[Malaysia] MMC De-Recognition and MIC Sec-Gen

Sothinathan suspended as deputy minister
Beh Lih Yi and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng, Malaysiakini
Jun 22, 2005

MIC secretary-general S Sothinathan has been suspended as a deputy minister for three months over his remarks at yesterday's parliamentary debate on the Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) issue.

The unprecedented decision was made at a cabinet meeting today. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the suspension was because Sothinathan had breached BN party discipline.

"We made a decision to suspend him with immediate effect for what he did in parliament," Abdullah told a press conference.

"He's a member of the front bench, he should not have taken a stand like he did, criticising is own government. It is certainly a breach of party discipline," he said.

Sothinathan, who is deputy minister for natural resources and environment, could not be reached for his reaction on the suspension.

Yesterday, Sothinathan irked Barisan Nasional backbenchers when he broke ranks and interrupted Deputy Health Minister Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad over a point raised in explaining the decision to withdraw recognition for Ukraine-based CSMU.

The withdrawal of recognition by state agency, the Malaysian Medical Council, has affected about 1,400 Malaysian students who are currently studying at the university.

The non-recognition resulted in the students, who are mostly Indian Malaysians, not being able to practice as doctors upon graduation, but will have to sit for an additional medical qualifying examination under the MMC.

Latiff told Parliament during a heated debate yesterday that the decision was made to maintain the quality of our doctors, and stressed that it had "nothing to do with race, ethnicity and religion".

He said the number of Malaysian students in CMSU had increased from 53 to 1,366 in May this year.

According to Latiff, unqualified CMSU students, including those who failed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, had obtained no-objection letters from the Higher Education Ministry to enable them to enrol in the university.

Samy: No comment

Sothinathan, who was agitated by Latiff's remarks that the majority of those who graduated from unrecognised universities were Indians, had pressed the deputy health minister on how the Higher Education Ministry could have issued no-objection letters to unqualified students.

He also asked why one community was being single out when the problem of unrecognised medical graduates involves all communities in Malaysia.

"If MMC is indeed professional, how come it recognised CSMU in 2001? Why did it make a decision in haste?" he asked.

The debate, which was sparked by an emergency motion moved by the opposition DAP, saw the blurring of party affiliations with DAP and MIC MPs exchanging barbs with Umno MPs over the issue.

Works Minister S Samy Vellu, contacted by reporters in Parliament today, refused to comment.

Samy, who is MIC chief, had earlier described the MMC decision as a move to prevent more Indians from becoming doctors.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) said that the parliamentary culture of allowing MPs to reflect the people’s views without having to toe a party line is still "very superficial if not alien in Malaysia".

"This 'Big Brother' rule for BN back-bench criticism of ministers was broken yesterday, and this explained the strong adverse reaction to the MIC position in Parliament and the 'high drama' over my emergency motion on the MMC derecognition of CSMU medical degrees," he added.

Seating moved

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz told reporters at Parliament lobby this afternoon that Sothinathan's seat in the House will be moved to the backbencher area from the frontbench during the three-month suspension.

However, he will continue to receive the perks of a MP, the minister said.

Nazri forwarded a video tape and parliamentary Hansard of the proceedings yesterday to the premier and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also BN whip, immediately after the sitting yesterday.

On why Sothinathan was not referred to the Parliament's Privileges Committee first, Nazri - who oversees parliamentary affairs - said it was because the former has not committed any offence as a MP.

"If you are a member of the administration, it's your duty to defend the stand, policy and decision of the government. You can't have your own cake and eat it. If you don't agree, you can resign and always speak as a backbencher," he added.

Nazri also said that no disciplinary action will be taken against K Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands) and M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) who have been vocal during the same debate yesterday.

Earlier today, Kulasegaran told a press conference that he was made to understand that he might be referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for disciplinary action.

Kulasegaran was accused of being a racist by Nazri during the parliamentary debate.

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MIC considers appealing to BN over suspension
Beh Lih Yi and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng, Malaysiakini
Jun 22, 2005

MIC has been deliberating today on submitting an appeal to the Barisan Nasional (BN) over its decision to suspend party secretary-general S Sothinathan as a deputy minister for three months over his remarks at yesterday's parliamentary debate on the Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) issue.

"It is a BN decision, every party including MIC agreed with it. However, we might appeal," MIC Youth chief S Vigneswaran, who is also the Youth and Sport Ministry parliamentary secretary, told malaysiakini at the Parliament lobby this afternoon.

Sothinathan, who is deputy minister for natural resources and environment, was suspended for breaching BN discipline after he questioned Deputy Health Minister Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad's reply on the government's decision to withdraw recognition for Ukraine-based CSMU. This was being debated in the House, after an emergency motion was tabled by the opposition.

The shocking news on Sothinathan's suspension, which spread through Parliament this afternoon also elicited mixed response from MPs. Most of the BN backbenchers when approached refused to comment on the issue, but opposition leaders called for the suspension to be revoked.

‘Take action’

However, Backbenchers Club (BBC) head Shahrir Abdul Samad said backbenchers who met this afternoon agreed that action should be taken against Sothinathan as his outburst went against the notion of collective responsibility in Parliament and the spirit of BN.

"The suspension should be carried out in order to regulate their parliamentary behaviour - a member of the administration should not go against or challenge the answer given by another member of the administration," he told reporters.

"Demands of the party can be discussed in other avenues, not in Parliament."

He also said MIC representatives present at the BBC meeting had only requested for due consideration when taking disciplinary action against their party’s secretary-general.

Shahrir stressed that those in the front bench should know their responsibility as representatives of ministries and the government in making statements in Parliament, because they are not representing the party.

'Revoke decision'

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) was the first to object to Sothinathan’s suspension during a debate on the Private Employment Agencies Bill 2005 in the House today.

"Do you all agree with this? The suspension should be withdrawn because it is an injustice. I hope all MIC MPs here can stand up to show your support (to this call)," he said aloud.

However, none of the MPs from the MIC responded but Mohd Said Yusof (BN-Jasin) told Lim not to interfere as the suspension was a BN matter.

"The suspended person did not even say anything," said Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading), who interrupted and told Lim not to interfere in BN affairs.

PAS Youth chief and Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub shared Lim’s sentiments in calling for the suspension to be revoked, saying that Sothinathan was speaking "for the sake of the nation".

"The motion was accepted for debate by the House as it is a people's issue, not a racist one as claimed by certain quarters. Therefore anyone in the House has the right to speak on the matter," he said when contacted.

Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng described the decision as unprecedented and said he has not seen such an exchange between two deputy ministers since he became the deputy speaker in 1999.

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PM: No study loans for students in Ukraine, Russia
Jun 22, 2005 Malaysiakini

The Public Service Department (PSD) has stopped providing study loans to students who are intending to or are studying in Russia and Ukraine, said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

According to Bernama, he said the move followed a review by the PSD on sending students to Russia following reports of security concerns for students in the two countries at the end of last year.

In a written reply to M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) at the Dewan Rakyat, the premier said the PSD had given scholarships to 282 students to pursue their education in Russia, of whom 214 are Bumiputeras and 68 non-Bumiputeras.

Kulasegaran had asked the premier on the PSD's new policy in awarding study loans to Malaysian students going for tertiary education in Russia and Ukraine, the total amount of scholarships disbursed to students in the two countries and the racial breakdown of scholarship recipients over the past five years.

Abdullah said the PSD started giving scholarships for students studying medicine in Russia only in 2002 and added that no scholarships have been approved for those studying in Ukraine.

Courses by foreign universities

Meanwhile, replying to Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya), Abdullah said to date the government had recognised 28,251 courses offered by foreign universities.

They are in Arts and Social Science (11,960), Science (9,706), Technical and Engineering (6,049), Medicine (288), Pharmacy (70), Dentistry (138) and Para-Medicine (40).

The premier said in principle, the government granted recognition to qualifications so that the graduates could serve in the civil service.

He said the qualifications would be evaluated first in terms of suitability and requirements in the civil service.

He said the government would grant recognition through the Permanent Committee on Evaluation and Recognition chaired by the Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Mohamed Salleh.

Recognition would be granted only to qualifications conducted full-time at the university campus, he said.

"For study programmes conducted in Malaysia in collaboration with local private universities, the qualifications will be considered for recognition only after receiving the recommendation for accreditation from the National Accreditation Board (LAN)," he added.

The premier said LAN was only responsible to recommend for accreditation for courses from foreign universities conducted in local private institutions of higher learning either through twinning programme, validation or distance learning.