Hulu Selangor : High Stakes For BN

Finally the mystery surronding the BN Candidate for Hulu Selangor was resolved when Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhiyiddin Yassin named P. Kamalanathan as the candidate. So it is P Kamalanathan versus Dato Zaid Ibrahim

While it was a high drama before the candidature was resolved,there must be a better way of choosing a candidate for a general election given that BN has been facing elections and by elections year after year.

Now BN has its work cut out in Hulu Selangor given its parlimentary constituenty being located and spread in three states mainly Selangor,Perak and Pahang. All MIC branch Chairmans must come together given that it is the party and BN that matters at the end not any individuals.

Now who is P. Kamalanathan? He is a former Selayang MIC Youth Leader, appointed by MIC Party President, Dato Seri Samy Vellu as the Information Chief after the 63rd MIC AGM in September 2009. He has been very active during his youth days as i was his deputy division youth chief for one term before i became a branch chairman.

He has been actively posting information about MICs activities since he assumed the info chief post. P. Kamalanathan has a degree in mass communication from Edith Cowan University and works a Public Relations Manager with Beras Jati Sdn Bhd

The BN machinery is in full gear to work hard to ensure a sweet victory for BN although it is not going to be easy as Kamalathan said in his speech that he is new in the constituency and need all the support from all voters.

Time is ripe for the Hulu Selangor voters to decide whether they want a young, energetic person like P kamalnathan to deliver the unfilled duties left by the former (deseased )PKR MP Dato Zainal or voter from the unkept promises party PKR

It is a do or die mission for BN. The mission is possible given the rakyat open their eyes and see the reality.

1 Malaysia New Economic Model ?

Prime Minister and Finance Minister YAB Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak is scheduled to unveil the Ne w Economic Model (NEM) this Tuesday, one of the many economic initiates that is expected to move the nation to a high income nation.

Original Intentions Retained ?

While the NEM can be effectively used as an opportunity to return to the original intentions of The New Economic Policy (NEP) which was initiated in 1971, many challenges face the government of the day i.e balancing the demands of the voters who rebelled in March 2008 12th General Election, the demands of the investing community and the demands of the group who champion the Malay rights NGO like Perkasa.

It is clearly apparent that the governments stimulus package has not yet trickle in albeit the sluggish economy recovery due to the slack period which is expected to show its impact in the third quarter of the year, The Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) has fallen from RM62billion in 2008 to RM32.6billion in 2009. This calls for further boosting of private consumer spending which is the key driver to boost the sluggish economy. Will there be measures to increase the disposal income of the rakyat to spur private consumer spending?

The Prime Minister has spoken frequently of his plan to take the nation to the next level moving to high income nation i.e increasing the income per capita to US15000. This initiate is a huge task ahead as the country’s labour force and skilled work force are far fetched from the desired income level. To reduce the income disparity gap, the government need to train many skilled work force and professionals to take up jobs and possess the skills that will fetch high income levels. To further support this initiate the government needs to systematically plan and budget its spending on human capital development albeit a herculean task.

The Najib administration has just in less than 6 months ago initiated the Government’s Transformation Plan (GTP) enlisting 6 NKRA and NKPI to propel the nation to address and further strengthen the areas that require immediate attention in its efforts to “culturise“ The 1Malaysia concept , People First, Performance Now. There is clear indication that the Najib administration is moving fast to catch up with lost time to create the quantum leap transformation to make Malaysia a competitive nations as neighbours Indonesia, Thailand and Philipines are slowly but surely catching up and will pose a treat to Malaysia. The Prime minister ‘s recent visits to Hongkong to meet the investing community has been well received and Credit Suise has forecasted a 6% economy growth as compared to Bank Negara 5.6%

PERKASA’s Demand Reasonable ?

Will the Prime Minister bow to the unreasonable pressure from groups who champion the Malay rights like NGO PERKASA who claim that the Malays and Bumiputeras should be allocated 67% of the nations economic wealth. They claim to have the Malays who represent 55% of the voters backing them. The Premier’s will to transform the nation is being challenged by his political conduits. To spur the nation to be competitive, The PM needs to address the needs of the business community among which:

· Further improve the governments machineries effectiveness by cutting red tapes and boosting productivity

· decreasing the cost of the doing business in Malaysia which will induce FDIs

· Increase Skill and Knowledge based economy by quantum leaping human capital development

· Boosting Promotion of Malaysia overseas

Equitable Income Distribution Key To Success of 1 Malaysia

Facts point to Malaysia having the highest income disparity in South East Asia, top 10% of the society holding 38.4% of the nations wealth (2004 figures)

Will the NEM be a etchnic based affirmative action plan or will it address to reduce the inter etchnic income disparity in line with the now famous 1 Malaysia and keeping with the original intentions of NEP ie to eradicate poverty of all Malaysia, to restructure the society and promote national unity ? NEM provides another opportunity for the government to meet the expectation of the rakyat before the next polls, will its political will decide the destiny of the nation!

Who speaks For Indians? A response to Terence Fernandez Down2Earth Column

I read with great interest the latest article written by Mr Terence Fernandez under the Column Down2Earth on the article “Who Speaks For Indians”.

While your input and suggestions are welcomed, I think it is unfair to say that MIC has not done anything for the Indians in its efforts to uplift the The Indian Community.

What about the millions spent on disbursements of study loans, micro-credit business loans, Tekun Business Loans, assistance provided to single mothers, rehabilitation of people with health problems etc to name a few. Was all this done by individuals or MIC?

MIC helps people who needs assistance wherever possible thru the Presidents office, division and branches and through its wings and associated establishments. Many of its leaders who do not hold any positions in the council, DUN or Parliament use their own transport incur time and money and through little donations assist the needy. Is this not selfless service?

I was at the Launch of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) last December at Sunway Convention Centre. The leader who you said was invited to the stage was invited because is the leading MIC as it was also to reflect the 1Malaysia concept.
Why are you so selective of this leader? What about a leader of the BN component party who lost the whole state to the opposition and made a senator, a minister who was also at the stage ?

MIC has acknowledged its weaknesses and has taken steps to reconnect with the people with training for its branch, state and national leaders through various programmes. Only a party that has a passion for the community will rebuild itself.
While I admit MIC can do and will do more, the new generation leaders and the team elected in September 2009 party election will work with the leadership to come up with comprehensive programmes to further uplift the community.

I welcome u to visit many of the MIC programmes to find out what is actually going on the ground to enable you to do a fair and correct reporting.

Dato Nazir Safar, A Misfit in Govt Administration?Get Rid of other Dato Nasir in the Govt Administration

The special assistant to the PM YAB Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak, Dato Nasir Safar remarks that the Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and the chinese especially the ladies came here to sell their bodies AND HENCE THEIR CITIZENSHIP SHOULD BE REVOKED is an unacceptable remarks especially from someone who holds a high office at the PM's office and someone who should be going around explaning the PM's policies instead of drawing flaks from the rakyat

Our PM since coming into office has been walking the talk with his 1Malaysia concept to draw back the lost grounds in GE12 and working very hard to get back the votes from the Indian and chinese who are seen as the group who can sway the votes back to the governments favour.

Alas the statement by Dato Nazir at this time is like pouring oil into fire whilst th PM is working hard to draw the rakyat his way.

Is Nazir an enemy of the 1Malaysia concept, is he a misfit in the govt administration?, does he has his own agenda? or is he a proxy for someone to instil disunity in our multiethnic society. Only the investigation will reveal why he did what he did.

Praises to Dato Seri Najib's administration for implementing many good plans and policies like the 1Malaysia concept, Government Transformation Programme (GTP, the yet to be announced New Economic Model etc. But what good is all this good policies and plans if the government has officers like Dato Nasir Safar as implementers?

With GE13 around the corner it is time the BN govt work strategically to reconnect with the vote swayers as headways has been made by MIC to woo back the Indian votes.

It is time the govt relooks at its administration as there could be many Dato Nazir Safar in the administration who are not implementing the govt policies as devised by the govt instead hurt the feelings of the fixed deposit votes.

Government Transformation Programme (GTP)

Government Transformation Plan (GTP) Objective:

•Transforming the government into a more effective and accountable entity

•Catapulting Malaysia into an advanced, united, safe and just society with a high quality of life for all.

•The PM has earlier announced the 6 NKRAs and NKPIs

NKRA indicated in numbers while NKPI is in bullets

1.Widening access to quality education

•Ensuring people are able to read, write and count when they enter year 4, 2012

•About 1350 new pre-school opened with an estimated 27000 new student by 2010

2.Combating corruption

•Ministers no longer to sign “support letter" Disclosure of planned and awarded contracts at Ministries’ web portals

3.Reducing crime

•Reducing street crime by 20% by 2010

•Additional 1000 violent crime offenders to be brought to trial by Dec 2010

4.Upgrading low income households

•To reduce the incidence of poverty from 3.8% to 2.8% by 2010

•50% increase in house ownership/rental among rakyat with monthly household income below RM 2500 by 2012

5.Upgrading rural basic infrastructure

•Over 7000km of new and upgrade roads out of which 510km will be done by 2010

•360,000 houses to be connected to clear or treated water, 78760 houses by 2010

•50,000 new or restored houses to the poor and hardcore poor, 16,626 houses by 2010

6.Upgrading urban public transport (medium term)

•Increasing the number of public transport users from the current 16% to 25% by end 2012

•Adding 35 sets of four car trains to operate on the Kelana Jaya LRT track by end 2012

The government has drawn a very ambitious plan. While skeptics are not overall convinced of the grand plan, the man behind PEMANDU, Dato Seri Idris Jala, a turnaround manager at Shell Malaysia and move recently Malaysian Airlines, has a reputation for delivery, hence there is a chance for breakthrough. Yet again this is a chance for PM, YAB Dato Seri Najib to deliver his promises made at 100 days of his office. The GTP is a pre-cursor to GE 13 and if the Government could show some success it has the rakyat’s support. Let’s give PEMANDU and the Government a chance to prove itself.

Kenyataan dato seri samy mengenai penjara simpang renggam bukan mempolitikan isu tersebut

Kenyataan akhbar Presiden MIC, YBhg Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu semalam mengenai penutupan penjara simpang renggam, johor haruslah di beri perhatian serius oleh Menteri Dalam Negeri, YB Dato Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein.

kenyataan ini bukanlah bertujuan mempolitikkan isu tersebut malah ianya suatu kenyattan fakta setelah melihat banyak belia yang masuk dalam penjara tersebut tidak mendapat bimbingan untuk mengubah hidup mereka.

Baru- baru ini Pemuda MIC bersama PDRM telah mengadakan suatu seminar pencegahan gejala social dan antara mereka yang berucap adalah mereka mereka yang telah melalui liku liku hidup di Simpang Renggam. Rata-rata mereka berpendapat suasa disana tidak memberi peluang kepada banduan untuk berubah.

Melihat kepada statistik gejala sosial yang kian meningkat, maka kenyataan dato seri samy kena pada tempatnya. Jika cara sekarang tidak dapat membawa prubahan maka ianya haruslah dikaji dengan terperinci oleh Menteri Dalam Negeri, Dato Seri Hisham berlandasan NKRA yang telah ditetapkan.

Utusan Malaysia Pejuang 1 Malaysia ?

Tindakan wartawan Utusan Malaysia Zaini Hassan dalam membangkitkan isu orang india Malaysia dan orang India dari India dalam tajuk artikelnya "Alkisah India diIndia dan India di Msia " dimana beliau menyifatkan kaum India kononnya kecoh sungguh menakjubkan. Entah dari mana beliau dapat istilah "kecoh" dan pengunaan istilah "keling" berhubung dengan kaum india membuat masyarakat india membara. Lebih lebih lagi sebuah akhbar tempatan yang memperjuangkan kerajaan pimpinan UMNO membuat sebuah liputan akhbar seumpama ini.

Walaupun YAB Perdana Menteri, Dato Seri Najib berusaha menyatukan masyarakat negara majmuk, jelas kelihatan ada setengah- setengah pihak yang berfikiran sempit dan tidak sekata dan seiring dengan konsep Satu Malaysia yang disarankan PM. Ke mana perginya Rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian di utamakan?

Utusan malaysia sering kali membangkitkan isu isu perkauman yang boleh menganggu ketenteraman awam. Bila Tamil Nesan membangkitkan sesuatu isu berkenaan kaum india mereka diberi surat tunjuk sebab oleh KDN. Akankah tindakan seumpama itu akan diambil oleh KDN terhadap Utusan atau Zaini? Menteri KDN haruslah mengambil tindakan yang adil dan saksama supaya semua akhbar tempatan diberi peluang yang sama dan tiada pilih kasih.

Train & Place programme in Melaka & PD

I did the closing for the Train and Place programme sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource at Port Dickson on 2 dec 2009. This programme was for IT Office Administrators and IT Technicians. over 80 students (40 in PD) and another 40 in Malacca completed their one month course and they are currently being employed.

This training was conducted by Beam Advisory and Consultancy Services Sdn Bhd, an approved Training Provider approved by Human Resource Ministry. The students enjoyed their training where they were taught various IT skills and they are enjoyed the company of their fellow colleagues.

The HR Ministry's noble plan to train unemployed youth and subsequently place them is indeed a laudlable move. Bravo Datuk Dr Subra.

BIOTECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENUERSHIP SPECIAL TRAINING (BeST) PROGRAMME

The BeST programme is an intensive, structured programme for graduates with enthusiasm and deep interest biotechnology industry.
Combining classroom, laboratory and on-the-job training, the six months dedicated programme is aimed equipping graduates with key skills and knowledge for entry level positions in biotechnology and life sciences companies.
We welcome applications from Malaysian graduates with a degree in the following disciplines:
•Science (Biotechnology / Health science / Agricultural Sciences / Life Sciences)
•Engineering
•Business Administration
•Law

The programme will be conducted in Penang, Kuantan, Marang, Kuala Lumpur, Pasir Gudang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. The training investment will be borne by BiotechCorp and trainees will be given RM1, 000 monthly allowances to cover accommodation, transportation and other related living expenses.

The BeST Programme is supported by excellent industry collaborations and has a successful and proven track record in providing internship and job placement assistance to all BeST Programme’s graduate.

Application form can be downloaded via our website at http://www.biotechcorp.com.my. Please submit your application form together with a complete CV and passport size photograph to:

BIOTECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENUERSHIP SPECIAL TRAINING (BeST) PROGRAMME
Human Capital Development Department, Strategy & Planning Division
Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn Bhd
Level 20, Menara Atlan, 161 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Closing Date: 14th December 2009 I Only short candidates will be called for an interview.

Indians must move beyond race, caste and ethnicity to be a unified force

The concept of 1Malaysia was launched by PM Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak after taking over as the 6th Prime Minister of the country on April 9, 2009. The concept promises to unite all malaysia as Bangsa Malaysia with fair treatment for all races and the it promises that no one race slhould be left out in the country's development process.

In view of the 1Malaysia concept it is high time that the Indian community in Malaysia who have always been divided according to sub race be it tamil, telugu , malayalee etc and caste(a practice inherited from our origin, India)to unite as one force as Malaysian Indians. Given the cultural diversity amongst us this should be made a plus point.

The MIC Unity and Committee Development Committee chairman S. Vell Paari echoed his sentiment on this yesterday and his attempt to unite all of them through discussion with various groups should be lauded.

It is high time the Indians from various ethnic group and caste put their differences behind and instead concentrate of taking advantage of the available economic opportunities to uplift the socio economic standing of the community. Infighting amongst the groups must be avoided or at least minimised at all cost.

It is like wheather we want to win a battle or a war. The Indian community must find the niche and proritize what is important and avoid dwelling on trivial matters which does not in any way benefit the community. Looking at the bigger picture will almost help them achieve higher economic and social standing.

The Hindraf action in November 2007 opened up the plight of the Indian community and now with the release of the Hindraf five its is the right time and platform to discuss common community issues and find long term solution to it, rather than crying foul on being marginalised. We do not need more political parties or ngos as there are many in existence already.

The Indians have a large pool of professionas be it doctors, lawyers ,engineers, accountants etc. This pool of talent should be leveraged to undertake reforms within the community. Our ancestors once came here as traders but where are we now?. Help will be there for those who help themself. Lets get united fellow malaysian indians. A United Malaysian Indians united force can eventually lead to the success of 1Malaysia.