Four million Malaysians addicted to smoking

About four million Malaysians, or 21.5% of the adult population, are addicted to smoking, with almost one out of two males being smokers, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey.

The statistics also showed 30% of cancer deaths and 90% of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in Malaysia were linked to smoking.

Quoting these figures, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Sdn Bhd (GSK) vice-president and general manager (South Asia) Akhil Chandra said yesterday that smoking had become a major cause of a number of health problems.

“On top of being an expensive habit, it is hazardous to both smokers and second-hand smokers,” he told reporters after launching GSK’s latest product, Niquitin. Akhil said Niquitin, which comes in both patch and lozenges form, could help smokers quit the habit. Present at the launch were Datin Dr Aziah Ahmad Mahayiddin and Assoc Prof Dr M. Haniki Nik Mohamed from the Initiative of Malaysian Health Professionals’ Alliance on Cessation of Tobacco (Impact).

Dr Aziah, who is Impact president, said the product could contribute to the Government’s effort in reducing the number of smokers.

Dr Haniki said studies had shown that smokers on the patch or lozenges faced minimal withdrawal symptoms.


Smoking Causes...why do people smoke?

In terms of disease smoking causes cancer, lung cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, hair loss and many other effects


The question on causes people to smoke is an interesting one yet hardly really asked. How do people get to smoke. What causes smoking?

You may see more of the consequences of smoking under dangers of smoking. These smoking dangers show how smoking causes causes cervical cancer, lung cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease.

This article particularly focuses on what drives people rather than the diseases caused by smoking.

It's just amazing how the media of today is convincingly part of the smoking causes. There is such an unbelievably tremendous trust in media opinions. Take this for a fact, big tobacco has more accurate data about who their target market is and its behavior. Product development work show that 60% of the market start to smoke before the age 13 and 90% before the age 20.

There are many ways that the tobacco industry would then use this data to reach a key lucrative market; teenage tobacco users. Unfortunately this market is often the most vulnerable members of our societies. Skillful cut throat marketers strategically enter into partnerships with movie producers. Just like Apple appears in a movie, cigarettes also appear in movies. This smoking list of actors just shows how tobacco has found backing in the movie industry.

Brutal tobacco marketers further use this data to develop irresistibly attractive smoking ads giving the impression there is nothing as pleasurable as smoking in the world. They also paint on billboards and TV ads a picture of masculinity and femininity, rebellion, freedom and adventure through cigarettes.

Your guess is as good as mine what effect this will have on a young person who had never dared think of smoking before.Debate is gathering momentum around the effects of repeatedly watching people smoking in movies especially for the younger people. It seems smoking causes also emanate from movies. There is some strong evidence between smoking movie stars and teens starting to smoke.

There is a full page on this site with an actor smoking list. There you will find that most of the people that our teens see as heroes in movies actually smoke. Well, at least in the movies they appear in.

On the other hand for those who are trying to quit, seeing smoking people in movies has been shown to increase the urge to smoke again. This is a credible slip or relapse trigger in people who are seriously trying to stop smoking.

Dengue toll escalates

Dengue cases in the state are on the rise with no sign of abating, particularly in Sibu.

For the first six months of this year, 2,322 cases with 11 fatalities were recorded compared to seven deaths from 4,564 cases for the whole of last year.

Minister of Environment and Public Health Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said Sibu recorded the most deaths with five fatalities, followed by two in Kuching and one each in Betong, Miri, Serian and Samarahan.

The high number of fatalities, particularly in Sibu, prompted the government to act fast. A meeting has been called for government departments and agencies scheduled for next Monday in Sibu.

Wong said at a press conference yesterday that most of the cases in Sibu were in ‘Zone 7’, a low-lying and water-logged area with many old houses.

According to him, there were about 2,012 old houses in the area; some abandoned, some rented out. He felt that among the factors that contributed to the high number of cases in the area was the negative attitude of the residents, who dumped their rubbish indiscriminately.

“To really contain the spread of dengue, we call on the public to give their co-operation,” Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister said.

He pointed out that everyone should play their role to help prevent the disease from spreading, reminding that everybody was susceptible to dengue.

The minister was earlier briefed by the Health Department on dengue cases in the state and among those present was Assistant Minister of Environment and Public Health Dr Stephen Rundi.

Meanwhile, in a press statement, the Sibu Divisional Health Office (DHO) said 57 of the 483 cases reported in the district in the first 26 weeks of this year were dengue hemorrhagic fever.

This represents a 589 per cent increase compared to the 82 cases reported in the same period last year. The DHO described the sharp increase as a grave concern.

Six deaths from the disease were reported in the period last October and July 3 this year.

Five of the deaths — three women and two men — occurred last month.

All six victims were Iban, with the latest being a 34-year-old woman from Foochow Road who died on June 30.

The first victim was a six-year-old girl from Hardin Road, who died on Oct 10.

The other four who died last month were a 41-year-old woman from Hua Khiew Road (June 2), a 30-year-old woman from Tiong Hua Road (June 8), a 51-year-old man from Nudong Road (June 26) and a man aged 34 from Sungai Salim (June 27).

A DHO officer, who requested anonymity, confirmed that all seven were from the ‘Dengue Triangle’ area, which is also known as Zone 7.

He said the area of about two square km encompassed Brooke Drive, Pedada Road and Ulu Oya Road.

“To be specific, the area covers Brooke Drive (right side) and lanes, Oya Road (right side) and lanes, Hua Kiew Road and lanes, Lai Chee Road, Emplam Road, Mui Huong Road, Tiong Hua Road and lanes, Rambutan Road, Belian Road, Foochow Road and Hardin Road.

“Others are Huo Ping Road, Pedada Road, Mahsuri Road and lanes, Chiew Siik Hiong Road and lanes, Geronggang Road, Nangyang Garden Road and lanes, Merlin Road and lanes, Punai Road, Pigeon Road, Layang-Layang Road and Lajong Road,” he said yesterday.

The officer advised residents in this area, in particular, to take precautionary measures to destroy Aedes mosquito breeding grounds to prevent dengue.

On fogging, the officer said operations were carried out twice daily — before sunset and early morning with a focus on the ‘Dengue Triangle’ area.

Borneopost 9/7/10

Shipping blamed for sugar supply disruption in few Sarawak towns

Irregularities in shipping schedule are the primary cause of disruption to sugar supply in the market in Sarawak. Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) state director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman explained yesterday that the shipments came from Peninsular Malaysia and irregular intervals had momentarily cut off the supply of sugar to the market.

This had caused some locations to be temporarily drained of the supply.

There is actually no problem of sugar shortage in Sarawak. The delay in shipment has caused disruption to the supply of sugar to the market which is the main problem faced by the state.

The problem was more pertinent in Lawas as sugar could not be transported there by land due to the cost factor. The problem cropped up during low tide and help from counterpart in Sabah sought to ship from Sipitang to overcome the problem.

Towards this end, the stock of sugar was not less than 1,500 metric tonnes floating in the market per day.

Supply would increase by 15 per cent from their daily quota during festive season to cope with the surging demand for sugar.

Sugar was given blue and green tags respectively at the border. Blue tag indicated that sugar was meant for local consumption whereas green was for export.

To date, the authority had seized goods worth RM1.25 million for the first six months of the year for contravening nine acts.

The highest amount of goods seized were those contravening the Control of Supplies Act 1961, he added.

bp070710

Alert goes out for dengue as rainy season nears

A warning has been sounded for the public to watch out for dengue and other water-borne diseases with the coming rainy season, which is expected to worsen due to the impending La Nina weather phenomenon.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has expressed concern that despite the lower number of dengue cases this year, the number of fatalities has risen.

Other developments:

> In Sibu alone, there has been a dramatic 589% increase in the number of cases
this year;

>The World Meteorological Organisation announced that La Nina, which brings strong rainfall in
Malaysia, is developing and likely to strengthen in the coming months;

> The ministry has initiated various measures to curb the disease, including a “Let’s Destroy
Aedes” campaign, putting doctors and hospitals on alert, expanding fogging operations and
keeping open its operations room on weekends.

Kemasukan ke universiti sesi 2010/2011

Di jangka sebanyak 105,577 pelajar baru akan mendaftar bagi sesi pengajian Julai 2010di institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) seluruh negara pada 3 dan 4 Julai ini.

Mereka adalah di antara yang akan melanjutkan pengajian di peringkat tinggi dalam negara dib bawah Kementerian Pengajian Tinngi iaitu IPTA dan Politeknik. Mereka tergolong dari pada yang ditawarkan progranm peringkat ijazahh sebanyak 40,366, program diploma 36,900 dan politeknik 28,311 orang. Ini tidak termasuk Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Swasta (IPTS).

Saingan untuk memasuki universiti bertambah sengit terutama sekali kursus kritikal memandangkan peningkatan keputusan cemerlang pelajar setiap tahun peringkat SPM, STPM dan Matrikulasi. Kursus kritikal yang dimaksudkan adalah seperti bidang perubatan, farmasi, pergigian, undang-undang, perakaunan dan kejuruteraan.

Statistik menunjukkan sebanyak 10,394 pelajar Cina yang memohon adalah layak dan daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak 9,569 (92.1 peratus) diberi tempat. Manakala pelajar India pula, jumlah yang memohon dan layak adalah 2,499 orang dan daripada jumlah itu sebanyak 2,304 atau 92.2 peratus ditawarkan tempat.

Ekonomi : Pertumbuhan diyakini 7.5 peratus tahun ini

30 Jun 2010 - Industri perbankan Malaysia yakin dengan pertumbuhan negara dan menjangkakan keluaran dalam negara kasar (KDNK) akan berkembang 7.5 peratus tahun ini.

Pengerusi Persatuan Bank-bank Malaysia, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar hari ini berkata, keyakinan ini berdasarkan kepada pemulihan dalam beberapa sektor tertentu seperti pembuatan serta penambahbaikan dalam perkhidmatan.

"Momentum pertumbuhan dalam suku pertama cukup untuk membawa pertumbuhan ini untuk baki tahun ini dan sektor perbankan akan terus membantu, bermakna aktiviti-aktiviti ekonomi akan berterusan," kata beliau selepas pelancaran The Report Malaysia 2010" Oxford Business Group di sini.

Wahid, yang juga merupakan Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) bagaimanapun berkata, tahun depan akan lebih mencabar memandangkan pengurangan dijangkakan berlaku dalam perbelanjaan kerajaan dalam usaha menurunkan defisit belanjawan.

"Dengan demikian, terdapatnya keperluan untuk sektor swasta untuk turut serta dan kami menjangkakan yang pertumbuhan untuk 2011 adalah rendah pada sekitar enam peratus," kata beliau.

Tetapi, beliau menambah, negara masih lagi boleh mencapai sasaran pertumbuhan enam peratus setahun dalam jangka panjang untuk mencapai status ekonomi pendapatan tinggi menjelang 2020.

Mengenai peranan bank, Wahid berkata, mereka akan memainkan peranan mereka daripada segi pembiayaan dan pertumbuhan permulaan ke arah mencapai matlamat Rancangan Malaysia Kesepuluh dan Model Baru Ekonomi.

"Bank-bank di Malaysia telahpun menyumbang ke arah menjana ekonomi dan ia telah diterjemahkan kepada lantunan semula yang kukuh yang kita alami dalam suku pertama dan pertumbuhan yang dijangkakan untuk tahun sepenuhnya tahun ini," kata beliau.

Pada pelancaran itu, Editor Serantau Oxford Business Group, Paulius Kuncinas berkata, Malaysia perlu memberi fokus kepada kekuatan terasnya seperti dalam kewangan Islam, sektor makanan halal, minyak sawit hiliran dan bahan bakar alternatif seperti biofuel.

"Banyak negara bersaing dalam bidang yang sama. Adalah penting untuk membezakannnya dan tidak bersaing dalam sektor kepakaran rendah," kata beliau.

Selain daripada itu, Kuncinas berkata, pemangkin untuk Malaysia bergerak ke hadapan adalah penyelidikan dan inovasi dan mewujudkan rantaian antara universiti, syarikat persendirian dan institusi pembiayaan.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata, penyelidikan dan inovasi perlu ditangani pada peringkat pendidikan rendah, menengah dan tinggi kerana Malaysia perlu memberi lebih fokus kepada melahirkan kepakaran teknikal.

- Bernama

First-time female smokers getting younger, says expert

Malaysia is seeing an increase of female smokers with those lighting up for the first time getting younger.

“Schoolgirls who pick up a cigarette for the very first time are often driven by peer pressure, and it is vital that we reach out to them to offer our support and expertise to help them kick the habit,” said Respiratory Medical Institute Head Datin Dr Aziah Ahmad Mahayiddin at the World No Tobacco Day 2010 celebration held at the institute here recently.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), women make up about 20% of the world’s estimated 1 billion smokers.

That is about 200 million women and counting, as the epidemic of tobacco use among women is increasing in some countries.

In Malaysia, the 2006 National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) showed that adolescent girls between ages 13 and 18 tend to start smoking at the average age of 14.1 years, only a slight difference to boys who start lighting up at 13.6 years

WHO statistic reveals a more somber picture. Across the world, some 600,000 deaths a year are caused by exposure to second-hand smoke with 64% of the deaths being women.

Dr Aziah said women are the biggest target group of the tobacco industry today because they are viewed as “unexplored potentials”.

“Women today are more socially advanced, educated and successful in their careers. They have better purchasing powers and have more freedom in making decisions compared to yesterday. So if the marketing techniques hit the right spot, they feel they can take up smoking anytime they please,” she said.

Tobacco companies understand this and bombard women with seductive advertising to make them believe that smoking cigarettes are a symbol of their freedom, emancipation, glamour and sex appeal.

Ironically, those marketing techniques are tailored to milk on female insecurities such as the need to stay slim, look stylish and to be on “equal footing” with their male counterparts.

“There is no beauty or sophistication in smoking. What is evident is only the ugliness and the diseases it brings,” said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, who opened the World No Tobacco Day celebration.

She said women are often fed with cigarette advertisements featuring slender models, as if to insinuate that smoking is a way of “dieting”.

“However, these ads fail to inform to horrible health problems that comes with smoking,” she said.

She said that while there are far more men than women who smoke, women bear the heavier responsibility of maintaining optimum health if they plan to become mothers and care for their children.

The emphasis on women who smoke came after a global concern that women smokers are increasing and the hazards that it brings are far worse than those affecting men.

In echoing Rosnah’s sentiments, Dr Aziah said: “Exposure to cigarettes affects women more adversely than men. Besides cancer and heart and respiratory diseases, women will also suffer fertility problems and face risks during pregnancy and delivery.”

She said risks of miscarriages, premature births and delivering stillborns are much higher among women who smoke during pregnancy. Smoking also increases the risks of women to be afflicted with cervical and breast cancer before reaching menopause.

Women are also at higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, which kills more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS and more than lung and breast cancer combined, each year.

Meanwhile, Dr Aziah said that the NHMS in 2006 reported that out of the 2.7 million passive smokers in Malaysia aged 18 and above, female smokers make up some 24%.

The survey, conducted every 10 years, also revealed that of the 5 million of current smokers in Malaysia, 0.7% are girls aged 13 to 18 or 35,000.

Dr Aziah said that another threat to women is the exposure to cigarette smoke by other smokers, especially from men. The survey showed that there are over 2.7 million passive smokers in Malaysia, with women making up the large bulk of it at 23.8%.

-Bernama

Scholarship allocations based on four categories: Nazri

The 1,500 scholarships given to Malaysians to pursue degree courses overseas this year were allocated under four categories.

For the first category, 300 scholarships were given based on merit, with bumiputras getting 20% and non-bumiputras receiving 80%, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz.

Fifty-nine bumiputras, 209 Chinese, 30 Indians and two others receive scholarships in this category, he said in his reply on behalf of the department, on points raised in Parliament Wednesday over the the 10th Malaysia Plan.

Under the 900 scholarships awarded based on racial composition, Nazri said 557 were given to bumiputras, with 480 Malays, 74 East Malaysians and three others benefitting.

In the non-Muslim category where 343 scholarships were given out, 247 went to Chinese, 88 to Indians and eight to others, he added.

For the third category, which was for East Malaysia, Nazri said 75 went to Sarawak and 75 went to Sabah.

For the fourth category, where scholarships were given based on grounds of social disadvantage, Nazri said 77 went to bumiputras (73 Malays and four from Sabah and Sarawak), 35 to Chinese, 18 to Indians and two others.

The Star 30/06/10

37 peratus pekerja mahir menjelang 2015

Ini sebahagian daripada sasaran ditetapkan untuk mencapai status Malaysia sebagai negara maju.

Kerajaan Malaysia berhasrat meningkatkan komposisi pekerja berkemahiran tinggi kepada 37 peratus menjelang 2015.

Pada masa ini hanya terdapat 23 peratus sahaja tenaga kerja di negara ini yang terdiri daripada tenaga kerja berkemahiran tinggi. Jumlah tersebut bagaimanapun jauh lebih rendah berbanding dengan negara-negara maju yang lain.

Salah satu daripada usaha kerajaan ialah memberikan pendidikan tenikal serta latihan vokasional kepada golongan muda yang kurang berminat dalam bidang akademik, di GIATMARA.

Koridor Tenaga Diperbaharui Sarawak (SCORE), adalah model perancangan jangka panjang di mana ia dijangka menarik pelaburan berjumlah RM300 bilion dan mewujudkan 1.5 juta peluang pekerjaan menjelang 2030.

RM5.2 bln for Sarawak

Allocation to build more roads and expand electricity, water supplies — DPM

Sarawak will be given a total of RM5.2 billion for roads, electricity and water under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

Of that RM2 billion will be to upgrade rural roads and build 906km of new roads by 2012.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who stated this on Saturday night, said the total length of roads in the state would increase from 20,333km to 21,239km in the next two years.

He added that RM1.7 billion had also been allocated to increase electricity supply from 66 per cent to 95 per cent by 2012, so that 77,788 households throughout the state would enjoy power supply.

Another RM1.5 billion would be spent to provide clean water to 95 per cent of rural households, also by 2012.

At present, only 59 per cent of rural households have access to clean water.

“In the context of Sarawak, the most relevant National Key Result Area (NKRA) is to improve the rural basic infrastructure, particularly the road network, treated water supply and electricity,” he said when opening the Gawai Carnival Redeems 2010 at Apar near here.

He said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as prime minister would pay more attention to the needs of the people in Sarawak.

“There is still a lot more that needs to be done in Sarawak in our efforts to fulfil our responsibility as the government that look after the people.

“And I believe, with the mandate given by the people to BN, we will be able to fulfil our responsibility to ensure Sarawakians can live in prosperity. We do not want Sarawakians to be left behind from the development process and economic progress in this country,” he said.

Muhyddin was accompanied by his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman.

Also present were Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, federal and state ministers and Redeems president Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie.

Iban language as a subject at UPSI

Iban language will be one of the subjects offered in the Language Faculty of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) at Tanjung Malim, Perak, beginning August this year

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu revealed this at the Joint Gawai-Kaamatan Celebration 2010, held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Saturday.

He would be going to UPSI in August to launch the subject, an optional subject for TESL teachers who would eventually serve in Sarawak. There is a growing interest in the language outside the Dayak community and over in Peninsular Malaysia, he revealed.

“The Dayak community is thankful as this is positive for of the development of the Iban language,” Jabu told reporters.

He said it was timely for it to be recognised by the federal government and education ministry.

“I think the use of Iban in the higher institution of learning will open up a

lot of literary interest,

whether oral or written tradition,” Jabu commented.

In his speech earlier, Jabu said the Gawai-Kaamatan celebration was significant to Sabah and Sarawak as it showed the unity between them regardless of ethnic background.

Also present at the celebration were Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok; Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili; Kadazandusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Alli

Masri Matajam; Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leo

Moggie; Information, Communication, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum; Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister

Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun and Deputy State Secretary Datu Ose Murang.

Pendidikan 2010 : Boleh tangguh yuran IPT

PUTRAJAYA 23 Jun – Pelajar baru universiti dan politeknik yang kurang berkemampuan boleh menangguhkan pembayaran yuran pengajian bagi sesi kemasukan yang bermula pada 3 dan 4 Julai ini.

Yuran pendaftaran kemasukan bagi universiti ialah antara RM1,600 hingga RM2,000 (ijazah) manakala politeknik pula RM400.

Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin berkata, penangguhan pembayaran yuran itu boleh dilakukan menerusi perbincangan dengan pihak universiti.

“Keperluan menjelaskan yuran pendaftaran kemasukan ke universiti seperti yuran sekali termasuk wang hemat diri, yuran minggu haluan siswa dan kad matrik tidak harus menjadi halangan kepada pelajar meneruskan pengajian.

“Dalam hal ini, mereka terutamanya pelajar yang kurang berkemampuan tidak perlu khuatir mengenai perkara tersebut.

“Jika mereka mempunyai kesulitan untuk membayar yuran berkenaan, perbincangan boleh dibuat dengan pihak universiti,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di pejabatnya, di sini, hari ini.

Mohamed Khaled berkata, dijangkakan seramai 200,000 pelajar baru bakal mendaftar di institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) dan politeknik di seluruh negara mulai awal bulan depan.

Daripada angka tersebut, katanya, sebanyak 403,660 pelajar bakal melanjutkan pengajian ke peringkat ijazah, 36,900 pelajar di peringkat diploma manakala 28,311 pelajar bakal memasuki politeknik.

Beliau berkata, keputusan mengenai penangguhan bayaran itu boleh dibuat ketika pelajar berkenaan hadir untuk pendaftaran kemasukan.

Utusan 24/06/10

Time we grew to love our country

ALTHOUGH our National Day is still some time away, I find there is a need to impress upon the readers how important it is for us to love our nation.

We sing the national anthem every day in school. We join in the march past to pay respect to those who went to the battlefields to defend our nation in times of troubles. We cry out ‘Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka’ every year echoing thousands of others in the heat of the Merdeka celebrations.

But how deep does our patriotism go? I am not talking about running to the battlefront at the drop of a hat when summoned.

And I am not just talking about paying tribute to the past heroes (political figures and soldiers alike) who so gallantly fought for the freedom of our nation. I am talking about how proud are we of our nation.

I am talking about holding our head up high when we talk about our country. How much do we really love our country? Perhaps we should ask ourselves: “Do we love our country at all?”

I am not advocating that we Malaysians should only speak Bahasa Malaysia. It is a subtle example of how patriotism can manifest in many forms. We are quick to pay lip service, saying that we love our country. But teenagers these days sing the national anthem because they have to and not because they want to.

They look forward to leaving the country to further their studies, not knowing that there is no place like home, in every sense of the word. Some say they dislike their own country for the many reasons only best known to them. Yet, they’ve grown up in this country, enjoyed subsidised healthcare and more importantly peace and serenity in the neighbourhood.

Imagine growing up in a war battered country. We often see on TV and read in the newspapers how these people protest against the invasion of their motherland at the expense of their lives.

They still stick it out despite being constantly bombarded with shrapnel and explosives, and despite their homes being riddled by bullets. Now, why do we find it so hard to love our own country when we don’t have to bleed or die to do so?

Australia gets 1st female PM, Rudd ousted

New Australian PM Julia Gillard, left, leaves a Labor Party meeting with new Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan in Canberra, Australia, Thursday, June 24. Australia got its first female prime minister after the ruling party dumped Prime Minsiter Kevin Rudd and installed his deputy, Gillard, as leader.


Australia got its first female prime minister on Thursday after the ruling party dumped Kevin Rudd and installed his deputy as leader.

Julia Gillard will lead the government to elections due within months.

She stood unopposed at a vote of the Labor Party's 112 lawmakers at a meeting Thursday, hours after a revolt against Rudd.

"I feel very honored," she told reporters afterward.

Rudd didn't even stand for reappointment in the vote - a signal that he knew his support had collapsed.

Rudd had ridden high in opinion polls as one of the most popular Australian prime ministers of modern times until he made major policy backflips, including a decision in April to shelve plans to make Australia's worst polluters pay for their carbon gas emissions.

The leadership change is unlikely to alter Australia's key policy positions, such as its troop commitment to Afghanistan.

Since she is leader of the majority party in Parliament, Gillard's swearing in as prime minister is a formality.

Rudd, who won a landslide election victory less than three years ago, appeared composed after the meeting, but declined to speak to the media.

The government's key financial minister, Treasurer Wayne Swan, was elected deputy prime minister unopposed.

Gillard was born in Barry, Wales, in 1961, the second daughter of a family who migrated to Adelaide, Australia, when she was a four-year-old child in search of a warmer climate for her lung complaint.

A former successful lawyer, she has been attacked by some opponents as unsuitable to lead because she is childless and therefore out of touch with most Australians.

Gillard supporter Sen. Kate Lundy said Gillard will turn around the government's poor polling which triggered the leadership challenge.

"I think she'll inspire a new confidence in Labor," Lundy told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

"I think we were at risk (of losing the next election) and I think Julia presents a much stronger opportunity for us," she added.

Despite Australia's weathering the global downturn, recent polling puts the center-left government neck-and-neck with the conservative opposition.

One poll earlier this month showed Labor trailing the opposition for the first time in more than four years.

Rudd called a late night news conference to announce Thursday's vote of Labor lawmakers after Gillard said she would challenge him for the leadership.

She had been approached by key factional power brokers in the party who told her that they had abandoned Rudd to support her, Australian Associated Press and Nine Network television reported, without citing sources.

Rudd was due to fly to a summit of Group of 20 major economies in Canada hours after the ballot.

It is unclear who will now represent Australia.

Rudd is a Labor hero, having led the party to victory at 2007 elections after 11 years in opposition. - AP

Earlier report

Australia gets its 1st female PM

CANBERRA, Australia: Australia has its first female prime minister after the ruling party dumped Kevin Rudd and installed his deputy as leader.

New leader Julia Gillard will lead the government to elections due within months. Gillard stood unopposed at a vote of the Labor Party's 112 lawmakers at a meeting Thursday, hours after a revolt against Rudd.

Rudd didn't even stand for reappointment in Thursday's vote - a signal that he knew his support had collapsed.

Since she is leader of the majority party in Parliament, Gillard's swearing in as prime minister is a formality.

Gillard is unlikely to alter Australia's key foreign policy positions such as its troop commitment to Afghanistan.

Rudd won a landslide election victory less than three years ago but suffered a recent plunge in opinion polls. - AP

The Star 24/06/2010

Matlamat pembelajaran bukan lulus cemerlang

Lebih penting lahir murid inovatif asas jadi generasi holistik

ISU mengenai kedudukan Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) dan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) timbul semula apabila Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Pelajaran, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin semalam membayangkan kemungkinan dua peperiksaan itu dimansuhkan. Beliau melihat ada kewajaran pemansuhan itu kerana aspek pembelajaran ketika ini lebih berorientasikan kepada peperiksaan sehingga tujuan utama untuk memberikan pendidikan holistik tidak dapat dilakukan sepenuhnya

Cadangan terhadap pemansuhan UPSR dan PMR ini bukan perkara baru, sebaliknya sentiasa timbul apabila ada perbincangan mengenai keberkesanan sistem pendidikan kebangsaan dalam melahirkan generasi cemerlang. Satu daripada cadangan ialah menggantikan UPSR dan PMR dengan Sistem Penilaian Pendidikan Kebangsaan (NEAS).

Pada Mei 2007, Menteri Pelajaran ketika itu, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein bagaimanapun dilaporkan berkata, masih terlalu awal untuk membuat ketetapan terhadap cadangan memansuhkan dua peperiksaan itu. Kementerian Pelajaran, katanya, masih lagi dalam proses menilai pilihan terbaik jika mahu berbuat demikian.

“Salah satu cara ialah membandingkan sistem pendidikan kita dengan negara jiran sebelum memansuhkan peperiksaan ini,” katanya sambil menambah, perbincangan peringkat demi peringkat dilakukan sebelum kerajaan memutuskan untuk memansuhkan peperiksaan berkenaan.

Pada Julai tahun lalu, Naib Ketua Pemuda Umno, Datuk Razali Ibrahim menyarankan UPSR dimansuhkan kerana ia hanya menjurus kepada konsep pencapaian pendidikan menerusi peperiksaan yang memerlukan pelajar lulus subjek tertentu untuk layak ke sekolah berasrama penuh.

Cadangannya itu turut mendapat sokongan Pro Canselor Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Rahman Arshad, yang percaya langkah itu dapat mengelak murid kurang kebolehan terus tertinggal jika peperiksaan setara pada peringkat pusat diteruskan.
Muhyiddin semalam pula berkata, jika peperiksaan UPSR dan PMR diteruskan, ia hanya sebagai penilaian pencapaian pelajar pada peringkat sekolah, bukannya sebagai peperiksaan awam. Secara peribadi beliau berpendapat perlu ada satu peperiksaan awam saja bagi menilai pencapaian pelajar, iaitu pada peringkat akhir persekolahan atau sebelum memasuki institusi pengajian tinggi.

Muhyiddin memberi jaminan Kementerian Pelajaran tidak akan gopoh dalam membuat keputusan dan sentiasa mengalu-alukan pandangan semua pihak mengenai perkara itu.

Isu mengenai pendidikan sentiasa dekat di hati rakyat bukan semata-mata ia secara langsung membabitkan mereka, tetapi kerana sistem pendidikan yang bakal menentukan masa depan negara. Sama ada bersetuju atau tidak UPSR dan PMR dimansuhkan, perkara yang kita harus akui masyarakat hari ini berusaha sedaya upaya untuk memastikan anak lulus cemerlang dalam kedua-dua peperiksaan itu.

Jika dulu calon peperiksaan hanya menghadiri kelas tambahan yang disediakan sekolah beberapa minggu menjelang peperiksaan, kini sudah menjadi kemestian anak dihantar ke pusat tuisyen sejak Tahun Satu lagi bagi memastikan mereka mendapat semua A dalam UPSR dan kemudian PMR. Malah, ada sekolah dan negeri tertentu menumpukan perhatian khusus bagi mengekalkan rekod kecemerlangan dari segi pencapaian akademik murid sehingga mengabaikan aspek sosial dan kesukanan.

Kita tidak tahu sama ada ribuan murid yang lulus cemerlang dalam kedua-dua peperiksaan itu terus cemerlang dalam kerjaya mereka atau sebaliknya. Apa yang kita pasti, sejak beberapa tahun lalu, amat sukar bagi industri tertentu mendapatkan pekerja baru, walaupun lulus cemerlang sukar memiliki kelayakan sesuai.

Industri media dan komunikasi misalnya, bukan saja menghadapi masalah dalam mendapatkan graduan Melayu fasih berbahasa Inggeris, malah berkomunikasi dengan baik. Anehnya, kebanyakan mereka dipanggil untuk ditemuduga berdasarkan kelulusan cemerlang atau melebihi paras biasa pada diploma atau ijazah masing-masing. Bagi menghadapi fenomena ini, industri terpaksa memperkenalkan kursus khas bagi melengkapkan graduan ini dengan aspek keyakinan diri, komunikasi dan kemahiran berbahasa.

Bagaimanapun, ia bukan bermakna ujian tidak diperlukan lagi. Peperiksaan perlu untuk menilai pencapaian seseorang pelajar, tetapi matlamat pembelajaran tidak seharusnya bertumpu kepada lulus cemerlang semata-mata.

Yang lebih penting ialah bagaimana mahu melahirkan murid yang lebih kreatif dan inovatif, sebagai asas mewujudkan generasi bersifat holistik. Kita bukan saja mahu generasi cemerlang dalam akademik, tetapi juga yang mempunyai jati diri, sahsiah dan akhlak mulia sekali gus mampu menghadapi pelbagai cabaran masa depan.

Justeru, yang perlu dipersoalkan bukannya UPSR dan PMR dimansuh atau tidak, tetapi sama ada dasar dan strategi pendidikan kebangsaan sekarang benar-benar boleh melahirkan satu bangsa Malaysia seperti diimpikan menerusi Wawasan 2020. Tidak kurang pentingnya ialah sistem pendidikan kita tidak harus menjadi modal politik kelompok dan golongan tertentu.

Rencana BH 21/6/2010

UPSR, PMR mungkin dimansuh

Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) dan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) mungkin dimansuhkan kerana sistem pembelajaran kini dilihat terlalu berorientasikan peperiksaan berbanding memberi pendidikan holistik kepada pelajar.

Bagaimanapun, peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) akan dikekalkan sebagai satu-satunya peperiksaan awam di sekolah.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, kerajaan kini sedang mengkaji dengan teliti cadangan pemansuhan kedua-dua peperiksaan itu sebelum membuat keputusan muktamad.

“Di Malaysia, kita terlalu berorientasikan peperiksaan. Umumnya sepanjang 11 tahun murid masuk ke sekolah ada tiga peperiksaan awam. Ada pihak berpendapat ini menyebabkan cara pembelajaran lebih menjurus usaha mencapai keputusan yang baik dalam peperiksaan awam.

“Maka sebab itu di Malaysia selain di sekolah, ibu bapa hantar anak ke tuisyen sebab hendak keputusan cemerlang dalam UPSR, PMR dan SPM.

“Pihak kami sedang fikirkan sama ada akan kekalkan atau perlu hanya satu sahaja peperiksaan awam, seperti di peringkat SPM sahaja,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Perwakilan UMNO Bahagian Pagoh di Kompleks Seri Pekembar dekat sini hari ini.

Muhyiddin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran berkata, pelaksanaan UPSR dan PMR adalah baik namun disebabkan terlalu menjurus kepada peperiksaan, tujuan utama menuntut ilmu secara kreatif, interaktif dan menimba pengetahuan secara holistik tidak tercapai sepenuhnya.

Beliau berkata, disebabkan terlalu berorientasikan peperiksaan, fokus utama guru dan pelajar tertumpu kepada keputusan cemerlang pada peperiksaan awam dan mereka turut dibebani dengan peperiksaan penilaian di peringkat sekolah.

“Dalam soal kerjaya dan kerja, orang tidak pakai lagi PMR dan UPSR. Orang (majikan) tidak tanya pun berapa ‘A’ yang dapat dalam PMR dan UPSR, sebaliknya hanya keputusan SPM dan di peringkat universiti saja orang ambil kira,” katanya.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, kebanyakan negara lain hanya mempraktikkan satu peperiksaan awam sepanjang persekolahan dan contoh itu boleh diambil Malaysia dengan memberi lebih penekanan kepada penilaian di peringkat sekolah.

“Saya sendiri berpendapat adalah lebih wajar kalau perlu adanya penilaian, kita buat di peringkat yang terakhir, selepas belajar 11 tahun (di sekolah rendah dan menengah) sebelum masuk universiti.

“Saya mengajak golongan pakar pendidikan dan masyarakat untuk memberi respons kerana kita belum ada keputusan tetapi banyak pihak mencadangkan untuk mengubah sistem kepada hanya satu sahaja peperiksaan awam,” katanya.

Namun menurut Muhyiddin, sekiranya peperiksaan UPSR dan PMR diteruskan, ia hanya sebagai penilaian pencapaian pelajar di peringkat sekolah dan bukannya sebagai peperiksaan awam.

Tegas beliau, banyak perkara harus diteliti terlebih dahulu dan penstrukturan semula perlu dilakukan bagi membolehkan keputusan penilaian di peringkat sekolah dapat diguna pakai oleh pelajar untuk memasuki sekolah berasrama penuh.

“Ini ada hubung kait dengan rombakan sistem pendidikan negara untuk mengubah bentuk kurikulum supaya lebih banyak masa terluang untuk fokus kepada subjek-subjek utama serta aktiviti sukan.

“Di peringkat kementerian, kita sedang meneliti dan memerlukan input dari warga akademik, pendidik dan masyarakat. Debat sihat dalam media juga bagus untuk perkara ini,” katanya

Utusan 21/6/10

Varsity places for 40,506

Twenty local public universities will admit 40,506 students in the new intake beginning next month.
Higher Education Department director-general Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the intake was 0.38 per cent more compared with last year's.

A total of 61,228 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia and matriculation students as well as others with equivalent qualifications had applied for admission.

Speaking at a press conference here yesterday, he said that this year, more emphasis was given to those under the socially disadvantaged group such as the Orang Asli.

"We received up to 66 Orang Asli student applications but only 44 met the required standards," he said after announcing this year's successful applications for first degree programmes at his office yesterday.

He said admission was based on merit with academic scores accounting for 90 per cent of the points and co-curriculum activities making up the balance 10 per cent.

Of the successful applicants, 28,633 are Bumiputeras, 9,569 Chinese and 2,304 Indians and other races.

Of this number, 22,967 are from the science stream and the rest from the arts stream.

For competitive programmes, 962 students were offered medicine, 178 dentistry and 287 pharmacy courses.

A total of 978 students will study chemical engineering, 2,336 electrical and electronic engineering, 1,609 mechanical engineering, 301 law and 941 accountancy.

Radin Umar said 56 new programmes relating to engineering, education, management and entrepreneurship, applied sciences, arts and fine arts, economy, marketing and statistics had been introduced.

Offer letters will be issued from tomorrow.

Unsuccessful applicants can make an appeal within 10 days from today.

For more information, they can go into the websites http: //jpt.uum. edu.my, http://www.jpt.utm.my/ or http://upu.mohe.gov.my.

For enquiries, call the ministry's hotline at 03-88835858, its helpline at 03-88835848 or send SMS by typing UPU RESULT (MyKad number) to 15888.


NST 18/6/10

PERHENTIAN SIMPANG SRI AMAN-KUCHING-SIBU MENYAKIT MATA MEMANDANG

Gerai makan & kedai runcit
Jalan keluar masuk

Begini lah keadaan jalan masuk dan keluar di pusat perhentian di persimpangan Sri Aman -Kuching-Sibu sejak setahun lalu tanpa diselanggara oleh pihak berkuasa tempatan. Yang aneh nya ini sebegini sejak setahun lepas. Difahamkan pihak berkuasa tempatan membiarkan ia berkeadaan sebegini walaupun ia menimbul masalah kepada rakyat yang mengguna tempat ini. Pusat ini menempatkan gerai makan, tandas awam, kedai kesatuan petani dan surau. Ia sentiasa dipenuhi oleh pemandu yang menjadi nya sebagai pusat persinggahan sebelum meneruskan perjalanan ke Sibu, Miri mau pun ke Kuching.

Harus kah pihak berkuasa tempatan membiarkan keadaan ini berterusan sehingga timbul kemalangan ???

Fomca: Prices of essential goods up at 5% per year

Prices of essential goods are still rising at a rate of 5% annually, according to Fomca’s consumer research and resource centre.

“Generally, prices of goods fluctuate in the short term but increases annually at an average rate of 5%,” said the centre’s chief executive officer, Datuk Paul Selva Raj.

Until March, consumer prices continued its upward trend, led by increases in food prices and utility bills.

Last month, the Statistics Depart-ment said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased from 111.5 to 113.2. Consumer prices rose 1.5% in April from a year ago.

Food prices, accounting for 31% of Malaysia’s inflation index, rose 1.7% in March while the cost of housing, water, electricity, gas and otherfuels rose 1%.

Prof Tan Eu Chye of Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Economics and Administration said any removal of subsidies would not only cause a spike in the country’s inflation rate but also a sustained hike in the cost of living.

Fomca is backing the Government’s move to gradually cut subsidies but said the Government should draw up alternative measures to protect consumers.

Its secretary-general Muhd Sha’ani Abdullah said it was vital that the Government implement safety net measures by pumping funds into other social sectors.

“Prices of goods and fuel may go up. In return, why not increase aid for education, healthcare, public transport and housing?” he asked.

“By helping these sectors, the Government would be able to acco­mmodate and cushion the pressure felt by consumers.”

Sex service with China dolls on offer via MMS

In a move to evade constant raids by the authorities, sex syndicates here are offering China dolls to customers via the multimedia message service (MMS).

It was learnt that the message contains the image of a scantily clad China doll, her age, sex services menu, working hours and contact numbers of the pimps. The pictures are said to have been taken at a photo studio.

However, it was also learnt that only selected or frequent customers would receive such MMS from the syndicates.

Once a deal was struck between a potential customer and the pimp, sources said the women would be sent to a hotel to meet up with the customer, with each customer charged at least RM200 per session.

Sources said the syndicates resorted to using the MMS as they could no longer afford to lose their China dolls in raids carried out on budget hotels and entertainment outlets.

“They have spent thousands of ringgit to bring them here. This latest method will at least enable them to recover their investments,” said the sources.