Hidden hands at work; UiTM Bumi-students against the intake of Non-Bumi!

Tweet

Hidden hands at work

THE Malaysian education system, despite some weaknesses, was one of the best in the world. This I learnt in 1984 when I was doing a Master’s course in Education and took an option entitled “Education in Developing Countries”.

The policies on the whole, grounded on sound education principles, were rational.

However, today, there are hidden hands which subvert government policy. Some parents have complained to me that a principal of a national-type secondary school in Kuala Lumpur had made it mandatory for her SPM students this year to take only nine subjects.

So no Bible Knowledge for the SPM, no Bahasa Cina, Bahasa Tamil, Bahasa Punjabi, etc. Not only that, she calls in the students who wish to take the 10th subject to dissuade them from signing up by asking them whether they are confident of getting an A for that subject.

This is surely wrong. No principal should be allowed to override the National Education Policy. Education is not solely about getting As.



The Malaysian education system rightly emphasises holistic education and has given students a wide choice to pursue subjects according to their aptitude and ability.

They should be free to take, as their 10th subject, Music Education, etc, which is allowed under the rules of the Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia.

All that the principal should ask for is proof that the students are being instructed in the subject of their choice by their attendance and course work, but they should not be banned from signing up and studying for their 10th subject by personal agendas of school principals.

It makes me think whether this emphasis on academic As is due to heads desiring their schools to be high performing schools, and the top administrators getting monetary rewards for their schools’ success.

Very often, to get a high Grade Point Average, the schools would have to control the intake of students (only bright students need apply) and control the number of subjects they take.

But is this what education is all about? What happens to the students not academically inclined?

It could be that the “blue ocean” strategy employed to upgrade the national education system is used wrongly here. The schools which are better endowed would have an inbuilt advantage and the top administrators of such schools would be monetarily rewarded.

But is monetary reward for individuals the proper incentive? Should not the schools’ infrastructure be upgraded? Or the very fact that they have made it to the elite club of top performing schools be enough – no need for other rewards?

Should not the schools which are less well endowed be given more to make them better?

May I suggest that in this race to be a high performing school, there should be recognition for schools which have a heart for their students.

A rethink should be made about the NKRAs for education and

the monetary rewards for top administrators of high performing schools.

EDUCATIONIST, Petaling Jaya.
The Star Jan 11, 2012 

UiTM Bumi-students against the intake of Non-Bumi students into UiTM!

Maybe they should protest on non-bumi paying the TAXES so that a University like this cannot be built on the tax-payers' $$. 

PM 'Najib'.., Is this the "1-Malaysia" you wanted it to be in reality?

 

Malaysians!! All true Malaysian of all races ...WAKE UP & BE COUNTED !

Make sure your hard earned money is not used to produce such graduates!

           

 

Related post:

Malaysian education heavily politicised, Quality ...

China to Become the World's Largest Importer by 2014

Tweet

Helen H. Wang, Contributor Author, consultant and expert on China's middle class >

We have heard a lot about China becoming the world’s largest this and that. In 2009, when the world was in recession, China leapfrogged the U.S. to become the world’s largest auto market. In 2010, China overtook Germany as the world’s largest exporter. This year, China is likely to surpass Japan to become the world’s largest luxury goods market.

So, it shouldn’t be a surprise when The Economist predicts that China will become the world’s largest importer by 2014. Yet, many skeptics still doubt China’s potential to be a stronghold of the world economy.

Last month, I was on BBC World News to discuss the eurozone debt crisis and whether Chinese consumers can make a difference in the world economy.  My discussion partner Johathon Holslag from the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies argued that Chinese consumption is still far below its production, and people should not be over optimistic about China rescuing the world economy. See the discussion video below:



Yes, official statistics show that consumption is only 34 percent of China’s GDP (compared to 70 percent in the U.S.). While the West’s economy is imbalanced with over-spending, the Chinese economy is imbalanced with under-consumption. However, this dynamic is changing. When I travel in China, I can clearly see the consumption boom in China’s large and small cities. Retail has been growing like a wildfire in recent years.



While it is not China’s role to save the world economy, it is in China’s best interest to balance its own economy toward domestic consumption. In so doing, China serves as a counter-balance of over-spending Western economies.  China may not want to bail out Italy or Greece, but China can provide opportunities for these troubled economies to get their own house in order.

As matter of fact, China has already helped. The Chinese middle class is creating enormous opportunities for Western companies selling into China. Europe’s exports to China have been growing steadily. Many Western brands are doing extremely well in China.

For example, Chinese consumers prefer to pay a premium price for furniture that is made in Italy. The UK-listed retailer Burberry has opened 60 stores in China and plans to have 100 stores in the near future. Western automakers, from Volkswagen to Bentley to General Motors, are enjoying huge success in China.

In the coming years, China’s economy may slow down a little, but will still grow at least at 7 or 8 percent. There are plenty of opportunities for Western companies to take advantage of China’s growing middle class. For companies that want to export to China, here are a few useful tips:

• Check out your local Chamber of Commerce or Export Assistance Center and familiarize yourselves with legal and regulatory issues in China. These facilities also have a lot of resources and services that can help you develop China market entry strategies and find the right business partners.
• Consider rebranding or repositioning your products in China. Remember, what works in your native country may not work in China. You really need to learn about Chinese culture, understand Chinese consumers, and adapt your products and services to the China market.
• For smaller brands, e-commerce is a great way to break into the China market without significant upfront cost. China’s ecommerce has been growing at 60 percent each year in recent years. More than 100 million Chinese shopped online last year. And China’s Internet users are expected to reach 750 million in 2015.

According to Credit Suisse, China will become the largest consumer market in the world by 2020. In the past, all the predictions about China have proved to be on the conservative side. With all its problems and potential crises, China somehow has managed to astonish the world again and again.

Newscribe : get free news in real time 

Indonesian entrepreneur promotes love

Tweet

http://english.people.com.cn/98389/7701869.html


In Indonesia, one ambitious entrepreneur has started a program teaching men how to be the person they've always dreamt of being. Always too shy to talk to the prettiest girl of the party? Then this program is for you. Andy Saputra reports from Jakarta, and gives us one or two special tips.

Feeling alone after the holidays? In Indonesia, you don't have to. This is part of the Pencinta Wanita program that helps men to understand and win the hardest game of all. The game of love. It teaches the ropes of social interaction, starting from introduction to how to keep them interested.



Pencinta wanita, which literally means women lover, was founded by Ronald frank, a self confessed promoter of love, he started this as an Internet forum and in 4 years, it has become his main source of income.

Ronald Frank, founder of Pencinta Wanita, said, "I was always a loser in relationships, from being cheated on to being used by women. This has encourage me to research on love. I found that there's a huge disconnect on what women think of love and what men think of love, I felt compelled to bridge this."

CCTV's Andy Saputra said, "This 2 day seminar is explaining the theory behind that bridge, Everything is broken down to points, explained and discussed.. Starting from changing their own mindset to live demonstration..Not unlike a war strategy."

Since 2009, Pecinta Wanita has conducted tens of seminars in all the major cities in Indonesia and it has an estimated 350,000 members. The program also bundled with products like ebooks and instruction videos. With revenue up to $100,000 annually and growing, it is good business. But this business of love, has also created some controversy.

And for Ron, the founder, this mindset change is his main goal.

Attitude determines altitude

Tweet

Reflecting on the law By SHAD SALEEM FARUQI

To seek and attain inner peace, live simply, think deeply, act nobly; and leave the world a better place than you found it.

A DEAR colleague’s son was recently called to the Bar. At the dinner to commemorate the occasion, several of us were asked to share a few words of advice.

The wise among us spoke because they had something to say.

Lesser people like me spoke because we were asked to say something. This is what I could manage.

In the journey of life, a new destination beckons you. We, the friends of your parents, pray fervently that your journey on the highway of life will be successful; that you will blaze new trails; that the road ahead will lead you to many summits; and that each panoramic view will stir in you a striving for the horizons beyond.

Success, is, of course, a matter of personal perception.

To some people, wealth, power, influence and status are the tests of having made it.

To others – and I hope you will be in this category – success is to bring sunshine into the lives of others.

When you do that, some of that sunshine will illuminate your life as well.

Whatever your concept of success is, its attainment is rooted in some conducive mental attitudes and a great deal of planned, hard work.

Visualising and envisioning: You must envision, constructively imagine and role-play whatever you wish to be.

Dreams are the foundation of reality. If you can dream it, you can achieve it.

Any fulfillment is, of course, subject to your courage and discipline to act on your dreams and materialise them into concrete actions. Kipling’s admonition must be remembered: “If you can dream and not make dreams your master. If you can think but not make thoughts your aim”.

Daily planning: On a daily basis, plan your schedule. Fill every minute with 60 seconds of distance run. Sail a chartered course. Do not drift in the wind and the waves.

Act on, not just react to, things as they come. Do not let others lead you by the nose. Do not count on luck. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.



Mapping the road ahead: Careers are like ladders with many rungs. Map out the steps. Fix time frames. Periodically review your progress towards your long-term goals.

Intensity: There must be an intensity of commitment, a fire, a burning desire, an over-riding, if not single-minded, determination to attain your goals.

Ambition: Think big. Do not settle for too little. Make plans to reach the sky. If you land on the clouds, that’s OK. Strive harder next time.

Faith in God: When confronted by inevitable storms, trust God. God does not burden any soul with more than it can bear.

Self-confidence: We are all specks of dust in the universe. This necessary humility can, however, go hand in hand with a self-confidence that everything is attainable if we strive hard enough.

We must doubt our doubts but not our beliefs. We must remember that attitude, more than aptitude, determines our altitude.

Discipline and hard work: Work is part of worship and must be given the same type of devotion. Hard work compensates for lack of genius.

Many ordinary people achieve extraordinary things because they toil through the night while the world sleeps. Genius is 10% inspiration; 90% perspiration. A toiling tortoise can beat a heady hare.

Over the course of four decades, I have seen scores of extremely intelligent people fail in their endeavours because they lacked the humility that drives hard work; the discipline and planning that ensures progress; and the courage and persistence that overcome odds.

In most challenges in life, natural talents do not take us very far. Discipline does.

Passion: Whatever you do, do well. Let reason be the rudder and passion the sail. There are no small jobs; only small people.

There is honour in every profession provided we put our heart and soul into it and do ordinary things extraordinarily well.

It is often the case that those who do small jobs meticulously are likely to confront major challenges majestically.

Do not wait for ideal conditions: Do not wait for the perfect time to start building on your dreams. External conditions will never be ideal. We have to make do with what we have.

The wind often changes for the better once we set sail. It is our inner determination that makes the world stand aside to let pass a man who knows where he is going.

Show-case your talents: At a place of work, substance and form, isih dan gaya, the ability to be relevant, as well as to seem competent, are all equally important. Don’t be like the peacock that dances in the jungle but is not seen by anyone.

Find sophisticated and civilised ways to show-case your talents. Polish up your communication and PR skills so that your hard work and competence will be known.

Rewards come in many ways: It is natural to expect appreciation and recognition.

However, one must remember that in the workplace there are rivalries, jealousies and injustices.

As in the outside world, so in the workplace, justice does not usually prevail.

If the rewards do not come when they are due, remember that God is watching. His justice will one day prevail.

Work never goes to waste. A competent man is like the moon. Clouds can hide the moon for a while but in the end the beams of light will break through and the world will be filled with their luminescence.

Remember also that hard work with sincerity is nourishing for the soul and good for health.

The rewards of hard workare long term, internal and intangible. We all know that of all the things that matter in life, most are not things.

Success and failure: Success is never final. It is a journey, not a destination. It is a continuing process of repeating, reinforcing past accomplishments and conquering new challenges by adapting to a changed world.

Success is sustained effort over time and persistence in the face of hurdles. It is an attitude of “I think I can”. It is the courage to treat adversity as an opportunity. It is the willingness to regard every dare as a door.

Falling down does not amount to failure. Failure is to stay down. Falling down is never fatal. Life breaks all of us. The thing to do is to learn from our failings and to emerge stronger where we’re broken.

Happiness: To seek inner peace, live simply. Richness is not the accumulation of wealth but the smallness of needs. Think deeply. Act nobly. Leave the world a better place than you found it. Learn from people you admire.

“Lives of great men all remind us; we can make our lives sublime and departing leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time”.

Shad Saleem Faruqi is Emeritus Professor of Law at UiTM and Visiting Professor at USM. He wishes all readers happiness and health in the New Year.

China slams Asia-focused US defense strategy

Tweet

BEIJING (AP) — China on Monday slammed the United States' new Asian-focused defense strategy, saying its accusations of a lack of openness in Beijing's military policy were "groundless and untrustworthy."

China's ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng, pictured said the U.S.'s new military strategy would be 'beneficial' for both countries

President Obama speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon where he vowed to strengthen military presence in the Asia-Pacific

The strategy unveiled Thursday shifts the U.S. military focus away from Iraq and Afghanistan and makes a renewed commitment to assert America's position in the Asia-Pacific region.

The document says the growth of China's military power must be accompanied by greater clarity in its strategic intentions to avoid causing friction in the region.

In response, China said it was committed to peaceful development and a "defensive" policy.

"China's strategic intent is clear, open and transparent," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters at a regular briefing.

"Our national defense modernization serves the objective requirements of national security and development and also plays an active role in maintaining regional peace and stability. 

It will not pose any threat to any country," Liu said. "The charges against China in this document are groundless and untrustworthy."

He added that maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region serve the common interests of all Asia-Pacific countries "and we hope the U.S. will play a more constructive role to this end."

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the U.S. is not anticipating military conflict in Asia, but that it became so bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that it missed chances to improve its strategic position elsewhere.

Panetta said the Asia-Pacific region is growing in importance for the U.S. economy and national security, so the nation needed to maintain "our military's technological edge and freedom of action."

The new strategy also identified India as a long-term strategic partner that can serve as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the Indian Ocean region. It said the U.S. will try to maintain peace on the Korean peninsula by working with allies and others in Asia to defend against North Korean provocations.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Related posts:
New US defense policy challenges trust; China in US gunsights!
China warns US on Asia military strategy