Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was asked to clarify if it was government policy to convert young children, especially minors, into Islam while being under the care of government welfare homes.

PKR Kedah deputy youth chief Gooi Hsiao Leung said Shahrizat's clarification was imperative following a controversial statement by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mashitah Ibrahim, who praised such conversions.

"Mashitah's statement is scandalous and reckless. Shahrizat should take an immediate stand on it," said Gooi.

He also wants Shahrizat to clarify whether Mashitah's remarks were made in her personal capacity or from her official position in the Putrajaya administration.

Gooi, a practicing lawyer, is the legal counsel for S Banggarma, 27, who had claimed she was converted by Islamic authorities at the age of seven.

She alleged the conversion took place on Dec 28, 1989 while she was residing in a welfare home - Rumah Kanak Kanak Taman Bakti, Kepala Batas.

Banggarma wants Islamic authorities to nullify her conversion on the grounds of illegal conversion of minor without parental approval.

It is also to enable her to restore her rightful Hindu identity so that she can move on with her life.

The welfare department, however, claimed that Banggarma together with her other siblings were converted at the age of one by her natural Hindu parents.

'Shocking statement by a deputy minister'

Gooi has demanded the welfare department director-general Meme Zainal Rashid to furnish his client documented evidence to substantiate her claim that Banggarma was converted on Nov 30, 1983 in Rompin, Pahang.

Mashitah was quoted as saying it was commendable for the orphanage to take the initiative to preach about Islam and convert Banggarma to Islam and it was also its responsibility to teach her about the religion.

"It is shocking that a deputy minister had condoned conversion of young children living under the care of government run welfare homes," said Gooi.

"Welfare homes' primary functions are to provide care and protection to helpless abandoned children or where parents are unable to care for them until they turn 18.

"It would be entirely outside the scope of their duties and a blatant abuse of their powers to convert young children's religions, whether it is to Islam or to any other religion for that matter," added Gooi.

He said Mashitah's statement was also inconsistent with the remarks made by the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia's secretary general Abdul Hamid Othman.

Abdul Hamid said it was inappropriate to convert a child before he or she reached 18, although the welfare homes can educate the children about the Islamic religion.

Gooi said as the minister in charge of women, family and community affairs, Shahrizat has a duty to explain the government's religious policy to all Malaysians.

"It is of utmost public importance for Shahrizat to immediately clarify the government's position," he said

PUTRAJAYA: The banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders are still eager to meet with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

One of them, former Hindraf legal adviser P. Uthayakumar, said the group wanted to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the “18-point demand” which they had earlier raised with the Government.

“I feel the Government is not forthcoming in wanting to have a discussion with us. What we want is for them to meet us and hear the voices of the Indian community,’’ he added.

Uthayakumar, who is secretary-general of the Human Rights party’s pro-tem committee, said a letter had been forwarded to the Prime Minister in conjunction with the second anniversary of the outlawed movement’s giant rally.

Hindraf’s 18-point demands include making all 523 Tamil schools nationwide fully-aided government schools and that affirmative action plans for all poor Malaysians, especially Indians, be put in place.

Meanwhile, 18 ex-Hindraf members fasted for 18 hours since 10pm on Tuesday to commemorate the second-year anniversary.

They gathered peacefully outside KLCC at about 9am yesterday with Uthayaku­­­mar, ex-Hindraf lawyer M. Manoharan and about 20 supporters.

They then left to hand over the letter to the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya.

Dang Wangi deputy OCPD Supt Sulaiman said police were present to ensure the safety of the public in the area.

“We were there only to keep the peace,” he added.

A 22-year-old man charged with the murder of his mother was found dead in his cell at the Air Molek prison in Johor.

According to the authorities, J Saravanan (left) hanged himself using a pillow cover tied to a bar of his cell door.

However, his family refused to believe that Saravanan would have taken his own life and suspect foul play.

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) Johor coordinator Y Mohan told Malaysiakini that the family plans to file a police report on the matter this afternoon.

"When they saw the body in the mortuary, it was covered with bruises.
"The family thinks that Saravanan could have been beaten to death," he said.

Saravanan was charged with murdering K Malilla, 47, using an iron rod at their home in Kampung MIC in Ulu Tiram.

He had also allegedly stuffed her remains inside a travel bag after the incident between 9.30am and 10.30am on Oct 5.

Barisan Nasional would fare better than the last general election if the 13th general election is held today, according to Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian.

He said BN may also regain its two-thirds in the 222-seat lower house of Parliament, with rival block Pakatan Rakyat winning about 50 to 60 seats.

"This is my personal assessment based surveys done by the centre this year.

"It may not be prefect but would not be far off the mark," he told the weekly Sembang Sembang Forum in Caring Society Complex in Penang today.

Currently BN has 137 parliamentary seats compared with Pakatan's 82 seats. Three more seats are held by independent MPs.

Pakatan strategists have already acknowledged that a vote swing of 10 percent against or for either political coalitions would change the political landscape of the country in the next general election.

Based on the centre's surveys carried out this year since Najib Abdul Razak assumed the coveted premiership in April, Ibrahim said the approval rating for the new prime minister had gone up from 45 percent to nearly 60 percent.

By Baradan Kuppusamy- The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 – Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu and the MIC are laying claim to the return of Indian support for the Barisan Nasional (BN), and this appears to have given the embattled leader a new lease on life.

“The return of Indian voters is our victory in Bagan Pinang and we know now how to win back the Indian votes,” MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu told The Malaysian Insider on the sidelines of A Sense of Urgency forum at a hotel today.

The MIC is quickly exploiting the gains achieved in the recent Bagan Pinang by-election where nearly 70 per cent of Indian voters who had voted for PAS in 2008 returned to BN in a dramatic reversal.

The party feels the reversal was an MIC achievement and is taking swift steps to exploit and ride on the momentum of the Bagan Pinang victory.

Today's party forum is for state and division leaders and is conducted by outside corporate experts to explain in detail why the MIC lost support, why Hindraf gained popularity and how to recover lost support.

“Nearly 50 per cent of Indian voters dumped us in 2008 and we now know why and how to win back their loyalties,” said Samy Vellu.

Samy Vellu said that after Indian voters fled the MIC they were not happy outside the MIC.

He said they instead felt isolated and exploited by people and political parties.

“They feel lonely and unappreciated,” Samy Vellu said. “They are lost and they want to come back.”

“They need leadership and appreciation and we are beginning to give it to them,” he said adding the party was reforming itself, hiring experts and opening up for new blood including the educated class.

Earlier when opening the forum, Samy Vellu, speaking in a mixture of Tamil, Malay and English, urged delegates to drop the defeatist mindset that has gripped the party and rise to fight again.

“If we fail to rise and fight back we are already defeated…we are buried for good and forever,” he said likening the MIC to an old, battered lady, limping in life and waiting for death.

“To attract the loyalties of Indians we have to become attractive again,” Samy Vellu said adding the party is transforming into a young and lovely woman with a sexy get-up. “People will die for a lovely woman.”

Samy Vellu said the party will soon form 700 new 1 Malaysia branches and most will be led by new faces including fresh university graduates.

He also said complacency was ruining the MIC and the forum was a way to reenergize the party and make it attractive to attract new blood.

He said that while rivals were speaking up but in a disorganised way, the MIC is a party and well organized at all levels and speaks with one voice.

While a new upbeat mood is visible in the MIC, the task of winning back the Indian voters is a formidable task but divisions in Pakatan Rakyat and its failure to deliver on election promises is helping MIC reinvent itself.

KLANG, Nov 15 — Police today denied they had arrested the husband of R. Seetha over her alleged attempts to kill herself and her four children or circulating text messages (SMS) to the effect, saying that he is only being questioned over the incident.
Selangor Criminal Investigation Chief Datuk Hasnan Hassan said M. Manimaran was only asked to help in the investigations.
The 35-year-old lorry driver was approached by police when he visited his wife and children at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital at about 3.15pm today.
He is currently being questioned at the Klang District police headquarters.
On Thursday, the 31-year-old housewife in Klang was reported to have poured weed killer into mug and told her four children to “drink it so you can see uncle”, before consuming the poison herself.
Seetha’s brother, 24-year-old R. Surendren was among five men “high on the police wanted list” who were gunned down by police in Klang Utama on Sunday, and the attempted suicide has been attributed to her overwhelming grief over his death.
Police are looking at the possibility that domestic problems rather than her brother’s death were the reason she tried to kill herself and the children.
However, Human Rights Party leader S. Jayathas in an SMS to the press said the police, who are indirectly being blamed for causing the attempted suicide, were trying to cause a diversion.
Meanwhile, Seetha along with nine-year-old Darshini and Kugendran, five, continue to be in critical condition.
Two other girls — Usharani, seven, and Navina, three, — are being treated in a normal ward."

KOTA BAHARU, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Sunday admitted that a crisis exists among parties in the opposition pact on the ground due to their political differences.

'In the opposition pact, it is understandable that not all parties will agree with each other. In PKR, we will find a crisis even at the branch level.

'If they feel that they cannot agree with something, they will get angry and act like they are ready to launch a war.

'I would like to remind those on the ground that we have our own channel to voice our opinion,' he said when opening the Kelantan PKR Convention here today.

Anwar said the dispute among PKR leaders on the ground would also prompt them to turn their backs on other parties in the opposition pact.

He expressed disappointment with certain quarters in PKR who sensationalised their dissatisfaction in the media as it would only jeopardise ties among opposition parties."

One of the last two remaining cowsheds at Kampung Buah Pala was demolished today by developer Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd’s demolition squad. The shed was built to house cows and other livestock.

The other cowshed, a few metres away, was spared by the demolition team.

According to the affected cowherd KT Sivananthan, 39, the demolition started at 12.15 pm and his cowshed was completely flattened by 4pm. Around 10 members of the police force were present during the demolition.

Sivananthan claimed that the demolition was illegal because his cowshed was sitting on state land.

He also said he did not receive any notice of eviction from any government authorities, especially the local Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP).

When contacted, the developer’s executive director Thomas Chan claimed that the cattle ranch land belonged to the Kampung Buah Pala landowner - the Penang civil servants’ cooperative society (Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang Bhd).

“If the villagers have a dispute, they can always refer to the courts,” Chan said over a telephone conversation.

No answers from cooperative

The cooperative society’s chairperson, Abdul Razak Mansor, when contacted told reporters to contact Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy for clarification over the land status.

“I don’t know . . . I don’t know. Contact Ramasamy,” he said over the telephone.

He repeated the answer when asked whether he was aware that the developer was demolishing the cowshed allegedly without any authorisation.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (right) and Ramasamy were both unavailable for comment as they are on an official trip to the Middle East.

Senior executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow, who is in charge of local government affairs, could not be reached for comment. It is learnt that he is at the current parliamentary sitting.

Similarly, Deputy Chief Minister Mansor Othman and MPPP president Tan Cheng Chui did not pick up calls from reporters at the site despite several attempts.

Kampung Buah Pala was once known as ‘Tamil High Chaparral’ due to its population of cowherds, cattle, goats, other livestock, its unique hilly environment and Indian cultural features and festivities.

The 200-year-old Indian traditional village was demolished in September this year to pave way for a lucrative condominium project named ‘The Oasis’, undertaken by the cooperative society and Nusmetro Venture.

Sivananthan said a Nusmetro executive known as Gary Ho had told him last week to dismantle one of the cowsheds because the state authorities had been given permission. Nusmetro Venture is demolishing the shed to make way for an access road for the Oasis project.

He said, however, Ho failed to produce any documents such as a notice of eviction or authorisation letter from any authorities to prove his claim.

Police report lodged

Sivananthan (left) has lodged a police report at 2.40 pm in Jelutong police station over the demolition.

He is now unsure as to where to keep his livestock.

Until the late 1970s, each household in Kampung Buah Pala was rearing livestock on their premises.

However, the number of cowherds dwindled to only four households belonging to the same Muthu Thevar family descendants - 81-year-old Karuppiah Thevar’s sons Murugan, 46, Sivananthan and Kalimuthan, 37, and the late Ramoo Thevar’s son R Supramaniam, 59.

They were collectively rearing about 300 cows on two ranches.

Kampung Buah Pala was once the major supplier of fresh cow’s milk on the island, including the Penang Hospital.

Now the Thevar family’s livestock supplies some 500 litres of fresh cow and goat milk daily across the state.

Karuppiah (right), who was at the site, claimed that at least 15 goats have died since the village demolition due to lack of shelter from sun and rain.

He said that he was saddened by the demolition.

“I never thought our family ranch would one day be gone in this manner,” he told reporters.

SHAH ALAM: Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim admitted that the cow's head demonstration to protest the relocation of the Section 19 temple to Section 23 in August was not engineered by Umno.

He said even though most of the demonstrators were Umno members, they did not represent the party but were acting on the own accord.

Khalid said the state government could not elaborate more on the incident as those involved had been taken to court.

"It will be up to the court now and they can defend themselves and explain their stand there," he told the state assembly.

He was answering an additional question by Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan) about who were those whom he had referred to when answering the question of the cow's head incident.

Khalid also did not agree with Ng's call for Umno to be dissolved for practising racial politics.


"It is not for us to decide whether Umno should be dissolved or not."

On Yap Ee Wah (BN-Sungai Pelek)'s original question on steps taken by the state government to prevent the incident from recurring, Khalid said the state government had handled it maturely and prevented things from turning worse.

He said the incident was a lesson to the state government to be more careful in making decisions and to take into account the interests of the people.

JOHOR BARU: The son of a murdered MIC politician is being investigated for criminal defamation after he accused police of protecting several suspects in the investigations into his father's murder.

Former Tenggaroh assemblyman Datuk S. Krishnasamy's son, Raj Kumar, had allegedly sent text messages and emails to police criticising their inability to solve the murder.

Raj Kumar's targets were Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff and Johor Baru (south) Criminal Investigation Department chief Deputy Superintendent Nor Hisham Mohammad.

So far, three police reports have been lodged by Johor police against the engineer.

The latest report against Raj Kumar was lodged by Mokhtar on Oct 15 after he accused police of protecting several people allegedly involved in the murder.

The email was sent to the Johor police portal and addressed to Mokhtar.


Johor CID chief Datuk Amer Awal said police yesterday obtained an order to investigate from the public prosecutor and began investigations for criminal defamation.

They sent a team up north to Raj Kumar's office in Bayan Lepas, Penang, where they seized his laptop and handphone.

Amer said ever since Krishnasamy's murder, the family had been in constant contact with police for updates on the investigations.

They had questioned why police had released suspects who had been detained to facilitate investigations.

Amer said Krishnasamy's murder investigations were still ongoing and police had not closed the case.

Krishnasamy, who was state deputy MIC chairman, was gunned down at the party's office in Jalan Segget here by a man on Jan 11 last year.

The 61-year-old was shot as he entered a lift.

Meanwhile, Raj Kumar said he was questioned by police two days after Deepavali.

He said the reports against him alleged that he had defamed police.



He said he sent the text messages after failing to get a proper response from police over the investigations.



"All they kept telling me was that they were still investigating the case. It has been more than a year since my father was murdered."

He many suspects were arrested and released and to date, no one had been charged with his father's murder.

"I did not mean to insult the police. I was just pouring out my frustrations. Now action is being taken against me."

Raj said the family were the victims and they had been suffering without any closure to the case.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has issued an ultimatum to party leaders and elected representatives – toe the line or leave the party.

Stressing that they should be loyal to the party, the parliamentary opposition leader also pointed out to PKR divisional leaders, assemblypersons and parliamentarians that they should always adhere to party policies.

“A person shall not think that he or she would be leaders and elected representatives forever,” he warned while opening the Penang PKR convention in Komtar Dome, Georgetown last night.

“You must deliver, reach out to the people and adhere to the party’s reform principles and policies. Otherwise, you will be sacked from the party.”

Anwar said that while certain criticisms against the party leaders and elected representatives were acceptable, he would not compromise when it came to those refusing to follow the stipulated party policies.

“If you cannot do that, then leave and join Umno,” he told the PKR crowd.

Anwar said the stance was taken as there were many PKR leaders who wanted stern action taken against errant members.

He also gave a stern warning to grassroots leaders who wanted to be division chief, parliamentarian, state representative and councillor – all at the same time.

“If this is the case, go form your own party … then you can hold all the positions,” said Anwar, the Permatang Pauh parliamentarian.

According to Anwar, party leaders and elected representatives should not become arrogant and forget that they were sitting in their current positions because of the people’s support.

“The people are the ultimate judges in deciding our political fate. We shall never forget them,” he said.

Pro-BN Hindraf leaders slammed

He also accused certain Indian Malaysian leaders of being Umno stooges in hijacking the spirit of Hindraf, or Hindu Rights Action Force.

Pointing out that Makkal Sakthi (people’s power) was Pakatan Rakyat’s battle cry in the last general election, he accused these Umno-sponsored Indian leaders for usurping the “spirit of Hindraf” for their own selfish gains.

“I would like to tell to them that I am Malay and Muslim leader who will fight for Indian interests and defend Hindu rights,” he said drawing applause.

Anwar also touched on the PAS national seminar yesterday, saying party president Abdul Hadi Awang had vowed that the Islamist party was fully committed to Pakatan.

“Hadi has made it clear that PAS rejects Umno,” said Anwar.

The ‘cow head’ demonstration which stunned the nation was raised during the Selangor state legislative assembly sitting today, with Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim taking a MCA rep to task.

Khalid chided Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Yap Eee Wah for appearing as if he was in the dark as to who organised the demonstration in August.

The menteri besar however refused to name those involved in the demonstration, which made news the world over.

The the proposal to relocate a Hindu temple in Shah Alam saw Muslim residents opposing the move in the demonstration held outside the state secretariat building.

The demonstrators brought along the severed head of a cow, which they kicked and spat on. The cow is considered sacred by Hindus.

Responding to Yap’s oral question on what measures have been taken to ensure such an incident does not recur, Khalid said he has met with the parties involved.

The menteri besar said the state government’s efforts to restore ties between the races following the incident was however ‘impeded’ by these parties.

“Sungai Pelek knows who were involved, not in helping to resolve the problem, but rather in worsening the situation,” he added when debating the motion on the state budget. Mkini

SHAH ALAM: SJK (T) Midlands will not be relocated to I-City and will remain at Section 7.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said relocation was unnecessary as the current location was more suitable than the new location earmarked by the previous state government.

He said the site at I-City was unsuitable as there were many factories there.

"It is also unnecessary to have a Tamil school in the area," he said after attending the monthly assembly of the Selangor State Development Corporation at Dewan Jubli Perak here yesterday.

"We have allowed the developers at I-City to continue to develop the commercial area as planned."

The relocation of the Tamil school issue was brought up by Shah Alam MIC Youth on Saturday.


Its leader and political bureau chairman, M. Saravanan, demanded to know what had become of the 1.8ha freehold land in I-City allotted for the relocation.

Saravanan claimed that the Pakatan Rakyat state government had sold the land to a third party.

He had also demanded to know why the school was not informed of the decision.

Khalid replied that the school had no say over how the land would be used.

However, he said the state government would ensure that there was enough allocation for the development of other Tamil schools in the state.

I-City is a RM1.5 billion project on 29ha of freehold land that would see the creation of an advanced township and a high-tech knowledge hub.

The land was once Ladang Midlands, a plantation estate.

Saravanan said the Shah Alam City Council would hold a meeting on Nov 11 to obtain feedback from residents regarding the school.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Maju Institute of Educational Develop-ment (MIED) and the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) University are part of the MIC and have not been hijacked, said MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

Speaking on the matter for the first time since several past and present leaders accused him of planning to hijack both organisations, Samy Vellu said he had briefed the party Central Working Committee on the legality, ownership, formation and management of both institutions.

Although both are part of the MIC, he said they would function separately from party affairs.

Samy Vellu said there were five trustees and 33 members on the MIED board and all of them are party office-bearers.

“This clearly shows the close relationship between the party and the two entities. MIED was set up to achieve an educational vision for the Indian community.

“None of the trustees nor the members of the board own the MIED or AIMST and the question of hijacking them does not arise,” said Samy Vellu, hoping MIC members would regard both organisations as their own.

He had said that the MIED had assisted 7,000 students while another 7,000 are still studying.

Samy Vellu slammed former deputy president Datuk S. Subra-maniam for trying to create an impression that he is trying to hijack MIED and AIMST from the MIC.

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC has urged the Education Ministry to rescind the requirement in which parents sign a form waiving any indemnity claims when their children take part in school activities.

Its secretary-general S. Muru-gesan said exemption should be given when such activities required the pupils’ compulsory participation.

“The parents then cannot refuse to send their children to such activities,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Referring to the death of three schoolchildren in Kampar last week, Murugesan said the ministry should consider compensating the affected families and sending the other students and teachers for counselling.

He said there were unanswered questions over the incident such as why the children were allowed to cross the bridge at a late hour (about 10.40pm) and were not wearing life jackets.

“We want to know if the school or the organisers had taken out insurance for the children as required under Government guidelines,” he said.

Murugesan said people should stop blaming the children for the disaster. “It is normal for children to jump and play on a bridge. It should not be used as an excuse to hide the real reason for the bridge’s collapse,” he added.

JOHOR BARU: DAP’s Bentayan assemblyman Gwee Tong Hian has been referred to the party’s disciplinary committee for allegedly misappropriating funds intended for social service.

Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau said party’s annual convention here yesterday had endorsed the state committee’s decision to refer Gwee to the disciplinary panel.

The resolution was passed with 59 people voting for and 14 against, he said.

Dr Boo said the state committee had previously passed a vote of no-confidence against Gwee on Sept 13.

He added that the state DAP had been struggling with this issue the past three years.

“The allegations have not only caused stress among grassroots members but have also hurt the party in general,” he said.

Asked whether this would cause a split in the party, he said it was unlikely as 80% of the delegates supported the decision.

Senai assemblyman Ong Kow Meng, who was also at the press conference, said the decision showed the party did not condone such actions.

He also added that, for now, there was no possibility that Gwee would be sacked from the party.

“We just hope that he will learn from his mistakes and reform,” said Ong.

Asked for details of the amount allegedly mishandled, Dr Boo and Ong declined to say.

“We cannot touch on the irregularities as Gwee is currently involved in a suit at the Muar Sessions Court,” said Dr Boo.

Gwee refused to comment on the matter.

Asked whether he would quit the party, he replied: “I will always be a DAP member.”

The delegates passed 18 resolutions.

Among the resolutions tabled were calls to push the government for better crime prevention, reduced dependency on foreign workers, revive the city and to investigate the possibility of corruption or abuse of power leading to Johor having only 18% of forest reserve left.

Other resolutions called for the state government to hire more non-Malays in the public sector, to gazette places for worship and improve the transportation sector.

The relocation of SJK (T) Midlands in Shah Alam from I-City to a three-acre plot of land that was earmarked for recreational purpose in Section 7 has stirred controversy.

Shah Alam MIC Youth leader and political bureau chairperson M Saravanan today demanded to know what the original piece of land in I-City will be used for.

“What has happened to the land in I-City?” he asked.

According to M Saravanan, the previous state government had allotted four acres of land with freehold title in I-City, Shah Alam, for the school.

He alleged that the Pakatan state government had sold the land to a third party based on information received from the school administration.

“Why was the school not informed that the land in I-City was sold to a third party?”

I-City is a RM1.5 billion project to build an advanced township in what was once Ladang Midlands, a plantation estate.

Residents in the estate have been relocated by the developer to Section 7, while the original plan was for a new building to replace the wooden structures of the old Tamil school in I-City.

The new piece of land in Section 7 for the school is part of a seven-acre plot that was meant to be a recreation park.

According to Saravanan, the Shah Alam City Council will hold a public referendum to obtain feedback from Section 7 residents regarding the school. A hearing will be held on Nov 11.

Saravanan is however certain that Section 7 residents would oppose the relocation of the school as it is a Malay-majority area.
The school is at present temporarily located in a one-storey building in another area of Section 7.

School amidst factories?

In an immediate reaction, Health, Estate Workers, Poverty and Caring Government exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar said that the land for the Tamil school in I-City is not suitable as it is located in the midst of factories.

“Do you want the school to be built in an industrial area?”

He believed that the local council will be able to get support from Section 7 residents as a park will also be built along with the school.

Asked on the possibility of residents opposing the plan, he said that a preliminary inquiry held two months ago did not indicate any opposition from the residents.

Xavier also denied the claim that the land in I-City had been sold to a third party.

“MIC will definitely say everything is wrong. Why are they inciting racial hatred? They are no different from those in Umno who stopped the construction of a temple in Section 23,” Xavier countered MIC.