MY (Malaysian) View's......

I am pleased to share the summary recommendations to be considered for the 10th Malaysian Plan. This Action plan was submitted by Y. Bhg. Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria and was presented by Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri S Samy Vellu at the 2nd MIC's Central Working Committee which was held on 11th February 2010.

The 12 point summary addresses the needs of the bottom 40%.

1) Poor & low income families:

Undertake a comprehensive identification of Indian poor (below PLI) and low income (below Rm2, 000) including single mothers and ensure government assistance and income generating programs are challenged to them


2) Citizenship Documentation (IC & BC)

Undertake a comprehensive documentation of all Indians cases with the cooperation of Registration Department. Attempt to resolve 75% of the cases between 2010 & 2011.


3) Unresolved Land/ Neighborhood matters

Undertake documentation with community leaders and resolve land ownership & or relocation to permanent & affordable housing.


4) Providing pre school opportunities

Ensuring that every child is enrolled in a pre school program with the cooperation of Kemas, Department of National Unity & Tamil.


5) Improving quality of primary school education

Ensuring that all underachieving children have opportunity for additional classes and encouragement through the school system with complementary role of voluntary organizations.


6) Improving the quality of Remove Class Education

Undertake a comprehensive review of the Remove class system and ensure quality of teaching –learning experience is tremendously improved.


7) Addressing the concerns of high risk students in secondary schools

Need for special programs to build the capacity of teachers to be able to handle these students in an effective way. In addition to incorporate a larger component of non academic subjects such as skills training and character development to effective enhance the full potential of these students.


8) Income generating opportunities

In addition to enlarging the availability and access to micro credit through Tekun, it is essential to undertake business training including social preparation programs to ensure sustainability.

9) Enlisting the partnership of voluntary organizations

Establishing a social dialogue process with voluntary and civil society organizations to play a complementary role in awareness creation, enlisting service users, monitoring and impact assessment.


10) Capacity building of civil servants

Ensuring that are civil service delivery team is multi ethnic and are culturally sensitive to all ethnic and sub ethnic communities. All front line delivery staff must undertake an aptitude test to ensure appreciation of cultural diversity and ensure free of prejudice which could be a major hurdle for effective delivery.


11) Strengthen delivery by establishing a Special Task Force team to monitor delivery & implementation

In order to strengthen the cabinet committee which is policy making a special task force is necessary which monitors on a monthly basis the implementation of all the government programme directed to the Indian community.

12) Strengthen implementation by enlarging the secretariat of the Cabinet committee on Indian Concerns

Currently there are only two contract officers which is inadequate. At the federal level this should be enlarged to five additional officers (three for coordination & two for research & impact assessment).

In addition Federal officers in 9 states will ensure the effective implementation at the state level and will work closely with the secretariat which will be based in Putrajaya.

Dear Friends,

I am reproducing an article which was written by me recently and made plenty of heads turn, let it be in the on-line media or even the print media.

I am indeed glad that i came out with the article, off course, i will not force anyone to agree with me, but, i have stated my case and its up to the readers to accept it or otherwise.

I will continue to write and express my opinions and i will never force anyone to accept it.

While very few people have commented on them, i am indeed pleased that hundres of friends called and thanked me for coming out with an article to explain to all Malaysian's what steps MIC has taken to continue its role in the community.

In MIC we are commited to the cause and we will not let it go - even though there are critisism amongst a handfull Malaysian Indians - You can say whatever you want to say.

For all those friends who have commented on the Online Media 'www.malaysiakini.com' - I thank you very much, i have read your comments and i know how much of passion you have for the community, one thing for sure - i have read them and i understand your opinion. I may not agree to some of the opinion and the type of words that you have mentioned, but who am i to tell you, how you should write and how should not write.

All i wanted to do is to tell Malaysians what we have done and what we want to do, and, i have done that, and, i will continue to do so.

The article goes on like this;

Some time back i remember reading a book titled 'a sense of URGENCY' written by a well known author John P. Kotter. But when i was reading that book, never did i realise that one day the Malaysian Indian Congress would be looking into this way, or shall i say looking into 'A SENSE OF URGENCY'.

I am very sure that if Mr. John. P Kotter were to know that a political party in Malaysia has looked along that way, i am indeed sure that he would be pleased.

Many of my friends whom i have met recently, asked me so many questions on what was this workshop that Malaysian Indian Congress Organised? Can this workshop really bring out the best amongst the grassroot leaders?

I did answer them to the best of my ability, while many nodded with agreement that it is possible, some just walked away 'probably thinking i was day dreaming'.

I have decided to write a little bit more for those who could not understand what i was trying to explain.

The Malaysian Indian Congress recently had a forum titled “A Sense OF Urgency”. The forum was attended by all national and state leaders but was geared especially for the division chairmen’s as they were the primary target audience.

Many would still remember the words of our Y.A.B. Prime Minister - Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak, during his opening remarks at the Malaysian Indian Congress’s 63rd Assembly ‘It is of no use, if we are popular within the party, but what is important is to be popular amongst the people’. Taking it from that point and based on one of the most important motives of the forum was to enlighten and raise awareness of the party leaders at the divisional level and members on the urgent need for transformation within the party in order to become more relevant, and besides that, we emphasised on the importance to be more people centric especially in the vastly complex and competitive political landscape of today.

This was done firstly thru a very honest and transparent look into the current mechanics of the party. Using the ever popular SWOT analysis, questions such as, what are our strengths? What are our weaknesses? What are the opportunities that can be gained from the present political scenario? and What are the threats that face the party? These questions were delved into in a very introverted and honest manner. Though some of the answers to these questions were painful, yet they were necessary in order to make the party members aware of the urgency of the matter at hand and also finding proactive answers to deal with these questions.

The next part of the forum concentrated on answering these questions. This covered various topics of discussion and ranged from common courtesies that a leader should have to more practical matters such as proper documentation when handling the people’s problems. The primary aim of this part of the forum was to educate, inform and inspire the leaders present on how their every action and reaction will affect the public’s perception of the party. Each member from the branch right up to the party’s top echelon are roaming ambassadors of the parties image and should behave in a way that befits the party was the message conveyed.

The last part of the forum focused on the Key Performance Index that the party has decided to introduce. The KPI would be the yardstick to determine if a division or branch leader has succeeded in proving their mantle as representatives of the party to the grassroots population they should be serving. The participants of the forum were informed on how the KPI system would work and also told of the importance of meeting the standards in the battle to win the hearts and minds of the Indian community and society at large. The key transformation here was to galvanise seat wormers into heart warmers of the community, to inspire humility that exalts service to race and nation, to implement best practice solutions even during the worst of crisis’s.

By and far I’m happy to note that the forum was a tremendous success and also eye opener for many present. However the true measure of success begins after the forum. I truly believe that the message of transformation will be heard across the country where the party is flag is raised. The urgency of the moment can and I’m confident will be seized by the leaders and members to better serve the people and community. This forum is intended to be the catalyst for the party to become more service cantered and people friendly and become a micro facet of the government’s clarion call of “People First Performance Now.

I believe that change is possible and like how Barack Obama's campaing said - CHANGE - IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN.

I sibscribe to that whole heartedly and i will work towards that.

I attended a forum today (30th November 2009) organised by the Tamil School's Action Committee.

They discussed a matter pertaining to a decision which was made by the Education Minister who also happens to be the Y.A.B. Deputy Prime Minister (Y.A.B. Tan Sri Mahyuddin Yassin).

Its rather shocking that the Y.A.B. Deputy Prime Minister has taken a decision before consulting Malaysians who are directly effected on this decision.

Whatever decision made by the Deputy Prime Minister is not inline with the Y.A.B. Prime Minister's 1Malaysia vission.

More than 50 participants representing more than 20 Non-Governmental Organisation participated in this forum and it was an unanimous decision that the NGO's who has at least 700,000 members (including MIC's membership) that the Ministry of Education allow students to sit for minimum of 12 subjects and nothing short.

Y.B. Dato' Dr. S Subramaniam MIC's Vice President and also the Minister of Human Resources have given assurance that he would present the opinions of the NGO and MIC to the Minister of Education as well as the members of the cabinet at the next Cabinet Meeting.

He also said that this is inline with MIC's wishes as well and will fight this cause.

So. lets wish him all the best.