PENDUDUK KAWASAN SELAT KLANG: KETAHUILAH

Pejabat ADUN Selat Klang yang beralamat di No 2, Lorong Telok Gadung 1, Tmn Emas 41250

Klang Selangor telah mula beroperasi pada 11hb April 2008. Pejabat ADUN ini terletak di

sebuah rumah teres dua tingkat di tepi Jalan Sungai Bertih berhampiran dengan Pasaraya

Econmart dan berdepan dengan kedai Perabot Bee Teck.
Pemandangan pejabat ADUN dari tepi Jalan Sungai Bertik.
Pemandangan dari jalan masuk iaitu Lorong Teluk Gadung 1. Di bawah adalah nama-nama beserta no telefon pegawai khas yang boleh dihubungi selepas waktu pejabat untuk urusan penting dan segera.
Pegawai Khas ADUN Selat Klang Tn Hj Kamaluddin bin Hj Rahmat.

Waktu Urusan: 0900 pagi hingga 0500 petang setiap hari bekerja.

No tel : 03-33723919 dan No fax 03-33723923.

ADUN Selat Klang telah menjadualkan hari Jumaat antara jam 0300 hingga 0500 petang untuk berjumpa dengan penduduk Selat Klang. Selain dari waktu tersebut, ADUN boleh dihubungi di:

Pejabat Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan

Tkt 12, Bangunan SUK, Shah Alam.

No tel: 03-55447215 atau 03-55447216

No fax: 03-55107308

E-mail: selatklang@yahoo.com
atau
E-mail: drhalimah@selangor.com.my
http://drhalimahali.blogspot.com
http://drhalimahali.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com

PERSIDANGAN PERTAMA PARLIMEN BANYAK MEMBUANG MASA

Kenapa dikatakan sidang Parlimen baru-baru ini lebih banyak membuang masa ialah kerana pertama, tiada ketegasan dan berat sebelah dari Speaker Dewan dalam menguatkuasakan “peraturan mesyuarat atau point of order”, kedua ada MP yang hendak tunjuk “hebat” dan “loyar buruk”, dan ketiga MP tidak mengamalkan budaya sopan santun dan saling hormat menghormati antara satu sama lain.

TANYA KHABAR: Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional (BN) Rembau, Khairy Jamaluddin menyatakan sesuatu kepada Salahuddin Ayob (Pas-Kubang Krian, kiri) dan Azmin Ali (Parti Keadilan Rakyat-Gombak) sambil diperhatikan Datuk Idris Haron (BN-Tangga Batu, kanan) selepas Istiadat Perasmian Penggal Pertama Parlimen Ke-12, di Parlimen, semalam.

Pelajar terkejut gelagat ahli Parlimen

Pelajar-pelajar dari SMK Sri Andalas, Klang mengikuti siaran langsung Sidang Dewan Rakyat pada hari petama di bangunan Parlimen, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR 30 April – Para pelajar yang menghadiri hari pertama persidangan Dewan Rakyat hari ini tidak menyangka mereka akan dikejutkan dengan tingkah laku dan perkataan kurang sopan daripada ahli-ahli Parlimen.

Mereka sama sekali tidak menduga perjalanan persidangan di Dewan yang sepatutnya dihormati selaras dengan kedudukannya sebagai institusi pembuat dasar, dicemari dengan tindak-tanduk ahli-ahli Parlimen.

Seorang pelajar Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sri Andalas, M. Jochim berkata, dia dan rakan-rakan sebelum ini menjangka sidang Dewan berjalan secara profesional dengan ahli-ahli Parlimen membangkitkan pelbagai isu.

Bagaimanapun, dia mengakui terkejut melihat ahli Parlimen bertindak seperti kanak-kanak apabila menggelarkan satu sama lain dengan panggilan tertentu.

‘‘Saya menjangka persidangan ini akan berlangsung dalam suasana formal apabila ahli-ahli Parlimen mengemukakan pandangan mereka tetapi lain pula yang berlaku.

‘‘Saya tak sangka mereka saling memanggil satu sama lain dengan pelbagai panggilan, seperti budak-budak,” katanya ketika ditemui di bangunan Parlimen hari ini.

Jochim adalah antara 37 pelajar SMK Sri Andalas yang menyaksikan sidang Dewan Rakyat hari ini selain pelajar dari SMK Alam Megah dan Sekolah Tinggi Kajang.

Terdahulu, semasa sidang Dewan berlangsung, Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gelugor, Karpal Singh memanggil Ahli Parlimen Kinabatangan, Datuk Bung Moktar Radin sebagai ‘bigfoot’.

“Saya harap ‘bigfoot’ dari Kinabatangan tidak akan mengganggu saya. Bigfoot sit down,” kata Karpal.

Bung Moktar kemudiannya bangun dan berkata : ‘‘Berdirilah kalau berani. If I’m bigfoot, you are big monkey.”

Sementara itu, seorang lagi pelajar, Dhamayanthi Nair berkata, dia pada awalnya amat gembira apabila diberitahu berpeluang mengikuti sidang Dewan Rakyat.

Dia menjangka banyak pengalaman berguna dapat diperoleh sepanjang mengikuti sidang itu apabila mendengar hujah-hujah daripada ahli-ahli Parlimen.

Bagaimanapun dia tidak menyangka kunjungan pertamanya ke sidang Dewan Rakyat dikejutkan dengan tingkah laku ahli-ahli Parlimen yang kurang sopan itu.

Katanya, dia terkejut dan ketawa apabila melihat serta mendengar sendiri bagaimana ahli Parlimen daripada pakatan pembangkang dan Barisan Nasional memanggil satu sama lain dengan nama ‘Bigfoot’ dan ‘Big Monkey’.

Sementara itu, guru SMK Andalas, Mariani Zainal berkata, dia pernah menyaksikan ahli-ahli Parlimen bergaduh sesama sendiri semasa menghadiri beberapa sidang Parlimen sebelum ini.

Sehubungan itu, apa yang disaksikan hari ini tidak begitu mengejutkannya tetapi berharap pelajar-pelajarnya dapat menimba pengalaman berguna semasa menyaksikan persidangan kali ini.

Siaran langsung Parlimen dikaji – Menteri Penerangan

30/04/2008

Sumber: Utusan Malaysia Online

KUALA LUMPUR 30 April — Kementerian Penerangan mungkin mengkaji semula siaran langsung persidangan Dewan Rakyat berikutan sesi soal jawab lisan hari ini yang sering terganggu apabila beberapa Anggota Parlimen sentiasa mempersoalkan peraturan mesyuarat.

Menteri Penerangan Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek berkata siaran langsung selama setengah jam menerusi saluran RTM1 itu adalah percubaan sahaja dan beliau akan mendapatkan maklumat balas daripada semua pihak termasuk orang ramai sebelum membuat sebarang keputusan.

“Saya akan bincang sama ada kita masih memberi peluang kepada Anggota Parlimen untuk menggunakan sebaik-baiknya Parlimen dan siaran langsung yang diberikan,” katanya ketika ditemui pemberita di lobi Parlimen di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas demikian setelah beberapa anggota pembangkang sering mempersoalkan peraturan mesyuarat menyebabkan sesi soal jawab lisan selama satu setengah jam hanya sempat mendengar tiga soalan berbanding 12 hingga 15 soalan pada kebiasaannya. Ahmad Shabery berkata kementerian tidak akan menambah masa siaran langsung persidangan Dewan Rakyat.

“Saya sedar di negara-negara lain yang mengadakan siaran langsung secara penuh terutama sekali dalam negara dunia ketiga, inilah masalahnya. Anggota Parlimen tidak menumpukan perbincangan pada perkara yang penting kepada rakyat dan negara.

“Masing-masing hanya ingin menunjukkan kepentingan diri mereka, tentang peribadi mereka dan untuk tunjuk orang di luar sana tentang diri mereka, bukan negara,” katanya.

Beliau berkata masa siaran langsung mungkin boleh dilanjutkan hanya jika Anggota Parlimen terutamanya pembangkang menunjukkan kematangan berfikiran secara kelas pertama.

“Mungkin ada rakyat suka tengok sarkas tapi Parlimen bukannya sarkas,” katanya.

Beliau mengakui kecewa apabila pihak pembangkang tidak menghargai dan menyalahgunakan institusi Parlimen semasa persidangan hari ini.

“Institusi Parlimen ialah untuk berbincang dan mencari yang terbaik untuk rakyat tetapi hari ini digunakan untuk mencari publisiti murah, menimbulkan perkara yang remeh temeh,” katanya.

Ahmad Shabery berkata tindakan pembangkang itu akan menyebabkan rakyat rasa tertipu dan secara jelas menyalahgunakan mandat yang diberikan.

Ketika ditanya sama perbuatan pembangkang hari ini menunjukkan sikap sebenar mereka, beliau berkata: “Banyak lagi warna lain yang tersembunyi. Ini hanyalah sebahagian kecil daripada warna sebenar mereka.”

— BERNAMA

TLDM PERLU SISTEM PELURU BERPANDU DAN LAIN-LAIN

Tahniah dan syabas diucapkan kepada pihak TLDM kerana merancang untuk jangka masa panjang tentang sistem pertahanan negara. Cuma “gentle reminder” : Jangan beli besi buruk, kapal pengangkut yang tak timbul dan peluru berpandu yang tak keruan.

TLDM perlu peluru berpandu, kapal baru

Sumber: myMetro

SEREMBAN: Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) mengumumkan keperluan untuk memperoleh sistem peluru berpandu jarak sederhana dan kapal pemerintah serta pengangkut baru sebagai pembelian seterusnya melalui Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK9) dan Rancangan malaysia Kesepuluh (RMK10).

ATLET SELANGOR BEBAS DARI BAHAN TERLARANG

Walaupun Selangor mensasarkan 60 pingat emas di Sukan Sukma yang akan berlangsung di Terengganu hujung bulan ini, namun kejayaan yang dikejar tidaklah bermakna atlet harus bertindak di luar etika dan semangat kesukanan dengan menggunakan bahan terlarang seperti propranolol, anabolik steroid dan sebagainya. Apalah erti rekod baru atau dinobat sebagai juara jika atlet telah mengambil ubat-ubatan/dadah yang disenaraikan sebagai bahan terlarang oleh badan sukan antarabangsa. Maka para atlet yang selama ini telah menggunakan bahan-bahan tertentu eloklah berjumpa doktor bagi tujuan menjalani ujian air kencing atau darah.

Atlet Selangor tidak akan guna bahan terlarang raih kejayaan di Sukma

Abdul Khalid bersama dengan penaja-penaja yang turut akan membantu kontinjen Sukma Selangor memburu kejuaraan kali 8 di Terengganu hujung bulan ini.

OLEH BEN ROSA

SHAH ALAM, Rabu 30 April: Selangor yakin ahli sukan negeri itu tidak akan menggunakan cara tidak baik termasuk mengambil bahan terlarang atau dadah dalam Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) 2008 di Terengganu mulai 31 Mei hingga 9 Jun ini.

Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata, mengecapi kemenangan melalui cara yang baik tanpa melanggar undang-undang adalah nikmat kemenangan paling manis bagi seorang ahli sukan yang sebenarnya.

“Tidak guna kita menang dengan cara yang tidak baik kerana atlet ini adalah masih dalam kumpulan amatur atau baru.

Tujuan sebenar kita bersukan adalah kerana kecintaan kita terhadap sukan bukan semata-mata untuk mencapai kemenangan sahaja,” katanya dalam siding media selepas menghadiri majlis penghargaan bapa angkat dan penaja Kontinjen Selangor ke Sukma di sini, petang tadi.

Beliau diminta mengulas tindakan sesetengah atlet yang mengambil bahan terlarang demi mencapai matlamat untuk menang dalam satu-satu temasya sukan.

Katanya tidak ada alasan yang memaksa atlet baru dan amatur untuk mengambil bahan terlarang terbabit semata-mata untuk mencapai kemenangan.

Mengenai ganjaran kepada atlet yang Berjaya, Abdul Khalid berkata Selangor juga ada menyediakan insentif sebagai galakan kepada atletnya yang menunjukkan pencapaian terbaik dalam bidang sukan.

“Tetapi itu tidaklah sehingga mereka hilang status profesionalisme mereka dalam bidang sukan yang disertai,”

“Biasanya, kita galakan negeri memberi insentif dalam bentuk biasiswa supaya mereka dapat melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat diploma atau ijazah supaya mereka dapat meneruskan kehidupan sebagai masyarakat yang berguna kemudian hari,” katanya.

Pada majlis itu, Abdul Khalid turut menerima tajaan daripada anak-anak syarikat negeri berjumlah lebih RM1 juta untuk kontinjen Selangor.

Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) dan Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad masing-masing menyumbang RM350,000, Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Selangor (PKPS) dan Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) menyumbang RM150,000 serta Worldwide Holdings Berhad (WHB).

Abdul Khalid turut menyampaikan watikah Ketua Kontinjen Selangor kepada Amirudin Shari dan timbalannya Datuk Mohd Arif Abdul Rahman.

Semua Yang Dipertua Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) di Selangor pula menerima penghargaan kerana menjadi bapa angkat bagi acara-acara sukan yang akan dipertandingkan.

Pada temasya Sukma ke-12 ini, Selangor akan menyenaraikan 650 atlet dan pegawai dengan meletakkan sasaran memenangi 60 pingat emas sekali gus meraih gelaran selaku juara keseluruhan pada temasya kebangsaan dwitahunan itu.

Seramai 500 atlet akan bertanding dalam semua 31 acara pada temasya kali ini. Sejak 1996 Selangor muncul juara keseluruhan enam kali berturut-turut termasuk dua tahun lepas di Kedah dengan merangkul 55 pingat emas.

PBT KUTIP RM9 SETIAP PEKERJA ASING

Kerajaan Selangor dibawah YAB Tan Sri MB akan meneruskan hasrat mengutip RM9/= setiap pekerja asing setiap bulan. Bagi mengatasi halangan yang dikenakan oleh Kerajaan Pusat, satu mekanisme lain telah difikirkan iaitu melalui PBT di atas tempat tinggal atau premise tinggal mereka. Dana yang terkumpul boleh digunakan antara lain untuk pembinaan atau baikpulih prasarana, kemudahan hospital, melatih muda mudi tempatan dengan kemahiran tertentu dan lain-lain.

OLEH ROSLAN BIAN
Sumber: Agenda selangor
SHAH ALAM, Rabu 30 April: Kerajaan Selangor akan menggunakan mekanisma lain untuk meneruskan cadangan menggenakan caj RM9 sebulan bagi setiap pekerja asing di negeri itu sekiranya perkara itu ditolak kerajaan Pusat.

Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata, antara kaedah yang boleh difikirkan adalah mengikut bidang peraturan pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) termasuk mengenakan bayaran cukai pintu atau premis yang didiami mereka.

Bagaimanapun, katanya kerajaan negeri akan mengadakan perbincangan dengan beberapa kementerian berkaitan bagi mendapatkan data-data mengenai pekerja asing yang dianggarkan seramai 1.5 juta orang di Selangor.

“Data-data ini membolehkan Selangor merancang guna tenaga pada masa ini dan akan datang. Walaupun tidak boleh dipanggil levi, tetapi PBT boleh mengenakan sedikit cukai pintu atau cukai premis tempat pekerja asing ini tinggal,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang media selepas menghadiri majlis penghargaan bapa angkat dan penaja kontinjen Selangor Sukma 2008 di sini, petang ini.

Menurut Abdul Khalid, kerajaan negeri memang mengalakkan penggunaan guna tenaga sama ada dalam dan luar negeri tetapi kedatangan mereka mesti memberi manfaat kepada diri sendiri, majikan dan turut membantu Selangor membangun.

“Kita melihat mereka menggunakan prasarana, hospital dan jalan raya di negara ini. Dengan cara itu kita dapat merencana pembangunan dengan hasil caj tersebut,” katanya.

Abdul Khalid berkata, 1,5 juta adalah satu angka besar dan kerajaan harus tahu di mana mereka tinggal, pekerjaan malah penyakit yang dihidapi pekerja asing.

“Dengan cara ini kita akan tahu berapa ramai yang tinggal di Petaling, berapa ramai di Gombak, apa pekerjaan dan berapa lama dah tinggal di sini. Angka-angka ini penting untuk Selangor merancang masa depan,” ujarnya.

Selain dapat merekodkan maklumat pekerja asing, kaedah ini katanya mewujudkan keadaan ‘sama-sama menang’ antara pekerja asing dengan kerajaan negeri.

“Majikan pula tidak perlu khuatir ke mana pekerja mereka nak lari sebab sudah ada maklumat dan kerajaan negeri mahupun Persekutuan dapat tahu rancangan mengenai pekerja-pekerja asing,” ujarnya.

Beliau berkata, perkara ini bukan sukar dilaksanakan kerana Singapura juga melaksanakan sistem mengumpul data pekerja asing di Negara itu.

Sebelum ini Abdul Khalid berkata, hasil kutipan caj atau levi itu akan digunakan bagi meningkatkan kemahiran belia di Selangor termasuk usaha menyediakan golongan yang berkemahiran bagi mengisi sektor pekerjaan yang diperlukan.

WAR OF WORDS: SAMY vs KHIR

Who and what would you believe if two “not-so-truthful” friends tell you something weird but real? What is your next course of action? A few weeks ago it was about pig farming, then Balkis affair and finally today it is about temple demolition. What’s next?

Source: the Staronline
Wednesday April 30, 2008

It was Samy’s idea, says Khir

SHAH ALAM: Enough is enough. It is time to set the record straight on the demolition of the Hindu temple in Padang Jawa, said Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

The former Selangor Mentri Besar claimed it was MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who asked for it to be torn down.

“I have been silent on the issue long enough. Datuk Seri (Samy Vellu) met me two days before Deepavali at the Grand Bluewave Hotel in Shah Alam where the Prime Minister (was attending a function.

“The Prime Minister was there when Samy Vellu asked me to put off the demolition of the temple in Padang Jawa in the interest of the Indian community and we stopped the exercise despite having a court order to go ahead,” Dr Khir said yesterday.

However, several days after Deepavali, he said, Samy Vellu called him at 11pm and told him that the temple had been infiltrated by Hindraf supporters who planned to carry out a 40-day fast and prayers there to rile up nearby residents.

“It was during this conversation that he told me that we (the state government) should move in and demolish the temple to deter Hindraf supporters from capitalising on the temple issue,” Dr Khir said.

“It is unfair for him to now blame the whole episode on me since I had only taken his suggestion as the leader representing the Indian community to carry out the demolition.”

When contacted Samy Vellu said the temple was already “considered” as demolished when the deities were removed on Oct 30.

“How can it be a temple, when the deities had been removed. It is only a structure,” he said.

It is believed that the deities were removed after the enforcement personnel tore down the illegal extension of the temple on Oct 30.

It was reported that the enforcement officers came to the temple at 10am on Oct 30 to tear it down but they did not produce any court order when requested.

The temple committee was given until 2pm to remove the deities.

After the enforcement officers came back at 2pm, they said that the order for the demolition came from Dr Khir and a free for all started at 4pm.

Samy Vellu said he went to the temple at 4pm after part of the temple had been demolished and later rushed off to meet Dr Khir and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“My request to him (Dr Mohd Khir) is to stop talking about all these and let us rebuild the Barisan Nasional and the component parties to regain the support of the people,” he said.

Aktiviti 2 Exco pada 29/04/08: Bertemu Warga Kerja KUIS

Penyarah dan kakitangan sokongan KUIS sedang mendengar taklimat Exco pendidikan di Dewan Besar KUIS.

Dato’ Rektor. Exco Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infra dan Kemudahan Awam serta Exco Pendidikan.
Perjumpaan serta perbincangan dengan Rektor, Dato’ Hj Mohd Adanan bin Isman, Timb Rektor,
Bursar, Pustakawan, para Dekan dan para Eksekutif Pentadbiran.

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Yb Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mod Ali dan Dr Halimah menerima cenderahati dari Y. Bhg Dato’ Rektor.
Sesi bergambar di akhir lawatan.

Aktiviti 2 Exco pada 29/04/08: Bertemu Warga Kerja KUIS

Penyarah dan kakitangan sokongan KUIS sedang mendengar taklimat Exco pendidikan di Dewan Besar KUIS.

Dato’ Rektor. Exco Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infra dan Kemudahan Awam serta Exco Pendidikan.
Perjumpaan serta perbincangan dengan Rektor, Dato’ Hj Mohd Adanan bin Isman, Timb Rektor,
Bursar, Pustakawan, para Dekan dan para Eksekutif Pentadbiran.

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Yb Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mod Ali dan Dr Halimah menerima cenderahati dari Y. Bhg Dato’ Rektor.
Sesi bergambar di akhir lawatan.

Aktiviti 2 Exco pada 29/04/08: Bertemu Warga Kerja KUIS

Penyarah dan kakitangan sokongan KUIS sedang mendengar taklimat Exco pendidikan di Dewan Besar KUIS.

Dato’ Rektor. Exco Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infra dan Kemudahan Awam serta Exco Pendidikan.
Perjumpaan serta perbincangan dengan Rektor, Dato’ Hj Mohd Adanan bin Isman, Timb Rektor,
Bursar, Pustakawan, para Dekan dan para Eksekutif Pentadbiran.

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Yb Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mod Ali dan Dr Halimah menerima cenderahati dari Y. Bhg Dato’ Rektor.
Sesi bergambar di akhir lawatan.

KEHALALANNYA DIHARAMKAN

Apabila hilangnya “kehebatan” pihak-pihak yang menguruskan hal ehwal Islam serta kebajikan orang Islam seperti jabatan-jabatan agama dan sebagainya, maka pihak-pihak yang ingin mengaut keuntungan segera akan bermaharajalela. Apabila rasuah dan pecah amanah berleluasa, yang “haram” akan bertukar menjadi “halal” dan sebaliknya. Apabila pemantauan dilakukan bermusim, perkara yang sama juga berlaku. Apabila undang-undang yang sedia ada tidak dikuatkuasakan macam-macam boleh berlaku. Apabila undang-undang yang sedia ada terlalu “lemah” dan tiada “kehebatan” , pihak -pihak yang terbukti bersalah akan membayar denda atau kompaun dan esok mengulangi kesalahan atau langgar lagi undang-undang yang sama. Tiada kesudahan.

Inikah caranya negara kita bercita-cita untuk menjadi pembekal dan pengeksport produk atau makanan “halal” – halal hab. Rakyat dalam negara sendiripun hilang keyakinan tentang kehalalan produk makanan yang terdapat dalam negara.

Di bawah, diperturunkan garis panduan yang digunapakai di Britain tentang penyembelihan binatang halal.

Jawi pantau premis jual daging
Sumber: Sinar harian

KEPONG – Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (Jawi) memandang serius premis sembelihan yang tidak menggunakan perkhidmatan tukang sembelih yang diiktiraf. Timbalan Pengarah Operasi Jawi, Ustazah Saimah Mokhtar berkata, menerusi pemantauan yang dibuat, kebanyakan rumah sembelihan dan premis menjual daging di seluruh Wilayah Persekutuan diragui serta melanggar hukum syarak.

HALAL FOOD AUTHORITY OF UK

Definition of Halal

The word ‘halal’ literally means permissible- and in translation it is usually used as lawful.

The Halal food Authority rules for halal are based on Islamic Shari’ah. Opposite to halal is haram, which means unlawful or forbidden.

It is well known in the meat trade that Muslims consume halal meat. However, at times questions are asked, what is halal? In Arabic it simply means permissible or allowed. Opposite to it is haram, which means forbidden or not allowed. Arabic is the language of Qur`an, a scripture revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam by the Almighty Allah to be followed in its entirety by the Muslims.

Now to make meat halal or permissible, an animal or poultry has to be slaughtered in a ritual way known as Zibah. To make it readily comprehended halal is somewhat like Jewish kosher and, Zibah is with some exception similar to Shechita. The Qur`an gives following underlined injunctions in chapter al-Maida 5:3 that

• Zibah require animals to be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter, since carrion is forbidden and, jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe have to be severed by a razor sharp knife by a single swipe, to incur as less a pain as possible. Here the only difference is that a rabbi will read what is required by his faith and, a Muslim will recite tasmiya or shahada, which fulfils the requirement of dedication. The question of how to overcome the issue of recitation of shahada on individual bird whence we now have poultry being slaughtered at a rate of six to nine thousand per hour, has already been addressed. A Muslim is commanded to commence all his deeds in the name of Allah.
• All the flowing blood (al- An`am 6:145) must be drained out of the carcass, as blood is forbidden
• Swine flesh is also forbidden, and it is repeated in few other places in the Qur`an
• Forbidden is an animal that has been killed by strangling or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall

What now becomes abundantly clear for halal purposes is that:

1. An animal should not be dead prior to slaughter
2. A Muslim should perform slaughter
3. Any flowing blood of the carcass should be completely drained
4. Choice of modern and in vogue method has to be considered with caution and, it should be mirroring to the Islamic ethos

Since pork is forbidden, halal slaughtering must not be done where pigs are slaughtered or in the vicinity of pigs slaughtering area. There are a few more edicts and rules that have to be followed in the interest of animal welfare. For example, animal has to be fed as normal and given water prior to slaughter, one animal must not see the other being slaughtered, knife should be four times the size of the neck and razor sharp, and as far as possible the slaughterer and the animal should face Qibla or Mecca and, animal must not be suffering with any ailments or any lacerations.

Law in support of Halal

First we had Slaughterhouse Act 1974 that is now replaced by Welfare of Animals Slaughter or Killing Regulation 1995. Halal Food Authority have been a privileged member of the Group which deliberated on behalf of the Muslim community to encapsulate the Muslim requirements to be read and included in the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (statutory instrument (SI) no. 1995/731 as amended by SI no. 1999/400). This statute law has to be followed now, for everyday halal slaughter and, for Udhia/Qurbani slaughter that takes place once a year at the time of Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. On this occasion Muslims have to sacrifice an animal. This law directs that for halal slaughter:

• a licensed Muslim slaughterer would slaughter in a
• licensed slaughterhouse and
• in the presence or supervision of a Veterinary Official

It goes without saying and it is also obvious that ethics and ethos of animal welfare are always being complied with and more importantly, a discipline and decorum is being established for meat hygiene and environmental health laws.

Here it should be noted and understood that since in Islam carrion is not allowed to be consumed, an animal or bird should not be subjected to by any external force, so that it could be dead or seem to be irrecoverable to life, prior to slaughterer putting his knife to do the ritual act of killing. Hence stunning is a bone of contention, controversy and discord. We are aware that by cutting the throat we are killing the animal to consume. But it has to be in a humane way.

All religions allow the consumption of meat. Take it as a sequence of commensalisms, a cow eats grass and we eat the cow and we know that big fish eats small fish and lo and behold, man eats the small ones and the big ones both! It is to be iterated that the Halal Food Authority is on record to say firmly that no stunning is allowed to kill the animal prior to slaughter. However, since Islam is a religion of science, a science which without laboratory testing gave us a covenant that blood is not allowed to be consumed and its raw form could be a hazard and an imperilment to human health. Centuries later, we have the affirmation from Mister Scientist that it is harmful for humankind! Least we can do is to listen to experts who would slaughter animals in scores of numbers per hour and with humane methods.

Aids prior to slaughter

Generally it is believed that for humane killing stunning modes and methods have been in use for a long time. We all know that for sure it is not the fact and it is untrue. It is only a few decades old engineering and still is in experimental stages. It is the expediency of the machinery for the numbers and volume which the viable commercial enterprise requires, for some kind of immobilisation of animals on the slaughtering line, to avoid injury to all concerned and bruising of the carcass. Bruised and bloodshot parts are neither to be sold, nor are they allowed in any way in achieving required financial yields.

There are four known methods of rendering partially or completely immobilising the animals:

1. Captive bolt system used mainly on cattle
2. Gas system for asphyxiation
3. Electrical stunning for ovine animals and / or
4. Electric-water bath stunning, the type used for poultry

Captive bolt used on cattle smashes its brain to smithereens and this causes animal to die prior to slaughter. Hence it is irreversible procedure and cannot be deemed to be halal. Similarly gas smothers the animal or the bird and there is no known revival method, so this is also not allowed.

Since majority of abattoirs, because of the wordings of the EU directives or for some given reasons use stunning prior to slaughter, we at the Halal Food Authority have researched and scrutinised it. It was categorically then encapsulated in halal rules as stated earlier, that because of the possibility of death prior to slaughter, no stunning is allowed to be used to kill the animal. However, at the initiative of the Meat and Livestock Commission, Mr. Steve Wotton of Division of Food Animal Science of Department of Clinical Veterinary Science of the University of Bristol, has developed a prototype method of stunning and have produced a stunner together with Hellenic Co., by which the animal will not succumb to the shock and can also be sent back to grazing pasture duly revived. How does it work?

Unlike ordinary stunning method where animal loses only 50-60% of the blood volume at exsanguinations – that is bleeding in simple terms- because cardiac arrest takes place and animal never recovers consciousness and, there is a reduced convulsion. This somewhat fail safe new system of head-only stunning, is reversible. Electric dosage though is of high frequency and electrode are sharp, this pre slaughter stunning in not painful. It is defined as being at humane level and within the remit of the relevant EU law and with an auto-calibration system for current monitoring and there is a very accurate record of stunner’s performance.

Logging systems enable a progress check separately on every animal individually. In test conditions it was found that animal whence slaughtered bled profusely with convulsions. Animals do revive naturally, within a safe period if spared from slaughter for whatever reason.

There could still be a prevailing opinion of a section that even this fail-safe method does not mirror to the Islamic requirement. For reasons that electric shock is unethical and, in the knowledge and opinion of the critics there is no guarantee of feasibility of revival. It has, time and again to the contrary to this belief, been proven that animals do regain consciousness within a desired period.

It is also argued that since even Jewish faith does not subscribe to stunning, why should the Muslims even contemplate to look at it. The evidence is that although the quantity of kosher meat is small and can be operated manually, it is now emerging that there is some leaning by some Rabbinical section towards the possibility of adopting the system. We Muslims have to be positive and should not appear to pre-typify technology and at the same time ensure that we do not change or seem to be changing the dietary laws as commanded by the Scripture, the Holy Qur`an and the Shari`ah, the Islamic jurisprudence.

Halal Food Authority is satisfied that this system is superior to, and there is potential for further improvisation and, safer than the one in use for halal slaughter in New Zealand and Australia. Thousands of tonnage of meat is exported from these aforementioned countries to a considerable number of Muslim States and, is used even here in the UK We are given to understand that Steve Wotton has nearly completed his work on Poultry Stunner Monitor as well, and this in due course could be a good news for providers of halal poultry and the consumers. Needless to say that there is a dire need of constant halal inspection, audit and stringent monitoring of the developing situation.

Animal Feed

Apart from slaughtering methods we have to ensure that the animals for the Islamic ritual slaughter are raised and procured from farms which do not feed them any thing that might contain animal derivatives. For regurgitating animal there is a laid down Qur`anic rule that says, “eat and pastures your cattle therein” Ta Ha 20:54 This is a lucid and transparent axiom. There would have been no BSE or vCJD, millions of pounds and dozens of lives could have been saved, if only proper care was taken for animal feed and, this consideration had been implemented.

HACCP – Hygiene

Halal Food Authority takes it for granted and are appreciative of the fact that all slaughterhouses and abattoirs in the UK have established HACCP systems in their premises and operations, and are approved by the EU. No carcass comes out of the abattoir without having been passed by the Veterinary Officer, both for quality and to be deemed to be fit for human consumption. As a majority of slaughterhouses partaking in halal slaughter are neither owned, leased nor at times operated by the Muslim fraternity, a number of these abattoir do both halal and non-halal slaughtering, It has to be ensured that the carcasses are not mixed, whilst within the compounds or on their way to chosen destination. Along with the MHS inspectors’ stamp there should be a tag or a marking on the halal carcass to differentiate and identify. Perhaps the MHS stamp itself could have the word H for halal inscribed on it together with the number of the abattoir. Halal Food Authority would be pleased to audit and authenticate contractually the halal validity of products.

To curtail unregulated, haphazardly authenticated halal imports of meat and, to boost the UK meat trade, we implore you to make provisions, in case do not already have, for halal slaughtering in your premises. There are two million Muslims within these shores alone. With your exporting facilities you could reach with your audited quality products a further six to eight millions Muslim consumers in EC countries.

It should be noted that by adopting correct method of slaughtering for halal, together we will be instrumental in providing what is required by the Islamic laws and, enhance abattoir and meat trade by making it modestly priced at par with other non-halal carcasses. It is manifestly clear that the only station which is manned by a Muslim in this operation of slaughter is the first one – where the animal is killed, in other words where Zibah or every day slaughter takes place. The remainder of stations in the abattoir, for example, for de-skinning, taking the guts out, weighing, portioning, in preparation of carcasses for maturing, labelling, storage and transporting carcasses to prospective customers are entrusted to be manned and operated normally by other loyal employees and of course, as usual by Jack – if we may say so, the non Muslim colleague.

PAMERAN SENIBINA HAIWAN DI MUZIUM SULTAN ALAM SHAH SHAH ALAM

Sumber: Suara Selangor Maju Pameran Senibina Haiwan ‘Antara Naluri dan Kehidupan’ Bermula Hari Ini

SHAH ALAM, 29 April – Muzium Sultan Alam Shah di sini mengadakan pameran Senibina Haiwan ‘Antara Naluri dan Kehidupan’ bagi memberi peluang kepada pengunjung khususnya warga Selangor untuk menghayati dan memelihara keunikan senibina haiwan.

Pameran yang baru bermula hari ini dirasmikan Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, petang tadi.

Turut hadir Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Rodziah Ismail, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan, Dr Halimah Ali dan Timbalan Setiausaha Kerajaan (Pengurusan) Dato’ Tarmedi Omar.

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid ketika ditemui berkata pameran selama tiga bulan itu bukan sahaja unik malah dapat memberi ilmu kepada pengunjung terutamanya di kalangan pelajar.

“Saya harap pameran ini dapat menarik minat pelajar-pelajar senibina yang ingin mengkaji mengenai keupayaan haiwan untuk membina struktur rumah dan sarang,” katanya yang turut meluangkan masa kira-kira setengah jam melawat pameran.

Sementara itu, pelbagai aktiviti menarik sepanjang pameran berlangsung antaranya Pertunjukan Orang Lebah, Teka Rasa Madu, Kuiz Pameran Senibina Haiwan, Kursus Taksidemi, Pertandingan Menulis Esei, Jejak Maklumat dan Teka Suai Padan Gambar.

Orang ramai khususnya warga Selangor dipelawa mengunjungi pameran ini yang akan berakhir 29 Julai depan.

Pameran dibuka setiap hari Selasa hingga Ahad bermula pukul 9.30 pagi hingga 5.30 petang dan masuk adalah percuma. – MURIZA ABDUL HAMID

PAMERAN SENIBINA HAIWAN DI MUZIUM SULTAN ALAM SHAH SHAH ALAM

Sumber: Suara Selangor Maju Pameran Senibina Haiwan ‘Antara Naluri dan Kehidupan’ Bermula Hari Ini

SHAH ALAM, 29 April – Muzium Sultan Alam Shah di sini mengadakan pameran Senibina Haiwan ‘Antara Naluri dan Kehidupan’ bagi memberi peluang kepada pengunjung khususnya warga Selangor untuk menghayati dan memelihara keunikan senibina haiwan.

Pameran yang baru bermula hari ini dirasmikan Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, petang tadi.

Turut hadir Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Rodziah Ismail, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan, Dr Halimah Ali dan Timbalan Setiausaha Kerajaan (Pengurusan) Dato’ Tarmedi Omar.

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid ketika ditemui berkata pameran selama tiga bulan itu bukan sahaja unik malah dapat memberi ilmu kepada pengunjung terutamanya di kalangan pelajar.

“Saya harap pameran ini dapat menarik minat pelajar-pelajar senibina yang ingin mengkaji mengenai keupayaan haiwan untuk membina struktur rumah dan sarang,” katanya yang turut meluangkan masa kira-kira setengah jam melawat pameran.

Sementara itu, pelbagai aktiviti menarik sepanjang pameran berlangsung antaranya Pertunjukan Orang Lebah, Teka Rasa Madu, Kuiz Pameran Senibina Haiwan, Kursus Taksidemi, Pertandingan Menulis Esei, Jejak Maklumat dan Teka Suai Padan Gambar.

Orang ramai khususnya warga Selangor dipelawa mengunjungi pameran ini yang akan berakhir 29 Julai depan.

Pameran dibuka setiap hari Selasa hingga Ahad bermula pukul 9.30 pagi hingga 5.30 petang dan masuk adalah percuma. – MURIZA ABDUL HAMID

WAR OF WORDS: SAMY vs KHIR

Who and what would you would you believe if two “not-so-truthful” friends tell you something weird but real? What is your next course of action? A few weeks ago it was about pig farming, then Balkis affair and finally today it is about temple demolition. What’s next?

Source: the Staronline
Wednesday April 30, 2008

It was Samy’s idea, says Khir

SHAH ALAM: Enough is enough. It is time to set the record straight on the demolition of the Hindu temple in Padang Jawa, said Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

The former Selangor Mentri Besar claimed it was MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who asked for it to be torn down.

“I have been silent on the issue long enough. Datuk Seri (Samy Vellu) met me two days before Deepavali at the Grand Bluewave Hotel in Shah Alam where the Prime Minister (was attending a function.

“The Prime Minister was there when Samy Vellu asked me to put off the demolition of the temple in Padang Jawa in the interest of the Indian community and we stopped the exercise despite having a court order to go ahead,” Dr Khir said yesterday.

However, several days after Deepavali, he said, Samy Vellu called him at 11pm and told him that the temple had been infiltrated by Hindraf supporters who planned to carry out a 40-day fast and prayers there to rile up nearby residents.

“It was during this conversation that he told me that we (the state government) should move in and demolish the temple to deter Hindraf supporters from capitalising on the temple issue,” Dr Khir said.

“It is unfair for him to now blame the whole episode on me since I had only taken his suggestion as the leader representing the Indian community to carry out the demolition.”

When contacted Samy Vellu said the temple was already “considered” as demolished when the deities were removed on Oct 30.

“How can it be a temple, when the deities had been removed. It is only a structure,” he said.

It is believed that the deities were removed after the enforcement personnel tore down the illegal extension of the temple on Oct 30.

It was reported that the enforcement officers came to the temple at 10am on Oct 30 to tear it down but they did not produce any court order when requested.

The temple committee was given until 2pm to remove the deities.

After the enforcement officers came back at 2pm, they said that the order for the demolition came from Dr Khir and a free for all started at 4pm.

Samy Vellu said he went to the temple at 4pm after part of the temple had been demolished and later rushed off to meet Dr Khir and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“My request to him (Dr Mohd Khir) is to stop talking about all these and let us rebuild the Barisan Nasional and the component parties to regain the support of the people,” he said.

SINAR HARIAN MEWAWANCARA EXCO PENDIDIKAN DAN PEMBANGUNAN MODAL INSAN

Wartawan akhbar Sinar Harian telah mewawancara Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan dan telah disiarkan oleh akhbar berkenaan pada 28hb April 2008.

Secara umumnya Exco menegaskan bahawa kita adalah hasil, natijah, output atau “by-product” suatu sistem pendidikan yang telah kita lalui. Perlu wujud penambahbaikan kepada sistem pendidikan yang sedia ada sekarang kerana kita dapati pelajar kini hanya mengejar keputusan akademik yang cemerlang tetapi mereka terdedah kepada risiko menjadi penjenayah dan sebagainya.

Manakala konsep modal insan bermaksud insan yang berada di Selangor khususnya menjadi satu aset dan bukan bebanan, malah aset yang berguna agar Selangor menjadi produktif dan maju ke depan. Sekiranya rakyat menjadi penagih dadah dan penjenayah, maka bebanan itu menyebabkan kos dan kerugian, malah kerajaan terpaksa mengeluarkan wang untuk merawat
dan memulihkan mereka.

Dalam membangun modal insan ini kita akan mengambil kira lima unsur penting yang terdapat pada seorang insan iaitu, fizikal, intelektual, spiritual, emosi, dan sosial. Sila lihat teks akhbar.

SINAR HARIAN MEWAWANCARA EXCO PENDIDIKAN DAN PEMBANGUNAN MODAL INSAN

Wartawan akhbar Sinar Harian telah mewawancara Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan dan telah disiarkan oleh akhbar berkenaan pada 28hb April 2008.

Secara umumnya Exco menegaskan bahawa kita adalah hasil, natijah, output atau “by-product” suatu sistem pendidikan yang telah kita lalui. Perlu wujud penambahbaikan kepada sistem pendidikan yang sedia ada sekarang kerana kita dapati pelajar kini hanya mengejar keputusan akademik yang cemerlang tetapi mereka terdedah kepada risiko menjadi penjenayah dan sebagainya.

Manakala konsep modal insan bermaksud insan yang berada di Selangor khususnya menjadi satu aset dan bukan bebanan, malah aset yang berguna agar Selangor menjadi produktif dan maju ke depan. Sekiranya rakyat menjadi penagih dadah dan penjenayah, maka bebanan itu menyebabkan kos dan kerugian, malah kerajaan terpaksa mengeluarkan wang untuk merawat
dan memulihkan mereka.

Dalam membangun modal insan ini kita akan mengambil kira lima unsur penting yang terdapat pada seorang insan iaitu, fizikal, intelektual, spiritual, emosi, dan sosial. Sila lihat teks akhbar.

Aktiviti 2 Exco pada 29/04/08: Bertemu Warga Kerja KUIS

Penyarah dan kakitangan sokongan KUIS sedang mendengar taklimat Exco pendidikan di Dewan Besar KUIS.

Dato’ Rektor. Exco Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infra dan Kemudahan Awam serta Exco Pendidikan.
Perjumpaan serta perbincangan dengan Rektor, Dato’ Hj Mohd Adanan bin Isman, Timb Rektor,
Bursar, Pustakawan, para Dekan dan para Eksekutif Pentadbiran.

BbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbaaBursar

Yb Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mod Ali dan Dr Halimah menerima cenderahati dari Y. Bhg Dato’ Rektor.
Sesi bergambar di akhir lawatan.

KEHALALANNYA DIHARAMKAN

Apabila hilangnya “kehebatan” pihak-pihak yang menguruskan hal ehwal Islam serta kebajikan orang Islam seperti jabatan-jabatan agama dan sebagainya, maka pihak-pihak yang ingin mengaut keuntungan segera akan bermaharajalela. Apabila rasuah dan pecah amanah berleluasa, yang “haram” akan bertukar menjadi “halal” dan sebaliknya. Apabila pemantauan dilakukan bermusim, perkara yang sama juga berlaku. Apabila undang-undang yang sedia ada tidak dikuatkuasakan macam-macam boleh berlaku. Apabila undang-undang yang sedia ada terlalu “lemah” dan tiada “kehebatan” , pihak -pihak yang terbukti bersalah akan membayar denda atau kompaun dan esok mengulangi kesalahan atau langgar lagi undang-undang yang sama. Tiada kesudahan.

Inikah caranya negara kita bercita-cita untuk menjadi pembekal dan pengeksport produk atau makanan “halal” – halal hab. Rakyat dalam negara sendiripun hilang keyakinan tentang kehalalan produk makanan yang terdapat dalam negara.

Di bawah, diperturunkan garis panduan yang digunapakai di Britain tentang penyembelihan binatang halal.

Jawi pantau premis jual daging
Sumber: Sinar harian

KEPONG – Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (Jawi) memandang serius premis sembelihan yang tidak menggunakan perkhidmatan tukang sembelih yang diiktiraf. Timbalan Pengarah Operasi Jawi, Ustazah Saimah Mokhtar berkata, menerusi pemantauan yang dibuat, kebanyakan rumah sembelihan dan premis menjual daging di seluruh Wilayah Persekutuan diragui serta melanggar hukum syarak.

HALAL FOOD AUTHORITY OF UK

Definition of Halal

The word ‘halal’ literally means permissible- and in translation it is usually used as lawful.

The Halal food Authority rules for halal are based on Islamic Shari’ah. Opposite to halal is haram, which means unlawful or forbidden.

It is well known in the meat trade that Muslims consume halal meat. However, at times questions are asked, what is halal? In Arabic it simply means permissible or allowed. Opposite to it is haram, which means forbidden or not allowed. Arabic is the language of Qur`an, a scripture revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam by the Almighty Allah to be followed in its entirety by the Muslims.

Now to make meat halal or permissible, an animal or poultry has to be slaughtered in a ritual way known as Zibah. To make it readily comprehended halal is somewhat like Jewish kosher and, Zibah is with some exception similar to Shechita. The Qur`an gives following underlined injunctions in chapter al-Maida 5:3 that

• Zibah require animals to be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter, since carrion is forbidden and, jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe have to be severed by a razor sharp knife by a single swipe, to incur as less a pain as possible. Here the only difference is that a rabbi will read what is required by his faith and, a Muslim will recite tasmiya or shahada, which fulfils the requirement of dedication. The question of how to overcome the issue of recitation of shahada on individual bird whence we now have poultry being slaughtered at a rate of six to nine thousand per hour, has already been addressed. A Muslim is commanded to commence all his deeds in the name of Allah.
• All the flowing blood (al- An`am 6:145) must be drained out of the carcass, as blood is forbidden
• Swine flesh is also forbidden, and it is repeated in few other places in the Qur`an
• Forbidden is an animal that has been killed by strangling or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall

What now becomes abundantly clear for halal purposes is that:

1. An animal should not be dead prior to slaughter
2. A Muslim should perform slaughter
3. Any flowing blood of the carcass should be completely drained
4. Choice of modern and in vogue method has to be considered with caution and, it should be mirroring to the Islamic ethos

Since pork is forbidden, halal slaughtering must not be done where pigs are slaughtered or in the vicinity of pigs slaughtering area. There are a few more edicts and rules that have to be followed in the interest of animal welfare. For example, animal has to be fed as normal and given water prior to slaughter, one animal must not see the other being slaughtered, knife should be four times the size of the neck and razor sharp, and as far as possible the slaughterer and the animal should face Qibla or Mecca and, animal must not be suffering with any ailments or any lacerations.

Law in support of Halal

First we had Slaughterhouse Act 1974 that is now replaced by Welfare of Animals Slaughter or Killing Regulation 1995. Halal Food Authority have been a privileged member of the Group which deliberated on behalf of the Muslim community to encapsulate the Muslim requirements to be read and included in the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (statutory instrument (SI) no. 1995/731 as amended by SI no. 1999/400). This statute law has to be followed now, for everyday halal slaughter and, for Udhia/Qurbani slaughter that takes place once a year at the time of Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. On this occasion Muslims have to sacrifice an animal. This law directs that for halal slaughter:

• a licensed Muslim slaughterer would slaughter in a
• licensed slaughterhouse and
• in the presence or supervision of a Veterinary Official

It goes without saying and it is also obvious that ethics and ethos of animal welfare are always being complied with and more importantly, a discipline and decorum is being established for meat hygiene and environmental health laws.

Here it should be noted and understood that since in Islam carrion is not allowed to be consumed, an animal or bird should not be subjected to by any external force, so that it could be dead or seem to be irrecoverable to life, prior to slaughterer putting his knife to do the ritual act of killing. Hence stunning is a bone of contention, controversy and discord. We are aware that by cutting the throat we are killing the animal to consume. But it has to be in a humane way.

All religions allow the consumption of meat. Take it as a sequence of commensalisms, a cow eats grass and we eat the cow and we know that big fish eats small fish and lo and behold, man eats the small ones and the big ones both! It is to be iterated that the Halal Food Authority is on record to say firmly that no stunning is allowed to kill the animal prior to slaughter. However, since Islam is a religion of science, a science which without laboratory testing gave us a covenant that blood is not allowed to be consumed and its raw form could be a hazard and an imperilment to human health. Centuries later, we have the affirmation from Mister Scientist that it is harmful for humankind! Least we can do is to listen to experts who would slaughter animals in scores of numbers per hour and with humane methods.

Aids prior to slaughter

Generally it is believed that for humane killing stunning modes and methods have been in use for a long time. We all know that for sure it is not the fact and it is untrue. It is only a few decades old engineering and still is in experimental stages. It is the expediency of the machinery for the numbers and volume which the viable commercial enterprise requires, for some kind of immobilisation of animals on the slaughtering line, to avoid injury to all concerned and bruising of the carcass. Bruised and bloodshot parts are neither to be sold, nor are they allowed in any way in achieving required financial yields.

There are four known methods of rendering partially or completely immobilising the animals:

1. Captive bolt system used mainly on cattle
2. Gas system for asphyxiation
3. Electrical stunning for ovine animals and / or
4. Electric-water bath stunning, the type used for poultry

Captive bolt used on cattle smashes its brain to smithereens and this causes animal to die prior to slaughter. Hence it is irreversible procedure and cannot be deemed to be halal. Similarly gas smothers the animal or the bird and there is no known revival method, so this is also not allowed.

Since majority of abattoirs, because of the wordings of the EU directives or for some given reasons use stunning prior to slaughter, we at the Halal Food Authority have researched and scrutinised it. It was categorically then encapsulated in halal rules as stated earlier, that because of the possibility of death prior to slaughter, no stunning is allowed to be used to kill the animal. However, at the initiative of the Meat and Livestock Commission, Mr. Steve Wotton of Division of Food Animal Science of Department of Clinical Veterinary Science of the University of Bristol, has developed a prototype method of stunning and have produced a stunner together with Hellenic Co., by which the animal will not succumb to the shock and can also be sent back to grazing pasture duly revived. How does it work?

Unlike ordinary stunning method where animal loses only 50-60% of the blood volume at exsanguinations – that is bleeding in simple terms- because cardiac arrest takes place and animal never recovers consciousness and, there is a reduced convulsion. This somewhat fail safe new system of head-only stunning, is reversible. Electric dosage though is of high frequency and electrode are sharp, this pre slaughter stunning in not painful. It is defined as being at humane level and within the remit of the relevant EU law and with an auto-calibration system for current monitoring and there is a very accurate record of stunner’s performance.

Logging systems enable a progress check separately on every animal individually. In test conditions it was found that animal whence slaughtered bled profusely with convulsions. Animals do revive naturally, within a safe period if spared from slaughter for whatever reason.

There could still be a prevailing opinion of a section that even this fail-safe method does not mirror to the Islamic requirement. For reasons that electric shock is unethical and, in the knowledge and opinion of the critics there is no guarantee of feasibility of revival. It has, time and again to the contrary to this belief, been proven that animals do regain consciousness within a desired period.

It is also argued that since even Jewish faith does not subscribe to stunning, why should the Muslims even contemplate to look at it. The evidence is that although the quantity of kosher meat is small and can be operated manually, it is now emerging that there is some leaning by some Rabbinical section towards the possibility of adopting the system. We Muslims have to be positive and should not appear to pre-typify technology and at the same time ensure that we do not change or seem to be changing the dietary laws as commanded by the Scripture, the Holy Qur`an and the Shari`ah, the Islamic jurisprudence.

Halal Food Authority is satisfied that this system is superior to, and there is potential for further improvisation and, safer than the one in use for halal slaughter in New Zealand and Australia. Thousands of tonnage of meat is exported from these aforementioned countries to a considerable number of Muslim States and, is used even here in the UK We are given to understand that Steve Wotton has nearly completed his work on Poultry Stunner Monitor as well, and this in due course could be a good news for providers of halal poultry and the consumers. Needless to say that there is a dire need of constant halal inspection, audit and stringent monitoring of the developing situation.

Animal Feed

Apart from slaughtering methods we have to ensure that the animals for the Islamic ritual slaughter are raised and procured from farms which do not feed them any thing that might contain animal derivatives. For regurgitating animal there is a laid down Qur`anic rule that says, “eat and pastures your cattle therein” Ta Ha 20:54 This is a lucid and transparent axiom. There would have been no BSE or vCJD, millions of pounds and dozens of lives could have been saved, if only proper care was taken for animal feed and, this consideration had been implemented.

HACCP – Hygiene

Halal Food Authority takes it for granted and are appreciative of the fact that all slaughterhouses and abattoirs in the UK have established HACCP systems in their premises and operations, and are approved by the EU. No carcass comes out of the abattoir without having been passed by the Veterinary Officer, both for quality and to be deemed to be fit for human consumption. As a majority of slaughterhouses partaking in halal slaughter are neither owned, leased nor at times operated by the Muslim fraternity, a number of these abattoir do both halal and non-halal slaughtering, It has to be ensured that the carcasses are not mixed, whilst within the compounds or on their way to chosen destination. Along with the MHS inspectors’ stamp there should be a tag or a marking on the halal carcass to differentiate and identify. Perhaps the MHS stamp itself could have the word H for halal inscribed on it together with the number of the abattoir. Halal Food Authority would be pleased to audit and authenticate contractually the halal validity of products.

To curtail unregulated, haphazardly authenticated halal imports of meat and, to boost the UK meat trade, we implore you to make provisions, in case do not already have, for halal slaughtering in your premises. There are two million Muslims within these shores alone. With your exporting facilities you could reach with your audited quality products a further six to eight millions Muslim consumers in EC countries.

It should be noted that by adopting correct method of slaughtering for halal, together we will be instrumental in providing what is required by the Islamic laws and, enhance abattoir and meat trade by making it modestly priced at par with other non-halal carcasses. It is manifestly clear that the only station which is manned by a Muslim in this operation of slaughter is the first one – where the animal is killed, in other words where Zibah or every day slaughter takes place. The remainder of stations in the abattoir, for example, for de-skinning, taking the guts out, weighing, portioning, in preparation of carcasses for maturing, labelling, storage and transporting carcasses to prospective customers are entrusted to be manned and operated normally by other loyal employees and of course, as usual by Jack – if we may say so, the non Muslim colleague.

PAMERAN SENIBINA HAIWAN DI MUZIUM SULTAN ALAM SHAH SHAH ALAM

Sumber: Suara Selangor Maju Pameran Senibina Haiwan ‘Antara Naluri dan Kehidupan’ Bermula Hari Ini

SHAH ALAM, 29 April – Muzium Sultan Alam Shah di sini mengadakan pameran Senibina Haiwan ‘Antara Naluri dan Kehidupan’ bagi memberi peluang kepada pengunjung khususnya warga Selangor untuk menghayati dan memelihara keunikan senibina haiwan.

Pameran yang baru bermula hari ini dirasmikan Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, petang tadi.

Turut hadir Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Rodziah Ismail, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan, Dr Halimah Ali dan Timbalan Setiausaha Kerajaan (Pengurusan) Dato’ Tarmedi Omar.

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid ketika ditemui berkata pameran selama tiga bulan itu bukan sahaja unik malah dapat memberi ilmu kepada pengunjung terutamanya di kalangan pelajar.

“Saya harap pameran ini dapat menarik minat pelajar-pelajar senibina yang ingin mengkaji mengenai keupayaan haiwan untuk membina struktur rumah dan sarang,” katanya yang turut meluangkan masa kira-kira setengah jam melawat pameran.

Sementara itu, pelbagai aktiviti menarik sepanjang pameran berlangsung antaranya Pertunjukan Orang Lebah, Teka Rasa Madu, Kuiz Pameran Senibina Haiwan, Kursus Taksidemi, Pertandingan Menulis Esei, Jejak Maklumat dan Teka Suai Padan Gambar.

Orang ramai khususnya warga Selangor dipelawa mengunjungi pameran ini yang akan berakhir 29 Julai depan.

Pameran dibuka setiap hari Selasa hingga Ahad bermula pukul 9.30 pagi hingga 5.30 petang dan masuk adalah percuma. – MURIZA ABDUL HAMID

SINAR HARIAN MEWAWANCARA EXCO PENDIDIKAN DAN PEMBANGUNAN MODAL INSAN

Wartawan akhbar Sinar Harian telah mewawancara Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan dan telah disiarkan oleh akhbar berkenaan pada 28hb April 2008.

Secara umumnya Exco menegaskan bahawa kita adalah hasil, natijah, output atau “by-product” suatu sistem pendidikan yang telah kita lalui. Perlu wujud penambahbaikan kepada sistem pendidikan yang sedia ada sekarang kerana kita dapati pelajar kini hanya mengejar keputusan akademik yang cemerlang tetapi mereka terdedah kepada risiko menjadi penjenayah dan sebagainya.

Manakala konsep modal insan bermaksud insan yang berada di Selangor khususnya menjadi satu aset dan bukan bebanan, malah aset yang berguna agar Selangor menjadi produktif dan maju ke depan. Sekiranya rakyat menjadi penagih dadah dan penjenayah, maka bebanan itu menyebabkan kos dan kerugian, malah kerajaan terpaksa mengeluarkan wang untuk merawat
dan memulihkan mereka.

Dalam membangun modal insan ini kita akan mengambil kira lima unsur penting yang terdapat pada seorang insan iaitu, fizikal, intelektual, spiritual, emosi, dan sosial. Sila lihat teks akhbar.

BENGKEL PENYEDIAAN PELAN STRATEGIK P,PT& PMI SELANGOR 2008-2013

Satu bengkel bagi tujuan penyediaan Pelan Strategik Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Negeri Selangor bagi tahun 2008-2013 telah diadakan pada 28hb April 2008 bertempat di Kelab Shah Alam , Shah Alam Selangor yang telah berjaya mengumpulkan antara lain cendikiawan, intelek, pendidik, guru TASKA serta PASTI, pensyarah Universiti/kolej awam dan swasta, pengarah syarikat , usahawan , ustaz , kaunselor, doktor, ahli politik, dan pakar motivasi. Bahagian Pengurusan Sumber Pejabat SUK telah menjadi urusetia bengkel ini.
Moderator sedang membincangkan Kerangka Pelan Pembanguan

Moderator sedang membincangkan Teras Strategik Kerangka Pelan Pembangunan Negeri Selangor.

Pengerusi Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor berucap di sesi penutup bengkel seraya mengucapkan terima kasih serta ucapan penghargaan kepada para peserta yang telah menyumbangkan idea serta buah fikiran.

BENGKEL PENYEDIAAN PELAN STRATEGIK P,PT& PMI SELANGOR 2008-2013

Satu bengkel bagi tujuan penyediaan Pelan Strategik Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Negeri Selangor bagi tahun 2008-2013 telah diadakan pada 28hb April 2008 bertempat di Kelab Shah Alam , Shah Alam Selangor yang telah berjaya mengumpulkan antara lain cendikiawan, intelek, pendidik, guru TASKA serta PASTI, pensyarah Universiti/kolej awam dan swasta, pengarah syarikat , usahawan , ustaz , kaunselor, doktor, ahli politik, dan pakar motivasi. Bahagian Pengurusan Sumber Pejabat SUK telah menjadi urusetia bengkel ini.
Moderator sedang membincangkan Kerangka Pelan Pembanguan

Moderator sedang membincangkan Teras Strategik Kerangka Pelan Pembangunan Negeri Selangor.

Pengerusi Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor berucap di sesi penutup bengkel seraya mengucapkan terima kasih serta ucapan penghargaan kepada para peserta yang telah menyumbangkan idea serta buah fikiran.

BENGKEL PENYEDIAAN PELAN STRATEGIK P,PT& PMI SELANGOR 2008-2013

Satu bengkel bagi tujuan penyediaan Pelan Strategik Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Negeri Selangor bagi tahun 2008-2013 telah diadakan pada 28hb April 2008 bertempat di Kelab Shah Alam , Shah Alam Selangor yang telah berjaya mengumpulkan antara lain cendikiawan, intelek, pendidik, guru TASKA serta PASTI, pensyarah Universiti/kolej awam dan swasta, pengarah syarikat , usahawan , ustaz , kaunselor, doktor, ahli politik, dan pakar motivasi. Bahagian Pengurusan Sumber Pejabat SUK telah menjadi urusetia bengkel ini.
Moderator sedang membincangkan Kerangka Pelan Pembanguan

Moderator sedang membincangkan Teras Strategik Kerangka Pelan Pembangunan Negeri Selangor.

Pengerusi Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor berucap di sesi penutup bengkel seraya mengucapkan terima kasih serta ucapan penghargaan kepada para peserta yang telah menyumbangkan idea serta buah fikiran.

PENULISAN JURNAL & TESIS PENSYARAH KITA

myMetro

Nasib jurnal tempatan

Oleh Ruhaiza Rusmin
ruhaiza@hmetro.com.my

.

PENGIKTIRAFAN terhadap penghasilan jurnal atau tesis oleh pensyarah adalah antara cara memartabatkan taraf pendidikan sesebuah institusi sama ada di peringkat tempatan atau antarabangsa.

Menerusinya, keupayaan, kredibiliti, kemampuan dan nama sesebuah institusi itu mampu dinilai dan dikenali selain meletakkan taraf pendidikan negara setara universiti ternama.

Biarpun institusi tempatan giat menghasilkan jurnal atau tesis, masyarakat masih mempunyai persepsi negatif pensyarah tempatan tidak mampu menandingi keupayaan pensyarah luar.

Penghasilannya pula bagaikan tersekat kerana dikatakan tidak menepati piawaian ditetapkan.

Biarpun ada ramai pensyarah tempatan berkaliber, kegagalan menempatkan hasil jurnal atau tesis di peringkat nasional atau tempatan menyekat peluang menonjolkan kemampuan.

Apakah kegagalan itu disebabkan diskriminasi terhadap latar belakang pensyarah atau memang tidak mampu memenuhi kehendak penghasilan ditetapkan hingga jauh ketinggalan dan akhirnya hanya terperap di universiti?

Timbalan Dekan Pusat Pengajian Siswazah Perniagaan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Profesor Dr Aliah Hanim M Salleh, berkata tidak timbul isu kegagalan pensyarah institusi tempatan menepati piawaian penghasilan tesis atau jurnal kerana mereka mempunyai nilai kualiti setara.

Beliau berkata, mereka ada kualiti pendidikan dan pengalaman, justeru tidak timbul produk yang dihasilkan tidak bermutu.

“Keupayaan pensyarah tempatan hebat dan setara negara lain. Kebanyakannya melanjutkan pengajian ke luar negara dan berpengalaman.

“Sudah tentu penghasilan produk jurnal atau tesis yang dihasilkan berkualiti. Merendahkan keupayaan mereka sama seperti mempertikaikan tahap pendidikan tempatan.

“Saya tidak bersetuju pendapat kononnya kebanyakan hasil kajian dan tesis pensyarah tempatan tidak dikomersialkan dan hanya terperap di universiti,” katanya.

Ditanya mengapa penghasilan jurnal atau tesis kurang ketara, Dr Aliah Hanim berkata ia berpunca daripada beberapa faktor seperti kekurangan sokongan kewangan dan masa.

“Menghasilkan tesis atau jurnal bukan murah, faktor kewangan perlu diambil kira. Kebanyakan pensyarah juga terikat dengan tanggungjawab mengajar, justeru pembahagian masa kena selari.

“Jangan suka buat perbandingan, itu tidak adil sebab institusi luar mempunyai ramai tenaga pengajar dan sistem pendidikan tidak sama.

“Bagaimanapun, saya berpendapat, produk pensyarah tempatan tidak kurang hebatnya. Cuma kurang ketara kerana kebanyakan mentaliti masih merujuk atau mencari penghasilan luar,” katanya.

Beliau mengakui,, produk tesis pensyarah tempatan setanding dengan institusi luar, cuma segelintir mungkin menghadapi masalah menguasai bahasa Inggeris yang baik.

“Menghasilkan penulisan bukan saja memerlukan penumpuan malah penggunaan bahasa Inggeris juga penting. Ini membezakan pengalaman dan kepakaran seseorang pensyarah.

“Melabelkan pensyarah kita tidak bermutu kurang tepat sebab bukan hanya berlaku pada institusi tempatan, malah seluruh dunia,” katanya.

Menurut Dr Aliah Hanim, usaha melahirkan pensyarah cemerlang bukan hanya bersandarkan kepada pencapaian akademik tapi kemampuan sesebuah universiti memberi pendedahan.

“Proses melahirkan pensyarah, tesis atau jurnal terbaik memerlukan tempoh panjang. Selain inisiatif diri sendiri, sokongan pelbagai pihak juga penting kerana pensyarah luar lebih berpengalaman dan mempunyai pelbagai kemudahan,” katanya.

Beliau berharap pensyarah tempatan jangan patah semangat, menggandakan usaha dengan melakukan pelbagai penyelidikan, kajian serta rajin menghadiri seminar antarabangsa bagi menambah ilmu.

“Memang ada cabaran dan pelbagai kerenah birokrasi, bagaimanapun terimanya dengan positif.

“Golongan pensyarah adalah cendekiawan dan berperanan mengangkat serta meneroka kepelbagaian cabang ilmu.

“Penghasilan bermutu bukan saja membantu menaikkan nama institusi dan negara di mata dunia malah membantu melahirkan generasi berkepakaran pada masa depan,” katanya.

MENARA PEMANCAR BAWA PADAH

Pemandangan begini sudah menjadi suatu landskap yang biasa di negara kita. Di tempat saya di Klang, terdapat sebuah menara pemancar yang agak besar tersergam di atas sebuah bukit yang masih belum digondolkan. Di bawah pemancar itulah terdapat pelbagai ragam manusia. Ada yang sedang bersenam, ada yang sedang bertai chi, ada yang berlari anak, ada yang sedang makan di tepi tasik dan ada yang saja duduk-duduk bersantai. Tak jauh dari situ terdapat sebuah sekolah menengah dan sekolah rendah serta beberapa taman perumahan. Sebuah stesen bomba telah dibina di situ.

Saya juga telah mendapat beberapa surat aduan serta satu petisyen yang ditandatangani penduduk di sekitar sebuah rumah kedai dua tingkat di Teluk Pulai Klang yang mengadu bahawa pemancar telekomunikasi berkenaan tidak sepatutnya ditempatkan di situ.

Apakan daya kita ?

Hidup bawah pancaran maut

Oleh Helmy Abd Rahman
helmy@hmetro.com.my

KELANA JAYA: Ibarat telur di hujung tanduk. Itulah situasi dihadapi penduduk Taman Subang di sini, yang dipercayai berisiko lebih tinggi diserang kanser dan pelbagai penyakit kronik lain berikutan tinggal berhampiran menara pemancar telekomunikasi.

Pendedahan mengejutkan itu dibuat Profesor Bersekutu Fakulti Perubatan Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Prof Madya Dr Adlina Suleiman, bersama 10 pelajarnya, baru-baru ini, melalui kajian kesan radiasi menara pemancar telekomunikasi terhadap penduduk di taman perumahan itu.

Anak lelakinya dimasukkan ke hospital kerana mengalami ketumbuhan pada wajah dan peliknya selepas dirawat, ketumbuhan itu kembali berulang.

Anak perempuannya pula dijangkiti ‘herpes zoster’ iaitu sejenis kayap yang tidak akan menyerang sistem imun badan orang normal.

Hasil kaji selidik dua minggu membabitkan 170 penduduk taman perumahan itu mendapati 8.23 peratus responden dilaporkan diserang kanser berbanding tidak sampai satu peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan rakyat negara ini mengalami penyakit sama.

Kebanyakan kes berlaku sesudah sebuah menara pemancar telekomunikasi didirikan di taman perumahan itu 10 tahun lalu, sekali gus menimbulkan persoalan sama ada ia mempunyai kaitan secara langsung dengannya.

Dr Adlina yang turut menghuni taman perumahan itu mengambil inisiatif membuat siasatan mengenai bahaya kesan radiasi gelombang elektromagnetik (EMR) dihasilkan menara pemancar telekomunikasi sebelum melakukan kaji selidik dua minggu membabitkan 170 responden terbabit.

“Mengikut kajian satu badan dibiayai Kesatuan Eropah (EU) yang dipanggil Reflex menunjukkan, wujud kemungkinan gelombang elektromagnetik bertenaga rendah (EMF) dapat memusnahkan kromosom, merubah aktiviti sesetengah gen dan mempercepatkan pembahagian sel.

“Ini bermakna ada kemungkinan sesiapa yang mempunyai sel kanser peringkat awal berdepan risiko maut secara mendadak jika masuk ke Taman Subang dengan percambahan segera sel itu yang dipertingkatkan melalui gelombang EMF.

“Dengan jumlah lebih 50 antena dan cakera pemancar gelombang yang dipasang pada menara berkenaan, bayangkan berapa banyak gelombang EMF terpaksa diserap penduduk setiap hari,” katanya kepada Harian Metro.

Beliau berkata, objektif kaji selidik yang dilakukannya untuk menentukan kesan EMR terhadap penduduk Taman Subang membabitkan kejadian kanser, simptom tertentu, kekerapan sambaran kilat dan kebimbangan penduduk setempat berhubung kewujudan menara telekomunikasi berkenaan.

“Hasil kaji selidik itu menunjukkan angka mengejutkan membabitkan kejadian kanser di kalangan penduduk apabila mendapati 18.8 peratus daripada responden lelaki berumur 40 hingga 59 tahun diserang kanser berbanding hanya 0.21 peratus penduduk lelaki Malaysia dalam lingkungan usia sama mengalaminya.

“Responden wanita pula dalam lingkungan usia sama 2.56 peratus berbanding hanya 0.38 untuk keseluruhan kes di negara ini.

“Bagi lelaki berumur 60 ke atas (responden) pula, 11.54 peratus penduduk Taman Subang mengalaminya berbanding lelaki negara ini yang seusia (0.94 peratus), manakala wanita seusia di Taman Subang 13.3 peratus berbanding 0.67 peratus di Malaysia.

“Secara amnya, 8.23 peratus di kalangan 170 responden mengalami kanser berbanding tidak sampai satu peratus membabitkan keseluruhan populasi penduduk negara ini mengalaminya,” katanya.

Menurutnya, kaji selidik berkenaan dibuat membabitkan penduduk yang tinggal dalam lingkungan jarak 120 meter dari menara berkenaan dengan populasi penduduk dibahagikan tiga zon lingkungan iaitu Radius A yang berjarak 40 meter, Radius B (80 meter) dan Radius C (120 meter).

“Penduduk yang tinggal dalam Radius A mengalami simptom paling tinggi membabitkan keluhan pening, hilang ingatan, kurang penumpuan, loya, kemurungan, hilang selera makan, sakit kepala, gangguan penglihatan, gangguan waktu tidur dan ketidakselesaan, manakala penduduk yang tinggal dalam Radius B pula mengalami gangguan haid, penurunan keinginan syahwat, masalah kardiovaskular, kelainan pergerakan, gangguan pendengaran, keletihan serta ketidakselesaan.

“Walaupun simptom itu semakin berkurangan apabila menuju Radius C, zon berkenaan mencatat distribusi kes kanser paling tinggi,” katanya.

Dr Adlina berkata, pihak berkuasa perlu mengambil langkah sewajarnya dengan menghentikan operasi menara telekomunikasi itu seberapa segera untuk kesejahteraan penduduk.

“Saya sendiri terpaksa mengeluarkan belanja lebih RM20,000 untuk merawat dua anak. Anak lelaki saya dimasukkan ke hospital kerana mengalami ketumbuhan pada wajah dan selepas dirawat, kembali berulang. Anak perempuan saya pula dijangkiti ‘herpes zoster’ iaitu sejenis kayap yang tidak akan menyerang sistem imun badan orang normal. Seluruh ahli keluarga kami juga sentiasa berasa pening kepala melampau.

“Selain itu, kedudukan menara yang terlalu hampir dengan rumah penduduk iaitu sekadar 10 meter menimbulkan persoalan kerana garis panduan dikeluarkan Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) menyarankan jarak 150 meter,” katanya.

.

APA KATA ISTERI DR KHIR TOYO ISU BALKIS

	Pada pendapat saya, isu ini akan dapat diselesaikan tidak lama lagi Insya ALlah. YAB Tan Sri MB Selangor yang kaya dengan pengalaman dalam dunia korporat tentu sudah biasa dengan masalah “take over”, “hostile bid” dan sebagainya. Isu Balkis: MB kata tidak beretika, apa jawapan Zaharah

OLEH BEN ROSA SHAH ALAM, Ahad 27 April : Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim menyifatkan tindakan Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri-isteri Selangor (Balkis) memohon pertubuhan itu dibubarkan Pendaftar Pertubuhan sebagai satu tindakan tidak beretika. Katanya, Balkis sebagai institusi kebajikan yang menerima sumbangan dana daripada masyarakat tidak seharusnya bertindak demikian tanpa memberitahu penyumbang dana tersebut. “Duit yang dikutip daripada masyarakat adalah duit yang diberi secara amanah, oleh sebab itu membubarkan atau menukar bentuk dengan tidak memberitahu pemberi dana tersebut boleh menjadi satu perkara yang tak ada etika,” ujarnya. Abdul Khalid ditemui selepas menghadiri majlis silaturahim bersama penduduk Bukit Jelutong di Dewan MBSA, Jalan Adang dekat sini petang tadi. Abdul Khalid diminta mengulas tindakan Balkis memohon pertubuhan itu dibubarkan pada 11 Mac lalu, tiga hari selepas pilihan raya umum ke-12. Menurut satu kenyataan pada 24 April, kerajaan negeri sudah menerima laporan daripada pegawai Balkis bahawa pertubuhan itu telah memindahkan sebanyak RM9.9 juta ke Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Tenaga Isteri-isteri Menteri (Bakti). Balkis juga dikatakan telah menerima sumbangan daripada anak-anak syarikat kerajaan negeri. Kenyataan itu turut mempertikaikan kesahihan bekas Yang Dipertuanya, Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik memanggil dan mempengerusikan mesyuarat tergempar Balkis dengan tujuan membubarkan pertubuhan itu. Dalam ucapannya sebelum itu, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid berkata Balkis yang ditubuhkan pada 1985 seharusnya tidak dibubarkan hanya kerana kerajaan sudah bertukar. “Pegangan RM9 juta itu tidak jadi masalah (bagi kita) sebab pendapatan (daerah) Klang saja boleh jadi RM200 juta dan peruntukan bajet kita RM1.3 bilion. Tapi yang masalahnya ialah dari segi prinsip. Sementara itu, Zaharah dalam siding medianya di sini, hari ini menyatakan pembubara Balkis atas persetujuan dua pertiga ahlinya dalam satu mesyuarat agung pada 11 Mac lalu. Menurutnya, pembubaran itu selaras dengan peruntukan fasal 15 (1) Perlembagaan Balkis dan minit-minit mesyuaratnya boleh mengesahkan pematuhan segala peruntukan undang-undang ini. “Ttindakan memindahkan segala baki wang Balkis kepada Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri-Isteri Menteri (Bakti) juga adalah selaras dengan peruntukan Fasal 15 (2) Perlembagaan Balkis,” ujarnya. Fasal itu menyebut segala baki wang yang ada akan didermakan kepada kerajaan atau tabung lain yang serupa yang diluluskan oleh Pengarah Hasil Dalam Negeri. Hadir sama ialah bekas Setiausaha Balkis, Datin Pon Ishak, ahli-ahli jawatankuasa Balkis dan ahli-ahli pertubuhan itu. Dalam perkembangan sama, Zaharah mempertahankan tindakannya mempengerusikan mesyuarat agung Balkis pada 11 Mac lalu kerana ketika itu beliau masih Yang Dipertua dan masih belum meletak jawatan. “Sebelum isteri seorang Menteri Besar dilantik menjadi Yang Dipertua, ianya hendaklah disahkan dahulu dalam satu mesyuarat agung serta mendapat persetujuan dari isteri Menteri Besar itu sendiri yang selaras dengan peruntukan Fasal 9.3 (a) Perlembagaan Balkis. “Saya menegaskan di sini pada tarikh 11 Mac lalu, Menteri Besar Selangor yang baru masih belum dilantik, oleh itu isterinya juga masih belum boleh dilantik menjadi Yang Dipertua Balkis. “Ini bermakna saya masih Yang Dipertua Balkis ketika itu kerana saya juga belum meletak jawatan. Jadi tidak timbul soal saya tidak mempunyai kuasa mepengerusikan menyuarat agung untuk membubarkan Balkis ketika itu,” jelasnya.

PENDIDIKAN ISLAM MAMPU: SULTAN SELANGOR BERTITAH

Sultan Sharafuddin melawat murid-muris di kelas Sekolah Rendah Agama Integrasi Tengku Ampuan Fatimah selepas merasmikannya, semalam. Turut serta Dr Hassan Ali (kanan).

Sumber: Suara Selangor Maju

KLANG, 28 April – DYMM Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj bertitah pendidikan Islam di peringkat awal lagi mampu melahirkan generasi Islam yang mempunyai akidah kukuh, ibadah yang benar dan akhlak yang sejahtera.

Titah baginda walaupun kita harus mengikut arus pemodenan dalam era globalisasi ini, ia harus diterima agar kita tidak ketinggalan.

Sultan Sharafuddin bertitah al-Quran juga perlu dibaca, difahami dan dihayati serta mengerjakan solat bagi melahirkan murid yang berjaya dan tabah mengharungi cabaran global.

“Kita juga harus terus aktif memainkan peranan masing-masing untuk mempertingkatkan kualiti diri dan produktiviti supaya negeri Selangor terus maju setanding dengan negara-negara maju di dunia,” titah baginda pada Majlis Perasmian Sekolah Rendah Agama Integrasi (SRAI) Batu Belah dekat sini pagi tadi.

Hadir sama Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri, Teng Chang Khim, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam, Dato’ Dr Hassan Mohamed Ali dan Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais), Dato’ Mohammed Khusrin Munawi.

SRAI Batu Belah kini dikenali dengan nama SRAI Tengku Ampuan Fatimah.

Sultan Selangor juga mahu guru-guru memainkan peranan mereka dalam menyumbang ilmu dan pengalaman untuk mengajar, mendidik dan membimbing murid-murid untuk menguasai dan mendalami ilmu-ilmu yang bermanfaat.

Di samping itu juga, mereka perlu menjaga identiti dan integriti agar dapat dijadikan contoh kepada murid-murid.

“Guru-guru tidak wajar merasakan tugas mereka telah selesai apabila telah tamat waktu di sekolah. Insafilah bahawa murid-murid di luar sekolah akan berdepan dengan krisis identiti, personaliti, budaya dan kerjaya sekiranya mereka gagal mengurus diri mereka.

“Dengan sebab itu guru-guru wajar mendampingi murid pada setiap ketika,” titah baginda.

Baginda bertitah, Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG) turut boleh berperanan lebih aktif dan memberikan kerjasama kepada pihak sekolah.

SRAI Batu Belah adalah salah sebuah dari 10 buah sekolah SRAI yang diwujudkan di Selangor.

Sekolah yang mempunyai 56 tenaga pengajar dan 770 murid ini melaksanakan konsep pendidikan seimbang melalui Kurikulum Baru Sekolah Rendah (KBSR) dan Kurikulum Pendidikan Islam Sekolah Rendah Agama (KPISRA).

Selain SRAI, Jais turut mengurus 12 pra sekolah, 197 Sekolah Rendah Agama (SRA), 275 Kafa Integrasi, 23 Sekolah Agama Menengah dan sebuah Sekolah Agama Menengah Tahfiz Istana Bandar.– NOOR ALLIA KASSIM

DYMM Sultan Selangor bertanya sesuatu kepada guru di sebuah kelas SRAI Batu Belah

sambil diperhatikan Dato’ Dr Hassan. Sekolah itu kini dikenali SRAI Tengku Ampuan

Fatimah. Foto AHMAD FADHLI YAHYA

THE CUTTING EDGE IN DENGUE PREVENTION

MILLIONS of genetically modified (GM) male “warrior” Aedes mosquitoes will soon be released into the fishing village of Pulau Ketam off Selangor as part of international field trials to fight the dengue scourge. The Aedes mosquito is the main vector for dengue and chikungunya fever. Much has to be seen but we are optimistic since if it succeeded, it is going to be major breakthrough in our war against dengue.

It is said that the conventional sterilisation programmes using radiation or chemical treatment to foster sterility, which were tried on mosquitoes as well, did not work. Irradiation rendered these mosquitoes so sickly and unattractive (not so handsome ma ) that their female counterparts shunned them for the wild ones. Conventional methods such as fogging have been ineffective in controlling the spread of these diseases.

If this field trials prove successful, the next step would be to introduce the killer mosquitoes in bigger towns which have a high incidence of dengue. The hot spot map would locate the dengue prone areas.

The location on the island for the field experiment has to be selected carefully since the settlement is unique. A lot of travelling to and fro are taking place daily between the island and the the mainland. Some of these “warriors” may hitch a ride to the mainland and interact with a more diversified fauna on the mainland. What would happen if the “genes” found its way into other species of animals? Another story from science fiction film? no, this time is going to be real. Back home at your doorstep.

Please read on.

2008/04/28

Big hope for ‘warrior’ Aedes

By : Heidi Foo

KLANG: The Health Ministry will consider all factors when conducting field trials using genetically modified (GM) Aedes mosquitoes.

Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said it was too soon to conclude whether the method would be a success as it was at the research stage.

“It is a technological breakthrough and we are hoping that it can control the disease,” he said, adding that research was also being done on vaccines.

Liow was commenting on fears expressed by environmentalists that the release of GM Aedes mosquitoes could cause more harm than good.

The New Sunday Times reported yesterday that the Institute of Medical Research and a company partly owned by the University of Oxford would release “warrior” mosquitoes in Pulau Ketam off Selangor to combat the dengue scourge.

Speaking at a press conference after officiating the Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia annual general meeting in Centro Mall yesterday, Liow said there was a shortage of about 9,000 doctors in the country, adding that in the past five years, more than 100 Malaysian specialists practising abroad had applied to return.

He said those who returned could apply for research grants from the government.

He said the eight Taiwanese universities that were recognised by the government were Medical School of Taiwan, Defence Medical School, Yang Ming Medical School, Chung Kung Medical School, Taipei Medical School, China Medical School, Chung Shan Medical School and Kaoshiung Medical University.

NST Online

2008/04/27

‘Warrior’ mosquitoes to fight dengue scourge

By : P. SELVARANI

If the Pulau Ketam field tests are successful, the days of the Aedes mosquito may be at an end.

The days of the Aedes mosquitoes appear to be numbered, thanks to the efforts of a British bio-tech company and Malaysia’s Institute of Medical Research, writes P. SELVARANI.

MILLIONS of genetically modified (GM) “warrior” Aedes mosquitoes will soon be released into the fishing village of Pulau Ketam off Selangor as part of international field trials to fight the dengue scourge.

The GM male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which carry killer genes, will be released into the wild to eliminate the Aedes mosquito population which spreads dengue fever.

The field trials will be undertaken by the Health Ministry’s Institute of Medical Research (IMR) in collaboration with British-based Oxitec Ltd, an insect bio-tech company part-owned by the University of Oxford.

This follows the success of confined lab trials which were conducted under the supervision of the IMR over the past year.

The field testing is expected to be conducted on a wider scale on Pulau Ketam at the end of the year or early next year.

The team is undertaking a baseline survey of the island, which is reported to have a high number of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Oxitec has advertised on its website vacancies for the Pulau Ketam field-testing job, which includes a position for a senior entomologist.

The field trials on the island, which is a 30-minute boat ride from Port Klang, are expected to be carried out over a year.

Health Ministry and IMR officials did not want to comment on the tests.

In February, Oxitec had announced that it planned to release the GM mosquitoes in Malaysia on a large scale in three years, following its successful trials.

Calcutta’s The Telegraph newspaper had quoted Oxitec’s head of public health, Seshadri S. Vasan, as saying that the first confined field study under the supervision of the IMR “yielded encouraging results”.

Sources said the controlled lab tests done here were the first in the world and was a breakthrough in the fight against dengue, which has grown to alarming proportions across the globe in recent years.

The technique involves releasing GM male Aedes mosquitoes to mate with the female Aedes mosquito. The lethal genes cause the larvae to die.

(Only a female mosquito can transmit the disease-causing germ because it, and not the male mosquito, has a proboscis that is capable of piercing the human skin.)

The Aedes mosquito is the main vector for dengue and chikungunya fever and conventional methods such as fogging have been ineffective in controlling the spread of these diseases.

However, environmental non-governmental organisations fear that releasing these GM mosquitoes in the wild may affect the ecosystem and cause further damage.

Gurmit Singh, the chairman of the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, said: “Like all GM organisms, once they have been released in the wild, how do you prevent them from interacting with other insects and producing mutants which may be worse than the Aedes mos-quito?”

It is learnt that if the Pulau Ketam field trials prove successful, the next step would be to introduce the killer mosquitoes in bigger towns which have a high incidence of dengue.

The Telegraph had also reported that the sterile insect technique (SIT), which involves releasing millions of sterile male insects over a wide area to mate with the native female ones, had been around for decades.

It said the conventional sterilisation programmes using radiation or chemical treatment to foster sterility, which were tried on mosquitoes as well, did not work.

Irradiation rendered these mosquitoes so sickly and unattractive that their female counterparts shunned them for the wild ones.

On the other hand, mosquitoes subjected to Oxitec’s proprietary technique, called RIDL-SIT, remained healthy and attractive enough to woo the native female insects.

This was proved in independent case studies in Oxford and France and in contained semi-field trials in Malaysia.

Vasan was quoted as saying that the latest study in Malaysia showed that “up to 50 per cent of the wild type female mosquitoes chose to mate with Oxitec’s RIDL male mosquitoes”.

The paper added that Oxitec had received regulatory and import permits for confined evaluation in the US, France and Malaysia

Maps predict places at greatest risk of dengue

NST ONLINE 20/04/08

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WHAT THE SATELLITES SEE IN SUBANG JAYA (pdf) ” border=”0″ height=”672″ width=”350″> WHAT THE SATELLITES SEE IN SUBANG JAYA (pdf)

IMAGINE opening a map and immediately being able to identify the area where a dengue outbreak is going to occur.

Darus Ahmad is working to increase the accuracy of the risk maps

Now imagine doing this monthly and preventing an outbreak.

This would be the reality next year if Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency director-general Darus Ahmad has his w ay.

Preferring to focus on prevention rather than the cure, Darus came up with the idea of using remote sensing technology to come up with a dengue risk map.

“The idea came about when we realised that current approaches are only used to address the issue after it had already happened.

“So we thought of preventing it before it happened by narrowing down the likely areas to be affected before the dengue outbreak even occur red,” Darus said.

The map, which is expected to be ready by the end of the year, would identify dengue “hot-spots” on a monthly bas i s.

The map will also be able to identify areas which are not dengue-prone in the past but may be in the future.

It will also show the exact locations and the severity of dengue outbreaks.

In addition, the map will also be able to identify activities which contribute to the presence of Aedes mosquitoes.

“For example, we found that the number of dengue cases was lower in areas with bungalow houses than those with terrace houses,” Darus said.

The dengue risk map pilot project started in 2005 and covered the area of Subang Jaya .

It was jointly conducted by the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency, Institute for Medical Research and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council.

Subang Jaya was chosen for the pilot project because it was among the areas with the highest number of dengue c a s e s.

The pilot project involved drawing up dengue risk maps for the years 2002 and 2005.

To test the veracity of the maps, they were compared with the incidence of dengue outbreaks in those two years.

As the maps proved to be accurate, it was decided a risk map for 2009 would be drawn up.

The 2009 dengue risk map identified Seri Kembangan and USJ11 as areas with the most severe probable incidence of dengue.

It also found that 20 per cent of the 437,121 square kilometres area studied was in the “very high risk” category for dengue outbreaks.

“Some of the areas in this category have no dengue cases at the moment but have a high probability of having dengue outbreaks in the future.

“We use satellites to monitor physical parameters or factors that affect the population of Aedes mosquitoes.

“This is then related to weather factors and ground data provided by the Health Ministry.We then map out the potential dengue risk areas.” The satellites are used to measure land use changes and its patterns, types of housing, land surface temperatures, land surface elevation and population density.

Weather patterns would also be included as one of the measurements in the future, said Darus.

“I hope the dengue risk map will help lead to better prevention methods.” Once the pilot project map is ready, he plans to roll it out nationwide and make the map available to the public.

“If the public are aware of the high-risk areas, they will most likely be more co-operative and more responsive to government advice.” Darus said the process of coming up with the risk map had also resulted in some interesting findings.

“We found that most dengue cases happened near construction sites and industrial areas. Interestingly, the areas with the highest number of dengue cases have mostly terrace houses.

MALAYSIAN MEDICAL STUDENT WON AWARD IN UK

Congratulation to Stephanie Siew Jean Tiew, the fourth year medical student of University of Manchester who was among more than 1,500 students representing 127 nationalities in the annual competition by the British Council that won the prestigious award of the International Student of the Year 2008 award, and a cash prize of STG2,000 (RM12,500). She also won the prestigious Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Student Prize.

Medical student wins British Council award

By : Zaharah Othman in London

Source: NSTonline
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

Medical student Stephanie Siew Jean Tiew flanked by Datuk Jimmy Choo (right) and veteran broadcaster Moira Stuart after receiving the award last Wednesday.

MEDICAL student Stephanie Siew Jean Tiew’s passion and dedication in saving the lives of babies has won her the International Student of the Year 2008 award, and a cash prize of STG2,000 (RM12,500).

The fourth year student of University of Manchester was among more than 1,500 students representing 127 nationalities in the annual competition by the British Council.

The competition aims to shine the spotlight on international students and their unique contributions to life in the UK.

Siew, who established the “Save a Baby’s Life” Society with fellow students, goes to local communities to teach parents and carers of babies about basic life support skills. She also raises funds for the society.

Present to hand over the prize to Siew at the award ceremony last Wednesday was Datuk Jimmy Choo.
Siew was one of 12 finalists to vie for the award and the entry letter that she submitted, detailing her achievements that helped make her time in the UK so rewarding, moved the judges.

In her letter, Siew said: “Since coming to the UK, I feel the sky is the limit and I have dared to dream. This is a place full of opportunities and endless possibilities. The supportive culture in campus, be it from faculty staff or peers, has knitted an extraordinary student life for me. I am a simple country girl who has blossomed into a confident and capable woman.”

Despite her busy schedule, Siew finds time to counsel local teenagers interested in a career in healthcare and writes for the medical school newsletter, Mediscope, while also representing the university in debating tournaments.

On her award, she said: “I am thrilled and delighted to have been chosen as an ambassador for my university and country.”

Siew has also won the prestigious Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Student Prize and has been invited to present one of her papers at an international conference.

Martin Davidson, chief executive of the British Council, said: “The British Council knows that international students make a huge contribution and commitment to life in the UK.

“This competition provides a fantastic opportunity for them to earn some well-deserved recognition for their achievements, a great chance for them to show the world what they’ve achieved while in the UK.

FIIXING "ELECTION FIXING IN UMNO"

After fifty odd years, UMNO suddenly woke up one day from an episode of bad dream to find that she has to fix the problem of “election fixing” otherwise all the talk about transparency, integrity and good governance is just a gimmick.

Money politics has been an acute-on-chronic problem in Umno each time members go to the polls to choose their party leaders. The phenomenon of money politics in UMNO is translated into that of the national politics. This in turn causes a cascading effects into the activities of the government agencies and departments.

It has been the practice in UMNO AGM in some division for its leaders to direct delegates to opt for block-voting . Copies of the list of names of the preferred candidates, like a “shadow cabinet”, are usually distributed to delegates, who will in turn carry out block-voting or what the party grassroots call sistem rakit or main rakit.

Delegates are rewarded with cash, gifts and holiday trips to Langkawi, Bali or Europe.

While the division chiefs are usually the king-makers, agents or lobbyists are in cahoots distributing copies of the list of names — from the posts of party president, deputy president, and three vice-presidents to the 25 supreme council members — several days before the elections, and even outside meeting halls before the AGM starts.

The corrupt practice had put Umno at the mercy of the delegates and there was no freedom of choice, even at the lowest level of the party.

Despite this glaring corrupt practice, many educated Malays still find UMNO to be an appealing political platform.

Umno fixing problem of ‘election fixing’

By : Zubaidah Abu Bakar

Source:NSTonline
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

ASK any Umno member and he will not deny that those holding posts at various levels in the party have, more often than not, used their positions to ensure the victory of candidates of their choice in party polls.

And at the annual general meeting of some divisions, this unhealthy practice is employed openly.

It saves time — that is usually the excuse for “directing” delegates to opt for block-voting so that they will not have to go through the tedious voting process.

Copies of the list of names of the preferred candidates, like a “shadow cabinet”, are usually distributed to delegates, who will in turn carry out block-voting or what the party grassroots call sistem rakit or main rakit.

While the division chiefs are usually the king-makers, agents or lobbyists are in cahoots distributing copies of the list of names — from the posts of party president, deputy president, and three vice-presidents to the 25 supreme council members — several days before the elections, and even outside meeting halls before the AGM starts.
There have also been cases in which delegates found themselves with more than one list.

During the last Umno elections in 2004, the party found that there were leaders who used this voting system to ensure that candidates of calibre were sidelined in favour of their chosen candidates.

Delegates were also believed to have been rewarded with cash, gifts and holiday trips.

The corrupt practice had put Umno at the mercy of the delegates and there was no freedom of choice, even at the lowest level of the party.

Well, it will no longer be easy for leaders to fix elections from now on.

The Umno supreme council’s decision last month to ban block-voting should put a stop to this old practice of “election fixing”, which unfortunately breeds money politics.

Delegates will be more free to make their choices when Umno holds its branch elections from July 27 to Aug 23, division polls (from Oct 9 to Nov 9) and elections at the central level from Dec 16 to 20.

The council, at its last meeting on March 27, had endorsed amendments to the party’s code of ethics for party elections, which included a clause preventing members empowered to conduct elections at the branch, division and supreme council delegates’ meetings from using the block-voting system.

Since the regulation is effective six months before the election process, the ban, therefore, is effective immediately.

The ban will alleviate the emergence of camps or factions.

More importantly, it will help check money politics, an acute problem in Umno each time members go to the polls to choose their party leaders.

As warned by party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, members can face disciplinary action, including expulsion, if found guilty by the party’s disciplinary board.

Muhyiddin will begin a nationwide tour in Sabah to explain to party members the new provision and other amendments made to the Umno code of ethics for elections — a move, many say, should discourage a practice which would have fractionalise Umno further.

While the regulation is lauded because it can help eliminate, if not reduce, money politics, a problem staring back at Umno is how effective enforcement can be.

This again boils down to the commitment of members.

If they help the party act against those who misuse their positions and indulge in money politics, the law will take its due course and offenders will be punished.

BENGKEL PENYEDIAAN PELAN STRATEGIK P,PT& PMI SELANGOR 2008-2013

Satu bengkel bagi tujuan penyediaan Pelan Strategik Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Negeri Selangor bagi tahun 2008-2013 telah diadakan pada 28hb April 2008 bertempat di Kelab Shah Alam , Shah Alam Selangor yang telah berjaya mengumpulkan antara lain cendikiawan, intelek, pendidik, guru TASKA serta PASTI, pensyarah Universiti/kolej awam dan swasta, pengarah syarikat , usahawan , ustaz , kaunselor, doktor, ahli politik, dan pakar motivasi. Bahagian Pengurusan Sumber Pejabat SUK telah menjadi urusetia bengkel ini.
Moderator sedang membincangkan Kerangka Pelan Pembanguan

Moderator sedang membincangkan Teras Strategik Kerangka Pelan Pembangunan Negeri Selangor.

Pengerusi Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor berucap di sesi penutup bengkel seraya mengucapkan terima kasih serta ucapan penghargaan kepada para peserta yang telah menyumbangkan idea serta buah fikiran.

PENULISAN JURNAL & TESIS PENSYARAH KITA

myMetro

Nasib jurnal tempatan

Oleh Ruhaiza Rusmin
ruhaiza@hmetro.com.my

.

PENGIKTIRAFAN terhadap penghasilan jurnal atau tesis oleh pensyarah adalah antara cara memartabatkan taraf pendidikan sesebuah institusi sama ada di peringkat tempatan atau antarabangsa.

Menerusinya, keupayaan, kredibiliti, kemampuan dan nama sesebuah institusi itu mampu dinilai dan dikenali selain meletakkan taraf pendidikan negara setara universiti ternama.

Biarpun institusi tempatan giat menghasilkan jurnal atau tesis, masyarakat masih mempunyai persepsi negatif pensyarah tempatan tidak mampu menandingi keupayaan pensyarah luar.

Penghasilannya pula bagaikan tersekat kerana dikatakan tidak menepati piawaian ditetapkan.

Biarpun ada ramai pensyarah tempatan berkaliber, kegagalan menempatkan hasil jurnal atau tesis di peringkat nasional atau tempatan menyekat peluang menonjolkan kemampuan.

Apakah kegagalan itu disebabkan diskriminasi terhadap latar belakang pensyarah atau memang tidak mampu memenuhi kehendak penghasilan ditetapkan hingga jauh ketinggalan dan akhirnya hanya terperap di universiti?

Timbalan Dekan Pusat Pengajian Siswazah Perniagaan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Profesor Dr Aliah Hanim M Salleh, berkata tidak timbul isu kegagalan pensyarah institusi tempatan menepati piawaian penghasilan tesis atau jurnal kerana mereka mempunyai nilai kualiti setara.

Beliau berkata, mereka ada kualiti pendidikan dan pengalaman, justeru tidak timbul produk yang dihasilkan tidak bermutu.

“Keupayaan pensyarah tempatan hebat dan setara negara lain. Kebanyakannya melanjutkan pengajian ke luar negara dan berpengalaman.

“Sudah tentu penghasilan produk jurnal atau tesis yang dihasilkan berkualiti. Merendahkan keupayaan mereka sama seperti mempertikaikan tahap pendidikan tempatan.

“Saya tidak bersetuju pendapat kononnya kebanyakan hasil kajian dan tesis pensyarah tempatan tidak dikomersialkan dan hanya terperap di universiti,” katanya.

Ditanya mengapa penghasilan jurnal atau tesis kurang ketara, Dr Aliah Hanim berkata ia berpunca daripada beberapa faktor seperti kekurangan sokongan kewangan dan masa.

“Menghasilkan tesis atau jurnal bukan murah, faktor kewangan perlu diambil kira. Kebanyakan pensyarah juga terikat dengan tanggungjawab mengajar, justeru pembahagian masa kena selari.

“Jangan suka buat perbandingan, itu tidak adil sebab institusi luar mempunyai ramai tenaga pengajar dan sistem pendidikan tidak sama.

“Bagaimanapun, saya berpendapat, produk pensyarah tempatan tidak kurang hebatnya. Cuma kurang ketara kerana kebanyakan mentaliti masih merujuk atau mencari penghasilan luar,” katanya.

Beliau mengakui,, produk tesis pensyarah tempatan setanding dengan institusi luar, cuma segelintir mungkin menghadapi masalah menguasai bahasa Inggeris yang baik.

“Menghasilkan penulisan bukan saja memerlukan penumpuan malah penggunaan bahasa Inggeris juga penting. Ini membezakan pengalaman dan kepakaran seseorang pensyarah.

“Melabelkan pensyarah kita tidak bermutu kurang tepat sebab bukan hanya berlaku pada institusi tempatan, malah seluruh dunia,” katanya.

Menurut Dr Aliah Hanim, usaha melahirkan pensyarah cemerlang bukan hanya bersandarkan kepada pencapaian akademik tapi kemampuan sesebuah universiti memberi pendedahan.

“Proses melahirkan pensyarah, tesis atau jurnal terbaik memerlukan tempoh panjang. Selain inisiatif diri sendiri, sokongan pelbagai pihak juga penting kerana pensyarah luar lebih berpengalaman dan mempunyai pelbagai kemudahan,” katanya.

Beliau berharap pensyarah tempatan jangan patah semangat, menggandakan usaha dengan melakukan pelbagai penyelidikan, kajian serta rajin menghadiri seminar antarabangsa bagi menambah ilmu.

“Memang ada cabaran dan pelbagai kerenah birokrasi, bagaimanapun terimanya dengan positif.

“Golongan pensyarah adalah cendekiawan dan berperanan mengangkat serta meneroka kepelbagaian cabang ilmu.

“Penghasilan bermutu bukan saja membantu menaikkan nama institusi dan negara di mata dunia malah membantu melahirkan generasi berkepakaran pada masa depan,” katanya.

MENARA PEMANCAR BAWA PADAH

Pemandangan begini sudah menjadi suatu landskap yang biasa di negara kita. Di tempat saya di Klang, terdapat sebuah menara pemancar yang agak besar tersergam di atas sebuah bukit yang masih belum digondolkan. Di bawah pemancar itulah terdapat pelbagai ragam manusia. Ada yang sedang bersenam, ada yang sedang bertai chi, ada yang berlari anak, ada yang sedang makan di tepi tasik dan ada yang saja duduk-duduk bersantai. Tak jauh dari situ terdapat sebuah sekolah menengah dan sekolah rendah serta beberapa taman perumahan. Sebuah stesen bomba telah dibina di situ.

Saya juga telah mendapat beberapa surat aduan serta satu petisyen yang ditandatangani penduduk di sekitar sebuah rumah kedai dua tingkat di Teluk Pulai Klang yang mengadu bahawa pemancar telekomunikasi berkenaan tidak sepatutnya ditempatkan di situ.

Apakan daya kita ?

Hidup bawah pancaran maut

Oleh Helmy Abd Rahman
helmy@hmetro.com.my

KELANA JAYA: Ibarat telur di hujung tanduk. Itulah situasi dihadapi penduduk Taman Subang di sini, yang dipercayai berisiko lebih tinggi diserang kanser dan pelbagai penyakit kronik lain berikutan tinggal berhampiran menara pemancar telekomunikasi.

Pendedahan mengejutkan itu dibuat Profesor Bersekutu Fakulti Perubatan Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Prof Madya Dr Adlina Suleiman, bersama 10 pelajarnya, baru-baru ini, melalui kajian kesan radiasi menara pemancar telekomunikasi terhadap penduduk di taman perumahan itu.

Anak lelakinya dimasukkan ke hospital kerana mengalami ketumbuhan pada wajah dan peliknya selepas dirawat, ketumbuhan itu kembali berulang.

Anak perempuannya pula dijangkiti ‘herpes zoster’ iaitu sejenis kayap yang tidak akan menyerang sistem imun badan orang normal.

Hasil kaji selidik dua minggu membabitkan 170 penduduk taman perumahan itu mendapati 8.23 peratus responden dilaporkan diserang kanser berbanding tidak sampai satu peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan rakyat negara ini mengalami penyakit sama.

Kebanyakan kes berlaku sesudah sebuah menara pemancar telekomunikasi didirikan di taman perumahan itu 10 tahun lalu, sekali gus menimbulkan persoalan sama ada ia mempunyai kaitan secara langsung dengannya.

Dr Adlina yang turut menghuni taman perumahan itu mengambil inisiatif membuat siasatan mengenai bahaya kesan radiasi gelombang elektromagnetik (EMR) dihasilkan menara pemancar telekomunikasi sebelum melakukan kaji selidik dua minggu membabitkan 170 responden terbabit.

“Mengikut kajian satu badan dibiayai Kesatuan Eropah (EU) yang dipanggil Reflex menunjukkan, wujud kemungkinan gelombang elektromagnetik bertenaga rendah (EMF) dapat memusnahkan kromosom, merubah aktiviti sesetengah gen dan mempercepatkan pembahagian sel.

“Ini bermakna ada kemungkinan sesiapa yang mempunyai sel kanser peringkat awal berdepan risiko maut secara mendadak jika masuk ke Taman Subang dengan percambahan segera sel itu yang dipertingkatkan melalui gelombang EMF.

“Dengan jumlah lebih 50 antena dan cakera pemancar gelombang yang dipasang pada menara berkenaan, bayangkan berapa banyak gelombang EMF terpaksa diserap penduduk setiap hari,” katanya kepada Harian Metro.

Beliau berkata, objektif kaji selidik yang dilakukannya untuk menentukan kesan EMR terhadap penduduk Taman Subang membabitkan kejadian kanser, simptom tertentu, kekerapan sambaran kilat dan kebimbangan penduduk setempat berhubung kewujudan menara telekomunikasi berkenaan.

“Hasil kaji selidik itu menunjukkan angka mengejutkan membabitkan kejadian kanser di kalangan penduduk apabila mendapati 18.8 peratus daripada responden lelaki berumur 40 hingga 59 tahun diserang kanser berbanding hanya 0.21 peratus penduduk lelaki Malaysia dalam lingkungan usia sama mengalaminya.

“Responden wanita pula dalam lingkungan usia sama 2.56 peratus berbanding hanya 0.38 untuk keseluruhan kes di negara ini.

“Bagi lelaki berumur 60 ke atas (responden) pula, 11.54 peratus penduduk Taman Subang mengalaminya berbanding lelaki negara ini yang seusia (0.94 peratus), manakala wanita seusia di Taman Subang 13.3 peratus berbanding 0.67 peratus di Malaysia.

“Secara amnya, 8.23 peratus di kalangan 170 responden mengalami kanser berbanding tidak sampai satu peratus membabitkan keseluruhan populasi penduduk negara ini mengalaminya,” katanya.

Menurutnya, kaji selidik berkenaan dibuat membabitkan penduduk yang tinggal dalam lingkungan jarak 120 meter dari menara berkenaan dengan populasi penduduk dibahagikan tiga zon lingkungan iaitu Radius A yang berjarak 40 meter, Radius B (80 meter) dan Radius C (120 meter).

“Penduduk yang tinggal dalam Radius A mengalami simptom paling tinggi membabitkan keluhan pening, hilang ingatan, kurang penumpuan, loya, kemurungan, hilang selera makan, sakit kepala, gangguan penglihatan, gangguan waktu tidur dan ketidakselesaan, manakala penduduk yang tinggal dalam Radius B pula mengalami gangguan haid, penurunan keinginan syahwat, masalah kardiovaskular, kelainan pergerakan, gangguan pendengaran, keletihan serta ketidakselesaan.

“Walaupun simptom itu semakin berkurangan apabila menuju Radius C, zon berkenaan mencatat distribusi kes kanser paling tinggi,” katanya.

Dr Adlina berkata, pihak berkuasa perlu mengambil langkah sewajarnya dengan menghentikan operasi menara telekomunikasi itu seberapa segera untuk kesejahteraan penduduk.

“Saya sendiri terpaksa mengeluarkan belanja lebih RM20,000 untuk merawat dua anak. Anak lelaki saya dimasukkan ke hospital kerana mengalami ketumbuhan pada wajah dan selepas dirawat, kembali berulang. Anak perempuan saya pula dijangkiti ‘herpes zoster’ iaitu sejenis kayap yang tidak akan menyerang sistem imun badan orang normal. Seluruh ahli keluarga kami juga sentiasa berasa pening kepala melampau.

“Selain itu, kedudukan menara yang terlalu hampir dengan rumah penduduk iaitu sekadar 10 meter menimbulkan persoalan kerana garis panduan dikeluarkan Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) menyarankan jarak 150 meter,” katanya.

.

APA KATA ISTERI DR KHIR TOYO ISU BALKIS

	Pada pendapat saya, isu ini akan dapat diselesaikan tidak lama lagi Insya ALlah. YAB Tan Sri MB Selangor yang kaya dengan pengalaman dalam dunia korporat tentu sudah biasa dengan masalah “take over”, “hostile bid” dan sebagainya. Isu Balkis: MB kata tidak beretika, apa jawapan Zaharah

OLEH BEN ROSA SHAH ALAM, Ahad 27 April : Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim menyifatkan tindakan Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri-isteri Selangor (Balkis) memohon pertubuhan itu dibubarkan Pendaftar Pertubuhan sebagai satu tindakan tidak beretika. Katanya, Balkis sebagai institusi kebajikan yang menerima sumbangan dana daripada masyarakat tidak seharusnya bertindak demikian tanpa memberitahu penyumbang dana tersebut. “Duit yang dikutip daripada masyarakat adalah duit yang diberi secara amanah, oleh sebab itu membubarkan atau menukar bentuk dengan tidak memberitahu pemberi dana tersebut boleh menjadi satu perkara yang tak ada etika,” ujarnya. Abdul Khalid ditemui selepas menghadiri majlis silaturahim bersama penduduk Bukit Jelutong di Dewan MBSA, Jalan Adang dekat sini petang tadi. Abdul Khalid diminta mengulas tindakan Balkis memohon pertubuhan itu dibubarkan pada 11 Mac lalu, tiga hari selepas pilihan raya umum ke-12. Menurut satu kenyataan pada 24 April, kerajaan negeri sudah menerima laporan daripada pegawai Balkis bahawa pertubuhan itu telah memindahkan sebanyak RM9.9 juta ke Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Tenaga Isteri-isteri Menteri (Bakti). Balkis juga dikatakan telah menerima sumbangan daripada anak-anak syarikat kerajaan negeri. Kenyataan itu turut mempertikaikan kesahihan bekas Yang Dipertuanya, Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik memanggil dan mempengerusikan mesyuarat tergempar Balkis dengan tujuan membubarkan pertubuhan itu. Dalam ucapannya sebelum itu, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid berkata Balkis yang ditubuhkan pada 1985 seharusnya tidak dibubarkan hanya kerana kerajaan sudah bertukar. “Pegangan RM9 juta itu tidak jadi masalah (bagi kita) sebab pendapatan (daerah) Klang saja boleh jadi RM200 juta dan peruntukan bajet kita RM1.3 bilion. Tapi yang masalahnya ialah dari segi prinsip. Sementara itu, Zaharah dalam siding medianya di sini, hari ini menyatakan pembubara Balkis atas persetujuan dua pertiga ahlinya dalam satu mesyuarat agung pada 11 Mac lalu. Menurutnya, pembubaran itu selaras dengan peruntukan fasal 15 (1) Perlembagaan Balkis dan minit-minit mesyuaratnya boleh mengesahkan pematuhan segala peruntukan undang-undang ini. “Ttindakan memindahkan segala baki wang Balkis kepada Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri-Isteri Menteri (Bakti) juga adalah selaras dengan peruntukan Fasal 15 (2) Perlembagaan Balkis,” ujarnya. Fasal itu menyebut segala baki wang yang ada akan didermakan kepada kerajaan atau tabung lain yang serupa yang diluluskan oleh Pengarah Hasil Dalam Negeri. Hadir sama ialah bekas Setiausaha Balkis, Datin Pon Ishak, ahli-ahli jawatankuasa Balkis dan ahli-ahli pertubuhan itu. Dalam perkembangan sama, Zaharah mempertahankan tindakannya mempengerusikan mesyuarat agung Balkis pada 11 Mac lalu kerana ketika itu beliau masih Yang Dipertua dan masih belum meletak jawatan. “Sebelum isteri seorang Menteri Besar dilantik menjadi Yang Dipertua, ianya hendaklah disahkan dahulu dalam satu mesyuarat agung serta mendapat persetujuan dari isteri Menteri Besar itu sendiri yang selaras dengan peruntukan Fasal 9.3 (a) Perlembagaan Balkis. “Saya menegaskan di sini pada tarikh 11 Mac lalu, Menteri Besar Selangor yang baru masih belum dilantik, oleh itu isterinya juga masih belum boleh dilantik menjadi Yang Dipertua Balkis. “Ini bermakna saya masih Yang Dipertua Balkis ketika itu kerana saya juga belum meletak jawatan. Jadi tidak timbul soal saya tidak mempunyai kuasa mepengerusikan menyuarat agung untuk membubarkan Balkis ketika itu,” jelasnya.

PENDIDIKAN ISLAM MAMPU: SULTAN SELANGOR BERTITAH

Sultan Sharafuddin melawat murid-muris di kelas Sekolah Rendah Agama Integrasi Tengku Ampuan Fatimah selepas merasmikannya, semalam. Turut serta Dr Hassan Ali (kanan).

Sumber: Suara Selangor Maju

KLANG, 28 April – DYMM Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj bertitah pendidikan Islam di peringkat awal lagi mampu melahirkan generasi Islam yang mempunyai akidah kukuh, ibadah yang benar dan akhlak yang sejahtera.

Titah baginda walaupun kita harus mengikut arus pemodenan dalam era globalisasi ini, ia harus diterima agar kita tidak ketinggalan.

Sultan Sharafuddin bertitah al-Quran juga perlu dibaca, difahami dan dihayati serta mengerjakan solat bagi melahirkan murid yang berjaya dan tabah mengharungi cabaran global.

“Kita juga harus terus aktif memainkan peranan masing-masing untuk mempertingkatkan kualiti diri dan produktiviti supaya negeri Selangor terus maju setanding dengan negara-negara maju di dunia,” titah baginda pada Majlis Perasmian Sekolah Rendah Agama Integrasi (SRAI) Batu Belah dekat sini pagi tadi.

Hadir sama Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri, Teng Chang Khim, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam, Dato’ Dr Hassan Mohamed Ali dan Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais), Dato’ Mohammed Khusrin Munawi.

SRAI Batu Belah kini dikenali dengan nama SRAI Tengku Ampuan Fatimah.

Sultan Selangor juga mahu guru-guru memainkan peranan mereka dalam menyumbang ilmu dan pengalaman untuk mengajar, mendidik dan membimbing murid-murid untuk menguasai dan mendalami ilmu-ilmu yang bermanfaat.

Di samping itu juga, mereka perlu menjaga identiti dan integriti agar dapat dijadikan contoh kepada murid-murid.

“Guru-guru tidak wajar merasakan tugas mereka telah selesai apabila telah tamat waktu di sekolah. Insafilah bahawa murid-murid di luar sekolah akan berdepan dengan krisis identiti, personaliti, budaya dan kerjaya sekiranya mereka gagal mengurus diri mereka.

“Dengan sebab itu guru-guru wajar mendampingi murid pada setiap ketika,” titah baginda.

Baginda bertitah, Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG) turut boleh berperanan lebih aktif dan memberikan kerjasama kepada pihak sekolah.

SRAI Batu Belah adalah salah sebuah dari 10 buah sekolah SRAI yang diwujudkan di Selangor.

Sekolah yang mempunyai 56 tenaga pengajar dan 770 murid ini melaksanakan konsep pendidikan seimbang melalui Kurikulum Baru Sekolah Rendah (KBSR) dan Kurikulum Pendidikan Islam Sekolah Rendah Agama (KPISRA).

Selain SRAI, Jais turut mengurus 12 pra sekolah, 197 Sekolah Rendah Agama (SRA), 275 Kafa Integrasi, 23 Sekolah Agama Menengah dan sebuah Sekolah Agama Menengah Tahfiz Istana Bandar.– NOOR ALLIA KASSIM

DYMM Sultan Selangor bertanya sesuatu kepada guru di sebuah kelas SRAI Batu Belah

sambil diperhatikan Dato’ Dr Hassan. Sekolah itu kini dikenali SRAI Tengku Ampuan

Fatimah. Foto AHMAD FADHLI YAHYA

THE CUTTING EDGE IN DENGUE PREVENTION

MILLIONS of genetically modified (GM) male “warrior” Aedes mosquitoes will soon be released into the fishing village of Pulau Ketam off Selangor as part of international field trials to fight the dengue scourge. The Aedes mosquito is the main vector for dengue and chikungunya fever. Much has to be seen but we are optimistic since if it succeeded, it is going to be major breakthrough in our war against dengue.

It is said that the conventional sterilisation programmes using radiation or chemical treatment to foster sterility, which were tried on mosquitoes as well, did not work. Irradiation rendered these mosquitoes so sickly and unattractive (not so handsome ma ) that their female counterparts shunned them for the wild ones. Conventional methods such as fogging have been ineffective in controlling the spread of these diseases.

If this field trials prove successful, the next step would be to introduce the killer mosquitoes in bigger towns which have a high incidence of dengue. The hot spot map would locate the dengue prone areas.

The location on the island for the field experiment has to be selected carefully since the settlement is unique. A lot of travelling to and fro are taking place daily between the island and the the mainland. Some of these “warriors” may hitch a ride to the mainland and interact with a more diversified fauna on the mainland. What would happen if the “genes” found its way into other species of animals? Another story from science fiction film? no, this time is going to be real. Back home at your doorstep.

Please read on.

2008/04/28

Big hope for ‘warrior’ Aedes

By : Heidi Foo

KLANG: The Health Ministry will consider all factors when conducting field trials using genetically modified (GM) Aedes mosquitoes.

Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said it was too soon to conclude whether the method would be a success as it was at the research stage.

“It is a technological breakthrough and we are hoping that it can control the disease,” he said, adding that research was also being done on vaccines.

Liow was commenting on fears expressed by environmentalists that the release of GM Aedes mosquitoes could cause more harm than good.

The New Sunday Times reported yesterday that the Institute of Medical Research and a company partly owned by the University of Oxford would release “warrior” mosquitoes in Pulau Ketam off Selangor to combat the dengue scourge.

Speaking at a press conference after officiating the Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia annual general meeting in Centro Mall yesterday, Liow said there was a shortage of about 9,000 doctors in the country, adding that in the past five years, more than 100 Malaysian specialists practising abroad had applied to return.

He said those who returned could apply for research grants from the government.

He said the eight Taiwanese universities that were recognised by the government were Medical School of Taiwan, Defence Medical School, Yang Ming Medical School, Chung Kung Medical School, Taipei Medical School, China Medical School, Chung Shan Medical School and Kaoshiung Medical University.

NST Online

2008/04/27

‘Warrior’ mosquitoes to fight dengue scourge

By : P. SELVARANI

If the Pulau Ketam field tests are successful, the days of the Aedes mosquito may be at an end.

The days of the Aedes mosquitoes appear to be numbered, thanks to the efforts of a British bio-tech company and Malaysia’s Institute of Medical Research, writes P. SELVARANI.

MILLIONS of genetically modified (GM) “warrior” Aedes mosquitoes will soon be released into the fishing village of Pulau Ketam off Selangor as part of international field trials to fight the dengue scourge.

The GM male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which carry killer genes, will be released into the wild to eliminate the Aedes mosquito population which spreads dengue fever.

The field trials will be undertaken by the Health Ministry’s Institute of Medical Research (IMR) in collaboration with British-based Oxitec Ltd, an insect bio-tech company part-owned by the University of Oxford.

This follows the success of confined lab trials which were conducted under the supervision of the IMR over the past year.

The field testing is expected to be conducted on a wider scale on Pulau Ketam at the end of the year or early next year.

The team is undertaking a baseline survey of the island, which is reported to have a high number of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Oxitec has advertised on its website vacancies for the Pulau Ketam field-testing job, which includes a position for a senior entomologist.

The field trials on the island, which is a 30-minute boat ride from Port Klang, are expected to be carried out over a year.

Health Ministry and IMR officials did not want to comment on the tests.

In February, Oxitec had announced that it planned to release the GM mosquitoes in Malaysia on a large scale in three years, following its successful trials.

Calcutta’s The Telegraph newspaper had quoted Oxitec’s head of public health, Seshadri S. Vasan, as saying that the first confined field study under the supervision of the IMR “yielded encouraging results”.

Sources said the controlled lab tests done here were the first in the world and was a breakthrough in the fight against dengue, which has grown to alarming proportions across the globe in recent years.

The technique involves releasing GM male Aedes mosquitoes to mate with the female Aedes mosquito. The lethal genes cause the larvae to die.

(Only a female mosquito can transmit the disease-causing germ because it, and not the male mosquito, has a proboscis that is capable of piercing the human skin.)

The Aedes mosquito is the main vector for dengue and chikungunya fever and conventional methods such as fogging have been ineffective in controlling the spread of these diseases.

However, environmental non-governmental organisations fear that releasing these GM mosquitoes in the wild may affect the ecosystem and cause further damage.

Gurmit Singh, the chairman of the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, said: “Like all GM organisms, once they have been released in the wild, how do you prevent them from interacting with other insects and producing mutants which may be worse than the Aedes mos-quito?”

It is learnt that if the Pulau Ketam field trials prove successful, the next step would be to introduce the killer mosquitoes in bigger towns which have a high incidence of dengue.

The Telegraph had also reported that the sterile insect technique (SIT), which involves releasing millions of sterile male insects over a wide area to mate with the native female ones, had been around for decades.

It said the conventional sterilisation programmes using radiation or chemical treatment to foster sterility, which were tried on mosquitoes as well, did not work.

Irradiation rendered these mosquitoes so sickly and unattractive that their female counterparts shunned them for the wild ones.

On the other hand, mosquitoes subjected to Oxitec’s proprietary technique, called RIDL-SIT, remained healthy and attractive enough to woo the native female insects.

This was proved in independent case studies in Oxford and France and in contained semi-field trials in Malaysia.

Vasan was quoted as saying that the latest study in Malaysia showed that “up to 50 per cent of the wild type female mosquitoes chose to mate with Oxitec’s RIDL male mosquitoes”.

The paper added that Oxitec had received regulatory and import permits for confined evaluation in the US, France and Malaysia

Maps predict places at greatest risk of dengue

NST ONLINE 20/04/08

addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

WHAT THE SATELLITES SEE IN SUBANG JAYA (pdf) ” border=”0″ height=”672″ width=”350″> WHAT THE SATELLITES SEE IN SUBANG JAYA (pdf)

IMAGINE opening a map and immediately being able to identify the area where a dengue outbreak is going to occur.

Darus Ahmad is working to increase the accuracy of the risk maps

Now imagine doing this monthly and preventing an outbreak.

This would be the reality next year if Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency director-general Darus Ahmad has his w ay.

Preferring to focus on prevention rather than the cure, Darus came up with the idea of using remote sensing technology to come up with a dengue risk map.

“The idea came about when we realised that current approaches are only used to address the issue after it had already happened.

“So we thought of preventing it before it happened by narrowing down the likely areas to be affected before the dengue outbreak even occur red,” Darus said.

The map, which is expected to be ready by the end of the year, would identify dengue “hot-spots” on a monthly bas i s.

The map will also be able to identify areas which are not dengue-prone in the past but may be in the future.

It will also show the exact locations and the severity of dengue outbreaks.

In addition, the map will also be able to identify activities which contribute to the presence of Aedes mosquitoes.

“For example, we found that the number of dengue cases was lower in areas with bungalow houses than those with terrace houses,” Darus said.

The dengue risk map pilot project started in 2005 and covered the area of Subang Jaya .

It was jointly conducted by the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency, Institute for Medical Research and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council.

Subang Jaya was chosen for the pilot project because it was among the areas with the highest number of dengue c a s e s.

The pilot project involved drawing up dengue risk maps for the years 2002 and 2005.

To test the veracity of the maps, they were compared with the incidence of dengue outbreaks in those two years.

As the maps proved to be accurate, it was decided a risk map for 2009 would be drawn up.

The 2009 dengue risk map identified Seri Kembangan and USJ11 as areas with the most severe probable incidence of dengue.

It also found that 20 per cent of the 437,121 square kilometres area studied was in the “very high risk” category for dengue outbreaks.

“Some of the areas in this category have no dengue cases at the moment but have a high probability of having dengue outbreaks in the future.

“We use satellites to monitor physical parameters or factors that affect the population of Aedes mosquitoes.

“This is then related to weather factors and ground data provided by the Health Ministry.We then map out the potential dengue risk areas.” The satellites are used to measure land use changes and its patterns, types of housing, land surface temperatures, land surface elevation and population density.

Weather patterns would also be included as one of the measurements in the future, said Darus.

“I hope the dengue risk map will help lead to better prevention methods.” Once the pilot project map is ready, he plans to roll it out nationwide and make the map available to the public.

“If the public are aware of the high-risk areas, they will most likely be more co-operative and more responsive to government advice.” Darus said the process of coming up with the risk map had also resulted in some interesting findings.

“We found that most dengue cases happened near construction sites and industrial areas. Interestingly, the areas with the highest number of dengue cases have mostly terrace houses.

MALAYSIAN MEDICAL STUDENT WON AWARD IN UK

Congratulation to Stephanie Siew Jean Tiew, the fourth year medical student of University of Manchester who was among more than 1,500 students representing 127 nationalities in the annual competition by the British Council that won the prestigious award of the International Student of the Year 2008 award, and a cash prize of STG2,000 (RM12,500). She also won the prestigious Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Student Prize.

Medical student wins British Council award

By : Zaharah Othman in London

Source: NSTonline
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

Medical student Stephanie Siew Jean Tiew flanked by Datuk Jimmy Choo (right) and veteran broadcaster Moira Stuart after receiving the award last Wednesday.

MEDICAL student Stephanie Siew Jean Tiew’s passion and dedication in saving the lives of babies has won her the International Student of the Year 2008 award, and a cash prize of STG2,000 (RM12,500).

The fourth year student of University of Manchester was among more than 1,500 students representing 127 nationalities in the annual competition by the British Council.

The competition aims to shine the spotlight on international students and their unique contributions to life in the UK.

Siew, who established the “Save a Baby’s Life” Society with fellow students, goes to local communities to teach parents and carers of babies about basic life support skills. She also raises funds for the society.

Present to hand over the prize to Siew at the award ceremony last Wednesday was Datuk Jimmy Choo.
Siew was one of 12 finalists to vie for the award and the entry letter that she submitted, detailing her achievements that helped make her time in the UK so rewarding, moved the judges.

In her letter, Siew said: “Since coming to the UK, I feel the sky is the limit and I have dared to dream. This is a place full of opportunities and endless possibilities. The supportive culture in campus, be it from faculty staff or peers, has knitted an extraordinary student life for me. I am a simple country girl who has blossomed into a confident and capable woman.”

Despite her busy schedule, Siew finds time to counsel local teenagers interested in a career in healthcare and writes for the medical school newsletter, Mediscope, while also representing the university in debating tournaments.

On her award, she said: “I am thrilled and delighted to have been chosen as an ambassador for my university and country.”

Siew has also won the prestigious Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Student Prize and has been invited to present one of her papers at an international conference.

Martin Davidson, chief executive of the British Council, said: “The British Council knows that international students make a huge contribution and commitment to life in the UK.

“This competition provides a fantastic opportunity for them to earn some well-deserved recognition for their achievements, a great chance for them to show the world what they’ve achieved while in the UK.

FIIXING "ELECTION FIXING IN UMNO"

After fifty odd years, UMNO suddenly woke up one day from an episode of bad dream to find that she has to fix the problem of “election fixing” otherwise all the talk about transparency, integrity and good governance is just a gimmick.

Money politics has been an acute-on-chronic problem in Umno each time members go to the polls to choose their party leaders. The phenomenon of money politics in UMNO is translated into that of the national politics. This in turn causes a cascading effects into the activities of the government agencies and departments.

It has been the practice in UMNO AGM in some division for its leaders to direct delegates to opt for block-voting . Copies of the list of names of the preferred candidates, like a “shadow cabinet”, are usually distributed to delegates, who will in turn carry out block-voting or what the party grassroots call sistem rakit or main rakit.

Delegates are rewarded with cash, gifts and holiday trips to Langkawi, Bali or Europe.

While the division chiefs are usually the king-makers, agents or lobbyists are in cahoots distributing copies of the list of names — from the posts of party president, deputy president, and three vice-presidents to the 25 supreme council members — several days before the elections, and even outside meeting halls before the AGM starts.

The corrupt practice had put Umno at the mercy of the delegates and there was no freedom of choice, even at the lowest level of the party.

Despite this glaring corrupt practice, many educated Malays still find UMNO to be an appealing political platform.

Umno fixing problem of ‘election fixing’

By : Zubaidah Abu Bakar

Source:NSTonline
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

ASK any Umno member and he will not deny that those holding posts at various levels in the party have, more often than not, used their positions to ensure the victory of candidates of their choice in party polls.

And at the annual general meeting of some divisions, this unhealthy practice is employed openly.

It saves time — that is usually the excuse for “directing” delegates to opt for block-voting so that they will not have to go through the tedious voting process.

Copies of the list of names of the preferred candidates, like a “shadow cabinet”, are usually distributed to delegates, who will in turn carry out block-voting or what the party grassroots call sistem rakit or main rakit.

While the division chiefs are usually the king-makers, agents or lobbyists are in cahoots distributing copies of the list of names — from the posts of party president, deputy president, and three vice-presidents to the 25 supreme council members — several days before the elections, and even outside meeting halls before the AGM starts.
There have also been cases in which delegates found themselves with more than one list.

During the last Umno elections in 2004, the party found that there were leaders who used this voting system to ensure that candidates of calibre were sidelined in favour of their chosen candidates.

Delegates were also believed to have been rewarded with cash, gifts and holiday trips.

The corrupt practice had put Umno at the mercy of the delegates and there was no freedom of choice, even at the lowest level of the party.

Well, it will no longer be easy for leaders to fix elections from now on.

The Umno supreme council’s decision last month to ban block-voting should put a stop to this old practice of “election fixing”, which unfortunately breeds money politics.

Delegates will be more free to make their choices when Umno holds its branch elections from July 27 to Aug 23, division polls (from Oct 9 to Nov 9) and elections at the central level from Dec 16 to 20.

The council, at its last meeting on March 27, had endorsed amendments to the party’s code of ethics for party elections, which included a clause preventing members empowered to conduct elections at the branch, division and supreme council delegates’ meetings from using the block-voting system.

Since the regulation is effective six months before the election process, the ban, therefore, is effective immediately.

The ban will alleviate the emergence of camps or factions.

More importantly, it will help check money politics, an acute problem in Umno each time members go to the polls to choose their party leaders.

As warned by party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, members can face disciplinary action, including expulsion, if found guilty by the party’s disciplinary board.

Muhyiddin will begin a nationwide tour in Sabah to explain to party members the new provision and other amendments made to the Umno code of ethics for elections — a move, many say, should discourage a practice which would have fractionalise Umno further.

While the regulation is lauded because it can help eliminate, if not reduce, money politics, a problem staring back at Umno is how effective enforcement can be.

This again boils down to the commitment of members.

If they help the party act against those who misuse their positions and indulge in money politics, the law will take its due course and offenders will be punished.

A MISSING INGREDIENT IN NATIONAL SCHOOL:OPINION

Source NST
By Chok Suat Ling
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

One way to encourage more non-Malays to become teachers is for the Education Ministry to hold career talks in schools.

The lack of non-Malay teachers will put a dent in the government’s goal to make national schools attractive to everyone, writes CHOK SUAT LING.

MAULIDUR Rasul celebrations are a hugely anticipated event in schools. Muslim students are told to dress up in their best baju Melayu and baju kurung for the festivities, which are held after the national-level celebrations.

Indeed, having such events in schools is a learning experience for students. But as some parents have said, especially when the government is striving to “memperkasakan sekolah kebangsaan” or make national schools attractive to all Malaysians, similar attention should be paid to the festivities of other races.

According to some school heads, it is not that the schools refuse to hold such events; many just lack the know-how to plan them.

The majority of teachers in national schools are Malay, they say. And organising Pesta Tanglung or Ponggal-related events are not within their field of expertise, or high on their list of priorities.
A headmistress of a well-known Kuala Lumpur school says there are many ways to attract students of all races to national schools.

“The most crucial is to ensure academic excellence. Parents will send their children to schools with good public examination results.”

But parents contend that the school environment should also welcome non-Malays.

The headmistress says she has appealed to the parent-teacher association (PTA) to organise multicultural events.

“Parents have brought up this issue during PTA meetings and I agree that children should be exposed to other cultures. However, it will have to be up to the PTA to plan, and for parents, especially, to take a lead role in organising them.”

While the effort is laudable, putting the onus on parents is not. The school is divesting itself of its burden to parents.

It remains, therefore, that what’s best for the education system is a higher percentage of non-Malay teachers in national schools.

There has been concern that national schools do not reflect the character and spirit of multi-racial Malaysia. Consequently, the need to increase the number of non-Malay teachers and school heads is imperative, as is the need to get them to be more aware and responsive to multi-racial needs and sensitivities.

Former headmaster and ex-unionist Shahul Hamid Mydin Shah has said that the government needs to look at the composition of teachers as more than 90 per cent are Malay. It is also difficult, in a random check, to find more than 10 per cent of schools having non-Malay headmasters or deputy heads.

“There was a good racial mix of teachers, even in missionary schools, in the past,” Shahul Hamid says.

According to Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, the response among the Chinese remains poor.

He says the ministry had hoped to enrol 770 Chinese graduates for the 2008 post-degree teacher-training course or Kursus Perguruan Lepas Ijazah (KPLI) intake but received only about 600 applications, of which 400 were successful.

He says 6.7 per cent or 7,288 of the 108,394 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia school-leavers who applied for this year’s intake for the teachers’ training course are Chinese.

Several reasons have been given for the poor response.

It is said that teaching occupies a much lower rung of respectability compared with before and is not viewed as a profession of choice for various reasons: heavy workload, overbearing parents, lack of promotion prospects and being posted to remote areas.

According to retired teacher Chor Kam Fook, teaching was a respected profession in the past and it was considered an honour to be part of it.

“Until now, my former students, now adults with children, call me ’sir’ when they see me,” says Chor, who had wanted to be a teacher from when he was in school.

His wife is also a retired teacher. “She was persuaded by her grandmother who told her it is a good profession with many perks and long holidays.”

But this mindset is apparently no longer shared by the current generation.

What is needed is a concerted push to recruit more non-Malay teachers. Better wages, perks and terms of service would be a significant pull factor, experts say.

Educators have long called for the establishment of a teachers commission, an independent body for teachers not unlike the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, or Suhakam.

With a commission to look after its welfare, the teaching profession could be separated from the civil service and put on a different salary scheme. A memorandum with this proposal was submitted to the Education Ministry in 2004.

Former headmaster and unionist Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam says: “The profession is huge and separating it from the civil service makes sense. Teachers have been urging for this for a long time as they feel their benefits do not match their efforts and contribution.”

He says other civil servants can switch off from work when they leave the office, but not teachers.

“Classes might finish around noon but that does not spell the end of the day for teachers. They have other activities to attend to.”

One other way to encourage more non-Malays to become teachers is for the ministry to hold career talks in schools.

“They have to tell schoolchildren about the profession, what teachers are required and expected to do and their role. This is carried out in some countries to encourage the young to consider teaching as a profession,” Siva Subramaniam says.

Some, however, doubt the veracity of claims that non-Malays are disdainful of joining the teaching profession. It is argued that the situation is not as severe as perceived.

According to one teacher, “thousands” of young Chinese applied for the KPLI but failed to secure a place.

“They are keen but not given the opportunity. Only a small percentage got in. This has given rise to suspicions of a quota being imposed, that the numbers taken in are controlled. Dr Wee should interview these young people and find out the true picture,” she says.

Siva Subramaniam says many non-Malays are interested but fail to secure places.

“To be fair, things have improved for teachers in terms of salary, promotions and others in the last decade, and there are more non-Malays interested in joining now. They submit their applications but are not even called up to sit the entrance test.”

He urges the ministry to look into this. “Perhaps the information it is getting is not reflective of what is happening on the ground.”

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FORUM HAL EHWAL ISLAM ANJURAN JAIS DI STADIUM MALAWATI PADA 27/04/08

Satu Forum Perdana Hal Ehwal Islam telah dianjurkan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) , bertempat di stadium Malawati Shah Alam. Majlis telah dimulakan dengan Solat Isyak berjemaah dan Forum telah berlangsung dengan ahli Panel terdiri dari Ust Dr Haron Din, Ust Roslan dari UM dan Ust Ismail Kamus. Exco Agama , YB Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mohd Ali bertindak sebagai moderator. Ini merupakan secebis usaha dan aktiviti mentarbiah masyarakat yang dimainkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat setelah diberi sedikit kuasa. Kalau tidak, kita jangan mimpi dapat melakukan ini semua. Tahmid dan Takbir. Terima kasih rakyat Selangor kerana memberi peluang dan ruang PR melaksanakan amanah dakwah.

Pentas utama forum.

Kelihatan sebahagian dari VIP termasuk SS Dato’ Mufti Selangor dan YB Yaakob.

Pemandangan yang menunjukkan pentas utama forum serta hadhirin hadhirat pada malam itu.

FORUM HAL EHWAL ISLAM ANJURAN JAIS DI STADIUM MALAWATI PADA 27/04/08

Satu Forum Perdana Hal Ehwal Islam telah dianjurkan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) , bertempat di stadium Malawati Shah Alam. Majlis telah dimulakan dengan Solat Isyak berjemaah dan Forum telah berlangsung dengan ahli Panel terdiri dari Ust Dr Haron Din, Ust Roslan dari UM dan Ust Ismail Kamus. Exco Agama , YB Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mohd Ali bertindak sebagai moderator. Ini merupakan secebis usaha dan aktiviti mentarbiah masyarakat yang dimainkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat setelah diberi sedikit kuasa. Kalau tidak, kita jangan mimpi dapat melakukan ini semua. Tahmid dan Takbir. Terima kasih rakyat Selangor kerana memberi peluang dan ruang PR melaksanakan amanah dakwah.

Pentas utama forum.

Kelihatan sebahagian dari VIP termasuk SS Dato’ Mufti Selangor dan YB Yaakob.

Pemandangan yang menunjukkan pentas utama forum serta hadhirin hadhirat pada malam itu.

FORUM HAL EHWAL ISLAM ANJURAN JAIS DI STADIUM MALAWATI PADA 27/04/08

Satu Forum Perdana Hal Ehwal Islam telah dianjurkan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) , bertempat di stadium Malawati Shah Alam. Majlis telah dimulakan dengan Solat Isyak berjemaah dan Forum telah berlangsung dengan ahli Panel terdiri dari Ust Dr Haron Din, Ust Roslan dari UM dan Ust Ismail Kamus. Exco Agama , YB Dato’ Dr Hj Hassan Mohd Ali bertindak sebagai moderator. Ini merupakan secebis usaha dan aktiviti mentarbiah masyarakat yang dimainkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat setelah diberi sedikit kuasa. Kalau tidak, kita jangan mimpi dapat melakukan ini semua. Tahmid dan Takbir. Terima kasih rakyat Selangor kerana memberi peluang dan ruang PR melaksanakan amanah dakwah.

Pentas utama forum.

Kelihatan sebahagian dari VIP termasuk SS Dato’ Mufti Selangor dan YB Yaakob.

Pemandangan yang menunjukkan pentas utama forum serta hadhirin hadhirat pada malam itu.

RASUAH MENULAR DAN MEMBAHAM DI SEMUA PERINGKAT MASYARAKAT

Pada pendapat saya, mengamalkan rasuah oleh seseorang itu tiada kena mengena dengan semangat patriotisme. Amalan menerima rasuah bermula dari hati dan godaan duniawi yang mendorong seseorang itu agar cepat kaya dan hidup mewah. Manakala amalan memberi rasuah berpunca dari sikap tidak bermoral, tiada memiliki prinsip diri dan percubaan untuk merampas hak orang lain yang sebenarnya bukan milik dia. Di peringkat negara, kita ada politik wang atau rasuah politik yang berupa projek, lawatan ke luar negara, pemberian tanah dan sebagainya.

Di peringkat kementerian dan jabatan kita menyaksikan bagaimana kelulusan tender, projek, dan pengagihan projek berkait rapat dengan rasuah kerana banyak kos pembiayaan sesuatu projek melampaui kos sebenar berlipat kali ganda yang tak masuk akal. Banyak projek yang baru siap mengalami kerosakan yang teruk dan memerlukan peruntukan baru untuk diperbaiki. Banyak contoh-contoh seperti kerosakan MRR2, kebocoran bangunan Parlimen, sekolah dan lain-lain. Kenderaan yang melebihi had muatan masih bermaharajalela di jalan raya. Bas dan kenderaan berat yang mengeluarkan asap hitam terus beroperasi. Kilang tanpa lesen tersergam gagah.

Di peringkat negeri dan kerajaan tempatan, anda bolehlah pandang dan tinjau di sekeliling bandar atau kampung anda.

Rasuah jejas usaha majukan bola sepak

Sumber: Utusanonline

PEKAN 26 April – Tindakan segelintir pemain bola sepak yang mengamalkan rasuah dalam sukan itu dianggap tidak mempunyai semangat patriotisme.

Sambil memandang serius gejala itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menegaskan, amalan rasuah yang dilakukan oleh pemain terbabit akan menyebabkan usaha kerajaan untuk membangunkan mutu bola sepak negara terjejas.

”Ini sesuatu yang mencemarkan sukan bola sepak negara dan perbuatan ini menjejaskan integriti permainan itu sendiri.

”Hasrat kita untuk memajukan bola sepak tidak akan tercapai jika wujudnya gejala rasuah dalam sukan ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan Inisiatif Air Asas Kesucian sempena program Masjid Gemilang Pahang di Masjid At-Taqwa, Peramu Jaya di sini hari ini.

Najib mengulas laporan seorang bekas pemain bola sepak Sarawak dalam Liga Super direman empat hari mulai semalam oleh Mahkamah Majistret Kuching bagi membantu siasatan berhubung penglibatan pemain-pemain utama negeri itu dalam mengatur perlawanan liga yang sedang berlangsung.

Rabu lalu, Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) mengesahkan sedang menyiasat dakwaan pemain-pemain utama Sarawak dalam mengatur perlawanan Liga Super.

Sebelum ini, akhbar mendedahkan kemungkinan berlaku kes mengatur perlawanan dalam pasukan Liga Super Sarawak setelah Persatuan Bolasepak Sarawak (FAS) menggantung dua pemainnya bulan lalu kerana disyaki terlibat mengatur satu perlawanan, manakala ada pemain lain dalam pasukan itu juga disyaki terbabit dengan sesetengah mereka dibayar RM20,000.

Memandangkan dakwaan itu serius, Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad sebelum ini berkata, badan penyelia bola sepak nasional itu telah mendapatkan bantuan BPR bagi menyiasat dakwaan tersebut.

Mengulas lanjut, Najib berkata, gejala rasuah di kalangan pemain akan menyebabkan keyakinan rakyat terhadap mutu bola sepak negara turut terjejas.

”Penonton tidak lagi yakin kepada pasukan yang bertanding kerana kemenangan sesuatu pasukan ditentukan dengan wang,” tegasnya.

Sehubungan itu, beliau menyerahkan kepada FAM untuk menangani masalah tersebut daripada terus membelenggu sukan bola sepak negara.

”Walaupun rasuah bola sepak merupakan isu lama tetapi sukan ini perlu dibersihkan daripada gejala tersebut,” jelasnya.

JKKK DI BAWAH PUSAT, DANA DARI KEMENTERIAN KEUSAHAWAN DAN KOPERASI DISALUR MELALUI MARA

Besatu! BERSATU! BERSATU!BERSATU!
PERPADUAN! Perpaduan!

Nah lihat bagaimana perpaduan dan kesatuan yang dilaung-laungkan oleh Pemimpin UMNO/BN. Kenapa perlu diwujudkan sistem JKKK di bawah kerajaan Pusat. Adakah anda menginginkan dua nakhoda dalam satu bahtera? Adakah anda ingin melebarkan dan mendalamkan jurang perpecahan dalam masyarakat? Adakah anda tidak belajar dari kesilapan yang dilakukan di Kelantan?

Sila lihat laporan akhbar tentang tiada pemilihan di peringkat JKKK, bagimana Senator bercakap mengenai perpecahan dalam masyarakat. Memang haru-biru.

JKKKs placed under federal govt

By : Adie Suri Zulkefli

addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’; Source:NSTonline

KEPALA BATAS: The 4,000 Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) members appointed by the former Barisan Nasional state governments will now be placed under the administration of the federal government effective next month.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib added that the 149 JKKKs in the state would continue with their duties.

Muhammad said the JKKK members, who will receive their allowances from the federal government, had agreed to resign from the current committee to join a new entity, known as the Federal Village Security and Development Committee (JKKKP).

“The JKKKs play an important role as they are at the closest level with the people on the ground.”

Muhammad added that JKKK chiefs and their committee members were not pressured to relinquish their current posts to join the JKKKP.
“They resigned on their own accord as they wanted continuity in their service under the BN-led government,” he said at a gathering with JKKK heads in Dewan Millenium here yesterday.

In Ipoh, Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said funds from the Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry for projects in Pakatan Rakyat-held states would be channelled through Mara.

“The funds would not be given to the state development corporations which was the policy when the states were under the BN,” he said .

“We are only giving the allocations through a different channel and not reducing or stopping them.”

He was speaking to reporters after opening the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce Perak branch’s annual meeting.

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Tiada proses pemilihan penghulu, JKKK

KEPALA BATAS 26 April – Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) tidak akan mengadakan proses pemilihan bagi jawatan penghulu dan ahli Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) bagi mengelak berlakunya perpecahan.

Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd. Taib berkata, apa yang perlu dilakukan pihaknya ialah mengenal pasti kaedah dan sistem lain melibatkan semua kaum.

”Saya tidak rasa kita perlu adakan pilihan raya di semua peringkat kerana ia akan memecah-belahkan rakyat. Biar pilihan raya diadakan di peringkat Persekutuan dan negeri sahaja.

”Kalau semua benda kita hendak lakukan pilihan raya, maka kita masih belum menjadi negeri yang betul-betul maju,” katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas melawat keluarga Zainab Osman, 73, di Kampung Telok, Sungai Dua di sini hari ini.

Terdahulu beliau mengadakan perjumpaan dengan Pengerusi dan JKKK negeri di Dewan Milineum di sini.

Baru-baru ini Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin berkata, kerajaan negeri akan mengadakan pilihan raya bulan depan bagi memilih penghulu dan ahli JKKK.

Menurut Muhammad, bukan mudah untuk mengadakan pilihan raya berkenaan kerana kepentingan dan komposisi penduduk pelbagai kaum perlu diambil kira terutama di kawasan bandar dan luar bandar.

Dalam pada itu, mengulas mengenai ahli JKKK yang berada di negeri-negeri yang dikuasai pembangkang, Muhammad berkata, mereka perlu meletakkan jawatan sebelum diserapkan secara automatik di bawah kementeriannya.

Jelasnya, mereka yang diserapkan itu akan menerima elaun yang sama seperti diterima ketika ini.

”Bagaimanapun terpulang kepada ahli JKKK, ini keputusan mereka dan pemimpin di peringkat negeri, mereka kena menentukan sama ada ingin meletakkan jawatan atau tidak.

”Saya nampak mereka ingin letak jawatan, kalau mereka berhenti, kita akan letak mereka di bawah Persekutuan dan ini adalah prosedur biasa,” katanya.

Terdahulu ketika melawat keluarga Zainab, Muhammad menyerahkan sumbangan untuk keperluan harian ibu tunggal berkenaan termasuk sabun basuh, minyak masak, beras dan hamper berisi makanan.

Anak wanita itu, Zaiton Mohamad, 54; Habsah, 47; Ismail, 46; dan Norlia, 41, tidak boleh bergerak dan hanya mampu terbaring.

Mereka menerima bantuan sebanyak RM260 sebulan daripada Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) dan RM450 daripada Pusat Zakat.

Aktiviti Exco pada Tengahari 27/04/08: Dialog Bersama PAS Serdang

Aktiviti Exco pada Tengahari 27/04/08: Dialog Bersama PAS Serdang

Aktiviti Exco pada 27/04/08: Temasya Sukan Tahunan SRAI BBB

Temasya Sukan Tahunan kali ke 9 SRA Integrasi Bandar Baru Bangi pada 27hb April 2008 yang bertempat di Padang Sekolah SRAI BBB.

Ketibaan disambut dengan bunga manggar. Kelihatan YB Dr Shafei (ADUN Bangi ) dan YDP PIBG.

Ucapan perasmian.
Kelihatan pasukan rumah hijau, biru dan kuning bediri hormat.
Kelihatan pasukan rumah kuning, merah dan ungu .
Penerimaan cenderahati dari Puan Guru Besar SRAI BBB Pn Siti Marijah Sarmidi.

Aktiviti Exco pada 27/04/08: Temasya Sukan Tahunan SRAI BBB

Temasya Sukan Tahunan kali ke 9 SRA Integrasi Bandar Baru Bangi pada 27hb April 2008 yang bertempat di Padang Sekolah SRAI BBB.

Ketibaan disambut dengan bunga manggar. Kelihatan YB Dr Shafei (ADUN Bangi ) dan YDP PIBG.

Ucapan perasmian.
Kelihatan pasukan rumah hijau, biru dan kuning bediri hormat.
Kelihatan pasukan rumah kuning, merah dan ungu .
Penerimaan cenderahati dari Puan Guru Besar SRAI BBB Pn Siti Marijah Sarmidi.

A MISSING INGREDIENT IN NATIONAL SCHOOL:OPINION

Source NST
By Chok Suat Ling
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

One way to encourage more non-Malays to become teachers is for the Education Ministry to hold career talks in schools.

The lack of non-Malay teachers will put a dent in the government’s goal to make national schools attractive to everyone, writes CHOK SUAT LING.

MAULIDUR Rasul celebrations are a hugely anticipated event in schools. Muslim students are told to dress up in their best baju Melayu and baju kurung for the festivities, which are held after the national-level celebrations.

Indeed, having such events in schools is a learning experience for students. But as some parents have said, especially when the government is striving to “memperkasakan sekolah kebangsaan” or make national schools attractive to all Malaysians, similar attention should be paid to the festivities of other races.

According to some school heads, it is not that the schools refuse to hold such events; many just lack the know-how to plan them.

The majority of teachers in national schools are Malay, they say. And organising Pesta Tanglung or Ponggal-related events are not within their field of expertise, or high on their list of priorities.
A headmistress of a well-known Kuala Lumpur school says there are many ways to attract students of all races to national schools.

“The most crucial is to ensure academic excellence. Parents will send their children to schools with good public examination results.”

But parents contend that the school environment should also welcome non-Malays.

The headmistress says she has appealed to the parent-teacher association (PTA) to organise multicultural events.

“Parents have brought up this issue during PTA meetings and I agree that children should be exposed to other cultures. However, it will have to be up to the PTA to plan, and for parents, especially, to take a lead role in organising them.”

While the effort is laudable, putting the onus on parents is not. The school is divesting itself of its burden to parents.

It remains, therefore, that what’s best for the education system is a higher percentage of non-Malay teachers in national schools.

There has been concern that national schools do not reflect the character and spirit of multi-racial Malaysia. Consequently, the need to increase the number of non-Malay teachers and school heads is imperative, as is the need to get them to be more aware and responsive to multi-racial needs and sensitivities.

Former headmaster and ex-unionist Shahul Hamid Mydin Shah has said that the government needs to look at the composition of teachers as more than 90 per cent are Malay. It is also difficult, in a random check, to find more than 10 per cent of schools having non-Malay headmasters or deputy heads.

“There was a good racial mix of teachers, even in missionary schools, in the past,” Shahul Hamid says.

According to Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, the response among the Chinese remains poor.

He says the ministry had hoped to enrol 770 Chinese graduates for the 2008 post-degree teacher-training course or Kursus Perguruan Lepas Ijazah (KPLI) intake but received only about 600 applications, of which 400 were successful.

He says 6.7 per cent or 7,288 of the 108,394 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia school-leavers who applied for this year’s intake for the teachers’ training course are Chinese.

Several reasons have been given for the poor response.

It is said that teaching occupies a much lower rung of respectability compared with before and is not viewed as a profession of choice for various reasons: heavy workload, overbearing parents, lack of promotion prospects and being posted to remote areas.

According to retired teacher Chor Kam Fook, teaching was a respected profession in the past and it was considered an honour to be part of it.

“Until now, my former students, now adults with children, call me ’sir’ when they see me,” says Chor, who had wanted to be a teacher from when he was in school.

His wife is also a retired teacher. “She was persuaded by her grandmother who told her it is a good profession with many perks and long holidays.”

But this mindset is apparently no longer shared by the current generation.

What is needed is a concerted push to recruit more non-Malay teachers. Better wages, perks and terms of service would be a significant pull factor, experts say.

Educators have long called for the establishment of a teachers commission, an independent body for teachers not unlike the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, or Suhakam.

With a commission to look after its welfare, the teaching profession could be separated from the civil service and put on a different salary scheme. A memorandum with this proposal was submitted to the Education Ministry in 2004.

Former headmaster and unionist Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam says: “The profession is huge and separating it from the civil service makes sense. Teachers have been urging for this for a long time as they feel their benefits do not match their efforts and contribution.”

He says other civil servants can switch off from work when they leave the office, but not teachers.

“Classes might finish around noon but that does not spell the end of the day for teachers. They have other activities to attend to.”

One other way to encourage more non-Malays to become teachers is for the ministry to hold career talks in schools.

“They have to tell schoolchildren about the profession, what teachers are required and expected to do and their role. This is carried out in some countries to encourage the young to consider teaching as a profession,” Siva Subramaniam says.

Some, however, doubt the veracity of claims that non-Malays are disdainful of joining the teaching profession. It is argued that the situation is not as severe as perceived.

According to one teacher, “thousands” of young Chinese applied for the KPLI but failed to secure a place.

“They are keen but not given the opportunity. Only a small percentage got in. This has given rise to suspicions of a quota being imposed, that the numbers taken in are controlled. Dr Wee should interview these young people and find out the true picture,” she says.

Siva Subramaniam says many non-Malays are interested but fail to secure places.

“To be fair, things have improved for teachers in terms of salary, promotions and others in the last decade, and there are more non-Malays interested in joining now. They submit their applications but are not even called up to sit the entrance test.”

He urges the ministry to look into this. “Perhaps the information it is getting is not reflective of what is happening on the ground.”

addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

FORUM HAL EHWAL ISLAM ANJURAN JAIS DI STADIUM MALAWATI PADA 27/04/08

Satu Forum Perdana Hal Ehwal Islam telah dianjurkan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) , bertempart di stadium Malawati Shah Alam. Majlis telah dimulakan dengan Solat Isyak berjemaah dan Forum telah berlangsung dengan ahli Panel terdiri dari Ust Dr Haron Din, Ust Roslan dari UM dan Ust Ismail Kamus. Exco Agama , YB Dr Hj Hassan Mohd Ali bertindak sebagai moderator. Ini merupakan secebis usaha dan aktiviti mentarbiah masyarakat yang dimainkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat setelah diberi sedikit kuasa. Kalau tidak, kita jangan mimpi dapat melakukan ini semua. Tahmid dan Takbir. Terima kasih rakyat Selangor kerana memberi peluang dan ruang PR melaksanakan amanah dakwah.

Pentas utama forum.

Kelihatan sebahagian dari VIP termasuk SS Dato’ Mufti Selangor dan YB Yaakob.

Pemandangan yang menunjukkan pentas utama forum serta hadhirin hadhirat pada malam itu.

RASUAH MENULAR DAN MEMBAHAM DI SEMUA PERINGKAT MASYARAKAT

Pada pendapat saya, mengamalkan rasuah oleh seseorang itu tiada kena mengena dengan semangat patriotisme. Amalan menerima rasuah bermula dari hati dan godaan duniawi yang mendorong seseorang itu agar cepat kaya dan hidup mewah. Manakala amalan memberi rasuah berpunca dari sikap tidak bermoral, tiada memiliki prinsip diri dan percubaan untuk merampas hak orang lain yang sebenarnya bukan milik dia. Di peringkat negara, kita ada politik wang atau rasuah politik yang berupa projek, lawatan ke luar negara, pemberian tanah dan sebagainya.

Di peringkat kementerian dan jabatan kita menyaksikan bagaimana kelulusan tender, projek, dan pengagihan projek berkait rapat dengan rasuah kerana banyak kos pembiayaan sesuatu projek melampaui kos sebenar berlipat kali ganda yang tak masuk akal. Banyak projek yang baru siap mengalami kerosakan yang teruk dan memerlukan peruntukan baru untuk diperbaiki. Banyak contoh-contoh seperti kerosakan MRR2, kebocoran bangunan Parlimen, sekolah dan lain-lain. Kenderaan yang melebihi had muatan masih bermaharajalela di jalan raya. Bas dan kenderaan berat yang mengeluarkan asap hitam terus beroperasi. Kilang tanpa lesen tersergam gagah.

Di peringkat negeri dan kerajaan tempatan, anda bolehlah pandang dan tinjau di sekeliling bandar atau kampung anda.

Rasuah jejas usaha majukan bola sepak

Sumber: Utusanonline

PEKAN 26 April – Tindakan segelintir pemain bola sepak yang mengamalkan rasuah dalam sukan itu dianggap tidak mempunyai semangat patriotisme.

Sambil memandang serius gejala itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menegaskan, amalan rasuah yang dilakukan oleh pemain terbabit akan menyebabkan usaha kerajaan untuk membangunkan mutu bola sepak negara terjejas.

”Ini sesuatu yang mencemarkan sukan bola sepak negara dan perbuatan ini menjejaskan integriti permainan itu sendiri.

”Hasrat kita untuk memajukan bola sepak tidak akan tercapai jika wujudnya gejala rasuah dalam sukan ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan Inisiatif Air Asas Kesucian sempena program Masjid Gemilang Pahang di Masjid At-Taqwa, Peramu Jaya di sini hari ini.

Najib mengulas laporan seorang bekas pemain bola sepak Sarawak dalam Liga Super direman empat hari mulai semalam oleh Mahkamah Majistret Kuching bagi membantu siasatan berhubung penglibatan pemain-pemain utama negeri itu dalam mengatur perlawanan liga yang sedang berlangsung.

Rabu lalu, Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) mengesahkan sedang menyiasat dakwaan pemain-pemain utama Sarawak dalam mengatur perlawanan Liga Super.

Sebelum ini, akhbar mendedahkan kemungkinan berlaku kes mengatur perlawanan dalam pasukan Liga Super Sarawak setelah Persatuan Bolasepak Sarawak (FAS) menggantung dua pemainnya bulan lalu kerana disyaki terlibat mengatur satu perlawanan, manakala ada pemain lain dalam pasukan itu juga disyaki terbabit dengan sesetengah mereka dibayar RM20,000.

Memandangkan dakwaan itu serius, Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad sebelum ini berkata, badan penyelia bola sepak nasional itu telah mendapatkan bantuan BPR bagi menyiasat dakwaan tersebut.

Mengulas lanjut, Najib berkata, gejala rasuah di kalangan pemain akan menyebabkan keyakinan rakyat terhadap mutu bola sepak negara turut terjejas.

”Penonton tidak lagi yakin kepada pasukan yang bertanding kerana kemenangan sesuatu pasukan ditentukan dengan wang,” tegasnya.

Sehubungan itu, beliau menyerahkan kepada FAM untuk menangani masalah tersebut daripada terus membelenggu sukan bola sepak negara.

”Walaupun rasuah bola sepak merupakan isu lama tetapi sukan ini perlu dibersihkan daripada gejala tersebut,” jelasnya.

JKKK DI BAWAH PUSAT, DANA DARI KEMENTERIAN KEUSAHAWAN DAN KOPERASI DISALUR MELALUI MARA

Besatu! BERSATU! BERSATU!BERSATU!
PERPADUAN! Perpaduan!

Nah lihat bagaimana perpaduan dan kesatuan yang dilaung-laungkan oleh Pemimpin UMNO/BN. Kenapa perlu diwujudkan sistem JKKK di bawah kerajaan Pusat. Adakah anda menginginkan dua nakhoda dalam satu bahtera? Adakah anda ingin melebarkan dan mendalamkan jurang perpecahan dalam masyarakat? Adakah anda tidak belajar dari kesilapan yang dilakukan di Kelantan?

Sila lihat laporan akhbar tentang tiada pemilihan di peringkat JKKK, bagimana Senator bercakap mengenai perpecahan dalam masyarakat. Memang haru-biru.

JKKKs placed under federal govt

By : Adie Suri Zulkefli

addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’; Source:NSTonline

KEPALA BATAS: The 4,000 Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) members appointed by the former Barisan Nasional state governments will now be placed under the administration of the federal government effective next month.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib added that the 149 JKKKs in the state would continue with their duties.

Muhammad said the JKKK members, who will receive their allowances from the federal government, had agreed to resign from the current committee to join a new entity, known as the Federal Village Security and Development Committee (JKKKP).

“The JKKKs play an important role as they are at the closest level with the people on the ground.”

Muhammad added that JKKK chiefs and their committee members were not pressured to relinquish their current posts to join the JKKKP.
“They resigned on their own accord as they wanted continuity in their service under the BN-led government,” he said at a gathering with JKKK heads in Dewan Millenium here yesterday.

In Ipoh, Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said funds from the Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry for projects in Pakatan Rakyat-held states would be channelled through Mara.

“The funds would not be given to the state development corporations which was the policy when the states were under the BN,” he said .

“We are only giving the allocations through a different channel and not reducing or stopping them.”

He was speaking to reporters after opening the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce Perak branch’s annual meeting.

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Tiada proses pemilihan penghulu, JKKK

KEPALA BATAS 26 April – Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) tidak akan mengadakan proses pemilihan bagi jawatan penghulu dan ahli Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) bagi mengelak berlakunya perpecahan.

Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd. Taib berkata, apa yang perlu dilakukan pihaknya ialah mengenal pasti kaedah dan sistem lain melibatkan semua kaum.

”Saya tidak rasa kita perlu adakan pilihan raya di semua peringkat kerana ia akan memecah-belahkan rakyat. Biar pilihan raya diadakan di peringkat Persekutuan dan negeri sahaja.

”Kalau semua benda kita hendak lakukan pilihan raya, maka kita masih belum menjadi negeri yang betul-betul maju,” katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas melawat keluarga Zainab Osman, 73, di Kampung Telok, Sungai Dua di sini hari ini.

Terdahulu beliau mengadakan perjumpaan dengan Pengerusi dan JKKK negeri di Dewan Milineum di sini.

Baru-baru ini Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin berkata, kerajaan negeri akan mengadakan pilihan raya bulan depan bagi memilih penghulu dan ahli JKKK.

Menurut Muhammad, bukan mudah untuk mengadakan pilihan raya berkenaan kerana kepentingan dan komposisi penduduk pelbagai kaum perlu diambil kira terutama di kawasan bandar dan luar bandar.

Dalam pada itu, mengulas mengenai ahli JKKK yang berada di negeri-negeri yang dikuasai pembangkang, Muhammad berkata, mereka perlu meletakkan jawatan sebelum diserapkan secara automatik di bawah kementeriannya.

Jelasnya, mereka yang diserapkan itu akan menerima elaun yang sama seperti diterima ketika ini.

”Bagaimanapun terpulang kepada ahli JKKK, ini keputusan mereka dan pemimpin di peringkat negeri, mereka kena menentukan sama ada ingin meletakkan jawatan atau tidak.

”Saya nampak mereka ingin letak jawatan, kalau mereka berhenti, kita akan letak mereka di bawah Persekutuan dan ini adalah prosedur biasa,” katanya.

Terdahulu ketika melawat keluarga Zainab, Muhammad menyerahkan sumbangan untuk keperluan harian ibu tunggal berkenaan termasuk sabun basuh, minyak masak, beras dan hamper berisi makanan.

Anak wanita itu, Zaiton Mohamad, 54; Habsah, 47; Ismail, 46; dan Norlia, 41, tidak boleh bergerak dan hanya mampu terbaring.

Mereka menerima bantuan sebanyak RM260 sebulan daripada Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) dan RM450 daripada Pusat Zakat.

Aktiviti Exco pada Tengahari 27/04/08: Dialog Bersama PAS Serdang

Aktiviti Exco pada 27/04/08: Temasya Sukan Tahunan SRAI BBB

Temasya Sukan Tahunan kali ke 9 SRA Integrasi Bandar Baru Bangi pada 27hb April 2008 yang bertempat di Padang Sekolah SRAI BBB.

Ketibaan disambut dengan bunga manggar. Kelihatan YB Dr Shafei (ADUN Bangi ) dan YDP PIBG.

Ucapan perasmian.
Kelihatan pasukan rumah hijau, biru dan kuning bediri hormat.
Kelihatan pasukan rumah kuning, merah dan ungu .
Penerimaan cenderahati dari Puan Guru Besar SRAI BBB Pn Siti Marijah Sarmidi.

THE VALUE OF TRUST: Winning Ways

by PUAN SRI T.D. AMPIKAIPAKAN

source:the Star

It is something that has to be earned, yet is not difficult to attain.

“When people honour each other, there is a trust established that leads to synergy, interdependence, and deep respect. Both parties make decisions and choices based on what is right, what is best, what is valued most highly.” – Blaine Lee

WE Malaysians, as a whole, do not trust each other anymore. That’s the feeling I get looking at the events that have taken place over the past few weeks. The word “trust” has become highly overrated and has lead to scepticism. Ask anyone today about trust and they will tell you how difficult it is to trust people.

If we are lucky enough to trust someone implicitly, the reasons we do so are based on the promises that were never broken or the commitments that were always fulfilled. But many feel that promises made are broken and commitments unfulfilled.

Few leaders today have the capacity to earn the trust of the people they lead. This is not an easy task. The demands of the people are limitless and juggling these demands with what is available is impossible, particularly when you also have to deal with people’s greed.

Yet, gaining the trust of those around you is not an unachievable task. Ask a child and she will tell you that if her parents kept their word and fulfilled their promises, trust was generated. Ask a student and she will tell you that if her teacher made sure that the students were adequately-prepared for the next level of their education, then trust was created by the teacher.

Ask an employee and he will tell you that if the boss honoured his word to the staff, then trust was achieved. In all these situations, even small actions made trust possible. Trust was created because of the following:

The feeling that you can depend on someone or anyone.

The cooperation and experience of working within a team.

The ability to take risks and be protected.

The experience of communication, whereby people believe each other.

We all know that the best way to maintain a trusting work environment is to prevent distrust. This means a strong corporate vision and mission, a show of integrity of the leadership, truthfulness and transparency of the communication with staff within the organisation, all of which are critical factors. All this boils down to is, “I trust my boss/my supervisor/my staff … to do the right thing all the time”.

In the real world, there are many things that can go wrong daily and trust is often compromised. It is a fact that you may do a hundred things right and no one will even think about how trustworthy you are. But you do one thing wrong, or one promise is unfulfilled, and it will never be forgotten and trust would be lost.

Employees also learn to mistrust even in the best of workplaces because of their life experiences, often, bad ones at the hands of an unfair boss or unscrupulous leader. On the other hand, bosses will tell you that no matter how well the employees are looked after, they will still walk away if someone offers them a better deal.

It is quite apparent that trust is an issue, to some degree, in most organisations.

How do we build trusting relationships in an organisation? It is all about the way you conduct yourself and the values you have, which promote trust in the relationships.

Here are some ideas that might work:

Look at people who are capable of developing good interpersonal skills with others in the organisation. Encourage them to build trust within the firm so that, although everyone may be different, they will behave in a professional way.

Make sure that the people you hire are trainable in the manner you want them to behave to ensure trust is created and nurtured.

Your staff members must be kept informed of whatever is happening in the organisation. It is really wise to give them whatever information you can safely divulge in any given situation so that gossip and misinformation do not destroy the trust created by the organisation.

See that staff in supervisory positions act with integrity. They are expected to keep their commitments and if they cannot do so, then they must explain why.

If there are issues, deal with them in a timely fashion. People watch you all the time and if you are unable to create the necessary checks and balances in the workplace, you lose their trust.

Protect the interests of all your staff. We should know by now that discrimination of any kind creates distrust.

As a supervisor, if you are not competent in what you do, you lose the trust. If you do not know something, admit it and your staff will admire you for it.

If you profess to be a leader of an organisation, do engage in trust-building activities only when you desire a trusting, empowering, team-oriented work environment.

Engaging in these activities is only for the honourable and not for the dishonest. People will know the difference, or when they eventually find out, they will never trust you again.

“The glue that holds all relationships together – including the relationship between the leader and the led – is trust, and trust is based on integrity.” – Brian Tracy

LEGAL ADVISOR ON ECONOMIC ASPECT OF MALAYSIA

The introduction to the organisation and function of the EPU (Economic Planning Unit) of the Prime MInister’s Department of Malaysia says “The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) was established in 1961, to serve as the Secretariat for the preparation of the development plans, both the medium and long-term plans, for the country. It has been mandated to be responsible to formulate the outline perspective plan and the five-year development plans for the nation. It is also the central planning agency responsible for approving programmes and projects as well as determining the allocation ceiling for national development. This task has remained basically unchanged since its establishment, with the addition of new tasks and responsibilities like privatization, the Foreign Investment Committee and other new areas.”

This organisation is one of the most vital and influential not only as a unit per se in the PM’s Department but to the Malaysian government as a whole. So much is under its prerogatives and control that in the recent visit by the MB of Selangor, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi kept referring to EPU when discussing issues brought up by the former. We shall look into the organisation of EPU in future posts. Suffice to say at this juncture that whoever is paid to perform their duties, to shoulder the responsibilities and to monitor the the jobs as well as its processes in this Unit must remember one thing: YOU ARE BEING WATCHED ALL THE TIME. SO WHATEVER YOU SAY OR DO OR OTHERWISE MIGHT BE USED AGAINST YOU IN COURT OF ALLAH, ALL- KNOWING, AL-SEEING.

SECTIONS DIRECTLY UNDER THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

A. Secretariat to the Foreign Investment Committee

(1) Process applications and make recommendations for acquisition of assets and interests as
well as mergers and takeovers of companies.
(2) Monitor and evaluate investment activities to ensure they are in line with the corporate
equity restructuring objective.

B. Management Services Section

Provide administrative, financial and personnel support to EPU.

C. Secretariat to the National Development Planning Committee.

D. Legal Section

(1) Give legal advice on the interpretation of laws, terms of contracts, terms of agreements and
other legal documents.
(2) Resolve any legal issue and any other matter of legal character.
(3) Draft and vet any proposed law/Bill or amendments of laws, rules, regulations, orders and
notifications.
(4) Draft and vet all legal documents such as privatization agreements, procurement contracts,
guarantees, letters of undertaking, memorandum of understanding, consultancy agreements
and other types of agreements.
(5) Assist / participate in the negotiations of the agreements.

PENDAPATAN BAWAH RM1200 LAYAK DAPAT BANTUAN TASKA

Menurut Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Rodziah Ismail, mekanisme pembayaran subsidi atau rebet bagi ibu bapa berpendapatan RM1200/= sebulan yang mempunyai anak di TASKA belum diputuskan. Pihak kerajaan negeri sedang mengkaji kaedah pembayaran yang akan dibuat kelak. Itu memang betul kerana kita tidak mahu rebet ini diselewengkan seperti mengaku ada anak di Taska sini dan situ tetapi seorang anakpun tiada lagi di peringkat Taska, baik anak kandung atau anak angkat malah anaknya semua sudah bekerja. Kita juga tidak mahu seperti yang terjadi kepada program pembelian komputer peribadi yang mana ada pihak yang sanggup mengaku telah menjual komputer untuk “caj perkhidmatan yang berpatutan”.

Sebahagian NGO Wanita dan Keluarga yang hadir di majlis dialog dengan Exco Kerajaan Negeri, Dr Rodziah Ismail, di Shah Alam, semalam.

Sumber:Agenda Selangor
OLEH ROSLAN BIAN

SHAH ALAM, Jumaat 25 April: Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor sedang mengkaji kesan kewangan sebelum menunaikan janji memberi bantuan RM75 sebulan bagi setiap anak yang dihantar ke nurseri atau taman asuhan kanak-kanak (Taska).

Sekiranya dilaksanakan kelak, keutamaan bantuan akan diberikan kepada ibu bapa yang berpendapat RM1,200 ke bawah setiap bulan, kata Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Rodziah Ismail.

Menurut beliau, bantuan itu pastinya dapat meringankan beban ibu bapa kerana tanpa bantuan itu mereka perlu membayar RM200 yuran kepada pengasuh.

“Kalau mereka ada dua anak, mereka kena bayar RM400. Sekiranya, kita beri bantuan tersebut, ianya dapat membantu meringankan beban keluarga tersebut,” katanya.

Dr Rodziah berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas mengadakan Dialog bersama Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) Wanita dan Keluarga yang dihadiri lebih 200 peserta mewakili lebih 60 pertubuhan dan persatuan di sini, hari ini.

Turut serta Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Insan, Dr Halimah Ali dan Timbalan Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Haniza Mohamad Talha.

Menurut Dr Rodziah, kerajaan sedar rakyat menunggu kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat yang memenangi pilihan raya umum lalu menunaikan janji itu yang dibuat ketika berkempen.

“Kita akan laksanakan juga janji ini tetapi yang penting peningkatan anak-anak pra- sekolah dan khidmat di Taska perlu ditingkatkan manakala guru-guru Taska harus diberi penghormatan sewajarnya,” ujar beliau.

Katanya, kerajaan juga sedang mengkaji sama ada RM75 itu diberikan kepada ibu bapa ataupun terus kepada Taska yang mengasuh kanak-kanak yang menerima bantuan itu.

“Ini membabitkan implikasi kewangan. Kita belum putuskan kerana ada jawatankuasa sedang melihat cara pelaksanaan bantuan ini,” ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu katanya, kerajaan negeri akan berusaha mewujudkan pusat sehenti bagi membantu mereka yang menjadi mangsa penderaan seksual atas keganasan rumah tangga.

“Sekarang ini, individu yang teraniaya perlu ke balai polis, ke Jabatan Kebajikan, Jabatan Agama atau ke hospital untuk pemeriksaan. Ini sahaja mengambil banyak masa dan menyulitkan,” katanya.

Dr Rodziah berkata, dengan adanya one stop centre yang akan ditempatkan di hospital kerajaan, individu yang menjadi mangsa keganasan boleh membuat aduan dan pemeriksaan tapi perlu ke sana sini.

PENDAPATAN BAWAH RM1200 LAYAK DAPAT BANTUAN TASKA

Menurut Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Rodziah Ismail, mekanisme pembayaran subsidi atau rebet bagi ibu bapa berpendapatan RM1200/= sebulan yang mempunyai anak di TASKA belum diputuskan. Pihak kerajaan negeri sedang mengkaji kaedah pembayaran yang akan dibuat kelak. Itu memang betul kerana kita tidak mahu rebet ini diselewengkan seperti mengaku ada anak di Taska sini dan situ tetapi seorang anakpun tiada lagi di peringkat Taska, baik anak kandung atau anak angkat malah anaknya semua sudah bekerja. Kita juga tidak mahu seperti yang terjadi kepada program pembelian komputer peribadi yang mana ada pihak yang sanggup mengaku telah menjual komputer untuk “caj perkhidmatan yang berpatutan”.

Sebahagian NGO Wanita dan Keluarga yang hadir di majlis dialog dengan Exco Kerajaan Negeri, Dr Rodziah Ismail, di Shah Alam, semalam.

Sumber:Agenda Selangor
OLEH ROSLAN BIAN

SHAH ALAM, Jumaat 25 April: Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor sedang mengkaji kesan kewangan sebelum menunaikan janji memberi bantuan RM75 sebulan bagi setiap anak yang dihantar ke nurseri atau taman asuhan kanak-kanak (Taska).

Sekiranya dilaksanakan kelak, keutamaan bantuan akan diberikan kepada ibu bapa yang berpendapat RM1,200 ke bawah setiap bulan, kata Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Rodziah Ismail.

Menurut beliau, bantuan itu pastinya dapat meringankan beban ibu bapa kerana tanpa bantuan itu mereka perlu membayar RM200 yuran kepada pengasuh.

“Kalau mereka ada dua anak, mereka kena bayar RM400. Sekiranya, kita beri bantuan tersebut, ianya dapat membantu meringankan beban keluarga tersebut,” katanya.

Dr Rodziah berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas mengadakan Dialog bersama Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) Wanita dan Keluarga yang dihadiri lebih 200 peserta mewakili lebih 60 pertubuhan dan persatuan di sini, hari ini.

Turut serta Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Insan, Dr Halimah Ali dan Timbalan Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Haniza Mohamad Talha.

Menurut Dr Rodziah, kerajaan sedar rakyat menunggu kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat yang memenangi pilihan raya umum lalu menunaikan janji itu yang dibuat ketika berkempen.

“Kita akan laksanakan juga janji ini tetapi yang penting peningkatan anak-anak pra- sekolah dan khidmat di Taska perlu ditingkatkan manakala guru-guru Taska harus diberi penghormatan sewajarnya,” ujar beliau.

Katanya, kerajaan juga sedang mengkaji sama ada RM75 itu diberikan kepada ibu bapa ataupun terus kepada Taska yang mengasuh kanak-kanak yang menerima bantuan itu.

“Ini membabitkan implikasi kewangan. Kita belum putuskan kerana ada jawatankuasa sedang melihat cara pelaksanaan bantuan ini,” ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu katanya, kerajaan negeri akan berusaha mewujudkan pusat sehenti bagi membantu mereka yang menjadi mangsa penderaan seksual atas keganasan rumah tangga.

“Sekarang ini, individu yang teraniaya perlu ke balai polis, ke Jabatan Kebajikan, Jabatan Agama atau ke hospital untuk pemeriksaan. Ini sahaja mengambil banyak masa dan menyulitkan,” katanya.

Dr Rodziah berkata, dengan adanya one stop centre yang akan ditempatkan di hospital kerajaan, individu yang menjadi mangsa keganasan boleh membuat aduan dan pemeriksaan tapi perlu ke sana sini.

CAPITAL FM OPSYEN UNTUK KE UDARA KATA MB SELANGOR

Setelah menemui jalan buntu dalam perbincangan dengan RTM, kini YAB Selangor mencari opsyen lain untuk dapat ke udara bagi tujuan menerangkan polisi dan program Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat kepada rakyat Selangor sendiri walaupun hanya setakat di lembah Klang sahaja. Jika kita sebut Malaysia bukan sebuah negara demokrasi, maka ramai orang akan marah, tetapi inilah hakikatnya. RTM sebuah agensi di bawah Kementerian Penerangan yang dibiayai sepenuhnya oleh pembayar cukai dan menjadi hak milik rakyat Malaysia boleh menafikan hak seorang Menteri Besar yang dilantik oleh rakyat untuk berinteraksi di udara. Memang “mereka” takut pengaruh PR menjadi bertambah kuat dengan penggunaan media eletronik. Sumber:Suara Selangor Slot Radio : Kerajaan Negeri Bincang Dengan Capital FM

SHAH ALAM, 26 April – Kerajaan negeri akan mengadakan perbincangan dengan stesen radio swasta, Capital FM bagi mendapatkan slot ke udara.

Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata slot yang mengambil masa sejam ke sejam setengah itu membolehkan beliau dan Ahli-ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (Exco) menerangkan isu-isu semasa dan dasar kerajaan negeri.

“Capital FM adalah stesen radio swasta untuk kawasan Lembah Klang, kita akan aturkan untuk menggunakannya sebagai salah satu cara untuk kita berinteraksi dengan rakyat Selangor,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas mengadakan pertemuan dengan penduduk Bukit Jelutong di Dewan MBSA, Jalan Adang dekat sini.

Majlis itu turut dihadiri Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Kota Anggerik, Yaakob Sapari.

Terdahulu dalam sesi dialog dalam majlis itu, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid ditanya mengenai saluran yang akan digunakan kerajaan negeri untuk menyampaikan maklumat di radio, setelah stesen Selangor FM tidak lagi beroperasi di Bangunan SSAAS, Pejabat Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri.

Beliau berharap Capital FM dapat menjadi saluran yang membolehkan kerajaan negeri menerima maklum balas daripada penduduk Selangor.

“Saya harap Kementerian Penerangan tidak politikkan perkara ini sebab apa pun kita boleh buat bersama,” katanya.

Aktiviti pada tengahari 26/04/08: Majlis Penutup seminar Al Quran di Masjid Al Ansar Tmn Keramat

Sebahagian dari peserta Seminar pengajaran dan pembelajaran Al Quran yang berkesan. Seperti biasa, kaum hawa lebih komited dan bersedia menyahut cabaran untuk ditarbiyah.
Seorang peserta menerima sijil penyertaan.
Perasmi menerima cenderahati berupa kit Asas Tilawah Al Quran keluaran “Aqrab Tilawah Bestari Enterprise” pengendali kelas-kelas AlQuran.

Aktiviti pada tengahari 26/04/08: Majlis Penutup seminar Al Quran di Masjid Al Ansar Tmn Keramat

Sebahagian dari peserta Seminar pengajaran dan pembelajaran Al Quran yang berkesan. Seperti biasa, kaum hawa lebih komited dan bersedia menyahut cabaran untuk ditarbiyah.
Seorang peserta menerima sijil penyertaan.
Perasmi menerima cenderahati berupa kit Asas Tilawah Al Quran keluaran “Aqrab Tilawah Bestari Enterprise” pengendali kelas-kelas AlQuran.

KUNJUNGAN HORMAT ATAS PM OLEH MB

YAB Tan Sri MB Selangor telah mengadakan kunjungan hormat ke atas PM Malaysia dan berbincang tentang beberapa perkara seperti yang dilaporkan oleh Bernama. Antara lain yang dibincangkan ialah Zon Perdagangan Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFTZ) yang mengalami kerugian berbilion ringgit, penggunaan LTSAS di Subang sebagai pusat halal hab, isu pekerja asing yang hendak dikenakan levi dan penyemakan semula perjanjian SYABAS dengan kerajaan Selangor.
Semua isu dan perkara di atas memerlukan kerjasama kerajaan Pusat sebelum boleh dilaksanakan dan seterusnya rakyat memperolehi manfaat darinya.

Khalid Lakukan Kunjungan Hormat Ke Atas Perdana Menteri

SHAH ALAM, 25 April (Bernama) — Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim melakukan kunjungan hormat ke atas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi di Seri Perdana, Putrajaya hari ini dan membincangkan beberapa isu termasuk Zon Perdagangan Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ); penggunaan Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Subang; dan pekerja asing di Selangor.

Dalam kunjungan pertamanya itu selepas dilantik sebagai Menteri Besar, Abdul Khalid diiringi oleh Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pelaburan, Perindustrian dan Perdagangan Negeri, Teresa Kok; dan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam, Datuk Dr Hassan Mohamed Ali, kata Sekretariat Media Pejabat Menteri Besar dalam satu kenyataan dikeluarkan di sini.

Pada pertemuan pada sebelah pagi itu, Abdullah menasihatkan kerajaan Selangor supaya menghubungi Kementerian Pengangkutan bagi membincang dan menangani isu PKFZ dan cadangan penggunaan Lapangan Terbang Subang, katanya.

Sebelum ini dilaporkan Kerajaan Selangor di bawah Pakatan Rakyat berminat untuk membangunkan halal hub di kawasan lapangan terbang itu.

Menurut kenyataan itu, Perdana Menteri memberikan respon positif bahawa terdapat ruang untuk kerajaan negeri membangunkan kawasan berkenaan.

Abdullah juga memberitahu Abdul Khalid bahawa kerajaan negeri perlu berbincang dengan Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU) dan Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi dalam menyelesaikan isu bekalan air di Selangor.

Selepas mengambil alih pentadbiran negeri itu, kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat bercadang menyemak semula perjanjian bekalan air dengan syarikat pemegang konsesi, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) yang didakwa berat sebelah.

Pertemuan dua hala itu juga membincangkan masalah peningkatan pekerja asing di Selangor, kata kenyataan itu.

– BERNAMA

Perfectionism

by TIME megazine

Five years ago, Dr. Alice Domar, a successful psychologist in Boston, had what she describes as an “ah-ha experience.” A new patient, whom she refers to as “Kim,” came in for an evaluation. Kim seemed to have everything — a happy marriage, four well-adjusted kids, a well-to-do lifestyle, good health and a trim figure. Admits Domar, “As she was telling me her story, I was listening to her thinking, what the hell is she doing seeing me?” It turns out that Kim was distressed by the messiness in her house. She told Domar, “Every time I open a drawer or closet and see the clutter, I feel like a miserable failure.”

For Domar, that was a wake-up call about perfectionism. “Women are unhappy because, even if 11 out of 12 things are going well, they zero in on the one that isn’t, and they get miserable about it.” Now, bestselling author Domar (Self-Nurture), drawing on 20 years of clinical experience, has written Be Happy Without Being Perfect (Crown) to help readers cope with their own unrealistic needs to be perfect. TIME reporter Andrea Sachs spoke with Domar:

TIME: What is perfectionism?

Dr. Alice Domar: It’s certainly a diagnosis that falls within the range of obsessive-compulsive disorder. But the way I’m looking at it is not for women who meet the criteria as a true OCD perfectionist. I’m talking about your average, everyday woman who feels uncomfortable going to bed if there are dishes in the sink. Or who feels guilty if she goes out to dinner and leaves her kids with a sitter more than once a month. Or who has a hard time finishing a project at work because she feels it isn’t quite good enough. So I’m talking more about you and me, not people who have met the criteria for the diagnosis per se.

Is perfectionism more common in women?

I believe it is, yes.

Why would that be?

I think women, because we multitask, tend to have more things we try to be good at. There is a study done about 10 years ago tracked married couples over three months. They found that men on average worry about three things every day, but women on average worry about 12 things every day. In which way are you going to be more neurotic? If you worry about three things or if you worry about 12 things?

If my mother or my father is the same way, is this genetic?

I think it’s partially genetic. We [Domar and her co-author, Alice Lesch Kelly] talked about 200 women. Most women who have issues in this realm either had a parent who was a perfectionist or had a parent who was a slob. If it is genetic, then I guess they follow in their parent’s footsteps or they rebel and go the opposite way.

If I fall into the category of perfectionism, does that mean I need therapy?

No. It depends on how intense it is. The goal of the book is for the average person who doesn’t need therapy, who really just needs to let up a little and enjoy life a little more. There are certainly people out there who have OCD. When we talked to women, if they made chicken, they would spend an hour sterilizing their kitchen. So those are the people who do need more than read a book.

Why isn’t trying to be perfect a good thing?

I think trying to do things well is a good thing. I think trying to do everything perfectly is a bad thing. Obviously, if you’re a surgeon, you’d better damn well do things perfectly. You better operate perfectly. But it’s a little less important that you balance your checkbook every day. So I think there are some things in our lives that we need to have our very, very best effort. But you can’t be perfect in everything you do.

How does it affect our view of our own appearance?

Oh, profoundly. I have never in my career seen a woman — and I’ve seen patients who are models and celebrities and such — who would look in the mirror and like everything they saw. What we do, no matter what we look like, is look in the mirror and zero in on the flaws.

What if your husband expects you go have a perfectly clean home?

Then I tell him to get to work. I’ve had a lot of women say to me, “I don’t really care that much, but my husband insists that I vacuum every day.” I’m like, buddy, pick up the vacuum. Obviously you don’t want to live in a dirty house. There are certain minimal standards. But you don’t need to wash the walls. You don’t need to vacuum every day.

What’s the link with eating disorders?

If you look at the spectrum, that is more on the pathological side. I’ve treated a lot of young women in my practice with anorexia and bulimia. That’s a pathological need to control one’s body. I think that there are a lot of women in this country who fall into a gray zone where they are so obsessed with staying a certain body size that they forfeit their health.

Can perfectionism affect someone on their job?

Oh, enormously. Either as a boss or as an employee, it can be very harmful. For example, if your boss on a Monday asks you to do five tasks by Friday, and you spend until Friday morning getting the first task perfect and can’t get to the other four tasks, how happy do you think your boss is going to be? And if you are a perfectionistic boss, you’re going to have very high turnover rates. I think a lot of people at work have to learn how to distinguish between a perfect job and a good enough job.

How would perfectionism affect your marriage?

The chapter on relationships opens with a story about a woman who talks about how she’s always been on the perfectionistic side and it wasn’t an issue. She started dating her husband and things were okay and they got married, and she’d sort of nudge him about leaving the bathroom mat on the floor after a shower. But it wasn’t until they had kids that it really got bad and she would project all her issues on him. Twice a year she travels for business and before she leaves she types out these long instructions for him. She calls every day to check up on him. When she comes home, she looks right past the fact that the kids are fine and she focuses on his unshaven face and the pizza boxes in the garage and the laundry. She knows she’s wrong but she can’t help herself. She worries her husband is going to leave her for somebody who loves him for who he is and the fact that he doesn’t drink and he doesn’t beat them and he brings home a good paycheck. So I think it can be toxic in a relationship.

What if you want to exercise every day?

For most people, exercising on a regular basis is indeed a very good thing. However, there are people who are so obsessed with exercise that they exercise when they are injured or when they’re sick, and that’s not a very good thing. You have to have some common sense here. If you’re hurting, it means your body is saying, don’t do this.

Let’s talk about some of the techniques that you give to help yourself if you’re overly perfectionistic. Mini-relaxation.

It’s basically focused breathing techniques, based on diaphragmatic breathing. This immediately works to bring down your level of anxiety.

What about visualization?

You can either buy a CD that has you visualize walking along a beach, or what I like to do with my patients is have them imagine a place where they feel very safe and happy. This can be their grandparents’ backyard from when they were a kid, or it can be their favorite hike, or whatever. Our brain’s capacity to transport us to places through our imagination is wonderful.

You write about humor being valuable.

Yes. I’ve got to tell you, some perfectionists are pretty funny. If they can step back and look at what they’re doing, even they can see the humor in it.

And active gratitude. How does that work?

There has been a lot of research now on the benefits of acknowledging what is good in our lives. Getting yourself a notebook or a journal and in the evening before you go to bed, jotting down what that day you are grateful for, can have very significant positive impact on your mental and physical health. My mother died a few years ago and it was clearly the worst thing that ever happened to me. I decided to keep a gratitude journal and every night I wrote down what I was grateful for. It’s really hard to do when you’ve just lost your mother, but there was stuff every day. There was a really good bagel or there was a hug from one of my kids. There was something every day. It really shifts your thinking in a healthier way.

Aktiviti pada pagi 26/04/08: Mesyuarat PIBG SRA Kg Jawa

Exco sedang berucap sekaligus merasmikan Majlis Penyampaian Hadiah PSRA dan Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan PIBG kali ke 10 SRA Kg Jawa Klang.
Persembahan pelajar.
YDP PIBG SRA Kg Jawa, En Misswadi bin Sarbini, sedang menyampaikan cenderahati kepada Perasmi.

Aktiviti pada pagi 26/04/08: Mesyuarat PIBG SRA Kg Jawa

Exco sedang berucap sekaligus merasmikan Majlis Penyampaian Hadiah PSRA dan Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan PIBG kali ke 10 SRA Kg Jawa Klang.
Persembahan pelajar.
YDP PIBG SRA Kg Jawa, En Misswadi bin Sarbini, sedang menyampaikan cenderahati kepada Perasmi.

THE VALUE OF TRUST: Winning Ways

by PUAN SRI T.D. AMPIKAIPAKAN

source:the Star

It is something that has to be earned, yet is not difficult to attain.

“When people honour each other, there is a trust established that leads to synergy, interdependence, and deep respect. Both parties make decisions and choices based on what is right, what is best, what is valued most highly.” – Blaine Lee

WE Malaysians, as a whole, do not trust each other anymore. That’s the feeling I get looking at the events that have taken place over the past few weeks. The word “trust” has become highly overrated and has lead to scepticism. Ask anyone today about trust and they will tell you how difficult it is to trust people.

If we are lucky enough to trust someone implicitly, the reasons we do so are based on the promises that were never broken or the commitments that were always fulfilled. But many feel that promises made are broken and commitments unfulfilled.

Few leaders today have the capacity to earn the trust of the people they lead. This is not an easy task. The demands of the people are limitless and juggling these demands with what is available is impossible, particularly when you also have to deal with people’s greed.

Yet, gaining the trust of those around you is not an unachievable task. Ask a child and she will tell you that if her parents kept their word and fulfilled their promises, trust was generated. Ask a student and she will tell you that if her teacher made sure that the students were adequately-prepared for the next level of their education, then trust was created by the teacher.

Ask an employee and he will tell you that if the boss honoured his word to the staff, then trust was achieved. In all these situations, even small actions made trust possible. Trust was created because of the following:

The feeling that you can depend on someone or anyone.

The cooperation and experience of working within a team.

The ability to take risks and be protected.

The experience of communication, whereby people believe each other.

We all know that the best way to maintain a trusting work environment is to prevent distrust. This means a strong corporate vision and mission, a show of integrity of the leadership, truthfulness and transparency of the communication with staff within the organisation, all of which are critical factors. All this boils down to is, “I trust my boss/my supervisor/my staff … to do the right thing all the time”.

In the real world, there are many things that can go wrong daily and trust is often compromised. It is a fact that you may do a hundred things right and no one will even think about how trustworthy you are. But you do one thing wrong, or one promise is unfulfilled, and it will never be forgotten and trust would be lost.

Employees also learn to mistrust even in the best of workplaces because of their life experiences, often, bad ones at the hands of an unfair boss or unscrupulous leader. On the other hand, bosses will tell you that no matter how well the employees are looked after, they will still walk away if someone offers them a better deal.

It is quite apparent that trust is an issue, to some degree, in most organisations.

How do we build trusting relationships in an organisation? It is all about the way you conduct yourself and the values you have, which promote trust in the relationships.

Here are some ideas that might work:

Look at people who are capable of developing good interpersonal skills with others in the organisation. Encourage them to build trust within the firm so that, although everyone may be different, they will behave in a professional way.

Make sure that the people you hire are trainable in the manner you want them to behave to ensure trust is created and nurtured.

Your staff members must be kept informed of whatever is happening in the organisation. It is really wise to give them whatever information you can safely divulge in any given situation so that gossip and misinformation do not destroy the trust created by the organisation.

See that staff in supervisory positions act with integrity. They are expected to keep their commitments and if they cannot do so, then they must explain why.

If there are issues, deal with them in a timely fashion. People watch you all the time and if you are unable to create the necessary checks and balances in the workplace, you lose their trust.

Protect the interests of all your staff. We should know by now that discrimination of any kind creates distrust.

As a supervisor, if you are not competent in what you do, you lose the trust. If you do not know something, admit it and your staff will admire you for it.

If you profess to be a leader of an organisation, do engage in trust-building activities only when you desire a trusting, empowering, team-oriented work environment.

Engaging in these activities is only for the honourable and not for the dishonest. People will know the difference, or when they eventually find out, they will never trust you again.

“The glue that holds all relationships together – including the relationship between the leader and the led – is trust, and trust is based on integrity.” – Brian Tracy

The value of trust

WINNING WAYS by PUAN SRI T.D. AMPIKAIPAKAN

source:the Star

It is something that has to be earned, yet is not difficult to attain.

“When people honour each other, there is a trust established that leads to synergy, interdependence, and deep respect. Both parties make decisions and choices based on what is right, what is best, what is valued most highly.” – Blaine Lee

WE Malaysians, as a whole, do not trust each other anymore. That’s the feeling I get looking at the events that have taken place over the past few weeks. The word “trust” has become highly overrated and has lead to scepticism. Ask anyone today about trust and they will tell you how difficult it is to trust people.

If we are lucky enough to trust someone implicitly, the reasons we do so are based on the promises that were never broken or the commitments that were always fulfilled. But many feel that promises made are broken and commitments unfulfilled.

Few leaders today have the capacity to earn the trust of the people they lead. This is not an easy task. The demands of the people are limitless and juggling these demands with what is available is impossible, particularly when you also have to deal with people’s greed.

Yet, gaining the trust of those around you is not an unachievable task. Ask a child and she will tell you that if her parents kept their word and fulfilled their promises, trust was generated. Ask a student and she will tell you that if her teacher made sure that the students were adequately-prepared for the next level of their education, then trust was created by the teacher.

Ask an employee and he will tell you that if the boss honoured his word to the staff, then trust was achieved. In all these situations, even small actions made trust possible. Trust was created because of the following:

The feeling that you can depend on someone or anyone.

The cooperation and experience of working within a team.

The ability to take risks and be protected.

The experience of communication, whereby people believe each other.

We all know that the best way to maintain a trusting work environment is to prevent distrust. This means a strong corporate vision and mission, a show of integrity of the leadership, truthfulness and transparency of the communication with staff within the organisation, all of which are critical factors. All this boils down to is, “I trust my boss/my supervisor/my staff … to do the right thing all the time”.

In the real world, there are many things that can go wrong daily and trust is often compromised. It is a fact that you may do a hundred things right and no one will even think about how trustworthy you are. But you do one thing wrong, or one promise is unfulfilled, and it will never be forgotten and trust would be lost.

Employees also learn to mistrust even in the best of workplaces because of their life experiences, often, bad ones at the hands of an unfair boss or unscrupulous leader. On the other hand, bosses will tell you that no matter how well the employees are looked after, they will still walk away if someone offers them a better deal.

It is quite apparent that trust is an issue, to some degree, in most organisations.

How do we build trusting relationships in an organisation? It is all about the way you conduct yourself and the values you have, which promote trust in the relationships.

Here are some ideas that might work:

Look at people who are capable of developing good interpersonal skills with others in the organisation. Encourage them to build trust within the firm so that, although everyone may be different, they will behave in a professional way.

Make sure that the people you hire are trainable in the manner you want them to behave to ensure trust is created and nurtured.

Your staff members must be kept informed of whatever is happening in the organisation. It is really wise to give them whatever information you can safely divulge in any given situation so that gossip and misinformation do not destroy the trust created by the organisation.

See that staff in supervisory positions act with integrity. They are expected to keep their commitments and if they cannot do so, then they must explain why.

If there are issues, deal with them in a timely fashion. People watch you all the time and if you are unable to create the necessary checks and balances in the workplace, you lose their trust.

Protect the interests of all your staff. We should know by now that discrimination of any kind creates distrust.

As a supervisor, if you are not competent in what you do, you lose the trust. If you do not know something, admit it and your staff will admire you for it.

If you profess to be a leader of an organisation, do engage in trust-building activities only when you desire a trusting, empowering, team-oriented work environment.

Engaging in these activities is only for the honourable and not for the dishonest. People will know the difference, or when they eventually find out, they will never trust you again.

“The glue that holds all relationships together – including the relationship between the leader and the led – is trust, and trust is based on integrity.” – Brian Tracy

LEGAL ADVISOR ON ECONOMIC ASPECT OF MALAYSIA

The introduction to the organisation and function of the EPU (Economic Planning Unit) of the Prime MInister’s Department of Malaysia says “The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) was established in 1961, to serve as the Secretariat for the preparation of the development plans, both the medium and long-term plans, for the country. It has been mandated to be responsible to formulate the outline perspective plan and the five-year development plans for the nation. It is also the central planning agency responsible for approving programmes and projects as well as determining the allocation ceiling for national development. This task has remained basically unchanged since its establishment, with the addition of new tasks and responsibilities like privatization, the Foreign Investment Committee and other new areas.”

This organisation is one of the most vital and influential not only as a unit per se in the PM’s Department but to the Malaysian government as a whole. So much is under its prerogatives and control that in the recent visit by the MB of Selangor, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi kept referring to EPU when discussing issues brought up by the former. We shall look into the organisation of EPU in future posts. Suffice to say at this juncture that whoever is paid to perform their duties, to shoulder the responsibilities and to monitor the the jobs as well as its processes in this Unit must remember one thing: YOU ARE BEING WATCHED ALL THE TIME. SO WHATEVER YOU SAY OR DO OR OTHERWISE MIGHT BE USED AGAINST YOU IN COURT OF ALLAH, ALL- KNOWING, AL-SEEING.

SECTIONS DIRECTLY UNDER THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

A. Secretariat to the Foreign Investment Committee

(1) Process applications and make recommendations for acquisition of assets and interests as
well as mergers and takeovers of companies.
(2) Monitor and evaluate investment activities to ensure they are in line with the corporate
equity restructuring objective.

B. Management Services Section

Provide administrative, financial and personnel support to EPU.

C. Secretariat to the National Development Planning Committee.

D. Legal Section

(1) Give legal advice on the interpretation of laws, terms of contracts, terms of agreements and
other legal documents.
(2) Resolve any legal issue and any other matter of legal character.
(3) Draft and vet any proposed law/Bill or amendments of laws, rules, regulations, orders and
notifications.
(4) Draft and vet all legal documents such as privatization agreements, procurement contracts,
guarantees, letters of undertaking, memorandum of understanding, consultancy agreements
and other types of agreements.
(5) Assist / participate in the negotiations of the agreements.

PENDAPATAN BAWAH RM1200 LAYAK DAPAT BANTUAN TASKA

Menurut Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Rodziah Ismail, mekanisme pembayaran subsidi atau rebet bagi ibu bapa berpendapatan RM1200/= sebulan yang mempunyai anak di TASKA belum diputuskan. Pihak kerajaan negeri sedang mengkaji kaedah pembayaran yang akan dibuat kelak. Itu memang betul kerana kita tidak mahu rebet ini diselewengkan seperti mengaku ada anak di Taska sini dan situ tetapi seorang anakpun tiada lagi di peringkat Taska, baik anak kandung atau anak angkat malah anaknya semua sudah bekerja. Kita juga tidak mahu seperti yang terjadi kepada program pembelian komputer peribadi yang mana ada pihak yang sanggup mengaku telah menjual komputer untuk “caj perkhidmatan yang berpatutan”.

Sebahagian NGO Wanita dan Keluarga yang hadir di majlis dialog dengan Exco Kerajaan Negeri, Dr Rodziah Ismail, di Shah Alam, semalam.

Sumber:Agenda Selangor
OLEH ROSLAN BIAN

SHAH ALAM, Jumaat 25 April: Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor sedang mengkaji kesan kewangan sebelum menunaikan janji memberi bantuan RM75 sebulan bagi setiap anak yang dihantar ke nurseri atau taman asuhan kanak-kanak (Taska).

Sekiranya dilaksanakan kelak, keutamaan bantuan akan diberikan kepada ibu bapa yang berpendapat RM1,200 ke bawah setiap bulan, kata Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Rodziah Ismail.

Menurut beliau, bantuan itu pastinya dapat meringankan beban ibu bapa kerana tanpa bantuan itu mereka perlu membayar RM200 yuran kepada pengasuh.

“Kalau mereka ada dua anak, mereka kena bayar RM400. Sekiranya, kita beri bantuan tersebut, ianya dapat membantu meringankan beban keluarga tersebut,” katanya.

Dr Rodziah berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas mengadakan Dialog bersama Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) Wanita dan Keluarga yang dihadiri lebih 200 peserta mewakili lebih 60 pertubuhan dan persatuan di sini, hari ini.

Turut serta Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Insan, Dr Halimah Ali dan Timbalan Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Haniza Mohamad Talha.

Menurut Dr Rodziah, kerajaan sedar rakyat menunggu kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat yang memenangi pilihan raya umum lalu menunaikan janji itu yang dibuat ketika berkempen.

“Kita akan laksanakan juga janji ini tetapi yang penting peningkatan anak-anak pra- sekolah dan khidmat di Taska perlu ditingkatkan manakala guru-guru Taska harus diberi penghormatan sewajarnya,” ujar beliau.

Katanya, kerajaan juga sedang mengkaji sama ada RM75 itu diberikan kepada ibu bapa ataupun terus kepada Taska yang mengasuh kanak-kanak yang menerima bantuan itu.

“Ini membabitkan implikasi kewangan. Kita belum putuskan kerana ada jawatankuasa sedang melihat cara pelaksanaan bantuan ini,” ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu katanya, kerajaan negeri akan berusaha mewujudkan pusat sehenti bagi membantu mereka yang menjadi mangsa penderaan seksual atas keganasan rumah tangga.

“Sekarang ini, individu yang teraniaya perlu ke balai polis, ke Jabatan Kebajikan, Jabatan Agama atau ke hospital untuk pemeriksaan. Ini sahaja mengambil banyak masa dan menyulitkan,” katanya.

Dr Rodziah berkata, dengan adanya one stop centre yang akan ditempatkan di hospital kerajaan, individu yang menjadi mangsa keganasan boleh membuat aduan dan pemeriksaan tapi perlu ke sana sini.

CAPITAL FM OPSYEN UNTUK KE UDARA KATA MB SELANGOR

Setelah menemui jalan buntu dalam perbincangan dengan RTM, kini YAB Selangor mencari opsyen lain untuk dapat ke udara bagi tujuan menerangkan polisi dan program Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat kepada rakyat Selangor sendiri walaupun hanya setakat di lembah Klang sahaja. Jika kita sebut Malaysia bukan sebuah negara demokrasi, maka ramai orang akan marah, tetapi inilah hakikatnya. RTM sebuah agensi di bawah Kementerian Penerangan yang dibiayai sepenuhnya oleh pembayar cukai dan menjadi hak milik rakyat Malaysia boleh menafikan hak seorang Menteri Besar yang dilantik oleh rakyat untuk berinteraksi di udara. Memang “mereka” takut pengaruh PR menjadi bertambah kuat dengan penggunaan media eletronik. Sumber:Suara Selangor Slot Radio : Kerajaan Negeri Bincang Dengan Capital FM

SHAH ALAM, 26 April – Kerajaan negeri akan mengadakan perbincangan dengan stesen radio swasta, Capital FM bagi mendapatkan slot ke udara.

Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata slot yang mengambil masa sejam ke sejam setengah itu membolehkan beliau dan Ahli-ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (Exco) menerangkan isu-isu semasa dan dasar kerajaan negeri.

“Capital FM adalah stesen radio swasta untuk kawasan Lembah Klang, kita akan aturkan untuk menggunakannya sebagai salah satu cara untuk kita berinteraksi dengan rakyat Selangor,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas mengadakan pertemuan dengan penduduk Bukit Jelutong di Dewan MBSA, Jalan Adang dekat sini.

Majlis itu turut dihadiri Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Kota Anggerik, Yaakob Sapari.

Terdahulu dalam sesi dialog dalam majlis itu, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid ditanya mengenai saluran yang akan digunakan kerajaan negeri untuk menyampaikan maklumat di radio, setelah stesen Selangor FM tidak lagi beroperasi di Bangunan SSAAS, Pejabat Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri.

Beliau berharap Capital FM dapat menjadi saluran yang membolehkan kerajaan negeri menerima maklum balas daripada penduduk Selangor.

“Saya harap Kementerian Penerangan tidak politikkan perkara ini sebab apa pun kita boleh buat bersama,” katanya.

Aktiviti pada tengahari 26/04/08: Majlis Penutup seminar Al Quran di Masjid Al Ansar Tmn Keramat

Sebahagian dari peserta Seminar pengajaran dan pembelajaran Al Quran yang berkesan. Seperti biasa, kaum hawa lebih komited dan bersedia menyahut cabaran untuk ditarbiyah.
Seorang peserta menerima sijil penyertaan.
Perasmi menerima cenderahati berupa kit Asas Tilawah Al Quran keluaran “Aqrab Tilawah Bestari Enterprise” pengendali kelas-kelas AlQuran.

KUNJUNGAN HORMAT ATAS PM OLEH MB

YAB Tan Sri MB Selangor telah mengadakan kunjungan hormat ke atas PM Malaysia dan berbincang tentang beberapa perkara seperti yang dilaporkan oleh Bernama. Antara lain yang dibincangkan ialah Zon Perdagangan Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFTZ) yang mengalami kerugian berbilion ringgit, penggunaan LTSAS di Subang sebagai pusat halal hab, isu pekerja asing yang hendak dikenakan levi dan penyemakan semula perjanjian SYABAS dengan kerajaan Selangor.
Semua isu dan perkara di atas memerlukan kerjasama kerajaan Pusat sebelum boleh dilaksanakan dan seterusnya rakyat memperolehi manfaat darinya.

Khalid Lakukan Kunjungan Hormat Ke Atas Perdana Menteri

SHAH ALAM, 25 April (Bernama) — Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim melakukan kunjungan hormat ke atas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi di Seri Perdana, Putrajaya hari ini dan membincangkan beberapa isu termasuk Zon Perdagangan Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ); penggunaan Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Subang; dan pekerja asing di Selangor.

Dalam kunjungan pertamanya itu selepas dilantik sebagai Menteri Besar, Abdul Khalid diiringi oleh Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pelaburan, Perindustrian dan Perdagangan Negeri, Teresa Kok; dan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam, Datuk Dr Hassan Mohamed Ali, kata Sekretariat Media Pejabat Menteri Besar dalam satu kenyataan dikeluarkan di sini.

Pada pertemuan pada sebelah pagi itu, Abdullah menasihatkan kerajaan Selangor supaya menghubungi Kementerian Pengangkutan bagi membincang dan menangani isu PKFZ dan cadangan penggunaan Lapangan Terbang Subang, katanya.

Sebelum ini dilaporkan Kerajaan Selangor di bawah Pakatan Rakyat berminat untuk membangunkan halal hub di kawasan lapangan terbang itu.

Menurut kenyataan itu, Perdana Menteri memberikan respon positif bahawa terdapat ruang untuk kerajaan negeri membangunkan kawasan berkenaan.

Abdullah juga memberitahu Abdul Khalid bahawa kerajaan negeri perlu berbincang dengan Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU) dan Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi dalam menyelesaikan isu bekalan air di Selangor.

Selepas mengambil alih pentadbiran negeri itu, kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat bercadang menyemak semula perjanjian bekalan air dengan syarikat pemegang konsesi, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) yang didakwa berat sebelah.

Pertemuan dua hala itu juga membincangkan masalah peningkatan pekerja asing di Selangor, kata kenyataan itu.

– BERNAMA

Perfectionism

by TIME megazine

Five years ago, Dr. Alice Domar, a successful psychologist in Boston, had what she describes as an “ah-ha experience.” A new patient, whom she refers to as “Kim,” came in for an evaluation. Kim seemed to have everything — a happy marriage, four well-adjusted kids, a well-to-do lifestyle, good health and a trim figure. Admits Domar, “As she was telling me her story, I was listening to her thinking, what the hell is she doing seeing me?” It turns out that Kim was distressed by the messiness in her house. She told Domar, “Every time I open a drawer or closet and see the clutter, I feel like a miserable failure.”

For Domar, that was a wake-up call about perfectionism. “Women are unhappy because, even if 11 out of 12 things are going well, they zero in on the one that isn’t, and they get miserable about it.” Now, bestselling author Domar (Self-Nurture), drawing on 20 years of clinical experience, has written Be Happy Without Being Perfect (Crown) to help readers cope with their own unrealistic needs to be perfect. TIME reporter Andrea Sachs spoke with Domar:

TIME: What is perfectionism?

Dr. Alice Domar: It’s certainly a diagnosis that falls within the range of obsessive-compulsive disorder. But the way I’m looking at it is not for women who meet the criteria as a true OCD perfectionist. I’m talking about your average, everyday woman who feels uncomfortable going to bed if there are dishes in the sink. Or who feels guilty if she goes out to dinner and leaves her kids with a sitter more than once a month. Or who has a hard time finishing a project at work because she feels it isn’t quite good enough. So I’m talking more about you and me, not people who have met the criteria for the diagnosis per se.

Is perfectionism more common in women?

I believe it is, yes.

Why would that be?

I think women, because we multitask, tend to have more things we try to be good at. There is a study done about 10 years ago tracked married couples over three months. They found that men on average worry about three things every day, but women on average worry about 12 things every day. In which way are you going to be more neurotic? If you worry about three things or if you worry about 12 things?

If my mother or my father is the same way, is this genetic?

I think it’s partially genetic. We [Domar and her co-author, Alice Lesch Kelly] talked about 200 women. Most women who have issues in this realm either had a parent who was a perfectionist or had a parent who was a slob. If it is genetic, then I guess they follow in their parent’s footsteps or they rebel and go the opposite way.

If I fall into the category of perfectionism, does that mean I need therapy?

No. It depends on how intense it is. The goal of the book is for the average person who doesn’t need therapy, who really just needs to let up a little and enjoy life a little more. There are certainly people out there who have OCD. When we talked to women, if they made chicken, they would spend an hour sterilizing their kitchen. So those are the people who do need more than read a book.

Why isn’t trying to be perfect a good thing?

I think trying to do things well is a good thing. I think trying to do everything perfectly is a bad thing. Obviously, if you’re a surgeon, you’d better damn well do things perfectly. You better operate perfectly. But it’s a little less important that you balance your checkbook every day. So I think there are some things in our lives that we need to have our very, very best effort. But you can’t be perfect in everything you do.

How does it affect our view of our own appearance?

Oh, profoundly. I have never in my career seen a woman — and I’ve seen patients who are models and celebrities and such — who would look in the mirror and like everything they saw. What we do, no matter what we look like, is look in the mirror and zero in on the flaws.

What if your husband expects you go have a perfectly clean home?

Then I tell him to get to work. I’ve had a lot of women say to me, “I don’t really care that much, but my husband insists that I vacuum every day.” I’m like, buddy, pick up the vacuum. Obviously you don’t want to live in a dirty house. There are certain minimal standards. But you don’t need to wash the walls. You don’t need to vacuum every day.

What’s the link with eating disorders?

If you look at the spectrum, that is more on the pathological side. I’ve treated a lot of young women in my practice with anorexia and bulimia. That’s a pathological need to control one’s body. I think that there are a lot of women in this country who fall into a gray zone where they are so obsessed with staying a certain body size that they forfeit their health.

Can perfectionism affect someone on their job?

Oh, enormously. Either as a boss or as an employee, it can be very harmful. For example, if your boss on a Monday asks you to do five tasks by Friday, and you spend until Friday morning getting the first task perfect and can’t get to the other four tasks, how happy do you think your boss is going to be? And if you are a perfectionistic boss, you’re going to have very high turnover rates. I think a lot of people at work have to learn how to distinguish between a perfect job and a good enough job.

How would perfectionism affect your marriage?

The chapter on relationships opens with a story about a woman who talks about how she’s always been on the perfectionistic side and it wasn’t an issue. She started dating her husband and things were okay and they got married, and she’d sort of nudge him about leaving the bathroom mat on the floor after a shower. But it wasn’t until they had kids that it really got bad and she would project all her issues on him. Twice a year she travels for business and before she leaves she types out these long instructions for him. She calls every day to check up on him. When she comes home, she looks right past the fact that the kids are fine and she focuses on his unshaven face and the pizza boxes in the garage and the laundry. She knows she’s wrong but she can’t help herself. She worries her husband is going to leave her for somebody who loves him for who he is and the fact that he doesn’t drink and he doesn’t beat them and he brings home a good paycheck. So I think it can be toxic in a relationship.

What if you want to exercise every day?

For most people, exercising on a regular basis is indeed a very good thing. However, there are people who are so obsessed with exercise that they exercise when they are injured or when they’re sick, and that’s not a very good thing. You have to have some common sense here. If you’re hurting, it means your body is saying, don’t do this.

Let’s talk about some of the techniques that you give to help yourself if you’re overly perfectionistic. Mini-relaxation.

It’s basically focused breathing techniques, based on diaphragmatic breathing. This immediately works to bring down your level of anxiety.

What about visualization?

You can either buy a CD that has you visualize walking along a beach, or what I like to do with my patients is have them imagine a place where they feel very safe and happy. This can be their grandparents’ backyard from when they were a kid, or it can be their favorite hike, or whatever. Our brain’s capacity to transport us to places through our imagination is wonderful.

You write about humor being valuable.

Yes. I’ve got to tell you, some perfectionists are pretty funny. If they can step back and look at what they’re doing, even they can see the humor in it.

And active gratitude. How does that work?

There has been a lot of research now on the benefits of acknowledging what is good in our lives. Getting yourself a notebook or a journal and in the evening before you go to bed, jotting down what that day you are grateful for, can have very significant positive impact on your mental and physical health. My mother died a few years ago and it was clearly the worst thing that ever happened to me. I decided to keep a gratitude journal and every night I wrote down what I was grateful for. It’s really hard to do when you’ve just lost your mother, but there was stuff every day. There was a really good bagel or there was a hug from one of my kids. There was something every day. It really shifts your thinking in a healthier way.

Aktiviti pada pagi 26/04/08: Mesyuarat PIBG SRA Kg Jawa

Exco sedang berucap sekaligus merasmikan Majlis Penyampaian Hadiah PSRA dan Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan PIBG kali ke 10 SRA Kg Jawa Klang.
Persembahan pelajar.
YDP PIBG SRA Kg Jawa, En Misswadi bin Sarbini, sedang menyampaikan cenderahati kepada Perasmi.

FROM BALKIS TO BAKTI WITH RM

Congratulation to YAB Tan Sri MB Selangor for his fast decision and action in writing to the Registrar of Societies as well as to the Registrar Of Societies for acting according to the book. What’ s cooking in Selangor for the next few months. Hurry, don’t miss the action. If you had missed the free edition of the SUN for 24/04/08 and 25/04/08, not to worry. We have included the full report for your perusal. Well done Nadesan and Fernandez once again for the enlightening reports.

WHAT IS BAKTI? WHO IS BALKIS?

BAKTI was founded in 1977 by YABhg. Tun Suhaila with the purpose of utilising the combined efforts of the wives of our country’s leaders to provide assistance to individuals who need assistance and attention. The members of BAKTI consist of the wife of the Prime Minister, the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, wife of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, wife of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Senate, and wives of the cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. Wives of former leaders currently not holding any office are made associate members. Balkis, however, is the association of wives of state assemblymen and MPs in Selangor. Rosmah (left) Jeanne looks on The Sun web edition reports RM10m gone in 3 days R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez PETALING JAYA (April 24, 2008): Three days after their husbands lost power to rule Selangor, the wives got into the act – plotting to dissolve a welfare body and remove almost RM10 million from its bank accounts. But their attempts have been thwarted by Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim who wrote to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to question the validity of the decision to dissolve the Association of Wives of State Assemblymen and Members of Parliament in Selangor (Balkis). It is learnt that Abdul Khalid has ordered a thorough investigation and audit into the affairs of the association which was set up in 1985 to undertake welfare work. According to documents sighted by theSun, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had on March 11 convened an extraordinary general meeting of the committee to dissolve Balkis and close its bank accounts. The following day, the accounts were closed, with the money transferred to another account and then to Bakti – the federal Organisation of Wives of Ministers which Balkis is affiliated to. On March 13, the former exco members of Balkis issued a notice of dissolution to the ROS, which included amending the constitution of Balkis and establishing a new organisation – Balkis-BN, is among the names suggested. “This was to prevent the Balkis premises (Kompleks Wawasan Balksi – KWB) and the association itself from being taken over by the new state government,” said an insider. “Once this was done, then the money will be transferred back to the new organisation,” the insider added. However, the ROS in a letter stated that Balkis’ application for dissolution was incomplete and gave it 30 days to furnish additional information. The constitution of Balkis states that the mentri besar’s wife should be the president. Sources in the state government argue that since Mohamad Khir is no longer MB, Zaharah is no longer the president and has no power whatsoever to dissolve the association or liquidate its funds. Incidentally, the constitution also states that the organisation must remain apolitical. Legal experts say by right, following the events of March 8, the exco headed by Zaharah should have convened an emergency meeting to discuss the handing over of Balkis to a new exco – with the new president being Abdul Khalid’s wife Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut. Bakti, meanwhile, according to minutes of a recent meeting it held, had under advice of a sitting judge received the RM9.9 million from Balkis, which it has placed in a fixed deposit. The money would then be transferred back to the new organisation set up by the former Balkis members. Bakti would also take over a Special Education Project involving millions of ringgit until the “new” Balkis is formed. This is clearly goes against Balkis’ constitution which states that in the event of a dissolution, all monies must be transferred to the government or a similar fund, with the approval of the Inland Revenue Board director-general. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Abdul Khalid had in his letter to the ROS on Wednesday (April 23) said of the amount in Balkis’ accounts, about RM850,000 was donated by state government companies – Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd which gave RM268,862 last year and Perbadanan Kemajuan Negri Selangor (PKNS) which contributed RM590,379.50 between 2006 and 2007. It is understood that Abdul Khalid is also investigating the transfer of 43,560sq ft of land in Section 7, Shah Alam, which the state government had in 2002 offered to Balkis at a nominal cost of RM250,000 (RM5.74/sq ft) for the setting up of a shelter home for women that cost RM5 million It’s ‘our’ money, not yours R. Nadeswaran TWENTY-EIGHT days before Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo was unseated as Selangor mentri besar, he asserted that the Selangor Economic Development Corporation (PKNS) was a private company and that its money and assets do not belong to the people. At a pow-wow over lunch with this writer and his colleagues, he charged: “You wrote that the fine paid by PKNS was people’s money. No, PKNS is a private company.” (For the record, PKNS was imposed fines totalling RM330,000 for illegal clearing of land around the Bukit Cahaya Agricultural Park and at all material times, Mohd Khir was its chairman.) Then he made a remarkable statement: “The fine goes back to the state coffin! (I’m sure he meant “coffers” but those at the lunch looked stunned when he used the word a second time). The money comes back to us.” Not wanting to argue with someone who has little knowledge of where the fines imposed by a court of justice end up and not wanting to give him a free lesson in financial procedures, I reserved my comments. Today, PKNS is in the news again. Here’s a summary of what it paid out to Balkis, the organisation of wives of state assemblymen and MPs in Selangor. • RM218,719 for the opening ceremony of Komplex Wawasan Balkis; • RM200,000 for the Balkis dinner; • RM10,000 for a table at the same dinner; and • RM161,660 for programmes organised by Balkis. If you thought that people’s money – not a private company’s money as Mohamad Khir sees it – was being handed out like candy, PKNS also sold 43,560 sq ft of land in Section 7 in Shah Alam at RM5.74 per sq ft – a bargain whichever way you look at it. But no money changed hands. A contra deal for amount payable – RM250,000 – was made. The amount was off-set as a loan from PKNS to the state government and this was duly endorsed at the meeting of the State Financial Committee on Oct 19, 2000. Has this loan been settled? And the deal was between PKNS and the state government. How did Balkis come into the picture? Balkis for all intent and purposes was an organisation that received funds and other forms of financial help from the state government. The mentri besar’s wife occupies the seat of the president and the members of the committee are elected among the wives. Just like Mohamad Khir deemed PKNS a private entity, his wife Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik saw Balkis as a “sendirian berhad”. How else could she call for a meeting and dissolve the organisation and transfer funds running into millions? Doesn’t the constitution say that the president should be the mentri besar’s wife? As of March 9, her hubby was no longer the mentri besar and therefore, she automatically relinquishes her post. But no, giving up power and influence does not come easy. Leaving that issue aside, where else did our money, (oops! PKNS money as Mohamad Khir sees it) end up? Special number plates for its officers, for one. Should the people pay for their employees to drive around in cars with fancy number plates? It can be argued that this exercise involved a few thousand ringgit, but it’s the principle that matters. On a larger scale, PKNS built what was termed as a public golf course, which has since been privatised. Since it was built with people’s money running into millions, why should the rakyat pay commercial rates at the Seri Selangor Golf Club? Were open tenders called for the privatisation deal or was it handed on a platter to some uncle or brother-in-law’s sister’s son? What about the joint-venture deals and other questionable agreements which could have committed us? Shouldn’t we, the rakyat be entitled to know? Or should we remain silent with folded arms as those who raped and plundered the state coffers get away scot-free? That is why there is a dire need for accountability and transparency in all matters involving public money. Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has done the right thing by ordering an audit of Balkis, but what about the state-owned companies and agencies, who are flaunting our money as if it is theirs? The goings-on within Balkis are just the small fish that’s visible on the surface in shallow waters. Deep down, there are even bigger ones who have used our money without having to account for it and even stolen our money. Shouldn’t these thieves be brought to book? Shouldn’t we file civil suits to recover what rightfully belongs to us? Abdul Khalid, on taking office, promised reports every quarter or 100 days. The clock is ticking, and by the end of next month, can we expect that report and see a few heads roll?

VIP OVERSEAS, ANOTHER DELAYING TACTIC

It seems to be a popular tactic in order to avoid or delay subpoena, summonses, arrest, ISA, police investigations and any embarrasing situations is to go for Umrah or overseas trip. According to the Police, it’s not up to them to drop the case, but the Attorney General Chamber has received her statutory declaration. It is now the acid test for police integrity and the legislative’s impartiality whether to proceed with the case. Let us wait and pray for the outcome.
Read on..

Probe into molest claim to continue

NSTonline

addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will not drop investigation into a molest allegation by a woman against a former minister, despite the victim’s retraction of the report.

City police chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the police would continue investigating the case and were waiting to talk to the former minister, who was currently overseas.

“It is not up to us (police) to drop the case. We will record a statement from the VIP when he returns to find out what transpired,” he said yesterday.

Muhammad Sabtu said police were interviewing eyewitnesses and would forward the investigation papers to the deputy public prosecutor’s office soon.

The 30-year-old woman had, on Wednesday, retracted a report she lodged last week alleging molest by the former minister, in his 50s.
The woman’s lawyer, Datuk Shafee Abdullah, said his client had given him a statutory declaration to retract the police report, claiming that the whole situation was a misunderstanding.

The statutory declaration has been handed over to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the police.

In her report on Friday, she alleged that the former minister hugged her last Thursday while she was at work in a cigar shop at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Brickfields.

It was lodged at the Brickfields police headquarters.

Muhammad Sabtu said police may recommend that the woman be charged with lodging a false report if the investigation leads to this.

Meanwhile, lawyer Karpal Singh said yesterday the woman could not withdraw the report, according to the law.

“A person who lodges a report cannot at his whim and fancy withdraw it by way of a letter of statutory declaration. A person who lodges a report runs the risk of lodging a false report.

“He is bound by the contents of the report.”

Karpal said action against the former minister should be taken if the contents of the report were found to be true, even though the report had been withdrawn.

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

PERMUDAHKAN JANGAN MENYUSAHKAN

Jikalau sebelum ini, untuk mendapatkan lesen perniagaan amatlah sukar, antara lain memerlukan sokongan ADUN , mengisi borang keahlian UMNO/BN dan sebagainya, tetapi kini YAB Tan Sri MB telah mengeluarkan arahan kepada Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan agar menpercepatkan pengeluaran lesen berniaga. Maka selepas ini, diperlukan pula kerja memperbanyakkan tempat peniaga berniaga seperti arked, gerai, tapak pasar malam, pasar tani, bazaar ramadhan dan sebagainya. Ini merupakan salah satu agenda negera berkebajikan PA (Pakatan Rakyat). Tahniah dan syabas. Lesen Perniagaan Bagi Penjaja Dimudahkan Sumber: Suara Selangor Maju

SHAH ALAM, 24 April – Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim hari ini meminta semua pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) di Selangor memberikan lesen perniagaan kepada semua penjaja di negeri ini yang masih belum mendapat kelulusan berniaga.

Perkara ini dinyatakan beliau dalam pertemuannya bersama badan-badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Cina di Dewan Annex, Pejabat Dewan Undangan Negeri, petang tadi.

Bagaimanapun katanya, pemberian lesen itu hanya melibatkan penjaja yang sudah menjalankan perniagaan lebih daripada tiga tahun.

“Saya telah meminta majlis tempatan untuk berbuat demikian,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas majlis dialog itu.

Dialog bersama Tan Sri Abdul Khalid itu dihadiri kira-kira 100 anggota NGO antaranya dari Persatuan-Persatuan Kaum Seg Hwa dan Persatuan-persatuan Penjaja Seg Hwa.

Antara perkara yang dibincangkan ialah bagaimana kerajaan negeri boleh mempercepatkan urusan mendapatkan lesen perniagaan selain hal-hal berkaitan pendaftaran tanah.

Tambahnya, bagi memudahkan segala urusan berkaitan perkara itu, pihak penjaja atau peniaga boleh menyelesaikannya terus di pejabat PBT.

“Kita sudah membuat beberapa rancangan supaya kelulusan-kelulusan ini boleh dibuat di majlis tempatan sahaja tanpa perlu dibawa ke Pejabat Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri atau Menteri Besar,” katanya.- MURIZA ABDUL HAMID

PEJABAT ADUN SELAT KLANG (N45)

Pejabat ADUN Selat Klang yang beralamat di No 2, Lorong Telok Gadung 1, Tmn Emas 41250 Klang Selangor telah mula beroperasi pada 11hb April 2008. Pejabat ADUN ini terletak di sebuah rumah teres dua tingkat di tepi Jalan Sungai Bertih berhampiran dengan Pasaraya Econmart dan berdepan dengan kedai Perabot Bee Teck. Menurut Pegawai Khas ADUN Selat Klang Tn Hj Kamaluddin bin Hj Rahmat, pejabat ini dibuka dari jam 0900 pagi hingga 0500 petang setiap hari bekerja.

No tel : 03-33723919 dan No fax 03-33723923.

ADUN Selat Klang telah menjadualkan hari Jumaat antara jam 0300 hingga 0500 petang untuk berjumpa dengan penduduk Selat Klang. Selain dari waktu tersebut, ADUN boleh dihubungi di:

Pejabat Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan
Tkt 12, Bangunan SUK, Shah Alam.
No tel: 03-55447215 atau 03-55447216
No fax: 03-55107308
E-mail: selatklang@yahoo.com
atau
E-mail: drhalimah@selangor.my
http://drhalimahali.blogspot.com
http://drhalimahali.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com
Imej keratan akhbar bertarikh 25hb April 2008 yang menceritakan peranan dan program yang telah dan sedang berjalan di kawasan DUN Selat Klang. Tn Hj Kamaluddin bergambar dengan Tn Hj Shaari dan seorang sahabat lain.
Pemandangan di depan pintu masuk Pejabat ADUN. Kelihatan Saudara Jamuliddin Alias, bekas Wakil Calon N45, merangkap Naib YDP PAS Kawasan Kapar dan Naib Pengerusi YAM sedang berucap pada malam majlis kesyukuran pembukaan Pejabat ADUN 10hb April 2008.
Kelihatan Tn Hj Kamaluddin dan isteri beliau, Hjh Zaharah Awang di Pejabat ADUN.
Pemandangan di ruang tamu Pejabat ADUN.

Kelihatan, wakil-wakil ADUN sedang bermesyuarat: Hj Mahmuddin, Hj Bahari, Hj Shaari dan Hj Paad.
Kelihatan En Abd Razak, S/U MTD Selat Klang merangkap wakil ADUN untuk Bagan Hailam, Tn Hj Shamsul ( Timb pengarah MTD) dan Hj Saroni, wakil ADUN untuk Pulau Ketam.
Kelihatan En Zaaismail bin Zahari selaku bendahari MTD N45.
Kelihatan Tn Hj Paad,ketua cawangan PAS Kg Delek merangkap wakil ADUN di kawasan Kg Delek, Tn Hj Azmi Talib, Pegawai Khas Exco Pendidikan merangkap wakil ADUN di kawasan Sg Bertih Utara dan Selatan (Jln Tepi Sungai).

PEJABAT ADUN SELAT KLANG (N45)

Pejabat ADUN Selat Klang yang beralamat di No 2, Lorong Telok Gadung 1, Tmn Emas 41250 Klang Selangor telah mula beroperasi pada 11hb April 2008. Pejabat ADUN ini terletak di sebuah rumah teres dua tingkat di tepi Jalan Sungai Bertih berhampiran dengan Pasaraya Econmart dan berdepan dengan kedai Perabot Bee Teck. Menurut Pegawai Khas ADUN Selat Klang Tn Hj Kamaluddin bin Hj Rahmat, pejabat ini dibuka dari jam 0900 pagi hingga 0500 petang setiap hari bekerja.

No tel : 03-33723919 dan No fax 03-33723923.

ADUN Selat Klang telah menjadualkan hari Jumaat antara jam 0300 hingga 0500 petang untuk berjumpa dengan penduduk Selat Klang. Selain dari waktu tersebut, ADUN boleh dihubungi di:

Pejabat Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan
Tkt 12, Bangunan SUK, Shah Alam.
No tel: 03-55447215 atau 03-55447216
No fax: 03-55107308
E-mail: selatklang@yahoo.com
atau
E-mail: drhalimah@selangor.my
http://drhalimahali.blogspot.com
http://drhalimahali.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com
Imej keratan akhbar bertarikh 25hb April 2008 yang menceritakan peranan dan program yang telah dan sedang berjalan di kawasan DUN Selat Klang. Tn Hj Kamaluddin bergambar dengan Tn Hj Shaari dan seorang sahabat lain.
Pemandangan di depan pintu masuk Pejabat ADUN. Kelihatan Saudara Jamuliddin Alias, bekas Wakil Calon N45, merangkap Naib YDP PAS Kawasan Kapar dan Naib Pengerusi YAM sedang berucap pada malam majlis kesyukuran pembukaan Pejabat ADUN 10hb April 2008.
Kelihatan Tn Hj Kamaluddin dan isteri beliau, Hjh Zaharah Awang di Pejabat ADUN.
Pemandangan di ruang tamu Pejabat ADUN.

Kelihatan, wakil-wakil ADUN sedang bermesyuarat: Hj Mahmuddin, Hj Bahari, Hj Shaari dan Hj Paad.
Kelihatan En Abd Razak, S/U MTD Selat Klang merangkap wakil ADUN untuk Bagan Hailam, Tn Hj Shamsul ( Timb pengarah MTD) dan Hj Saroni, wakil ADUN untuk Pulau Ketam.
Kelihatan En Zaaismail bin Zahari selaku bendahari MTD N45.
Kelihatan Tn Hj Paad,ketua cawangan PAS Kg Delek merangkap wakil ADUN di kawasan Kg Delek, Tn Hj Azmi Talib, Pegawai Khas Exco Pendidikan merangkap wakil ADUN di kawasan Sg Bertih Utara dan Selatan (Jln Tepi Sungai).

PEJABAT ADUN SELAT KLANG (N45)

Pejabat ADUN Selat Klang yang beralamat di No 2, Lorong Telok Gadung 1, Tmn Emas 41250 Klang Selangor telah mula beroperasi pada 11hb April 2008. Pejabat ADUN ini terletak di sebuah rumah teres dua tingkat di tepi Jalan Sungai Bertih berhampiran dengan Pasaraya Econmart dan berdepan dengan kedai Perabot Bee Teck. Menurut Pegawai Khas ADUN Selat Klang Tn Hj Kamaluddin bin Hj Rahmat, pejabat ini dibuka dari jam 0900 pagi hingga 0500 petang setiap hari bekerja.

No tel : 03-33723919 dan No fax 03-33723923.

ADUN Selat Klang telah menjadualkan hari Jumaat antara jam 0300 hingga 0500 petang untuk berjumpa dengan penduduk Selat Klang. Selain dari waktu tersebut, ADUN boleh dihubungi di:

Pejabat Exco Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan
Tkt 12, Bangunan SUK, Shah Alam.
No tel: 03-55447215 atau 03-55447216
No fax: 03-55107308
E-mail: selatklang@yahoo.com
atau
E-mail: drhalimah@selangor.my
http://drhalimahali.blogspot.com
http://drhalimahali.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com
Imej keratan akhbar bertarikh 25hb April 2008 yang menceritakan peranan dan program yang telah dan sedang berjalan di kawasan DUN Selat Klang. Tn Hj Kamaluddin bergambar dengan Tn Hj Shaari dan seorang sahabat lain.
Pemandangan di depan pintu masuk Pejabat ADUN. Kelihatan Saudara Jamuliddin Alias, bekas Wakil Calon N45, merangkap Naib YDP PAS Kawasan Kapar dan Naib Pengerusi YAM sedang berucap pada malam majlis kesyukuran pembukaan Pejabat ADUN 10hb April 2008.
Kelihatan Tn Hj Kamaluddin dan isteri beliau, Hjh Zaharah Awang di Pejabat ADUN.
Pemandangan di ruang tamu Pejabat ADUN.

Kelihatan, wakil-wakil ADUN sedang bermesyuarat: Hj Mahmuddin, Hj Bahari, Hj Shaari dan Hj Paad.
Kelihatan En Abd Razak, S/U MTD Selat Klang merangkap wakil ADUN untuk Bagan Hailam, Tn Hj Shamsul ( Timb pengarah MTD) dan Hj Saroni, wakil ADUN untuk Pulau Ketam.
Kelihatan En Zaaismail bin Zahari selaku bendahari MTD N45.
Kelihatan Tn Hj Paad,ketua cawangan PAS Kg Delek merangkap wakil ADUN di kawasan Kg Delek, Tn Hj Azmi Talib, Pegawai Khas Exco Pendidikan merangkap wakil ADUN di kawasan Sg Bertih Utara dan Selatan (Jln Tepi Sungai).

FROM BALKIS TO BAKTI WITH RM

Congratulation to YAB Tan Sri MB Selangor for his fast decision and action in writing to the Registrar of Societies as well as to the Registrar Of Societies for acting according to the book. What’ s cooking in Selangor for the next few months. Hurry, don’t miss the action. If you had missed the free edition of the SUN for 24/04/08 and 25/04/08, not to worry. We have included the full report for your perusal. Well done Nadesan and Fernandez once again for the enlightening reports.

WHAT IS BAKTI? WHO IS BALKIS?

BAKTI was founded in 1977 by YABhg. Tun Suhaila with the purpose of utilising the combined efforts of the wives of our country’s leaders to provide assistance to individuals who need assistance and attention.

The members of BAKTI consist of the wife of the Prime Minister, the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, wife of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, wife of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Senate, and wives of the cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. Wives of former leaders currently not holding any office are made associate members.

Balkis, however, is the association of wives of state assemblymen and MPs in Selangor.

Rosmah (left) Jeanne looks on

The Sun web edition reports

RM10m gone in 3 days
R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez

PETALING JAYA (April 24, 2008): Three days after their husbands lost power to rule Selangor, the wives got into the act – plotting to dissolve a welfare body and remove almost RM10 million from its bank accounts.

But their attempts have been thwarted by Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim who wrote to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to question the validity of the decision to dissolve the Association of Wives of State Assemblymen and Members of Parliament in Selangor (Balkis).

It is learnt that Abdul Khalid has ordered a thorough investigation and audit into the affairs of the association which was set up in 1985 to undertake welfare work.

According to documents sighted by theSun, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, the wife of former mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had on March 11 convened an extraordinary general meeting of the committee to dissolve Balkis and close its bank accounts. The following day, the accounts were closed, with the money transferred to another account and then to Bakti – the federal Organisation of Wives of Ministers which Balkis is affiliated to.

On March 13, the former exco members of Balkis issued a notice of dissolution to the ROS, which included amending the constitution of Balkis and establishing a new organisation – Balkis-BN, is among the names suggested.

“This was to prevent the Balkis premises (Kompleks Wawasan Balksi – KWB) and the association itself from being taken over by the new state government,” said an insider.

“Once this was done, then the money will be transferred back to the new organisation,” the insider added.

However, the ROS in a letter stated that Balkis’ application for dissolution was incomplete and gave it 30 days to furnish additional information.

The constitution of Balkis states that the mentri besar’s wife should be the president. Sources in the state government argue that since Mohamad Khir is no longer MB, Zaharah is no longer the president and has no power whatsoever to dissolve the association or liquidate its funds. Incidentally, the constitution also states that the organisation must remain apolitical.

Legal experts say by right, following the events of March 8, the exco headed by Zaharah should have convened an emergency meeting to discuss the handing over of Balkis to a new exco – with the new president being Abdul Khalid’s wife Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut.

Bakti, meanwhile, according to minutes of a recent meeting it held, had under advice of a sitting judge received the RM9.9 million from Balkis, which it has placed in a fixed deposit. The money would then be transferred back to the new organisation set up by the former Balkis members.

Bakti would also take over a Special Education Project involving millions of ringgit until the “new” Balkis is formed.

This is clearly goes against Balkis’ constitution which states that in the event of a dissolution, all monies must be transferred to the government or a similar fund, with the approval of the Inland Revenue Board director-general.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Abdul Khalid had in his letter to the ROS on Wednesday (April 23) said of the amount in Balkis’ accounts, about RM850,000 was donated by state government companies – Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd which gave RM268,862 last year and Perbadanan Kemajuan Negri Selangor (PKNS) which contributed RM590,379.50 between 2006 and 2007.

It is understood that Abdul Khalid is also investigating the transfer of 43,560sq ft of land in Section 7, Shah Alam, which the state government had in 2002 offered to Balkis at a nominal cost of RM250,000 (RM5.74/sq ft) for the setting up of a shelter home for women that cost RM5 million

It’s ‘our’ money, not yours
R. Nadeswaran

TWENTY-EIGHT days before Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo was unseated as Selangor mentri besar, he asserted that the Selangor Economic Development Corporation (PKNS) was a private company and that its money and assets do not belong to the people.

At a pow-wow over lunch with this writer and his colleagues, he charged: “You wrote that the fine paid by PKNS was people’s money. No, PKNS is a private company.” (For the record, PKNS was imposed fines totalling RM330,000 for illegal clearing of land around the Bukit Cahaya Agricultural Park and at all material times, Mohd Khir was its chairman.)

Then he made a remarkable statement: “The fine goes back to the state coffin! (I’m sure he meant “coffers” but those at the lunch looked stunned when he used the word a second time). The money comes back to us.” Not wanting to argue with someone who has little knowledge of where the fines imposed by a court of justice end up and not wanting to give him a free lesson in financial procedures, I reserved my comments.

Today, PKNS is in the news again. Here’s a summary of what it paid out to Balkis, the organisation of wives of state assemblymen and MPs in Selangor.

• RM218,719 for the opening ceremony of Komplex Wawasan Balkis;

• RM200,000 for the Balkis dinner;

• RM10,000 for a table at the same dinner; and

• RM161,660 for programmes organised by Balkis.

If you thought that people’s money – not a private company’s money as Mohamad Khir sees it – was being handed out like candy, PKNS also sold 43,560 sq ft of land in Section 7 in Shah Alam at RM5.74 per sq ft – a bargain whichever way you look at it.

But no money changed hands. A contra deal for amount payable – RM250,000 – was made. The amount was off-set as a loan from PKNS to the state government and this was duly endorsed at the meeting of the State Financial Committee on Oct 19, 2000. Has this loan been settled?

And the deal was between PKNS and the state government. How did Balkis come into the picture?

Balkis for all intent and purposes was an organisation that received funds and other forms of financial help from the state government. The mentri besar’s wife occupies the seat of the president and the members of the committee are elected among the wives.

Just like Mohamad Khir deemed PKNS a private entity, his wife Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik saw Balkis as a “sendirian berhad”. How else could she call for a meeting and dissolve the organisation and transfer funds running into millions?

Doesn’t the constitution say that the president should be the mentri besar’s wife? As of March 9, her hubby was no longer the mentri besar and therefore, she automatically relinquishes her post. But no, giving up power and influence does not come easy.

Leaving that issue aside, where else did our money, (oops! PKNS money as Mohamad Khir sees it) end up? Special number plates for its officers, for one. Should the people pay for their employees to drive around in cars with fancy number plates? It can be argued that this exercise involved a few thousand ringgit, but it’s the principle that matters.

On a larger scale, PKNS built what was termed as a public golf course, which has since been privatised. Since it was built with people’s money running into millions, why should the rakyat pay commercial rates at the Seri Selangor Golf Club? Were open tenders called for the privatisation deal or was it handed on a platter to some uncle or brother-in-law’s sister’s son?

What about the joint-venture deals and other questionable agreements which could have committed us? Shouldn’t we, the rakyat be entitled to know? Or should we remain silent with folded arms as those who raped and plundered the state coffers get away scot-free?

That is why there is a dire need for accountability and transparency in all matters involving public money. Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has done the right thing by ordering an audit of Balkis, but what about the state-owned companies and agencies, who are flaunting our money as if it is theirs?

The goings-on within Balkis are just the small fish that’s visible on the surface in shallow waters. Deep down, there are even bigger ones who have used our money without having to account for it and even stolen our money. Shouldn’t these thieves be brought to book? Shouldn’t we file civil suits to recover what rightfully belongs to us?

Abdul Khalid, on taking office, promised reports every quarter or 100 days. The clock is ticking, and by the end of next month, can we expect that report and see a few heads roll?

VIP OVERSEAS, ANOTHER DELAYING TACTIC

It seems to be a popular tactic in order to avoid or delay subpoena, summonses, arrest, ISA, police investigations and any embarrasing situations is to go for Umrah or overseas trip. According to the Police, it’s not up to them to drop the case, but the Attorney General Chamber has received her statutory declaration. It is now the acid test for police integrity and the legislative’s impartiality whether to proceed with the case. Let us wait and pray for the outcome.
Read on..

Probe into molest claim to continue

NSTonline

addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will not drop investigation into a molest allegation by a woman against a former minister, despite the victim’s retraction of the report.

City police chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the police would continue investigating the case and were waiting to talk to the former minister, who was currently overseas.

“It is not up to us (police) to drop the case. We will record a statement from the VIP when he returns to find out what transpired,” he said yesterday.

Muhammad Sabtu said police were interviewing eyewitnesses and would forward the investigation papers to the deputy public prosecutor’s office soon.

The 30-year-old woman had, on Wednesday, retracted a report she lodged last week alleging molest by the former minister, in his 50s.
The woman’s lawyer, Datuk Shafee Abdullah, said his client had given him a statutory declaration to retract the police report, claiming that the whole situation was a misunderstanding.

The statutory declaration has been handed over to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the police.

In her report on Friday, she alleged that the former minister hugged her last Thursday while she was at work in a cigar shop at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Brickfields.

It was lodged at the Brickfields police headquarters.

Muhammad Sabtu said police may recommend that the woman be charged with lodging a false report if the investigation leads to this.

Meanwhile, lawyer Karpal Singh said yesterday the woman could not withdraw the report, according to the law.

“A person who lodges a report cannot at his whim and fancy withdraw it by way of a letter of statutory declaration. A person who lodges a report runs the risk of lodging a false report.

“He is bound by the contents of the report.”

Karpal said action against the former minister should be taken if the contents of the report were found to be true, even though the report had been withdrawn.

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward to many things being looked into by the authorities concerned.”

Vaithilingam said the council had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar requesting a meeting to discuss the issue of foreign priests.

“He announced that the cabinet allows foreign priests in, but the Immigration Department told us that they did not receive any directive. We want to meet him to iron out the issue,” he said.

Shafie, in his capacity as minister in charge of fostering unity, has been going all out to meet religious groups.

Last week, he met nine Muslim non-governmental organisations to seek their views on religious issues in the country, where many of the similar issues were discussed.

Shafie also responded to questions of whether his ministry’s funding would be slashed in view of the increased government expenditure due to increase of global food and fuel prices.

“This is a very important ministry. Culture and heritage are important because we are leaving something for future generations.”

COMMON SENSE THAT’S NOT SO COMMON IN DOING THINGS

The Federal government is setting up the long awaited guidelines for the construction and demolition of places of worship. It has taken BN government 50 odd years to realize the importance of such a guideline in a multi religious country like ours. The incidence in Rimba Jaya in Klang whereby a temple was demolished on the eve of Deepavali was said to be a factor in the downfall of Selangor BN government headed by Dr Khir Toyo. This incidence highlighted the importance of common sense in running the state or our life for that matter.

Clearer rules on places of worship in the works

By : Marc Lourdes

NST
addthis_pub = ‘nstonline’;

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning a streamlined set of guidelines to govern the construction and demolition of places of worship.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said though such policies existed now, there was a need to polish them and ensure they were acceptable to all religious groups.

Speaking after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism at the ministry in Jalan Sultan Ismail yesterday, he declined to reveal when the guidelines would be completed, but said it would not be too long.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a mosque where there aren’t many Muslims, or a house of worship in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Reaching an understanding between all religions, said Shafie, was vital, as was making sure laws and regulations have been clearly set down by local authorities.
He also did not rule out amending laws and enactments should the need arise. “If there is a need in the interests of the nation for them to be amended, why not?”

However, he stopped short of giving an assurance that there would be no recurrence of the temple demolition incident in Kampung Jawa, Selangor, on the eve of Deepavali last year, which raised the ire of Hindus around the country.

“I won’t say that because I am not in a position to do so. It is for each respective state authority.

“But I do hope we will be sensitive towards issues like that and apply some common sense in doing things because respecting religions and racial groups in the country is most important.”

He said he would be meeting menteris besar, both from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, regarding the issue because they were the people in charge of issues like land approval, as well as consult other government departments.

Council president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said other issues discussed included conversions, bringing in of foreign priests and family laws.

“We had a good meeting. We look forward