UMNO man takes Chinese dailies to task

UMNO man takes Chinese dailies to task

TEBRAU Umno division chief Maulizan Bujang says over-sensationalising of internal security problems by the Chinese press has turned them into racial issues.

He urged the government to close down Chinese dailies which are “irresponsible” in their reports, China Press reported yesterday.

Firstly, I truly doubt that the reports can be considered sensational. The reports are definitely reflective of the actual rising crime cases in the country. Nobody wants to exaggerate the truth just to get publicity. The media has the responsibility to report facts instead of bowing to the government propaganda machinery. Moreover, crime affects all residents of this country. So how can this UMNO man claim that the reports are racist in nature? Unless of course, UMNO is taking a racist slant at the entire issue. So we don't like something, we shut it down. This is typical UMNO-style at work.

Maulizan, who is Tiram assemblyman, drew loud applause when he said this in his address in the division’s delegates’ meeting on Sunday.

I'm appalled that there can be people actually clapping for this guy!

He said although the Malays in the area have given Umno their full support, the division felt the support from the Chinese community had declined, and economic and public security issues were among the main reasons.

Look, if you divide your political parties into racist components, for sure you will only receive support from one particular ethnicity. How do you expect ethnic Chinese to support politicians who threaten to bathe the kris in Chinese blood? How do you expect ethnic Indians to support politicians who threaten to demolish Hindu temples and "don't test our patience" type of statements? DUH!

“As an Umno leader, I regret the way the Chinese press has reported on the security issues, to the point that people’s problems look as if they are racial problems. This shows the irresponsible attitude of the Chinese press,” he said.

How exactly have the press been irresponsible? The irresponsible thing to do would have been to keep quiet, and paint a rosy picture of Johor being the ideal place to live in, despite the rampant criminal activities that threaten the safety and well-being of all residents!

He said the security issue culminated in a group of protesters gathering outside the official residence of the Johor Mentri Besar recently to hand over a memorandum to him to protest a gangrape and robbery case in Johor in which the victims were Chinese.

He said the police had already arrested a suspect who happens to be a Malay.

In view of this, Maulizan hoped the government can rein in the Chinese press and advise them “not to play with fire”.

I hear this phrase "don't play with fire" so many times from UMNO. I mean, don't they have a wider vocabulary to select from?

“I hope the government will take stern action against irresponsible Chinese dailies, close them down,” he said.

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New course to make grads bolder

New course to make grads bolder
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/12/nation/18283141&sec=nation

BANGI: Public university students are expected to have greater confidence when they graduate following the introduction of a new course in entrepreneurship.

Starting with the intake for the 2007/2008 academic year, all students will now be required to take the Basic Entrepreneurship Acculturation module.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said that one of the aims of this move was to expose students to the entrepreneurial culture.

“This will enhance their confidence and train them to be independent and bolder when going into their fields after they graduate,” he said yesterday after closing the Institutions of Higher Learning Student Representative Councils Convention 2007 and the launching of the module here.

I see now that the ministry is seriously tackling the problem of the unemployed / unemployable graduates in Malaysia! A good effort, I guess.

The compulsory module, which comprises both theory (25%) and practical (75%) components, will include project papers, internships, presentation skills and input from successful entrepreneurs.

It is a standalone course with a two-credit weight and students must take it at least a year before they graduate.

So far so good.

Mustapa said private institutions of higher learning were encouraged to adopt the module for their students.

Higher Education Management Department director-general Prof Datuk Dr Hassan Said said that students not affected by the requirement could also take the course as an elective, subject to the availability of places.

The module was prepared jointly by the ministry, public institutions of higher learning and the Malaysian University Student Entrepreneurship Council.

Oops. Here's where it starts to fall apart. For a course that is supposedly designed to help students get some first-hand experiential knowledge on entrepreneurship, it's highly suspect that the module does not involve the expertise of the many companies, corporations, businesses and real entrepreneurs. Instead, the main shareholders of this venture are *gasp* the ministry, the universities and a student council! If there are no inputs from real businesspersons with real gems and experience, I wonder what quality will this module impart to the students.

This just shows how poorly informed the bureaucrats at the higher education ministry really are. By shielding themselves from the actual situation at the ground level, they come up with half-baked initiatives that, while sounding good on paper, is probably highly unworkable due to the fact that key sectors' involvement is not sought after.

Can anyone say that this is another patch job? BLA BLA BLA!

Lessons from Shenzhen

Lessons from Shenzhen
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/12/nation/18273465&sec=nation

SHENZHEN (China): Malaysia can learn from Shenzhen and its free trade zones, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

“Two things we can learn from Shenzhen – planning and incentives,” the minister told newsmen on Tuesday after a briefing by Futian Free Trade Zone director Xiao Yuan Sheng.

Syed Hamid, who is leading a delegation to China, was impressed by how Shenzhen had evolved into an economic powerhouse.

“They started as a rural area with a population of about 20,000. It has grown to 12 million, comprising four million mobile population.

“They tend to focus on the type of industries they want to develop,” he said, adding that Shenzhen was very focused and targeted the World’s Top 500 companies.

Syed Hamid in turn briefed Xiao on the Iskandar Development Region project in Johor.

Shenzen is China's success story in capitalism. It started out as an experimental project, to open up a small area of the tightly controlled country to free trade, investment and industrialization. Within a relatively short period, the project has started to bear fruit. Funds started pouring in. Demand for local skilled workers increased, thus improving the competence of the local human resource. New jobs were created, value was added to the Chinese people.

This is certainly a lesson we can learn in our country. The Iskandar Development Region is a good effort and a unique proposition to foreign investment. If we have the political will to exempt the region from the harmful aspects of the NEP and other racial quotas/non-tariff barriers, then surely the Malaysian people will be able to benefit, as was shown in Shenzen's success.

What remains to be done by the government is the commitment to stick to the original plan of the IDR and not be cowed by the political goons from UMNO who are shouting for the rights of the ethnic Malays to be protected via 30% shareholding equity, specially favoured contractors/vendors, and general bureaucracy.

No getting back citizenship if you give it up

No getting back citizenship if you give it up
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/11/nation/18268076&sec=nation

PUTRAJAYA: Think hard and long before giving up your citizenship.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned that Malaysians who did so could not hope to get it back again.

Dear prime minister, why are you "warning" us? Is it a crime to migrate?

“The Home Affairs Ministry has made a decision to allow citizens to surrender their citizenship. The ministry has its own reasons to give their approval for this.

Typical government speak. Talking in generics but not providing any specifics.

“However, there is one thing that Malaysians must know and which I want to stress here. Those who have given up their citizenship cannot get it back if they suddenly want to become Malaysians again,” he told reporters after the Internal Security Ministry's monthly gathering here yesterday.

I would think that those who have migrated or are contemplating migration would have considered all the pros and cons and all the repercussions of their actions.

According to Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho, some 106,000 Malaysians had given up their citizenship between 1996 and April this year.

Wow, that's around 10,000 per year, or around 800 per month!

Of the figure, 70% or 79,100 were Malays, 25,107 Chinese, 1,347 Indians and 350 of other races. Marrying a foreigner was the main reason given by women while most men cited better career options.

Well, the statistics match the ethnic distribution of Malaysian population, so no surprises there. However, this statistic disproves the many examples given by detractors that majority of those who migrate are the non-privileged (non-Malays). In fact, all ethnic races are equally displeased by the discriminatory practices of the government and the lopsided advantage given to the well-connected UMNOputras.

The preferred top five destinations of ex-Malaysians were the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia, according to Tan.

Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said the high number of Malays emigrating was not a cause for concern but it would be good to know why they wanted to leave their homeland.

Muhammad said the need to “move around and see places” was in their blood as their forefathers were seafarers.

“In a sense, the Malays are just doing what their forefathers did. Travel and see the world. Venture into new areas and the unexpected,” he said.

Oh my god, what a pathetic excuse to defend the indefensible!

“Individuals of other ethnic groups also emigrated to other countries. Even the Chinese and Indians surrendered their Malaysian citizenship, so it should not be an issue if the Malays did so too,” he added.

This is probably the stupidest thing to say. Just because other people are doing it makes it OK for you to do it too? No wonder the Malays under the patronage leadership of UMNO will never progress. They are always bogged down by stupidity!

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NEP stays, says Pak Lah

NEP stays, says Pak Lah
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/11/nation/18266005&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is willing to review policies or regulations deemed to be hindering the distribution of equity in the most sustainable, competitive and meaningful way.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, however, said Malaysian maintained its position that the New Economic Policy (NEP) was not a cost to doing business.

“Perhaps the most difficult question we must address is to improve equity without sacrificing competitiveness. Many have come to regard Malaysia’s affirmative action policies, widely described as the NEP, as a cost to doing business.

“But many fail to appreciate the spirit behind the policy, and this is crucial in understanding Malaysia,” he said yesterday.

Bear in mind that this speech is a targeted response against the EU envoy's "comments" on the NEP and its hindrances to global trade and economic growth. The prime minister doesn't say much in specifics, preferring to hide behind generic words and phrases to justify this outdated practice of institutionalized racism.

Abdullah said the objective to dissociate race from occupation or social standing was crucial in ensuring long-term unity for the country – given its legacy and racial structure.

I really doubt that the NEP has successfully done this. Look at the situation today. Politicians and government servants are mainly ethnic Malays. Handphone sellers and fruit stall owners are mainly ethnic Chinese. Mamak style eateries are owned mainly by ethnic Indians. Where is the dissociation of race from occupation or social standing?

“Racial-based riots raged in neighbouring countries while Malaysia was spared the experience. The expansion of an educated and multi-ethnic middle class, thanks to affirmative action policies, has mitigated the risk of mass unrest.

I agree that there is now a larger pool of middle class. But at the same time, the NEP has also created a wider rift between the super rich (UMNOputras) and the super poor. On the surface, our country is leaps and bounds ahead of other third world countries, by virtue of our chase for material achievements (think KLIA, twin towers, Putrajaya).

“But great disparities in income and social mobility still exist between ethnic groups. Whereas this may just be another issue in other countries, ethnic-based disparity strikes at the heart of national unity for Malaysia,” said Abdullah in his keynote address at a high-level dialogue with foreign investors and international business leaders.

It all really begins with the political setup of our ruling party. Since the BN is also a loose coalition of race-based political parties, we would expect racial issues to be central to their ideology. So what's new?

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Abdullah: Varsities need to have well-rounded students

Abdullah: Varsities need to have well-rounded students
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/10/nation/18257000&sec=nation

BANGI: The Prime Minister wants public universities to have well-rounded students who are exposed to the outside world by having more attachment programmes with established universities overseas.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said students could be attached to foreign university for one or two semesters with credit transfer arrangements to give them time to gain new experiences and knowledge while proceeding with their academic studies.

He said that while academicians were sent for attachment programmes, it was also a good idea to send their excellent students to take up relevant courses at foreign universities.

“This will expose them to a different situation and let them get first-hand experience.

“This will give something meaningful to the students, and the universities will also forge cooperation with foreign universities,” Abdullah said at the Institutions of Higher Learning Students Representative Council Convention 2007.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who was also present, said the ministry was expanding the attachment programme, which was currently run on an ad hoc basis and with a small number of students.

“We are studying the capabilities of these universities, as it involves cost,” he said, adding that students who obtained double degrees from the foreign universities through the attachment programme were in high demand for jobs.

He said the ministry would heed Abdullah’s call and make the attachment programme a permanent feature, with preference given to excellent students.

Speaking at the opening of the convention, Abdullah also said that local public universities could no longer operate within their own campus walls but must keep pace with the changes that globalisation had brought.

Hence, it was imperative for them to forge cooperation with established universities overseas and the private sector to produce students of international standard, he said.

“Without providing such opportunities and introducing new courses such as biotechnology and nanotechnology that did not exist in the past, we will be denying our students such knowledge,” he said.

He said that going global was the only way for Malaysia to become an education hub.

“For R&D in particular, we will need cooperation and link-ups with foreign universities, including those more developed than us.

“Instead, we should think that because they are big we can learn from them and although we are small, there will be something they can learn from us,” he said.

Abdullah said the Government wanted to provide the best education infrastructure and hence, a large part of the annual budget had always been allocated for education.

I think the government is in a process of doublethink here. On one hand, they want to promote the country as a hub of educational excellence. On the other, they want to limit university freedom via repressive laws (UUCA) and centralized bureaucracy (ministry of higher education). With these roadblocks in place, no matter how many initiatives are started by the government, university students will never reach great heights. What is needed is a complete revamp of the education system and not ad-hoc patch jobs to layer the cake with more icing to make it more enticing to investors.

Ultimately, the government is looking for new ways to make money. Look at that last paragraph. So it's all about infrastructure and spending lots of cash to enrich the crony companies that will supply construction efforts, contracts for government projects and other services related to this so-called hub initiative.

The media seems to parrot perfectly the speech by the prime minister, but one wonders if there will ever be any analysis done to this piece?

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Are your hands clean, doc?

Are your hands clean, doc?
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/10/nation/18256139&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Remind doctors to keep their hands clean. That is what Health Ministry deputy director-general (medical) Datuk Dr Noorimi Morad wants nurses to do to ensure that patients do not get infected while in hospital.

“Nurses are better in complying than doctors. We have to persist in increasing awareness,” she told The Star yesterday after opening the 3rd International Congress of the Asia-Pacific Society of Infection Control.

“It is not that they do not want to do it, but they might forget when they are very busy. So, the nurses must be around to remind the doctors.

Somehow the tone of this Datuk is very condescending. For one, he stereotypes doctors as forgetful individuals who risk patients' lives by being unhygienic. Secondly, he demotes nurses to become the doctors' personal assistants who only need to remind doctors to wash their hands.

Granted the intention might be noble, but certainly there are more tactful ways to disseminate this information to these medical professionals, and not berate them in the mass media!

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TV ads must reflect Malaysian culture

TV ads must reflect Malaysian culture
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/6/nation/18226957&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: All television commercials must have at least 70% local content to reflect Malaysian culture and lifestyles under a new policy to be implemented soon.

Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the Cabinet had decided on Wednesday that at least 70% of these commercials must be made in Malaysia and feature local actors and shot in locations within the country.

He said the same percentage would be required for post-production of the commercials and for the usage of equipment and facilities available.

The minister said the present development of commercials was “unhealthy” with some television commercials being 100% produced abroad before being broadcast in Malaysia.

So we are not only propagating protectionist elements in our economy and industry, but also in advertising? Tell me, dear minister, how "unhealthy" can it be to trade some advertisements? The reason why advertisements made overseas tend to be shown is because that they are of higher standards and quality compared to locally made commercials that are dumbed down.

“Many of these commercials feature Caucasians and do not reflect the real situation of Malaysia and there would be culture problems,” he told a press conference after attending the “Nurturing National Warriors 2007” programme here yesterday.

What culture problems, pray tell? Please elaborate!

He said the advertising industry, including billboards, contributed RM4.7bil per year to the country’s economy.

“However, more than 80% of the television commercials being shown in this country do not meet the above specifications and this has caused the country to lose sources of income, work opportunities and professionals in the industry.”

So instead of encouraging more local content, the ministry forces it upon the advertising industry.

On whether the policy was a discrimination against people with Pan Asia features, Dr Rais said the ministry was not concerned with the looks of the actors involved in these commercials but would instead look at whether they were Malaysians.

“We will not monitor these commercials based on the actors’ appearances but based on the source and origin of these advertisements,” he said, adding a similar paper would be drafted soon to monitor billboard advertisements.

Flip flop of earlier decision?

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Pak Lah: Be a caring society

Pak Lah: Be a caring society
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/5/nation/18222934&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Be a caring society. Do not think twice about doing charity for the poor, regardless of their race and creed.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made this plea to all Malaysians to help the Government wipe out poverty in the country.

The Prime Minister wants everyone to progress together.

I think that this is a valid plea from our prime minister. For too long, we have been neglecting the hardcore poor, thus further widening the gap between the super rich and the super poor. This is not helped by the current implementation of the NEP.

“I am proud to see, throughout the nation, people of all races and religions, who show a caring attitude towards those who are less fortunate than them.

“When giving charity, they do not think of the poor in terms of race or religion.

I like this statement. It says that Malaysian citizens are impartial to race and religion when it comes to helping each other. Well, can the same be said of the government's policies? Why are some policies only helping the Malays (and not even the intended target audience of the hardcore poor, but the politically connected UMNO cronies) and neglecting all other communities? Why isn't the spirit of NEP (eradicating poverty regardless of race) being upheld and implemented?

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Dewan Rakyat :‘No policy to bar opposition speeches’

Dewan Rakyat :‘No policy to bar opposition speeches’
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/20070704082235/Article/index_html

THE Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been ordered to withdraw its letter barring private television stations from broadcasting speeches by members of the opposition.

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said he had written to the MCMC yesterday, asking them to immediately withdraw the order.

"It is not our policy to ask it to stop television stations from airing the opposition’s speeches.

"I was a bit slow in responding to this as I was overseas," he said in the parliament lobby.

Jeng jeng jeng! The hero from Barisan has saved the day from madness. Long live Barisan Nasional :P

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Fong: Let unions call the shots

Fong: Let unions call the shots
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/3/nation/18194753&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Companies with strong union representation should be allowed to negotiate their salaries instead of having a government-set minimum wage of RM900, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said.

“If union representation is strong, let it be,” he told reporters after launching the National Human Re-sources Summit 2007 at a hotel here yesterday.

“They can get more than RM900, so why should we determine there should be that level?”

Dr Fong, who said the companies included those in the plantation and manufacturing sectors, cited Matsu-shita as an example of a firm with strong union representation where workers were in a good position to articulate their needs.

What about those companies who do not have strong union representation, or no unions at all?

He said a minimum wage would have an impact on companies such as fast food giants KFC Holdings Bhd and A&W, which employed school leavers.

“Any wage adjustment would affect the whole sector,” he added.

I'm sure that there can be some sub-clauses in the minimum wage legislation to cater for the school leavers temping at fast food chains.

Dr Fong reiterated that the ministry would continue to “engage” the MTUC on minimum wage, adding it was much more flexible to have a wage council in every sector.

“We are in the process of engaging with the MTUC.

“If they feel there is any particular industry where workers are not paid in accordance to their contribution, we are ready to move in to form these councils,” he added.

Dr Fong said seven such councils had been formed in the past two years, including for security guards and clinic assistants.

Ya, pass the buck back to MTUC to form these "wage councils". It delays minimum wage implementation and increases bureaucracy and therefore the perception is that the government is doing something useful.

When asked if maids should be included in minimum wage discussions, he said the sector should not be “tied together” with other categories because it would be unfair to the large number of households who needed the services of the maids.

Suddenly it's not fair to the households but entirely fair to the underpaid maids?

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MCA Youth submits student name list

MCA Youth submits student name list
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/3/nation/18196681&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA Youth has submitted a memorandum containing the names of 1,064 students who are appealing for a place in public universities to the Higher Education Ministry.

Its chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the movement compiled the names after sifting through all the appeals received.

“Most of them did not even get their first or second choice while others did not even get any offer. We are confident that these cases will be given the necessary attention by the ministry,” he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

MCA Youth education chief Dr Wee Ka Siong said that 179 of those on the list were deserving students who scored extremely well and had full points for co-curriculum activities.

Sometimes I wonder if the Higher Education Ministry deliberately screws up the university placement exercise just so that political parties can show their political might and generate good vibes among the people? Otherwise, how do we explain the 1000 plus hopefuls who were denied university placements of their choice despite excellent academic and co-curricular achievements?

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Mainstream media still best channel, says Najib

Mainstream media still best channel, says Najib
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/3/nation/18200206&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The mainstream media is still the best channel for the Government to relay information and messages, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

Yawn. The MSM is controlled by the government political parties. Of course it's the best channel for the government to spread their propaganda.

He said that the mainstream media's role, however, had become more challenging with the emergence of alternative media through the Internet.

“The alternative media via blogsites report many things that can be disputed because nobody knows the person behind the news.

Not all blogs are anonymously authored. Take for example this one. I plainly state my name for all to see and examine. Jeff Ooi also does the same. So does A Kadir Jasin and M Bakri Musa and many other bloggers. And many more blogs are anonymous because the authors fear the government's crackdown on whistleblowers who release information that is potentially harmful to the government's reputation.

“This is where the mainstream media is special,” he said at the Defence Media Awards Night here yesterday.

Special indeed. The MSM is directly controlled and regulated by the government to block all unsavoury news such as the recent MCMC directive to blackout all opposition speeches.

Najib, who is also Defence Minister, said the media could disseminate information on the importance of national security and defence to the people especially when the awareness on security issues was low.

He said that to face the competition with the alternative media, the mainstream media has to provide coverage based on facts.

Hmm... does that mean that the MSM has all this while been printing fiction and lies? Gosh, what a statement from the minister!

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MCMC: Censor Opposition Viewpoints

You'll have to see it to believe it. Here is the official letter from the Malaysian Commission of Multimedia and Communications (MCMC).



It's little wonder then, that our MSM is so sanitized and there are hardly any stories and opinions coming from the opposition viewpoints!