FRIDAY-26 SEPTEMBER 2008- NEW CURRICULUM FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN 2010

New curriculum for primary schools in 2010

PUTRAJAYA:

A new curriculum will be introduced at the primary school level in 2010 to make it more holistic and less examination-oriented. Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said this would replace the existing primary school integrated curriculum (KBSR), which was first introduced in 1983 and subsequently reviewed in 2000. “The new curriculum will be based on six key areas to produce holistic individuals,” he told reporters after releasing the third progress report based on the New Education Blueprint 2006-2010. These six areas, he added, were communication, spiritual attitude and values, humanitarianism, science and technology literacy, physical and aesthetics, and personal development. Hishammuddin said the implications of the new curriculum would include changes in the time table, syllabus and curriculum, while teachers will be trained to become more multi-specialised. The emphasis in Years One and Two, he added, would be on ensuring pupils mastered reading, writing, arithmetic and reasoning skills, scientific and ICT knowledge, and nurturing creativity. In Years’Four, Five and Six, he said the emphasis would be on acquiring more complex skills and knowledge. Hishammuddin said the Ministry was also transforming the national assessment system, moving from a centralised examination to a school-based assessment. Suggestions, he added, which were being studied include creating a database of students’ development, reducing the number of examination papers and subjects, and assessing based on semesters. He said the main aim of the transformation was to make learning fun and to move away from an examination-oriented environment. The Ministry, he added, was also transforming technical and vocational education to make it more relevant and attractive to students. The execution of the New Education Blueprint 2006-20 10 is going according to schedule despite the prevailing economic challenges as a result of high inflation and fuel price fluctuations, said Hishammuddin. He said the economic challenges had caused costs to go up by 20 per cent making the ceiling cost for the programme to reach RM5.929 billion. However, as a result of the re-prioritising of projects planned under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, it allowed the PIPP to be continued without any hiccups, he said. The PIPP aims to bring a about a quantum leap in the standard of education in the country so that it is on par with that of advanced countries. Hishammuddin said in terms of progress made, 235 action plans or 73.43 per cent of the 320 listed had been achieved. For this year, he said the emphasis was on bringing about a transformation in the curricula at the pre-school and primary level apart from renewal in the secondary education system including technical and vocational schools. He said the efforts were focused at producing human capital in tune with market needs. On a call by Bintulu Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing asking Sarawak Education Director Dr Julaihi Bujang to resign for allegedly being slow to act on students engaging in sexual activities in Bintulu schools, Hishammuddin said the call by the MP was rather extreme.

FRIDAY-26 SEPTEMBER 2008- HEAD OF STATE, SHELL ENTERTAIN LESS FORTUNATE

Head of State, Shell entertain less fortunate

KOTA KINABALU:

Shell Malaysia and Yayasan Tun Ahmadshah entertained 150 orphans, single mothers, the physically challenged and senior citizens to a breaking of fast evening at a leading hotel here last Sunday evening. The joint corporate social responsibility programme was graced by Yang DiPertua Negeri, Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah Abdullah and Toh Puan Datuk Sen Panglima Hajah Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar, who joined the breaking fast and terawih prayers. Speaking at the event, Shell Malaysia’s General Manager for Corporate Affairs, Datuk Wahiruddin Abdul Wahid, said the joint programme with Yayasan Tun Ahmadshah was aimed at bringing cheer to the less fortunate members of our society particularly in this auspicious month of Ramadhan. Wahiruddin added that the evening also presented an opportunity for Shell people to enhance the existing cordial relationship with their stakeholders and the local community. Yayasan Tun Ahmadshah Chairman Datuk Haji Iskandar Datuk Haji Malik said they were happy to host the programme in collaboratihn with Shell Malaysia for the second time after the first one in 2006. At the event, Shell Malaysia donated RM20,000 to Yayasan Tun Ahmadshah and RM3,000 each to 10 welfare homes and NGOs in Sabah to enable these voluntary àrganizations to conduct their welfare activities to assist the less fortunate and the disadvantaged. Besides receiving Raya money, the special guests were also entertained to nasyid performances.

FRIDAY-26 SEPTEMBER 2008- FISHERMAN NOT RESPONSIVE TO AID

Fishermen not responsive to aid

Only 2,000 register for monthly allowance

KOTA KINABALU:

Fishermen in the hardcore poor bracket in Sabah are not very responsive to the subsistence allowance provided by the Federal Government, Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) Chairman Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail said. “Out of the 15,000 hardcore poor fishermen identified in Sabah, slightly more than 2,000 have registered themselves for the RM200 monthly allowance,” he said before breaking fast with the media here yesterday. Most of those who registered are boat owners and not crew members although the latter are also entitled to the assistance, he said. According to Abdul Rahim, the Federal Government has allocated RM180 million annually as subsistence allowance for hardore poor fishermen thrughout the country. LKIM, he said, has RM14 million monthly to dispense to fishermen needing assistance but since the scheme started in June this year, has paid out about half, or RM7.7 million monthly, to registered fishermen. He attributed this to the low number of registered fishermen as some of them have not bothered to renew their membership for the assistance scheme. “It is therefore the responsibility of the Fisheries Department in Sabah to go and register the fishermen so they are entitled to the assistance scheme,” he said, adding the recipients must be genuine fishermen to qualify. Abdul Rahim also said that he hopes to see at least half or 7,000 of the fishermen registered by the closing date for the scheme which is Oct 30. “Of course it does not mean that we will stop registering these people after Oct 30. We will continue as the deadline is only to ensure those who have registered receive the arrears,” he said. He also suggested billboards with information about LKIM’s assistance programmes be put up in coastal towns to promote awareness about what is available among the fishermen. Asked about abuse of e-diesel supplied to fishermen, Abdul Rahim pointed out that LKIM’s job is only to supply the fuel to the fishing industry. “After that is another story but you must remember e-diesel is not only supplied to the fishing industry,” he said. So far, the issue of the abuse has little impact on the fishermen and it is up to the relevant enforcement agencies to take the necessary action, he added.

FRIDAY-26 SEPTEMBER 2008- LOCAL LOSES CITIZENSHIP

Local loses citizenship
Sino-Kadazan issued with Permanent Resident card instead of MyKad

PENAMPANG:

Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin lost her Malaysian citizenship the day she lost her purse. The 78-year-old Sino-Kadazan who was born at Kampung Mahandoi here, had also lost access to her Amanah Saham Nasional and Alliance Bank accounts, and now is unable to renew her international passport which expired this year. “Life has not been the same, it is very difficult. I never depended on anyone before but now I have nothing to hold on to. I have lost everything,” Yong said, speaking fluent Malay, and would sometimes converse in perfect Kadazan when referring to her sons on some facts. Before, life had been great. Just a year ago, she had everything. She was free to move around and had even travelled abroad with her church group. “I have been to Israel, Hong Kong and Rome. Life was good for 77 years until I lost my purse to a pickpocket while shopping at a hypermall here in February last year. I only realised it was missing while standing at the counter to pay for my groceries. “I lodged a police report immediately after the incident, and later applied for the MyKad and was given this red- coloured card after a few months. Initially I thought it was nice and beautiful. I actually felt special. And so I paid the RM60 processing fee and couldn’t wait to get home. ‘At home, I quickly showed it to my children, feeling proud of my new card, but my happy smile quickly turned sour when they told me the card was for a Permanent Resident, which meant that I have lost my citizenship,” she said. They brought the matter up with the National Registration Department Office, bringing all support documents such as her Native Certificate issued by the Native Court on September 24, 1963, previous copies of her High Quality Identification Card and MyKad, bank books, and passport, but was told that the MyPR card is given to elderly applicants. “Now I am so ashamed to carry MyPR around. I would rather use my driving licence for identification purposes. But despite being dubbed as a non-citizen of Malaysia, I went and practised my rights and voted at Peak Nam Thong Kindergarten during the March 8 general election. I used my driving licence for identification, and I was allowed to vote. She was even asked to re-apply her citizenship, and would be given an answer within six months. But it has been almost a year now, and still there has been no news on her application. “It saddens me as my children told me that I am no longer a Malaysian citizen, and worse, I am stateless. My life has turned upside down,” she said, explaining that she was supposed to follow her church group to Indonesia next month and go for holidays with her family to China some time this year, but sadly, had to let it go since her passport could not be renewed. “Initially, the Immigration Department officer assured me that I could still renew my passport, but later told me that my data was no longer available in the system... so they cancelled my passport. “I just wonder how come this could have happened. My children had been helping me to fight for my rights at many departments and an officer with NRD told them that when an elderly person applies for the MyKad, he or she would be given the MyPR instead. “Is this a new policy? How come we never heard about it before?” she asked, adding that they have exhausted every effort to find a solution to the matter. The issue was then brought to Moyog Assemblyman Donald Mojuntin’s attention, who is also United Pasok Momogun Kadazan Dusun Murut Organisation(Upko) Citizenship and Security Bureau Chairman, yesterday. “This is a serious matter where an elderly woman, who was born and lived her life in Sabah, was stripped off her citizenship. I will bring the matter up to NRD Director while Party President, Tan Sri Bernard V Dompok, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, would highlight it to the Home Minister, Datuk Syed Hamid Albar, as soon as possible. “Sabahans have long been complaining about the presence of illegal immigrants and foreigners with identification cards, but a Malaysian citizen is stripped off her citizenship. If her citizenship is in doubt, then her eight children may also be affected in the future. She has a native title land, can you see the repercussions? “No explanation is satisfactory to us now. If there is a policy change, it should be publicized, not inform the victim when they are already in trouble... in some ways, yes it shows efficiency in the Government departments and agencies, but somehow, it also shows the lack of communication between NRD and EC,” he said. Mojuntin stressed that what ever happened to Yong could happen to anyone else. “We want to put a stop to this… we must do it now before it is too late,” he stressed.

THURSDAY-25 SEPTEMBER 2008- KK NEEDS NEW COURT BUILDING, SAYS SLA

KK needs new court building, says SLA

KOTA KINABALU:

The courthouse in Kota Kinabalu requires a new building to enable it to keep up with the workload in recent times, according to the Sabah Law Association (SLA). Its President, Datuk John Sikayun, said that in spite of the crammed working conditions at the courts here, the cases in Kota Kinabalu are disposed of within a reasonable time frame. He said SLA is happy with the cooperation given by the courts in Sabah, especially in Kota Kinabalu, despite the congested working environment where in some instances two support staff have to share one table. Some staff even have to place tables on corridors due to the space limitation while parts of the court lock-up, parking space and store room have been converted into office space and filing rooms, said Sikayun yesterday. “SLA hopes that the authorities concerned would consider a new building for the KK courts in keeping up with the workload in recent times,” he said in a statement. The SLA meanwhile applauds the Federal Court for taking to task those responsible for the protracted and inordinate delay in the disposal of a wrongful dismissal case of a Government servant which took 26 years and six months. Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Zaki Tun Azmi, who presided the hearing of the case with two Federal Court Judges, also called on the authorities to consider implementing time frames in their rules to avoid a delay in investigations of cases. Sikayun said SLA supports the idea of a time frame for the completion of investigations. He noted that in respect of court cases, although there is no time period fixed by law for their disposal, SLA is of the view that every effort must be made to adhere to a self-imposed reasonable timeline. “Insofar as Sabah and Sarawak Courts are concerned, we are fortunate that the Computerised Case Management (CMS) has been implemented. “With this system, protracted delays and instances of overlooked cases have become a thing of the past as the system would alert the Court Officials whenever that happens,” said Sikayun. Under the CMS, Sikayun said, cases are electronically registered and managed from the point of filing at the counter up to the disposal and appeal stages. “The target time frame of disposal of civil cases is about 12 to 18 months from date of filing and for criminal cases it is about six to 12 months,” he said.

THURSDAY-25 SEPTEMBER 2008- FOETUSES FOUND IN DUSTBIN, DUMP SITE

Foetuses found in dustbin, dump site

KOTA KINABALU:

Two dead foetuses were found at a dust bin at Beverly Hills Apartment in Penampang and at the Kayu Matang dump site in Telipok yesterday. In the first case, curiosity led a security guard to the discovery of a dead foetus in a partially covered hole next to the dustbin. The guard immediately informed the Police and a team was rushed to the scene to carry out investigation, said District Police Chief DSP Madang Usat. Madang said they received the call around 8am yesterday and found the foetus wrapped in a colourful towel and black plastic bag in a hole next to the large dustbins. The foetus has been sent to the hospital for examination,” he said, adding that police have yet to make any arrest in connection with the case. It was learned that the guard who was doing his rounds at the area had seen a woman throwing something near the dustbins around 5. 40am. Hours later, the curious guard went to check and made the discovery. Anyone with information on the case is advised to come forward to assist police in their investigation. They may contact Penampang Police Station at 088-712222. In the second case, a semi- decomposed foetus of a boy was found by workers at the dump site in Telipok. The workers were separating the rubbish when they came across the foetus which was wrapped in a black plastic bag. It was believed to have been dead for three days. Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief ACP Ahmad Sofi Zakaria said the police received a call from the workers regarding the discovery of the foetus. After a report was lodged, the foetus was sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for postmortem. According to the workers, the rubbish at the dump site is collected from Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran and Penampang areas.

THURSDAY-25 SEPTEMBER 2008- POWER REBATE FROM OCT 1

Power rebate from Oct 1

KOTA KINABALU:

Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd Sdn Bhd will implement the power rebate for domestic consumers with a monthly bill not exceeding RM20 beginning Oct 1 this year. Its Managing Director, Ir Baharin Din, said this is in line with the power rebate that was announced in the National Budget 2009 by the Government in August this year. He said the decision also shows SESB’s support for the Government’s caring attitude in easing the financial burden of consumers from the lower income group in Sabah. A total of 63,000 consumers will benefit from the rebate that will cost the utility company RM750,000 a month, Baharin said after a courtesy call on Head of State Tun Ahmadshah at the Istana Negeri here yesterday. “The rebate for Sabah is the same as the rate being enjoyed by consumers in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak,” he said. According to him, the rebate could indirectly educate consumers to be prudent and use electricity more efficiently. Baharin said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced during the tabling of the National Budget 2009 in Parliament last month that households which incur electricity bills of RM2O or less will not have to pay for electricity from Oct 1 2008 to Dec 31 2009. About 1.1 million people across the country will benefit from the Government’s decision to - implement the rebate, he added.