Prices Too High

Could not blog earlier in the day like I normally do. Was tied up with work. I was with a few friends yesterday and one interesting topic brought up is the spiralling cost of food prices. It's outrageous, said a friend. It was an eye opener for me. The horror stories of the massive increase in food prices is maddening. A plate of char kuey teow, which once sold at RM3.50 now cost RM6 at PJ old town. That's not normal. The government should do something about this immediately. This issue touches the man on the street. The people who day-in, day-out toil to get a few ringgit. They are starting to feel the pinch of the rising cost of living, and trust me it is a hurting pinch! The Barisan Nasional government should think of the political repercussions. As it is we have lost four states, to add to Kelantan. All but one parliamentary seat was won by the BN in Kuala Lumpur. And now this. The government in my view, should put more money in the hands of the people. How? Ways must be devised to ensure this is done. With more money, the retail industry would move forward. The peoples failure to spend will result in a standstill economy. There is no point in saying that we are attracting foreign direct investment and the economy will grow by 5 % if the people do not enjoy the benefits. Give the people more cash, thus we would be pumping more hard cash into the system which would result in the retail industry and the economy as a whole moving. This is my two sense worth.
What do you think? Give me examples of exhorbitant food price increase if possible.

p/s Euro scores: France 1 Holland 4, Italy 1 Romania 1

Too Few Indians In State Civil Service

We, the MIC, are at it again. This time our grouse is that there are too few Indians in state civil service. The party central working committee decided to meet leaders of BN controlled states in an effort to "convince" the powers that be, that more Indians should be absorbed into the state civil service. After 50 years of independence, here we are asking the state governments to employ Indians. Ironic isn't it? Another matter brought up at the meeting yesterday was that only ONE out of the 161 Indian students who obtained the Public Services Department Scholarships was a medical student. What a joke? Out of the tens of Indian students who obtained straight As, only ONE qualifies!
My CWC colleague Murugesan in his blog has pointed out that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) published the list of successful candidates for ‘Jawatan Pembantu Penguatkuasa Gred N17’ in Mingguan Malaysia on June 8.
He found it alarming to note that out of 751 successful candidates, only 15 were non-Bumiputras. It constitutes less then 2% of successful candidates. Out of this, only 10 candidates or 1.3% were Indians.
Grade N17 is for support staff and it is open for applicants with SPM or equivalent qualification. Most applicants for this grade are from lower and lower middle income group families.
"What is the PSD thinking?. Do they want Indians in the country to permanently turn their backs on the BN government? Instead of helping us, Indians, it looks like they are least bothered about us. What do you think?
p/s: Euro scores -- Austria 1 Poland 1, Crotia 2 Germany 1.

Thank You

Don't have much to say today as I am running out of time chasing one appointment after another. Would like to thank everyone who contributed and had taken a time to say their piece on the postings. While I appreciate your postings, would be nice if we don't "attack" each other. Let all the voices be heard, this is blogsphere!
p/s: Euro scores -- Czech 1 Portugal 3, Switzerland 1 Turkey 2.

MIC Politics 3

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has declared that he would contest the party top post for a record 11th term at the party's presidential election in March next year.
"I will not stop anyone from contesting the president's post. We are a democratic party. I am elected by popular vote in the past elections as such it is the members who will decide.
"I will continue serving till the members say they don't want me. My term ends on March 8," Samy Vellu said, today.
Samy Vellu, 72, has declared that he would quit active politics in 2012 and this bid would be his last as the party president, a post which he has held since 1981, after serving two years before that as acting president.
The MIC supremo lost the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency at the March general election, and speculation was rife that that the veteran politician would contest the post for the last time next year before handing over the party to the chosen successor.

MIC Politics 2

Before anyone jumps to any conclusion, I would like to state that the reason I put up Subramaniam's comment is for you, readers, to get an idea on the working of MIC politics. Many have called for the resignation of Samy Vellu without knowing the intricacies of the party politics. It was never my intention to provoke for any comments bashing anyone in particular. The people, even if you are not an MIC member, need to understand the system in which the party operates and how politics is in the party works. We have all talked about the party's shortfall etc but now we must try to learn about it's politics.
p/s Euro scores: Spain 4 Russia 1, Greece 0 Sweden 2.

MIC Politics

Below are parts of the question and answer session between MIC former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and NST, published today.
Q: You were out of mainstream MIC politics since the last party election. Why are you willing to return?
Subramaniam: I feel compelled to help rebuild the party after its dismal performance in the March 8 general election. There is no point in pointing fingers. Many misread this and say I am now joining hands with party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. Naturally, to rebuild the party, I will have to work with the president and need his cooperation.

Q: What about your supporters?
Subramaniam: My supporters, who are still in MIC, are happy and welcome my move. But my supporters outside MIC are unhappy with the patch-up. I don't understand this because I have always been with the party. I am not doing it because I am after any position. Samy Vellu has agreed in principle to revive my supporters' defunct branches, so the party will become stronger.

Q: What about calls from within and outside the party, rejecting your return to MIC mainstream politics?
Subramaniam: People who are unhappy with Samy Vellu and others who treated me as a threat are not comfortable with our patch-up. I only came to offer my services. I even declined the Central Working Committee position that Samy Vellu offered.

Q: What is your view on calls by certain quarters asking for Samy Vellu's resignation as party president?
Subramaniam: Many people forget the tremendous support Samy Vellu has from within the party. He is well liked by members, especially for his hardwork. I think everybody should remain and rebuild the party.

Q:You have been with the party through thick and thin. Any thoughts of retiring from MIC and politics?
Subramaniam: The question of retirement does not arise now. I am the MIC Seputeh division chairman and involved in various activities.

Q: Any plans to contest in the next party elections?
Subramaniam: No plans at the moment. My interest now is to help make the party stronger and getting the Indians to once again recognise MIC as a strong political party, which would serve their interest.

Q: What do you think???

p/s: Euro results: Holland 3 Italy 0, Romania 0 France 0.

More "begging"?

A high powered MIC delegation met Higher Education Minister today to "request" the government to increase Indian student intake into local varsities this year.
The MIC has requested that Indian students at local public funded universities be increased to 8 percent.
The intake into local universities for Indian students in 2006 was 6.11 percent, 2005 (5.6 percent), 2004 (5.9 percent), 2003 (5.2 percent), and 2002 (2.7 percent).
In view of the high achievements among many Indian students, the party has asked the government for the increase in intake.
The party has also called on the powers-that-be to offer critical courses like medicine, law, dentistry, engineering and so on, to our students.
Many students who secured excellent results in the SPM and STPM examinations in the past had been offered non critical courses, resulting in them rejecting the offer.
The party has promised to monitor the intake of Indian students and urged Indian students to send a copy of their university application to the MIC headquarters.

KL Draft Plan

The MIC has set up a special committee comprising architects, lawyers and professionals to study City Hall’s draft plan for 2020.
Party supremo Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said it would make recommendations to City Hall to ensure that the needs of the Indian community were addressed.
Samy Vellu said City Hall should ensure that housing developers allocated land for places of worship, including temples.
“There should also be proper infrastructure facilities to conduct rituals for the deceased in their residential areas, especially for those who live in flats,” he said.
He said City Hall should also provide hostels for students from rural areas who study in secondary schools or colleges in the city.
Samy Vellu also urged City Hall to allocate flats for the lower middle-class, rather than only to those below the poverty level.

What do you think ?

Complaints attended to!

Over the last two weeks, I have received over 500 complaints through e-mails on several matters, including the MIC and issues pertaining to the Federal Territories Ministry. I would like to thank all those who have written to me. All complaints are currently being looked at and I hope you would give me time to solve the problems raised.
p/s: Euro scores: Germany 2 Poland (my team) 0, Croatia 1 Austria 0.

Is 161 enough!!

A total 161 Malaysian Indian students have been given the Public Services Department Scholarships. Initially, the figure stood at 34 students, then it became 72. MIC leaders appealed that the community be given more scholarships and now the figure is 161. Why couldn't the PSD give the 161 students scholarships in the first place. Do they get pleasure in seeing us "beg", then throw us the "bone"? I still stand with my view that Indian students must be allocated 250 out of the 2,000 PSD scholarships offered. The PSD has also stated that all those who obtained 9As and above, in their SPM last year would be offered scholarships to study basic science courses in local public universities and four foreign universities campuses located in Malaysia, recognised by the JPA. These students are the cream and they are being given basic science courses!!! For me, that does not sound right. What do you think?

What can the government do to cushion the fuel price hike?

In the last few days, almost everyone has been talking about the fuel price hike. Some say we could not escape the increase in petrol and diesel prices. All views have their merits and are worth considering. Now the question is, what do you want the government to do to soften the impact of this huge increase in petrol price. For me, there are many important things that should be introduced to cushion the impact. Among them would be the creation of an integrated public transportation system, encourage people to be thrifty (but not at the expense of our retail industry, as the economy thrives on retail trade), introduce fixed price shops (which can be run by government agencies) etc. Let's hear your view. How should and can the government soften the impact of the surging price of goods?


p/s: Sorry, I could not update the blog yesterday (Saturday). Had a hectic day, which started early. Today, I have to attend the Pahang MIC Convention in the morning and this evening the FT MIC Convention. It's going to be a long day. For the benefit of all, I would like to reiterate here, that all your comments are published, except those containing vulgar words. I am saying this because there was an accusation that comments are not published. Since I have a few posts, it might have gone to separate posts. Please check for your comments in the respective post.

Anyway, EURO 08 is here finally, and the latest : Czech Republic 1 Switzerland (the host) 0. Portugal 2 Turkey 0. Watched the Czech game but not the second game as it was too late and had to get some sleep. I am rooting for Poland (don't laugh).