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Speech by M. Kula Segaran
Globally many countries are moving towards the payment of weekly wages. In fact, studies have shown that if a worker is paid weekly a worker’s income in real terms increases. Also if a weekly wages policy is implemented, the interest on one’s borrowings gets reduced nearly 10 % on a yearly basis. As a weekly wage is a pre-payment it will reduce ones borrowing quite a bit. If this is given back to workers, many lower income workers would benefit in this process handsomely. There is also an urgent need to introduce a minimum wage policy which is long overdue. Many a time the government has claimed that we have paid as low as RM350 a month, which is far below the hard core poverty level? A minimum wage policy will ensure all workers are guaranteed a decent income. Thus the possibility of exploitation by employers and the over dependence of foreign workers will decrease as local workers would be willing to work if the salary is attractive.
2) Tamil and Chinese Schools……. i) How many schools will be built to cater for the increasing enrolment in these schools? Recently I posed a question as to where and when Chinese and Tamil schools would be built under the 9th Malaysia Plan. The Education ministry replied that in the 9th Malaysia Plan the Ministry would be allocated RM 148.3 million for Chinese schools and RM56.1 million for Tamil schools for the purposes of extension of building, replacements and renovations. The Ministry must give details as to how many, where and when, new Chinese and Tamil schools would be built. Although the student population is increasing every year in the Chinese and Tamil schools, it look like the government has no plan to build new Chinese and Tamil schools. Why is this so? The government must be proactive and be sensitive and must build new schools. It should impose discriminatory and unfair policies on Chinese and Tamil schools.
ii) Shortage of Teachers in Tamil and Chinese Schools. There is a severe shortage of Chinese and Tamil teachers in the country. Although the Ministry acknowledges that there is a shortfall of 481 teachers in Chinese schools and 185 in Tamil schools, many feel that the real figure, are much higher. On 28th July 2006 more then 300 parents held a peaceful protest outside the Perak Education Department in Ipoh over the issue of shortage of Tamil school teachers in Perak. Parents all over Perak converged at the compound of the Education Department. They complain that the Ministry has failed to fill the 87 teachers’ vacancies in Perak and over 500 all over the country. “WE are not asking for money. We are only asking for Tamil teachers. All we want is education for our children; parents shouted holding up placards. It is said that there is a yearly increase of 20% of students in Chinese and Tamil schools. In this situation is the Ministry ready to accommodate and supply an annual 20% increase of teachers to these schools? Why the Ministry is reluctant to train teachers to fill vacancies? There are many qualified students who are more than willing to be trained as teachers. But the Ministry is keener in bringing teachers from China and India to fill the vacancies. But these foreigners may not understand our culture and our national language. The hiring of foreign teachers should be an interim and temporary measure. We suggest for the time being it’s more practical to employ retired teachers and in the meanwhile we should urgently train more teachers locally. Now the Prime Ministry has announced that the Chinese language would be taught as a full subject in 150 national schools and Tamil in 70 schools from next year. Where will these teachers come from? In principle the teaching of Chinese and Tamil languages should be thought in all National schools. The Ministry has to ensure that the replacement teachers are qualified to teach in the Tamil language.
3) Ministry urged to set up a Tamil, Chinese, Kadazan, Iban and other minorities TV channel.
We have RTM managing radio broadcast in the Mandarin, Tamil Kadazan and Iban languages channels. Unfortunately only a limited time has been allocated in the nation TV or the airing of news and events in the above languages. There are hardly any proper talk shows on culture and religion in the above language. We feel the time has come for separate channel to be allowed to be operated in each of the above language.
For a long time Tamil news was aired at the prime time of 8.30pm over Channel RTM 2. Suddenly on the 16th August, without consultation, the Information Ministry had rescheduled the airing time to 6.30pm. But the majority of the Indian populace is from the lower income groups who reach home late and are thus unable to watch the 6.30 pm news. In the interest of all, we urge the Ministry to revert back the airing of Tamil news to 8.30 pm with immediate effect. We also require more local talk shows and dramas to be produced and aired.
4) Judiciary in crisis. 1. The backlog of cases is still pending and not yet settled. Since 2000 the amount of cases is still high in the federal court, Appeal court, High court, and the Sessions and Magistrate court. One of the main reasons for the backlog is due to the sudden transfers of judicial officers who are only informed of their transfer at the last minute. But the practice of the transfer of judicial officers was more organized 15 years ago. Then the Register the Federal court would inform those affected some 6 months before they were transferred or promoted. But the present practice is the parties involved in transfers are told some 14 days before the transfer order takes effect. Due to this many judicial officers, High court judges Sessions court presidents and Magistrates leave behind many party heard cases.
When these officers do go back to hear part-heard cases, their new jobs would will be disturbed. Also the officers need to be paid for accommodation transport claims these wasting taxpayers’ money.
In cases where if the newly appointed judicial officer takes over the part heard cases, it involves unnecessary preparation of “notes of evidence” which have to be verified by the former judicial officer. All this delays the disposal of cases.
2. Many cases have been heard by judges who have been promoted but some of them have yet to deliver a decision. Cases are just left hanging without a decision. Recently a Judge who was elevated to the Federal Court to the Appeal Court is said to have 40 out standing cases where judgments are due. Moreover morale among judge is very low. The Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz (CJ) is said to have certain criteria in the appointment and promotion of Judges. Malaysians are puzzled by the criteria used. We need openness and transparency. It is said that many judges do not get promoted unless one is a CJ’s man!
3. Since the CJ was appointed, he and his judicial officers have been to many countries oversea. In particular his visit to Scandinavia countries was said to learn about the legal system there. What has been learnt and implemented locally? Why not just visit the more efficient system, say in Singapore which is only a 5 hours drive from here? Also the CJ and his team also made a tour to learn the China’s legs system. All is shows the purpose. Why should the tax payers be made to meet all their expenses?
4. We are surprised that a Magistrate who was only 21 years old and who was waiting for her final results was appointed as a Magistrate at Kota Baru. This appointment is contrary to the assurance given earlier by the CJ that appointment of Magistrates will take place if the appointee has at least 5 years experience in judicial exposure. Why the CJ did did not adhere to his own code?
5. There are many court interpreters who have acquired legal qualifications but are not appointed as Magistrates. Many of these interpreters have special abilities that should be harnessed by being appointment as Magistrates.
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