Indian community must change: Palanivel - NST

KUALA LUMPUR:

 The Indian community must be part of the government’s transformation programme which has been constantly emphasised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. MIC President Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said yesterday that the Indian community must change and be focused on moving forward.

 “The government has taken various measures for the development of the community, it is now in our hands to re-brand ourselves and become a resourceful community,” he said in his speech at the 11th GOPIO International Convention 2012, near here.

 GOPIO or Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin is a group to bond Indians around the world as a global community. This year’s convention hosted by Malaysia aims to provide new policies and guidelines for effective networking, attain growth in enterprises, promote higher education and provide intellectual and material support to create a global virtual community. The three day conference focuses on five main areas namely business; education; social, cultural and community development; ayurveda and siddha science and diaspora language.

 Palanivel, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minsiter’s Department, said more successful Indians should come forward to be part of such conferences to help their community. “We have very prominent Indians around the world but they are rarely involved in community development programmes.

 “The conference will see bigger success if those who have been doing well contribute to the development of the less empowered groups,” Palanivel said. Meanwhile, Palanivel said the list of MIC candidates to contest in the next general election will be announced at the right time.

Asked on talks that former MIC president and Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu will be contesting in the election, Palanivel said: “I welcome such move. I am confident that he (Samy Vellu) has the potential to win.”

MIC Mahu Kementerian Pelajaran Tubuh Bahagian Khusus - The Star

Ahad April 22, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC meminta Kementerian Pelajaran menubuhkan sebuah bahagian baru yang diketuai oleh seorang pengarah khusus bagi menjalankan program pembangunan dan pembinaan sekolah Tamil di negara ini. Presidennya Datuk seri G. Palanivel berkata bahagian tersebut perlu dianggotai oleh jurutera, pereka dan pegawai kewangan. "Ke mana sahaja kami pergi, kami menerima permintaan dari sekolah Tamil untuk pelbagai bantuan dan sekiranya ada bahagian khusus dalam kementerian, maka bahagian itu boleh mengendalikan apa juga permohonan atau permintaan dari sekolah Tamil," katanya dalam kenyataan di sini, Sabtu. Palanivel, yang juga Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, berkata bahagian itu juga boleh membuka laman sesawang dan sistem e-mel bagi menerima permintaan dan memantau sekolah Tamil secara atas talian. BERNAMA

Program Senamrobik @ Dataran Kedamaian Taiping 15-4-2012 berjalan lancar

Cuaca di Taiping begitu baik sekali ketika program Senamrobik OUM Jelajah Perak dijalankan di Dataran Kedamaian Taiping pada 15 April 2012. Program ini telah dijalankan bersama oleh Open University Malaysia Kampus Perak bersama Pemuda MIC Perak dan Taiping.

Orang ramai sedang beratur untuk mendapatkan kemeja T percuma dari pihak OUM

Sebahagian dari peserta senamrobik

Sambutan amat menggalakkan bilamana lebih dari 150 orang penduduk Taiping telah hadir sejak jam 7.00 pagi lagi bagi mengambil bahagian dalam aktiviti kecerdasan dan kesihatan badan. 100 peserta pertama telah diberi kemeja T Open University Malaysia secara percuma. Mereka juga turut diberi sebungkus nasi lemak dan air mineral sumbangan Pemuda MIC Perak.

Sesi senamrobik yang bermula pada jam 7.30 pagi tamat pada jam 8.30 pagi di bawah bimbingan jurulatihnya Sdra Shidee dari Majlis Perbandaran Taiping. Pengarah Open University Malaysia (Perak), Dr. Richard Ng, dalam ucapannya berkata objektif utama program senamrobik ini adalah untuk mempromosi gaya hidup sihat kepada masyarakat tempatan di Taiping. Kata beliau, program senamrobik di Taiping adalah siri ketiga pihak OUM anjurkan di Perak selepas ianya dijalankan di Bukit Kledang di Menglembu dan Padang Polo di Ipoh.

Salah seorang peserta bertuah sedang menerima hadiah cabutan bertuah dari Ketua Pemuda MIC Perak, Sdra M. Veeran

Cabutan bertuah seterusnya dijalankan untuk mencabut enam hadiah bertuah. Sdra M. Veeran, Ketua Pemuda MIC Perak dan Taiping telah diberi penghormatan untuk membuat cabutan dan menyampaikan hadiad kepada peserta bertuah.

Pengarah OUM Perak Dr. Richard Ng sedang menyampaikan cenderahati kepada Sdra M. Veeran, Ketua Pemuda MIC Perak sebagai tanda penghargaan menjayakan program senamrobik ini.

Sebelum majlis bersurai, Pengarah OUM Perak memaklumkan bahawa pihak OUM akan cuba berusaha untuk mengadakan sesi seperti di masa akan datang supaya penduduk tempatan di Taiping menjadi serasi dengan program senamrobik sebagai aktiviti kesihatan badan.

Program Senamrobik OUM - MIC @ Dataran Kedamaian Taiping Perak 15-4-2012

Pemuda MIC Taiping dan Pemuda MIC Perak serta Open University Malaysia (Kampus Perak) dengan kerjasama Persatuan Kecergasan Negeri Perak akan menjalankan Program Senamrobik buat julung kalinya di Dataran Kedamaian Taiping pada 15 April 2012 mulai jam 7 pagi.

Objektif program ini selain daripada mempromosikan hidup yang sihat dan cergas juga bertujuan menjalinkan hubungan silaturahim di kalangan masyarakat di Taiping sejajar dengan wawasan YAB PM Dato' Seri Najib Bin Tun Razak ke arah masyarakat 1Malaysia.

Senamrobik di Padang Polo di Ipoh pada 7 Jan 2012

Dalam konteks ini, Pemuda MIC Perak dan Taiping amat bangga dan berterima kasih kepada Pengarah Open University Malaysia, Dr. Richard Ng, kerana telah sudi memilih Pemuda MIC Perak sebagai rakan kongsi dalam menjayakan program ini di Taiping.

Program ini terbuka kepada orang ramai secara percuma. 100 orang peserta pertama yang mendaftar dan menyertai program ini akan diberi kemeja T OUM secara percuma. Manakala mereka juga akan menerima bungkusan nasi lemak dan air mineral sumbangan Pemuda MIC Perak dan Taiping.

Kami amat berharap masyarakat berbilang kaum di Taiping akan datang berama-ramai bagi menjayakan program ini. Cabutan bertuah akan menanti 3 peserta yang bertuah.

Lynas will not operate if it harms people, environment: PM - The Star

PETALING JAYA: The Government will not allow the Lynas rare earth project in Gebeng, Pahang, to operate if it harms the health of the people and environment, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said a dialogue with those against Lynas was needed so that scientific and technical evidence against the project could be discussed.

Najib answering queries from listeners during the interview

"I don't want this to be emotional or political. It is unfortunate that an environmental issue had become political," he said in an interview with 988FM radio station Thursday with DJs Tan Yi Hui and Sam Mak.

Najib added that the parliamentary select committee that would carry out a study on Lynas would help the government in making its decision on the project.

Najib said he has a clear vision and knowledge of what needs to be accomplished for the nation.

"But to have that happen, we need to win the next general election," he said.

Asked if he has "true friends" in politics, Najib said he had friends who were still with him as they were prepared to set aside political agendas and ambitions for the greater good.

However, he said, many people had vested interests and political ambitions.

"Say a wakil rakyat is not wanted, I have to listen to the people. But as far as the person is concerned, I will get the blame for making the call," he told listeners.

He explained that if a politician was dropped, it was because the people had lost confidence in him or her.

"He or she should not blame the leader," he said

On the general election, Najib said:

"Shall we take bets? Not for money of course (laughter). Anything is possible as the election is based on a lot of factors.

"We're still gauging the situation. When there's a strong feel-good factor, that's when we should push the button."

Najib also denied claims that banks had been reluctant to hand out 100% financing for property worth up to RM400,000 to those earning less than RM3000 a month under the My First Home loan scheme.

"According to Bank Negara Malaysia, the success rate is 36.6%," he said in response to a question from a listener.

"Hundreds of applications are still under consideration by various local banks,” he said.

Wee: 370 Tamil schools received RM270mil for development - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM270mil have been allocated to 370 Tamil schools which are government-aided schools, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Of the figure, RM100mil was a supplementary allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling the 2012 Budget, and would be disbursed beginning next month.

He said that since Najib became Prime Minister, and led Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, four major allocations had been channelled to the schools.

"Based on average calculation, each school receives RM729,000 for development only," he told Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja) in Parliament.

On the conversion of the status of 370 of such schools to national schools, Wee said it depended on the choice of the schools concerned and the ministry could not exert any pressure. BERNAMA

MIC: Malaysia should support call for probe on Sri Lanka war crimes - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should support the resolution submitted at the United Nation for action to be taken against Sri Lanka for its war crimes, said MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.

He said the MIC supported the move by the United States, Europe and the other countries while India, too, should support the resolution which calls for an investigation into the wartime conduct of Sri Lanka.

On Tuesday, an MIC Youth delegation led by its leader T. Mohan submitted a memorandum in support of the party's stand to Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk A Kohilan Pillay in Putrajaya.

He said Indians in Malaysia wanted a probe into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka during the civil war between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ellam (LTTE), which ended in 2009.

"Malaysia has always supported resolutions against human rights abuses and it is very sad to see pictures of the LTTE leader Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son who was brutally shot dead," Mohan said.

MIC central working committee member S. Vell Paari said there was cause for Malaysia to support the resolution as many Malaysians have direct blood relations with Sri Lankan Tamils.

"In supporting the resolution, Malaysia will send the message that it does not condone human rights abuses," he said.

Meanwhile, an Indian non-governmental-organisation, Group of Concern Citizens took a full-page advertisement in Tamil newspapers Wednesday, calling on UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moonw, who is arriving here later in the day, to act against Sri Lanka.

"We have faith in you”, the group said in their advertisement in Tamil Nesan and Malaysia Nanban.

The UN Human Rights Council is due to vote later this week on a US motion calling for a probe into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

Both government forces and LTTE have been accused of abuses.

The Sri Lankan government commissioned its own investigation into the war last year and the UN draft resolution calls on the government to implement its recommendations.

Human rights groups estimate that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the final months of the war. The Sri Lanka government recently released its own estimate, concluding that about 9,000 people perished during that period.