Do you know that an estimated 6.5% of all people ever born are still alive today?

An interesting subject I want to share. Did you know that an estimated 6.5% of all people ever born are still alive today?


Source at www.livescience.com here: 

Source:LiveScience

After the Dong Zong/DAP rally its Urgent to look at the SatuSekolahUntukSemua Idea

An article by Dr. Ridhuan Tee sourced here:

Bahaya tuntutan ultra kiasu

(Utusan Malaysia 28 Mac 2012)

Ahad lalu kita dikejutkan dengan Perhimpunan 325 ultra kiasu sekitar kolej perkauman mereka, ala universiti merdeka di Kajang. Saya tertanya-tanya bagaimana perhimpunan perkauman sebegini diberikan permit. Sepatutnya ISA lah jawapannya. Tetapi kita tidak pernah lakukan. Ini toleransi dan mulianya hati budi pemimpin. Berbanding dengan undang-undang di Singapura, panggilan ‘anjing’ sudah membolehkan seseorang itu dipenjara atau didenda dan beberapa kemudahan ditarik balik. Di negara kita, tiada sebarang tindakan dikenakan walaupun perkataan lebih hina dan lucah digunakan serta sentimen perkauman dimainkan.

Saya telah pergi ke kolej yang dipunyai oleh ultra kiasu ini (tempat perhimpunan) enam tahu lalu. Operasinya langsung tidak mencerminkan identiti kebangsaan, sama seperti kolej di negeri China. Laman webnya pun langsung tidak menggunakan bahasa Melayu. Saya tidak faham bagaimana kolej ini boleh diikhtiraf sebagai salah satu IPTS negara ini. Apa boleh buat, semua telah diluluskan. Kita tidak pernah bertegas, malah semakin tunduk kepada tuntutan dan tekanan. Malang sungguh negara ini, identiti kebangsaan langsung tidak tertonjol,yang menonjol adalah identiti orang lain.

Beberapa laman web ultra kiasu melaporkan perhimpunan tersebut disertai oleh lebih 5000 orang. Manakala akhbar ultra kiasu melaporkan lebih 7000 orang. Angka tidak penting, walaupun sering dimanipulasikan oleh akhbar ultra kiasu untuk menunjukkan mereka hebat. Tidak mustahil bilangannya agak ramai kerana jika pelajar-pelajar dan ibu bapa kolej ultra kiasunya turun, sudah cukup mendapatkan angka tersebut. Pada saya, perhimpunan ini tidak perlu dianggap sebagai satu gugatan. Apa yang penting adalah tindakan pro aktif kita, bukan action oriented, takut kepada mereka. Agenda kebangsaan mesti diperkasakan daripada agenda perkauman komunis mereka.

Tuntutan mereka amat tidak logik dan begitu ektrem. Inilah strategi komunis yang dipakai sekian lama. Walaupun komunis telah tiada, tetapi pemikirannya masih kuat. Tuntut sebanyak-banyaknya, mereka tahu kerajaan tidak akan tunduk. Namun, kerajaan akan beri sedikit. Pemberian sedikit itulah kemenangan terbesar buat mereka. Kerajaan sepatutnya sudah dapat membaca strategi lapok ini. Jangan gentar sama sekali dengan ugutan menjelang pilihan raya. Biar kalah, tetapi bermaruah, daripada menang, tetapi tergadai segala-galanya. Generasi akan datang menderita. Kita akan dikutuk sampai bila-bila

Antara tuntutan kumpulan ultra kiasu ini adalah;

Pertama, segera keluarkan guru Cina yang tidak latar belakang sekolah Cina atau mengambil mandarin dalam sijil SPM.

Kedua, sediakan kursus khas bahasa Cina kepada guru yang mengajar Bahasa Melayu dan Bahasa Inggeris, minima tiga tahun, supaya mereka dapat menguasai ketiga-tiga bahasa ini.

Ketiga, rombak silibus latihan perguruan supaya guru bahasa Cina benar-benar layak untuk mengajar bahasa Cina.

Keempat, rombak akta pelajaran bagi memastikan sekolah vernakular dilindungi dan setaraf dengan sekolah kebangsaan.
Siapakah ultra kiasu ini yang begitu biadab dan kurang ajar, yang begitu berani mencabar kerajaan? Mereka tidak layak hidup di negara bertuah yang memberikan banyak kebebasan sehinggakan identiti negara tidak terserlah. Tuntutan ini amat tidak masuk akal. Sebahagian orang Cina sendiri tidak selesa dengan tuntutan terlalu ultra ini. Justeru, tidak wajar kita salahkan semua orang Cina.

Saya cadangkan ultra kiasu membawa tuntutan yang boleh memporakperandakan negara ini ke negara komunis China. Saya amat yakin, komunis China pun tidak dapat menerimanya walaupun berkaitan dengan agenda bangsa Cina, kerana memberi ancaman kepada keselamatan kerajaan. Tidak perlu pergi jauh, lihatlah berapa ramai yang menjadi korban dalam peristiwa Tiananmen 1989, hanya kerana mereka menuntut kebebasan dan demokrasi? Seramai 400-800 orang (The New York Times) telah menjadi korban dan ribuan cedera. Selain tindakan ketenteraan, kerajaan China telah melakukan penangkapan besar-besaran untuk menyekat kebangkitan penunjuk perasaan dan pengikut pro demokrasi di seluruh China.

Media asing diharamkan dari membuat liputan. Media awam dikawal dalam membuat segala liputan media mengenai kejadian tersebut. Lihat betapa bertuahnya negara ini, media ultra kiasu mempropagandakan isu ini tidak pernah habis dan terus memainkan sentiment perkauman. Kita terus berlembut. Jika adapun tindakan, hanya surat tunjuk sebab dan amaran, pun tidak berani menjentiknya. Kenapa? Takut mereka tidak mengundi kita. Nasihat saya, berilah sebanyak manapun, ultra kiasu tidak akan mengundi kita.

Apa yang dibuat oleh kerajaan kita terhadap perhimpunan perkauman ini? Boleh dikatakan tiada. Mereka terus melakukan provokasi. Jika Kementerian Pelajaran tunduk kepada tuntutan ultra ini, maruah kita berada di tahap yang paling hina dan amat rendah sekali. Jangan terlalu mengharapkan undi sehingga maruah dan harga diri negara ini tergadai. Pentingkan agenda kebangsaan berbanding agenda bangsa. Jika mereka benar-benar ikhlas sudah tentu agenda kebangsaan (bahasa Melayu) dibincang atau dibawa bersekali. Ini tidak, semuanya mesti cina, cina dan cina seperti di negeri China.

Mereka tidak pernah risau sebahagian produk SJKC yang langsung tidak boleh menguasai dan berkomunikasi dalam bahasa kebangsaan. Malah mereka tutup kedua-dua belah mata. Masalah yang dihadapi oleh kementerian pelajaran, langsung tidak mahu diambil tahu. Mereka hanya tahu hak mereka mesti dipenuhi. Hak orang lain langsung tidak dihiraukan. Sedangkan toleransi kerajaan sudah sampai ke tahap maksimum. Tindakan sebegini hanya akan membuahkan dendam.

Dalam pembinaan negara bangsa, tidak salah jika orang Cina kurang sedikit kecinaannya, lebih kepada kemalaysiaannya. Lagipun mereka bukan bangsa majoriti. Barulah betul dikatakan Malaysian first. Saya tidak nampak identiti dan jatidiri orang Melayu dan bumiputera hari ini begitu terangkat dan terdarjat walaupun mereka adalah majoriti. Mereka sanggup berkorban menggadaikan identiti bangsanya, demi menjaga hati orang lain. Namun, madu dibalas tuba. Ingatan saya kepada kerajaan, jangan biarkan pemikiran komunis ini menguasai kita.

Toleransi kita sudah tidak ada tolok banding. Dahulu, terdapat peruntukan Akta Pelajaran 1961 memberi kuasa mutlak kepada Menteri Pelajaran untuk menghapuskan sekolah vernakular. Sebagai menghormati hak bangsa lain, peruntukan ini telah dimansuhkan dalam Akta Pelajaran 1996. Menteri Pelajaran tidak ada kuasa lagi menghapuskan sekolah vernakular. Nampaknya, pemikiran komunis tidak pernah menghargai toleransi kerajaan.

SJKC yang dahulunya dikategorikan sebagai sekolah bantuan modal, hari ini hampir ditanggung sepenuhnya oleh kerajaan. Ini tidak termasuk hampir 400 SJKC yang dibina sepenuhnya oleh kerajaan termasuk bangunan dan tanah. Menjelang pilihan raya, ke mana sahaja Perdana Menteri membuat lawatan ada sahaja SJKC/T baru yang diluluskan. Rumah ibadat janganlah dicerita.

Saya tidak pasti penambahan Sekolah Kebangsaan dan sekolah agama, sebab tidak dilaporkan. Yang pasti, bangsa lain semakin mendapat tempat dan diraikan menjelang pilihan raya umum. Tidak cukup dengan itu, kaduk terus naik junjung, mereka terus mendesak ditambah lagi, seolah-olah tidak pernah cukup, termasuk penambahan Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan (SMJKC) dan Sekolah Persendirian Cina serta sijil-sijil sekolah perkauman (UEC) yang mesti diikhtiraf.

Maka tidak hairanlah, baru-baru ini Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi telah menerima 146 institusi pengajian tinggi di China menjadi kumpulan pertama yang diiktiraf Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia (MQA), susulan Perjanjian Pengiktirafan Seiring (MRA) yang ditandatangani Malaysia dan China pada 28 April 2011.

Antara universiti China yang diiktiraf ialah Universiti Anhui, Universiti Beihang, Universiti Fudan dan Universiti Donghua. Ini tidak termasuk kerjasama dengan Taiwan. Saya tidak menolak akan kerjasama tersebut, tetapi apakah mekanisme seterusnya. Siapakah yang akan belajar di sana? Apakah kritirianya? Menggunakan SPM atau UEC? Bagaimana pemantauan boleh dilakukan dengan lambakan IPTS perkauman yang tidak terkawal terutama kolej ultra kiasu di Kajang itu. Selepas ini dan selama inipun mereka terus mendesak supaya agar graduan-graduan mereka ini diterima memasuki perkhidmatan awam tanpa syarat.

Jika demonstrasi inilah yang mahu dijadikan ukuran untuk menggegarkan kerajaan, saya fikir sekolah agama rakyatpun akan berdemonstrasi juga. Lihatlah dan pergilah membuat lawatan ke sekolah agama rakyat, ibarat segan mati tak mahu. Pernahkah orang Islam membuat tunjuk perasaan seperti ultra kiasu. Sedangkan hak Islam dan orang Islam dijamin dengan jelas dalam perlembagaan, terutama perkara berkaitan dengan pembinaan institusi Islam yang mesti dibiayai oleh negara.

Saya tidak pernah risau majoriti mereka mengejek timbalan menteri pelajaran ketika perhimpunan. Ini sebahagian daripada taktik strategi mereka. Selepas ini perkara ini akan dibawa kepada menteri pelajaran dan diminta menebuskan balik penghinaan tersebut untuk menagih simpati. Akhirnya, kerajaan jadi sedih bersimpati, dan memberikan segala tuntutan mereka. Taktik lapok ini sudah lama saya fahami. Bila tuntutan itu dipenuhi, malah menteri tersebut akan dijulang kembali oleh ultra kiasu.

Bayangkan jika kita tunduk kepada tuntutan tersebut, apakah akan terjadi kepada agenda kebangsaan dan pembinaan negara bangsa. Saya menyeru kepada Umno dan Pas, jangan tunduk kepada ultra kiasu ini. Sama ada dipenuhi atau tidak, tuntutan mereka, mereka tidak akan mengundi Umno (BN) dalam pilihan raya akan datang. Bukti yang ada sudah cukup jelas. Jika diberi, bermaharajalelalah mereka. Jika tidak diberikan pun, mereka masih menang, kerana mereka sudah ada wakil dalam BN dan kerajaan ultra kiasu di beberapa negeri.

Justeru, janganlah lihat demonstrasi ultra kiasu ini sebagai ancaman. Tetapi lihat demontrasi itu sebagai peluang untuk kita memperkasakan agenda kebangsaan, bukannya tunduk kepada pemikiran komunis ini .

Prof. Madya Dr. Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah
Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia

If the Gomen capitulates to extremist demands of the Dong Zong and like minded whose obsession to the Mandarin Language is really out of place in a multiracial Malaysia, I am afraid  in the longer run the barrier to racial interaction will become bigger and bigger and will be  too big to overcome even if  all politicians from both sides of the divide  belatedly tried to finally do something about it. What will happen to Malaysia as an oasis of racial tolerance then?

Language barrier to racial interaction, study reveals

TMI By Debra Chong

April 26, 2011

Students in a corridor of a vernacular school in Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — A significant number of secondary school dropouts with Chinese primary vernacular education have little, or zero, command of English or the national language, according to a study.

Observers say this has created a group of Chinese who only interact within their own ethnic community and points to increasing racial polarisation in multicultural Malaysia.

Education ministry studies have shown that nearly one in four Chinese students has failed to complete secondary school education and their dropout rate is virtually the same as that for Malays and other races.

In the latest survey of 159 schools nationwide last year, the National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) found that one-third of students from those schools cannot understand either English or Bahasa Malaysia (BM) when they transfer to national secondary schools.

Another one-third was found to be able to understand only a little bit of English or BM, while the remaining one-third could comprehend fully.

NUTP secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng told The Malaysian Insider the survey was to find out the reasons for the high dropout rate among the Chinese students required to participate in the “remove class”, a year-long programme to ease their transfer from Chinese primary school to Malay-medium government school.

“Some students are not interested in their studies and play around,” she said, but deferred commenting on the significance of the survey.

Retired school principal Cheng Su Chean said there were Chinese students who were fluent in both BM and English and credited it to their wide exposure to different cultures outside school.

“Most of our Chinese children do not have this sort of environment. And nowadays, they do not mix around, not like our time,” said the 68-year-old, who was formerly headmistress of SRJK (C) Pudu in the capital city. [My Thoughts...the situation will get worse if Dong Zong's demands are met by the Gomen bent on appeasing the extremists just to get a few votes as the majority Chinese would not be voting the BN/UMNO anyway]

“Their interaction is limited. Ninety-eight per cent keep to their Chinese friends and so speak Chinese every day,” she added.

Senior fellow Socio-economic and Environmental Research Institute (Seri), Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon, observed that “this is one of the contributory factors leading to racial polarisation”.

“Because of the linguistic barrier, they are not able to interact with their peers in school,” he said.

The Penang-based pundit also noted that many of those who came from a low economic class formed the bulk of the drop-outs, which created a vicious cycle as “education was no longer a vehicle for social advancement” due to the language barrier.

“They can’t get into government-sanctioned training institutes, so they don’t even have the basic skills [to get a job],” Toh said.

“Because of this, some might go overseas where they may end up as illegal workers... which could contribute to the black economy,” he added.

Tan Yew Sing who heads the KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall admitted that the problem was very serious and the association had set up a committee to look into the issue and arrest the problem.

He said the racial divide has become more pronounced in the last 10 years, starting with primary school education.

“The whole [education] system needs to be revamped... We need to find out how to build up an environment for interaction with people of difference races,” Tan told The Malaysian Insider.

I totally agree that the whole education system needs to be revamped. The answer to the increasing issue of racial interaction and hence polarisation in a Malaysia where the majority are Malays/Bumis and where the Chinese and Indians are a decreasing minority group can and will only be found in a a one School For All System. Read here too.

Dong Zong/DAP rally: Calling all reasonable Malaysians to reject the racist demands

Yes sirree the supremacist in DZ fully instigated by the supposedly Malaysian First DAP who even tried to chase Deputy Minister Wee Ka Siong from the rally,  are sure not shy about telling Malaysians that the shortage of Teachers must be filled by Chinese Speaking teachers no matter what subject is being taught, not only that they want  “beratus-ratus guru dipindah keluar adalah atas alasan mereka tidak mempunyai kelulusan SPM dalam bahasa Cina". in short they  DO NOT WANT non Chinese speaking teachers in their Chinese school period:

Dong Zong president Yap Sin Tian in his speech said the rally aims to make a point of how serious the shortage is, and for the immediate removal of the non-Chinese speaking teachers placed in the primary schools earlier this year. 

Yap also said not only was the shortage yet to be resolved, the government has placed more and more non-Chinese speaking teachers in schools for subjects other than English and Bahasa Malaysia. 

It also wanted the ministry to conduct special courses for Chinese primary school Chinese language teachers who have taught Bahasa Malaysia or English for at least three years so that they also are qualified to teach all three languages. 

Source of report here.

Can anybody tell me how much Mandarin does a Malaysian who lives and work in Malaysia needs to know? While I appreciate the need to remember the place where one ancestor comes from, I think the DZ and their supporters need to remind themselves that they are living in and are citizens of Malaysia. 

50 odd years ago, the vernacular schools were born of tolerance among our founding fathers, after 50 years, the Chinese Educationists NGO the Dong Zong and gleefully supported by the chauvinist Chinese DAP in particular threathens to turn the vernacular school into a racially intolerant place refusing to even allow non mandarin speaking Teachers to teach any subject be it English or even our official language Bahasa Malaysia. This is a reaction by sms from my Malaysian Chinese friend and  I quote verbatim "How can Dong Zong insist non-Chinese speaking teachers can't teach in Chinese schs? Unreasonable n racist! Many chinese can't speak mandarin. Malay teach gd BM n indians teach gd english." 

For those who thinks that the shortage of teachers in Chinese Schoold is a BN conspiracy please read this by my blogger buddy Malaiyoo teachers and their Chinese students.

It would be impossible for the Gomen to meet the Dong Zong and DAP racists demands.

I am calling on the Gomen, and all reasonable Malaysians to reject DZ/Dap unrealistic demand for only mandarin speaking teachers to teach in chinese schools. Remember there are also many Chinese who can't speak Mandarin and do not have a pass in SPM Mandarin and they can probably teach BM and  English a lot better than a Malay or Indian can. This is Malaysia right, Malaysians Boleh. 

This blessed country is built on a bed rock 

of moderation and tolerance. 

Save Malaysia, Reject Extremism.

Dong Zong insist to rally, let them rally....

Despite many voices telling them not to do it, the Dong Zong insist that their racist demands be heard loud and clear in a public demo tomorrow, there is no turning back it seems:

Chinese educationists to go ahead with rally on teacher shortage

I am done talking about these alliance of supremacists.

Let the Dong Zong, the DAP and other Chinese supremacists have their public rally, let All Malaysians know of their racists demands. 

Let Malaysians open their eyes to these supremacists who wants their children to be segregated from the rest of the Malaysian population. 

Let the Malaysian public know that they they want to live and enjoy their life here but they do not want to be true Malaysians. 

Pic. saya kebas dari Bigcat blog

 

DAP state Gomen: Long on exaggerations but woefully short on things that really matters

An article by a Penangite, Calvin Sankaran laid bare the DAP State Gomen led by Papa Lim Kit Siang's son Lim Guan Eng for all to see (source here and highlighted by Rocky Bru here):

Penang’s RM500 million ‘affordable housing’ scam
March 20, 2012

 LETTER: From Calvin Sankaran, via e-mail

One can accuse Lim Guan Eng, the Penang’s Chief Minster, of many things but surely a lack of self-promotion can’t be one of these complaints. Ever since taking over the state’s reins, Lim has ceaselessly and tireless hyped up his DAP-led administration as people-centric and super efficient.

As such the revelations by the Auditor General (AG) in his 2010 Report that Lim’s administration failed to build even a single low-cost house since taking over the state government came as a huge shock to many Penangites and Malaysians.

This revelation is highly unflattering and politically devastating when compared to the previous BN government’s record of building 9,600 low cost and 6,000 medium cost houses as well as 4,800 low cost flats between 2004 and 2008. .

The CM has frequently stated his objectives of replicating the Singapore and Hong Kong models in providing affordable public housing to solve the acute shortage of such housing in the state. Lim had visited Singapore on numerous occasions and uppermost among his objectives were (supposedly) to study the Singapore’s Housing Development Board (HDB) system.

However, despite all the chest-thumping and posturing nothing ever materialised out of these countless visits and studies. Instead he kept blaming the lack of an organisation similar to HDB for his failures, while conveniently omitting to mention this did not stop his predecessors from building thousands of affordable houses.

However, after being publically humiliated and laid-bare by the AG’s findings and assailed by the state Opposition and NGOs, Lim quickly announced communist-sounding People’s Affordable Housing Scheme in Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan, a location situated at the mainland and far removed from the commercial, industrial and administrative centers in the state.

He also announced, with much fanfare, an allocation of RM500 million to the “Affordable Housing Fund” and that Penang Development Corporation (PDC) will spearhead this project. Surbana, a subsidiary of Singapore’s HDB, was awarded the contract to design the township.

There is no doubt that the project itself has noble aims. However, on closer inspection the scheme reveals some disturbing facts that require urgent and full answers from the state government.

1. Lim allocated RM500 million for this project from the controversial “sale” of Bayan Mutiara. Can the CM explain how the money will be spent? Why there is even a need for this money when the land belongs to PDC and the construction cost will be borne by the development company that wins the tender? Does this mean the state will be financing the developer? Does this also mean that the tax payers will bear all the costs and assume all risks while the developer reaps outrageous profits at our expense?

2. For years Lim has been whining about the lack of a HDB-style body to manage the affordable housing scheme. So the question is why now the state is still using PDC as the implementing agency? Does this mean the CM mislead Penangites and wasted considerable time and resources in setting up Penang Housing Board (PHB) when the same role could be performed by an existing body, i.e., PDC or even MPPP/MPSP?

3. The “affordable houses” in Lim’s Bandar Cassia are priced between RM72,000 to RM220,000. How could this ridiculous price range be considered as “affordable”?  Worse still only around 20% of these houses will be priced at RM72K while the rest will carry a much higher price tag.

The previous government built affordable houses for only RM42 to RM80k. Not only the former BN govt built cheaper homes they also constructed them at the Penang Island too. In fact for RM220k, one could even buy a condo in other states. Given that land is given free and financing is also provided by the state government, these prices look astronomical.

4. The selection of Surbana is another point which Lim has misled the public.  Singapore’s HDB was never an agency for developing affordable public housing but public housing in general. While it is true that HDB managed to solve the public housing in Singapore, it came with a huge social-economic cost. In fact the lack of affordability and availability of the HDB flats was one of the key factors behind PAP’s poor showing in the last Singapore’s General Elections.

5. It also appears that Lim did not follow his own much-hyped “open tender” policy in awarding the contract. Malaysian firms have won numerous awards for housing developments at regional and global levels and as such this selection is an affront to the Malaysian construction industry.

The RM6.75million paid to Surbana for the first phase of the project is also excessive and several times more than the fees usually charged by local firms. Can Lim explain the rationale behind this stratospheric fees and who has approved it?

6. The township reportedly planned to be developed over 10 to 15 years. Many industry players find it laughable that Lim’s “super efficient” government is taking 15 years to build 11,800 houses when even a medium-sized developer could build the same number of houses within a few years.

7. Viewing this issue from a macro perspective, a more disturbing picture emerges and the real intentions of the state government are unveiled. It certainly looks as though the state is creating a humongous ghetto for poor people in the state by removing them from the island and other more prosperous parts of the mainland and sending them to Penang’s very own Soweto.

An even more serious accusation is that the state undertaking ethic cleansing and practicing apartheid policy on poor Malays and Indians by sending them to the mainland for political purposes. There are grounds to believe the state government might want to evict the poor minorities from the island and taking over their ancestral lands to build even more super luxury homes for rich locals and foreigners. Given state government’s track records, certainly accusation of such hidden ugly racial agenda is plausible.

8. The decision of the state government to site Robert Bosch’s highly toxic Solar Panel manufacturing plant at Batu Kawan instead of Bayan Lepas (at the Island) also becomes clearer too. It appears that the state considers the health and lives of poor people of Penang much less important than super rich Penangites and foreigners who reside at the Island.

Lim had promised Penangites a dream, best quality affordable housing but the facts show that this project will turn out to be a nightmare and a scam to enrich the private sector at the expense of public just like case of the RM10 billion Bayan Mutiara Scandal.

I think Rocky Bru is right this will be an election issue, orang Pulau Pinang sudah kena tipu big time by LGE and his DAP State Gomen. 

Just bundle this bunch of DAP supremacists out of power in the next GE....Pulau Pinang is FOR ALL, the medium and the low income earners too, not just for rich people who complain about so called injustice in Malaysia while drinking cafe latte at boutique coffee stations and  who can afford high cost houses!

Dong Zong and its supporters can learn a thing or two from a true Orang Malaysia

I consider this a sensible post by a true Orang Malaysia (source here). 

Dong Jiao Zong: So, What Is The Problem?
by Jolina Tan

After much noise and ‘foot thumping’ by the Dong Jiao Zong over the appointment of non-Mandarin educated teachers in Chinese vernacular schools, it is reported that the 17 teachers involved were only directed to teach Bahasa Malaysia, which is why Mandarin background is not deemed essential.

A friend of mine asked, so what’s the noise and foot-thumping all about? Demonstration of power?

It’s the upcoming election, isn’t it? All the political parties must be made aware of the power of Dong Zong and that whichever party is ready to kow-tow to this organization, would be ‘blessed’ with its support.

Just because the Dong Zong fights for the Chinese, doesn’t mean it represents 100% of us. I am among the few Chinese who is uncomfortable with this unhealthy but upward trend of ‘power-testing’ by our people, championed by Dong Jiao Zong.

We all know that it is important to not lose our roots but aren’t we the ones asking the nation to be Malaysian First, and race second? Naturally, as Malaysian, we must put our Bahasa Kebangsaan first and Mandarin second. But it never seem that way to me and no wonder the Malays are going berserk towards us.

I am one of the many Malaysian Chinese who can’t speak Mandarin and I’m not proud of it. I wish I could, as it is an advantage to know many languages.

But I don’t feel guilty for not being able to speak Mandarin because I believe in being Malaysian First and Chinese Second.

When I go overseas, I hate it when people get confuse of whether I am from Malaysia or China because most of us Malaysian Chinese do not have anything to show that can relate us to Malaysia, except that it is written as so, in our passport. If there is anything that can relate us to our country, it is only our broken Bahasa Malaysia. And yet, we scream if we didn’t get treated as loyal Malaysians.

Whereas, the Thailand or Indonesian Chinese are easy to be recognized when overseas for they usually speak their national language. They also strongly considered the traditional dress and culture of the original Thais or Indonesians as theirs too. For this, the original Thais and Indonesians have no prejudice towards them and accept them as their own.

In fact, in all parts of the world, the immigrants would quickly adopt and practice the original language and culture of the country, in order to blend in and be accepted. Like it or not, only in Malaysia that such cases of ‘alien-citizen’ is common. And I’m pointing out to you that it is as much our fault, as everybody else’s.

I respect Dong Zong for its determination to keep the spirit of our ancestors’ and motherland alive and strong. But I strongly feels that Dong Zong, as an education NGO should help promote unity instead of extremism.

We want the Malays to be Malaysian first and Malay second but are we doing the same? What does it mean to be Malaysian? What is Malaysia, anyway?

I don’t know what the Dong Zong have in mind about Malaysia, but I don’t want to teach my children to lie to themselves about their roots. I want them to accept the fact that even though our ancestors were from China, China is no longer our country.

Our country is Malaysia. Our national language is Bahasa Malaysia, our culture is of a very strong influence of the Malay culture because Malay is the original settlers of this land. Our traditional dress is the baju kebangsaan and all Chinese or Indians just have to accept it or should not claim to be Malaysians. However, as non-Malays, we have the right to uphold our race’s traditional dress too, in respect of our roots.

I bring this matter up because I don’t see any solution to the never-ending prejudice among all the races in Malaysia. Everybody is backing up their own races’ arguments but none would admit their wrongs.

We have always complained of being discriminated in terms of education, properties, government projects and all but have we ever tried to look at it from the eyes of others?

With Dong Zong constantly fighting for separation of our race from others, how can we expect the Malays to not have any prejudice and suspicions towards us? How can we expect them to feel secure enough to abolish the policy that discriminate us when we, ourselves, are still aliens to them?

I believe that only when we truly blend in, that the privilege and special rights of the Bumis can be truly abolished. Let’s not be hypocrites and selfish. Let’s truly fight for unity, for a 1Bangsa Malaysia, for our own sake.

Instead of demanding, provoking and threatening, may be Dong Zong should start offering, giving and co-operating in sharing ideas and working towards bringing the races together. Prove that the Chinese too, can truly be Malaysian First and Chinese Second.

In fact I think its not just the Dong Zong and its supporters but we can all learn from what Jolina wrote in her no holds barred post.

I wish to highlight blogger JMD  article on the matter here too: 

DAP and their chinese first, Malaysian second friends

The Gomen should not capitulate to the racist demand of Dong Zong

On 13 March 2012 it was reported by Malaysiakini that the DAP will fully support Dong Zong (the United Chinese School Committees)  to stage a street demonstration on March 25 to protest against the shortage of teachers in Chinese schools and the transfer of non-Chinese speaking teachers to Chinese schools. 

The Gomen is working very hard to address the issue in fact the Ministry of Education said  there is no shortage of teachers presumably referring to the transfer of non Chinese speaking (read Malay, Bumiputera and Indian teachers) to Chinese schools read here to alleviate the shortage of teachers. They are working hard to address the issue of the shortage of Mandarin speaking teachers read here. For the Dong Zong to give deadlines to the Gomen to solve the problem is tantamount to arm twisting and will invite others to criticise its racists demands to have only Chinese speaking teachers teaching in Chinese schools, making it more difficult for the Gomen to address the issue amicably.

Concerned bloggers wrote quite a great deal on the Dong Zong and the DAP, some I followed:

Helen Ang who wrote 2 postings on the matter: 

Lepas Lynas, DAP kini akan menyertai demo Dong Jiao Zong
Implikasi Dong Jiao Zong duduk semeja dengan DAP

BIGCAT wrote in fact 3 postings on the matter:
Racial extremists endangering Chinese schools
DAP's Chinese back-up plan
Race relations' scary future

SatD come up with all guns firing:

The Elephant in the room: Chinese Education Rally

Threatening the Government with a demonstration i.e flexing their political power if their demands that NO non Chinese speaking teachers be transferred to Chinese Schools are not heeded is racists behaviour, shouldn't be tolerated and certainly has no place in a multiracial Malaysia.   I am not at all surprised by the actions of the extremists Dong Zong and their ardent supporters like this supremacist here and I expected that the DAP will join the fray(I wasn't surprised), this demand threaten to destroy the very fabric of this multiracial society of ours built on mutual trust and tolerance of each other. 


The MCA, fast losing majority Chinese support despite the best efforts of their tireless leaders, risk losing the support of other races too if they try to so influence the Gomen to capitulate to the Dong Zong racist demand read here. 


While I am a supporter of the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua Kempen, I accept the reality that the vernacular schools are here to stay unless and until the Gomen of the day elected by the majority  say otherwise. But while the BN Gomen gives all support it can to  vernacular schools, I cannot accept that Dong Zong makes unreasonable and racist demand such as wanting to have only Chinese speaking teachers in the Chinese schools it does not bode well with a multiracial Malaysia. The last time when the BN Gomen recognising the increasing race polarity tried to introduce the vision school system, the Dong Zong was dead set against it, they prefer to have the vernacular schools segregated from the rest of the community apparently. Dong Zong got their wish.


The Gomen must now stand its ground when again faced with the latest racist  demand of the Dong Zong. With the  increasing polarisation of races in Malaysia, everybody is watching what kind of solution will the Gomen come up with in this instance. Its not easy, good luck.

 

You Must Finish What You Started

A great inspirational story:

Always finish what you started, in work, and in life, and yes, never give up!

There is no CAT in Penang and no FOI either

A war of words between CM Lim Guan Eng DAP Gomen and the Consumer Association of Penang is in full throttle, it stems from the secretive nature of mega transportation project mooted by the DAP Penag Government which prides itself supposedly on Competence, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) and its introduction of a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill which are looking to be mere electioneering rhetorics rather than REAL CHANGE WE CAN TRUST. 

Read the CAP Press Statement for background on the DAP-CAP war of words: 

Introduce public consultation guidelines

CAP is compelled to respond to the unwarranted outburst by Penang Chief Minister YB Lim Guan Eng on CAP’s complaint on the lack of public consultation by the State Government on some recent mega projects.

The mega projects in question are the construction of a 6.5 km Gurney Drive-Bagan Ajam undersea tunnel, 12 km road connecting Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang, 4.2 km Gurney Drive-Lebuhraya Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu bypass and 4.6 km Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu-Bandar Baru Air Itam bypass.
 
We reiterate our earlier press statement, namely, that there has been no public consultation on these mega projects.
 
CAP is shocked to note that both the Chief Minister and his Pegawai Khas Encik Zairil Khir Johari appear to have no understanding of the objects and process of public consultation.
 
Briefing NGOs generally on the mega projects and making statements about them to the press or in the State Assembly do not constitute public consultation.
 
Public consultation involves engaging the public at the earliest stage of the decision-making process, providing adequate information about the projects and giving due consideration to the representations and views made by individuals and civil society organisations. Such a process has not been adopted by the State Government with regard to the mega projects. A good example of public consultation is the ongoing process in developing a Transport Master Plan for Penang and the Special Area Plan for the Botanic Gardens.
 
The key question is: Before signing a Memorandum of Understanding and calling for request proposals for construction of these mega projects, was a preliminary study carried out with regard to the need for, and viability of, these projects, as well as their economic, social and environmental impacts? If such a study has been carried out, why was the information not shared with the public for them to make useful representations to the authorities? It would be disastrous to embark on these projects involving huge costs and serious economic, social and environmental impacts without such a study.
 
Encik Zairil gave reducing traffic congestion as the reason for implementing these mega projects. The State Government has already engaged consultants to prepare a Transport Master Plan, and the question arises as to why a decision was taken on these mega projects as a solution for traffic congestion even before the consultants had made their recommendations.
 
It is instructive to note that in response to press queries whether the projects were part of the Transport Master Plan, the Chief Minister responded by characterising these projects as a “bonus”. The notion of a bonus is something that is additional to what has been agreed. Presumably, the Chief Minister has persuaded himself that he is giving the people of Penang a gift in addition to what they bargained for. That may very well be so, but the point is that this is effectively an admission that the projects were never part of the Transport Master Plan. The attempt to pass them off as a “bonus” cannot make them so.
 
If the government is serious about practising the CAT principle with regard to large public projects, then it should introduce and implement guidelines on public participation. The British government and, in Australia, State Governments have implemented such guidelines. The British guidelines provide that “formal consultation should take place at a stage when there is scope to influence the policy outcome”.
 
CAP would like to emphasise that our comments and criticism of policies and projects are made solely in the public interest and not designed to advance any political or party interest. For over 45 years we have criticized, without fear or favour, projects and policies which do not bring long-term benefits to society and which have serious adverse social and environmental impacts. We will continue to do so.
 
In the interest of our people and nation, it is vital that Malaysian politicians, NGOs and the media should embrace a culture of debate and discussion in a spirit of mutual respect.  Most importantly, those who hold public office must always be prepared to accept public criticisms and respond to them with due decorum.
 
Press Statement - 12 March 2012

Read what blogger Helen Ang has to say about Guan Eng here: 

Projek RM8 bilion: NGO yang kritis diserang Guan Eng

After 4 years in power the DAP Penang State Government is looking more like a dictatorship rather than a democratically elected State Government. What a shame.

The Federal Court did right by giving a one year sentence to shoe thrower

"You are an imam, you know imam are looked upon highly, have high level of knowledge, high level of politeness... however, you did not show any of this attitude. In fact, you are arrogant, rude and violent and did not show any respect at all. You came to the court as you had trust in the court. However, when you did not succeed due to your own incompetent act, you acted in such a way. I cannot accept such an act. This institution should be respected. Now, you face the consequences."

FCJ Datuk Suryadi Halim Omar

Talk about shoes boomerang back at the thrower, Hoslan Hussin who threw a pair of shoes at three sitting Federal Court Judges on 22nd February 2012 was jailed for One year for contempt on 8 March 2012. The news:

Shoe-throwing imam jailed for one year for contempt

Shoe throwing at anybody is a inexcusable and despicable  act in any culture, more so if it is thrown with intent at three sitting Federal Court Judges. Unless the shoe thrower is an insane man I think the punishment meted out to Hoslan is the right thing to do. I have had enough of people disparaging the Judiciary whether in verbal or written form, if the shoe thrower is let off lightly then many people will start throwing shoes at Magistrates, Session Court Judges, High Court Judges, Appeal Court and Federal Court Judges when ever a judgement is against them this country will go to the dogs if the Federal Court Judges back down and heed the demand of the politically partisan Bar Council on the one year sentencing for contempt. Read here. Don't agree? look at the rabid anti judiciary and disparaging comments by commenter at the MI link here.:

The Pakatan leaning supporters and lawyers will go to town with this latest punishment meted on their own, but have a look at who this shoe thrower really is and how his case had to come to the Federal Court. Read: Siapa Hoslan Hussain here.

Its good that Hoslan pray to ALLAH the All Mighty after the sentencing, but he should really have thought about the consequences of his actions before he threw those shoes at the Federal Court Judges on that fateful day in February 2012.

Calling Anti Lynas and Himpunan Hijau "passionate" defenders of the Malaysian Environment, come help Save Penang

Oh my God a foreign investor wants to set up a  plant to manufacture  photovoltaics cells in DAP ruled Pulau Pinang, why am I concerned? Read this please:

For those who do not know the dangers of photovoltaic, below are some of the scientific findings about its dangers.

1. Photovoltaics involves the conversion of sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity through the use of thin layers of materials known as semiconductors.

2. Solar energy doesn’t pollute the environment when they generate electricity. But the manufacturing and waste-storage part involve hazardous and toxic chemicals.

One main area of concern is the waste chemicals and materials used and produced from the manufacturing process which include:

1. Lead: highly toxic to the central nervous system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, and kidneys.

2. Brominated flame retardant like brominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are recognized as toxic and carcinogenic. Described as endocrine disrupters.

3. Cadmium : extremely toxic. Cadmium is used in the manufacturing of Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) cells. Potential health impacts include kidney, liver, bone, and blood damage from ingestion and lung cancer from inhalation. The acute health effects from inhalation of Cadmium include pneumonitis, pulmonary edema, and death.

4. Sulphur Hexafluoride: used to clean the reactor used in silicon production. If it escapes, it would be a very potent greenhouse gas.

5. Arsenic compounds increases risk of cancer

Read more here (Sourced from StopTheLies blog) :

Ha, this one I must see, I want to see how DAP Guan Eng and YB Fuziah of Kuantan and the Anti Lynas and Himpunan Hijau leaders and supporters, self appointed defenders of the Malaysian Environment and  passionate Anti Lynas personalities handle this dangerous toxic waste problem which may prove detrimental to the people of Pulau Pinang. So where will the toxic byproduct be stored or disposed? Are there any written guaranteees by the plant operators that it will be safe for the people.

I have an idea, its not too late to start a Himpunan Hijau demo, you anti Lynas boys and girls sure love to demo ya, especially in Pulau Pinang like the apparently very "successful" Himpunan Hijau in Kuantan apparently organised by the DAP led Pakatan. Perhaps they can get more than 50,000 supporters as DAP led Government in Pulau Pinang  just love a clean environment for their children don't they :). Hell they cared so much about the safety of the people of Pahang they will surely come in greater numbers for Pulau Pinang's people' sake..he he. Perhaps that brave leader of himpunan Hijau who gave a 24 hour ultimatum to the BN led Federal Government can do the same to the DAP led Penang State Government. I hope I am not disappointed, I hope Wong Tack is not a wimp when faced with his heroes in the DAP State Gomen in Penang.

SOS – Great health risk put under wraps by Guan Eng
Posted on March 8, 2012 by editor

Penangites better be warned that great health risk is lurking at your doorsteps. A massive RM2.2bil solar panel manufacturing plant had been given the go ahead by the State government.

And this was despite that a plant with similar manufacturing operations in China was forced to close down not too long ago because of health risks.

The reason – effluent from a large solar cell manufacturer in Zhejiang Province had wiped out a local fishing industry. It is a known fact that the manufacturing of Photovoltaics would pollute the environment and affect human health.

A similar threat is now looming over the Province Wellesley people in Penang where a similar plant is being built in Batu Kawan. Their fate is now in the hands of the Penang government to stop the setting up of the plant.

Although Robert Bosch GmbH claims it is delaying construction of the plant, its president for South East Asia Martin Hayes had said that the company remained committed in the construction of the plant in Penang.

However there are contradictions here. InvestPenang general manager Loo Lee Lian had said that the state government would do its best to expedite the solar panel project.

She also said that Robert Bosch had started to make payments to fulfill the terms and conditions of the sale of the 80-acre site for the plant in Batu Kawan.

Construction of the plant was scheduled to start end of last year with production process to begin end of 2013.

Ironically Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had been vocal on the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng but had failed to see the great significance and even greater health risk confronting the people with the setting up of a solar panel plant.

He had also pledged that he would never allow any rare earth plant to be built in Penang but surprisingly had closed a blind eye and given the nod to the solar panel manufacturing plant to be built.
Probably Guan Eng is suffering from temporary blindness or is adopting selective criticism on health hazard projects so long they are not located in states governed by Pakatan Rakyat.

But when unfavourable or danger projects are at the doorstep of Penang, Guan Eng as usual would turn a blind eye or worse still sing a different tune.

What is even more interesting is that unconfirmed reports had said that Robert Bosch was asked to “slow down” on its construction plans until DAP retains the state in the coming general election.

Does that mean that after the general election and if the DAP still holds the Chief Minister’s seat, then the project to build the plant could go ahead full steam, regardless that it poses health risk to the people.

If I may coin the slogan for DAP, it should be – Winning First, People Last, in comparison to Barisan Nasional’s 1Malaysia slogan People First, Performance Now.

For those who do not know the dangers of photovoltaic, below are some of the scientific findings about its dangers.

Photovoltaics involves the conversion of sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity through the use of thin layers of materials known as semiconductors.

Solar energy doesn’t pollute the environment when they generate electricity. But the manufacturing and waste-storage part involve hazardous and toxic chemicals.

One main area of concern is the waste chemicals and materials used and produced from the manufacturing process which include:

Lead: highly toxic to the central nervous system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, and kidneys.

Brominated flame retardant like brominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are recognized as toxic and carcinogenic. Described as endocrine disrupters.

Cadmium : extremely toxic. Cadmium is used in the manufacturing of Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) cells. Potential health impacts include kidney, liver, bone, and blood damage from ingestion and lung cancer from inhalation. The acute health effects from inhalation of Cadmium include pneumonitis, pulmonary edema, and death.

Sulphur Hexafluoride: used to clean the reactor used in silicon production. If it escapes, it would be a very potent greenhouse gas.

Arsenic compounds increases risk of cancer.
These substances are harmless if safely contained and not leaked into the environment, but will be hazardous to health if not properly stored and handled.

There is also the concern of occupational hazard in the PV production line; a solar panel is made of pure silicon, a hard metalloid with a metallic luster that is basically harmless. However, inhaling silicon dust can cause harmful effects to the respiratory system and may result in silicosis, which are scars that form on lung tissue and interfere with oxygen transport.

Well I hope Guan Eng or his cronies read all of the above so that they cannot claim ignorance of the dangers of having a solar manufacturing plant.

Guan Eng owes an explanation to Penangites on why he had allowed such a plant to be set up in Penang when it obviously poses great health risk to the people.

He should also reveal how much did Robert Bosch paid for the 80-acre state land.

Was an Environmental Impact Assessment Study carried out before the approval was given to Robert Bosch to set up the plant.

If at all, no EIA was carried out, why was it overlooked when DAP is always the first to call for such studies to be done or is there more than what meets the eye. Let us have the answers?