Indian members quit 'Interlok' review panel (with comments)

(Malaysiakini) The controversy over the 'Interlok' rose several notches today when the eight-member independent panel to review and amend the novel saw all its ethnic Indian members pull out this afternoon.

Following a meeting held at Parliament building with Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today, all three ethnic Indian panellists declared they were withdrawing from the government-created body.

According to writer Uthaya Shankar SB (right), the decision was taken after it became apparent that the other members of the panel had changed their minds and rejected one-by-one the 100 modifications that had been recommended to render the book appropriate for consumption by Form 5 students.

“We feel we were betrayed,” Uthaya Shankar told Malaysiakini.

He claims that earlier, all eight panellists had reached a consensus over the matter.

Besides Uthaya, two others who withdrew from the panel are Global Aminuddin Baki Universiti education centre director Prof NS Rajendran and former education ministry officer G Krishnabahawan.

Earlier today, all eight panel members led by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) ethnic studies institute director Shamsul Amri Baharuddin met Muhyiddin at Parliament to discuss the results of their studies.

'DPM disagreed'

According to Uthaya, everyone at the meeting had unanimously agreed that the word “pariah”, which denotes a lower caste in Tamil society, be removed from the novel.

However, Muhyiddin was not agreeable about 100 other amendments and requested that it be reduced.

“Muhyiddin then left the meeting. We continued discussing about the novel for three hours. But all the original amendments were rejected,” said Uthaya in a very dissatisfied tone.

Among others, Uthaya and two others had wanted a correction to the word “tali (string)” used in the book to described the ceremonial gold necklace used in weddings. The correct word should be “thali”.

“They (other panelist) said this is not sensitive. How would they know? We are Indians. We know what is sensitive and what is not,” said Uthaya, who is a celebrated Malay writer.

He refused to call his action and that of two others a form of protest and instead said that they did what was “appropriate”.

“We were brought in to represent the Indian community. Without us, I don't know what will happen,” he said when asked if the panel was doomed to failure.

The panel's meeting after Muhyiddin left was cut short after the trio withdrew.  

Comments from Malaysiakini readers:-

E-Pakatan BN (Phoenix Star 88) You are a real Pariah. Even the word were to be removed you are still a pariah. The whole idea and best idea if this blady idiot like you dont want the book to ammended then sell the book in Muhi Tahi Book shop la. We just ask the book not to be used in School. Faham tak baghal., Bahlol Haprak. Tak perlu pinda pinda. Biarkan. Penulis gila Abdullah Hussien memang racist kalau dilihat dari segi penulisan nya walaupun ia nya satu Novel. Orang boleh baca isi hati dia. Dah dekat dengan liang sepatutnya sebelum mati minta maaf dengan orang India, China dan juga melayu. Mengapa dia katakan Melayu Malas, Pergilah tengok Melayu di Kelantan betapa Rajin. Mana ada Cina tipu. Itu firasat dia. Another F**** of race relation. Dia kutuk semua bangsa Malaysia. Kalau lah buku ini ditulis oleh seorang bukan Melayu now the Perkosa alaready ask them to be arrested under ISA. Tapi kerana penulis nya Melayu Perkosa sokong. Ini bukan isu antara orang melayu dgn bukan melayu tetapi maruah

8 minutes ago · Report

4th generation pendatang Its so obvious that MIC got no clout in BN or the MIC reps are all under UMNO payroll and that's why they don't dare say anything in defence of their own community. Otherwise UMNO will ask them to leave BN cause in the last election MIC hardly contributed anyway ....

18 minutes ago · Report

Anonymous_40dd The sensitive words will not be removed from Interlok. Otherwise,the purpose of getting the novel to be read by all our 5th formers,that is to further their 'divide & rule' policy,will fail.Divide & Rule is essential for the present government to hang on to power for another 52 years.

35 minutes ago · Report

Anti-Interlok I salute for the braveness of these 3 panel members. They went through hell when they were appointed as many threatening sms and email were thrown to these ppl. They stood brave for one reason that is to correct the uncorrect in the INterlok. Finally they realised tht the battle is not what is in the book but what is in DPM MY mind and his AMNO agenda. Uthaya SB of Kayvan have shown maturing in many discussion on this book. His was focus on his role. Now with all the Indian panel remove themselves, the united Indian must stand in voice to remove the book from school syllabus. Dont MEMPERKOSA the book and release the book to school, have respect to the writer n let it be status quo as it was abt 40 yrs ago.

an hour ago · Report

PS_207d Heloo Indian friends vote again for BN and you will get better word next time.Still our indian wants to support this stupid BN.What MIC doing and they should leave BN and be an independent.

an hour ago · Report

Narrish Return back the book to headmaster ; do it in groups, all chinese , indian and malay( if you think its not worth it for one Malaysia).

an hour ago · Report

Anonymous_5fb Interlok adalah sebahagian daripada agenda 'Ketuanan Melayu' Umno yang bertujuan memberi anggapan kepada orang-orang muda yang Melayu adalah kaum yang lebih agung daripada kaum-kaum lain. Sebab itu, kaum India digambarkan sebagai 'Pariah' dan kaum Cina 'tamak' sehingga boleh jualkan anak gadis mereka semata-mata untuk wang ringgit. Tetapi adakah hakikatnya begitu dan adakah ini cara yang betul supaya dapat menaik-tarafkan kaum Melayu sebagai bangsa yang unggul? Ini sememangnya cara yang salah dari segi moral, ugama dan kemanusiaan bagi kerajaan yang diterajui Umno. Apa yang kita boleh buat ialah kuatkan hasrat kita semua supaya Umno dapat dikalahkan melalui peti undi kelak. Kalau tidak, penganiayaan sebegini akan diteruskan.

an hour ago · Report

Jimmy Ng the DPM ala Education Minister decided that 100 amendments were too many and ask for it to be reduced ????!!!...on what basis ?? on what grounds ?? what is the rationale or logic that says 100 amendments is too many ? Come on MUJAHIDEEN !!, pray tell us all !! ..enlighten us all Malaysians with your "infinite wisdom" !!... Is that the way this country is runned as well ?? at every whim and fancy, as they see fit ???!!! ...No wonder this country is going to the dogs !!!!....NO !! There MUST BE CHANGE !!! THERE HAS TO BE CHANGE !! ENOUGH is ENOUGH !!..WAKE UP YOU BLADDY MALAYSIANS !! ..BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE !!...for ALL OF US !!

1 hours ago · Report

Gerard Samuel Vijayan Why is the government and the UMNO lackeys on the panel so stubborn and obstinate about this book? Can't they find any other Malay literature textbook that is not controversial, is unifying in its content and promotes national unity, tolerance and acceptance in its context. Why stick to a book that consists of streotypes, racial profiling and derogatory terms? Is the Indian unhappiness with this book seen as a provocation to the Malay hegemony that is so prevalent in our system today? If the book is nothing but a literary work then is it acceptable to use a text that refers to Malays as generally lazy and stupid with a penchant for rape, incest and drug addiction all under the guise of literary freedom and social context? The government is being very stupid. Increasingly, it is becoming clear that Malays can use all sorts of racist, derogatory and offensive words and gestures towards the non-Malays and get away with it with the tacit support of the UMNO regime but this is destructive.

1 hours ago · Report

Enough Said Are you sure Indians got played out at Kampung Buah Pala? Where is MIC's carrot of RM3.2 mil? So who are having the houses now? Who sold the land initially to the Koperasi? Come on lah. Stop spinning nonsense. Today majority of the families who accepted the offer brokered by the state government is alive and well. Are you in Penang in the first place? If not, stop blabbing lah Aku Melayu. It is people like you that harbour hatred and play the divide and rule for your UMNO masters. Grow up la.

1 hours ago · Report

Indian Ji Cathrine: We aware of the issue. We are hopeless. You must also realize as there are more fair and trust able Indian leaders in PKR/DAP rather than culprits and back-fired peoples in BN/MIC. We must move slowly to achieve and get what we need in fair manner. You must think, who is the reason for this issue? UMNO and BN. So, we must withdraw them and replace them in new leaders and parties. Once we withdraw them, there will be a new strategies to put on to achieve and get good things for Indians communities. Who knows at that moments, Hindraf could be one of new Indian party under PKR/DAP? We dont know but what we know is that Indians will be continuously marginalized under UMNO/BN government

1 hours ago · Report

grinder This is how we show unity. You three are great. The Indians' hats off to you. We don't know why the hell the Edu.Minister so adamant in this matter. What does he get hurting the community?

1 hours ago · Report

Cathrine It is strange most comentators talk about Indians voting for BN. The more serious issue is not addressed. How could voting Pas and PKR and DAP help the indians??? Can someone care to explain. Didn't the DAP play them out in Penang?? Didn't PAS play them out in Kedah?? Anwar himself endorsed this book and all PKR members are silent!!. Let us address the more pertinent question of decency and stop harping about votes. Hang the votes. Care for human decency first.

1 hours ago · Report

Dark Archon Hah! As expected. DPM aka Education Minister don't give a hoot about how the other ethnics feel. To him, he's 1st Malay. Everything else is secondary. So, why should he care? And those of you who hope that he gives a damn, you can just keep dreaming.

2 hours ago · Report

Indian Ji I would like to know what they had been discussed, the reason for UMNO reject 100 requests (there should be reasons), and list of 100 requested demanded by the Indian parties. I am seriously eager to know what are the reasons for Muhiyiddin takes up very hard to make the amendment to the Interlok book? A leader should provide a positive and rational decision. He must be fair in every decision making. In this case, i wonder how reliable is the Education Minister in decision making and problem solving. This is a simple matter, but racism influencing in his and all UMNO leaders which lead this issue poorly manage and generated many racial issues. I believe the person so called Education Minister can solve this simple issue if he use his BRAIN and not KNEE. I also wondering whether the minister is really reliable and fit for the ministry level posting which he held now.

2 hours ago · Report

S Vellu Right from the start, they had majority Malays in the panel. This was doomed to fail. All planned by the ever useless Muhi the education fiasco minister

2 hours ago · Report

Rohan Tan Memang dijangka.Panel bebas adalah WAYANG KULIT. Tunggu apa lagi! Semua ibu bapa India dan Cina yang mempunyai MARUAH harus pulangkan Interlok kepada pihak sekolah dengan serta merta.

2 hours ago · Report

Raja Chulan For Muhi, all that matters is the Malay extremist (Perkasa) vote. He is Dr. M's proxy and therefore must accept Perkasa's demand. Indian vote? Not very important as that of Perkasa's. MIC? Only to be used when it is convenient to UMNO. Throw a few bones at MIC (leaders like Samy) and the Mandore will do his job for UMNO. Truth? Who cares? Malaysia is doomed.

2 hours ago · Report

Phoenix Star 88 I think the issue of Interlok has gone on for too long. The Indians have far bigger problems than an offensive word in a textbook. Interlok triggered protests and raw emotions from many Indian parties and NGOs but they seems to be a defeaning silence and inaction when it comes to serious social and economic woes plaguing the Indians. When The Star reported that a bunch of Indian boys from SMK Sri Gading, Rawang gang-raped an Indian girl, left a pencil inside her and terrorised the local community, nobody said or did anything. 3/4 of Tamil school students fail at least one subject in UPSR but there is no panel or 'action team' to address this issue.

2 hours ago · Report

Apapunbolehkah? With this fellow around, I see the future very bleak for 1Malaysia ! All talk only and at the end , these people will still consider others as outsiders no matter what . For those who are still asleep, this is what u all will get if you continue to vote BN ! Serves you right! Wake uplah.! We are nothing to them !

2 hours ago · Report

Ace II AkuMelayu I think I have a better idea. Why not give all the Indian boys and Malay girls the Kama Sutra and the rest the Interlok. With this the Indians will give their votes to BN. It is a win win man.

2 hours ago · Report

Phoenix Star 88 I urge Indian members of the panel not to be too picky or oversensitive. They main issue had always been the 'pariah' word and they have agreed to do away with it. Making 100 changes to a book is quite impractical. The characters in Interlok should be judged as individual rather than represantations of their race. The 'thali' is technically a string (tali) anyway, so what's the big deal ? Indian students should also avoid pulling stunts like returning the book to their principal. A principal cannot change a textbook even if he/she wanted to. Remember, failing BM means failing the entire SPM.

2 hours ago · Report

Kgen Muhyiddin didn't want the other changes because the book would be neutered as a Malay Supremacist book. The non-Indian panellists bend over backwards to serve him. Clear enough?

2 hours ago · Report

Zz2XX You can discuss till the cows come back and nothing will change. umNO racists party cannot change its stripe. It survives by being a racist party by spreading and promoting racism. Racism is the core of the party. When umNO racists party plays the race card it can always be in power.

2 hours ago · Report

righteous Ayah.Moor Hai you lin knows with a fistful of dollars the Indians will come eating from his hands,,not unlike goats.Wasalaam.

3 hours ago · Report

Rosmin Shahril All the Indian panelist who withdrew have my highest respect. Thank you Sirs for being principled. These UMNoo guys are certainly playing politics and have their own agendas and are not there to solve the problem but to break the very fabric of our society. Just vote them out the next GE. Wasalam

3 hours ago · Report

Stalin We must understand one thing here,the writer spend monies to get it approved by DEWAN BAHASA .Everyone well paid thats the reason GOV dint want the book to be withdraw .Corrupt GOV even in the school books.Find out from DEWAN PUSTAKA whether what I wrote true or not.

3 hours ago · Report

Anonymous_4056 MIC should withdraw from BN for good. MIC and for that matter MCA should not be in BN in the first place. Anyway, it doesn't make any differences. MIC and MCA is irrelevant. Indians and Chinese should throw them out once and for all come GE 13th. Let us bury them once and for all. Bet you UMNO will still appoint them ministers just for window dressing that also for minor iministries only.

3 hours ago · Report

AkuMelayu The Indians kept voting BN because they trust the government of the day that have proven track record of delivering all their promises fairly to all races including the Indians. They fear the Pakatan regime after what happen to the Indians from Kampung Buah Pala in Penang. They remembered that very well. The Indians are not stupid when it comes to voting for the future. Understand Makcik Har?

3 hours ago · Report

josephine What can these 3 do? After all, the Indian voters are returning to BN, the community also have a short memory, and cannot break ties with BN for too long. If the community makes little headways with issues that are important to them, who can they blame but themselves?

3 hours ago · Report

Makcik Har To cut the long story short, DPM Mooyideen and UMNO cabinet don't give a damn about Indians or how Indians feel. Behind closed doors they probably say ,' Pergi balik India lah !' But what can we do ? The Indians in the estates will continue voting for BN. Sigh............

3 hours ago · Report

Love for Malaysia Dear Utaya Shankar, Prof.N.S.Rajendaran & Sri Krishnabahawan. Thankyou very much for the decision of withdrawal from the panel. Hope our DPM will understand that the interlok issue has to be erased for once and forever to stop the unneccessary upset among the community. The community only wants the book to be out from the syllabus. There are many wonderful sastrawans in Malaysia who can produce more interluctual novels.Why wasting time on this interlok. Shame for our Malaysia Shame .Shame.

3 hours ago · Report

Freemsia I am pretty darn sure that AkuMelayu is a Perkasa member. ; )

3 hours ago · Report

Anonymous_3ec6 The indians are so screwed up they will still vote for BN after being screwed for 53 years.. Palanivelu can tell the DPM to Fuck off when DPM was talking cock and insulting the indians. Palanivelu..you are a religious man..quit MIC and join HRP and you can do more for the indians and will respect you more..

3 hours ago · Report

AkuMelayu I wonder which novel will satisfy our Indian friends. Kama Sutra perhaps? Yes, why not? Edu. Min. lets have two novels for SPM. The Indians can have 'Kama Sutra' while the others can stick with 'Interlok'. Semua happy.

3 hours ago · Report

Anonymous_3ec6 AkuMelayu...the Kama Sutra is accepted worldwide where else the shit novel is only accepted in 3 or 4 states in malaysia. Would accept a novel insulting the malays as lazy bums.. who want easy money without working for it..

4 hours ago · Report

Akmal for all the things I may have disagreed on with isa1@penyu before, I wholeheartedly agree with his statement on this issue. Muhyiddin should consider just removing it from the syllabus for now until the issues are settled. Otherwise, not just the non-Malay Malaysians but the world will think that we Malays are a people who think they cannot be offended even if they can offend everyone else.

4 hours ago · Report

Rambo I don't trust you fellas,,today u quit..2moro..join back..maybe get some money also..useless fellas..

4 hours ago · Report

Ape man It took one indian man to stand against the mighty British and won ,we see a repeat here in Malaysia.

4 hours ago · Report

Albert Jairaj where are all the 'pariah' MIC leaders now

4 hours ago · Report

Anonymous_3e06 my dear friends you did the honourable thing. You understood the feelings and the aspiration of the Indians. Stand by the moral principles and truth. It will get you somewhere. I salute you three. Bless you.

4 hours ago · Report

Lover Boy I am sorry to say this. The Indian Community cannot act like the Christian over the Interloc issue because the Indian themselves are not united. You get that Ulu Selangor Kamalanathan who settle issues and in short Interloc remains, the students that were hauled to the police station were to shut up. Now on the issue of Indian culture, who knows better, the Sasterawan , Muyiddin or the 3 Indians experts? The meeting was doom to failure and in short the Government are telling the Indians to podah. Be united and then you can see changes, not otherwise

4 hours ago · Report

JBGUY My respect is for these three Indians who stood their ground. Will the MIC, PPP, Gerakan, IPF and Makkal Sakti Indians have the same courage and walk out of the BN coalition if this issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of the Indian community. For far too long, the Indians have put up with all the oppresive and discriminatory practices of the UMNO led govt, it has come to this point, where the Indians must regain their lost pride and status. Enough is enough, stop groveling and walk with your heads held up.

4 hours ago · Report

Enough Said To you 3..... I SALUTE THEE.

4 hours ago · Report

msv where u mic?ppp?ipf?miup?mmsp? worried to voice out coz will lost ur cari makan? dont tell us u all indian base party... u all money maker party...

4 hours ago · Report

Easyone Syabas, stand up... don't act like mamak in Penang

4 hours ago · Report

Perakian Ammending the content of a novel? Why not use other novel as the reading material instead??

4 hours ago · Report

Bluemountains The Indians, in particular the HRP, should learn from the Christians on the bible issue. The Christians have shown what people power can do and have successfully forced them to raise the white flag. The Indians should do likewise by waking up the Indian community through group briefings and not by protesting at a rally and unnecessarily subjecting yourself to police arrest. The entire spectrum of the Indian society needs to be adequately informed before they cast their vote at the 13 GE.

4 hours ago · Report

Keturunan Malaysia BRAVO isa@1penyu, that's what we want from you and good Malaysians...call a spade a spade. If a 'small' issue like getting rid of Interlok cannot be done in the spirit of 1Malaysia...what else??????

4 hours ago · Report

antiBN.my what is mic for,r there indians.what kind of indians.still want to be with the bn goverment.u all r still dreaming abt 1malaysia.

Perkasa to Anwar: Where is your love of truth?

A group of NGOs lambast Anwar for continuing to refuse submitting his DNA to the court.

VIDEO INSIDE

KUALA LUMPUR: Perkasa has thrown PKR’s fight for truth and justice back at its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim by challenging him to uphold these principles and submit his DNA sample to the High Court.
Anwar, who is facing his second sodomy trial, has refused to provide a DNA sample after the High Court ruled last week that the samples obtained from items in his detention cell were inadmissible.
Last Friday, Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin applied for the court to compel Anwar to provide his DNA for profiling. Anwar described the application as “frivolous” and “a political game”.
This has led to Perkasa Youth Chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah questioning whether PKR’s struggle was genuine, seeing that its leader was trying to “silence those who are seeking the truth”.
Anwar and his supporters have said they fear that surrendering a sample of his DNA would expose his case to manipulation by parties determined to kill him off politically. They do not trust the integrity of the system, including the police, the judiciary and medical authorities.
“The fact is the prosecution has all along adamantly refused all defence requests to be provided with full details, data and samples of the DNA testing performed on samples taken from (sodomy accuser) Saiful’s body and clothing,” PKR Communication Director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad wrote in a recent article.
“This is contrary to all established protocols on DNA testing and which would have automatically excluded the evidence in any fair trial.
“Such a refusal makes it impossible for the defence and the court to independently verify the integrity of the testing. The refusal only serves to reinforce the view that the prosecution has something important to hide about the so-called DNA testing.  In such a case, it would be a complete mockery of justice for Anwar to have to provide a DNA sample to help the prosecution affirm a suspicious and fabricated result,” Nik Nazmi had said.
Appeal to the Sgor government
Perkasa’s Arman spoke today at a press conference organized by the 30 NGOs that recently demonstrated in front of the PKR headquarters to call on Anwar to submit his DNA sample.
“What separates Anwar from you and I?” Arman asked. “Why is it so hard for him to prove his innocence? A DNA swab would only take an hour at the most. He has no reason to be afraid if he is truly innocent.
“Does Anwar want to play this game until the next general election in the hope of become prime minister so that he can sweep this under the carpet?  He wanted transparency in the Altantuya case; so we’re asking the same of him in this case.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Malay Veteran Soldiers Society, Ali Baharom, has described Anwar’s refusal as “cowardice”.
“I’ve also heard that the Selangor government plans to secretly fund Anwar’s defense,” he said. “I appeal to Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim not to waste the people’s money on yesterday’s hero who is today’s coward and traitor.”
Concern also arose over the possibility that Anwar would set a precedent for other offenders to refuse similar requests.
The deputy president of the Limousine and Hired Car Drivers and Operators Association, Syahrir Abdul Aziz, said the trial was a “hot topic” among the taxi drivers and that they agreed that Anwar would have been convicted if he was an ordinary Malaysian.
“What will happen if other offenders use Anwar as a reference in refusing to provide their DNA samples in their cases?” he asked.
Arman concluded the session by reiterating that Malaysians were tired of Anwar’s “political pantomime” and his spinning of a “small story into a national issue”.
“I, a small leader, challenge the great leader Anwar Ibrahim to face the court in this matter and provide his DNA sample for the sake of justice,” he said.

‘If you want to vote, come back’

This is Nazri's message for overseas Malaysians. Furthermore, he says those who have been abroad for many years, don't love this country.

KUALA LUMPUR: If Malaysians living abroad want to cast their votes, they should come back here to do so, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

“If I am a Malaysian, I’ll come back and vote,” he told Parliament today.

He said that many overseas Malaysians were in other countries out of their own will, and not because they were forced to.

“Those who have been there for five or six years and don’t come back, they don’t love Malaysia,” he added.

Nazri was responding to DAP-Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan, who asked on the possibility of giving overseas Malaysians the right to vote.

The minister said that the government could only give voting exceptions to government servants and full-time students overseas, as well as their accompanying spouses.

“The important element here is that they are out of the country not because they want to (kerelaan hati) but because they are there on a temporary basis, or are forced to,” he added.

Nazri also warned that if this exception was lifted, many “would go overseas”, adding that the government had to consider voters’ absence from a logistics perspective.

He said that this was in accordance with Article 119 of the Federal Constitution.

Article 119(b) states that eligible voters have to be a: “resident in a constituency on such qualifying date or, if not so, the resident, is an absent voter”.

Agreeing with Nazri, Umno’s Kalabakan MP Abdul Ghapur Salleh said that overseas Malaysians had lost their faith in the country.

“Why should we give them the right to vote in the country?” he asked. “Perhaps our countrymen who have gone overseas want to bring down our country’s name if we give them this right.”

DAP-Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran said that the Federal Constitution did not mention a cut-off period for overseas Malaysians.

He said that Malaysians had the right to vote as long as they were “federal citizens”.

Parliament rejects motion on Interlok

With four months to go before SPM examinations, Bukit Gantang MP Nizar Jamaluddin is in disbelieve that Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia can't see the urgency in debating the Interlok novel issue.

KUALA LUMPUR: Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia today rejected a motion to debate the inclusion of the controversial Interlok novel in the curriculum on the basis that it was not an urgent matter.

His dismissal irked opposition MPs who questioned the separation of power between the Executive, the ruling Barisan National government and the Legislative (parliament).

Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran, who moved the motion to debate Interlok said that he was disappointed.

He said although the parliament was running into its fourth year, the House Speakers were still “not able to differentiate” the duties between the executive and the legislative arms.

“Speaker said that it has been debated by so many people, but the irony is that it has not been debated by members of parliament in the house.

“Why is it that all over the country people can speak of Interlok but members of parliament can’t debate it”? he asked when speaking to reporters after the motion was rejected.

Pandikar Amin had earlier rejected Manogaran’s request because he was of the opinion that it did not fulfill all the three criteria required to approve the motion.

Pandikar Amin said a motion to debate needed to have a specific issue and had to be of public interest. It also needed to have an element of urgency.

Not urgent

He said in the matter of Interlok, the motion fell short of the third criteria.

Pandikar Amin said that the government had given it due attention to the issue as an independent panel had already been established to look into the matter.

The matter, was as such not urgent.

Manogaran however felt that the parliament was the right place for members to debate on any matter regardless of whether or not it is being deliberated by the government.

“We may have ideas through debates in parliament that they may (want to) consider,” he said.

Bukit Gantang MP Nizar Jamaluddin meanwhile also disagreed with Pandikar Amin’s view that the issue was ‘not urgent.’

“We are going into the fourth month, SPM is in November, so there is a sense of urgency to address the matter,” he said.

Nizar also took stabs at MIC leaders whom he alleged were giving in to Umno.

“I am disappointed and shameful of the MIC, PPP and other political organization.

“This proves that MIC are merely puppets of the Umno. Why are they bowing to them?” he said adding that the Indian community leaders had completely backed-down from the matter after the independent panel was established.

The MPs stressed that the matter transcended the Indian community as the book was also offensive to other races.

The press conference which was also attended by Klang MP Charles Santiago and Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him also called for the retraction of the book from the syllabus.

Coffin incident: Police wrapping to case

Investigation papers to be referred to DPP for further action, says George Town police chief Gan Kong Meng

GEORGE TOWN: The city police are in the process of finalising investigation papers on the incident on Sunday where a group of Muslims delivered two coffins to DAP Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik at separate places.

George Town OCPD ACP Gan Kong Meng said: “We are in the process of winding up and handing over the investigation papers to the DPP for further action.”

Gan said that the case was being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation and for illegal assembly under Section 27(5) of the Police Act 1963.

He dismissed criticisms, especially in cyber space, that police have been practicing double standard by applying different sets of law on different groups.

Gan said police always acted fairly to uphold law and order. When asked why no one has been arrested over the incident, he said that the coffins were not delivered to Ng in person.

The group had carried out their action for what they claimed were the Penang Pakatan-led government’s betrayal of the Malay-Muslim community.

A yet-to-be registered Pertubuhan Suara Anak-anak Malaysia (Voice of Malaysian Children’s Association) chief Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman led the group to deliver the coffins to Ng.

He placed one coffin in Komtar Walk and another by the roadside of Ng’s townhouse in Happy Valley area, Paya Terubong.

Fist-fight

During a demonstration prior to placing the coffin on Komtar Walk, Ghani’s supporters, from several Malay-Muslim NGOs, demanded Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s resignation and called Ng a ‘coward’.

Ghani, who heads another unregistered organisation – the Voice of Penang Mamak Children Association, also delivered a fiery racially-tinged speech before a watching police team.

His supporters said the coffins were signs of the consequences one must face for betraying the Malay-Muslim community.

“He can send me back 10 coffins if he wants to, I would gladly accept it,” said Ghani who had spent RM 2,000 on the coffins.

Ghani is also Komtar Merchants Association vice-president and had once challenged the chief minister to a fist-fight.

Police have came under heavy fire in the cyber space over the incident and many questioned Ghani’s credentials for championing the Malay cause when he is of Indian origin.

Many also criticised police of being ‘too lenient’ on the perpetrators, who were believed to have links with Umno.

30000 Foreigners Caned

Has the government ever caned any employer for perpetuating such offence?

By G. Rajasekaran (President ITUC-Asia Pacific)

Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein's recent revelation to Parliament that 30,000 foreign workers were caned is most shocking.

In a statement released March 15, 2011 the President of the International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific, G. Rajasekaran urged the government to end the brutal and barbaric practice.

The ITUC believes that not everyone subjected to such torture knew that they were committing an offence by venturing out to earn a living.

Rajasekaran who served as the Secretary General of MTUC (1994-2010) said MTUC has evidence to show that licences issued by the Malaysian Home Affairs Ministry have led to widespread abuse. These labour suppliers, licenced to traffic in workers, are the main cause of the rise in the number of illegal foreign workers.

MTUC has received complaints from hundreds of workers that have been in the country for as long as six months without any wages. Many brought in to work in restaurants are compelled to work in the manufacturing sector: and in the eyes of the law is an infringement of work permit conditionality and can be detained, prosecuted, caned and jailed!

Has the government ever caned any employer for perpetuating such offence?

We call for the abolition of all forms or corporal punishment, which constitutes torture or ill-treatment.

G. RAJASEKARAN
PRESIDENT ITUC-Asia Pacific
Secretary General MTUC 1994-2010

Book Bombs In Indonesia

We know who you are: Bashir

(Asia Sentinel) Jihadis seek to kill individuals who oppose them

Indonesian Islamic extremists' war on those whom they consider apostates appears to be taking an ominous new turn with the mailing of bombs concealed in books to apparent opponents. The bombs raise fears that jihadi terrorists are now broadening their attacks to go after those who either battle terrorism directly or support a liberal interpretation of Islam.

An Indonesian antiterror official said late Wednesday that the Jemaah Islamiyah jihadi group, to which militant cleric Abu Bashir Bakar is closely tied, is behind the'bombs.  Bashir is now on trial in a Jakarta courtroom, charged with inciting terror.

Although Indonesia has been the focus of a long series of bombings of hotels and nightclubs including one that took the lives of 202 people and injured 240 more in Bali in 2002, they have not previously targeted single individuals.

None of the bombs succeeded in maiming or killing their intended targets although one policeman attempting to defuse a package had his hand blown off and two fellow officers were injured. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Wednesday ordered a probe of the bomb attacks and expressed sympathy for the victims and their families.

Yudhoyono has come under increasing criticism for what is perceived to be a lack of political will in seeking to rein in what is believe to be a small minority of fundamentalists in the community. Islamists have steadily used their influence in government to provide a legal foundation for many of the outrages that are now taking place.

As an example of the new strategy, one of the bombs was mailed to former Commanding General Gories Mere, who previously headed Indonesia's elite Densus 88 counter-terrorism unit. Abu Bakar Bashir has labeled the unit as a tool of the United States, Australia and their allies. Bashir has also accused Densus 88 of being made up of Christian officers.

Mere led a series of successful raids against extremists, many of whom have been killed by police. He now heads the National Narcotics Agency.

Bashir's trial has in fact become a lightning rod for extremist forces. The 72-year-old cleric is accused of fomenting violent attacks and running a training camp for militants in Aceh Province. He has been described as the ideological godfather of the violent Jemaah Islamiyah Islamic group, which is believed to have been behind a wide range of terror attacks including the 2002 Bali bombings.

Bashir has issued a continuing series of outbursts from the courtroom, including one on Monday when he stormed out of the courtroom after his lawyer was expelled for the day as well.

The first of the bombs was sent to a liberal Islamic scholar Ulil Abshar Abdalla, the co-founder of the Liberal Islamic Network. Ulil wasn't at his office, however. Others became suspicious and reported the package to police, who attempted to defuse it. The device exploded inside the network's office in East Jakarta. It was that bomb that blew off the hand of the officer attempting to defuse it and injured his two colleagues.

The third bomb was sent to Yapto Suryosumarno, the chairman of Pemuda Pancasila, or Pancasila Youth. Pancasila is Indonesia's moderate official philosophy, stressing belief in one god, democracy, social justice and just and civilized humanity.

Police were said to be hunting Taufik Bulaga, alias Upik Lawang, a jihadi bomb-maker who in the past has specialized in “booby trap” bombs which can be concealed inside flashlights and other devices, including door jams, which exploded when the doors were opened. He remains at large.

The book bombs are just the latest in a series of disturbing events that have shaken Indonesia's image as a moderate Islamic nation. In February, an outraged mob of Muslim zealots descended on the compound of a small group of Ahmadiyah believers, burning them out and chasing them through nearby fields. Ahmadis believe their founder was a successor to the Prophet Mohammed. Three of the Ahmadis were run down by the mob and beaten to death. Two days later, a similar mob gathered outside the courthouse in another central Java town demanding death for a man accused of blasphemy for disturbing leaflets deemed to be insulting to Islam. Frustrated, they burned down two churches and rampaged through the town.

Also there is the case of Murhali Barda, a former chapter leader of the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front, also known by its Indonesian language initials as the FPI, who was on trial for inciting violence, and who from the courtroom warned the Batak Christian Protestant Church against holding prayers in Bekasi, a predominantly Muslim district in West Java. He was suspended from the Islamic organization after his arrest in September.

The FPI in particular has increasingly worried members of other religious faiths and moderates, accosting women wearing what the organization deems provocative dress, raiding nightclubs and intimidating non-Muslims. So far, to the dismay of many, authorities have refused to crack down on the FPI. In fact Yudhoyono late last year appointed Timur Prodopo to head Indonesia's National Police despite the fact that he publicly maintains close connections to the FPI.

Pradopo at the time defended his relationship with the FPI, saying that: "We should be close to all [groups] to maintain security in this country."

Cabinet To Decide On Nuke Power Plants

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Bernama) -- The decision whether Malaysia will proceed with its proposal to build two nuclear power plants will be made after the Cabinet has evaluated the paper to be submitted by Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui, said whether the proposed plan was on or not, it was not for him to decide.

"It is for the Cabinet to decide. We have to wait for the report to be presented to the Cabinet," he said.

Chin said this to reporters after unveiling the electric bikes by Eclimo Sdn Bhd here Wednesday.

Earlier, in his address, Chin said the adoption and application of green technology was crucial as it was the only way forward for sustainable growth and development.

He said the government strongly felt that green technology has a crucial role to play in being part of the solution to climate changes.

"Green technology is the government's latest proactive action to spur industries and institutions to be eco-technological innovators in the field of eco-designs, eco-materials, eco-products and services as well as low carbon green technologies," he said.

He said his ministry was currently preparing the Electric Vehicles Infrastructure Roadmap and the Fleet Test Vehicles Programme in Putrajaya which would be launched soon.

Chin said talking about 'greening' would not be complete without addressing the energy-efficiency issues.

"Therefore, under the Energy Efficiency Masterplan, the government is looking into the energy efficiency in transportation sector.

"I believe the initiatives undertaken will provide a conducive-enabling environment for the development of electric vehicles in the transport sector, including electric bikes," he said.

Murnikan Interlok atau keluarkan terus, kata Kavyan

Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan tidak mahu berkompromi dalam usaha murni memulihkan maruah Sasterawan Negara Datuk Abdullah Hussain

PETALING JAYA: Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan) tetap dengan pendirian bahawa Kementerian Pelajaran perlu mengambil langkah segera memurnikan novel Interlok edisi murid (2010) dengan membetulkan segala kesilapan bahasa, fakta dan perkara yang menyentuh sensitiviti masyarakat pelbagai kaum.

Presidennya, Uthaya Sankar SB berkata, sekiranya kesemua kesalahan dan kelemahan yang amat nyata itu tidak dimurnikan, adalah lebih baik membatalkan sahaja keputusan menjadikan novel itu sebagai teks Komponen Sastera Dalam Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Malaysia (Komsas).

“Hasil penelitian Kavyan sejak Januari lalu, kami menemui sekurang-kurangnya seratus perkara berbentuk kesilapan bahasa, kesalahan fakta dan bahagian yang menyentuh sensitiviti pelbagai kaum dalam novel Interlok edisi murid.

“Segala kelemahan ini sepatutnya sudah dibaiki dan diperbetulkan sebelum karya agung oleh Sasterawan Negara Datuk Abdullah Hussain dijadikan teks Komsas,” katanya ketika dihubungi, pagi ini.

Menurut Uthaya, Kavyan mengadakan taklimat pada pertengahan Januari lalu untuk menerangkan perkara-perkara yang perlu dimurnikan sebagai usaha mencari penyelesaian terhadap kontroversi yang timbul.

“Cadangan pemurnian teks yag disarankan oleh Kavyan tidak bermakna nilai sastera novel Interlok dipersoalkan, sebaliknya melalui langkah ini, nilai sastera Interlok dapat ditingkatkan serta maruah pengarang boleh diangkat serta dipulihkan berikutan kontroversi yang timbul,” katanya.

Pada pandangan Uthaya, amat malang sekiranya Kementerian Pelajaran hanya bersedia melakukan pindaan yang terlalu minimum walaupun dimaklumkan tentang pelbagai kesilapan yang nyata dalam novel edisi murid itu.

“Jika situasi seperti itu timbul, adalah lebih bermaruah jika novel Interlok tidak dijadikan teks Komsas kerana karya yang dijadikan teks di sekolah tidak boleh mengandungi unsur-unsur sensitif iaitu unsur yang menimbulkan prasangka dan diskriminasi, menjatuhkan maruah serta merendahkan martabat terhadap kaum, agama, kebudayaan, jantina, usia dan pekerjaan,” katanya.

Panel bebas yang dilantik untuk meminda dijangja akan menyerahkan laporan mereka kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Pelajaran, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin jam 2 petang ini di Parlimen.

Radiation prompts Japan plant evacuation

Japan has suspended operations to prevent quake-affected Fukushima nuclear plant from melting down after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous for workers to remain at the facility.

Yukio Edano, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said on Wednesday work on dousing reactors with water was disrupted by the need to withdraw.

The level of radiation at the plant surged to 1,000 millisieverts early on Wednesday before coming down to 800-600 millisieverts. Still, that was far more than the average. "So the workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now," Edano said.

Earlier, a fire broke out at the nuclear reactor again, a day after the Fukushima Daiichi power plant emitted a burst of radiation that panicked an already nervous Japan and left the government struggling to contain a crisis caused by last week's earthquake and tsunami.

The outer housing of the containment vessel at the Unit 4 at the nuclear complex erupted in flames early on Wednesday, Hajimi Motujuku, a spokesman for the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), said.

On Tuesday, a fire broke out in the same reactor's fuel storage pond - an area where used nuclear fuel is kept cool - causing radioactivity to be released into the atmosphere.

TEPCO said the new blaze erupted because the initial fire had not been fully extinguished.

About three hours after the blaze erupted on Wednesday, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said fire and smoke could no longer be seen at Unit 4, but that it was unable to confirm that the blaze had been put out.

Public broadcaster NHK also said flames were no longer visible at the building housing the Unit 4 reactor.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said two workers were missing after the multiple explosions and fires at the plant in Fukushima, 240km north of Tokyo, since the quake and tsunami damaged its cooling system.

Radiation levels in areas around the nuclear plant rose early on Tuesday afternoon but appeared to subside by evening, officials said.

But the unease remained from the massive disasters that are believed to have killed more than 10,000 people and rattled the world's third-largest economy.

The radiation leak caused the government to order 140,000 people living within 30km of the plant to seal themselves indoors to avoid exposure, and authorities declared a ban on commercial air traffic through the area.

'Fuel rods damaged'

Separately, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said 70 per cent of the nuclear fuel rods in Unit 1 may have been damaged following an explosion.

Minoru Ohgoda, a spokesman, said "it's likely that roughly about 70 per cent of the fuel rods may be damaged".

But he said "we don't know the nature of the damage, and it could be either melting, or there might be some holes in them".

Worries about radiation hung heavy over Tokyo and other areas far beyond that cordon. The stock market plunged for a second day, dropping 10 per cent.

The troubles cascaded on Tuesday at the Daiichi plant, where there have already been explosions at two reactor buildings since Friday's disasters.

An explosion at a third reactor tore out a 26ft hole in the building and, experts said, damaged a vessel below the reactor, although not the reactor core. Three hours later, a fire broke out at a fourth reactor, which had been offline for maintenance.

In a nationally televised address on Tuesday, Naoto Kan, the Japanese prime minister, said radiation had seeped from four of the plant's six reactors.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Japanese officials informed it that the fire was in a pool where used nuclear fuel rods are stored and that "radioactivity is being released directly into the atmosphere".

Long after the fire was extinguished, a Japanese official said the pool might still be boiling. Depending on how bad the blast was at Unit 2, experts said more radioactive materials could seep out.

If the water in the storage pond in Unit 4 boils away, the fuel rods could be exposed, leaking more virulent radiation.

Risk perceptions

Experts noted that much of the leaking radiation was apparently in steam from boiling water and the falling radiation levels suggest the situation could be stabilising.

Al Jazeera’s Steve Chao, reporting from Yamagata on Tuesday, said a no-fly zone had been established in a 30km radius over the Fukushima plant.

Four out of six reactors at the facility were in trouble, he said.

Yukio Edano, the government spokesman, said the radiation leak potentially affected public health. But authorities and experts said the risks to the public diminished the farther the distance from the plant.

At its most intense, the leak released a radioactive dose in one hour at the site 400 times the amount a person normally receives in a year. Within six hours, that level had dropped dramatically.

A person would have to be exposed to that dose for 10 hours for it to be fatal, Jae Moo-sung, a nuclear engineering expert at Seoul's Hanyang University, said.

Radiation elsewhere never reached that level. In Tokyo, 270km to the southwest, authorities reported radiation levels nine times normal - too small, officials said, to threaten the 39 million people in and around the capital.

Weather patterns helped, shifting on Tuesday night to the southeast, blowing any potential radiation from the plant towards the sea.

The IAEA said on Tuesday that all other Japanese nuclear plants were in a safe and stable condition.

Growing panic

Though Kan and other officials urged calm, the developments triggered panic in Japan and around the world amid widespread uncertainty over what would happen next.

In the worst case scenario, one or more of the reactor cores would completely melt down, a disaster that could spew large amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere.

Three of the plant's six reactors were out of service for maintenance at the time of Friday's disasters, which compromised cooling systems at all of the reactors. Before Tuesday's fire in Unit 4's storage pool, workers were desperately trying to pump seawater to cool the fuel rods in the three active reactors.

Conditions in Unit 2 are less clear after a blast near a suppression pool, into which fuel rods are plunged to cool them and which also serves as an emergency receptical for excess steam, according to TEPCO.

The nuclear core was not damaged but the bottom of the surrounding container may have been, Shigekazu Omukai, a spokesman for Japan's nuclear safety agency, said.

The IAEA's head, Yukiya Amano, urged the Japanese government to provide better information to the agency about the situation.

Temperatures in the two other offline reactors, units 5 and 6, were slightly elevated, Edano, who is also Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said.

Fourteen pumps have been brought in to get seawater into the other reactors, and technicians were trying to figure out how to pump water into Unit 4, where the storage pool fire occurred.

Early on Wednesday, TEPCO officials said they had scrapped a plan to use helicopters, deeming them impractical, and said they were considering other options, including using fire engines.

About 70 workers remained at the complex, struggling with its myriad problems. The workers, all in protective gear, are being rotated in and out of the danger zone quickly to reduce their radiation exposure.

Kan and other officials warned 30km of the Fukushima plant to stay indoors to avoid exposure that could make people sick.

Some 70,000 people had already been evacuated from a 20km radius from the Daiichi complex. About 140,000 remain in the wider zone.

Four days after the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, millions of people strung out along the east coast had little food, water or heat, and already chilly temperatures dropped further as a cold front moved in. Up to 450,000 people are in temporary shelters.

Likely death toll

Officials have only confirmed about 3,300 deaths, but officials have said the toll was likely to exceed 10,000 in one of the four hardest-hit areas. Experts involved in the 2004 Asian tsunami said there was no question more people died, despite Japan's high state of preparation, and like the earlier disaster, many thousands may never be found.

In a rare bit of good news, rescuers found two survivors on Tuesday, one of them a 70-year-old woman whose house was torn off its foundation by the tsunami.

Mostly, though, search teams found few signs of life. More than 200 rescue crews from the US and Britain poured on Tuesday into the coastal city of Ofunato, finding little but rubble and people looking for lost possessions.

As rescue teams and survivors hunted through ruined communities and officials struggled to deliver supplies to the displaced, Japan was shaken by more strong aftershocks, prompting buildings to sway in Tokyo.

The first, measuring 6.2 in magnitude, struck on Tuesday night off the coast of Fukushima prefecture.

Three minutes later, a 6.0-magnitude quake hit Shizuoka prefecture, 90km southwest of Tokyo.

"We had an aftershock of about 6-magnitude," Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from Akita, said. "I was on the 11th story and certainly the building did sway for about 30 seconds."

Foreigners began leaving in larger numbers on Tuesday. China organised an evacuation of its citizens from Japan's stricken northeast. The US urged Americans to avoid travel to Japan. Austria moved its embassy from Tokyo to Osaka. Lufthansa diverted its two daily flights to Tokyo to other Japanese cities.

The US navy shifted some ships from Japan's east coast to western waters to avoid hazards from debris dragged into the sea by the tsunami and to be away from any radiation plume. One ship at its base south of Tokyo detected low levels of radiation from the Fukushima plant.

Source: Agencies

Lawyers mull boycott, march to protest KPIs

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — The Malaysian Bar Council has been given the mandate by lawyers to consider a boycott of the courts or to organise a march to protest Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi’s key performance indicators (KPIs) in courts. The Malaysian Insider understands that a boycott and a protest march were among the drastic measures discussed at last weekend’s Bar annual general meeting which passed a no-confidence resolution against Zaki and gave council members the power to decide on “appropriate steps to protest.”
Tommy Thomas, the prominent lawyer who had moved the resolution at the AGM, said that litigation lawyers and even police investigating officers were at “breaking point” over the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) in courts.
This was because judges were insisting on their appearance in different courts because of pressure to clear cases from the KPIs.
Thomas told The Malaysian Insider that applying KPIs in the courts was similar to applying it in hospitals.
“Common sense will tell you that applying KPIs to surgeons in a hospital is stupid.
“Similarly you cannot generalise when it comes to trial. It will depend on the circumstances of the case. Some trials will require one day, some will require one week and some others may require a longer time,” he told The Malaysian Insider in an interview this week.
Criminal lawyers and police investigating officers approached by The Malaysian Insider have also confirmed that KPIs are wreaking havoc on the criminal justice system.
This is because police investigating officers are required to appear as prosecution witnesses, but their involvement in different cases at the same time is compounded by the insistence of various judges for them to turn up in different courts at the same time.
At last weekend’s Bar AGM, newly-elected Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee told reporters that despite talks with Zaki, judges and judicial officers still “misbehaved” in order to meet the KPI requirements, which in turn affected the administration of justice.
Lim had said the courts sometimes brought forward hearing dates without counsel’s consent, rushed to close cases and failed to give enough time for lawyers to prepare a defence in criminal trials involving serious offences.
Lawyers were “crying out” as they were not being given enough time to interview witnesses, prepare written submissions or draft appeals due to the current “compacted” nature of court proceedings, he said.
In an interview this week, Thomas confirmed that protest measures discussed at the AGM include a boycott and a protest march.
“Lawyers must have enough time to prepare. No two cases are the same and no two litigants are the same,” he said.
“They always say that there are 13,000 lawyers but actually there are only about 5,000 who do court work as advocates. If there is a perception that these 5,000 are lazing in the sun that must be demolished because the truth is these lawyers are at breaking point,” he said.
Thomas also questioned whether there was indeed a backlog of cases, pointing out that he had never faced problems in getting hearing dates.
The senior lawyer suggested that the authorities set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry if there was really any radical problem affecting the courts system and the administration of justice.
“The law is evolutionary never revolutionary. Changes come slowly but the KPI is revolutionary,” he said.

As Samy Vellu tightens MIED grip, MIC squeezes back

Samy Vellu has been accused of trying to hijack MIED from MIC. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s perceived attempt to consolidate control of the Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED) has spurred calls from MIC and the Indian community for Datuk G. Palanivel to be given the reins of the party’s education wing. MIC divisions are openly urging Samy Vellu to step down from the education arm, along with Indian non-governmental organitsations (NGOs) and social organising who say the best way to ensure MIED remains within MIC is for Samy Vellu relinquish his seat as MIED chairman.
Yesterday, the Johor Baru MIC division set the ball rolling by convening a meeting to pass a resolution demanding that the MIED remains with the MIC.
The division’s chairman, Datuk S. Balakrishnan, said every MIC branch had donated to the building of AIMST University.
“Lottery tickets were sold to the public to raise funds. The MIED should not go into the hands of an individual,” Balakrishnan, a veteran MIC leader, said.
“Whoever is MIC president should be the MIED chairman as well,” Balakrishnan added.
 “There is no sure and better way than for Samy Vellu top quit as MIED chairman,” said Klang businessman KP Samy, a former MIC central working committee member who was sacked last year for urging Samy Vellu to step down as MIC president.
“He should quit MIED,” he said.

Calls for Palanivel to take Samy Vellu’s place did not receive universal support. — file pic

Samy Vellu retired as MIC president on December 6, after three decades in power, but remains as MIED chairman. Last month, he sparked controversy by trying to add ten chairs to the MIED, which his critics claim was an attempt to solidify his grip on the education wing after some members began siding with Palanivel.
The move was blocked when the former president’s arch rival, Datuk S. Subramaniam, and two other MIED members obtained an injunction to stop Samy Vellu from increasing the body’s membership. The case will be heard tomorrow.
The MIED, which owns AIMST University, is said to be worth RM1.6 billion.
It was incorporated as company limited by membership in 1984 and was always advertised to the Indian community as MIC’s education arm.
Lately, however, Samy Vellu and his supporters have argued that MIED had no affiliations with MIC other than that some of its leaders are also members of MIED.
These statements had angered the Indian community, who view the AIMST University — to which they had donated generously — as theirs.
The government had also given a RM300 million grant for AIMST’s construction.
But not all quarters support the call for Samy Vellu to be replaced by the same man who succeeded him in MIC.
“Kicking out Samy Vellu for Palanivel does not change anything. We are just exchanging one politician for another,” said a retired University of Malaya academician, who requested anonymity.
He said the MIED should be headed by academicians and other professionals.
“A panel of local and international experts can be appointed to manage MIED and AIMST University,” he said, adding that political infighting should not affect the university’s management.
Another former Universiti Sains Malaysia don echoed his views, “Politics and the struggle for academic excellence should not mix.”
“Let’s do it like UTAR,” she said referring to the MCA-owned University of Tunku Abdul Rahman that is run by a panel of eminent people.