money.
Now they've been told that their money will be taken from them.
"It is out of their efficiency that they have achieved this and the government must appreciate it rather than take it away.
"Furthermore, when the commission invest, we do not know whether it is a rightful investment or not. Based on past histories, we have to be very careful in handling the matter.
He also said that Section 54 of the act, stating that Aevery offence, punishable under the act, shall be a seizable offence, will hinder people from getting involved in co-operatives.
"Maybe, the idea is that with more and more mistakes, more fines can be collected. Even in criminal cases you don't see people being fine so high as this.
Samy Vellu who left for India after this interview, said that he is impressed with the co-operative societies in India and Bangladesh.
"In India, the co-operative movement is very strong. I'm so surprised in countries like Bangladesh and India, the people are running small cooperatives that are helpful to the members and to the people," he said.
Samy Vellu heads two of the largest co-operatives in this country, KPJ and the newly formed Koperasi Didik.
KPJ, with over 30,000 members, specialises in housing schemes and was established in 1979 by Samy Vellu.
Also present was Co-operative Consultant Thuraisingham Shun, who also agreed with Samy Vellu.
He said that that the co-operative movement in Malaysia was pioneered even before the Co-operative Societies Act came into being.
The first cooperative was the Jaffanese Co-operative Society, followed by the Telecoms Co-operative society, the Government Servants Co-operative Society and other which still continue to exist today.
The co-operative movement in Malaysia is 87 years old.
A former Hindraf ISA detainee today urged the movement to take a reconciliatory approach in seeking a solution with the Penang government to solve the Kampung Buah Pala issue.
V Ganabatirao (with garland) said that it was pointless for the movement to be hitting the streets to seek a solution for the villagers who are facing imminent eviction.
"The issue is being politicised. Everybody is lashing out at Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his deputy P Ramasamy," he told Malaysiakini today.
"Calling Lim a racist is bad. I strongly believe that he is doing a good job. The state government has urged the developer to pay proper compensation to each of the affected households," he added.
"We should be talking to Lim instead of using street politics. We can have dialogues with him directly," he said.
He stressed that the recent nationwide demonstrations called by Hindraf against DAP was not the answer for the problem the villagers are presently facing.
Hindraf leaders P Uthayakumar and P Waythamoorthy have been hitting out at Lim and other state leaders for being unable to stop the developer from evicting the villagers.
Apart from the nationwide demonstrations held on Tuesday, the two Hindraf leaders have also warned Lim that he stood to lose the Indian support if he failed to assist the villagers. Some other Hindraf leaders have also called for Lim to resign.
Uthayakumar will be in Penang on Saturday in support of the villagers where he is once again expected to attract a large crowd.
Ganabatirao however said that the public gathering was not the way to address the issue.
"I will be visiting Kampung Buah Pala on July 5 (Sunday) and hope to have a discussion with the chief minister himself on this matter," said Ganabatirao, a DAP member since 2006.
Ganabatirao was held under ISA since Dec 13, 2007 along with Uthayakumar and three others for leading the Hindraf movement.
The movement's chairperson Waythamoorthy had left to the UK to take charge from there. He is still based there. Hindraf was banned by the government last October.
The five Hindraf leaders arrested under the ISA were released in April and May this year.
Split in Hindraf
Ganabatirao also said that individual Hindraf leaders should not be making statements on their own by claiming to represent the movement.
"No single person should represent the views of Hindraf. The five leaders who were detained under the ISA should give joint-statements.
"Even I cannot give statements on behalf of Hindraf on my personal capacity. Without the consensus of all five, no one should claim that it is a Hindraf statement," he said.
He also said that Waythamoorthy was not the real leader of the movement as he was not elected to the position of chairperson.
"And Uthayakumar's opinion doesn't represent Hindraf. Don't be a hero in the media," he said, addressing the remark to the public face of Hindraf.
He added that the five who were detained under the ISA had had a fallout but quickly added that they needed to get back again for the sake of the community.
"Let's all five of us represent Indian Malaysians. Hindraf is not a sole property of an individual."
In an effort to reunite the five of them, he said that he would be organising a dinner at a restaurant in Klang on Aug 1.
Meanwhile another Hindraf ISA detainee, K Vasanthakumar, urged the prime minister to intervene and resolve the Kampung Buah Pala problem in an open letter.
KLANG: Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P. Uthayakumar will form a political party or a non-governmental organisation soon.
“It all depends on the feedback we get from our supporters and well-wishers,” he said.
The organisation, be it a political party or NGO, would be one of its kind in the country, he added.
“We will stand on our own and will represent, in particular, the most vulnerable communities in the country,” said Uthayakumar, 48.
He said a decision would be announced at the Klang Hokkien Hall on July 19. “We are expecting our supporters from all over to gather there on that day.”
He will be meeting Hindraf supporters over the weekend to gauge their sentiments.
Uthayakumar said he conceptualised the framework for the organisation during his 514-day detention under the Internal Security Act. He was freed in May.
The proposed organisation, he said, would be a third force in the country besides Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.
A source close to Uthayakumar said the organisation would probably be a political party based on the principles of human rights.
“Human rights is an issue very close to his heart. Recent events such as the Kampung Buah Pala saga has made him realise that there is a need for an independent political voice to represent the suppressed,” he said.
He said the possibility that the organisation would be political in nature was also based on the Indian community’s disappointment in Pakatan.
In Putrajaya, Registrar of Societies Datuk Alias Kalil said there had been no application from Uthayakumar to form a political party.
“We have not received anything from him. No applications (have been submitted) as of today (yesterday),” he said.
Currently, there are 32 political parties and 44,777 associations registered with the ROS nationwide.
Pakatan Rakyat today announced the setting up of committees to correspond with the 25 ministries in the federal cabinet.
"There are 25 ministries and each ministry will have a member of parliament from PKR, DAP and PAS.
"And the committees will also have specialists in respective fields to help the Pakatan MPs," said PKR vice-president Azmin Ali at a press conference in Parliament today.
He added that the committees - officially known as Pakatan Rakyat Members of Parliament Committee - were formed to focus on parliamentary duties which includes debating bills and to be prepared for the question-and-answer session.
"We want Pakatan Rakyat MPs to be well-prepared in the aspects of research and reference. That is why there would be certain members who specialise in the respective fields in the committees," he added.
He further said that the committees were formed a few months ago and had had meetings and discussions.
"The next parliamentary session on Oct 15 is an important session as the budget will be read then. By then we hope that the MPs tasked with the relevant ministries will be updated with the latest information," said Azmin.
Not a shadow cabinet
He however stressed that this was not a shadow cabinet.
"For the time being, this is enough," he said, adding that Pakatan will make a decision on the shadow cabinet when the right moment arrives.
DAP MP Tony Pua who was also at the press conference said Pakatan had not formed a shadow cabinet as it was not recognised by the Parliament as was practiced in other countries.
He said that in other countries the shadow cabinets were recognised and assisted by the Parliament to help with research to provide constructive feedback.
"In our case we will never get such a recognition... committees are more practical," he said.
Below is the list of MPs and the ministries under their charge:
Prime Minister's Department
PKR: Anwar Ibrahim, Mohamed Azmin Ali, R Sivarasa, Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, William Leong, Ahamd Kasim and Fuziah Salleh
PAS: Abdul Hadi Awang, Nasharudin Mat Isa, Salahuddin Ayub, Hatta Ramli, Dzulkifli Ahmad, Taib Azamuddin, Khalid Samad
DAP: Lim Kit Siang, Ngeh Koo Ham, Hiew King Chiew, John Fernandez
Home Affairs
Johari Abdul (PKR), Salahuddin Ayub (PAS), Karpal Singh (DAP)
Finance
Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR), Dzulkifli Ahmad (PAS), Lim Guan Eng (DAP)
Transport
Zahrain Mohamed Hashim (PKR), Khalid Samad (PAS), Tan Kok Wai (DAP)
Works
Kamarul Bahrin Abbas (PKR), Mahfuz Omar (PAS), Gobind Singh Deo (DAP)
Plantation Industries and Commodities
Rashid Din (PKR), Abd Rahim Wan Abdullah (PAS), Er Teck Hwa (DAP)
Energy, Green Technology and Water
Chua Tian Chang (PKR), Nasir Zakaria (PAS), Charles Santiago (DAP)
International Trade and Industry
William Leong (PKR), Hatta Ramli (PAS), Teresa Kok (DAP)
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry
Ahmad Kassim (PKR), Taib Azamuddin Md Taib (PAS), Sim Tong Him (DAP)
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Azan Ismail (PKR), Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut (PAS), Jeff Ooi (DAP)
Education
Yusmadi Yusoff (PKR), Che Uda Che Nik (PAS), Chong Eng (DAP)
Culture, Arts and Communication
Amran Abdul Ghani (PKR), Mahfuz Omar (PAS), Teo Nie Ching (DAP)
Human Resources
Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid (PKR), Muhammad Husin (PAS), M Kulasegaran (DAP)
Science, Technology and Innovation
Nurul Izzah Anwar, Che Rosli Che Mat (PAS), Chow Kon Yeow (DAP)
Housing and Local Government
Hee Loy Hsien (PKR), Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS), Nga Kor Ming (DAP)
Defence
Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR), Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (PAS), Liew Chin Tong (DAP)
Rural and Regional Development
Abdul Aziz Kadir (PKR), Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman (PAS), M Manogaran (DAP)
Foreign Affair
R Sivarasa (PKR), Kamarudin Jaffar (PAS), P Ramasamy (DAP)
Sports and Youth
Tan Tee Beng (PKR), Mohd Firdaus Jaafar (PAS), Anthony Loke (DAP)
Health
Lee Boon Chye (PKR), Mohd Hayati Othman (PAS), Tan Seng Giaw (DAP)
Women, Family and Community Development
Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR), Siti Zailah Mohd Yusuf (PAS), Fong Po Kuan (DAP)
Tourism
S Manikavasagam, Wan Abd Rahim Wan Abdulllah (PAS), Fong Kui Lun (DAP)
Federal Territory
Wee Choo Keong (PKR), Lo'Lo' Ghazali (PAS), Lim Lip Eng (DAP)
Higher Education
Zulkifli Nordin (PKR), Salahuddin Ayub (PAS), Tony Pua (DAP)
Natural Resources and Environment
N Gobalakrishnan (PKR), Mujahid Tusof Rawa (PAS), Chong Chien Jen (DAP)
Penang government today came under fire from a PKR lawmaker for not upholding human rights and social justice in handling the 'High Chaparral' Kampung Buah Pala crisis.
Balik Pulau parliamentarian Yusmadi Yusoff said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should know that any development forsaking human development and values is in breach of universal laws and principles.
"All development policies without emphasis on human rights are flawed. The Kampung Buah Pala crisis should have been handled on these universal principles.
"It's a virtue upheld by international convention and universal laws on social and natural justice.
"Pakatan Rakyat's economic agenda upholds these values and the DAP government should know that," he told Malaysiakini today.
Yusmadi, the PKR state youth leader, is heading a separate party task force to probe the alleged land scam involving Kampung Puah Pala.
The 'High Chaparral' crisis is fast approaching a Mexican standoff between the villagers, civil societies, Lim's government and the developer - Umno-linked Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd.
Crisis could have been averted
The DAP-dominated state government had come under fire from various quarters including the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), various social activists and politicians for its 'ineptness and unwillingness' to end the crisis.
They want the state government to acquire and preserve the village in Bukit Gelugor for its 300 residents, involving 65 families in 24 houses.
Even residents living within the vicinity have signed a petition supporting the villagers' cause and called on the state government to halt the lucrative project initiated by its controversial land owner - Koperasi Pegawai-Pegawai Kanan Kerajaan Kerajaan Pulau Pinang.
Touching on the standoff between the villagers, developer and the state government, Yusmadi said the crisis could have been averted if the state government had respected human rights over commercial interests.
He said Lim was wrong to talk about a supposed RM200,000 offer made by the developer to the villagers because he had abandoned the social, economic and cultural rights of the villagers.
The villagers accused Lim of lying about the RM200,000 offer, stressing that the developer had only offered RM90,000 cash or a low cost unit as compensation.
Lim must expose the culprits
Yusmadi said the villagers and civil societies were talking about a 200-year-old peaceful and friendly urban living environment.
Its cultural growth, self-reliant economic activities and the romance of nature is something so scarce these days.
"One cannot compare all these human development and values with material goals," said Yusmadi.
"No amount of compensation can buy all these postive values in life," he said, chiding Lim for being inconsistent on the issue.
He said while the state government had formed an investigation team to probe misappropriation of the village land, Lim on the other hand, was talking about compensation.
By probing into the land deals, he said Lim (left) had admitted that the state government suspected foul play.
Therefore, he said Lim should stick with the probe and go on to expose the real culprits.
But talking about compensation now, he said Lim had contradicted himself and confused the public.
Yusmadi said the onus was now on Lim's government to prove to Penangites that Pakatan government was 'governance with a difference' - upholding human rights and social justice.
"The state government must show that it is different from Barisan Nasional. It must protect human rights, human freedom and human development," he said.
In November 2007, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) had rattled the nation when it staged a massive street protest in Kuala Lumpur which drew tens of thousands of Indian Malaysians.
Five of its leaders were subsequently detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). But the momentum generated by the movement saw the Indian Malaysian community turning its back on the ruling coalition.
The Hindraf leaders have since been released, and now the movement plans to take its struggle to the political realm.
According to sources, Hindraf has already submitted its application to the Registrar of Societies and is awaiting the green light.
The name for the new party is Parti Hak Asasi Manusia (Paham).
Speculation that Hindraf may venture into politics started making the rounds when its leader P Uthayakumar stated that the movement was dissatisfied with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.
He lamented that Hindraf's 'Makkal Sakthi' clarion call had been exploited by all parties for their personal benefit, leaving the Indian community high and dry.
Uthayakumar had also suggested that a new political party was needed to safeguard the rights of the Indian community.
Following this, the lawyer has been touring the country to garner feedback from the grassroots and is slated to make an official announcement on July 19.
No proper avenue for Indians"MIC, PPP, IPF and other splinter Indian parties are linked to BN and are committed to the coalition's rules and regulations which have retarded the economic progress of the Indian community for the past 52 years," said the source.
"On the other hand, DAP is a Chinese-based party, PKR a Malay-based party and PAS an Islamic party. There is no proper avenue for Indians to voice out their grievances," he added.
The source is confident that Indians from other political parties will flock to Paham.
Asked about the possibility of the ROS rejecting the application, the source cited Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which gives a person the right to form an association and Article 8 of the same, that provides equality before the law.
"When ROS can approve another Indian political party (Makkal Sakthi Party Malaysia (MSPM) within two weeks, I don't see any reason for it to reject our application," he said.
"Anyway, in such an eventuality, Paham will continue as a pro-tem party and may take legal action as a last resort to seek justice for the new party," he added.
Contacted later, Uthayakumar declined to comment on the formation of the new party.
Even before the dust could settle on the unity talks fiasco which nearly tore apart Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition coalition is now faced with another crisis.
This time around the trouble is in Kedah where the state DAP has decided to quit the coalition formed slightly more than a year ago.
Kedah DAP's decision was related to the demolishment of the sole pig abattoir in the Malay-majority state which is headed by a menteri besar from PAS.
According to reports, the Alor Star Municipal Council has claimed that the premise was operating without a licence.
Kedah DAP's decision was announced by its chief Thomas Su at a press conference in Alor Star this evening.
"I have already relayed the decision to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. Fourteen out of 16 of our (state) committee members have agreed to quit," he told Malaysiakini.
He added that two other committee members could not attend the meeting.
Su said apart from the sole DAP representative in the state government, three local councillors and 43 village heads would also quit the government.
"DAP is not threatening the state government but we cannot sacrifice our principles. Although we have quit the Kedah government, it would not affect cooperation with Pakatan."
“This is a state level decision, we would abide by whatever decision that is made by the DAP central executive committee on the matter,” he said.
No alternative site for relocation
Stressing that he felt "dejected and disappointed", Su said the abattoir was utilised by 28 operators.
When Pakatan took over the state after the last general election, the abattoir was told to relocate its operations.
Su said the operators agreed to this, provided that a new site be given.
However, he added that the six sites proposed by DAP were rejected. The party was currently in the midst of suggesting another place when the demolition took place.
"The trust of the 28 operators has been betrayed. They are now left stranded. Pakatan is based on equality, fairness and justice. But were these principles upheld in this issue?" he asked.
It is learnt that the Pakatan council would hold an emergency meeting tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the matter.
DAP has one state seat in Kedah, while PAS has 16 and PKR, 5.
The abattoir was to be demolished last month but it was halted following the intervention of DAP state representative, Lee Guan Aik.
Before today's demolition, Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak said that he had no power to stop the action by the municipal council.
According to China Press, Su and his supporters had attempted to prevent enforcement officers from the municipal council from tearing down the abattoir this afternoon.
Following this, a plainclothes policeman had forcibly removed the DAP leader from the scene.
Not the first incident
The DAP state chief said this was not the first incident which has angered the party.
Previously, he said there were complaints over the 50 percent housing quota for bumiputeras imposed by the PAS-led government as well as the partial demolishment of two temples.
Suu said DAP's objections regarding these issues were often ignored.
According to Pakatan sources in the state, DAP's disgruntlement has been brewing since the onset after it was 'shortchanged' in the appointments into various state bodies.
Pakatan is still licking its wounds from the damage caused by the proposal for PAS to hold unity talks with arch rival Umno.
Several DAP leaders had hammered PAS for even considering such a possibility.
Tensions between the Islamic-based PAS and the Chinese-dominated DAP is not something new.
In 2001, DAP had quit the then opposition alliance Barisan Alternatif after its leaders crossed swoards with PAS' top brass over the Islamic state agenda.
KLANG: The chairman of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) P. Waythamoorthy has accused Penang’s DAP-led government of not doing enough for the state’s Indians.
He said the Pakatan Rakyat coalition has failed to live-up to the expectations of the state’s Indian electorate by not solving the problems faced by the Kampung Buah Pala residents.
Waythamoorthy’s disdain was fuelled by the state’s alleged ineffective role in solving the land dispute involving Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Bhd, Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd and the villagers.
The residents of Kampung Buah Pala, said to be the last Tamil heritage village in Penang, are facing eviction and claim there was foul play in the transfer of the land from the state to the co-operative in late March 2008.
Waythamoorthy lambasted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for not exercising his power to use the National Land Code and the Land Acquisition Act to settle the problem.
He said the residents were not asking for compensation.
“All they want is to continue living in Kampung Buah Pala and practice their heritage and culture,” said Waythamoorthy in a telephone interview from New Delhi where he was meeting Indian leaders.
He chided Lim for initially having pushed the matter to deputy Chief Minister ll Dr P. Ramasamy.
“This is not an Indian problem. It is a state problem and the DAP leadership was racist in pushing it to Ramasamy,” said Waythamoorthy.
He also accused Ramasamy of being the “DAP’s Indian mandor (overseer)”.
Waythamoorthy also reproached Lim for currently having transferred the issue from Ramasamy to deputy Chief Minister l Mansor Othman.
“Why can’t Guan Eng handle the matter personally as both the deputy chief ministers do not wield the power that he has to solve the matter?” he asked.
He said the DAP’s claim of protecting the democratic rights of the underprivileged was just an eyewash.
Waythamoorthy also alleged that there appeared to be a hidden agenda to get rid of the last remaining Tamil heritage village in Penang.
