Wednesday, 24 July 2013
SEED promises to deliver the goods
The agency blames Indian taxi drivers for submitting incomplete applications for the delay in getting Tekun loans.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Secretariat for Empowerment of Indian Entrepreneurs (SEED) today urged…
KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Secretariat for Empowerment of Indian Entrepreneurs (SEED) today urged…
The agency blames Indian taxi drivers for submitting incomplete applications for the delay in getting Tekun loans.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Secretariat for Empowerment of Indian Entrepreneurs (SEED) today urged various parties not to politicise the special allocations meant for Indian taxi drivers made by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
“We are transparent and we will keep any promise made by the government,” said SEED director Dr AT Kumararajah at a press conference here.
Kumararajah also clarified that the government never promised RM50 million to Indian taxi drivers as claimed by some.
he government promised was that Indian cabbies will get access to the RM50 million from Tekun which was announced in the 2013 budget,” he said.
According to him, there was a pilot project launched in February 2013 and so far SEED has received about 960 applications from Indian taxi drivers.
Out of these, 570 applications have been approved and funds totaling RM4.8 million have been disbursed.
“About 390 applications are still in process,” he added.
On Monday, a group of vexed taxi drivers gathered in front of MIC headquarters claiming that the promised loans had been long time in coming.
During the gathering, Kuala Lumpur Makkal Communication Taxi Drivers Association president K Muthu claimed that the government and SEED have failed to fulfill their promise made on April 18, during an event in front of some 7,000 cabbies at the Batu Caves temple grounds.
He also said that Tekun CEO Abdul Rahim Hassan has “cheated” the taxi drivers by failing to deliver the loan within a week from April 18.
However, Kumararajah clarified that Abdul Rahim only promised to process applications that were “complete” within a week.
“There is no such thing that all the applicants will get their money in one week since most of them do not have proper documents” he added.
Kumararajah also denied SEED’s involvement in any money collection from taxi drivers in order to process their loan applications.
“Yes, we heard that a private taxi association collected money from the cabbies. But, we have not authorised anyone to collect money,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Secretariat for Empowerment of Indian Entrepreneurs (SEED) today urged various parties not to politicise the special allocations meant for Indian taxi drivers made by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.“We are transparent and we will keep any promise made by the government,” said SEED director Dr AT Kumararajah at a press conference here.
Kumararajah also clarified that the government never promised RM50 million to Indian taxi drivers as claimed by some.
he government promised was that Indian cabbies will get access to the RM50 million from Tekun which was announced in the 2013 budget,” he said.
According to him, there was a pilot project launched in February 2013 and so far SEED has received about 960 applications from Indian taxi drivers.
Out of these, 570 applications have been approved and funds totaling RM4.8 million have been disbursed.
“About 390 applications are still in process,” he added.
On Monday, a group of vexed taxi drivers gathered in front of MIC headquarters claiming that the promised loans had been long time in coming.
During the gathering, Kuala Lumpur Makkal Communication Taxi Drivers Association president K Muthu claimed that the government and SEED have failed to fulfill their promise made on April 18, during an event in front of some 7,000 cabbies at the Batu Caves temple grounds.
He also said that Tekun CEO Abdul Rahim Hassan has “cheated” the taxi drivers by failing to deliver the loan within a week from April 18.
However, Kumararajah clarified that Abdul Rahim only promised to process applications that were “complete” within a week.
“There is no such thing that all the applicants will get their money in one week since most of them do not have proper documents” he added.
Kumararajah also denied SEED’s involvement in any money collection from taxi drivers in order to process their loan applications.
“Yes, we heard that a private taxi association collected money from the cabbies. But, we have not authorised anyone to collect money,” he said.
Headmaster ducks meeting parents
An attempt by parents and citizens to confront the principal of SK Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh seeking an explanation for forcing their children to take meals in shower room…
An attempt by parents and citizens to confront the principal of SK Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh seeking an explanation for forcing their children to take meals in shower room proves futile.
PETALING JAYA : The headmaster of SK Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh today ducked meeting a group of 20 people who wanted to know why he lied to the press about renovation works in the school.
The group engaged in a verbal tirade with the police and security personnel manning the main gate when they were not allowed to see the headmaster, Mohd Nasir Mohd Noor.
Photos of non-Muslim children eating on makeshift tables set up in the school’s shower room, next to the toilets, went viral on the net when a parent published photos of it, generating a storm of protests.
Mohd Nasir told the media that the school’s canteen was undergoing renovation works and thus had little choice but to provide the shower room area for them to take their meals.
One of the uploaded photos showed the canteen cordoned off with red plastic tape but when FMT visited the school this morning, the red tape had been removed and there was no renovation going on.
Mohd Nasir also told the media the shower room has been used as a make shift canteen since March this year due to space constraints in the canteen proper.
The parents, however, claimed this was untrue as none of their children had complained about being made to take their meals in the shower room next to the toilets.
J Puspalatha, 30, whose daughter is enrolled in the school, alleged that several students were questioned by a teacher the day after photos of them eating in a shower room went viral on the internet.
“The teacher asked the students if their parents had taken the photos. Is that necessary?” she asked. “They are only children, they don’t know what’s going on. Why question them?”
The parent of a standard two child, known only as Nitha, denied allegations that the canteen was closed because of renovation work.
“They were only changing the wooden doors of the teachers’ canteen to glass doors, which is adjacent to the students canteen. Why the need to cordon off the students canteen?” asked Nitha.
“The doors were only changed yesterday which probably took several hours, so they were lying when they said renovation works started in March,” she added.
“My child goes to that school and I’ve not heard her complain about being made to take meals until July 12,” she said. “The school is just trying to cover up for their mistake now.”
Kamalanathan: ‘Issue resolved’
The group was finally allowed into the school when Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan arrived at the school at 1.30pm, made a lighting tour and quickly declared the matter solved.
“Nasir has apologised and we have accepted it, but the ministry will have to decide on what action to take against him, rest assured, we will do what is necessary,” he said.
“I hope people will not turn this into a racial issue, it has been resolved and I promise something like this will not happen again,” he added.
He also donated RM10,000 to the school to extend its canteen and promised that the ministry will work towards providing more funds for upgrading purposes.
“I will suggest to the ministry to provide more funds for SK Seri Pristana for upgrading purposes. I will start the ball rolling by giving them a donation of RM10,000,” he said.
Meanwhile, MIC Youth Chief T Mohan said that the headmaster and the school management’s action was unforgivable, and providing students the shower next the toilet should not have been an option in the first place.
“This is an outrage. They shouldn’t have put the students there in the first place, there is no excuse for such actions. We urge the Ministry of Education to take stern action on those responsible,” he said.
“MIC will definitely pursue the matter, we will lodge a police report against the school’s headmaster and the school management. Disciplinary action must be meted out,” he added.
SK Seri Pristana has an enrollment of over 1,300 students of which 28 are non-Muslims (23 Indians and five Chinese).
PETALING JAYA : The headmaster of SK Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh today ducked meeting a group of 20 people who wanted to know why he lied to the press about renovation works in the school.The group engaged in a verbal tirade with the police and security personnel manning the main gate when they were not allowed to see the headmaster, Mohd Nasir Mohd Noor.
Photos of non-Muslim children eating on makeshift tables set up in the school’s shower room, next to the toilets, went viral on the net when a parent published photos of it, generating a storm of protests.
Mohd Nasir told the media that the school’s canteen was undergoing renovation works and thus had little choice but to provide the shower room area for them to take their meals.
One of the uploaded photos showed the canteen cordoned off with red plastic tape but when FMT visited the school this morning, the red tape had been removed and there was no renovation going on.
Mohd Nasir also told the media the shower room has been used as a make shift canteen since March this year due to space constraints in the canteen proper.
The parents, however, claimed this was untrue as none of their children had complained about being made to take their meals in the shower room next to the toilets.
J Puspalatha, 30, whose daughter is enrolled in the school, alleged that several students were questioned by a teacher the day after photos of them eating in a shower room went viral on the internet.
“The teacher asked the students if their parents had taken the photos. Is that necessary?” she asked. “They are only children, they don’t know what’s going on. Why question them?”
The parent of a standard two child, known only as Nitha, denied allegations that the canteen was closed because of renovation work.
“They were only changing the wooden doors of the teachers’ canteen to glass doors, which is adjacent to the students canteen. Why the need to cordon off the students canteen?” asked Nitha.
“The doors were only changed yesterday which probably took several hours, so they were lying when they said renovation works started in March,” she added.
“My child goes to that school and I’ve not heard her complain about being made to take meals until July 12,” she said. “The school is just trying to cover up for their mistake now.”Kamalanathan: ‘Issue resolved’
The group was finally allowed into the school when Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan arrived at the school at 1.30pm, made a lighting tour and quickly declared the matter solved.
“Nasir has apologised and we have accepted it, but the ministry will have to decide on what action to take against him, rest assured, we will do what is necessary,” he said.
“I hope people will not turn this into a racial issue, it has been resolved and I promise something like this will not happen again,” he added.
He also donated RM10,000 to the school to extend its canteen and promised that the ministry will work towards providing more funds for upgrading purposes.
“I will suggest to the ministry to provide more funds for SK Seri Pristana for upgrading purposes. I will start the ball rolling by giving them a donation of RM10,000,” he said.
Meanwhile, MIC Youth Chief T Mohan said that the headmaster and the school management’s action was unforgivable, and providing students the shower next the toilet should not have been an option in the first place.
“This is an outrage. They shouldn’t have put the students there in the first place, there is no excuse for such actions. We urge the Ministry of Education to take stern action on those responsible,” he said.
“MIC will definitely pursue the matter, we will lodge a police report against the school’s headmaster and the school management. Disciplinary action must be meted out,” he added.
SK Seri Pristana has an enrollment of over 1,300 students of which 28 are non-Muslims (23 Indians and five Chinese).
Labels:
Education
36 murid sekolah Tamil alami keracunan makanan
Perkara itu telah dimaklumkan kepada Jabatan Kesihatan negeri dan kantin tersebut disita untuk siasatan lanjut
IPOH: Seramai 36 murid Sekolah Kebangsaan Guru Kalgidhar, Buntong di sini mengalami keracunan makanan dipercayai…
IPOH: Seramai 36 murid Sekolah Kebangsaan Guru Kalgidhar, Buntong di sini mengalami keracunan makanan dipercayai…
Perkara itu telah dimaklumkan kepada Jabatan Kesihatan negeri dan kantin tersebut disita untuk siasatan lanjut
IPOH: Seramai 36 murid Sekolah Kebangsaan Guru Kalgidhar, Buntong di sini mengalami keracunan makanan dipercayai berpunca daripada makanan yang dijual di kantin sekolah itu hari ini.
Mereka yang makan semasa waktu rehat pada pukul 10 pagi mengadu sakit kepala, sakit perut, muntah dan cirit-birit dikejarkan ke Klinik Kesihatan Buntong.
Pengawai Pelajaran Daerah Kinta Utara Marazlen Amran berkata semua pelajar kini berada dalam keadaan stabil selepas menerima rawatan pesakit luar.
“Semua murid dihantar ke klinik sekitar pukul 10 pagi hingga 12 tengah hari. Hanya lima daripada mereka memerlukan rawatan lanjut,” katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama hari ini.
Beliau berkata perkara itu telah dimaklumkan kepada Jabatan Kesihatan negeri dan kantin tersebut disita untuk siasatan lanjut.
Katanya kantin itu beroperasi sejak 30 tahun lepas dan pihaknya akan mengadakan perbincangan dengan pemilik tapak sekolah itu yang juga dipercayai pengusaha kantin.
Beliau berkata Pegawai Khas Menteri Besar Perak C Sivaraj akan mengagihkan makanan percuma kepada murid sekolah itu esok.
Timbalan Pengarah Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Perak Idris Ramli berkata jabatan itu menunggu laporan lengkap daripada pihak sekolah sebelum menjalankan siasatan bagi mengenal pasti punca kejadian sebelum mengambil tindakan selanjutnya.
Sekolah bantuan penuh kerajaan itu mempunyai 96 pelajar tahun satu hingga enam.
Sementara itu, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan, Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan Nolee Ashilin Radzi berkata kejadian itu berlaku dipercayai daripada sejenis makanan India iaitu idli yang diperbuat daripada tepung beras yang dikukus.
“Makanan itu adalah dari kantin sekolah dan bakteria yang disyaki adalah bacillus cereus,” katanya.
- BERNAMA
IPOH: Seramai 36 murid Sekolah Kebangsaan Guru Kalgidhar, Buntong di sini mengalami keracunan makanan dipercayai berpunca daripada makanan yang dijual di kantin sekolah itu hari ini.Mereka yang makan semasa waktu rehat pada pukul 10 pagi mengadu sakit kepala, sakit perut, muntah dan cirit-birit dikejarkan ke Klinik Kesihatan Buntong.
Pengawai Pelajaran Daerah Kinta Utara Marazlen Amran berkata semua pelajar kini berada dalam keadaan stabil selepas menerima rawatan pesakit luar.
“Semua murid dihantar ke klinik sekitar pukul 10 pagi hingga 12 tengah hari. Hanya lima daripada mereka memerlukan rawatan lanjut,” katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama hari ini.
Beliau berkata perkara itu telah dimaklumkan kepada Jabatan Kesihatan negeri dan kantin tersebut disita untuk siasatan lanjut.
Katanya kantin itu beroperasi sejak 30 tahun lepas dan pihaknya akan mengadakan perbincangan dengan pemilik tapak sekolah itu yang juga dipercayai pengusaha kantin.
Beliau berkata Pegawai Khas Menteri Besar Perak C Sivaraj akan mengagihkan makanan percuma kepada murid sekolah itu esok.
Timbalan Pengarah Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Perak Idris Ramli berkata jabatan itu menunggu laporan lengkap daripada pihak sekolah sebelum menjalankan siasatan bagi mengenal pasti punca kejadian sebelum mengambil tindakan selanjutnya.
Sekolah bantuan penuh kerajaan itu mempunyai 96 pelajar tahun satu hingga enam.
Sementara itu, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan, Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan Nolee Ashilin Radzi berkata kejadian itu berlaku dipercayai daripada sejenis makanan India iaitu idli yang diperbuat daripada tepung beras yang dikukus.
“Makanan itu adalah dari kantin sekolah dan bakteria yang disyaki adalah bacillus cereus,” katanya.
- BERNAMA
Labels:
Tamil schools
Video mocking canteen issue slammed
Netizens slam distasteful parody video mocking non-Muslim students having meals in school's shower room.
VIDEO INSIDE
PETALING JAYA: Internet users have slammed a parody video mocking non-Muslim students having their…
VIDEO INSIDE
PETALING JAYA: Internet users have slammed a parody video mocking non-Muslim students having their…
Netizens slam distasteful parody video mocking non-Muslim students having meals in school's shower room.
VIDEO INSIDE
PETALING JAYA: Internet users have slammed a parody video mocking non-Muslim students having their meals in their school’s shower area, next door to the toilets.
The parody video uploaded on YouTube yesterday was in response to a primary school in Sungai Buloh, which cordoned off its canteen area with red plastic tape, forcing its non-Muslim students to have theirmeals in the school’s shower room.
Instead of drawing laughter, the video by DanKhooProductions has incurred the wrath of YouTubers, who have slammed the directors for their distasteful take on the issue.
The video titled “Makan Dalam Tandas (Eating in Toilet)” depicts two youths taking turns to eat in the toilet while the other urinates or defecates. Another scene depicts one of them about to eat in the kitchen, but was told to eat in the toilet instead.
“Maybe some people view this video as a parody on the latest issue where the students had to eat in the shower room. But the problems faced by the parents and students have been taken advantage of by certain parties to make parody videos. To those involved, I don’t think this video should have been made,” user Ecwo Grace commented today.
“Stupid video made by stupid people. Only stupid people would find this entertaining. Very insensitive to the problems of others,” another user commented.
A barrage of criticisms then ensued, with many telling the directors to “get your facts right before making a video”, “be more sensitive” and “just stop making any more videos”.
As of 12.34pm today, the offensive video has been made private due to mounting criticisms against the duo.
Yesterday, Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh came under fire from netizens after a parent posted photos on Facebook of non-Muslim students having their meals in the school’s shower area.
It shows students eating food on makeshift tables and benches placed in the shower area, ostensibly a decision made by school because of the fasting month of Ramadan.
However, it was reported that the school canteen was facing a problem in accommodating 350 students who go for recess at same time.
The headmaster then decided to use one of the changing rooms as a makeshift canteen and equipped it with chairs and tables. This makeshift canteen had been operating since March 2013.
VIDEO INSIDE
PETALING JAYA: Internet users have slammed a parody video mocking non-Muslim students having their meals in their school’s shower area, next door to the toilets.The parody video uploaded on YouTube yesterday was in response to a primary school in Sungai Buloh, which cordoned off its canteen area with red plastic tape, forcing its non-Muslim students to have theirmeals in the school’s shower room.
Instead of drawing laughter, the video by DanKhooProductions has incurred the wrath of YouTubers, who have slammed the directors for their distasteful take on the issue.
The video titled “Makan Dalam Tandas (Eating in Toilet)” depicts two youths taking turns to eat in the toilet while the other urinates or defecates. Another scene depicts one of them about to eat in the kitchen, but was told to eat in the toilet instead.
“Maybe some people view this video as a parody on the latest issue where the students had to eat in the shower room. But the problems faced by the parents and students have been taken advantage of by certain parties to make parody videos. To those involved, I don’t think this video should have been made,” user Ecwo Grace commented today.
“Stupid video made by stupid people. Only stupid people would find this entertaining. Very insensitive to the problems of others,” another user commented.
A barrage of criticisms then ensued, with many telling the directors to “get your facts right before making a video”, “be more sensitive” and “just stop making any more videos”.
As of 12.34pm today, the offensive video has been made private due to mounting criticisms against the duo.
Yesterday, Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh came under fire from netizens after a parent posted photos on Facebook of non-Muslim students having their meals in the school’s shower area.
It shows students eating food on makeshift tables and benches placed in the shower area, ostensibly a decision made by school because of the fasting month of Ramadan.
However, it was reported that the school canteen was facing a problem in accommodating 350 students who go for recess at same time.
The headmaster then decided to use one of the changing rooms as a makeshift canteen and equipped it with chairs and tables. This makeshift canteen had been operating since March 2013.
Labels:
Education
First day at home for royal baby -- but wait for name goes on
London (CNN) -- Prince William, his wife Catherine and the royal baby start their first full day at home together Wednesday, after giving the world its first glimpse of…
London (CNN) -- Prince William, his wife Catherine and the royal baby start their first full day at home together Wednesday, after giving the world its first glimpse of the future king as they left the hospital.
The family's emergence Tuesday evening from the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital marked the end of a long wait for the throngs of journalists camped outside.
There's just one detail left to wait for now -- the little prince's name.
He and his wife are "still working on a name," William said on the hospital steps, "so we'll have that as soon as we can -- it's the first time we've seen him really, so we're having a proper chance to catch up."
He said the baby has a "good pair of lungs," and added, "He's got her looks, thankfully."
Catherine and William took turns holding the child, wrapped in a cream-colored blanket, as they waved to well-wishers. The prince has already changed his first diaper, the couple told reporters.
"It's very emotional. It's such a special time," Catherine said.
The 8-pound, 6-ounce boy was born Monday afternoon. He's third in line, behind Charles and William, for the British throne now held by his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
On their way out, they walked out down the same hospital steps where Diana, Princess of Wales, and Prince Charles gave the world its first look at Prince William 31 years ago.
William installed the new royal heir in a car seat in the back of a black SUV, then got behind the wheel for the trip to their residence at Kensington Palace, in London.
It's not clear how long the new family will spend at Kensington Palace, which was William's boyhood home.
They may decide to relocate after a few days to the home of Catherine's parents in the village of Bucklebury, in Berkshire.
The grand apartment they will eventually move into within the palace, Apartment 1A, is still being refurbished, so William and Catherine have been living in a small cottage in the grounds.
The late Diana, Princess of Wales, moved into Kensington Palace on her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981 and brought up William and his brother Harry there. When she died in 1997, streams of mourners laid flowers and tributes outside its gates.
'Absolutely beautiful'
Tuesday, London echoed with the sound of cannon fire and peals of bells to mark the birth.
Many bets are being placed as the wait continues for the baby's name to be announced. British bookmakers Ladbrokes have George and James as favorites Wednesday, followed by Alexander, Arthur, Louis and Henry.
William's name was announced a few days after birth; his brother Harry's on leaving the hospital.
Shortly before the new baby's departure from St. Mary's, Prince Charles stopped by for a brief visit with his first grandchild, accompanied by his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. He told reporters it was "marvelous."
And Catherine's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, visited earlier, with Carole Middleton telling reporters the royal baby is "absolutely beautiful."
She said both mother and baby are doing "really well" and that she and her husband were "so thrilled" at being grandparents.
"It was so exciting. It was fantastic," said Eliza Wells, one of the well-wishers gathered outside the hospital. "The crowd erupted, because everyone's been waiting so long for it."
William and Catherine "both seemed very relaxed, even with the press there and the crowd," Wells said. "They just seemed like a normal couple."
A normal life?
Royal commentators say the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will try to give their son as regular an upbringing as possible.
But the intense media interest in the birth of the new prince highlights the challenge his parents face in trying to protect his privacy and maintain a degree of normalcy.
"This baby has two things stopping it from being normal," historian Kate Williams said. "Number one, it lives in a life of incredible wealth and privilege ... number two, it is an incredible celebrity, and we've seen this with the coverage."
Opinion: Why I wouldn't want to be royal baby
But Prince William loved that his mother tried to give him as normal a childhood as possible, including trips to the cinema and an amusement park, and sending him to a local private school as a boy -- "and that's what he wants for little baby Cambridge."
Although the excitement over his birth is not universal, there's no doubting the level of global interest in the prince.
On Monday, there were more than 19 million Facebook interactions related to the royal baby, Facebook said. His birth also took Twitter by storm.
As well as ruling the United Kingdom, the boy could one day be king of 15 other Commonwealth countries which have the British monarch as head of state, if none changes their constitution in the meantime.
They include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Belize and Jamaica.
Labels:
UK
Miba: Najib's 'nambikei' not reflected in student intake
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's pledge to the Indian community is not
reflected in the student intake for public universities, said the
Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba).
In view of…
In view of…
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's pledge to the Indian community is not
reflected in the student intake for public universities, said the
Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba).
In view of this, Miba president P Sivakumar (left) urged MIC and Hindraf to make a stand on the matter.
He said both had promised the Indians, especially the poor, that their future would be bright if they voted for BN and that Najib was sincere with regard to his "nambikei" (trust) pledge.
Sivakumar pointed out that Hindraf also claimed that Najib had endorsed education upliftment for the Indians with additional places for students.
"But what transpired under Najib's 'nambikei'? Last year, the Indian intake was 2.5 percent or so and this time it is 4 percent.
"In the 1970s, Indians got 10 percent despite the existence of only three universities but now with 27 universities, we only get 4 percent," he said.
'Reinstate quota system'
The Miba president urged the government to reinstate the quota system according to race and the Indians should be allocated 8 percent.
"A quota system is the only choice left to seek fair play in the allocation of places in public universities," he added.
Sivakumar said pertinent issues that need to be addressed were being swept under the carpet while frivolous issues were given prominence.
"Securing
public holidays for Thaipusam and entertainment handouts are seen as
major achievements by these so-called leaders who represent the
community.
"Whereas issues concerning education, government jobs, business opportunities, permits and others are seen as secondary and receive lukewarm response from these leaders," he added.
Recently, MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong also complained about the poor intake of Chinese students in public universities.
He had said that although the federal government had replaced the ethnic quota system with the merit system for university intake in 2002, the poor intake of Chinese students showed that it was actually "more quota than quota".
According to Wee, the intake of Chinese students for eight major courses in public universities had been declining in recent years.
"From 26.2 percent in 2011, it dropped to 25.3 percent in 2012 and 20.7 percent this year," he added.
In view of this, Miba president P Sivakumar (left) urged MIC and Hindraf to make a stand on the matter.He said both had promised the Indians, especially the poor, that their future would be bright if they voted for BN and that Najib was sincere with regard to his "nambikei" (trust) pledge.
Sivakumar pointed out that Hindraf also claimed that Najib had endorsed education upliftment for the Indians with additional places for students.
"But what transpired under Najib's 'nambikei'? Last year, the Indian intake was 2.5 percent or so and this time it is 4 percent.
"In the 1970s, Indians got 10 percent despite the existence of only three universities but now with 27 universities, we only get 4 percent," he said.
'Reinstate quota system'
The Miba president urged the government to reinstate the quota system according to race and the Indians should be allocated 8 percent.
"A quota system is the only choice left to seek fair play in the allocation of places in public universities," he added.
Sivakumar said pertinent issues that need to be addressed were being swept under the carpet while frivolous issues were given prominence.
"Securing
public holidays for Thaipusam and entertainment handouts are seen as
major achievements by these so-called leaders who represent the
community."Whereas issues concerning education, government jobs, business opportunities, permits and others are seen as secondary and receive lukewarm response from these leaders," he added.
Recently, MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong also complained about the poor intake of Chinese students in public universities.
He had said that although the federal government had replaced the ethnic quota system with the merit system for university intake in 2002, the poor intake of Chinese students showed that it was actually "more quota than quota".
According to Wee, the intake of Chinese students for eight major courses in public universities had been declining in recent years.
"From 26.2 percent in 2011, it dropped to 25.3 percent in 2012 and 20.7 percent this year," he added.
Labels:
Education,
Malaysian Indians
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