Pas has a lot of soul-seaching to do

DEFEAT OF MODERATES: Its unimpressive performance in GE13 raises questions on the path the party has taken in recent years

THERE are nagging questions left unanswered in Pas' unimpressive performance in the 13th General Election (GE13). It lost control of Kedah after capturing the Malay heartland state in 2008, confirming doubts among the Malaysian public over Pas' ability to rule as an effective government. The unexpected defeat of several leaders also raised pertinent questions on the path the Islamist party had taken in recent years.

Pas leaders' contradicting stance on the usage of the word "Allah" in Bahasa Malaysia bibles was cited as one of the reasons why Pas supporters and sympathisers did not support the moderates in Pas in GE13, said Professor Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, head of the politics, security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.

What went wrong that Pas emerged a major loser in GE13?

Is losing Kedah -- and other defeats in the Malay heartland -- a way of telling Pas that it is losing support of the Malays because they do not want Pas to soften its stand on the implementation of Islamic laws and values?

These are some of the questions within Pas' circles as the party begins conducting a post-mortem on its electoral performance.

Pas won only 21 out of 73 parliamentary seats it contested. The party secured 23 parliamentary seats from 65 contested in 2008.

Not only did Pas secure the lowest number of seats among its allies PKR and DAP in the May 5 polls, it was the only party that lost control of a state. PKR and DAP retained their hold on Selangor and Penang respectively.

Despite public displays of confidence in making inroads in Sabah and Sarawak, Pas failed to win a single seat in both the states.

PKR and DAP secured 12 state and three parliamentary seats in Sabah and six parliamentary seats in Sarawak. Pas also failed to win any seat in the 2011 Sarawak state elections while its allies won 15 seats.

With these questions demanding answers, expect some sparks to fly at the forthcoming Pas annual muktamar.

When the party's faithful gather for the general assembly scheduled from Nov 22 to 24 in Selangor, and where party elections are also due, the popular excuse of blaming Umno and Barisan Nasional for Pas' shortcomings would not be enough.

Party leaders will have to do a lot more of convincing that the 62-year-old party is still on track as an Islamic movement.

Current leaders may not want to openly admit it, but privately there are those who express fear that some party decisions had caused the traditionalists in Pas to be wary of its political allies.

Pas' ulama, long considered the party's mainstay, may be supportive of the political cooperation with PKR and DAP, but had made known they would oppose if the party blindly follows what its allies say, to the extent of making compromises that dilute its function as an Islamic movement.

An interesting development to watch at the coming party polls and the resulting party line-up is the balance of leadership between the ulama class and the progressives or moderates, widely labelled as professionals who are supportive of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The failure of personalities in the progressive group during GE13 -- deputy president Mohamad Sabu or Mat Sabu, vice-presidents Datuk Husam Musa and Sallahudin Ayob and Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad -- is already creating a momentum to push more leaders from the ulama to contest for senior posts, notably the vice-presidency.

The Pas' grassroots are already talking of a possible intense fight for the three vice-president posts even before party branches begin their meetings next week.

The talk is that central committee member Idris Ahmad, Youth chief Nasarudin Hassan Tantawi, Nik Abduh Nik Aziz, the son of Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Dewan Ulama secretary Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali, who are new Pas members of parliament, would be pushed to contest senior party positions.

Deputy president Mohamed Sabu, or Mat Sabu, may also be challenged.

Nasarudin is one of those expected to try his luck for a vice-president post, the three positions are currently held by Husam, Salahuddin and Datuk Mahfuz Omar, the MP for Pokok Sena.

The new Sepang MP, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, who is also seen as part of the progressive group, could also be joining the fray.

Over the years, Pas has evolved and successfully shed its conservative image, a strategy of moderation it was forced to adopt for its own political survival.

But the bold measures taken, with many compromises made to bolster its appeal to the non-Muslims, particularly softening its stance on its Islamic state agenda, saw party members and supporters complaining that Pas had compromised too much to be part of the loose opposition pact in its quest to wrest Putrajaya.

This group wants to see the party review this cooperation, which to them has marked a departure from Pas' original goal.

Some Pas members continue to ask why the Islamic state agenda had to be put on the back burner when it was the fundamental issue that led to the inception of Pas in 1951.

Whether Pas will stick with his current direction at the cost of Malay support, or return to its fundamental roots and stands to lose non-Muslim support and support of Muslim moderates, will be clearer at the muktamar.

Read more: Pas has a lot of soul-seaching to do - Columnist - New Straits 

The quest for authentic leaders

LEADERSHIP: If people cannot look to politicians as role models of statesmanship, then they have to look elsewhere

IN the aftermath of the elections, there is the clean-up of posters and bunting  and all kinds of mess. But there are also other kinds of clean-up which need  to be done.

The lambasting of everything and everyone else because targets are not achieved becomes a kind of desperate ploy to appease various stakeholders.

Poor political mindset is based on the world view of nostalgia of the past and distorted imagination of future sce-narios.

Positive mindsets can be moulded by the clarification of principles, values, ways forward and focus on strengthening of national character of virtues and wisdom.

There is a prevalent blame syndrome. Blame of others, self-blame, blame the past and blame the future.

Of course, some blame the experts and the political strategists. As there was a celebrative mood before the elections, there is despondency among all parties and individuals.

In a strange way, all parties involved are winners, but yet all are losers. Everyone worked hard. Everyone gave their best. Everyone had high expectations. Everyone who lost has to accept defeat. Everyone who won has to be magnanimous.

The people, too, are tired. The blame game must end sometime because the audience as well as the actors suffered mental fatigue, some kind of post-election depression.

Responsible leaders have to engage all parties in group psychological counselling and political healing lest there are widespread cases of cognitive confusion and mental sickness.

The election is supposed to be elegant and we are supposed to reach our higher selves. We are supposed to respect leaders who lead us to higher levels of consciousness, existence and elegance.

We acknowledge our democratic capital. We lauded our democratic experiences. We boast to the world the supremacy and rightness of our ways. If we do not handle victory and defeat wisely, we may escalate and prolong public psychological depression.

If we have no strategies of being confidently constructive and soundly mature, we cannot tell our story of the excellence of a people. The problem is the people are fine but there are leaders and non-leaders who instigate people to be ill.

When the story is told of the 13 general elections, beyond the political analysts and other pundits, there will be more accurate versions of ideas, events, personalities, parties, factors, immediate and long-term causes of success and failures.

Historical narrative will go beyond the journalistic narrow and shallow reports, beyond fallacies and fiction. From history we will have the advantage of perspective.

If people cannot look to politicians as role models of statesmanship, then they have to look elsewhere.

When the younger generation search for role models, it is clear that they need to look at many role models and emulate the leaders for their different strengths: scholars for their passion for knowledge, the scientist for their scientific minds, the civil servants for their public service, the trade union leaders for their workers' rights and dignity, preachers for religious guidance, the ordinary people for their patience and goodwill, statesmen for their inspiring diplomacy and politicians for what?

Politicians who have a combination of the qualities could be among the most revered of leaders, but many will lose the opportunity to be role models long remembered.

In times of high expectations, confusion and conflicts, true leaders will emerge. Such leaders are expected to be wiser than the pack.

In such times, level-headed followers are expected to be courageous. The wise leaders will rise from the leaders of the future as well as the reemergence of leaders from the past.

It is a law of social change that those who are wise and bold will rise up to the occasion and will not be bedazzled by the fiction of those who are in power and in control of resources.

What more do the people want? The people want true leaders.

The people do not want hate-mongers, creation of eternal dominance fallacy and fiction, religious bigotry, blatant and subtle signs of religious or cultural bigotry, threats, the culture of fear and continuing spin.

The people know and indulge the political mercenaries, the spin doctors, the merchants of doubt and the hidden persuaders.

The people want servant leadership. The people want the rule of law. The educated citizenry -- and Malaysia has everyone schooled, so the people want scholar gentlemen and not "intellectual barbarians" or whining and pining leaders.

The people want to move ahead unmanipulated and build a great society with sustainable resources and will, for the future generation, be a shining example to the world.

Read more: The quest for authentic leaders - Columnist - New Straits 

Time to deliver on promises and pledges

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: The people must come first and be taken care of

POLITICS has taken centre stage in our lives for the past few months and the intensity reached its peak last Sunday.

The people have decided who would lead them. Naturally, some are unhappy, but that is the reality of any contest. You have winners and losers.

In my personal opinion, both sides -- Barisan Nasional and Pakatan -- are both winners and losers.

BN won the main race and was given another term by the rakyat to lead Malaysia to greater heights. But at the same time, it lost sizeable Chinese and urban votes to Pakatan, which also won more popular votes.

Both sides should count their blessings with what had been gained, and though understandably sad with what was lost, life has to go on. There are other important things than bruised egos.

It is getting old to be harping on the same issues day after day. The people must come first and be taken care of -- the common themes used by both BN and Pakatan in their campaigns. It is time to deliver what was promised and pledged.

In Putrajaya, the dust is still far from settling as the prime minister has yet to announce his cabinet line-up.

In the meantime, it could be suggested that these "captains" of various ministries in the epicentre of the nation's administration must have certain attributes.

They must be humble, know their portfolio inside out, be credible, diligent, far-sighted, insightful and able to work well with the media to ensure the people would be informed of what is being done.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in one of the gatherings with the civil servants two months ago, had raised a pertinent point -- the need to have the ability to communicate well. I could not agree more.

As journalists, we always welcome ministers who are able to answer our queries with facts and figures on the spot rather than take the easy way out by telling us: "I will look into the matter."

We also love to deal with ministers and leaders who could give strong quotes and are brave enough to make statements, instead of hiding in their offices and avoiding the press altogether.

I miss the old guards like Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and the late Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik, because they were bold enough to speak their mind to both locals and foreigners.

Sure, they were not perfect, but leaders such as them made me proud to be called a Malaysian.

The political and social landscape could see some shifting in the days to come following the results of the 13th General Election (GE13).

The Chinese party MCA has been denied many seats in the recent election and its leadership's decision not to take up any post in the cabinet due to its dismal performance is understandable, but unnecessary.

The cabinet still needs representatives from the Chinese community, especially in a multiracial and multicultural country such as ours.

Perhaps, the prime minister may consider getting Chinese representatives from non-governmental organisations or academicians who command high respect from the their communities, including the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) to be part of his administration.

Malaysia is at a crossroads -- one path taking the country to a promising future or another towards an uncertain tomorrow plagued by uneasiness and paranoia.

As the Chinese proverb goes: "A wise man makes his own decision, an ignorant man follows the public opinion." Something for us to ponder.

Read more: Time to deliver on promises and pledges - Columnist - New Straits 


cukup-cukup sudah...............hihi

Pas has a lot of soul-seaching to do

THERE are nagging questions left unanswered in Pas' unimpressive performance in the 13th General Election (GE13). It lost control of Kedah after capturing the Malay heartland state in 2008, confirming doubts among the Malaysian public over Pas' ability to rule as an effective government. The unexpected defeat of several leaders also raised pertinent questions on the path the Islamist party had taken in recent years.

Pas leaders' contradicting stance on the usage of the word "Allah" in Bahasa Malaysia bibles was cited as one of the reasons why Pas supporters and sympathisers did not support the moderates in Pas in GE13, said Professor Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, head of the politics, security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.

What went wrong that Pas emerged a major loser in GE13?

Is losing Kedah -- and other defeats in the Malay heartland -- a way of telling Pas that it is losing support of the Malays because they do not want Pas to soften its stand on the implementation of Islamic laws and values?

These are some of the questions within Pas' circles as the party begins conducting a post-mortem on its electoral performance.

Pas won only 21 out of 73 parliamentary seats it contested. The party secured 23 parliamentary seats from 65 contested in 2008.

Not only did Pas secure the lowest number of seats among its allies PKR and DAP in the May 5 polls, it was the only party that lost control of a state. PKR and DAP retained their hold on Selangor and Penang respectively.

Despite public displays of confidence in making inroads in Sabah and Sarawak, Pas failed to win a single seat in both the states.

PKR and DAP secured 12 state and three parliamentary seats in Sabah and six parliamentary seats in Sarawak. Pas also failed to win any seat in the 2011 Sarawak state elections while its allies won 15 seats.

With these questions demanding answers, expect some sparks to fly at the forthcoming Pas annual muktamar.

When the party's faithful gather for the general assembly scheduled from Nov 22 to 24 in Selangor, and where party elections are also due, the popular excuse of blaming Umno and Barisan Nasional for Pas' shortcomings would not be enough.

Party leaders will have to do a lot more of convincing that the 62-year-old party is still on track as an Islamic movement.

Current leaders may not want to openly admit it, but privately there are those who express fear that some party decisions had caused the traditionalists in Pas to be wary of its political allies.

Pas' ulama, long considered the party's mainstay, may be supportive of the political cooperation with PKR and DAP, but had made known they would oppose if the party blindly follows what its allies say, to the extent of making compromises that dilute its function as an Islamic movement.

An interesting development to watch at the coming party polls and the resulting party line-up is the balance of leadership between the ulama class and the progressives or moderates, widely labelled as professionals who are supportive of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The failure of personalities in the progressive group during GE13 -- deputy president Mohamad Sabu or Mat Sabu, vice-presidents Datuk Husam Musa and Sallahudin Ayob and Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad -- is already creating a momentum to push more leaders from the ulama to contest for senior posts, notably the vice-presidency.

The Pas' grassroots are already talking of a possible intense fight for the three vice-president posts even before party branches begin their meetings next week.

The talk is that central committee member Idris Ahmad, Youth chief Nasarudin Hassan Tantawi, Nik Abduh Nik Aziz, the son of Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Dewan Ulama secretary Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali, who are new Pas members of parliament, would be pushed to contest senior party positions.

Deputy president Mohamed Sabu, or Mat Sabu, may also be challenged.

Nasarudin is one of those expected to try his luck for a vice-president post, the three positions are currently held by Husam, Salahuddin and Datuk Mahfuz Omar, the MP for Pokok Sena.

The new Sepang MP, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, who is also seen as part of the progressive group, could also be joining the fray.

Over the years, Pas has evolved and successfully shed its conservative image, a strategy of moderation it was forced to adopt for its own political survival.

But the bold measures taken, with many compromises made to bolster its appeal to the non-Muslims, particularly softening its stance on its Islamic state agenda, saw party members and supporters complaining that Pas had compromised too much to be part of the loose opposition pact in its quest to wrest Putrajaya.

This group wants to see the party review this cooperation, which to them has marked a departure from Pas' original goal.

Some Pas members continue to ask why the Islamic state agenda had to be put on the back burner when it was the fundamental issue that led to the inception of Pas in 1951.

Whether Pas will stick with his current direction at the cost of Malay support, or return to its fundamental roots and stands to lose non-Muslim support and support of Muslim moderates, will be clearer at the muktamar.

Read more: Pas has a lot of soul-seaching to do - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/pas-has-a-lot-of-soul-seaching-to-do-1.280676?cache=03%2F7.229581%2F7.250967%2F7.287479%2F7.287813%3Fkey%3DMalaysia#ixzz2kacwfwK5

Pakatan's crazy phantom voter game

IMAGINARY: The general election is over but opposition leaders seem unable to come to terms with the ghost of election past

ONE swallow does not a summer make, especially if the swallow is just an imaginary one created on the Internet to hoodwink the people.

For most, the 13th General Election (GE13) is over and done with but Pakatan leaders seem unable to come to terms with the ghost of election past.

Never mind that the "phantom voters" that haunt them are just imaginary, by virtue of the evidence (or rather the lack of it) gathered during GE13.

The incident in the Ladang constituency in Kuala Terengganu, where three former Universiti Malaysia Terengganu students were prevented from casting their votes by Pas supporters, speaks volumes about the phantom voters paranoia which the opposition had created.

The Indian youths from Kedah and Penang, aged between 24 and 27, were mistaken as Bangladeshis and threatened with a parang by the Pas supporters in their overzealous quest to find phantom voters.

When making assessment of news, one must not have any prejudice in order to make a sound judgment on its trustworthiness.

However, the deluge of speculations and allegations on the Internet of about 40,000 Bangla-deshi phantom voters being flown in a few days before polling day left no room for opposition supporters to think objectively about the situation.

Instead of clearing up the air by providing evidence about the phantom voters, the opposition stoked up their supporters anger by spreading the allegations in its political rallies.

Out of the 12 million registered voters, more than 10 million cast their votes on polling day -- a record turnout for the country.

Even if we were to assume that the 40,000 phantom voters existed, that would just be 0.4 per cent of the total voters' turnout.

Divide the 0.4 per cent by 222 parliamentary seats (the state seats don't count as the opposition were upset at not being able to wrest Putrajaya) then the number will be much smaller.

With the phantom voters being spread so thinly, how could the BN strategists -- whom the opposition had dismissed as being of little use because they could not think of how to reduce the price of petrol and increase the royalty payment by Petronas to 20 per cent simultaneously as promised in the opposition's manifesto -- translate the handful of phantom voters into a sure win?

One of the footages in opposition-linked blogs showed dark-skinned men, said to be the Bangladeshi phantom voters, being ferried out of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in vans.

If a van can accommodate 10 men, it would take 4,000 vans to ferry them. If a bus can carry 40 people, it will take 1,000 buses to take them all over Malaysia.

These are just the logistics and it is already mind-boggling.

It is no secret that the number of legal and illegal foreign workers here is huge, but why were the Bangladeshis singled out as the purported choice of BN to be used as phantom voters? Why not Indonesians, whose physical appearance closely match the Malays?

If one may speculate (the phantom voters issue was based on mere speculation anyway), the election results that showed a 60 per cent increase of Indian votes for BN may provide a clue.

If the allegations of Bangladeshi phantom voters, whose features closely resembled those of the local Indians, were created to lessen the Indians' chance of voting, then the case of the three former UMT students in Ladang showed that whoever had spread them had succeeded to some extent.

The rallies organised by the opposition to protest the GE13 results attracted hundreds of thousands, voicing their support for a review of the so-called tainted results.

Since the opposition had garnered more than five million votes in GE13, the thousands who thronged the rallies were only to be expected.

However, the post-election gathering at the Rusila mosque last week has a distinctly different air as the ones held elsewhere in the country.

True, the crowd size was comparable to the rallies held in the west coast but they were celebrating their unprecedented achievements in GE13, not about rejecting the results.

If they were to reject the results, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who spoke at length about the excellent achievements of Pakatan in GE13, would have to declare that his win in Marang and Rhu Rendang were also null and void.

Using the same argument, maybe opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will call for the resignation of Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng as the rally to reject the GE13 results there was a resounding success.

If Anwar were to say that only the results where BN win were unacceptable, then he would have to reveal how he was sure that the results where the opposition emerged victorious were not tainted by phantom voters.

If he could give a valid explanation on that, then perhaps he could give all the details of the phantom voters since he has such intimate knowledge of the phantom voters distribution.

Then maybe, just maybe, the Malaysians who were prevented from voting or harassed by opposition's ghost busters could get an explanation on why the politicians who shouted for democracy had worked so hard at denying them their democratic rights.

Police at the scene of a commotion created by irresponsible parties over alleged phantom voters at the polling centre in SJKC Nan Yik Lee Rubber in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, on election day. Pakatan leaders seem unable to come to terms with the fact that there is no evidence of phantom voters during the general election.

Read more: Pakatan's crazy phantom voter game - Columnist - New Straits 

Malaysia's crisis of democracy

SILENT’ MAJORITY: In GE13, seven million eligible voters decided that democracy is not worth the effort

WITH the immediate dust of the 13th General Election having settled, life has resumed, for most, and many have written extensively and reflected critically on the significance of this election.

There is no doubt that this historic election has captivated the hearts, minds and the imaginations of many for what the future holds for us Malaysians as individuals, communities and the nation.

One issue that has escaped the attention of most is the existence of a "silent" majority of the electorate. These are eligible voters whom, although eligible, did not register to vote.

On the surface, their inactivity appears to be harmless, easily passed off as fence-sitters and almost oblivious to the political atmosphere. Delving deeper, however, shows that it is no trivial matter.

The number of votes garnered by both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan are approximately five million voters each, sizeable by any account. Consider, however, the size of this silent majority.

In mid-2011, four million voters that are eligible did not register. By 2012, these voters have grown to an estimated five million, despite the numerous countrywide registration campaigns held. However, a record breaking 2.2 million did register, which is certainly commendable.

But let us imagine that voting was made compulsory for all and that our ballots were initially, by default, crossed on a hypothetical I-Don't-Care-Enough Party, whereby turning up on election day is the only way to reselect our candidates of choice. The no-show of these five million will, by default, choose the I-Don't-Care-Enough Party.

This party is now in the same league as BN and Pakatan!

With the additional two million who registered but did not turn up on election day -- also choosing the I-Don't-Care-Enough Party by default as a result -- this party is now the real winner of GE13 with a popular vote of seven million voters!

But this I-Don't-Care-Enough Party is an oxymoron; they are simply indifferent, interested but not committed, silent or unwilling to engage in the issues at hand. In other words, apathy and spectatorism is now the true Malaysian ideology.

Although this hypothetical scenario seems too far-fetched, it does not change the fact that these seven million strong are, unfortunately, the real majority of this election. In GE13, four out of ten eligible voters have decided that democracy is not worth the effort.

The study of economics is the study of how rational human beings -- the extent of our understanding of rationality, actual or perceived, is debatable -- make decisions.

A cast vote is a decision made; an uncast vote is also a decision made.

The lack of engagement in the simplest form of democracy -- representation through elections -- though certainly not free from contamination -- by such a sizeable portion of eligible voters is a crisis of democracy by any standards.

Certainly there are other countries, either Asian or Western, rich or poor, which have regressed in a similar manner. But our Voting-Age-Population (VAP) turnout of less than 60 per cent -- ratio of those who voted to all eligible -- is the lowest among our Asean neighbours, according to International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).

And yet we boast of a historic election when seven million, which is also a record number, cast invisible ballots on election day.

As Malaysia still struggles to free itself from its colonial past, race, religion and class-based identity, and moves towards a nation based on shared values, it needs the engagement from all Malaysians and not just a passionate few to bring the country forward. Getting our hands dirty in the process is necessary.

History describes all too well that vice is not found in passionate and sincere patriotism, but in the lack of moderation which can only be tempered with the engagement by all quarters: the majority and minorities, the urban and rural, the have and have-nots, the zealous and of course the spectators in the process of building, or rebuilding a nation.

Read more: Malaysia's crisis of democracy - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/malaysia-s-crisis-of-democracy-1.278358?cache=%22%27%3CbvU7C%3E%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.111698%2F7.287479%2F7.288059%2F7.448418%2F7.448418%2F7.490557%2F7.490557%2F7.490557%2F7.490557%2F7.490557#ixzz2kaZ1AwLe

'No jobs for medical grads next year'

The Malaysian Medical Association says there are too many medical graduates and too many private medical colleges.

THERE are too many medical students graduating every year and not enough hospitals to train and provide jobs for them, said the Malaysian Medical Association.

If the situation continues, there would be no place for these graduates to undergo training by next year, its president Datuk Dr N.K.S. Tharmaseelan said.

He said there were "too many medical graduates, and too many private medical colleges; almost 40 now for a population of about 28 million".

"This is probably one of the highest per capita in the world. For many years, the MMA has vehemently opposed the flooding of the market to overcome the shortage of doctors. However, as we were regularly assured that many rural areas still lacked doctors and that there was no likelihood for jobless doctors, many continued to pursue medical courses.

One lacks infrastructure while the other allowed the opening of more and more medical colleges, and offered nursing, physiotherapy and other allied health professional courses without determining whether they can assimilate these individuals or provide jobs. Medical colleges have sprouted up and the entry qualifications into these colleges are frighteningly low; only four B4 credits in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia examinations are needed.

"The Health Ministry should ensure there are enough hospitals built to cater for training doctors, and the MMC should constantly review and monitor the standards of medical colleges both in Malaysia and overseas."

Read more: 'No jobs for medical grads next year' - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/no-jobs-for-medical-grads-next-year-1.396549?cache=%22%27%3CbvU7C%3E%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.111698%2F7.287479%2F7.288059%2F7.448418%2F7.448418%2F7.490557%2F7.490557%2F7.490557%2F7.490557%2F7.490557#ixzz2kaYCho7n

Tak usaha nak mimpi lah ambil Putrajaya

De facto Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should take care of troubled waters in Pakatan-led states, instead of dreaming of taking over Putrajaya.

Read more: 'Stop dreaming of Putrajaya' - Politics - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/politics/stop-dreaming-of-putrajaya-1.247804?cache=wixtvnujghdrti#ixzz2kaSq9IJt

Patut selesaikan dulu isu air rakyat Selangor,dan terbukti yang Putrajaya tidak mampu lagi di ambil alih oleh Pakatan..Jom ramai-ramai beri sokongan kepada Tengku Adnan untuk terus kekal di Putrajaya

'Every vote counts, do not waste it'

THINK WISELY: Najib calls on people not to gamble their children's future away


"History has proven that since independence, the governments elected in Malaysia are those that have succeeded in garnering the support and confidence of the majority."

"The election process and results in those countries are no longer trusted, while the governments elected as a result of those tactics have been rejected by the people. The stability of the country is affected, the investors lose confidence, national prosperity declines and the people suffer."


"Every vote counts -- do not waste it. Think and reflect (upon your choices) before making a decision. Your votes will decide not only the direction of the states and the country but also the fortunes of our children and grandchildren."

Read more: 'Every vote counts, do not waste it' - Politics - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/politics/every-vote-counts-do-not-waste-it-1.247873?cache=wixtvnujghdrti#ixzz2kaSFg8Rh


Undilah untuk sekarang dan masa hadapan,bukan undi untuk sekarang sahaja.Buat pilihan yang bijak dan tepat jangan dibuat mengikut emosi semata-mata.

Recognition for 'OKU' sportsmen

DISABLED people who are active in sports were given due recognition when a technical and coaching course was hosted for them at the Youth and Sports Complex in Batu Uban here recently.

The four-day basic course was jointly organised by the State Youth and Sports department and the Penang Disabled People Sports and Recreation Association (Pesron).

State youth and sports department paralympic sports development officer Kho Chin Hong said 37 candidates from the northern region of Perlis (8), Kedah (11) and Penang (18) participated in the course.

He said the course was conducted by experienced and qualified coaches, Yogasveran Kanagarajah and Anbarasu Subramaniam, who were both former national athletes.

"The main objective of organising this course was for participants to get familarised with the technical rules and techniques of athletics and also to develop and produce more technical officials and coaches.

"By organising this workshop, we hope to give basic coaching, training and officiating knowledge and skills to those involved in disabled athletics."

Chin Hong said the department and Pesron also hope to identify new talents and at the same time encourage the disabled community to participate actively in sports.

Pesron president associate professor Dr Tiun Ling Ta said with the completion of the basic course, those who participated have been formally trained to be coaches and technical officials.

"Disabled people are not aliens, we, too, are ordinary human beings but with a defect, I sincerely hope society fully accepts us as one of everyone.

"I also hope parents with disabled children would shed their inferiority complex and come forward and allow their children to participate in the various sports for the disabled children," he said after giving out the certificates to the participants.

Ling Ta said Pesron, with the cooperation of the state youth and sports department, has been organising many sports, including athletics, lawn bowling, tenpin bowling, badminton, power lifting, and wheelchair tennis

He said Pesron would be organising boccia, a combination of bowling and chair, within the next few months.

The Universiti Sains Malaysia social science lecturer, who himself is disabled, said the course has also enabled Pesron to identify new talents.

Ling Ta, who is also the Malaysian Disabled People Sports and Recreation Association president, said Penang has already started preparations for next year's Perlis Malaysia Games.

Rekhraj Singh Jaswant Singh from Kedah said he learned a lot, and he hopes that he would be selected to attend more courses of such nature.

Penangite Shahida Amira Sazali is very enthusiastic after the course and is raring to teach whatever she has learned, to her charges.

Participant Rajini Subramaniam, a disabled school teacher from Penang, said she is now better equipped to train her students.

Participants of the basic athletics technical and coaching course for the disabled at the Paralympic Complex in Penang. Pic by K. Kandiah

Read more: Recognition for 'OKU' sportsmen - Northern - New Straits 

Satu usaha murni untuk membantu golongan kurang upaya ini....

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

PULAU PAYAR: PULAU Payar will be closed for at least three weeks next year to rehabilitate the island and ensure that coral bleaching, which affected the island in 2010, will not recur.

Malaysia Marine Parks Department director-general Dr Sukarno Wagiman disclosed this during an island clean-up recently.

Sukarno said tourist arrivals on the island have returned to normal, at 200,000 since 2010, but he is concerned about the number of visitors, which is too big for the island to handle.

In the long run, he said, there will be environment degradation.

Sukarno said that Pulau Sipadan, one of the world's top diving site, allows only 120 visitors a day.

"It is fortunate that Langkawi Department Authority (Lada) has put aside RM94,000 this year and RM144,000 for next year to keep the island clean and free from pollution."

During the clean-up which involved Pantai Damai, Pantai Wangi, and the beach in front of the Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar, over 10 huge bags of rubbish were collected, and even an old television set.

More than 120 fishermen from Kedah and Labuan took part in the clean-up. They were joined by visitors to the island.

Sukarno said during the clean-up, the fishermen were also taught how to look after fish fry before they were released into the ocean. Similar programmes have also been organised for other marine parks. There were also programmes to clean up the seabed.

Sukarno said he would be discussing with the state government, local tourism businessmen, and agencies related to conservation to make sure Pulau Payar remains a pristine destination for tourists.

Fishermen and Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar staff participating in a programme to clean up the island. Pic by Rahmat Othman

Read more: Rehabilitating Pulau Payar - Northern - New Straits 

Dignity through education

THE Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 has been well received by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). Calling it "an ambitious agenda to foster inclusive and equitable development of education as the basis of higher growth", the organisation's director-general went on to say that it could be emulated by other member countries. Education according to her is, after all, about human dignity. She believes that the plan integrates the development of the economy, society and culture in harmony. Such high praise indeed for a document intended to reform the education system in line with the National Transformation Policy (NTP), a plan to prepare the country for developed nation status by 2020. Thus, human capital suitably tailored to meet the challenges imposed by a post-industrial economy is pivotal.

Read more: Dignity through education - Editorial - New Strait Times

Maruah pendidikan harus martabatkan di mata dunia 

Insecure about security

SECURITY is a matter of great concern under any circumstances, and those hired to maintain it must surely fit a profile criterion that produces the desired performance of putting the safety of people and property first. One does not expect a security guard to point his weapon and kill a friendly party as in the recent shooting of a bank employee. Of course, the rogue guard was there as part of a criminal plot to rob the bank and the flaws were glaring, like the fake identity card. That such a tragedy can happen points to a lapse of vigilance by what is an institution most at risk of criminals resorting to such means to penetrate it. The only positive inference that can be made is that most security personnel are genuine. Otherwise, there would have been more similar tragedies.

However, in that incident, at least, it is inexcusable that the fake identity card reportedly not electronically compliant was not closely checked, thus, allowing the criminal to slip through. This demonstrates how flabby the recruitment system employed by the recruiting agent is, given that this should be, if not already is, a basic first-line procedure especially for this business. Security companies in the United Kingdom, for instance, will subject the applicant through a rigorous vetting. In some countries, this involves an interview with the police asking tough questions of the individual and care is taken to establish the veracity of information provided. Obviously, the same cannot be said for the recruiting agents here, a fact signifying a lack of sophistication at best and, at worst, a flagrantly lackadaisical attitude.

As some have suggested, security guards ought to be locals. But there is an admission that before this can happen, the occupation needs a thorough revamp in the way of remuneration and training because, thus far, employing imported workers has kept wages depressed. This is the ideal scenario. Nevertheless, given the country's labour shortage, augmenting the industry with foreign labour is the only option. What needs overhauling is the attitude one takes to security. The days of the benign and totally reliable bhai jaga resting on his charpoi on nightwatch armed with a standard issue rifle are over. Today's security guard is up against merciless, firearm-carrying criminals. It follows, therefore, that the guards should be well vetted for honesty and reliability and then properly trained. There should, too, be a professional body to create standard operations procedure and to oversee that industry players adhere to these guidelines.

Read more: Insecure about security - Editorial - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/editorial/insecure-about-security-1.399134#ixzz2kaJl9G1l

'No application for Penang Sentral'

BUTTERWORTH: Seberang Prai Municipal Council has yet to receive an application to start work on the Penang Sentral project, raising suspicion that the project have been abandoned by its developers.

Council president Maimunah Mohd Sharif said it had received all building plans and they had been approved.

"However we have not received any application from the developer to commence work on the site. We are anxiously waiting for the project to start, but unfortunately nothing seems to be moving over the years," she told Streets yesterday.

Maimunah said the developer has yet to solve several issues pertaining to the relocation of the hawkers' complex next to the temporary bus terminal.

"Their architects have met us, but have never gotten back to us since.

"There is no decision on whether the hawkers' complex will be relocated within the premises or certain compensation would be given to them," she said.

The multi-billion ringgit transport and commercial hub, which was launched six years ago, has been left in a state of utter mess.

The 9.6ha site near the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal and the Butterworth KTM station has hoarding around it and the entire site appeared abandoned.

Checks by Streets on Tuesday revealed that parts of the site were turned into a dumping ground with vagrants squatting in the area.

It is an eyesore to users of the ferry services and the temporary bus terminal.

Replying to a question on the general state of cleanliness of the terminal, Maimunah said MPSP has repeatedly issued fines to the developer over the years.

"We have taken action and issued warnings to them several times.

"Our health director has informed us that compounds were also issued. We are waiting for them to clean up the area," she said.

The construction of the transport hub was officiated by the then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on July 31, 2007.

The first phase, costing about RM400 million, comprised an integrated transport hub for ferries, buses, taxis, trains and a retail site.

Penang Sentral, which is part of the Northern Corridor Economic Region initiative, was to be developed by Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) and Pelaburan Hartanah Bumiputera Bhd.

In November last year, MRCB was reported as saying in Business Times that the project is estimated to be worth over RM3 billion, and will be built in a similar style to the KL Sentral in Brickfields.

It was reported then that the design and construction of Penang Sentral would be handled by the firm Veritas Architects and be modelled after Kuala Lumpur Sentral.

It was also reported that construction of the transport hub, the new gateway to the Northern Corridor, would start in the first quarter of 2009 and be completed by 2011 while the entire commercial development would conclude in 2015.

Presently, the RM5 million temporary bus terminal handles 4,500 passengers a day, with the new terminal, if completed, serving 65 million passengers a day. By Predeep Nambiar

Read more: 'No application for Penang Sentral' - Northern - New Straits T

Jangan susahkan rakyat hanya kerana fahaman politik berbeza..

Mukhriz: No reason to increase MCA exco posts to two

ALOR STAR: The status quo for a sole MCA representative in the Kedah state executive council would be maintained for the time being, said Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

He said he did not see any reason to change his stand.

Mukhriz stressed that the other post, reserved for Gerakan, would be left vacant for future needs.

"For the record, the quota for MCA assemblyman should have been filled up when the rest of the state executive council was sworn in after the 13th General Election in May.

"However, we reserved the quota while waiting for MCA to decide on the matter. When they finally decided on the matter recently, suddenly, they want two seats and I think this is a bit unfair.

"But it is okay, we can always discuss the matter later, but for now, the quota stays," he said after opening the state-level Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) seminar on investment inheritance schemes at TH Hotel and Convention Centre in Kepala Batas here yesterday.

Present were PNB president and group executive chief Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah and state Information, Rural Development and Poverty Eradication Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah.

Mukhriz was commenting on the request by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Sooi Lek who wanted the state government to increase MCA's quota in the state executive council line-up to two, from the current one slot.

He said Dr Chua did not make an official verbal or written request on the matter to him when they met during campaigning at the Sungai Limau by-election.

"Dr Chua passed me an official letter which recommended Gurun assemblyman Dr Leong Yong Kong to be appointed as an exco member, but nothing was mentioned about increasing the number of seats."

Mukhriz has already appointed eight of the 10 state executive council members.

Setuju dengan pandangan Mukhriz itu...............

TMJ pun sokong Khairy

TMJ SOKONG KHAIRY

JOHOR BAHRU - Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Negeri Johor (PBNJ), Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim menyatakan sokongan kepada Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Khairy Jamaluddin dalam kritikannya terhadap Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM).

Tunku Mahkota Johor itu berkata, Khairy sememangnya layak menyuarakan pendapatnya kerana selaku Menteri bertanggungjawab, beliau diberi mandat oleh kerajaan untuk mentadbir hala tuju sukan negara termasuk bola sepak.

"Selain itu, beliau (Khairy) juga membuat teguran dengan niat yang baik demi kemajuan sukan bola sepak tanah air," katanya menerusi kenyataan dikeluarkan PBNJ di sini, semalam.

Hubungan Khairy dan FAM sebelum ini menjadi panas apabila secara terbuka mengkritik badan induk bola sepak negara atas keprihatinannya yang mahu melihat sukan tersebut maju ke depan sekali gus sebagai bukti beliau sayangkan sukan itu.

Bagaimanapun, kritikan serta teguran yang dibuat Khairy kepada FAM nyata tidak disenangi sesetengah pihak, termasuk bekas pemain kebangsaan, Datuk Jamal Nasir Ismail yang menyifatkan tindakan Menteri itu seolah-olah mahu melepaskan geram kepada individu tertentu dalam persatuan berkenaan.

Ekoran kenyataan Jamal Nasir itu, Khairy kemudiannya membuat pengakuan bahawa beliau sudah bosan dengan FAM apabila tidak boleh menerima teguran daripada mana-mana pihak, malah menyifatkan hasratnya disalah ertikan apabila dituduh berdendam dengan FAM.

"Saya tidak ada dendam kepada sesiapa, saya tegur FAM atas keprihatinan saya hendak melihat bola sepak maju ke depan, takkanlah persatuan sukan dah jadi kebal. Sampai menteri tak boleh cakap apa-apa.

"Ini yang berlaku hari ini, menteri tegur sikit pun hendak kena panggil bekas pemain, lepas itu kritik menteri," kata Khairy.-UTUSAN MALAYSIA

Tegur demi kebaikan apa salahnya..Kalau tak ditegur macam mana nak betulkan kesilapan??

Stalled Penang Sentral project an eyesore

BUTTERWORTH: IT was touted to be a future inter-modal transport and  commercial development hub for Penang and the northern states.

That was more than six years ago when the multi-billion ringgit Penang Sentral project was first mooted.

However, despite the massive and futuristic development proposed on a 9.6ha site near the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal and KTM station in Butterworth, little has changed.  

A recent check showed that the  site,  the size of about 13 football fields, has hoarding around it, and signs of intrusions were obvious.

A Streets interview revealed that  the public, especially regular    ferry users, were appalled by the  delay in the  construction of  Penang Sentral.  

Ibrahim Abdullah, from Kuala Kangsar, Perak, said the  current facilities were poorly maintained and he had to climb  four flight of stairs to reach the nearby train station from the bus terminal.

Among the facilities are a temporary bus terminal, ticketing office, a food court and a ramp to the KTM and ferry terminals.

“The last time I was here, the escalator was working but I found that it often breaks down.

“This is not very good for senior citizens like me,” said the 72-year-old  pensioner.

 Another ferry commuter, who only wanted to be known as Siti, said the escalators were supposed to be repaired  last month.

“Nothing has been done and I have contacted someone at the developer’s office but to no avail,” said the 50-year-old housewife.

Newspaper vendor, Najumudin Ahmad, 60, said Penang Sentral was to be one of the major infrastructures  in Penang after Komtar and the two Penang bridges.

“I hope it will become a reality just like the many great developments carried out by the government . I hope I will  be able to see it done,” he said.

Singaporean, Pak Yue Yun, 65, a regular visitor to Penang, said a transport hub was critical for Penang to boost its   tourism sector.

“You need an integrated transport hub for easy travel. Penang’s public transport is much better now, and  the  project will surely benefit  local and foreign travellers,” he said.

Meanwhile,  the site for  the main complex of Penang Sentral project looked  abandoned and overgrown with lalang.

Vagrants have set up makeshift tents to sleep in the area at night. It  has turned into a dumping ground,  littered with  drink cans and food wrappers. It is an

eyesore since the project site is visible to ferry users  approaching the  Butterworth terminal  A ground-breaking ceremony for the first phase of the project which

involved  the construction of the  transport hub was officiated by the then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on July 31, 2007.

The first phase, costing about RM400 million, comprised an integrated transport hub for ferries, buses, taxis, trains and a retail site.

Penang Sentral, which is part of the Northern Corridor Economic Region initiative, was to  be developed by Malaysian Resources Crop Bhd  and Pelaburan

Hartanah Bumiputera Bhd.

It was reported then that the design and construction of Penang Sentral would be handled by the firm, Veritas Architects, and be modelled after Kuala Lumpur Sentral.

It was also reported  that construction of the transport hub, the new  gateway to the Northern Corridor, would start in the first quarter of 2009 and  be completed by 2011 while the entire commercial development would conclude in 2015. Additional reporting by Balvin Kaur and Rahmat Khairulrijal

You need an integrated transport hub for easy travel. Penang’s public transport is much better now, and the project will surely benefit local and foreign travellers.” Pak Yue Yun, Singaporean who visits Penang regularly

Read more: Stalled Penang Sentral project an eyesore - Central - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/stalled-penang-sentral-project-an-eyesore-1.399428#ixzz2kaC0kNbq




Adoiyaa..nampak lak bulu hidung pakcik ni..hahaha