Posted on by Kit

Abdullah – declare Wednesday January 23 as first Thaipusam national public holiday

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should immediately declare Wednesday, January 23, 2008 as the first Thaipusam national public holiday instead of just thinking about it.

Abdullah told a Ponggal Festival event at Bukit Bintang last night that he would consider declaring Thaipusam a national public holiday.

In the past decades, both inside and outside Parliament, DAP has been calling for Thaipusam to be declared a public holiday and not just a state holiday in Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

As there is nothing more to consider, Abdullah should immediately announce Wednesday as the first Thaipusam public holiday so that Thaipusam could be celebrated by all Malaysians throughout the country beginning on January 23, 2008.

60 Replies to “Abdullah – declare Wednesday January 23 as first Thaipusam national public holiday”

  2. He’s thinking about it from now till the GE, then he’ll forget about it until 5 years from now, when he’ll announce that he would be thinking about it again…so that more and more Hindus would be fooled into voting for the BN

  3. He would have to discuss with KJ and the cabinet.
    KJ – If there is political advantage, I am sure UMNO Youth can be persuaded.
    Nazri – Another holiday for those penyangak? No way.
    MCA – Nothing to do with us.
    Samy Vellu – I can claim another victory for Indians. But I leave it to you, PM.
    PPP – Of course, of course, we must have that as a national holiday.
    Samy Vellu – Shut up, Kayveas. The credit goes to me, not you.
    MCA – Why don’t you guys just keep quiet like us? We keep quiet about anything controversial lke the songkok issues. Nobody gets hurt that way. Let UMNO decide.
    PM – HAve I missed out on anything? It is simple – would it help us in the GE? that is the question. After that only we decide again. One step at a time, don’t think too far ahead. Politics is like that.
    So, we say this year it will be a national holiday. Next year, we will see. After all we already have too many national holidays.
    All – k..k…k..

  4. PM can declare Thaipusam as a public holiday.Its long overdue.but if he thinks he can buy the indian votes by this act.I suggest he think again.Gone are the days when they can buy indian votes by just showing indian movies to packed audience and on rtm.That wont work anymore We want to live with dignity and honour just like the other races and be respected by them too.We need economic reforms for the betterment of all Indians and Malaysians as well.If the Pm really value our votes he has to think on ways to up lift the Indians.We have been very faithful for 11 elections.Now we want to test our loyaltyand see if BN will be faithful to us

  5. BN has been thinking about for the past 50 years. Even if PAS had ruled the country they would have been cultured enough to give a holiday.

    This is an election gimmick. Even if they do give Thaipusam a holiday now, my vote is still for the opposition. No change in that.

  6. Well, the carrot have been dangled???

    Will the voters take the bait???

    Only time will tell la. This is Malaysian politics. UMNO-BN can be corrupted to the core, but come election, all it takes is a little sweetener here and there and the rakyat will forgive and forget.

  9. Now we know they are desperate. Insulting the Indians who had to `terrorise` (UMNO language) to get what? A damn holiday.
    Badawi will never grow up. He`s consigned to the smelly heap of history.

  10. PM has probably told Samy to declare this 23th’s Thaipusam as a public holiday.

    Samy in the scheduled Cheras badminton court mammoth Indian meeting would probably declare, “Not in the history of any nation anywhere has so few been able to have so much power like the Indians in Malaysia led by me to demand the Government to bow to our demands – we shall have our Thaipusam this year as a National Holiday. We celebrate our victory tonight. Only I alone is enough to bring progress to the Indians. No need to go to the streets. Stupid fellas go to the street and get arrested. Then they come back to me and beg me to help get them released. Gila. gila, semua orang gila. Just imagine Thaipusam in Kamunting. Gila, bodoh. You stay there until I get you out. Gila to go against the Government. Victory! Victory for the Indians. We struggled only 50 years to have Thaipusam declared as a Holiday. Many countries in the world would not even consider to have Thaipusam as a National holiday. Tengoklah Australia, America, England. Mana ada Thaipusam holiday? We must not complain. We must say thank you to the Honourable PM. We must say thank you to UMNO for being tolerant to the Indians. We must forgive Nazri. After all what we were asking was a little too much for him as a true Malay to accept. We must forgive and forget. We must give and take. Victory, victory!”

  13. “Only Muslims can use (the word) Allah. It’s a Muslim word. It’s from the Arabic language. We cannot let other religions use it because it will confuse people,” deputy minister for internal security Johari Baharum told reporters explaining the rationale for the decision. “We cannot allow this use of ‘Allah’ in non-Muslim publications; nobody except Muslims (can use it). The word ‘Allah’ is published by the Catholics. It’s not right,” he said.

    But followers of Sikhism — which borrows heavily from both Islam and Hindusim and uses the word ‘Allah’ to refer to god — are upset over the ban. “We have used the terms ‘Allah’ and ‘Rahim’ (most merciful) extensively in our writings and prayers to refer to God. The word Allah is used in our holy scripture,” Malaysian Gurdwara Council chief Harcharan Singh told local media last week.

    “Sikhs have used these terms for centuries and they are part of the Punjabi language we still use today,” he said explaining the dilemma for followers of the faith, who are distinguished by their turbans and beards. “How are we going to fulfill our religious obligation if commonly used words are reserved for Muslims….I really don’t know where we are heading as a nation with decisions like this,” he said.

  14. Aiyoyoh, the PM really thinks that us Indians are that dumb like him. Just touch on a small matter that is of interest to Indians and all will vote for BN in the coming elections?!!! What fool he is – most unbecoming of a rational adult. Porah!

    He is of course pulling a fast one on the gullibles. Yeah I will consider declaring Thaipusam a holiday for Wilayah and so I am acceding to the wishes of Indians – what crap! Are we of so little intellect?

  16. PM must have a nap first before getting his inspiration to decide ‘to declare or not to declare’.

    Maybe during the gathering of 15,000 MIC members, scheduled to declare their undying love and loyalty to PM and Umno, an announcement will be made by PM and SV that Thaipusam is a national public holiday. Hurray, more votes for BN!

  17. Why PM need to go to his cabinet to discuss and declare Public Holiday. TDM told the RCI panel members the appointment of judges he has the final say even others say this and that.

    Now our PM has the sole power to declare the PH for Thaipusam without need cabinet referrals. Why is he so scared? PM can over rule his cabinet when he annouced the RM 600 million allocation to UMNO divisions in 2006 UMNO general assembly. The same principle he should have applied to declare Thaipusam a PH yesterday during his visit for Ponggal Festival at Masjid India.

    The Indian community need to be given better facilities in the government and other areas where the government in involved directly or indirectly.

    Do we need the BN-led government to look into the Indian community problems after HINDRAF gathered more than 30,000 supporters to give a memorandum to British Coucil for the appointment of QC to for trial of the BN-led government in the world court for marginalisation of the Indian community in Malaysia?

    If not because of HINDRAF peaceful assembly on 25th Nov 2007 the BN-led government would not have listened to the Indians problems and the Indians would have again supported the BN in the General Election. Now the Indians have their stand who should they cast their vote.

    Majority of the Indians whatever the BN-ed government is going to provide economic support to the Indians, the votes are going to the OPPOSITION in the forth coming GE scheduled to be held before 15th of March 2008. The Parliament is going to be dissolved just after CHAP GP MEI. After a week nomination day. And after another week the GE date. This is my own prediction and is most likely to happen on the above mentioned dates.

    I was at MARAN Marathandavar Temple today morning the witness the Kumbabisegam of Lord Murugan. The temple was not crowded. This temple during the Pangguni Uthiram festival draws a crowd around 150,000 Hindus.But today i could hardly see less than 5,000 crowd. MIC top guns were not around. I only saw Pahang MIC State Assembly men. He was just ignored by most people who came there.

    This shows MIC does not have support from the Indian community.

  19. LATEST: Thaipusam declared a public holiday for Kuala Lumpur
    Posted by kasee
    Sunday, 20 January 2008
    (The New Straits Times) – PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has announced that Thaipusam is to be declared a public holiday for Kuala Lumpur.

    Currently, Thaipusam is a public holiday in Negri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, Johor and Selangor

  22. January 20, 2008 16:38 PM

    Indians Will Once Again Back BN In Polls, Says Samy Vellu

    KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) — MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu today declared in the presence of the Prime Minister and over 21,000 party members and supporters that the MIC is more than ready to face the upcoming general election.

    An upbeat Samy Vellu also pledged to deliver the Indian votes to the Barisan Nasional (BN).
    [ ]
    Samy Vellu called on the Indians to unite and continue to back the Barisan government for their continued survival.

    In describing Abdullah as “our leader and the leader for all Malaysians”, Samy Vellu said the Prime Minister was willing to listen to the Indian community’s grievances and take steps to rectify them.
    [ ]
    He also took a swipe at certain political forces who were working to weaken Indian representation in the government.

    “They continue to attack the MIC and its leaders by distorting information and confusing the hearts and minds of ordinary Malaysian Indians,” he said, urging the Indian community to be watchful against such elements.

    — BERNAMA

    Nothing new there. Blah blah donkey braying. Who counted 21,000 MICe party members. Does it make it more believable?

  23. January 20, 2008 17:30 PM

    PAS-led Govt No Longer Relevant In Kelantan, Says Zam

    KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) — The PAS-led government in Kelantan is felt to be irrelevant in view of the rapid development taking place in its neighbouring state, Terengganu, which had adopted the `dakwah Bihal’ which portrayed Islam as the ideal religion, said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.

    – BERNAMA

  24. January 20, 2008 18:49 PM

    Abdullah Declares Thaipusam Public Holiday In KL, Putrajaya

    KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) — The Government Sunday declared Thaipusam a public holiday in the federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from this year.

    This year’s Thaipusam falls on Wednesday (Jan 23).

    In making the announcement, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the government made the decision in respecting the request of the Indian community and the Hindus in the country.

    Thaipusam is currently a holiday in Selangor, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.

    -BERNAMA

  25. Let’s see if the Indian community will bite this hook and sinker! If they do, well don’t curse yourselves for another five years!! Malaysia as a whole, has already 17 Federal holidays, now your have Saturdays off too. Just look at a Gomen officer,annual holidays at the top level 35 days, 104 days of weekends, 17 days public holidays, added a couple when they fall on Sundays. You are talking of some 160 days off a year, i.e. provided he does not take MCs; you wanna bet? Hence they work at best 200 days a year. Just like the port services at Port Klang, LLS declared 365 days of port operation, but are other OGAs working in tandem? Well, that is not my problem!! Typical Malaysian approach. While we seek more holidays, with our descending competitive factors, do hope we are still relevant in this globalizing age.

  26. This is purely election gimmick by umno led govt.The indian are no more idiots to believe this dramas.Enough of your draconian era,the public suffered enough under your regime.WE VOTE ONLY OPPOSITIONS.DAP should concentrate in their constituent and plan to convince the public.We have enough reasons to convince the public.The time is too short,so get into your gears.

  28. Malays / Muslims got 5. Chinese got 2. Indians / Hindus now got 2, Buddhists got 1, Christians got 1.

    How about giving the Buddhists and Christians another one each to be fair? It used to be a holiday on Good Friday / Easter but this was taken away. And there are more Buddhists and Christians than Hindus.

    I hear Pak Lah already declared a holiday for KL and Putrajaya for Thaipusam. Samy claims credit. Somebody said to call the holiday Thaipusamy.

  31. Pingback: Malaysian Politics » Blog Archive » Election Gimmick?

  35. “I hear Pak Lah already declared a holiday for KL and Putrajaya for Thaipusam. Samy claims credit. Somebody said to call the holiday Thaipusamy.”

    Hurrah ! Better still call it TipuSAMY, TipuUMNO, and TipuBN.

  36. What our PM so good….He declared thaipusam a holiday.i am thrilled to bits.can we have election tommorrow i want to vote BN out…oops sorry i meant vote BN in….I am so excited.oh boy i am so easy to please.

  37. Malaysian Press said 21,000 or 22,000 mainly MIC members turned up at the gathering. But foreign press said only 7,000 people turned up.

    ”
    M’sian PM offers olive branch with Hindu holiday

    Sun, Jan 20, 2008
    AFP

    KUALA LUMPUR – MALAYSIA’S Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi declared a popular Hindu festival a public holiday on Sunday, in an olive branch to the ethnic Indian community following months of dissent.

    The colourful Thaipusam festival, during which devotees pierce their bodies with hooks and skewers, attracts more than a million people each year at Kuala Lumpur’s Batu Caves temple.

    Mr Abdullah, whose government cracked down hard on ethnic Indian anti-discrimination protests last year and jailed organisers, declared Thaipusam a holiday in Kuala Lumpur and the administrative capital Putrajaya.

    Malaysia’s opposition had urged him to recognise the festival, which falls on Wednesday, as a gesture of reconciliation after the crackdown, which raised tensions in this multi-ethnic country dominated by Muslim Malays.

    Thaipusam is already a holiday in several states, but the new directive means the federal government and financial markets will be closed, along with businesses in the capital, Abdullah’s aides said.

    He made the announcement at a rally by the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) – part of the ruling coalition – led by Samy Vellu who has been criticised for not addressing the Indian community’s problems.

    ‘I have been asked by Samy Vellu and by so many others, even at a festival yesterday, so let’s have it as a public holiday,’ the premier told a cheering crowd of some 7,000 MIC members.

    ‘But holiday is holiday and work is work, and we must make sure to work hard and vote hard,’ he said, in a reference to general elections expected to be called soon.

    But opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said the gesture was too little too late from the government, which is holding five leaders of ethnic Indian activist group Hindraf in detention without trial.

    ‘Although we welcome what the PM is offering, it would be a grave mistake if he thinks this will address the problems of the Indian community that were highlighted by Hindraf in their rally,’ Mr Lim told AFP.

    ‘It is definitely too little and much more is needed to help the community,’ he said.

    The Hindraf protest highlighted the grievances of Malaysia’s Indians – descendents of labourers brought over by British colonial rulers in the 1800s – who say they are marginalised in terms of education, wealth and opportunities.

    At the MIC rally in suburban Kuala Lumpur, Mr Abdullah also announced a new cabinet committee devoted to the government’s goal of eradicating poverty by 2010.

    ‘We must reduce hardcore poverty. For 50 years we have been trying, we will continue to do that,’ he said, without specifying the scope or membership of the committee.

    ‘In terms of hardcore poverty, the Indian community is not alone as the Chinese and Malays also have their share,’ he added. — AFP

    ”

    Dollah promised to make a major announcement at this MIC KEY gathering. This is it?

  38. Malaysia is already a country if not the only country with the most public holidays. Even the issue of national holidays for the different ethnic and religious groups is being politicized. By extension, it is a matter of time before the other groups would want their holidays to celebrate their religious festivities.

    This is what happens when political parties play the politics of race and religion. It applies equally to both BN and opposition parties.

  39. In Malaysia the leaders have holiday everyday so what’s one more day for the masses?

    If you are overjoyed at more public holidays, just remember those who are not working in the government or bigger companies and those who are self-employed still have to work, public holiday or not.

    Let’s hope the Indians do not sell themselves so cheaply.

  40. Semi Vuloo cant do things for the past 28 years.but a small group of real indians made it. Lembu punya susu sapi dapat mana..sami u r finished with or without the holiday declared by bodowi..i have 250 members voting the BA. Indians are not stupid or idiiots like what u think..

  41. Pak Lah is the easily the most shameless PM in Malaysian history. How could he possibly think that a holiday could make up for the neglect and marginalization of the Malaysian Indian community for the last 50 years? I hope that the majority of Malaysian Indians will take this holiday for granted (because it is your right in the first place) and yet register a negative vote for BN in the next election. This will teach Pak Lah a lesson and force him to focus on real issues not trivialities.

  45. Dear Pak Lah,
    Stop mulling over whether or not Thanipusam Day should be declared a holiday or not! Your mulling to give a public holiday for Malaysia for Thaipusam is applauded, but this should not soften Indians hearts in thinking that the government is doing good for the non Malays. This public holiday should have been given 50 years ago, you are too late in making this decision, leave alone just mulling about it!

    Dear Indians, Chinese and other minorities,
    Please do NOT be fooled by this public holiday. We do NOT want ammendmends from talking or giving public holidays! We need ammendmends from changes in legislation and constitutional ammendmends!. We cannot hope for our Indian and Chinese and other minority leaders who are representing us to make the changes. We have them 50 years to make the changes, but they have not shown results. But if we look analyze their wealth accumulated and compare their assets with their salary drawn from the time they were elected leaders, perhaps then we can proove that we have been cheated for the last 50 years. We need to vote them out of office and let new leaders emerge. If the new elected leaders are still the same, elect different leaders in the next election. We should do this until we get leaders who really serve the people.

    Until then, don’t relax and sit back and have the ‘tidak apa’ attitude. Challenge the governmnet in all ways possible in a non-violent way and in the best professional way possible. But don’t ever give in, until we get our freedom!

    May God bless all the souls fighting for the freedom of others.
    May God bless Malaysia.

  46. National Holiday or not a national holiday for Thanipusam is not important. What’s important is not to be fooled by this political gimmick. For me, I will enjoy one more day of holiday but this will not influence me to change my burning desire to vote for the opposition comes the next general election.

  47. COME ON ALL INDIAN.
    Dont get fool with that pubic holiday.Think for the next 5years to come.Vote BN/MIC OUT.IF u fail this time dont cry for support anymore u can be in kampong and wait for SAMY VELLU to help u.
    This is nothing for one pubic holiday
    UR vote is for DAP/PKR
    LETs all go out tell the people to vote out MIC/UMNO.
    GOD BLESS

  49. This is Hindraf’s first win. Congratulation to them, not MIC.

    The annoucement of a PM’s department for poverty cases to me is more important. I am wondering who is going to head it. If they put an Indian in charge, it would win lot of votes but if its headed by another money-grabbing bumi, its not going to work. But the problem is the biggest group is in Sabah which mean it should really be headed by a KDM.

    But there is another more significant issue regarding this which is the concentration of duties at the PM office. What is next after this, a department of crime? department of corruption? religious matter? The problem is even if the PM can handle this additional portfolio, he is not capable of handling the crime portfolio too. Badawi is politically not without skills but as admnistratively, he is very very mediocre. It reflects his mode of NOT dealing with problems directly which is why the crime, corrupition and religious issues will never get solved. I even severely doubt that this new poverty department will do that much other than cover it up if the wrong person is heading it.

    One thing I like to note, this new poverty department is a good thing because its the first breakdown of racial identification of an economic policy. If this department is headed by a non-bumi, that person will be privy to a lot of government data and eventually they can’t hide the real facts like bumi equity participation and eventually lead to the end of NEP. That person also will see how illogical it is to have the NEP. If its not headed by a non-bumi, then it will not get that much vote from the Indians and Sabahan anyway..

  50. Going forward from what Bigjoe said, all efforts should be directed to helping underclasses of all races in both Peninsular and East Malysia, and that is consistent with first prong of the New Economic Policy (NEP), which is to eradicate poverty irrespective of race. Next impose a racial quota on Civil Service based on their approximate proportion in population (eg 55% Malays 25 % Chinese 11% Indians and 9% others) to go towards meeting the other NEP’s objective of removing economic identification with race.

    The implementation of NEP in last 30 years has been hijacked by politicians to (ideologically) make Malays as a group the richest persons though in reality a small group of malays in or connected to power).

    Its time to return to the NEP’s original objectives and rectify the implementation gone awry.

  51. Now that Thaipusam has been declared a Public Holiday, when tens of thousands of Hindus have a right to converge to Batu Caves, made all the more easier since it is a Public Holiday, I’m just wondering… what would happen if Hindraf organisers use this convergence as an opportunity to press for demands?

    Surely the police can no longer stop and search vehicles, and hassle people from converging there. Some bloggers had blogged earlier that anyone who looked Indian, were subjected to scrutiny just before the weekend of November 25, 2007. Now, there would be a legitimate reason for them to converge and gather and assemble. The police can also no longer prevent people from assembly, as it is their religious right to visit the temple.
    It is not something I’d advocate, but something that I foresee may happen.

  52. “Malaysian Press said 21,000 or 22,000 mainly MIC members turned up at the gathering. But foreign press said only 7,000 people turned up.” – Obviously, the foreign press did not know how to count.

    “The annoucement of a PM’s department for poverty cases to me is more important.” – Don’t be too optimistic over this ‘Department for Poverty’. Previously, there was this Committee for the Hardcore Poor established to uplift the economic status of the hardcore poor. Sounds wonderful, caring, and compassionate. However, the money meant for the hardcore poor was swallowed by the person or people in charge of the Committee for the Hardcore Poor. At the end, another committee is just another additional avenue for some of the privileged people to wallop all.

    Visit and read ‘Hot air over corruption’ (still very relevant)
    http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2005b/11d.html

    The system has not changed. The spots are still there on the leopard. We still have a den of increasing number of thieves and cheats and liars.

  53. Abdullah Declares Thaipusam Public Holiday In KL, Putrajaya

    Thaipusam is currently a holiday in Selangor, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.

    So the Hindoos in Kedah can go hang for all he cares

  54. Dear Indian friends,
    Do not be taken in by just a holiday which is long overdue.
    I hope all of you would not be hoodwinked by this gesture. It is GE gimmicks. I believe your votes are not that cheap. Do not fail Hideraf members who are in jail. Next they would free Hinderaf just to win votes!!!
    Remember, A swallow maketh a summer not!

  56. “The police can also no longer prevent people from assembly, as it is their religious right to visit the temple. It is not something I’d advocate, but something that I foresee may happen.” dranony

    Why should the police want to disrupt a religious assembly? What is it that you;re advocating??

  57. I’m not advocating anything, as I’d written clearly. Just that I foresee a possibility of an occurence of an event.
    What I meant was that, compared to Nov 25, 2007 (when the police could actually search cars and hinder people from entering KL and converging at a particular place), with the Thaipusam being declared a Public Holiday and many people converging to Batu Caves for religioius worship, police will no longer have any grounds to stop and search, or hinder people from converging at a particular point, ie Batu Caves.
    I foresee that Hindraf might use this opportunity to use Batu Caves during Thaipusam as a convergence point, all handed to Hindraf on a platter by none other than Abdullah Badawi himself.

  58. “…with the Thaipusam being declared a Public Holiday and many people converging to Batu Caves for religioius worship, police will no longer have any grounds to stop and search…” dranony

    The police in Malaysia could legally search your house, stop and search your person and your car anytime they feel it their duty and need to do so – and there’s nothing much you can do about it. No warrant is needed to enter and search your house. No reasonable cause is required before they could stop you and search.

    U.K. is not much better.

    Unlike in the U.S. where the police would need a search ‘warrant’ to search your house, and ‘reasonable cause’ to stop you in your car and conduct a search. Even to search your person, they must first have ‘reasonable cause’.

    So if you think Malaysian police would need reasonable cause before they could do a stop and search, then you’re wrong. They don’t.

  59. Thaipusam is only celebrated by 7% of Malaysians, YB Lim’s suggestion to make it a national holiday is too much.

    I disagree because Malaysia is already one of the most holiday days nation in the world.

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