Public University Indian students denied Deepavali holidays: only exempted from lectures against PMs’ 1 Malaysia announcement on 27/7/2011.

No.6, Jalan Abdullah,

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Tel : 03-2282 5241

Fax : 03-2282 5241

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Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

E-mail: info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Your Reference :

In Reply :

Date : 14^th September 2011

YAB. Dato’ Seri Najib Razak

Prime Minister of Malaysia,

Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax: 03-88883444

62502 Putrajaya E-Mail: najib@pmo.gov.my

Y.B Dato Seri Mohd Khaled Bin Nordin

Minister of Higher Education Malaysia,

Aras 7, Block E3, Complex E,

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax : 03-8889 1952

62505 Putrajaya. E-Mail : minister@mohe.gov.my

Re: Public University Indian students denied Deepavali holidays: only exempted from lectures against PMs’ 1 Malaysia announcement on 27/7/2011.

We refer to the above matter and to this year in and year out recurring problems of the one week Deepavali holidays being denied to Indian students in all the Public and private Universities and schools nationwide as is rightly granted for Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Christmas.

May we refer to your goodselves announcement made at University Malaya on 27^th July 2011 at the launch of the 1Malaysia Indian Students Movement. Further to the announcement, an official circular dated 15/9/2011 was issued by the Ministry of the Higher Education asking Public Universities to reschedule exams and classes in order to provide a longer break for Deepavali and which has been sent out to all Public Universities. (copy enclosed herewith). In that circular, Indian students nationwide were promised a longer break from 25^th to 28^th October 2011 to celebrate Deepavali which falls on 26/10/11.

However, we regret to inform your goodselves that despite the announcement being made public and an official circular circulated to that effect, we are receiving complaints from University Indian students particularly from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) that they are only given an exemption from attending lectures rather than the festive holidays as was announced by YAB Prime Minister Najib Razak on 27/7/2011. This would cause the Indian students to miss their lectures for three days. (copy of the undated letter duly signed by Prof. Datuk Dr.Noor Azlan Bin Ghazali the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs) of UKM is enclosed herewith.

We also regret to note the excuses communicated to student leader (MPP) Mr Kok Kiong Lum on 13/10/11 by no less than the Chancellor Prof. Datuk Dr.Noor Azlan Bin Ghazali amongst others that “Beliau berkata cuti di Malaysia adalah terlalu banyak. Cuti umum hari raya dan tahun baru cina pun selama 1 atau 2 hari saja.Kepadanya,adalah adil hanya diberi cuti umum pada 26th Oktober sahaja. Jadi, cuti berterusan tidak dapat diberi untuk Deepavali ini.”

Apart from UKM, we are also receiving complaints from in particular Indian students studying in UNIMAS and UMS that lectures will be conducted as usual even on Deepavali day which is not even a public holiday in Sarawak. The Indian students in Unimas & UMS in far away Sabah and Sarawak must also be given the opportunity to come home and to be with their families on this auspicious day which comes only once in a year.

Further we have received complaints that vegetarian food and the University bus services to the nearby hindu temples on Fridays as was directed by YAB Prime Minister on 27/7/11 has also been refused to be implemented. Or is this part of “ the government policy was good but it’s implementation was bad” political play gimmick?

In the circumstances we hereby call upon your goodselves to in the true spirit of your 1 Malaysia issue a government circular directing all Public and Private Universities and schools nationwide to grant the one week holidays beginning from 24^th to 28^th October 2011 as has been rightly granted for Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Christmas not only for this year but for each and every year in the future (Christmas in any event falls during the holiday season anyway). And the circular also to include the aforesaid vegetarian food and bus services to Hindu temples.

Kindly revert to us accordingly.

Thank You.

Yours Faithfully,

_______________

P.Uthayakumar

Secretary General (pro tem)

CC: Prof. Tan Sri Dato’ Wira Dr. Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin
Vice Chancellor,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Faks : 03-8921 4242 Selangor Darul Ehsan. Email : ncukm@ukm.my

Datuk Dr.Noor Azlan Bin Ghazali Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Faks : 03-8921 4241
Selangor Darul Ehsan. E-mel : tncakad@ukm.my