Thesun 2009-08-13 Page09 Rethink Pullout Decision Chinese Chambers Urged

theSun

9

| THURSDAY AUGUST 13 2009

news without borders Kayveas rightful PPP president, says Hisham PUTRAJAYA: Datuk M. Kayveas has been declared the rightful PPP president, ending months of leadership tussle between him and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk T. Murugiah. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who announced this yesterday, said the registrar of societies (ROS) made the decision based on the elections of PPP’s 2005-2010 supreme council members on Oct 2, 2005. “Investigations also showed the sacking of Datuk T. Murugiah from the party is made based on PPP constitution,” he told a postcabinet news conference yesterday. In line with this, Hishammuddin said, Murugiah’s “appointment” as PPP president at an extraordinary general meeting on May 24 was not valid as it did not comply with the requirements under the PPP constitution. “The matter has been investigated from various aspects, including obtaining the views of the Home Ministry’s legal advisers.” He said investigations showed that Murugiah had no locus standi to act as the party president, use the party platform or carry out any activity related to the party. Hishammuddin said PPP had been advised to take legal action if Murugiah continued to use the party’s name. He said he had met both leaders and felt that they would be able to accept the ROS’s decision. On Murugiah’s position as a senator, Hishammuddin said the matter was up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to decide. – Bernama

Rethink pullout decision, Chinese chambers urged

New school but still not enough places THE problem of shortage of places

Press Digest by Kong See Hoh

[email protected]

HUA ZONG (Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia) has urged Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) to rethink its decision to instruct members to pull out of Chinese assembly halls. Hua Zong president Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong said any move by the Chinese chambers of commerce and industry to withdraw from Chinese assembly halls is no small matter as it would only split the Chinese community, the Chinese press reported yesterday. He described ACCCIM’s decision, made based on the basis that Chinese groups should rationalise their organisational structure according to functions, as too hasty. Lim said the Chinese community, in general, felt that a split between the Chinese chambers of commerce and industry and the Chinese assembly halls would

last year because of a shrinking pu-

have a negative impact in Chinese schools has resurfaced pil population in Ayer Tawar, Perak, on the community. in Puchong despite the building of a registered 800 new pupils but it can At a time when racism new school there. take in only 360 as the Education is thick in the air the ChiAccording to a report in China Ministry approved only eight Year nese community needs Press yesterday, some 800 children One classes for 2010. to have crisis-awareness who have registered with the four The other three Chinese schools to stay united, Lim told Chinese schools in Puchong for Year are also over-registered, with SJK(C) the media after chairing One next year will be rejected simHan Ming and SJK(C) Yak Chee an extraordinary meeting ply because there are not enough recording about 600 new pupils of the federation in Kuala places. each, and SJK(C) Sin Ming more than Lumpur on Tuesday. These pupils will most likely be 300. The meeting was arranged to study in schools located The ministry has approved 13 attended by eight of the on Old Klang Road and Sungai Way. Year One classes for Han Ming, 10 for federation’s 13 members. According to China Press, SJK(C) Yak Chee and six for Sin Min. He said Hua Zong was Ladang Harcroft, which was relocatThe three schools combined are shocked by ACCCIM’s deed to Bandar Puchong Jaya Selatan short of more than 300 places. cision, which was made at ACCIM’s executive council meeting in Kuching early agreed to talk with Hua Zong over the this month. Rio staff Lim said if this matter is not handle matter. formally He said he had contacted Cheng properly, it would affect the Chinese arrested groups’ ability to fight for the communi- over the phone on Monday but Cheng ty’s common interest and goes against the described the split as “trivial”. in China Lim said ACCCIM’s decision to part very aim of setting up Chinese assembly pg 17 ways with Hua Zong is not a simple mathalls by the pioneer Chinese settlers. He said ACCCIM president Tan Sri ter as it will have far-reaching impact on William Cheng, who is overseas, has the community.