Charles Santiago

(Klang – 8hb Mac) Ahli Parlimen Klang Charles Santiago mendesak kerajaan Malaysia memandang serius peristiwa penghapusan etnik Tamil di Sri Lanka.

Menurut beliau, kerajaan menganggap pembunuhan bangsa Tamil di Sri Lanka merupakan masalah dalaman negara, tidak boleh berbanding dengan penjajahan dan pembunuhan di Genting Gaza. Charles menegur pendirian ini dan menuduh kerajaan mengamalkan dwi piawai terhadap kekejaman Israel dan kerajaan Sri Lanka.

Charles memberi ucapan ini semasa menerima memorandum daripada Persatuan Kebajikan India Malaysia di Bukit Tinggi, Klang.

Pengerusi Persatuan Prakash meminta Charles membangkitkan perkara ini, supaya Kerajaan Malaysia menghantar bantuan kemanusiaan kepada etnik Tamil di Sri lanka, menyeru kerajaan memberi tekanan kepada kerajaan sri lanka untuk menghentikan penghapusan etnik tamil.

Charles berkata isu ini telah dibangkit dalam dewan rakyat apabila sesi parlimen tergempar bagi pembunuhan Gaza diadakan, tetapi Kerajaan Barisan Nasional enggan menerima pandangan ahli parlimen DAP dan tidak bersedia buat apa-apa.

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Sumber : The rock news

时间：2009-03-10 16:07:19  来源：本报报道  作者：编辑

左四是查尔斯，右五是帕卡斯

(巴生8日讯) 巴生区国会议员查尔斯促请我国政府正视斯里兰卡发生的种族灭绝暴行。他批评政府持有双重标准，只是谴责以色列占领和压迫巴勒斯坦，却把斯国政府和淡米尔之虎的斗争视为该国内部问题而袖手旁观。

查尔斯指出以色列和斯国政府都是残暴的压迫者，许多淡米尔人居住在斯里兰卡已有数个时代，但是斯里兰卡政府驱逐他们离开村子，以让斯里兰卡人移居进来。查尔斯认为斯里兰卡淡米尔人面对的歧视和压迫，本质上和巴勒斯坦人的遭遇并无不同。

 查尔斯是在巴生武吉丁宜接收大马印裔福利协会的备忘录时，发表上述言论。

 大马印裔福利协会会长帕卡斯要求查尔斯向政府提出这个议题，并促请大马政府提供人道援助予斯国淡米尔人，施压斯里兰卡政府停止屠杀淡米尔族群的暴行。

查尔斯表示，当国会召开特别会议讨论以色列袭击加沙时，民联的议员已在国会提出斯里兰卡的种族灭绝问题。但是国阵政府拒绝接受这些看法，也不准备为此做任何事。

PRESS STATEMENT

Date : 10th Mar 2009

A stimulus package worth RM7 billion was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, last November, to bolster the economy amidst the global downturn.

The package included a micro-credit fund amounting to RM200 million that aimed at assisting entrepreneurs undertaking small businesses, with the government establishing another RM100 million revolving fund for urban micro financing programme.

TEKUN Nasional, an existing entrepreneur development institution which also provides micro-credit fund that operates under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development.

These might seem a perfect idea. But closer scrutiny reveals the ruling UMNO-led government’s continuing streak of implementing race-based policies.

TEKUN’s website fundamentally stipulates that the applicants must be “Bumiputera, aged between 18 to 65”. Obviously, non-bumiputera citizens are not eligible for the micro credit scheme.

Such blatant discrimination forces the non-bumiputera to turn to banks that require collateral and impose a higher interest rate. Some disillusioned applications seek help from ferocious “ah long” or loan sharks and end up with further debt.

According to TEKUN’s managing director, Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan, the organisation has the capacity to approve loans between RM500 and RM50,000 within 14 days. The agency would also approve loans less than RM3,000 within 48 hours.

According to official statistics, a total of RM1.3 billion has been released by TEKUN to 171,148 borrowers from 1999 to 2008.

Abdul Rahman has also been quoted to say that the scheme makes sense rather than borrowing from loan sharks. But what certainly does not make sense is the race-based requirement as it further alienates the non-bumiputera Chinese and Indians and defeats the purpose of the micro-credit scheme.

Since the global economic crisis started hitting Malaysia, I have had several businessmen visit me in my Klang office, seeking help with urgent micro credit financing to sustain their businesses.

Some of them were forced to close down their factories leading to loss of jobs and livelihoods.

This is certainly not to the time to play archaic racial politics. The economic outlook for the country is bleak.

Given the current grim economic forecast, the current stand of TEKUN will not help save Malaysia businesses. On the contrary, it will exacerbate the strain on ethnic relationships and create further division among the people.

I, therefore, urge the government stop the racial discrimination, especially when our nation is facing the most severe global economic crisis in history.

As the first step, I strongly urge the government to remove TEKUN’s discriminatory requirement and ensure the scheme serves all Malaysians.

Charles Santiago

Member of Parliament, Klang

Vice-Chairman of DAP Selangor

016-6267797

English version : Eliminate Discriminatory Policies in Addressing Economic Crisis.

新闻文告

日期 ：2009年3月10日

去年11月，副首相纳吉宣布总值70亿令吉的经济刺激配套，在全球经济疲软的时刻，为我国经济注入一支强心针。

该配套包括一个二亿令吉的微型贷款，目的是协助人民创办小型企业。政府也将拨出一亿令吉的周转基金，作为城市微型贷款计划。

企业家经济基金会（Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga – TEKUN）也是一个提供微型贷款的企业发展机构，这个机构隶属企业发展及合作社部。

看起来，微型贷款计划是个很好的概念。可是仔细研究，便可发现巫统主导的政府仍然实行种族政策。

企业家经济基金会的网页注明申请者的第一个条件是“18岁至65岁的土著”。显然，非土著公民不符合申请微型贷款的条件。

这个歧视性的申请条件使非土著不得不向银行贷款，抵押他们的产业和偿还高利息。一些没有产业的非土著甚至被逼向“阿窿”借钱，结果欠下满身债。

企业家经济基金会的董事经理，拿督阿都拉欣哈山表示，该机构可以在14天内批准500令吉至5万令吉的贷款，并在48小时内批准少过3000令吉的贷款。

根据官方数据，1999年至2008年之间，企业家经济基金已发放13亿令吉给171,148名借贷者。

阿都拉欣哈山曾说过，“比起和‘阿窿’借钱，向基金会贷款更合理”。但不合理的是只限土著的条件。这个歧视性的条件只会继续边缘化华人、印度人和其他非土著族群，最终微型贷款计划无法惠及所有人民。

当全球经济危机的影响日益显著，数个小型企业业主前来我的办公室，要求政府提供紧急贷款作为生意的周转基金。有些不得不关闭他们的工厂，他们长期经营的事业毁于一旦，也导致工人失去工作。

这绝对不是玩弄种族政治的时候，我国的经济前景可说是黯淡无光。

经济专家预测，国内经济可能陷入衰退。在这种情况下，企业家经济基金会的歧视性申请条件对大马商业毫无助益。相反的，它将恶化族群关系和继续分化人民。

因此我促请政府停止种族歧视，尤其是当国家面对历史上最严重的全球经济危机的时刻。

作为改变的第一步，政府应该马上废除企业家经济基金会的歧视性条件，确保这个微型贷款计划向全民开放。

查尔斯圣地亚哥

巴生区国会议员

雪州行动党副主席

016-6267797

Source : Merdekareview

Source : Oriental Daily 12 Mar 2009

Soalan : Tuan Charles Santiago [Klang] minta Menteri Dalam Negeri menyatakan cadangan Kementerian untuk mengatasi isu kematian dalam lokap dan memastikan siasatan dijalankan ke atas setiap kes kematian di lokap.

Jawapan :

Source : Malaysiakini

Mar 9, 09 2:45pm The demands continue for fresh elections in Perak, with Klang parliamentarian Charles Santiago adding his plea for an end to the political impasse in the state.

“The political high drama in Perak must end. I call upon the Ruler to call for a fresh mandate,” he said in a statement today.

Unless the people are allowed to choose their elected representatives and have a say in the appointment of a menteri besar, “the political bickering will continue”.

The crisis in Perak began unfolding early last month, with each week bringing new points of contention that have mutated into a series of lawsuits.

Both Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional (BN) are seeking to exert control over the state, with each side holding 28 seats now. Three former Pakatan members have turned Independent, but have declared themselves to be “BN-friendly”.

Last week, the legislative assembly held a special meeting under a raintree, when the Pakatan elected representatives found themselves locked out of the state secretariat building which houses the House.

Santiago claimed that the people of Perak have shown support for opposition leaders ever since the beginning of the political mayhem.

“Their wrath has been specifically directed at the Perak sultan for failing to dissolve the state assembly and paving the way for fresh elections,” he said.

“The sultan’s decision to allow BN to form a new governement shows total disrespect for the will of the people who had clearly elected a Pakatan government (in March last year).”

He said the state government needs to reorganise itself urgently to respond to economic problems arising from the global recession.

“Ruling politicians are preoccupied with power while Malaysians are frustrated by the growing possibility that the country will be hit by recession by the end of the year,” he said, adding that the government should work with everyone to protect the livelihood and quality of life of all Malaysians.