The Official Blog of YM Raja Shamri

Nak sangat jadi Nurse akhirnya beribu lepasan kejururawatan MENGANGGUR !!

2012-02-05T18:12:00.000+08:00

Dimana silapnya sehingga lebih 50 peratus lepasan graduan kejururawatan di Malaysia ini tidak mendapat pekerjaan di bidang berkaitan? Para graduan ini ramai yang menganggung hutang pinjaman PTPTN sehingga RM60,000. Kenapa Kementerian Kesihatan tidak mengurangkan kuota pengambilan pelatih untuk kolej kejururawatan atau memberi gambaran sebenar lambakan graduan kejururawatan di pasaran?

Graduan kolej jururawat menganggur

SAYA bekas pelajar Diploma Kejururawatan institusi pengajian tinggi swasta (IPTS) di Pantai Timur. Masalahnya, sudah setahun lebih saya dan rakan menganggur.

Sebelum ini, kami difahamkan negara memerlukan lebih ramai jururawat untuk ditempatkan di hospital. Sehingga kini masih ramai bekas pelajar jururawat IPTS menganggur.

Persoalannya, adakah jawatan jururawat sudah mencukupi? Kalau masih ada kekosongan, mengapa ramai belum diambil bekerja? Dengan lambakan kolej swasta yang menawarkan kursus kejururawatan, kami seolah-olah dipinggirkan.

Adakah pihak berkenaan mengkaji kuota pelajar jururawat yang semakin bertambah? Kami juga kesal kerana kolej kami tidak membantu dan hanya ingin mengaut keuntungan.

Ada yang menerima surat menyatakan mereka perlu menjelaskan pinjaman sedangkan kami belum bekerja.

GRADUAN KECEWA,
Kuala Terengganu.
http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/Graduankolejjururawatmenganggur/Article

Jeyakumar : Kementerian Kesihatan mesti bertanggung-jawab
By Aliran, on 1 December 2011

Berikut ialah intervensi Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj dalam perbahasan Bajet Kementerian Kesihatan pada 16 November 2011.

Saya diberitahu melalui jawapan bertulis pada 3 November 2011 bahawa pada takat ini wujudnya 41000 penuntut kursus kejururawatan di 61 buah kolej swasta. Hari ini saya baru menerima jawapan daripada Kementerian bahawa pada masa ini ada seramai 69110 orang jururawat terlatih yang sedang berkhidmat di Malaysia – 47992 di sektor awam dan 21118 di sektor swasta.

Saya ingin tanya, manakah 41000 penuntut kejururawatan yang masih di kolej pada takat ini akan mendapat kerja. Jawapan pada saya bertarikh 14 November 2011 dinyatakan bahawa hanya 45.5 peratus daripada graduan kejururawatan yang lulus peperiksaan Lembaga Jururawat pada tahun 2010 dapat cari kerja! YB Menteri, pasaran untuk jururawat telah dibanjiri. It is flooded. Mengapakah Kementerian tidak mengurangkan kuota untuk kolej-kolej kejururawatan?

http://aliran.com/7249.html

Thousands of private college nursing grads jobless — Jeyakumar Devaraj

January 14, 2012

The Higher Education Ministry’s failure to control the greed of private nursing colleges has established a situation in which thousands of their graduates are jobless. And yet, these graduates are burdened with PTPTN loans of as much as RM50,000 to RM60,000.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/thousands-of-private-college-nursing-grads-jobless-jeyakumar-devaraj/

Penipuan di kolej Jururawat

Difahamkan, 61 buah IPTS telah diberi izin oleh Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi untuk mengadakan kursus kejururawatan dan lebih daripada 41,000 penuntut kejururawatan yang sedang belajar dalam IPTS-IPTS ini. Pada tahun 2010, 7665 graduan kejururawatan daripada IPTS telah mengambil peperiksaan Lembaga Jururawat. Hanya 70.1% daripada bilangan ini yang lulus peperiksaan tersebut berbanding kadar kelulusan setinggi 98.4% di kalangan calon kejururawatan yang belajar di Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia.

Ini jelas menunjukkan bahawa kualiti pendidikan di beberapa kolej kejururawatan swasta tidak memuaskan. Hanya 42.7% daripada pelajar kejururawatan yang graduat pada tahun 2010 berjaya dapat kerja di hospital dan klinik.

http://psmsemenyih.blogspot.com/2011/12/penipuan-di-kolej-jururawat.html

sources : tranungkite

Mengejar sangat nak jadi jururawat akhirnya beribu yang menganggur !!

2012-02-05T18:09:00.002+08:00

http://aliran.com/7249.html

Thousands of private college nursing grads jobless — Jeyakumar Devaraj

January 14, 2012

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/thousands-of-private-college-nursing-grads-jobless-jeyakumar-devaraj/

http://psmsemenyih.blogspot.com/2011/12/penipuan-di-kolej-jururawat.html

sources : tranungkite

Modul Baru 2012 : Berjaya sebagai usahawan - Membina Perniagaan Sendiri Dari Bawah

2012-01-30T14:47:00.002+08:00

Tips memulakan perniagaan
Pemilihan nama perniagaan
Berbisnes dengan modal "0"
Peranan Dhuha
Solat Dhuha dan zikir-zikir amalan
Peranan Sedekah
Pengurusan Kewangan Tahap 1-5 (Tahap permulaan berniaga sehingga advance)
Tempoh edah meneruskan perniagaan atau tidak
Mengenal pasti ancaman
Strategi Pemasaran Bijak ( Online marketing, printing material, marketing brochure dll.)
Staffing (mengenal pasti personaliti pekerja - inventori personaliti)
Mengenal pasti staff yang setia / curang
Mengelakkan pinjaman
Menguruskan pinjaman
Berniaga sebagai satu budaya
Berniaga sebagai satu kerjaya
Berniaga sebagai satu ibadah

.... and many more ....

Booking is now opened !!

Package : Full day / 3 days 2 night / 2 days
Participants : Public / Government sectors / Students / Graduates etc.
Program Khas Berjaya Sebagai Usahawan - Membina Perniagaan Sendiri Dari Bawah adalah satu program yang direka khas untuk membantu mereka yang berminat untuk menceburkan diri dalam dunia perniagaan mahupun mereka yang telah berkecimpung dalam bidang perniagaan tidak kiralah apapun jenis perniagaan yang terlibat.

Ianya adalah satu modul yang di reka sendiri oleh abangraja berdasarkan pengalaman beliau sendiri sebagai anak orang miskin dari keluarga penoreh getah yang berjaya membina perniagaan sendiri dalam bidang perunding, pengiklanan dan produksi filem dan digital serta dalam bidang IT. Pengamatan peribadi beliau, pengalaman membina perniagaan dari bawah beserta kepakaran akademik beliau dalam bidang pentadbiran perniagaan (Phd. dalam bidang Perniagaan dari UiTM) ini bakal dikongsi dengan peserta program itu nanti.

Sesiapa yang berminat bolehlah menghubungi pejabat Golden Minds Consultant untuk booking tarikh dan pertanyaan berkaitan pakej-pakej yang di tawarkan. Kami hanya menawarkan perkhidmatan pengendalian program sahaja. Klien yang berminat perlulah menyediakan peserta, tempat dan segala keperluan berkaitan cadangan program tersebut.
Pakej :

1 hari (8.30-4.30 petang)
2 hari (8.30-4.30 petang)
3 hari 2 malam -

Kos meliputi pengangkutan, penginapan dan makan minum motivator dan pembantu
Para peserta bakal menerima sijil penyertaan, nota-nota program, tips2 memulakan perniagaan, borang2 berkaitan perniagaan, senarai website berkaitan perniagaan dsbg.
Terhad untuk 150 orang peserta / pakej

Sudah pastinya harga dan penyesuaian modul boleh diubah mengikut kesesuaian dan kemampuan klien dan boleh dirunding !

JUMPA ANDA DI SANA ;)

Al-FATIHAH UNTUK ABAH !

2012-01-28T01:17:00.000+08:00

Abah di HUSM November 2011

Semalm genap seminggu abah pergi meninggalkan abang. hari ni dah mula start travel balik setelah lebih kurang dua minggu bercuti jaga abah sehinggalah beliau menghambuskan nafas yang terakhir. Nasib baiklah semua program sempat dan boleh di tolak serta tangguhkan dan ada satu program di MRSM Kuala Krai tupun abangraja accept sebab dekat ... program tu pada hari khamis lepas untuk 2 jam je dan pada malam tulah abang meninggal.

Abangraja nak ucapkan terima kasih atas doa, keprihatinan, sokongan dan semangat, tahlil arwah dan ucapan salam takziah yang abang terima dari ramai sangat ... rasanya seluruh dunia ada yg menghantar salam takziah ... ada sekolah dan ipt yang buat solat hajat, bacaan yasin dan juga tahlil untk abah sepanjang abah sakit dan juga selepas abah meninggal ... rasa terharu sangat ... sebab rasanya abah, abangraja dan keluarga rasanya hanyalah manusia biasa saja ... dan kami masih menetap di kampung dirumah peninggalan arwah abah dikelilingi pokok getah juga peninggalan arwah abah ...

Dua minggu bercuti terasa sekejap saja sebab sepanjang hari dalam minggu2 tersebut terasa berlalu begitu pantas. Bermula kelas terakhr PhD di uitm untuk semester lepas bersama Prof Dr. Ismail Ahmad bilamana kelas tu berakhir lewat petang .. rasanya dah malam dah sampai rumah di Pasir Puteh ... lepas solat isyak tengok abah semakin sesak nafas terus cakap kat Mak nak bawak abah ke Hospital ... takde transport nak bawak abah just mengharapkan abang sebab adik2 semua bekerja jauh2 dan yang bongsu masih kat UMP ... lepas mak bersiap abAng gagahkan keringat papah abah ke kereta biarpun masa tu dah hampir pukul 11 malam ... masa tu penat sangat sebab dah seharian kelas PHd ... sampai hospital orang ramai sangat kat emergency ... abah menunggu dgn sabar dan abang temankan abah sampailah ke bilik x-ray ... masa tu rasa lesu dan lemah sangat tengok filem x-ray ... paru2 abah hanya tinggal dalam 20% saja lagi ... yang lain dah rosak ... sel kanser jelas ternampak di bahagian kanan paru2 abah ... barah pundi kencing abah dah merebak ke paru-paru ...

Malam tu jugak abah di masukkan ke wad dan seperti yang dijangka abah kena masuk wad maka mlm tu mak terus temankan abah ... makpun dah tak berapa sihat sebab malam2 sebelum tu abah dah tak tidur asyik lelah dan sukar bernafas. Abang terpaksa balik ke rumah untuk salin baju dan uruskan perkara-perkara lain ...

Hari pertama abah di wad HTA P.Puteh

Esok paginya pagi2 lagi bergegas ke hospital ... masa tu abah tak guna lagi mesin oxygen ... tapi abah nampak sangat tak selesa ... abah mintak urutkan tangan kiri dia yang semakin lemah katanya tak boleh nak angkat so spend sepanjang hari di hospital bersama abah uruskan makan minum mak dan abah ... hantar mak balik berehat kat rumah dan temani abah kat hospital... begitulah rutin hari2 di hospital ... abang sms gambar abah kat adik2 mintak diorang semua consider baliklah jenguk abah ...

Hari kedua dan seterusnya abah semakin kritikal ... abah dah tak boleh berjalan sendiri ke tandas .. lelah semakin kronik dan abah dah mula guna mesin oxygen ... pegawai hospital dari unit khidmat sosial dah mula ikhtiarkan mesin oxygen dari MAKNA untuk abah gunakan kat rumah ... semua doktor yang datang jumpa abah seperti tak mahu berikhtiar apa2pun sebab abah ada kanser ... mereka just bagi ubat nebulizer bila abah lelah .. itu aja ... dan ikhtiarkan abah untuk next appointment dengan HUSM ...

Hari kedua abah dah makin lemah

Masa tulah abang order tru online vitamin B17 dari mexico ... biarpun orang kata abah dah tak boleh sembuh sebab kenser tapi abang masih nak iktiarkan jugak ... bukan untuk sembuhkan abah sebab yan sembuhkan abah bukan abang mahupun B17 tapi Allah yang sembuhkan abah ... sekurang-kurangnya abang nak lakukan sedaya mungkin, sebaik mungkin unntuk abah ... biarlah ada yg mengatakan untuk apa bazirkan duit beribu2 macam tu sebab abah ni pengidap kanser ... biarlah orang nak kata apa tapi hati kecik ini takkan berdiam diri ikhtiarkan sesuatu untuk abah ... sebab abah hanya satu dalam dunia ni ...

Abah dah mula guna mesin Oxygen

Hari demi hari abah semakin kurus berat badan susut rasanya lebih 10 kg dalam seminggu sehinggalah bila mesin oxygen tu sampai abah dibenarkan balik ... dari air muka doktor dan nurse memang mereka sendirpun seperti tahu abah dah tak ada harapan dan hari tu jugak B17 yang di order tu sampai ... masa tu dah dua tiga malam tak tidur sebab abah makin kritikal .. abah dah tak boleh tidur sebab sesak nafas .. badan abah sentiasa panas sebab mutasi sel kanser tu ... abang tidur di parking lot hospital sebab bimbang apa2 perkara berlaku kat abah ... abah dah tak boleh makan .. minum air zam-zam je ...

Pagi2 lepas solat subuh abang nak tengok abah... abang nak jadi manusia pertama bagi salam kat abah tapi abah makin tenat ... abah tak nak abang temankan dia dalam wad sebab tak nak susahkan abang sebab dia tahu kaki palsu abang tak boleh guna sepanjang hari kena rehatkan jugak ... abah tetap pikirkan abang walaupun dia sendiri dlm keadaan kritikal .. sedih sangat ... dlm keadaan macam tupun abah masih tak nak susahkan sesiapa ...

Abah dah mula tak boleh makan mak tengah pujuk

Hari abah dapat discharge tunggu ambulance lamaaa sangat .. dari pukul 9 pagi dapat discharge pukul 4 petang baru boleh naik ambulance ... abang temankan abah dlm ambulance bawak balik rumah dan abah masa tu lemah sangat2 ... abang dah belikan katil dan tilam baru untuk abah ... sampai je rumah ramai2 angkat abah ke katil abah dah tak boleh berjalan seratus peratus guna mesin oxygen ... letak je abah atas kati terus call Dr. Hadi untuk inject B17 ... malam tu Dr. Hadi datang terus inject B17 dan abah nampak reda sikit ... sehari berlalu rasa macam seminit cepat masa berlalu ... adik2 beradik abang dan sedara mara abah dah mula ramai yang balik untuk tengok abah ...

Abah makin kurus

Abah nampak amat positif dan sedikit bertenaga ... setiap hari abah tanyakan doktor Hadi bila nak datang ... abah nak doktor hadi terus inject b17 ... abah tetap nak melawan kenser tu walaupun dia sendiri tak pasrti keputusannya ... abah tak pernah mengeluh ... dua hari di rumah abah dah tak guna mesin oxygen .... alhamdulillah ... b17 nampaknya bnyk membantu tapi badan abah semakin lemah... abah tak boleh makan dan minum dah masa tu sebab dlm mulut dah naik keputihan ... abah jadi semakin tak bermaya ... abang dah tak ingat bila kali terakhr tidur ... masa program di mrsm kuala krai tu abang gagahkan jugak sebab itu jemputan khas dan dah lama mereka booking ... tak sampai hati nak tolak lagipun dekat je tak perlu outstation jauh dan bermalam ...

Abah dah tak bnyk bercakap guna isyarat je

hari rabu sehari sebelum abah meninggal abang solat berjemaah dengan abah ... ambikkan wudhuk untuk abah .. basuh muka tangan dan kaki abah ... imamkan solat jemaah bersama mak dan adik2 di tepi tempat abah baring ... selesai solat dan bacakan yasin ... tiba2 abah mintak nak mandi ... kami rasa gembira sangat sebab abah seperti dah ok sikit ... ramai2 usung abah letak atas wheelchair dan mandikan abah .. rupa2nya abah nak bersihkan diri dia sebelum mengadap Allah ... abang tak tahu ... just masa tu hanya doa untuk abah ...

abah cakap dada rasa panas ... abang tahu sel kanser tu bermutasi dan semua pesakit kanser rasa macam tu ... abang sabunkan badan abah mandikan dia ... lapkan badan abah angkat abah salinkan pampers abah ... letak bedak sikatkan rambut abah ... rasa sayangggg sangat kat abah ...

2 hari sebelum abah meninggal

hari khamis 5 hari selepas abah keluar wad ... pagi sampai tengah hari abang berceramah untuk parents dan pelajar di mrsm kuala krai ... abang rasa bertenaga sangat masa bagi talk tu ... rasa nak kongsi segala2nya yang abah ajar pada abang ... tentang prinsip hidup, tentang pengorbanan, tentang ketakwaan dan sebagainya ... habis program terus pecut balik rumah sampai dlm pukul 4.00 petang ... pagi tu sebelum ke kuala krai cium tangan abah cium dahi ... salam ... peluk abah ... abah angkat tangan lambai ...

pukul 5.00 petang lepas solat asar rasa buntu kejap ... fikiran rasa terawang2 ... mak buatkan air teh panas ... abang duduk atas kerusi malas abah .. kerusi yang abah selalu duduk dulu masa dia sihat ... sampai pukul 6.30 petang .... termenung sendirian ... dekat masuk waktu maghrib abang ajak semua adik2 abang solat berjemaah dengan abah sebab malam tu ada majlis bacaan yasin untuk abah bersama jemaah masjid lepas solat isyak ...

abang pergi ke tempat abah baring abang cakap kat abah ... abah ... kita solat berjemaah ye ... abah just angguk ... abang hamparkan sejadah tepi abah mak dan adik2 kat belakang ... abang imamkan solat ... lepas tu bacakan doa ... kemudian abang mintak semua adik2 dan mak bersama2 bacakan yasin untuk abah ... abang duduk berdekatan kepala abah sambil mak dan adik2 mengelilingi abah ... tengah2 baca yasin air muka abah berubah perlahan2 ... abah seperti semakin pucat ... selesai je baca yasin abang terus ke sebelah kanan abah ... peluk abah usap dahi dan pegang tangan kanan abah sambil ajarkan abah ... "laaaailaaaaha illallahhh .." bibir abah bergerak2 untuk beberapa kali ... abang ajarkan untuk beberapa kali ... nafas abah mula tersekat2 ... mak dan adik2 dah mula keluarkan air mata ... Laaailaa ha illallahhh ....

Abah hembuskan nafas terakhir dalam pelukan abang pada malam jumaat selesai solat berjemaah dan baca Yasin dikelilingi semua anak2 abah ... Inalillahi wainna ilaihi roji'un ...

Abah rehat ye ...

Abang selimutkan abah dan sejurus tu jugak azan isyak berkumandang ... air mata dah tak terkeluar ... abang puas ... puas sebab diizinkan Allah untuk berbakti kepada abah semaksimum mungkin setakat yang abang mampu ... malam tu selesai solat isyak, jemaah masjid datang untuk majlis bacaan yasin terus dikhabarkan berita kematian abah ... terus mereka ramai2 bacakan yasin ... malam tu jugak kerja nak uruskan jenzah abah jadi mudah sebab ramai yang sudah datang untk majlis bacaan yasin tu .. kalau tak susah jugak nak cari orang malam2 macam tu sebab rumah abang jauh di kebun getah dari rumah orang lain ...

Pak imam dah datang .. tukang gali kuburpun ada ... tukang mandikan jenzah dah ada semua terus di agih2kan tugas .... abang tak boleh nak lelapkan mata ... rasa seperti mimpi ... rasa macam tak percaya ... tapi abah memang dah pergi ...

Esok pagi abang pakai baju abah ... jubah hijau yang abang belikan untuk abah satu masa dahulu ... abah sempat pakai sekali aja ... pukil 9 tukang mandikan jenazah tiba ... abang mandikan jenzah abah bersama2 dengan dia ... lembut sangat jari jemari2 abah ... badan abah dah bersih sebab dia mandi malam sebelum tu ... takde najispun yang keluar sebab abah dah tak makan tak minum beberapa hari sebelum tu ...

Masa kapankan abah tulah baru air mata abang keluar masa tu tak tahan sangat2 ... tengok mak disisi abah ... rasa sayu rasa sedih sangat ... abah terlalu bnyk berjasa ... menyokong abang dlm segala usaha abang... sentiasa berikan abang dorongan ... abahlah yg membina abang sehingga jadi seperti sekarang ... abahlah yang pinjam duit merata2 nak belikan abang buku2 .. nak belikan abang kaki palsu ... abahlah yang tak malu mengaku abang anak dia walaupun abang cacat .. abah sentiasa bawak abang kemana2 dia pergi .. abah terima abah dan besarkan abang sepenuh hati dia ... diwaktu semua orang katakan TIDAK pada abang ... abah kata YA ...

selesai kapankan abah ... abang buat ucapan sikit mintak tetamu solat jenazah untuk abah ... masa tu cuaca baik sangat ... solat jenazah melimpah ke luar rumah ...

Selesai solat jenzah ... angkat je jenazah abah tiba2 hujan mula merintik ... keluar je rumah hujan makin lebat ... Ya Allahhhhh ... rahmatmu ke atas abah ... air mata abang semakin laju ... begitu juga hujan yang mula merenyai ... nasib baik kubur dekat dengan rumah ... jalan kaki je ... Rustam jugak tolong usung jenazah abah ... abang di tengah payungkan abah tangan kiri dan tangan kanan pikul mayat abah ... laju sangat mereka usung jenzah ke kubur disebabkan hujan mula merenyai seoalah kubur begitu menunggu kedatangan abah ...

Sampai dikubur abang terjun ke dalam liang biarpun beberapa orang melarang bimbangkan abang sukar untk bergerak berkaki palsu sebab hujan dan becak sikit ... ahhh ... ini untuk abah .. abang satu2 nya anak lelaki dan abang nak sambut jenazah abah dlm kubur ... abang peluk abah dari atas letak abah dlm liang .... buka kain kapan bahagian muka abah kepal2kan tanah letak di dahi, muka, bahu abah ... bacakan alfatihah dan selawat .... tutup kain kapan dan abang mula menimbus kuburan abah bersama orang kampung ... talkin dibacakan dlm hujan renyai2 ... badan abang basah kuyup ... selesai kebumikan abah hujan mula reda ... hujan yang seolah2 mengiringi jenazah ke kubur seolah2 memberikan satu rahmat kepada abah dan sekalian makhluk pada hari tu ... dan seminggu selepas tu sampai hari ni masih belum hujan lagi ...

Abah ... saya dah lakukan yang terbaik untuk abah ... saya nak kongsi segala yang abah ajarkan saya dengan semua yang diluar sana...bagaimana abah besarkan saya yang cacat ini menjadi seorang pempimpin pelajar dalam dan luar nergara, pemimpin masyarakat, seorang lelaki, seorang anak... pengorbanan abah untuk saya .. penerimaan abah, pengorbanan membesarkan anak2 dlm keadaan kemiskinan dan ketakwaan ... 13 prinsip hidup abah dan segala-galanya ...

Allah tetapkan saya jadi seorang penceramah dan abah akan sentiasa dalam doa saya sebab bagi saya abah sentiasa hidup ... abah sentiasa bersama saya selamanya ...

Al-Fatihah untuk abah ...

Nak belajar tentang orang yang berjaya?? - Read This !!

2012-01-04T10:15:00.003+08:00

Steve Jobs, the visionary founder and leader of Apple Computer Corporation, died Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the age of 56 after an 8-year battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Jobs, who is sometimes referred to as the father of personal computing, was the mastermind behind Apple’s Computers, iPods, iPhones, iMacs and iPad’s and is seen by many as a man who pioneered the personal computing industry and literally changed the way we live our lives every day. In celebration of his life and his accomplishments over the years, the following is a timeline of Jobs’ history, and the history of Apple, beginning in 1972 when he graduated from Homestead High School in Cupertino, CA, and focusing on the major events in a memorable life.

Upon the announcement of Steve Jobs death, Apple changed the homepage of their website to reflect a full-page image of Jobs with text that simply says “Steve Jobs 1955-2011.” When you click on the image, you are directed to a page featuring a statement made by current Apple CEO Tim Cook: “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Apple’s Board of directors put out the following statement:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Early History

Their journey began when the two Steve’s met in 1972. Steve Jobs, a young, energetic, electronics enthusiast with a knack for marketing electronics met Steve Wozniak, a talented, self-taught electronics engineer and electronics hobbyist while Jobs worked a summer internship at Hewlett Packard. Their partnership began when Wozniak started building boxes that allowed him to make long-distance phone calls for free and Jobs assisted Wozniak in marketing and selling several hundred of his boxes.

Jobs was just 21 years old, when in 1976, he co-founded Apple Computer Corporation along with friend and fellow college drop out Wozniak, 26. The company quickly established itself as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States with its products being carried by over 100 dealers by the end of 1978 and going public in 1980 when 4.6 million shares sold out in under a minute.

Prior to Apple, when people thought of computers they thought of mainframe servers that took up entire floors. Jobs was a visionary whose idea for a personal computer led him to revolutionize the computer hardware and software industry, ultimately leading to just about every home and every school in America being able to afford and own a personal computer of their own.

The Journey Begins

1972: Steve Jobs while still in high school started attending lectures at Hewlett-Packard, where he met Steve Wozniak after he was hired as a summer employee.

1974: Wozniak, who dabbled in computer design, invited Jobs to join the “Homebrew Computer Club” held at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center where electronics- enthusiasts got together to share knowledge and help others with their self-made computers. Jobs who has an eye for the marketability of personal computers then convinces Wozniak, who enjoys creating electronic devices for fun, that they should form a company to build and market a personal computer to the mainstream.

1975: Jobs and Wozniak begin working on the design for the Apple I computer in Jobs’ bedroom and built the prototype in Jobs’ garage, all the while getting feedback from fellow Homebrew Computer Club Members.

1976: Although they originally planned to sell their new computers to members of the Homebrew Computer Club, as an employee of HP, Wozniak has to get a legal release from HP in order to produce and distribute electronic devices on his own. Therefore he approaches HP to offer up his newest idea, but no one at HP seem to be interested in the idea. Jobs and Wozniak then decided to sell their most valuable possessions, Jobs’ Volkswagen Micro-bus and Wozniak’s Hewlett-Packard Scientific calculator to raise a total $1,300 to start their company they called Apple Computer Company. Jobs convinced Wozniak to quit his job at Hewlett-Packard to become the vice president in charge of research and development of their newly formed company and Jobs himself quit his job at Atari to become the company vice president.

An Apple is Born

1976, The Original Apple I Computer

1976: Early that year, Jobs and Wozniak Hire Ronald Wayne on 10% share of the company. The three receive their first order from a local computer store called “Byte Shop” for 50 Apple I computers at a cost of $666.66 each. Each computer costs $100 in parts to build. They get the parts on 30 days net credit and work in the evenings in Job’s garage, delivering the order in only 10 days. Later that year, Wozniak finishes the Apple II prototype. In an effort to acquire funding they present the Apple II to Commodore who produced the CPU used in the Apple II and are turned down.

1977: Jobs realized that there is a huge gap in the computer market when almost all computers took up entire rooms and were far too expensive for individuals to afford. They redesigned their computers and redeveloped the Apple ][ computer that was created and marketed with the individual user in mind. That year Apple is incorporated hires Michael "Scotty" Scott as Apple's first CEO. Apple receives venture capital of $250,000 from former marketing manager of Intel, Armas Clifford "Mike" Markkula. With the help of their first ad agency, the company shows first year sales of $2.7 million with company earnings growing 700% to $200 million within their first three years.

1978: Job's daughter Lisa Nicole is born. Wozniak also designed the first ever 5.25" floppy disk controller and drive that attached to the Apple II using an expansion slot.

1979, Apple introduces the Apple II+ (left), the Apple Silentype (center) and VisiCalc spreadsheet software (right).

1979: the Apple II+ which has far more memory than the Apple II is introduced and sells for $1195 and boasts an easier start up system In addition, that year brings about the companies first printer, the Silentype, and the first spreadsheet for micro computers, VisiCalc. Apple also begins working on the Lisa project named after Steve Jobs’ daughter who was born the year before.

1980: Apple goes public and in one day makes 40 employees of Apple into instant millionaires. Jobs who held the largest number of shares made $217 alone, while Markkula makes $203 million (a 220,700% return on his investment). The Apple /// is released and sold with various configurations for $3,495 to $7,800 but has a failed start when due to technical design and flaws, 14,000 units are recalled. Jobs hires 15 Xerox employees to work on the Lisa project. Within 1 year Apple stocks increase in value 1700%.

1981: Markkula becomes the new president and CEO of Apple. IBM introduces the IBM PC for $1,565. Their PC contains 16K RAM, a 5.25″ floppy disc drive and runs the first version of MS-DOS, and although rarely reached the efficiency of the Apple II, released 4 years earlier, the IBM PC becomes an instant success.

1982: The Company released 40 new software programs, opened a European office and put out its first hard disk drive. By December that year, Apple became the first computer company to reach $1 billion in annual sales. The Lisa Computer is declared ready for market.

1983, Apple introduces the Apple Lisa (left), the Apple IIe (center) and the Apple III+ (right).

1983: This is a busy year for Apple. The Apple Lisa is introduced to market in January for $9,998 and in September without bundled software for $6,995. The Apple IIe is also introduced in January for $1,395. In December the Apple III+ is introduced for $2,995to replace the defective Apple III. It is estimated that Apple looses half of its market share to International Business Machines (IBM).

1984: The “1984″ Ad Spot is aired at the Super Bowl XVIII. Apple releases a revolutionary Macintosh all-in-one desktop Computer that sells for $2,495. This new computer features never before seen icons that are opened when clicked upon using a new device called a mouse. The Macintosh failed due to a lack of features other personal computers had. John Sculley replaces Markkula as the companies 3rd CEO.

1985: Because of the recent failures coming out of Apple, along with poor inventory tracking and infighting between divisions, CEO John Scully persuaded the Board of Directors to strip Jobs of all operational responsibilities. Jobs resigns from Apple, yet maintains his position as Chairman of the board although he has no influence on decisions any more. Apple sues Jobs because he informs them that he plans on founding a new company with 5 other Apple executives that follow him to the new company. Scully then signs a contract with Microsoft giving them permission to use some Mac GUI (Graphic User Interface) technologies if Microsoft continues producing software for the Mac (Word, Excel). In return, Microsoft agreed to continue developing Word and Excel for Macintosh. Because of this contract, Apple looses all lawsuits over copyright infringements against Microsoft in the following years ultimately leading to Microsoft becoming Apple’s greatest competition.

1986: Apple drops the suit against Jobs, who agrees neither to build computers competitive to Apple nor to hire Apple employees for 6 months. Jobs finds his newest endeavor, NeXT, Inc. Jobs also purchases Pixar computer animation studios from George Lucas for less than $10 million. Apple releases the Apple IIgs for $999 per unit.

1987: Apple celebrates its 10th Anniversary. Ross Perot invests $20 million into NeXT. The Mac SE and Mac II are released.

1988 Steve Jobs Displays the New NeXT Computer

1988: Microsoft releases Windows 2.0.3, which features Mac-like icons. Apple sues Microsoft and HP for violation of copyrights of Apple on the Macintosh System Software. The NeXT computer, which features 25MHz ’30 Processor, 8 MB RAM, 250 MB Optical Disk Drive, FPU, Math Co-Processor, Digital Processor for Real Time Sound, Faxmodem and a 17″ monitor, is released and sells for $6,500. Apple’s newest Mac released that same year was half as fast, with no peripherals and sold for $1,000 more. By that year, over one million Macintosh computers had been sold, with 70 percent of sales to corporations. Software was created that allowed the Macintosh to be connected to IBM-based systems. Apple’s income topped $400 million, up from income of $217 million in 1986.

1989: Apple Corps, the Beatle’s record company files a trademark infringement suit against Apple. The NeXTstep OS is introduced. Apple releases the Macintosh IIci, the Macintosh IIfx and the very first laptop known as the Macintosh Portable.

1990: Daniel Lewin, a NeXT founder resigns. Windows 3.0 is released. The NeXTstation is released for $4,995 exactly one year after the release of the NeXTstep OS. It used the new 25 MHz ’40, 2.88 MB floppy drive, 105MB HD, 8MB RAM, and monochrome monitor. Also introduced was the NeXTstation Color for $7995 with a 16″ monitor capable of 4,096 colors, and 12 MB RAM. The $7995 NeXTcube was next, with the same configuration as a NeXTstation Color except it could use a 32-bit video board for 16.7 million colors in Adobe’s Display Postscript. Windows 3.0 is released.

1991: NeXT Founder, Susan Barnes resigns and one of NeXT’s Board of Directors, Ross Perot, resigns saying it was the biggest mistakes he’s made in business. Apple, IBM and Motorola form an official alliance. The three companies agree to create PowerPC based machines. IBM was in charge of development, Motorola was to produce the new CPU and Apple was to create a port for the MacOS to run on the new platform. Pixar and Disney form a filmmaking partnership where Pixar makes the movies, Disney distributes them and both companies share production costs and profits. The Apple Corp. settles the lawsuit with Apple Computer, Inc. who pays them $26.5 million.

1992: NeXT 3.0 is announced and Microsoft releases Windows 3.1.

1993: The last NeXT co-founder resigns leaving Steve Jobs alone as head of the newly named NeXT Computer, Inc. Michael Spindler replaces Sculley as Apple CEO. Sculley becomes the new Chairmen of the Board but resigns from Apple later that same year. Apple releases 1^stMacintosh TV and the first PDA the Newton Message Pad that ultimately fails to deliver on the reliability it promises.

1994 brought about the Powerbook 500 Series laptop

1994: Apple releases its first Power Macintosh Desktop Computer as well as the Powerbook 500 Series. Apple starts licensing the MacOS and announces the creation of Pippin, a home multimedia system for gaming, learning and surfing the Internet. Apple receives the PowerPC 603 and 604 CPU’s from IBM and Motorola.

1995: Disney Pixar releases its first movie, “Toy Story.” The PowerPC 603e is announced. IBM and Motorola introduce the 100 MHz 603e, which is up to 30% faster than the 603. IBM releases a 120 MHz 601 and Power Computing releases the first Mac clones.

1996: Apple Purchased NeXT Software for $430 million. Steve Jobs returns to Apple as a part time consultant to the CEO. Gilbert Frank Amelio becomes the 4th CEO with the shortest tenure of any Apple CEO. Apple releases its Apple Performa 6400 Desktop computer.

1997: Apple celebrates its 20th Birthday and the 20th Anniversary Macintosh is announced to commemorate the occasion. Apple and Microsoft enter into a partnership, agreeing to cooperate on several sales and technology fronts. Mac OS7.6 and MacOS 8.0 are released that year. Jobs Announces that Apple will sell computers directly to users over the Internet. Apple’s online Apple store becomes an immediate success when within one week, it the third largest eCommerce site on the Internet. CEO Amelio and VP Ellen Hancock are both forced to resign. After 20 years, Jobs is finally named CEO (interim) of the company he created in his garage. Apple buys Power Computing and both Motorola and IBM discontinue all Mac clones. Later that year, Apple introduces its deal with CompUSA for the new brick and mortar locations of an “Apple Store” within each CompUSA location. Apple and Microsoft form an alliance where Microsoft invests $150 million in Apple stock while Apple includes Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser in every copy of the MacOS.

1998: Marks the release of the new iMac, which featured powerful computing at affordable prices ($999.00). The design is sleek with a clear plastic case trimmed in translucent shades of blue or red, with a smaller mouse and keyboard. The iMac is pre-ordered over 150,000 times. Apple also releases the PowerBook G3. Apple returns to profitability and Jobs announces a $47 million profit in the first quarter.

1999, Apple introduces (from left) the Power Macintosh G3, the iMac 2, and the new iBook.

1999: The Power Macintosh G3 and an upgraded 2nd and 3rd version of iMac are released. The new iBook laptop is unveiled and pre-orders exceed 140,000. This new laptop is available in bright colors and includes Apple’s AirPort, the computer version of a cordless phone that allows users to surf the Internet wirelessly. Disney Pixar launches Toy Story 2.

2000: Jobs becomes the permanent CEO of Apple. MacOS X, a brand new operating system based upon Apple’s Rhapsody strategy is released. Apple releases AppleWorks 6 office software. Apple’s website is completely redesigned, featuring new services such as iTools, a free web space service for Apple Macintosh users, and iReview. The PowerBook G3 (FireWire) now runs at 400 to 500 MHz and features AirPort wireless network. The iBook Special Edition and the faster Power Macintosh G4 Cubes (500 MHz) are released. In September Apple announces a correction for its predicted earnings in quarter four from $165 million profits to only $110 million causing Apple stocks to fall 45% from $53.50 to $29.13 over night. In December, Apple announces an estimated loss of $259 million for the first quarter of 2001, which ends on December 30th, 2000. This is the first quarterly loss for Apple in three years.

2001: Apple reveals its new iMac with built-in CD-RW drive. It runs at 400, 500 or 600 MHz and ships with the color options “Indigo”, “Blue Dalmatian”, “Flower Power” and “Graphite”. Later that year they release the Power Macintosh G4 Quick Silver. And in October of 2001, Jobs introduces the revolutionary iPod, a portable hard disk MP3 player with 5 GB capacity, holding up to 1,000 MP3 songs.

2002, Apple releases its first iMac in LCD

2002: Apple announces the all-new LCD iMac with PPC G4 CPU, 14″ iBook and iPhoto, a free photo editing software and shows a profit of $38 million in quarter one. Apple Computer Inc., Sun Microsystems Inc. and Ericsson announce that they have teamed up to develop a multimedia system for cell phones using Apple’s QuickTime Streaming technology. Apple releases the eMac, an all-in-one computer with a 17″ flat CRT display and 700 MHz G4 processor especially designed for the education market but releases it to the general public later that same year. Apple releases a 17″ iMac configuration, 20 GB iPod, iTunes 3 and MacOS X 10.2.

2003: Apple releases a 12″ and a 17″ PowerBook G4, Safari web browser, Final Cut Express, iPhoto 2, iDVD 3, iMovie 3, Keynote presentation software and Airport Extreme. At a special Apple Event Steve Jobs announces new iPods and iTunes 4. iTunes 4 features a music store in which 200,000 songs are available for download. Apple announces and releases Safari 1.0 and introduces the new Power Macintosh G5, the world’s fastest personal computer, a new iMac model featuring USB 2.0 and new iPod sizes. Apple also announces that it has sold over 10,000,000 songs via iTunes Music Store making it a huge success and a 20-inch flat-panel iMac model.

2004: Jobs introduces the 4th generation iPod and the new iMac G5 featuring a PowerPC G5 CPU with either 1.6 Ghz or 1.8 GHz PowerPC, 17 or 20-inch TFT LC display and SuperDrive (on two of three models). Prices start from $1,299.

2005: The Mac mini measuring just 6.5″ square and 2″ tall is released and becomes the least expensive of all Apple computers selling for only $499. . Inside is an optical drive (Combo or 2.5″ hard drive, room for AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth, and one slot for memory. There are no expansion slots, and there’s no internal power supply. Apple announced its best quarter ever. The holiday 2004 quarter had generated US$295 million in profits. That included over 1 million Macs (up 25% from the previous year) and 4.5 million iPods. The iPod mini, Apple’s most popular model ever, was discontinued on Sept. 7 and replaced with the iPod Nano.

2006: The 15″ MacBook Pro replaces the 15″ aluminum PowerBook, the 17″ MacBook Pro and a redesigned iPod Nano. The 2G Nano is clad in aluminum and was available in 6 different colors.

2007: Marks the release of the original iPhone, Apple’s first mobile phone, a smart phone that combined a cell phone, an iPod, and an OS X, a redesigned aluminum iMac in 20″ and 24″ varieties, and the iPod touch, an iPhone without mobile phone or camera capabilities.

2008: Apple introduces the MacBook Air, a 3 lb. 3/4″ think machine with a full sized keyboard and 13.3″ display, the 2nd version iPhone 3G and version 2.0 of the iPhone/iPod touch.

2009: Mark’s Mac’s 25th anniversary. Apple releases the new MacBook featuring a white unibody, the 17″ version of the MacBook Pro and unveils its new “Magic Mouse.”

2010: Apple releases the Apple iPad. And adds the newest version of the iPhone, the iPhone 4. Apple also unveils an all new line of iPods, including the iPod Shuffle, the world’s smallest iPod, with 2 GB of memory, the new smaller iPod Nano with a Multi-touch user interface and a 24 hour battery life and the new iPod Touch which now includes Face time between iPods Touches and iPhone. Apple also created a new Social Network for music lovers they call Ping which is on your computer, the iPhone and the iPod touch. Finally Apple released the 2nd generation Apple TV that is a 4th of the size of the original Apple TV released in 2006.

2011: Apple releases the 2nd generation iPad 2 with 2 built-in video cameras (front and back) that is now 1/3 thinner than the original iPad 1, even thinner than the iPhone 4, works with both AT&T and Verizon, still has a 10 hour battery life and comes in 2 colors, black or white.

August 24, 2011: Steve Jobs steps down as CEO and is replaced by Apple’s COO, Tim Cook.

October 5, 2011: Steve Jobs passes away peacefully at home at the age of 56 after an 8-year battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

About the Author

Written by Renee C. Quinn
B.S. Pennsylvania State University
M.B.A. University of Phoenix

Renee C. Quinn acquired a Masters of Business Administration with her course work focusing on e-Commerce and e-Business, with an emphasis on marketing via the World Wide Web. Her particular career focus to date has been on business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing. She writes on various business and social media topics for IPWatchdog.com.

Malaysian Higher Education System - IT IS A MESS !!

2012-01-01T22:39:00.003+08:00

DEC 28 — In Malaysia, politics has been central to many academic matters for a pretty long time, from as far back as 1971 at the very least, when the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) was introduced.The UUCA, like other legislation such as the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA), is an obscene piece of legislation which really has no place in a democracy.Two recent controversies highlight the extent to which politics has virtually swamped Malaysian academia and the resultant mess that has emerged. First has been the on-off suspension of Professor Abdul Aziz Bari by the International Islamic University (IIU) and the accompanying police investigation. Second was the recent Appeal Court verdict on the UKM4 and the judgment given on Section 15(5)(a) of the Universities and University Colleges Act.

Aziz Bari case: In a pickle

If we were to look at Aziz Bari’s case, in mid-October 2011, this outspoken professor of constitutional law was suspended by his university. Until today, he is apparently still being investigated under the Sedition Act by the police and under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

And all because of an opinion he expressed in the web-based news portal, Malaysiakini, regarding an earlier decree by the Sultan of Selangor over the controversial Jais raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church a while back.

Indeed, it has been widely and freely reported that Aziz had described the decree as “unusual” and “inconsistent”, stating that any such royal intervention must abide by the principles of Islam. The man, after all, is an acknowledged authority in his field, an expert in a profession (and country) renowned for its ever-present “kangkungs”. He writes — and speaks — critically, many say without fear or favour.

His suspension has thus far sparked a signature campaign among concerned academics supporting him and defending academic freedom, student protests, Facebook pages being set up supporting him, and open support from some lawyers and fellow academics from his university and even Universiti Malaya.

But perhaps more telling is that the deputy minister of higher education himself has come out in support of Aziz, advising the university rector to retract the controversial suspension of the law professor. His comments do seem at odds though with those of his superior, the minister himself, who is of the silly opinion that Aziz should resign his post for being critical of authority and, evidently, Barisan Nasional (BN) policies.

Be that as it may, the actions against Aziz seem to indicate that the university authorities appear to have acted rather hastily and now find themselves in a bit of a pickle, reportedly making wildly contradictory statements.

All of which not reflecting very nicely on the university, of course.

While all this was going on, the instantaneous action of the students and the mobilisation of support by Malaysia’s civil society evidently indicate a unified belief in taking a principled stand.

People, mainly Malaysians, some having not read any of his writings or comments, have freely come out in support of a professional — and human being — who they believe has been wronged.

It is this development that is refreshing and encouraging, indicating there is a growing number of Malaysians who will not simply lie back and let a fellow human being be harassed and bullied.

Malaise and mediocrity

Yet, despite all this, it is sad to observe that the very people who see themselves as the “vanguard” of the academic profession, “professors” who not so long ago set up their own “council”, have remained rather silent on this matter. Indeed, aside from a terse statement from one of their ilk that they will not comment on the controversy, these brave members of such an ‘august’ body have kept themselves “clean”.

If anything, this privileged group merely represents the top of a rotten pile of fat cat academics, more concerned about getting ahead in life, about climbing up the Malaysian social ladder, than they are about upholding principles, about fighting a cause.

Which really brings us to the heart of the matter — the malaise and mediocrity in contemporary Malaysian academia.

There are, of course innumerable reasons — many related — we can put forward to explain the woes besetting local universities:

• a school system that encourages rote-learning;

• ongoing political interference that, among other things, results in an ethnically-biased university selection system (for staff and students) that, in turn, really doesn’t favour merit over everything else;

• a university structure, headed by vice chancellors and their deputies who are political appointees, that more often than not leads to the levelling down of standards, rather than the attainment of gold (international) standards; and

• of course, the UUCA.

There is, of course, another related factor that any candid and rational discussion of the problems faced by local universities cannot ignore: the quality of local academics.

Indeed, a perennial refrain is that standards have dropped primarily because of the “brain-drain” — where many of our best academics have left Malaysian universities for better paid jobs elsewhere.

This is an oversimplification. As the case of Aziz Bari indicates, there certainly remain many good local academics of international repute from every discipline who have opted to stay in academia — and in local public universities — in spite of the possibilities of getting better remuneration elsewhere.

These scholars can hold their own anywhere. They diligently conduct original research, are invited and funded to deliver papers at local and international seminars and conferences, and publish in respected local and international publications.

Pride in their profession, and not financial rewards, is what drives them on.

Slackers and deadwood

Equally — and unfortunately — as with any organisation, there are the slackers, the deadwood: those who came into academia without any worthwhile vision of what education — and educating — entails. Those who initially were just looking for a job, any job. Those who see working in public universities as being akin to joining the laid-back Malaysian civil service.

Within this group, there are also those whose already-limited ideals and commitment have waned further over the years, as age — and administrative positions — catches up with them, and their bank balances become healthier.

The problem, it would seem, is that this group is increasingly becoming dominant in our campuses. Graduating from mediocre departments in local and overseas universities of dubious quality, they often have no inkling how to write a decent research proposal, let alone conduct research.

For them, the Malaysian university structure being the way it is, there is security of tenure, irrespective of their lack of quality publications or the lack of research done and published or patented.

They tend to believe that having obtained a doctorate is enough. They show their faces on campus, conduct the required classes, sometimes based on outdated notes they scribbled down in graduate school, knowing that a virtual pay increment is theirs for the taking at the end of each year.

There also exist senior academics who feel they have done it all and have no wish to push themselves further intellectually.

In other words, and as illustrated by our remarkable Council of professors, we have professors who really have nothing new to profess.

Some are harmless, principally because they know their limitations. But others, frustrated with and insecure about their inability to overcome their limitations, pick on the younger faculty, those with potential, trying to break through in the profession. They continuously take it upon themselves to dissuade younger colleagues from conducting worthwhile work — from going to prestigious international conferences , for example, because they deem them “inappropriate” and unimportant. It is not surprising that they do so because they themselves hardly get invited and are simply envious that junior colleagues, on the other hand, get such invitations.

The problem with such faculty is that not only have they been found wanting as intellectuals, but they are also spoilers, not wishing the younger faculty to do any better. Blindly jealous of the potential and achievements of others, they do as much as they can to impede the progress of individuals and, in turn, the overall organisation. And, unfortunately, this has become the culture in some university departments in Malaysia.

And the problem is further heightened when it becomes the norm for this type of academic to head important academic committees and supervise postgraduate students. When a supervisor has done no quality research beyond her/his PhD, nor published extensively, one can imagine the type of “expert” on whom the poor candidate has to depend to get her/his studies successfully completed. It becomes a case of the blind being led by the equally blind.

Radical re-examination needed

Granted, some universities are now taking steps to purportedly correct the situation. Cynics and sceptics continue to point out, however, that this has more to do with being embarrassed at finding themselves located in the lower rungs of international rankings yearly than with a genuine desire to overhaul the rotten system. If they are even mentioned in the rankings at all, that is.

Hence, sceptics argue, such reform cannot be led by the very people who screwed up the system in the first place. That is, those with dubious track records who managed to weasel their way up the academic ladder through, among other things, their ethnic background, political connections and, of course, through extensive apple-polishing

It should be all too obvious to everyone concerned by now, especially given the Aziz Bari case, that these problems require a radical re-examination of the policies and structures which underpin our system of higher — especially university — education.

It requires, first, the de-politicisation of university academic staff recruitment and similar de-politicisation when appointing key university administrators, such as vice chancellors, deans, directors and their deputies. Hence, the UUCA has to go.

Indeed, as long as the rigid, feudal, politically and racially-tainted civil service structure determining the development of our universities and our academics is not initially dismantled and replaced with a more enlightened one based on genuine talent and creativity, no amount of patching up of the rot that has set in will change things.

A genuine, thorough and unbiased re-examination would require respected individuals at the helm; those dedicated to academic excellence in its truest sense, not merely in the sense of pleasing certain groups — especially political parties like Umno — individuals and tendencies in society.

Sources : Zaharom Nain

Zaharom Nain, an Aliran member, is currently teaching at the Malaysian campus of a foreign university.

Pengurusan Sisa Buangan di negara kita - Privatization or Piratization

2011-12-31T00:04:00.003+08:00

Introduction

Rubbish is like an endemic disease with uncollected waste choking our rivers, and littering our highways and byways. The vast proportion of the waste that does get collected ends up on a dumpsite where it contaminates the environment and causes public health concerns. For, in spite of the billions of Ringgit of public money that have been spent on the collection and disposal of our Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) over the years, there are still only 8 sanitary landfills servicing the whole nation.

As 2020 approaches it is obvious that in terms of public cleansing and waste management, we are still in the dark ages when compared to developed countries.

Back in 1999 the European Union issued the European Landfill Directive for its member states with the overall aim of preventing the negative effects of landfills on the environment.

In these developed countries it is well understood that landfills result in pollution of surface water, groundwater, soil and air, and have a negative effect on the global environment in terms of contributing to the greenhouse effect, as well as presenting risks to public health. There is also the recognition that even sanitary landfills can become compromised after a period of time and offer no guarantee when it comes to keeping the toxic residues produced by MSW from entering the ecosystem.

This legislation forced the member nations to reassess how waste is handled and disposed of and by eliminating landfills the European countries have shifted the paradigm of how waste is regarded.

And herein lies the crux of the issue in Malaysia: Historically waste has always been regarded as an expensive problem, a natural bi-product of our consumer society. This is however an erroneous perception, for in reality waste is a renewable national asset, a storehouse of resources that can be reused, recycled and recovered to the benefit of the environment and society in general.

Yet, in spite of lip-service to the notion of reclaiming, reusing and recycling, the government’s master plan for waste disposal is still totally dependent on landfills, and despite the huge amounts of public funds that have been diverted into waste management, we haven’t made any progress in solving our waste problem.

In contrast, the European model of recovering as much of the waste as possible has spawned a multi-million dollar industry.

The new Act

The 2007 Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act was finally enacted in September 2011. It transfers responsibility for solid waste management and public cleansing from the Local Authorities to the Federal Government. As a result, new federal institutions including the Department of National Solid Waste Management and the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation were established.

This Act claims to bring solid waste management (SWM) in line with global state-of-the-art practices at no additional cost to the public. It includes regulation and enforcement tools as well as imposing higher responsibilities on the stakeholders. The Act also enabled the privatization of SWM.

This privatization was bulldozed through parliament in much the same way as the recent Peaceful Assembly Bill and the development of Kg. Baru were hastily passed through the house with little debate, despite a lack of support from the majority of the people who will be affected by it.

When we take a close look at the Malaysian government’s strategy for implementing the act we find that the master plan is almost totally committed to building sanitary landfills to cope with the situation. Of course sanitary landfills are better than dumpsites, but it is clear that the same old mindset is still at play; the one that regards waste as a costly problem and not as a constant supply of untapped and renewable resources.

This shows at best how misguided the Malaysian government is in trying to provide a world-class service. At worst it illustrates that the solid waste management strategy has been developed with the interest of the industrial players in mind rather than what is best for the environment and society in general.

Lack of transparency and accountability

There is strong evidence of mismanagement and a lack of transparency in our national waste management strategy. Take, for example, the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill in the north of Selangor, which is managed by KUB-Berjaya Enviro Sdn. Bhd. This 1,700-acre site was reportedly chosen because of its isolation from important groundwater aquifers thus eliminating the risk of water pollution. However sceptics claim that the choice of location was determined by the then minister of housing’s desire to help out a friend who had already acquired the land thinking that the new airport was going to be located nearby. Since KLIA was subsequently built in Sepang, the minister’s friend was left holding a pretty worthless piece of real estate. Then, or so the story goes, the government announced the closures of the Taman Beringen and Air Hitam dumps, in Kepong and Puchong, and acquired the land from the minister’s friend to build the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill. In addition to the cost of the land, the government reportedly handed out RM400 million to build the landfill.

On top of that, there’s the cost to DBKL for using Bukit Tagar to consider. At present the tipping fee at Bukit Tagar is RM28.80 per ton. By this time next year it will have risen by a staggering 58.7 percent to RM49 per ton. Then there’s the cost of transporting all that waste 50 kms north, and we mustn’t forget the cost of collecting the waste; the cost of transporting it to the Taman Beringen transfer station and the compacting fee.

According to KUB-Berjaya Enviro’s statistics, the Bukit Tagar landfill receives about 3,000 tons of waste per day. However, if this amount of waste was sent to a Waste to Energy plant and processed to extract its latent energy, it could supply up to 25MW of energy - enough to power around 50,000 modern 3 bedroom homes using 2 air conditioners, a fridge and a television. Because Waste to Energy management strategy is sustainable it’s bankable and can be funded by private venture capital. In addition, the different revenue streams that are created, which make it sustainable, ensure that tipping fees can be kept at an affordable level.

Immediately after the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management bill was accepted by the cabinet, the Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Chor Chee Heung government announced the award of contracts to three companies: Alam Flora, Southern Waste Management and E-Idaman. Besides payment from the local authorities, Chor said the companies had not been doing a good job because of a lack of funds and so they were also awarded between RM500mil and RM600mil a year from the Federal Government.This decision was made public just one day after the legislation came into force and, to the best of my knowledge, without any open tender exercise having taken place.

The Act also raises issues of accountability, for under it, the minister’s decision is final and cannot be challenged in court. Furthermore, the legislation places all decision making in the hands of the Director General of the Waste Department, with no checks and balances to ensure that abuse of power does not occur.

The ‘red tape’ associated with the Act creates a barrier to local innovators and new players trying to enter the industry. For example, the National Waste Committee, headed by the deputy prime minister, is supposed to meet quarterly to look out for new ideas, and technology that would enhance and innovate the waste industry. All potential players wanting to enter the industry or suggestions on new technology must go before the committee for consideration. However, I am reliably informed, that the National Waste Committee hasn’t met for the past year. Therefore, nothing gets done. This is a classic ‘Catch 22’ situation, and hardly an incentive to develop local technologies.

On the other hand, One German company who has been given approval to build biological composting plants are using a technology that, as far as I know, has not been proven with our waste profile. I’m not implying by any means that they are not doing a good job, but I’m sure there are Malaysian companies that could do an equally good if they had been given the opportunity.

In effect Malaysia’s solid waste management system operates like a cartel, with only a few, select industry players getting contracts. Private companies and individuals offering green technology solutions are constantly being sidelined.

Financial mismanagement

The privatisation of solid waste management comes with an additional cost of about RM250 million just to cover administrative costs. Waste disposal is already an expensive business with billions of Ringgit of the public’s money being spent to: develop new landfills, operate and maintain existing landfills, and to close old ones, therefore these new administrative charges will place an additional financial burden on the public.

With all the decision-making and purchasing power residing with the Director General, How can we be sure that the people are getting the best deal? The short answer is we cannot! And in the light of the government’s gross overspending highlighted in the recent Auditor General’s report, the public can be forgiven for being suspicious that financial manipulation is in play.

Bin buying is one area where financial mismanagement seems to have taken place. Following privatisation, the government ordered 70,000 waste bins to be dispersed to householders and the price of each bin was tagged at around RM260. This would mean additional public expenditure of RM18.2 million. However, when bought in bulk, these bins can be procured for as little as RM88 each, even my local hardware store sells them for RM150 - a lot less than the government is paying.

Wasting money in the waste industry is not a new phenomenon. Over the years, successive governments have bought expensive technology that has proven not to work with local waste parameters. Our spending on incinerators is a case in point. Let’s take the fiasco of the Labuan incinerator as an example of what I mean.

In the 1990s, George Kent (Malaysia) Berhad, were given a multi-million Ringgit contract to build waste incinerators for the islands of Pangkor, Langkawi, Tioman and Labuan. The Labuan incinerator alone cost RM40 million and was written-off without running for even one day. In fact, all of the incinerators were scrapped due to faulty design, high maintenance costs and operating expenditure. In plain language this means that the technology was unsuitable for Malaysian waste.

The incinerators that were chosen were designed to run without the need for auxiliary fuel but this wasn’t viable because of the high moisture content of the waste (60-70%). This bumped-up the operating expenditure enormously as an auxiliary fuel such as gas or diesel would be needed to actually burn the waste instead of the waste itself being the only fuel required. This is a classic case of not doing enough research before buying technology.

However, instead of learning from this costly mistake, the government went ahead and commissioned 5 new incinerators designed by XCN Technology, for Langkawi (100 tons a day), Labuan (50 tons), Cameron Highlands (40 tons), Pangkor (20 tons) and Tioman (10 tons). The costs range from RM20.3mil to RM68.4mil. Only the Langkawi plant will be a waste-to-energy facility, capable of generating 1MW of electricity.

Despite reassurances from Datuk Dr. Nadzri Yahaya, who is Director General of the Department of National Solid Waste Management, that these new incinerators have been custom designed to cope with the high moisture content and to run with much lower operating expenditure, it is unlikely that the tipping fee alone will be sufficient to operate these new incinerators. That means higher assessment charges or a yet another subsidy, which ultimately will come from the householder and taxpayer pocket.

By 2020 we will be spending at least RM20 billion of the public’s money on this industry with little or no accountability.

Obsession with landfills

The decision to continue with landfills as the main avenue of waste disposal also makes a mockery out of the river cleaning programme as even sanitary landfills cannot guarantee that leachate will not eventually enter the water table. This was highlighted during Hari Raya 2010 when leachate from the Sg. Kembong dumpsite entered the river and caused the closure of the Semenyih water treatment plant leaving 300,000 households (1.2 million people) without water during the festive season.

Landfill advocates are always quick to explain the virtues of sanitary landfills. It is true that some companies are now collecting landfill methane and are generating electricity. However what they do not mention is that locally developed Resource Recovery/Waste to Energy technology generates 5 times the amount of electricity and comes with the added bonus of keeping the land clear of waste, as the waste itself is processed and the energy inside it recovered for public use.

Other landfill companies are covering old landfills with expensive solar panels in order to generate electricity for the nation. However, if these old landfills were mined instead, the energy recovered from the waste would supply the national grid with renewable energy and restore the land to be used for other, more positive, purposes.

Just to give you some idea of the hidden cost of closing old landfills: the government has already given Cypark Resources Berhad more than RM400 million to close 17 landfills. Closure entails covering these old sites with soil.

Time to come clean

It is now time to question the motives that drive decision-making in the waste management industry and not just in terms of federal accountability.

Even though the Penang State government didn’t sign the privatisation agreement they still need money from the Federal Government in order to implement their waste management programme. In Penang’s case they have decided to buy an untried solution using overseas technology. In order to pay for this scheme the state government needed Northern Corridor money and in so doing needed to get approval from the EPU and Pemandu. On further investigation it would appear that their mechanism of decision making also involved issuing contracts to friends and close associates in much the same way that the non opposition states have been operating all this time.

It’s time the government and the local authorities started explaining themselves and answering some very pertinent questions:

Why doesn’t the government have a KPI to reduce landfills when we know that landfills are not the best solution and our continued use of them will act as a barrier to achieving fully developed status?

Why has the MACC not investigated, what appear to be many examples of gross mismanagement and overspending within the industry?

Why have the decision-makers decided to ignore international trends and refuse to seriously consider Waste to Energy options, which are cheaper to build and operate and are fully sustainable?

Why does the National Solid Waste Department continue to undermine local industry rather than supporting it by approving the appointment of foreign consultants who bring in their own technologies at the expense of local companies using homegrown technology?

Why are contracts still awarded without passing through a transparent tender process?

Why hasn’t the government implemented Agenda 21, which calls on governments to adopt national strategies for sustainable development? It specifically states that these strategies should be developed as a result of working partnerships with international organizations, business, regional, state, provincial and local governments, non-governmental organisations and citizens’ groups.

Lastly, Why is waste management still under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government when it would appear to be more appropriate to move it to the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water?

sources : http://ecowarriorz.blogspot.com by Mary Maguire

Sistem Pendidikan Malaysia Yang Lemah

2011-12-30T23:57:00.000+08:00

PETALING JAYA: The state of Malaysia’s public education system has never been as insistent a topic of conversation as it is today. It is hence unfortunate that most discussions on it are often fraught with sorrow, contempt or frustration.

Even more unfortunate is that those who hold court over these discourses are predominantly baby boomers. Not the Generation X who only just escaped the series of education policy flip-flops or the Millenials who lived through those policies.

But this has less to do with the latter’s apathy or oblivion than the fact that a significant number of them are either no longer residing in the country or in the midst of migration procedures.

The World Bank’s Economic Monitor 2011 has put the number of Malaysians abroad at 1.1 million and pinpointed the Malaysia-Singapore migration corridor as a significant channel for half this brain drain.

The National Economic Action Council meanwhile last year estimated that 50% of the Malaysian disapora is highly-skilled, tertiary-educated and representive of a heavy net loss to the country.

And Koh Sin Yee of the London School of Economics will further tell you that a powerful driving force behind this talent outflow is a waning education system that has fallen miserably short of meeting youthful aspirations.

Koh is currently researching a paper entitled “Emotional Geographies of Skilled Disaporic Citizenship: Malaysians in London, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur”.

Her interviews with students, graduates and new parents have dragged the painful truth into the open. Young Malaysians have lost faith in the country’s Education Ministry, policies and structure.

So much so that what sprouted as a bone of contention has since morphed into a cultural phenomenon.

“Education has in fact become a culture of migration,” Koh said during a recent forum on Economic Migration, Disapora and Brain Drain in the Asia-Pacific.

“Students abroad said that it was an automatic understanding that they would study overseas and many headed for Singapore where they could challenge themselves intellectually and make it big.”

“New parents also believe that their children’s global competitiveness would be better groomed through an education outside of Malaysia and many have made plans to migrate before their children reach school age,” Koh added.

Abolishment of PPSMI

The Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) would agree with her. PAGE has been fighting a longstanding battle with the Education Ministry since the latter’s decision to abolish the Teaching of Maths and Science in English (PPSMI).

Its chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim reminded the ministry of its previous mistake in abolishing English medium schools in 1969 to appease the rioters at the expense of students being allowed to master the language.

“This allowed the teaching and learning of English to deteriorate because ultra-nationalists and young activists believed that being mono-lingual was enough for survival,” she said in a previous interview.

Azimah further predicted that slamming the door on PPSMI would only prompt wealthy parents to send their children off to international schools and inevitably contribute to the country’s brain drain.

For once, MCA and DAP stood on the same plaform. MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek voiced his support for PPSMI and called for English to be made a compulsory pass subject in the SPM examination.

DAP meanwhile urged that students be given the option to learn Maths and Science in English in order to combat the brain drain predicament.

Its publicity chief Tony Pua added that PPSMI would allow schools to produce “the best human capital for Malaysia” which was in line with the government’s goal to become a high-income nation.

Politics has never strayed far from education in Malaysia and the two have recently veered dangerously close to each other.

This year has seen waves of student hostility towards the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) which prohibits students and faculty from hob-nobbing with political parties and trade unions.

Daasaratan Jeram and Vanitha Sivapragasam, both graduates from University Utara Malaysia, pointed out that the reluctance to allow greater student freedom of expression inadvertently made public universities a contributor to the country’s “endemic” brain drain.

“The quality of Malaysian higher education has been variable since the 1980s,” they said when presenting their paper “Ethnicity, Education and the Economics of Brain Drain in Malaysia: Youth Perspective” at the same forum as Koh.

“There is widespread perception that a top education can only be gained in a foreign institution and many Malaysian families are willing to make the investment with hopes for a brighter future.”

“So while policy makers dither and politicians strategise, younger generations will continue to determine the criteria that will either drive them out of Malaysia or convince them to stay.”

‘People with a choice’

Daasaratan and Vanitha’s research findings also corroborated with that of the World Bank which observed that the brain drain phenomenon has an ethnic dimension with the propensity to migrate abroad being higher among Chinese and Indians.

While student perceptions of ethnic relations were found to have improved at Universiti Malaya, the duo said that the higher education experience still perpetuates negative stereotypes.

“This increases the likelihood that talented graduates will seek opportunities for further education outside of Malaysia,” they said.

At the beginning of her address, Koh thre a question to the audience – who is the Malaysian diaspora?

In her wind-up speech, she answered the question, “The Malaysian diaspora are people with a choice.”

And right now it appears that the state of the country’s education system is shuttling Malaysians towards the choice of leaving for greener pastures.

sources : Stephanie Sta Maria

15 ITEM penting dalam beg hitam !

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000+08:00

Abangraja ada bawak satu beg hitam kecik dibahu kemana-mana abang pergi dan dalam beg itu ada :-

1. Quran tafsir kecik - Quran tafsir ni amat penting sebab bila abangraja buntu atau sedih atau tak tahu nak buat keputusan atau berada dalam keadaan bermasalah, abangraja akan mintak dengan Allah agar di beri petunjuk... caranya abangraja akan berdoa dgn khusyuk sambil pegang Quran tafsir ni lepas tu mintak Allah bagi petunjuk dan buka Quran tafsir tu secara rawak dan tunjukkan jari kemana2 muka surat dan baris ayat ... dan biasanya disitu ada penjelasan kepada pertanyaan Abangraja.

2. Perfume - saya suka wangi.

3. Tasbih - sebab kena selalu ingati Allah terutama bila travel tak tahu nak buat apa lebih baik zikit jelah kan.

4. Galaxy Tab - sebab dia besar sikit dari H/p so boleh install game dan mainkan kalau boring. Lepas tu boleh simpan beribu2 SMS dari peserta program utk abang simpan, baca, reply bila masa mengizinkan. Lagi satu nak shoot video full HD bila2 perlu.

5. iphone - untuk personal call

6. Blackberry - utk nombor lama sebab nombor ni client lama je yg ada so takleh matikan sebab diorang still guna nombor ni.

7. Ketip Kuku - sebab kuku kena sentiasa pendek

8. Gillete - sebab nak sentiasa bersedia untuk shave bila diperlukan

9. minyak atar - untuk solat di masjid

10. Kunci

11. Buku nota kecik dan pen.

12. Highlight pen utk take notes buku2 yang dibaca.

13. earphone utk iphone dan galaxy tab

14. Chewing gam or sweets (agar mulut sentiasa bau harum dan segar)

15. syiling utk bayar parking - tak suka syiling dalam poket

Sehari dalam Hidup ...

2011-12-28T23:22:00.001+08:00

Hari biasa / weekdays (Hari bekerja)

5.00 bangun pagi mandi ambik wudhuk bersiap untuk ke surau berdekatan sampai surau solat sunat 2 rakaat baca Quran satu surah (surah Ar-Rahman) sementara tunggu imam dan jemaah lain tiba. Solat subuh berjemaah lepastu baca yasin lepas subuh. Lepas tu solat sunat dua rakaat. On the way balik ambik tasbih dalam kereta basa bismillahirahmaanirahi 100 kali.

7.00 sampai rumah bukak computer check email / facebook / update status / update blog. Solat sunat dhuha 2 rakaat. Bersiap utk ke ofis.

8.00 keluar rumah singgah kedai kopi / gerai utk sarapan sambil mendekati masyarakat kampung cuba mendengar keluhan mereka, siapa yg sakit, anak siapa perlukan bantuan, isu2 masyarakat setempat, cuba kenal pasti apa yang boleh dibantu, bayar minum pagi orang kampung, bagi nasihat setakat yg perlu bagi yang memerlukan, call Mak / Abah diorang nak nasik bungkus or kuih or tak / kalau mereka nak so pergi rumah mak utk berikan mereka sarapan.

9.00 masuk ofis. Solat sunat dua rakaat. Baca taqlim untuk semua staff dan bagi tazkirah ringkas.

1.00 bersiap untuk solat zohor. Solat sunat dua rakaat. Solat Zohor dan solat sunat selepas zohor. Makan tgh hari di ofis , elakkan makan kat luar sebab ganggu masa. Ataupun tak makan terus tengah hari sebab nak keluar ofis awal.

3.00 Keluar ofis terus ke rumah mak/abah ziarah mak abah ... tidur kejap ambik energy. On the way kerumah Mak call mereka tanya apa yg mereka perlukan hari tu utk dibeli. Bantu apa yg patut.

4.30 Solat sunat dua rakaat, solat asar dengan Mak / abah di rumah mak/abah. Bersiap utk balik.

6.00 balik rumah. on the way balik ambik tasbah dalam kereta baca bismilahirahmanirrahim 100x.

7.00 sampai rumah, buat air minum petang depan TV, tengok ESPN, update eurosport news, tengok NATGEO, tengok spongebob, tengok Travel and living, tengok AXN.

7.30 mandi bersiap utk solat maghrib solat sunat dua rakaat, solat maghrib, solat sunat dua rakaat selepas maghrib. Baca Quran surah sambung surah malam sebelum tu (kena habiskan Quran sekali setahun at least). Baca Laqadjaa Akum (3 ayat terakhir surah At-Taubah 7 kali), waizaaqara'ta 3x, wamanyattaqillah 3 x, doa.

8.15 bersiap ke masjid berdekatan. Solat sunat dua rakaat solat isyak solat sunat dua rakaat lepas isyak. On the way balik beli makan malam kat kedai balik makan kat rumah (tak suka makan kat kedai) unless Rustam or Lan ajak makan.

9.00 malam mengadap buku2 dan assignment, update facebook, blog, assignment, sambung buat kerja pejabat yang tak siap.

11.malam teruskan apa yg tak siap. Mlm sabtu dan ahad layan bola.

Sebelum tidur (tak kira pukul berapa) ambik wudhuk solat sunat istiqarah 2 rakaat. Baca surah Al-waqiah. Ayat Kursi 7 kali, 4 Qul, Bismilah 21 kali, Allahu 313x ... then ... ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

5.00 pagi (tak kira tidur pukul berapa) bangun semula kalau panjang umur ....

Malaysia is going to bankrupt ; EVERYBODY GET READY !

2011-12-28T16:16:00.002+08:00

Subramaniam Pillay looks at the worrying rising trend of federal government debt and wonders if Malaysia will go bankrupt. At our current rate of borrowing, it won’t take long before we become another Greece.

Figure 1: Outstanding debt of the Malaysian federal government - Source: Bank Negara Malaysia

That the budget that was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on 7 October 2011 was an election budget is very clear. There have been numerous detailed comments on the budget by politicians and analysts (since then). In this article, we are just going to focus on one of the long term issues from the budget. It concerns the increasing debt burden of the federal government.

How big is the government debt?

The accompanying chart shows the federal government’s outstanding debt at the end of the successive years. As can be seen, the debt has been increasing since 1970. From the

detailed data available form Bank Negara’s website, in 1991, it reached a temporary peak of RM99bn and then decreased to RM90bn by 1997. From then, it has been virtually doubling every five years. By the end of 2011, we can expect the figure to reach RM450bn.

In other words, since the Asian crisis of 1998, we have been growing by borrowing heavily. In the 10 years since 1999, our debt has quadrupled. If we continue on this path, by 2020, our national debt will reach RM1.6 trillion. If our population is 40 million then, each Malaysian will have a debt burden of more than RM40000 and this does not include our own personal borrowing. Assuming an interest rate of 5 per cent, paying the interest alone will cost the taxpayers RM80bn per year!

The government has been reassuring us by saying that our debt is manageable. It argues that the debt at the end of 2012 will be only 54 per cent of our GDP, which is relatively low compared to the current crisis nations like Greece and Italy. (GDP is a measure of the total value of all the goods and services produced in a year in the country.) While it may not reach the levels of Greece by 2012, at our current rate of borrowing it won’t take long before we become another Greece. Just to put this in perspective, our giant neighbour, Indonesia has a debt of only 23 per cent of GDP! Singapore has no debts.

The federal government debt alone does not tell the full story. Many government-owned enterprises also have borrowings. If these figures are included, then the total debt would be much higher. It is difficult to get the complete data on these borrowings.

Why has the debt been growing so rapidly?

Since the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis, the government expenditure has consistently exceeded its revenue by a considerable margin. For example, in 2011 the spending is estimated to be RM229bn while the revenue will be only RM183bn. So the shortfall of RM46bn has to be met by borrowing.

Of course it is not expected that the government balances its books every year. Prudent economic management requires the government to balance its budget over an entire business cycle. So we can have deficits during bad years and budget surpluses during good years. Since 1998, we have had at least two business cycles; yet every year without fail we have had budget deficits!

This is evidence of fiscal irresponsibility. Here is a government which does not know the meaning of saving for a rainy day. A good example is the situation in the current year.

Table 1 shows that the actual revenue for 2011 is going to be higher than the budgeted figure by RM17.6bn. This is mainly due to the increased income from the rise in oil prices in 2011. The federal government relies heavily on different forms of revenues (corporate tax, petroleum profit tax, royalties, Petronas dividends etc.) that originate from the production and export of oil and gas in Malaysia. The proportion can be 30-40 per cent of the total government revenue. Thus a rise in the world price of oil translates directly into higher income for the government. So essentially, we had a windfall income.

What would a prudent government do with this windfall? It would reduce the planned borrowing. But that’s not our BN government’s way of financial management. Uncannily, the increase in the actual spending is going to be the same amount of RM17.6bn! When asked about this at one of the post-budget forums, a Treasury official explained that it was mainly due to higher spending on salaries and increased subsidy for petrol and diesel. We can understand the increased subsidy but why the higher salary? Did we just increase the size of the bureaucracy? This is a clear case of a government which has no control on its spending.

Why is the federal government spending more than it earns?

There are a few reasons for this consistent imbalance. A major factor is the large leakage in government spending due to corruption and wasteful spending that has been highlighted by the Auditor General year after year in his annual reports. It has been estimated that we can easily save RM25-30bn without changing any of the deliverables if we can get rid of corruption and cronyism. Transparent practices like open tendering can cut down the cost of much of the procurement and project spending.

In addition, spending can be reduced on military procurements. If a fraction of the money that is saved here can be used to improve the quality of our diplomats in Wisma Putra, we can avert any potential threat to national security. We can also cut down on the excessive use of foreign and local consultants by the government for work that ought to be done by the civil service. Reduction of subsidies to the operators of privatised projects such as the independent power producers and toll road operators will also narrow the deficit.

Another reason for the deficit is the under collection of revenues including income tax and customs duties. Better compliance to and enforcement of existing laws and provisions can increase government revenue. It is common knowledge that many business operators evade paying their full share of income tax by under declaring their true income. Similarly, evasion of customs duties is rampant due to corruption in the Customs department.

What will happen if the debt keeps increasing at the same rate in future?

As the debt gets larger, interest payments will take an increasing share of total government spending. Table 2 shows this clearly.

If the government continues with the trend of the past 13 years, by 2020 we may be spending about 18-25 per cent of the operating budget on interest payments. In fact as the borrowing increases, the government will be forced to pay higher interest rates to borrow more because its credit rating will be downgraded. (For example, in Europe, currently the German government can borrow at around 2 per cent per annum while the Italian government has to pay about 7 per cent for its loans.) So the interest cost will rise exponentially.

This will leave much less money for other social and economic spending. It will also widen income inequality as the government will have to cut spending on many public goods like education, health care and public transport. At the same time, the interest it pays goes mainly to foreigners and the better off segment of the population.

What is even more worrying is that given our large revenue from petroleum-related sources, we should not really be running deficits. It is only a matter of time before we run out of oil and gas and thus become net importers of these two commodities. When that happens, our budget situation may become very critical.

A prudent Malaysian government would have saved a sizeable portion of the petroleum revenue from the past few decades as a fund for rainy days. Many other countries have done this. Norway is a prime example. Abu Dhabi is another country which has a huge sovereign wealth fund set up from its petroleum windfall. Botswana in southern Africa saved its windfall earnings from the discovery of diamonds and invested it abroad for its long-term well being.

Unfortunately, we are governed by a spendthrift government which is beset with problems of corruption and incompetency. Unless the situation changes, we are leaving a huge burden to our children and grandchildren. They are not going to forgive us if we do not try to change the situation.

Dr Subramaniam Pillay, is an adjunct associate professor with the School of Business at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

sources : Dr. Subramaniam Pillay

Ranking MRSM PMR 2011

2011-12-27T18:16:00.000+08:00

1 GEMENCHEH 1.0204

2 PASIR TUMBOH 1.0210

3 KUALA KUBU BHARU 1.0238

4 PEKAN 1.0248

5 PASIR SALAK 1.0313

6 LENGGONG 1.0341

7 TERENDAK 1.0380

8 GERIK 1.0385

9 SERTING 1.0408

10 KUALA KLAWANG 1.0414

11 KUALA TERENGGANU 1.0420

12 MUADZAM SHAH 1.0461

13 BESERI 1.0479

14 TRANSKRIAN 1.0479

15 KUBANG PASU 1.0489

16 BATU PAHAT 1.0490

17 BALIK PULAU 1.0494

18 LANGKAWI 1.0508

19 PENDANG 1.0511

20 PDRM KULIM 1.0533

21 PONTIAN 1.0534

22 MERSING 1.0626

23 KEPALA BATAS 1.0631

24 KOTA KINABALU 1.0658

25 KUANTAN 1.0661

26 KUALA BERANG 1.0691

27 FELDA 1.0708

28 PENGKALAN HULU 1.0748

29 ALOR GAJAH 1.0748

30 KUALA LIPIS 1.0748

31 KUALA KRAI 1.0774

32 MERBOK 1.0811

33 KUCHING 1.0817

34 KOTA PUTRA 1.0833

35 BESUT 1.1066

36 JELI 1.1174

37 TAWAU 1.1252

38 BETONG 1.1263

39 MUAR 1.1563

SUMBER : PENA BERKALA

Ranking SBP PMR 2011

2011-12-27T17:58:00.002+08:00

SM SAINS HULU SELANGOR 1.0054
SM SAINS TENGKU MUHAMMAD FARIS PETRA 1.0139
SM SAINS TELUK INTAN 1.0191
KOLEJ TUNKU KURSHIAH 1.0196
SM SAINS KUALA SELANGOR 1.02
SEKOLAH DATO` ABDUL RAZAK 1.0203
SM SAINS JOHOR 1.0233
SEKOLAH TUANKU ABDUL RAHMAN 1.0241
SEKOLAH TUN FATIMAH 1.0252
SM SAINS SELANGOR 1.0263
THE MALAY COLLEGE KUALA KANGSAR 1.0264
SM SAINS MUZAFFAR SYAH 1.0273
SEKOLAH SERI PUTERI 1.0279
SM SAINS POKOK SENA 1.0279
SM SULTAN ABDUL HALIM 1.0325
SM SAINS SULTAN MOHAMMAD JIWA 1.0327
SM SAINS TUANKU SYED PUTRA 1.0331
SEKOLAH SULTAN ALAM SHAH 1.0334
SM SAINS SULTAN MAHMUD 1.0336
SM SAINS TENGKU ABDULLAH 1.0373
SM SAINS MACHANG 1.0411
SM SAINS MIRI 1.0427
SBP INTEGRASI GOMBAK 1.0499
SM SAINS PASIR PUTEH 1.054
SM SAINS TUN SYED SHEH SHAHABUDIN 1.0549
SM SAINS BAGAN DATOH 1.0582
SM SAINS TUANKU JA`AFAR 1.0627
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SM SAINS KOTA TINGGI 1.07
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Sumber Asal: Ranking PMR 2011 | Top 50 Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Berdasarkan GPN | HASRULHASSAN.COM™

Fatwa tentang mengucapkan selamat hari krismas

2011-12-25T00:51:00.000+08:00

"Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia Kali Ke-78 yang bersidang pada 12 Jun 2007 telah membincangkan Hukum Orang Islam Mengucapkan Tahniah Dan Ucapan Selamat Bersempena Perayaan Agama Bukan Islam. Muzakarah telah memutuskan bahawa:

Apa jua amalan atau perlakuan orang Islam dalam hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan perayaan orang bukan Islam sekiranya melibatkan akidah atau iktikad seperti mengiktiraf agama bukan Islam atau menganggap semua agama adalah sama, maka ia ditegah oleh Islam.
Walaubagaimanapun sekiranya amalan atau perlakuan tersebut hanya atas dasar kemasyarakatan atau hubungan sosial antara Islam dan bukan Islam untuk tujuan perpaduan, maka ia dibenarkan oleh Islam.
Memberi ucapan tahniah dan selamat atau mengirimkan ucapan melalui kad atau alat-alat telekomunikasi seperti e-mail atau sistem pesanan ringkas (sms) dan sebagainya kepada orang bukan Islam sempena dengan perayaan agama mereka adalah harus, dengan syarat ucapan itu tidak mengiktiraf, memuji atau memuliakan agama bukan Islam serta tidak menggunakan sebarang simbol atau lambang keagamaan mereka dalam kiriman ucapan tersebut.
Keputusan (English):

The Ruling On Muslim Wishing and Greeting On Non Muslim Religious Festival

Decision:

The 78th Muzakarah (Conference) of the Fatwa Committee National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia held on 12th June 2007 has discussed on the ruling on Muslims wishing and greeting on non Muslim religious festivals. The Committee has decided that:

1. Any Muslim practice or behaviour with respect to non-Muslim festivals and celebrations that involve the questions of aqida or conviction such as acknowledging other religion or believing that all religions are same, are prohibited in Islam

2. However, if the stated practice or behaviour is done on the basis of societal or social relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims for the purpose of harmony is permitted in Islam

3. To give congratulatory and good wishers or to send greetings using cards or telecommunication devices such as e-mails, short messaging system (sms) or etc to non Muslims during their religious festivals is permissible, on the condition that the greetings do not recognise, praise, glorify the religion of non-Muslims and also do not use any of their religious symbols in the greetings sent.

Sumber : tranungkite

Selamat hari krismas untuk yang bukan beragama Islam ... Aikkk ... Tak boleh eh ... ?? Siapa kata tak boleh??

2011-12-24T18:35:00.001+08:00

Perbedaan Pendapat tentang Mengucapkan Selamat Natal Diantara tema yang mengandung perdebatan setiap tahunnya adalah ucapan selamat Hari Natal. Para ulama kontemporer berbeda pendapat didalam penentuan hukum fiqihnya antara yang mendukung ucapan selamat dengan yang menentangnya. Kedua kelompok ini bersandar kepada sejumlah dalil. Meskipun pengucapan selamat hari natal ini sebagiannya masuk didalam wilayah aqidah namun ia memiliki hukum fiqih yang bersandar kepada pemahaman yang mendalam, penelaahan yang rinci terhadap berbagai nash-nash syar’i. Ada dua pendapat didalam permasalahan ini :

A. Ibnu Taimiyah, Ibnul Qoyyim dan para pengikutnya seperti Syeikh Ibn Baaz, Syeikh Ibnu Utsaimin—semoga Allah merahmati mereka—serta yang lainnya seperti Syeikh Ibrahim bin Muhammad al Huqoil berpendapat bahwa mengucapkan selamat Hari Natal hukumnya adalah haram karena perayaan ini adalah bagian dari syiar-syiar agama mereka. Allah tidak meredhoi adanya kekufuran terhadap hamba-hamba-Nya. Sesungguhnya didalam pengucapan selamat kepada mereka adalah tasyabbuh (menyerupai) dengan mereka dan ini diharamkan. Diantara bentuk-bentuk tasyabbuh :

1. Ikut serta didalam hari raya tersebut.

2. Mentransfer perayaan-perayaan mereka ke neger-negeri islam. Mereka juga berpendapat wajib menjauhi berbagai perayaan orang-orang kafir, menjauhi dari sikap menyerupai perbuatan-perbuatan mereka, menjauhi berbagai sarana yang digunakan untuk menghadiri perayaan tersebut, tidak menolong seorang muslim didalam menyerupai perayaan hari raya mereka, tidak mengucapkan selamat atas hari raya mereka serta menjauhi penggunaan berbagai nama dan istilah khusus didalam ibadah mereka.

B. Jumhur ulama kontemporer membolehkan mengucapkan selamat Hari Natal. Di antaranya Syeikh Yusuf al Qaradhawi yang berpendapat bahwa perubahan kondisi global lah yang menjadikanku berbeda dengan Syeikhul Islam Ibnu Taimiyah didalam mengharamkan pengucapan selamat hari-hari Agama orang-orang Nasrani atau yang lainnya. Aku (Yusuf al Qaradhawi) membolehkan pengucapan itu apabila mereka (orang-orang Nasrani atau non muslim lainnya) adalah orang-orang yang cinta damai terhadap kaum muslimin, terlebih lagi apabila ada hubungan khsusus antara dirinya (non muslim) dengan seorang muslim, seperti : kerabat, tetangga rumah, teman kuliah, teman kerja dan lainnya.

Hal ini termasuk didalam berbuat kebajikan yang tidak dilarang Allah swt namun dicintai-Nya sebagaimana Dia swt mencintai berbuat adil. Firman Allah swt :

Artinya : إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ “Sesungguhnya Allah menyukai orang-orang yang Berlaku adil.” (QS. Al-Mumtahanah: 8)

Terlebih lagi jika mereka mengucapkan selamat Hari Raya kepada kaum muslimin. Firman Allah swt : وَإِذَا حُيِّيْتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا ﴿٨٦

﴾Artinya : “Apabila kamu diberi penghormatan dengan sesuatu penghormatan, Maka balaslah penghormatan itu dengan yang lebih baik dari padanya, atau balaslah penghormatan itu (dengan yang serupa). Sesungguhnya Allah memperhitungankan segala sesuatu.” (QS. An Nisaa : 86)

Lembaga Riset dan Fatwa Eropa juga membolehkan pengucapan selamat ini jika mereka bukan termasuk orang-orang yang memerangi kaum muslimin khususnya dalam keadaan dimana kaum muslimin minoritas seperti di Barat. Setelah memaparkan berbagai dalil, Lembaga ini memberikan kesimpulan sebagai berikut :

Tidak dilarang bagi seorang muslim atau Markaz Islam memberikan selamat atas perayaan ini, baik dengan lisan maupun pengiriman kad ucapan yang tidak menampilkan simbol mereka atau berbagai ungkapan keagamaan yang bertentangan dengan prinsip-prinsip Islam seperti salib. Sesungguhnya Islam menafikan fikroh salib, firman-Nya :

وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلاَّ اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا ﴿١٥٧

﴾Artinya : “Padahal mereka tidak membunuhnya dan tidak (pula) menyalibnya, tetapi (yang mereka bunuh ialah) orang yang diserupakan dengan Isa bagi mereka.” (QS. An Nisaa : 157) Kalimat-kalimat yang digunakan dalam pemberian selamat ini pun harus yang tidak mengandung pengukuhan atas agama mereka atau ridho dengannya. Adapun kalimat yang digunakan adalah kalimat pertemanan yang sudah dikenal dimasyarakat.

Tidak dilarang untuk menerima berbagai hadiah dari mereka karena sesungguhnya Nabi saw telah menerima berbagai hadiah dari non muslim seperti al Muqouqis Pemimpin al Qibthi di Mesir dan juga yang lainnya dengan persyaratan bahwa hadiah itu bukanlah yang diharamkan oleh kaum muslimin seperti khomer, daging babi dan lainnya.

Diantara para ulama yang membolehkan adalah DR. Abdus Sattar Fathullah Sa’id, ustadz bidang tafsir dan ilmu-ilmu Al Qur’an di Universitas Al Azhar, DR. Muhammad Sayyid Dasuki, ustadz Syari’ah di Univrsitas Qatar, Ustadz Musthafa az Zarqo serta Syeikh Muhammad Rasyd Ridho. (www.islamonline.net) Adapun MUI (Majelis Ulama Indonesia) pada tahun 1981 sebelum mengeluarkan fatwanya, terlebih dahulu mengemukakan dasar-dasar ajaran Islam dengan disertai berbagai dalil baik dari Al Qur’an maupun Hadits Nabi saw sebagai berikut :

A) Bahwa ummat Islam diperbolehkan untuk bekerja sama dan bergaul dengan ummat agama-agama lain dalam masalah-masalah yang berhubungan dengan masalah keduniaan.

B) Bahwa ummat Islam tidak boleh mencampur-adukkan agamanya dengan aqidah dan peribadatan agama lain.

C) Bahwa ummat Islam harus mengakui ke-Nabian dan ke-Rasulan Isa Almasih bin Maryam sebagaimana pengakuan mereka kepada para Nabi dan Rasul yang lain.

D) Bahwa barangsiapa berkeyakinan bahwa Tuhan itu lebih dari satu, Tuhan itu mempunyai anak dan Isa Almasih itu anaknya, maka orang itu kafir dan musyrik.

E) Bahwa Allah pada hari kiamat nanti akan menanyakan Isa, apakah dia pada waktu di dunia menyuruh kaumnya agar mereka mengakui Isa dan Ibunya (Maryam) sebagai Tuhan. Isa menjawab: Tidak.

F) Islam mengajarkan bahwa Allah SWT itu hanya satu.

G) Islam mengajarkan ummatnya untuk menjauhkan diri dari hal-hal yang syubhat dan dari larangan Allah SWT serta untuk mendahulukan menolak kerusakan daripada menarik kemaslahatan. Juga berdasarkan Kaidah Ushul Fikih ''Menolak kerusakan-kerusakan itu didahulukan daripada menarik kemaslahatan-kemaslahan (jika tidak demikian sangat mungkin mafasidnya yang diperoleh, sedangkan mushalihnya tidak dihasilkan)''.

Untuk kemudian MUI mengeluarkan fatwanya berisi : Perayaan Natal di Indonesia meskipun tujuannya merayakan dan menghormati Nabi Isa as, akan tetapi Natal itu tidak dapat dipisahkan dari soal-soal yang diterangkan di atas. Mengikuti upacara Natal bersama bagi ummat Islam hukumnya haram. Agar ummat Islam tidak terjerumus kepada syubhat dan larangan Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala dianjurkan untuk tidak mengikuti kegiatan-kegiatan perayaan Natal.

Mengucapkan Selamat Hari Natal Haram kecuali Darurat Diantara dalil yang digunakan para ulama yang membolehkan mengucapkan Selamat Hari Natal adalah firman Allah swt :

لَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴿٨

﴾Artinya : “Allah tidak melarang kamu untuk berbuat baik dan Berlaku adil terhadap orang-orang yang tiada memerangimu karena agama dan tidak (pula) mengusir kamu dari negerimu. Sesungguhnya Allah menyukai orang-orang yang Berlaku adil.” (QS. Al Mumtahanah : 8)

Ayat ini merupakan rukhshoh (keringanan) dari Allah swt untuk membina hubungan dengan orang-orang yang tidak memusuhi kaum mukminin dan tidak memerangi mereka. Ibnu Zaid mengatakan bahwa hal itu adalah pada awal-awal islam yaitu untuk menghindar dan meninggalkan perintah berperang kemudian di-mansukh (dihapus).

Qatadhah mengatakan bahwa ayat ini dihapus dengan firman Allah swt :

....فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَ

﴾Artinya : “Maka bunuhlah orang-orang musyrikin itu dimana saja kamu jumpai mereka.” (جَدتُّمُوهُمْ ﴿٥QS. At Taubah : 5)

Adapula yang menyebutkan bahwa hukum ini dikarenakan satu sebab yaitu perdamaian. Ketika perdamaian hilang dengan futuh Mekah maka hukum didalam ayat ini di-mansukh (dihapus) dan yang tinggal hanya tulisannya untuk dibaca. Ada juga yang mengatakan bahwa ayat ini khusus untuk para sekutu Nabi saw dan orang-orang yang terikat perjanjian dengan Nabi saw dan tidak memutuskannya, demikian dikatakan al Hasan.

Al Kalibi mengatakan bahwa mereka adalah Khuza’ah, Banil Harits bin Abdi Manaf, demikian pula dikatakan oleh Abu Sholeh. Ada yang mengatakan bahwa mereka adalah Khuza’ah. Mujahid mengatakan bahwa ayat ini dikhususkan terhadap orang-orang beriman yang tidak berhijrah.

Ada pula yang mengatakan bahwa yang dimaksud didalam ayat ini adalah kaum wanita dan anak-anak dikarenakan mereka tidak ikut memerangi, maka Allah swt mengizinkan untuk berbuat baik kepada mereka, demikianlah disebutkan oleh sebagian ahli tafsir… (al Jami’ li Ahkamil Qur’an juz IX hal 311)

Dari pemaparan yang dsebutkan Imam Qurthubi diatas maka ayat ini tidak bisa diperlakukan secara umum tetapi dikhususkan untuk orang-orang yang terikat perjanjian dengan Rasulullah saw selama mereka tidak memutuskannya (ahli dzimmah).

Hak-hak dan kewajiban-kewajiban kafir dzimmi adalah sama persis dengan kaum muslimin di suatu negara islam. Mereka semua berada dibawah kontrol penuh dari pemerintahan islam sehingga setiap kali mereka melakukan tindakan kriminal, kejahatan atau melanggar perjanjian maka langsung mendapatkan sangsi dari pemerintah. Didalam sebuah hadits yang diriwayatkan dari Abu Hurairoh ra bahwasanya Rasulullah saw bersabda,”Janganlah kamu memulai salam kepada orang-orang Yahudi dan Nasrani. Apabila kalian bertemu salah seorang diantara mereka di jalan maka sempitkanlah jalannya.” (HR. Muslim) Yang dimaksud dengan sempitkan jalan mereka adalah jangan biarkan seorang dzimmi berada ditengah jalan akan tetapi jadikan dia agar berada ditempat yang paling sempit apabila kaum muslimin ikut berjalan bersamanya.

Namun apabila jalan itu tidak ramai maka tidak ada halangan baginya. Mereka mengatakan : “Akan tetapi penyempitan di sini jangan sampai menyebabkan orang itu terdorong ke jurang, terbentur dinding atau yang sejenisnya.” (Shohih Muslim bi Syarhin Nawawi juz XIV hal 211) Hadits “menyempitkan jalan” itu menunjukkan bahwa seorang muslim harus bisa menjaga izzahnya dihadapan orang-orang non muslim tanpa pernah mau merendahkannya apalagi direndahkan. Namun demikian dalam menampilkan izzah tersebut janganlah sampai menzhalimi mereka sehingga mereka jatuh ke jurang atau terbentur dinding karena jika ini terjadi maka ia akan mendapatkan sangsi. Disebutkan didalam sejarah bahwa Umar bin Khottob pernah mengadili Gubernur Mesir Amr bin Ash karena perlakuan anaknya yang memukul seorang Nasrani Qibti dalam suatu permainan.

Hakim Syuraih pernah memenangkan seorang Yahudi terhadap Amirul Mukminin Ali bin Abi Tholib dalam kasus beju besinya. Sedangkan pada zaman ini, orang-orang non muslim tidaklah berada dibawah suatu pemerintahan islam yang terus mengawasinya dan bisa memberikan sangsi tegas ketika mereka melakukan pelanggaran kemanusiaan, pelecehan maupun tindakan kriminal terhadap seseorang muslim ataupun umat islam. Keadaan justru sebaliknya, orang-orang non muslim tampak mendominanasi di berbagai aspek kehidupan manusia baik pilitik, ekonomi, budaya maupun militer.

Tidak jarang dikarenakan dominasi ini, mereka melakukan berbagai penghinaan atau pelecehan terhadap simbol-simbol islam sementara si pelakunya tidak pernah mendapatkan sangsi yang tegas dari pemerintahan setempat, terutama di daerah-daerah atau negara-negara yang minoritas kaum muslimin.

Bukan berarti dalam kondisi dimana orang-orang non muslim begitu dominan kemudian kaum muslimin harus kehilangan izzahnya dan larut bersama mereka, mengikuti atau mengakui ajaran-ajaran agama mereka. Seorang muslim harus tetap bisa mempertahankan ciri khas keislamannya dihadapan berbagai ciri khas yang bukan islam didalam kondisi bagaimanapun.

Tentunya diantara mereka—orang-orang non muslim—ada yang berbuat baik kepada kaum muslimin dan tidak menyakitinya maka terhadap mereka setiap muslim diharuskan membalasnya dengan perbuatan baik pula. Al Qur’an maupun Sunah banyak menganjurkan kaum muslimin untuk senantiasa berbuat baik kepada semua orang baik terhadap sesama muslim maupun non muslim, diantaranya : surat al Mumtahanah ayat 8 diatas. Sabda Rasulullah saw,

”Sayangilah orang yang ada di bumi maka yang ada di langit akan menyayangimu.” (HR. Thabrani) Juga sabdanya saw,”Barangsiapa yang menyakiti seorang dzimmi maka aku akan menjadi lawannya di hari kiamat.” (HR. Muslim)

Perbuatan baik kepada mereka bukan berarti harus masuk kedalam prinsip-prinsip agama mereka (aqidah) karena batasan didalam hal ini sudah sangat jelas dan tegas digariskan oleh Allah swt : لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ ﴿٦

﴾Artinya : “Untukmu agamamu, dan untukkulah, agamaku." (QS. Al Kafirun : 6) Hari Natal adalah bagian dari prinsip-prinsip agama Nasrani, mereka meyakini bahwa di hari inilah Yesus Kristus dilahirkan. Didalam bahasa Inggris disebut dengan Christmas, Christ berarti Kristus sedangkan Mass berarti masa atau kumpulan jadi bahwa pada hari itu banyak orang berkumpul mengingat / merayakan hari kelahiran Kristus.

Dan Kristus menurut keyakinan mereka adalah Allah yang mejelma. Berbuat kebaikan kepada mereka dalam hal ini adalah bukan dengan ikut memberikan selamat Hari Natal dikarenakan alasan diatas akan tetapi dengan tidak mengganggu mereka didalam merayakannya (aspek sosial).

Pemberian ucapan selamat Natal baik dengan lisan, telepon, sms, email ataupun pengiriman kartu berarti sudah memberikan pengakuan terhadap agama mereka dan rela dengan prinsip-prinsip agama mereka. Hal ini dilarang oleh Allah swt dalam firman-Nya,

إِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ وَإِن تَشْكُرُوا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ ﴿٧

﴾Artinya : “Jika kamu kafir Maka Sesungguhnya Allah tidak memerlukan (iman)mu dan Dia tidak meridhai kekafiran bagi hamba-Nya; dan jika kamu bersyukur, niscaya Dia meridhai bagimu kesyukuranmu itu.” (QS. Az Zumar : 7)

Jadi pemberian ucapan Selamat Hari Natal kepada orang-orang Nasrani baik ia adalah kerabat, teman dekat, tetangga, teman kantor, teman sekolah dan lainnya adalah haram hukumnya, sebagaimana pendapat kelompok pertama (Ibnu Taimiyah, Ibnul Qoyyim, Ibn Baaz dan lainnya) dan juga fatwa MUI.

Namun demikian setiap muslim yang berada diantara lingkungan mayoritas orang-orang Nasrani, seperti muslim yang tempat tinggalnya diantara rumah-rumah orang Nasrani, pegawai yang bekerja dengan orang Nasrani, seorang siswa di sekolah Nasrani, seorang pebisnis muslim yang sangat tergantung dengan pebisinis Nasrani atau kaum muslimin yang berada di daerah-daerah atau negeri-negeri non muslim maka boleh memberikan ucapan selamat Hari Natal kepada orang-orang Nasrani yang ada di sekitarnya tersebut disebabkan keterpaksaan.

Ucapan selamat yang keluar darinya pun harus tidak dibarengi dengan keredhoan didalam hatinya serta diharuskan baginya untuk beristighfar dan bertaubat. Diantara kondisi terpaksa misalnya; jika seorang pegawai muslim tidak mengucapkan Selamat Hari Natal kepada boss atau atasannya maka ia akan dipecat, karirnya dihambat, dikurangi hak-haknya. Atau seorang siswa muslim apabila tidak memberikan ucapan Selamat Natal kepada Gurunya maka kemungkinan ia akan ditekan nilainya, diperlakukan tidak adil, dikurangi hak-haknya.

Atau seorang muslim yang tinggal di suatu daerah atau negara non muslim apabila tidak memberikan Selamat Hari Natal kepada para tetangga Nasrani di sekitarnya akan mendapatkan tekanan sosial dan lain sebagainya.

مَن كَفَرَ بِاللّهِ مِن بَعْدِ إيمَانِهِ إِلاَّ مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالإِيمَانِ وَلَكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٠٦

﴾Artinya : “Barangsiapa yang kafir kepada Allah sesudah Dia beriman (dia mendapat kemurkaan Allah), kecuali orang yang dipaksa kafir Padahal hatinya tetap tenang dalam beriman (dia tidak berdosa), akan tetapi orang yang melapangkan dadanya untuk kekafiran, Maka kemurkaan Allah menimpanya dan baginya azab yang besar. (QS. An Nahl : 106)

Adapun apabila keadaan atau kondisi sekitarnya tidaklah memaksa atau mendesaknya dan tidak ada pengaruh sama sekali terhadap karir, jabatan, hak-hak atau perlakuan orang-orang Nasrani sekelilingnya terhadap diri dan keluarganya maka tidak diperbolehkan baginya mengucapkan Selamat Hari Natal kepada mereka.

So kesimpulannya ...

Pendapat yang mengharamkan

Antara ulama yang mengharamkannya ialah Sheikh Muhammad Saleh al-Munajjid, salah seorang ahli majlis fatwa kerajaan Arab Saudi. Beliau berpendapat perbuatan mengucapkan selamat pada hari-hari kebesaran orang bukan Islam adalah bertentangan dengan asas-asas akidah Islam. Beliau berhujah, hari perayaan agama kaum lain pada hakikatnya adalah syiar agama mereka. Umat Islam disuruh tidak meniru syiar dan budaya kaum bukan Islam. Dalam sebuah hadis sahih Rasulullah saw bersabda yang bermaksud, “Barangsiapa meniru syiar sesuatu kaum (bukan Islam), maka ia termasuk dalam golongan mereka ” (Sahih riwayat Abu Daud).

Selain itu, dalam satu kaedah, di mana para ulama Islam telah mengambil ketetapan iaitu redha kepada kekufuran adalah kufur. Justeru mengucapkan selamat Hari Raya kepada orang bukan Islam termasuk rela terhadap kekufuran mereka. Keadaannya sama seperti kita merelai dosa-dosa besar seperti zina, minum arak dan sebagainya.

Pendapat yang mengharuskan

Manakala seorang ulama terkenal Islam merangkap Mufti kerajaan Qatar , Prof. Dr. Yusuf al-Qardhawi berpendapat hukum mengucapkan selamat Hari Raya kepada orang bukan Islam seperti Hari Krismas adalah harus, jika mereka memulakan ucapan selamat Hari Raya kepada kita.

Al-Qardhawi berpendapat, Islam tidak melarang kita berbuat baik terhadap ahli kitab yang tidak bermusuh dengan kita. Kita harus berbuat baik kepada mereka sebagaimana mereka berbuat baik kepada kita. Sesuai dengan firman Allah SWT dalam surah Al-Mumthanah ayat 8,

"Allah tidak melarang kamu berbuat baik dan berlaku adil kepada orang yang tidak memerangi kamu kerana agama (kamu), dan tidak mengeluarkan kamu dari kampong halaman kamu ; sesungguhnya Allah mengasihi orang yang berlaku adil".

Pendapat beliau ini disokong oleh Majlis Fatwa dan Penyelidikan Eropah, dengan fatwa yang dikeluarkan seperti berikut,

Sesungguhnya mengucapkan selamat kepada orang bukan Islam pada hari perayaan mereka merupakan lebih daripada kewajipan jika mereka mengucapkan selamat pada hari perayaan Islam. Hujahnya ialah kerana kita diperintahkan membalas perlakuan baik dengan perlakuan yang serupa dan membalas ucapan selamat dengan ucapan yang sama baiknya. Allah SWT berfirman,

Apabila kamu dihormati dengan sesuatu penghormatan, maka balaslah penghormatan itu dengan yang lebih baik atau balaslah (dengan yang serupa). Sesungguhnya Allah menghitungkan segala sesuatu. (Surah An-Nisaa’ : 86)

Oleh yang demikian, tidak ada suatu pun yang menghalang orang Islam daripada mengucapkan ‘selamat’ kepada orang bukan Islam baik secara lisan mahupun tulisan seperti menghantar kad dengan syarat kad yang dihantar tidak mempunyai lambang atau kata-kata agama yang bertentangan dengan prinsip akidah Islam.

Sebagai kesimpulan, Prof. Dr. Abdul Hayei bin Abdul Sukor memilih jalan yang lebih sederhana dalam isu ini. Katanya, adalah jelas haram bagi umat Islam menyertai Hari raya kaum bukan Islam seperti memasang lampu warna-warni di sekeliling rumah, menghias rumah dengan pokok krismas, menyertai perarakan Thaipusam dan lain-lain kerana amalan ini ada hubung kait dengan akidah. Begitu juga adalah haram bagi umat Islam jika mengucapkan selamat Hari Raya kepada orang bukan Islam pada hari-hari kebesaran agama mereka jika ianya bermaksud untuk sama-sama berhari raya dengan mereka, merelai kekufuran mereka dan berkasih sayang dengan mereka atas nama agama (mereka).

Tetapi jika maksud ucapan ‘selamat’ pada hari-hari kebesaran kaum bukan Islam itu tidak lebih hanya ikut bercuti pada hari itu, membalas ucapan selamat Hari Raya yang diucapkan terdahulu, maka saya kira pengucapan seumpama ini tidak termasuk dalam hal-hal akidah yang sekaligus menunjukkan rela hati terhadap agama dan kepercayaan mereka. Sama seperti sekiranya mereka menghulurkan makanan yang halal kepada kita dan kita terimanya dengan baik hati, serta mengucapkan terima kasih dengan makanan atau hadiah yang diberi, saya kira ia tidak ada kena mengena dengan akidah, bahkan kita harus menerimanya selagi mana ia adalah halal dan suci.

Demikian juga jika pada hari-hari kebesaran itu merupakan hari kelepasan am, semua pejabat dan kakitangan kerajaan diberi cuti, termasuk kakitangan yang beragama Islam. Saya tidak fikir jika kita bersuka ria kerana bercuti pada hari itu, maka kita boleh dianggap turut membesarkan syiar agama dan budaya kaum bukan Islam.

Wallahualam.

Pemilihan Kursus Selepas SPM ; Abangraja Menjawab

2011-12-23T10:30:00.003+08:00

Ini satu email menarik dari salah seorang peserta program abang dan bagus untuk kita tengok dan sama2 bincangkan :

Question :

"Assalamualaikum abang raja :)

How are you abg raja? :) This is going to be a long email. I really hope you bear with me and give me a reply because I really need some help.

Hi Abang Raja, I'm pretty sure u were a Science student, right? Did u take extra subjects like Accounts or Commerce in SPM? Correct me if I'm wrong, but u did further your study in Business, didn't you?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED:

1. Yup ... i used to be a pure science student at MRSM Pengkalan Chepa Kota Bharu taking Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Addmath ... but then i further my studies doing Bachelor of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) Minor in Computer Science in US. I just realized that i am more towards businesses side than science side when i got into my 1st semester in US ... during my form 4 and form 5 student's life... God already show me that i'm not belongs to science stream for not getting good grades for science subject including add math ... but maybe because lack of guidance and environment (everybody seems like want me to be a doctor) than i proceed in science class ... I dont take any extra subject in commerce or accounting or social science subject for SPM ... i am purely science stream student.

Oh I'm Shahira, a school leaver and was in Science stream class. And now I'm very close to lose my mind thinking of this further study thing. The problem is, I want to further study in Business because my passion is there. But the thing that make me uncertain right now is am I capable enough to study business? (which I think includes Accounts during foundation course/ matriks/diploma, correct me if I'm wrong). Is it possible for me to take Business as I don't even have a single idea about the basics? If yes, then what should I apply for scholarship? Would MARA or JPA or Petronas accept me to study in Business with my Science qualification? Any other scholarships to apply? From what I have gathered from my seniors and relatives, MARA and JPA don't take students like me, but Petronas does. Is it true?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

The main principle of success is you must like what you do ... no matter what you do you MUST LIKE WHAT YOU DO .. !! Then only you can achieve the maximum level of success. Yup ... you are capable of taking business course or social science stream ... dont worry. Dont worry about dont have any single idea regarding social science subjects .. you can ccope with it even though you'll find it quite tough in the begining ... but if you really like it ... like what you do .. you can counter it very fast ...

You may apply any scholarship / IPT / fund that could offer you to do whatever you want to do ... during my time MARA and JPA did sponsored student from science stream to do business degree ... no big deal ... i am not sure today ... Read newspapers and their website ... search for qualifications ... they always change their policies ...

But if, IF my SPM result is not that excellent and I'm not qualified to apply for scholarship to study overseas (I really hope that's not going to happen), what should I do? Should I go for Matriks, or Asasi Akaun in UIA, or Diploma in IPTA?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

If the result is excellent ..then go to Matriks or overseas (still need to consider what course the offer ... matrik sains or akaun) ... if SPM result is intermediate (5As, 4As, 6As ...) then go to ASASI UIA ... Other than that go to Diploma. (However ... basically it is not the place ... IT'S YOU THAT MAKE YOURSELF SUCCESS ... NOT THE PLACE OF YOUR STUDY !)

Oh and I don't have that clear idea about studying Business, on how to proceed in Business for Degree. For foundation level, do I have to study in Asasi or Diploma? Or is there any other alternatives?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

To be a successful business person doesnt required you to study business in IPT ... that's totally wrong ... you can study whatever you like ... you can study engineering then become contractor, become industrialist in technology, you can study medic then setting up your own hospital ... study business in IPT just give you the knowledge about business field it doesnt give you the business opportunity ... THE QUALITY INSIDE YOU THAT WILL MAKE YOU A SUCCESSFULL BUSINESS PERSON ... You can study whatever course you like and end up your life doing business batik, restaurant, e-commerce jual tudung melalui web, contractor, arkitek, or whatever ... dont be confused ok ;)

Actually, I don't know what I'm capable of. Like I said, my passion is Business. But I'm not even sure if that's just a flicker of passion, or maybe it's just temporary. I've joined Young Entrepreneur Club in school and I had few ideas on business. When I talk about those business that we intended to run, I have this.. fire, that drives me and makes me feel excited and maybe alive? Well that sounds quite absurd, sorry but that was what I felt. I don't know how to make myself certain. I've had few sessions with my school counselor and I've took a career test or get-to-know-yourself test (or whatever test they call) and the result was I'm a Social, Entrepreneur and Artistic person. With that being said make me even more confused. What I really want is simple, I want to do something that I love, I want to study and have a job that I enjoy. Please give me some tips to help me figure myself out :(

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

The personality test already revealed and your story already explained that you are genetically genius or good student but you are more towards social sciences ...

And for Science. Sigh. Yes, I think I have wasted two precious years of my life taking Science. And because of that, I don't want to waste 5-6 years of my life anymore. I don't want to further study in Science simply because I don't have that much of interest as I have in business and I want to spend my life doing something that I love, rather than just fulfilling something that I qualify. Or like my sister once said to me, that is maybe because I have experienced how hard Science is which make me refuse to study in Science. That makes me worried. What if I don't succeed in Business, what if I find Business hard for me? But then for as long as I remember, I have never ever think to become a doctor or an engineer. Well, then that must say something, isn't it?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

Yup ... you are just like my case before ... As I said ... do what you like to do then only you can acieve maximum level of success. A successful person they have criteria ... and you have to chose to be in that criteria or not .. they are :-

1. Tabah dan kuat semangat

2. Sentiasa positive

3. Jelas hala tuju

4. Berani mengambil risiko

5. Berani mengambil cabaran

6. Cintakan ilmu

7. Suka belajar

bla... bla ... bla ...

why are you so much worried of so many things ... come on baby ... a successful person they enjoy failure because from that they learn ... they never repeat the failure ... they grow up again and again .. the fire burning forever ... never dies !

And I also have a problem convincing my parents. Actually I'm more of a outgoing and happy spirit. I love musics, reading, writing and my family thinks I'm not a serious person. Yes, I'm not going to deny that. I tend to play around and not taking things seriously. My exam results are just are just average. From March test, Mid Year exam, July test and Trial SPM for Additional Mathematics A, B, A-,A. Physics A+, B, A+, A-. Chemistry A-,A-,A-,A-. Biology A-, A, A-, A. Among all of my 5 siblings, I'm the 'least' clever. My brother is an engineer, my sisters are a Chemistry teacher, a Pharmacist-going-to-be and a Doctor-going-to-be. That is why my parents don't have that much of a trust for me to carry Business. I don't know how to convince them. Maybe because I'm not convinced enough in myself?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

You result through out the year is good ... excellent .. it is just you compare it with your siblings and maybe your friend in class ... comparing it with other students all over Malaysia you are being categorized as EXCELLENT .. so bersyukur kepada Allah dikurniakan otak yang baik, parents yang concern pasal akdemik dan masa depan anak (disaat beribu parents yg tak ambik kisah pada hari ini).

Actually yo dont have to convince anybody because life is not about convincing others ... convincing others is an arguments and trust me NOBODY EVER WINS AN ARGUMENTS .. just do whatever you have to do right infront of you ... do it right do it with full energy and confidence after that tawakkal pada Allah ... Konsep tawakkal ni penting iaitu agar Allah jadikan segala tindakan tu terbaik untuk kita ... lepas tu tak boleh menyesal sebab orang berjaya TAK MENYESAL ... mereka dah tawakal dan mereka yakin dengan ketetapan Allah selepas tu ...

The only course that I think I'm very interested in is Mass Com or Journalism. But then there is abundance of Mass Com graduates that unemployed or work in non-Mass Com field right? That's what make me worried. Do Mass Com and Journalism guarantee a career in the future?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED :

Again i repeat ... bukan course yang menentukan senang dapat kerja ke tak tapi diri kita yang tentukannya ... bukan mass com saje bidang business dan engineering pun berlambak menganggur sekarang ni ... yang terkini bidang perguruan pun menganggur ... sila rujuk demonstrasi di UPSI ...

Jangan salah paham tentang pemilihan kursus ni ... belajrlah bidang apapun tapi kalau grad dengan result yg tak bagus, masa kat IPT enjoy sakan duit PTPTN, duit biasiswa, duit rakyat, duit mak bapak ... then dapat result tak berapa bagus ... siapa nak ambik kerja?? Cuba grad dengan best student ... 4.00 flat PNGK ... dapat anugerah itu ini ... berebut majikan nak ambik ... berebut IPT nak offer pergi overseas buat masters and PhD ...

My dad suggested to further in Law, as I have quite a skill in debating and convincing people (quite ironic isn't it as I can't even convince myself and may parents?). I am interested in Law but I don't think I can cope with the study and work environment. I'm not that analytic. And maybe TESL, but I don't think I have the quality of a teacher. My mum is a Bahasa Melayu teacher and I know that the career does not suit me. Ughh what should I take? What should I do? How do I know if I'm doing the right thing?

ABANGRAJA ANSWERED

You already have the answer you just need somebody to support you because most of you friends, teachers, siblings and parents seems not supporting you that much ... correct me if i'm wrong ;)

Based on the given exam results of mine, a little bit of explaination about myself and my family background, I hope you can suggest me which path I should choose. I would really appreciate it.

Thank you very, very much for reading this email, even though I know this is quite a long email but I'm really hoping for your to answer all my doubts and questions :) And if you're very busy (which I know you are) or you're not able to reply my email, please do forward this email to the right person (your experienced friends maybe?) or just send me that person's contact number, I would personally contact them. Or if you want to answer my question but doesn't have the time to type it all, feel free to call my number anytime (before 2nd Jan because I have to go for PLKN) or just let me know if you want to talk to me as I can always call your phone number (from your Facebook). "

Good luck dear !!

Kemana selepas PMR or SPM (Revised)

2011-12-22T21:38:00.001+08:00

Assalaamualaikum... Apa khabar adik-adik semua? Semalam tak sempat nak tulis something sibuk sangat kat ofis. Tahun depan adik-adik yang baru dapat result PMR bakal masuk ke tingkatan 4 dan calon SPM 2011 bakal ke institusi pengajian tinggi nanti. Persoalan nak pilih kursus atau jurusan ni menjadi semakin rumit.

Tahun lepas ada pelajar abang yang nak terjun tangki air kat sekolah sebab tertekan... parents nak suruh masuk kelas sains tapi dia nak masuk kelas akaun. Hemmm... kenapalahhhhhh jadi macam tu :) Kelas sains or akaun bagi abang semuanya terpulang kepada diri masing-masing... semuanya bagus. Tidak semestinya masuk kelas sains maka masa depan adik-adik akan terjamin dan tidak semestinya masuk kelas sastera atau akaun masa depan adik-adik gelap gelita.

Kerajaan kita memang menggalakkan para pelajar terutama bumiputera untuk memasuki aliran sains baik tingkatan 4 mahupun lepasan SPM. Untuk itu syarat dipermudahkan berbanding zaman abng dulu. Ini kerana negara amat memerlukan tenaga kerja dan profesional dalam bidang ni. Untuk itu, ramai parents dan masyarakat nampak seolah-olah aliran sains, engineering, medic, biotek dan sebagainya adalah ends of life. Kat kampung abang nipun ada parents yang bukan main berlagak lagi cakap sana sini anak dapat masuk kelas sains tingkatan 4. Sedangkan anaknya tu just dapat 3A je PMR tupun bukan subjek sains.

Tup tup.. bila SPM hancusssss... satu A pun takde... nak apply politekpun tak layak... apa lagi masuk matrik. Ini menjadikan anaknya tadi yang pada awal tingkatan 4 memulakan pengajian dengan keyakinan diri dan semangat yang tinggi ... menjadi hancur harapannya dan mulalah melibatkan diri dalam aktiviti tak sihat, rempit dan sebagainya kerana tension. Sebaliknya jika dia memilih aliran sastera atau akaun dia mungkin boleh berjaya dengan keputusan yang lebih baik berdasarkan PMR 3A tadi. Abang menulis dari pendapat peribadi abang sahaja. Sekiranya ianya tidak dipersetujui tak mengapa... Sebab bagi abang, bukan kursus atau aliran itu yang penting tetapi diri anda itu sendiri.

Sekiranya anda adalah individu yang berkualiti, anda buat kursus apapun anda insyaAllah akan berjaya dalam hidup. Sekiranya anda memang benar-benar berminat dalam bidang sains, medic, engineering dan sebagainya dan anda memang berkemampuan contohnya dapat PMR straight A ... then go for it lah... betul tak? Kenapa nak buat sastera pulak... satu kerugian kepada negara. Anda teruskan masuk kelas sains belajar setinggi boleh dalam bidang yang anda suka .. keluar dan jadilah saintis, doktor atau engineer kebangggan negara.

Jika ditanya abang berapakah keputusan minima untuk masuk kelas sains tingkatan 4, secara peribadi abang kata 5A pun masih fifty fifty. tupun 5A mesti Matermatik, Sains, Bahasa Inggeris, Bahasa Melayu dan Sejarah. 5 subjek ni boleh dpat A adik-adik, abang syorkan masuklah aliran sains. Negara amat memerlukanmu. Jika adik-adik dapat keputusan PMR yang rendah... adik-adik masuk tingkatan 4 kelas sains abang khuatir adik-adik akan ketinggalan untuk bersaing dengan pelajar di MRSM dan SM Sains. Akhirnya adik-adik yang tercicir. Nak masuk IPT tak dapat selepas SPM. Maka ramailah yang terjebak dengan perkara yang tak elok.

Apa-apapun keputusan bincanglah baik-baik dengan keluarga dan cikgu masing-masing. Abang percaya adik-adik abang adalah mereka yang sentiasa positif. Take care ye.

Result PMR keluar hari ni ... What's next ??

2011-12-22T11:24:00.001+08:00

Maka di ceritakan keluarlah result PMR hari ni ... so adik2 yang ambik resultpun akan melihatlah apa yang mereka dapat betapa banyak A yang mereka dapat dsbg ... ada parents yg dari malam tadi tak lena tidur memikirkan anak mereka terutama kalau ni anak yg pertama menduduki peperiksaan ... berapa mereka dapat dalam PMR tahun ni ... semuanya jadi menggelabah ... ada parents yg tak boleh concentrate kerja tak sabar2 nak dengar result dari anak masing2 ... bila dapat result nanti macam biasalah ... tangisan gembira tangisan sedih ... malah ada yg tak menangispun sebab tak kisahpun dapat berapa dan malas mengambil tahu pun... dan parents yg tak tahupun anak mnereka ambik PMR pun ada ... hahahaha!

WhatEver it is PMR adalah antara ujian yg ramai antara kita duduki dari beratus2 beribu ujian lagi di masa akan datang .. kalau dulu zaman PMR belum diperkenalkan exam form 3 ni di panggil SRP ... masa tu siapa yg tak lulus tak boleh naik tingkatan 4 maka semua orang belajar gila2 bagi memastikan lulus SRP ... bagi yg malas belajar maka mereka kena stay di form 3 (return) untuk tahun depan .. so terpaksa masuk kelas budak2 yg lebih muda selama setahun lagi kekal di form 3 ... perghhhhh ...

Entah kenapa benda ni di mansuhkan ... katanya sebab tak mahu ramai rakyat Malaysia yang tercicir ... rasanya salah konsep tu ... baguslah kita buat mereka yang gagal PMR ni tak boleh naik kelas kena stay form 3 bila begiutu maka budak2 akan belajar dengan bersungguh2 masalah disiplin dapat dikawal sebab disiplin akan mula rosak bila budak2 ni main2 sewaktu mula mengenal alam remaja iaitu form 2 dan form 3 ... kalau masa form 2 dan fom 3 mereka dah jadi baik mereka dah boleh kawal disiplin diri, pergaulan dsbg ... maka naik form 4 dan form 5 dah jadi mudah untuk kita kawal dan bentuk ...

Masalahnya kita ni ... kita ubah sistwem pendidikan kononnya biar semua lewpas PMR dapat naik tingkjatan 4 agar tiada yg tercicir ... tercicir apa pulaknya ... bukan tercicir... cuma kena stay tingkatan 3 lagi setahun bagus laa tukan ... orang yang buat dasar ni sebenarnya mereka takut anak mereka yang tak boleh naik tingkatan 4 maluuuulah mereka sedangkan mereka ni pegawai pengarah dsbg ... so jadilah sistem ni ditukar ...

Sistem lama tu sekurang2nya bagi pengajaran kepada yang malas dan nakal dan pengajaran kepada semua remaja Malaysia jangan main-main lepas tu supaya belajar rajin ... sebab tulah dulu pelajar2 Malaysia amat berkualiti berbanding sekarang ... Universiti Malaysia pun takdeklah terkeluar dari rangking dunia seperti sekarang sebab keberkesanan sistem pendidikan yang lepas ...

kita ni nak kejar kuantiti punya pasal kita rela gadaikan kualiti .. biar orang nampak banyak takpe tapi kualiti belakang kira .. dulu pelajar malaysia dalam ujian penilain math sains peringkat antarabangsa antara terbaik didunia sekarang kita antara yg tercorot didunia .... ini kajian badan antarabangsa bukan abang yg pandai2 cakap ... masih ingat lagi dulu masa belajar kat US ... budak2 Malaysia yg fly ke US masuk kelas math kat sana setiap kali exam dapat markah 110% or 108% ... lecturer bagi bonus sebab terlalu genius ... mana ada berlaku dah sakarang ni ... we are moving down in global academic performance and quality ...

Samalah macam result PMR yg diumumkan hari ni ... mak bapa semua concern berapa A anak nereka dapat tapi tak ramai yang concern anak mereka solat 5 waktu ke tak .. anak mereka tu cukup tak puasa bulan ramadhan ... fardu Ain buat tak ... hormat orang tua, sedekah, tolong orang dsbg boleh bagi A tak ... infact parent tak kira dan tak nak ambik tahupun anak mereka tu biadab dgn cikgu ke tak or meniru ke tak masa periksa yang mereka nak tahu anak mereka dapat berapoa A ...

kalau banyak A parent gembira anak pun gembira ... malang sungguh nasib kita ... JIKA BEGINI BUDAYA ORANG KITA .. KITA AKAN GAGAL MENGUASAI EKONOMI malah apa sajapun tak boleh ... sebab tengok zaman jepun dulu sewaktu mereka nak naik menguasai ekonomi dan teknologi ... rakyat merreka bagitu patuh pada PRINSIP ASAS pendidikan iaitu mengejar mutu atau kualiti ... bukannya kuantiti ...

Sebab tulah ramai anak2 kawan2 abang kat JB sanggup hantar anak ke Singapura ... sekolah kat sana ... pukul 4 pagi dah naik bas ... semata2 nak kejar sistem pendidikan yg bagus nak bagi anakrtu jadi cerdik supaya boleh survive pada masa2 ajkan datang .. siapa yg berada di tambak johor sekitar pukul 5-6 pagi boleh tengok berduyun2 bas dari Malaysia bawa student kita ke Singapore belajar sebab kualiti pendidikan mereka bagusss sangat ... sebab tulah Singapore ni menguasai ekonomi dan IPT merreka juga kertiga terbaik di Asia ... its not quantiti but quality !!

Perasan tak dah 10 tahun lebih result UPSR, PMR , SPM negara kita sentiasa meningkat ... tak pernah jatuh ... tapi perasan tak rangking universiti kita terkeluar ... best student SPM Malaysia tak boleh masuk universiti terkenal di UK tak perform well masa A-Level sekadar masuk universiti sederhana je ... nampak je tahun tu ramai budak yang akan dapat result teruk kita mudahkan marking agar result budak semua nampak bagus ... tujuannya satu supaya tak kena condemn baik oleh parents, mahupun pembangkang ... tak percaya sila tanya pemeriksa kertas atau cikgu yang mengajar dua2 sistem ... sistem lama dan sistem baru ni ... cikgu yang veteran yang memang terlibat menggubal soalan dan memeriksa kertas soalan ...

kita campur aduk kepentingan politik dan kepentingan bangsa dan negara ... hasilnya kita melahirkan rakyat Malaysia yang perasan bagus dan perasan cerdik tapi tak boleh perform in live ... buktinya ramai yang menganggur, jenayah semakin meningkat, pelajar2 kita semakin ramai yang terlibat dengan jenayah, seks, dadah, dsbg ... tak percaya boleh refer kementerian berkaitan untuk statistik ...

Well apa2pun tahniah kepada yang dapat straight A ... sila ke MRSM or SBP or SM Teknik ... ataupun kalau nak stay sekolah lama pun bagus ... depends pada situasi ... ok . yang tak dapat banyak A sila ke vokasional ... anda TAKKAN MENYESAL ... TRUST ME !!

MASALAH DI TEMPAT KERJA - Abang Raja Menjawab

2011-12-21T09:02:00.002+08:00

Ini adalah soalan yang diemelkan kepada abangraja oleh seseorang berkaitan masalah di tempat kerja, rezeki Allah, politik di tempat kerja dsbg ... jommm kita kongsi ...

"My question is more about self development and motivation, not for myself but for someone who I really care about. Just called the person L who has been working in this corporate organization for about 10 years. Recently, L told me about wanting to resign from the organization after informally being told that s/he no longer valuable to the company. L is currently attached with the HR department in the mid-management level and ironically s/he has always been the target of being underachiever - the company as well as L had been in this situation for a good 10 years! L graduated from our local universities with a degree and master in communications and information management, I knew L all my life and believed L had much more to offer, s/he maybe a quiet person but through years of experience L had developed into quite a fine person alhamdullilah. I tried to tell L about being more proactive; enhance communications; upgrade skills; and etc. things that I think L is definitely aware about, s/he after all is a HR person. I not quite sure what has gone wrong maybe it is L or the company. I felt that L is falling into a very stressful working situations and finds it getting more difficult to perform the job to the best, satisfactory level. Nevertheless, L is a fighter, life must go on only that when L mentioned to me that s/he wanted to resign, I was totally taken aback. Maybe it is the best decision, hanya Allah yang mengetahui, financially being single, s/he is 35 years old with not much of a commitment makes things easier but with our current economic situation, I am skeptical. Rezeki kita di tangan Allah...I realized this, not but... "

Katakanlah yang bertanya ni nama dia Rose dan yang dimaksudkan dalam kes diatas L itu adalah Lan ... mula-mula biar abang cuba paham dulu situasi sebab kadang2 dan selalunya permasalahan yang dijawab tanpa bersemuka dengan hanya membaca tulisan boleh disalah tafsirkan oleh tukang jawab sebab tiada element perasaan, tiada soalan turutan yang boleh ditanya dsbg... namun insyaAllah dalam kes Ros dan Lan ni abang rasa dapat memahami sikit masalah yang di hadapinya ...

Isu utama dan paling penting adalah Lan nak berhenti kerja dan Rose tak suka dan takut sebab kalau Lan berhenti kerja bimbang susah nak dapat kerja lain disebabkan kegawatan ekonomi sekarang ... itu isu utama ... Isu kedua adalah punca Lan nak berhenti kerja adalah dikatakan berpunca daripada rasa tak dihargai bekerja disatu tempat tetapi orang lain yang dapat pengiktirafan, stress, tak boleh perform, tak achieve target dsbg... Lan yang kerja bagus yang kerja siang malam yang bagi full komitmen tapi orang lain yang naik pangkat contohnya naik gaji contohnya dsbg ... Dan isu ketiga Rose yang rungsing iaitu individu pengadu yang menulis email kat abang ni ...

Firstly tentang Lan nak berhenti kerja ... abang setuju dengan pendapat yang mengatakan peluang pekerjaan memang susah sekarang ni malah semenjak 4-5 tahun ni memang susah ... rata2 graduan universiti di Malaysia terutama graduan bukan profesional tidak dapat bekerja dalam bidang yang mereka belajar dan kalau dapat kerjapun dibayar below average, kontrak dan bukan tetap walaupun dah 4-5 tahun ... malah sektor kerajaan sendiri banyak menawarkan kerja kontrak walaupun berjawatan pegawai bukan lagi tetap macam dulu menggambarkan kroniknya ekonomi negara kita yang rakyat tak tahu ... peluang pekerjaan yang dihebohkan beratus2 ribu tu bukannya banyak untuk graduan tetapi untuk lulusan SPM iaitu kerja kosong bidang bawahan operator, buruh dan sbg. Sebab tulah ramai graduan menganggur dan hutang PTPTN jadi bertimbun sebab graduan ni tak dapat kerja tak boleh bayar PTPTN ... kerja promoter shopping complex, cleaner, jaga parking, stesen minyak memang banyak dan perlu di isi .. kerja yang takde gaji tetap tapi ada elaun dan komisien memang jugak banyak seperti jual insurance, unit trust dsbg ...

Well dalm kes Lan yng dah kerja hampir sepuluh tahun dan pada usia 35 tahun ada masters ada degree pengalaman kerja dah lama ... average income i guess RM 3000-RM4000 sebulan, berhenti kerja mungkin agak rugi walau bagaimanapun tak salah untuk Lan utk berhenti kerja dari syarikatnya sekarang jika rasa tak boleh perform sebab konsep hijrah ni amatttlah bagus dan islam sendiri mengajar kita utk berhijrah bila dah tak boleh buat apa2 atau stuck at somewhere ... tapi seelok-eloknya Lan kena pikir dulu kemana nak pergi, kerja lain yang nak pergi tu dah confirm ke belum, kena betul2 bersedia untuk berhijrah dan apply kerja baru, buat perancangan dsbg ... tak salah untuk berhijrah jika rasa dah tak suka bekerja di satu2 tempat ...

Soal berhijrah atau berhenti kerja disebabkan oleh rasa tertekan, tak dihargai, kena cucuk belakang tu yang silap ... kita bekerja ni setiap hari bukan untuk dapat pengiktirafan makhluk ... kita bekerja untuk Allah ... setiap hari kita turun bekerja niatlah untuk cari rezeki halal untuk dapat keredhaan Allah untuk lebih senang berbuat kebajikan bantu anak yatim, bantu keluarga, bantu diri sendiri tapi bukan untuk dapatkan pengiktirafan dari bos ... inilah yang seringkali terjadi kepada orang kita ... bekerja dengan kuat dgn harapan bos atau syarikat bagi kenaikan gaji dsbg ... konsep yg pertama tu kita dah salah ... sebab pengiktirafan , naik gaji dsbg tu jugak bukan bos yang bagi tapi Allah yang bagi .. Allah yg bukak pintu hati bos utk bagi kita kenaikan gaji kenaikan pangkat, tak marah kat kita, tak bagi tekanan dsbg ...

Tapi kita lupa kat Allah .. kira bekerja untuk bos dan syarikat tapi sebaliknya bos dan syarikat tak hargai kita maka kitapun jadi sedih dan down .. mulalah kita jadi tak suka orang tu tak suka orang ni mula berprasangka buruk kat orang mula kata orang tu cucuk kita dari belakang dan sebagainya ... sedangkan diri kita tu yang silap kerana meletakkan kerja dan komitment kita tu paling atas dan bukannya Allah dan rezeki tu paling atas ...

Masih ingat masa abangraja kerja dgn bank dulu .. setiap bulan bawak masuk RM2.5 juta kat bank sampai satu KL/Selangor orang dengki .. lepas tu bila bos tak naikkan gaji sedangkan orang lain yg tak achieve target naik pangkat abang ok je abang jumpa orang yg dinaikkan pangkat kaki bodek kroni bos tu dan abang buat lagi baik dgn dia ... Tuhan maha kaya orang yg naik pangkat tu pulak jadi presure kerja banyak lama2 mcm2 mistake dia buat dan abang kerja macam biasa ... akhirnya Tuhan punya kuasa ada orang yg kenal pasti potensi abang dan tawarkan abang ke jabatan lain dgn gaji yang lebih tinggi ... tapi takes timelahh ... sebab tu tuhan suruh sabar dan sentiasa dekat dengan dia ...

Percayalah ... when you too much attached to people you will lost them .. when you too much attached to money .. you will become bancrupt .. cuba tengok orang yg terlalu sayangkan anak ... orang mcm ni tuhan uji dgn dpt anak yg jahat2 .. kalau anak baikpun mati muda ... tuhan uji kita dgn benda yg kita lemah ... Lan kerja kuat utk buktikan kemampuan dia ... maknanya kelemahan Lan adalah kerja ... sebab tu Tuhan bagi Lan bermasalah di tempat kerja ... cuba letak niat Lan bekerja tu utk cari rezeki halal maka orang cucuk belakang, orang tak naik pangkat, Lan akan redhaa je sebab Lan tahu Allah lagi berkuasa ... dan jika ada offer lain Lan boleh berhenti pergi kerja tempat lain ...

Tapi kalau berhenti kerja dan kerja lain takde sehinggakan nak makanpun tak boleh nak bayar kerta tak boleh nak beribadat pun tertanggu hukumnya berdosa sebab kita ada hak utk diri kita, hak utk Allh, hak utk masyarakat ... innalirabbika 'alaika haqqa ... walinapsika' 'alaika haqaa .. waliahlika 'alaikahaqqa ... pa'tikullazi haqqin haqqahh ... jangan pandai2 berhenti kerja kalau kerja lain takde ... !!

Soal politik ditempat kerja ni percayalah dalam mana2 sektor pekerjaan termasuk AJK masjidpun yang imam gaji RM500 sebulanpun ada sesetengah masjid yg berebut .. cucuk belakang , saling nak gulingkan imam dsbg ... inikan pula seorang manager di sebuah syarikat korporat ... Lan pergilah kerja kat mana2pun budaya cucuk belakang, rasuah, tekanan, maki hamun, bodek bos ni tetap ada ... jangan kata berhijrah ke tempat kerja baru masalah akan selesai .. maslah asal tu munkin selesai kejap tapi mssalah lain TOBAT akan datang jugak ...

Sebab bukan soal masalah puncanya tu tapi masalahnya kenapa Lan yang Allah bagi maslah .. samalah bila parents datang jumpa abang bagi tahu anak bermasalah ... abang not interested utk tahu atau kaunseling atau nasihat anak2 tu tapi abang interested nak nasihat parents tu sebab kenapa Allah bagi parents tu anak bermasalah mesti ada sebab ... so abang akan naihatkan parents tu dulu agar muhasabah diri, dekatkan kembali diri dgn Tuhan diuji dapat anak2 bermsalah... dan alhamdulillah bila kita tukar approach ni anak2 dia mula jadi baik dan everything become better ...

Dalam hidup kita ni jgn kita terlalu terikat, sayang, concern, melekat dengan apa2pun dengan sesiapun kecuali Allah sebab tiada apa dunia ini milik kita ... Orang yg terlalu terikat dgn kerja orang nilah susah naik pangkat, orang yg terlalu perfectionist semua kerja nak perfect ... tengok2 rumah tangga dia laa yg tak perfect, student yg terlalu rigid dan perfectionist terlalu cermat yang nilah tak dapat straight A , Parents yg terlalu sygkan anak .. yang nilah dapat anak bermasalah ... Dont be too atached to anything ...

Hiduplah dengan sentiasa positif, sentiasa berusaha utk bersihkan hati, bersihkan hati dari segala perkara yg negatif sebab bila hati kita bersih hidayah tu jadi mudah kita dapat ... segala tindakan kita mscam tepatttt je ... kadang2 kits rasa mengantuk .. mengantuk tupun jadi satu perkara yang baik .. kerana sebab mengantuk tu kita jadi lambat sikit pergi kerja ... dan sebab kita lambat pergi kerja maka kita lambat singgah makan kat warung tepi office dan bila kita sampai office lambat ...makanan dah habisd kat warung dan rupa2nya tengah hari tu ramai orang masuk hospital kerana keracunan makanan dari makanan kat warung tadi tu ... dan kita yang lewat datang ofis tadi tu terselamat .. begitulah hebatnya bila hati bersih ... Segala tindakan jadi tepat ...

Hati Lan kena bersih ... hati Rose pun sama dan hati semua yang membaca artikl ni .. bersih dari segala rasa tak puas hati dgn sesiapapun, dendam, marah, kecewa, dsbg .. penuhi hati dgn rsa sayang, kemaafan , redha, ikhlas, berjuang, rajin, kuat semangat, doa dsbg ... maka hidayah Allah pasti milik kita ... tindakan kita jadi tepat ... kita takkan stress .. kita sentiasa redha ...

Rose jangan pikir sangat paasl Lan ... he knows what he should do ... he should ... at that age he should be fully control about his life and future ... ada orang dah anak 5 at his age ... kalau dia masih tak jelas tentang haluan hidup dia at that age i guess Rose ... no matter where he goes ... nothing change ... he must change himself first in order for the surrounding to be changed ... and this applly to all of us too ;)

Regards,

Abangraja@Aryani Beach Resort

Terengganu

Bukan hanya ada IPT yang banyak dan besar tapi ...

2011-12-20T13:18:00.000+08:00

DEC 12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has recognised that a country’s intellectual capital is its primary asset.

Its “brainpower”, he understands, is the major determinant of its international standing, of its prospects of achieving success and prosperity (Melissa Chi, “PM says intellectual capital determines success of a country”, The Malaysian Insider, December 10, 2011).

So far, so good.

But it is wishful thinking to imagine that all can be saved and made good by the production, in isolation — in a cultural and intellectual vacuum — of a couple of world-class geniuses.

There are many small countries that, against the odds, have surprisingly produced the odd “world-beater.”

But unless these intellectual giants inhabit what may be called a “culturally hospitable environment” in their own countries (and provided, too, that they do not become part of the great international “brain drain”), little will come of their achievements.

Their own mother countries will get little benefit, so past experience suggests, from what, as scholars, they may manage to accomplish.

So forget about producing, as a puzzling exception, the odd stupendously “high flyer.”

One does not produce geniuses in isolation.

Truly outstanding minds are cultivated within, and emerge from, a conducive environment.

They take shape and grow most, and best, in countries where the intellectual capacities and potential of all its citizens are supported, encouraged and cultivated.

In places where, among those offered the chance to pursue a scholarly path, “the life of the mind” in its broad, most humanly inclusive senses is respected and promoted.

In other words, the production of a few geniuses and of a larger number of internationally-ranking “near-geniuses” depends upon the creation of a sound, progressive and internationally competitive primary and secondary education system.

“Internationally competitive”? That means, in the first instance, one that respects the intellectual autonomy and encourages the individual critical capacities of as many young students as may be able to respond to that invitation and to those incentives to learn.

It also rests upon the development, at the next level up, of a tertiary or university system that seeks not simply to produce isolated geniuses or identify, from within the anonymous and mediocre pack, a few potential “winners.”

It can only be done by building up a university system based upon general and ever-rising levels of intellectual, scholarly and academic competence.

If you want to produce geniuses, don’t think “genius”, think “competence” — generalised, overall, “system-wide” competence; think of steadily increasing and ever higher levels of scholarly competence.

It is by insisting, without compromise, upon the universal or “system-wide” international academic competence and respectability of all of its staff that a university can create the conditions under which all will — and can, and must — do better, where the better will perhaps go on to do some work of distinction, and where the best will achieve a level where genius may even, just perhaps, become a feasible objective and a realisable achievement.

That is what universities, particularly universities in “non-metropolitan” and especially formerly colonialised countries should be focusing upon.

On that, and not the ultimately subjective, mechanically generated, and always dubious ranking systems that are produced under scholarly conditions and auspices that are themselves of questionable rather than truly authentic, well-attested international scholarly credibility.

The prime minister has expressed the hope of perhaps producing one or two genuine Malaysian geniuses.

His favoured strategy, in other words, is that of “building upon the few” — rather than of working towards eventually producing a few, perhaps even more than a few, really outstanding scholars by a strategy of “building upon, building up, and encouraging the many.”

Yet top-level or “elite” educational achievement is only ever realised from a quality mass educational foundation or basis. It is not produced by seeking, from the outset, to identify “promise” and then to “cosset” a supposedly promising yet narrow elite.

The world’s high mountains stand upon and emerge from massive, high mountain ranges. They do not rise, splendidly and unpredictably, from the monotonous flatlands of vast, featureless coastal plains.
Arguments by metaphor and analogy — by ibarat and kias — are never absolutely compelling. But here the comparison is appropriate, the geographical image is indicative.

Genius rises from a broad terrain that itself stands high.

Building up the many, raising the overall level of the multitude, steadily raising the scholarly quality of the nation’s academic legions?

Is this what Malaysia, during all these long years since 1957 and especially in the years of vast expansion since 1970, has been doing?

I think not.

It is very hard, if not impossible, to produce that kind of high-quality national intellectual armoury in a country whose public universities, between them, cannot show just one internationally credible, or reputable, school or department of modern world philosophy and logic, not one plausible academic “unit” devoted to the study and teaching modern global intellectual and cultural history, not one
adequate (or even inadequate!) department of modern political studies, theory and philosophy.

Why are these things important? Why do they matter?

Do they matter to a nation’s ability even to produce good scientists and technicians?

Yes.

Why?

Because academic and scholarly competence — at any serious international level, and certainly at the highest — requires, and emerges from, and can only be fostered within a context, and as an aspect, of a generalised “cultural modernity.”

Was Einstein the product of a closed, intellectually isolated, and narrowly inward-looking scientific community? Of a culture of unworldly and vulgar “tech-nerds”?

No. It was the great breadth and cultural richness of the German scholarly community during the Weimar Republic years that enabled not only Einstein but a whole vast “cohort” of world-class scientists to emerge.

Germany was foolish, once it fell captive to the political mystique of Blut und Boden (“Blood and those with national identities grounded in the native land”), to drive so many of those great scientists into exile, where they ended up contributing massively to the defeat of Hitler’s Reich. But that is another story …

Instead of focusing on that intellectually foolish and humanly tragic waste, I prefer to think of one of the truly humbling experiences of my life.

That was, some 12 years ago in Berlin, when I entered the great rotunda of the main building of that city’s main university: once (including when my mother had been a student there in the early 1930s) the Friedrich-Wilhelm Universitaet; now, since the years of the old German Democratic Republic, and still, felicitously named the Humboldt University after the two great early nineteenth–century German scholarly brothers of that name.

Along the wide spiral stairs of that grand central rotunda are displayed the photographic portraits of more than 50 Nobel Prize winners, mainly in medicine and the physical sciences, whom that one university produced, mainly in the pre-Nazi era.

Has Malaysia any prospects for registering such an achievement?

Perhaps, ultimately.

But one must start with realistic steps and proper measures, based upon an accurate analysis of the problem and an appropriate assessment of what its pursuit may require.

Some countries — let us be honest, many countries, all too many, including some that do not lack the necessary means, the wealth and material resources — have realistically no chance of ever registering such a scholarly success.

Some simply lack the material means that might enable such success to be realised. Poverty delivers its cruel verdict in many ways, both individually and collectively, including at the level of national accomplishment.

This, happily, has never been Malaysia’s problem.

It not only has the resources.

It has also allocated and spent them.

But has it spent them well?

Again, I think not.

Some countries have the necessary resources but lack the will to spend them on, and to invest massively, in public education.

That failure follows from a lack of wisdom, a poverty that is mental and moral, or cultural, rather than material.

But that, again, has not been Malaysia’s problem. There has been no mean-spirited limitation here upon the government’s readiness to devote national resources to the educational sector.
But has success that might be commensurate with that great expenditure been registered? Have the foundations for overall excellence, perhaps even for the production of some Malaysian geniuses, been laid down and consolidated?

I fear not.

After years of close-up, sympathetic and friendly involvement in this country’s leading academic institutions, I shake my head in dismay.

Toward the end of his days, my good friend, the late and great Malay scholar and writer Rustam A. Sani, from a much closer and deeper record of involvement in Malaysian university life, used to shed bitter tears over this matter, over what might have been achieved but never was.

At the end he surveyed what he saw as a failed public and intellectual culture, nurtured and now wrongfully protected and promiscuously reproduced within failed public universities. In sum, a failure of Malay, and Malaysian, cultural modernity.

That combination, he feared, threatened to produce, half a century after Merdeka, a “failed nation.”
When I think of the situation of expensively produced intellectual desolation that so pained Rustam, I can only agree.

I can only think — with apologies to the memory of those who died in the Battle of Britain to save England from a Germany that, without the tempering presence of the best and most generous minds it has ever produced, went wild — of Churchill’s evocative tribute.

I recall, and perhaps shamefully adapt for my own ends, those famous words of Winston Churchill to express my dismay at the meagre scholarly life and at the mediocre quality of the array of academic institutions that Malaysia has so generously, but ever so unrewardingly, created.

Never before in the field of human educational endeavour — I am forced painfully to conclude — has so much been spent so liberally upon so many, with so little in the way of quality results to show for the money: with such a lack of distinguished accomplishment, with such a dismal lack of quality result, both specifically academic and broadly cultural, to justify that vast outlay of national wealth and precious resources.

The prime minister would like one or two geniuses.

Perhaps one or two genuinely good, internationally credible universities would be a beginning.
A more modest goal. But a necessary first step towards the stellar achievement of which he dares to have Malaysia dream.

* Clive S. Kessler is Emeritus Professor Sociology and Anthropology at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Before returning to his “native” Australia in 1980 to a professorship in that university, he had held academic lecturing positions at the London School of Economics and Political Science (The University of London) and at Barnard College, Columbia University, New York. He has been a Visiting Fellow at The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. In recognition of his scholarly work and standing he was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. He has been a Visiting Professor and External Examiner at leading Malaysian universities.

sources :
Dr. Clive Kessler
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 12, 2011

2011-12-20T12:31:00.000+08:00

Puisi Untuk Kekasih (Usman Awang)

kupintal buih-buih

menjadi tali mengikatmu

akan kuanyam gelombang-gelombang

menjadi hamparan ranjang tidurmu

akan kutenun awan-gemawan

menjadi selendang menundungi rambutmu

akan kujahit bayu gunung

menjadi baju pakaian malammu

akan kupetik bulan gerhana

menjadi lampu menyuluhi rindu

akan kurebahkan mentari

menjadi laut malammu

menghirup sakar madumu

kekasih,

hitunglah mimpi

yang membunuh realiti

dengan syurga ilusi

kekasih,

cintaku padamu umpama ombak

yang tetap setia memukul pantai.

walau dilanda gelombang dan badai

pintaku kasih,

kenang daku dalam diari hatimu

walaupun jauh di sudut hati

akan pasti aku hargai....