REMBAU, April 7 (Bernama) -- The government has allocated RM150 million to Permata, an organisation involved in nurturing and early education of children, to set more 300 centres nationwide, this year.
National Permata Policy Executive Committee chairman Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said this would enable about 1,000 children aged below four years from the lower-income group to join early education programme before kindergarten.
"The fund will be used to turn Kemas kindergartens into Pusat Anak Permata Negara as well as to upgrade Kemas kindergartens," she told reporters after opening Pusat Anak Permata Negara in Chembong here today.
She said part of the allocation would be spent to train Kemas teachers as the Permata programme required the teaching staff to have a least a diploma.
Rosmah, who is the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said a special course would be conducted for Kemas teachers who had only a secondary school education.
The Permata teaching staff will be trained in Bangi, Selangor by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), she said, adding that due to the importance of early education of children, Permata was placed under the Anak Permata Negara Council which was chaired by the Prime Minister.
Rosmah said Malaysia started the Permata programme two years ago to keep in steps with the pre-kindergarten programme in developed countries like the United States, which had the "Headstart" programme.
"We have been sending our half yearly reports to the Cabinet. It is happy with our progress in nurturing the children's minds," she said.
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Rosmah Mansor – Permata Negara Centres Will Help Realise 1malaysia Concept
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) — The “Permata Negara” early childhood care and education programme will help realise the concept of 1Malaysia among children in the country through its syllabus, said Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the prime minister.
Rosmah, who is chairman of the National Permata Policy Executive Committee, said the syllabus did not differentiate the children in terms of race, background or religion.
“The formative years of one to five were the most appropriate period to shape thinking skills and self-resilience in children through early exposure to communication and mingling in the natural way,” she said after an interview over Radio 24 at Wisma Bernama, here today.
Rosmah said that at the Permata Negara centres, the children found themselves in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere without any feeling of racial difference, and together sang the “Negaraku” national anthem and learned the “Rukun Negara” national ideology.
“At the Permata Negara centres, we want the children to undergo a good interaction process without coercion or the need for a special programme to foster unity among them,” she said.
Rosmah said feedback showed that children who went through the Permata Negara centres underwent a process of healthy mingling whereby they were able to pick up the dialect or language of the other communities.
Rosmah said she hoped that a ministry would set up a special department to supervise the syllabus used at the Permata Negara centres so that it can be extended to all other kindergartens and nurseries.
She said that by the end of this year, more than 300 Community Development Department (Kemas) nurseries would be recognised as Permata Negara centres and by next year all the Kemas nurseries would follow the Permata Negara syllabus.
The Permata Negara centres have been operating under an early childhood care and education pioneer project for children under five since March 1, 2007, with priority given to those from families with a monthly household income of less than RM1, 500.
The nurturing at the Permata Negara centres differs from that at the ordinary nurseries in the sense that parents are required to spend at least one hour every week to be with the children at the centres, besides visiting them at lunchtime daily to foster a closer parent-child relationship.
– BERNAMA
Rosmah, who is chairman of the National Permata Policy Executive Committee, said the syllabus did not differentiate the children in terms of race, background or religion.
“The formative years of one to five were the most appropriate period to shape thinking skills and self-resilience in children through early exposure to communication and mingling in the natural way,” she said after an interview over Radio 24 at Wisma Bernama, here today.
Rosmah said that at the Permata Negara centres, the children found themselves in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere without any feeling of racial difference, and together sang the “Negaraku” national anthem and learned the “Rukun Negara” national ideology.
“At the Permata Negara centres, we want the children to undergo a good interaction process without coercion or the need for a special programme to foster unity among them,” she said.
Rosmah said feedback showed that children who went through the Permata Negara centres underwent a process of healthy mingling whereby they were able to pick up the dialect or language of the other communities.
Rosmah said she hoped that a ministry would set up a special department to supervise the syllabus used at the Permata Negara centres so that it can be extended to all other kindergartens and nurseries.
She said that by the end of this year, more than 300 Community Development Department (Kemas) nurseries would be recognised as Permata Negara centres and by next year all the Kemas nurseries would follow the Permata Negara syllabus.
The Permata Negara centres have been operating under an early childhood care and education pioneer project for children under five since March 1, 2007, with priority given to those from families with a monthly household income of less than RM1, 500.
The nurturing at the Permata Negara centres differs from that at the ordinary nurseries in the sense that parents are required to spend at least one hour every week to be with the children at the centres, besides visiting them at lunchtime daily to foster a closer parent-child relationship.
– BERNAMA
233 Pusat Permata dibuka tahun depan
KUALA LUMPUR: Program Permata yang mendapat peruntukan RM100 juta dalam Bajet 2010 akan memperluaskan lagi programnya ke 233 pusat jagaan kanak-kanak, Dewan Rakyat diberitahu hari ini.
Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, berkata perluasan program itu termasuklah melaksanakan program Permata Pintar, Permata Seni, Permata Insan dan Perkasa Remaja.
"Program itu yang setakat ini telah diperkenalkan di 457 pusat jagaan kanak-kanak telah mendidik 17,565 kanak-kanak," katanya semasa menjawab soalan Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) yang ingin mengetahui pendekatan yang digunakan Pusat Anak Permata dan peruntukan yang telah diluluskan serta bilangan kanak-kanak yang berada di bawah program tersebut.
Ahmad berkata, bagi memastikan kejayaan program itu, tenaga pendidiknya disyaratkan berkelulusan diploma dalam bidang asuhan dan didikan awalan kanak-kanak atau yang berkaitan.
"Mereka juga perlu mengikuti Kursus Asas Pendidik Permata selama enam minggu manakala jumlah tenaga pendidik Permata berasaskan nisbah seorang pendidik untuk setiap lima orang anak.
"Nisbah ini adalah mengikut standard yang telah diterimapakai dalam pendidikan awal negara maju," katanya. - Bernama
Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, berkata perluasan program itu termasuklah melaksanakan program Permata Pintar, Permata Seni, Permata Insan dan Perkasa Remaja.
"Program itu yang setakat ini telah diperkenalkan di 457 pusat jagaan kanak-kanak telah mendidik 17,565 kanak-kanak," katanya semasa menjawab soalan Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) yang ingin mengetahui pendekatan yang digunakan Pusat Anak Permata dan peruntukan yang telah diluluskan serta bilangan kanak-kanak yang berada di bawah program tersebut.
Ahmad berkata, bagi memastikan kejayaan program itu, tenaga pendidiknya disyaratkan berkelulusan diploma dalam bidang asuhan dan didikan awalan kanak-kanak atau yang berkaitan.
"Mereka juga perlu mengikuti Kursus Asas Pendidik Permata selama enam minggu manakala jumlah tenaga pendidik Permata berasaskan nisbah seorang pendidik untuk setiap lima orang anak.
"Nisbah ini adalah mengikut standard yang telah diterimapakai dalam pendidikan awal negara maju," katanya. - Bernama
Modal insan teras penentu kejayaan negara
KUALA LUMPUR 5 Nov. - Isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor menyifatkan pembangunan modal insan sebagai penting kerana ia adalah teras kepada kejayaan sesebuah bangsa dan negara.
Untuk itu katanya, bagi melengkapkan proses pembangunan modal insan yang berpengetahuan, berakhlak, berkemahiran dan berdaya saing, ia perlu dilakukan berlandaskan ilmu dan pendidikan.
"Pendidikan adalah langkah terbaik ke arah mobiliti sosial yang dapat merubah nasib sesebuah keluarga.
"Ini bermakna, seorang anak pekebun, nelayan, petani, penoreh getah, peneroka mahupun buruh yang berpeluang belajar di institusi pengajian tinggi akhirnya akan berjaya menjadi seorang profesional," katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada majlis penyerahan cek bantuan pendidikan Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Tenaga Isteri-Isteri Menteri dan Timbalan Menteri (Bakti) dan Pelancaran Taska UIAM Educare Permata di kampus Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Gombak di sini, hari ini.
Hadir sama isteri Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Puan Sri Noorainee Abd. Rahman, Rektor UIAM, Prof. Datuk Seri Syed Arabi Idid serta beberapa isteri menteri Kabinet.
Dalam majlis itu, Rosmah turut menyerahkan dana sumbangan Bakti sebanyak RM10,000 kepada Rektor UIAM untuk diagihkan kepada 236 pelajar miskin di universiti berkenaan.
Dalam pada itu, Rosmah turut menasihati mahasiswa agar sentiasa komited dan tabah dalam menempuh segala cabaran.
"Apa yang akan membezakan kejayaan dan kegagalan adalah sikap dan kesungguhan untuk berusaha.
"Dengan itu, para pelajar harus menumpukan sepenuh perhatian kepada pelajaran dan nilai-nilai murni harus dijadikan sebagai budaya hidup," jelasnya.
Untuk itu katanya, bagi melengkapkan proses pembangunan modal insan yang berpengetahuan, berakhlak, berkemahiran dan berdaya saing, ia perlu dilakukan berlandaskan ilmu dan pendidikan.
"Pendidikan adalah langkah terbaik ke arah mobiliti sosial yang dapat merubah nasib sesebuah keluarga.
"Ini bermakna, seorang anak pekebun, nelayan, petani, penoreh getah, peneroka mahupun buruh yang berpeluang belajar di institusi pengajian tinggi akhirnya akan berjaya menjadi seorang profesional," katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada majlis penyerahan cek bantuan pendidikan Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Tenaga Isteri-Isteri Menteri dan Timbalan Menteri (Bakti) dan Pelancaran Taska UIAM Educare Permata di kampus Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Gombak di sini, hari ini.
Hadir sama isteri Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Puan Sri Noorainee Abd. Rahman, Rektor UIAM, Prof. Datuk Seri Syed Arabi Idid serta beberapa isteri menteri Kabinet.
Dalam majlis itu, Rosmah turut menyerahkan dana sumbangan Bakti sebanyak RM10,000 kepada Rektor UIAM untuk diagihkan kepada 236 pelajar miskin di universiti berkenaan.
Dalam pada itu, Rosmah turut menasihati mahasiswa agar sentiasa komited dan tabah dalam menempuh segala cabaran.
"Apa yang akan membezakan kejayaan dan kegagalan adalah sikap dan kesungguhan untuk berusaha.
"Dengan itu, para pelajar harus menumpukan sepenuh perhatian kepada pelajaran dan nilai-nilai murni harus dijadikan sebagai budaya hidup," jelasnya.
RM100 juta untuk program Permata
KUALA LUMPUR 23 Okt. – Ekoran kejayaan Permata dalam mendidik 17,565 kanak-kanak, kerajaan akan memperuntukkan RM100 juta bagi memperkasakan lagi program yang memberi penekanan terhadap kaedah pengasuhan dan pendidikan awal kanak-kanak secara bersepadu dan terancang itu.
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib semasa membentangkan Bajet 2010 di Dewan Rakyat hari ini berkata peruntukan itu adalah bagi tujuan perlaksanaan programnya seperti berikut:
*Permata Negara melibatkan program asuhan dan didikan awal kanak-kanak sebelum mencapai umur 5 tahun. Satu garis panduan akan disediakan untuk menyelaras kurikulum, latihan dan kelayakan tenaga pendidik di semua taman asuhan kanak-kanak.
*Permata Seni melibatkan latihan pelajar yang pintar dan berbakat dalam bidang seni. Program ini akan dilaksanakan oleh Kementerian Penerangan Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan.
*Permata Pintar bertujuan membimbing pelajar yang mempunyai tahap kepintaran yang luar biasa untuk menjadi lebih cemerlang. Program ini akan dilaksanakan oleh Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) dengan kerjasama University of Johns Hopkins, Amerika. Pengambilan kumpulan pertama akan dibuat pada 2011.
Permata Insan bertujuan melatih pelajar supaya memahami, mendalami dan mengaplikasi ilmu yang berteraskan al-Quran. Program ini dikendalikan oleh Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia bagi pelajar yang berumur 9 hingga 12 tahun.
Selain itu, Permata akan turut melaksanakan program Perkasa Remaja untuk melatih dan membimbing remaja berumur 18 hingga 25 tahun bagi mengelakkan mereka terlibat dalam gejala sosial. Program yang dikendalikan oleh UKM ini akan membolehkan belia dibentuk menjadi lebih bertanggungjawab serta berguna kepada masyarakat dan negara.
Program Permata diperkenalkan di 457 pusat latihan sehingga ini. – BERNAMA
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib semasa membentangkan Bajet 2010 di Dewan Rakyat hari ini berkata peruntukan itu adalah bagi tujuan perlaksanaan programnya seperti berikut:
*Permata Negara melibatkan program asuhan dan didikan awal kanak-kanak sebelum mencapai umur 5 tahun. Satu garis panduan akan disediakan untuk menyelaras kurikulum, latihan dan kelayakan tenaga pendidik di semua taman asuhan kanak-kanak.
*Permata Seni melibatkan latihan pelajar yang pintar dan berbakat dalam bidang seni. Program ini akan dilaksanakan oleh Kementerian Penerangan Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan.
*Permata Pintar bertujuan membimbing pelajar yang mempunyai tahap kepintaran yang luar biasa untuk menjadi lebih cemerlang. Program ini akan dilaksanakan oleh Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) dengan kerjasama University of Johns Hopkins, Amerika. Pengambilan kumpulan pertama akan dibuat pada 2011.
Permata Insan bertujuan melatih pelajar supaya memahami, mendalami dan mengaplikasi ilmu yang berteraskan al-Quran. Program ini dikendalikan oleh Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia bagi pelajar yang berumur 9 hingga 12 tahun.
Selain itu, Permata akan turut melaksanakan program Perkasa Remaja untuk melatih dan membimbing remaja berumur 18 hingga 25 tahun bagi mengelakkan mereka terlibat dalam gejala sosial. Program yang dikendalikan oleh UKM ini akan membolehkan belia dibentuk menjadi lebih bertanggungjawab serta berguna kepada masyarakat dan negara.
Program Permata diperkenalkan di 457 pusat latihan sehingga ini. – BERNAMA
Rosmah tinjau Sekolah Pintar Leonard De Vinci
PARIS 7 Okt. - Isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor semalam meluangkan masa meninjau kelengkapan dan kepakaran yang disediakan di Sekolah Pintar Leonard De Vinci di Herblay dekat sini - 25 kilometer ke utara Paris.
Pada awal penubuhannya pada 2002 oleh Persekutuan Untuk Kanak-Kanak Pintar (AEP), ia bermatlamat menjalankan kajian dan penyelidikan mengenai perkembangan minda kanak-kanak serta menawarkan bantuan kepada keluarga yang memiliki anak pintar.
AEP pada masa sama turut menganjurkan persidangan antaranya melibatkan aktiviti kurikulum untuk pelajar terbabit.
Empat tahun kemudian, AEP mula membuka lapan kelas pada September 2006 sebelum menempatkan sebanyak 100 pelajar pintar di situ.
Pada 2007, sekolah pintar berkenaan mendapat pengiktirafan Kementerian Pendidikan Perancis setelah berjaya mengeluarkan 125 pelajar pintar dari peringkat pra sekolah (tadika) hingga menengah.
Tahun lalu, Sekolah Pintar Leonard De Vinci menjadi sebahagian daripada Projek Rangkaian Persekutuan Sekolah-Sekolah Pertubuhan Pendidikan, Saintifik dan Kebudayaan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNESCO).
Difahamkan, lawatan Rosmah ke sekolah berkenaan mempunyai kaitan dengan program Pusat Anak Permata Negara (Permata) yang bermatlamat meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan awal kanak-kanak.
Ketika ini sebanyak 18,000 kanak-kanak di Malaysia mendapat manfaat daripada perluasan program Permata yang diketuai Rosmah selaku Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerja Dasar Permata - dengan penubuhan 478 pusat asuhan dan didikan awal itu sepanjang tahun ini. - UTUSAN
Pada awal penubuhannya pada 2002 oleh Persekutuan Untuk Kanak-Kanak Pintar (AEP), ia bermatlamat menjalankan kajian dan penyelidikan mengenai perkembangan minda kanak-kanak serta menawarkan bantuan kepada keluarga yang memiliki anak pintar.
AEP pada masa sama turut menganjurkan persidangan antaranya melibatkan aktiviti kurikulum untuk pelajar terbabit.
Empat tahun kemudian, AEP mula membuka lapan kelas pada September 2006 sebelum menempatkan sebanyak 100 pelajar pintar di situ.
Pada 2007, sekolah pintar berkenaan mendapat pengiktirafan Kementerian Pendidikan Perancis setelah berjaya mengeluarkan 125 pelajar pintar dari peringkat pra sekolah (tadika) hingga menengah.
Tahun lalu, Sekolah Pintar Leonard De Vinci menjadi sebahagian daripada Projek Rangkaian Persekutuan Sekolah-Sekolah Pertubuhan Pendidikan, Saintifik dan Kebudayaan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNESCO).
Difahamkan, lawatan Rosmah ke sekolah berkenaan mempunyai kaitan dengan program Pusat Anak Permata Negara (Permata) yang bermatlamat meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan awal kanak-kanak.
Ketika ini sebanyak 18,000 kanak-kanak di Malaysia mendapat manfaat daripada perluasan program Permata yang diketuai Rosmah selaku Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerja Dasar Permata - dengan penubuhan 478 pusat asuhan dan didikan awal itu sepanjang tahun ini. - UTUSAN
Monday, December 7, 2009
Kompleks PERMATA pintar
BANGI 6 Dis. - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, kerajaan akan memperhebatkan pendidikan kanak-kanak yang mempunyai kecerdasan minda (IQ) dan kognitif luar biasa bagi memastikan mereka dapat memperkembangkan kebolehan masing-masing ke peringkat lebih tinggi.
Sehubungan itu, Perdana Menteri berkata, kerajaan telah memutuskan untuk membina Kompleks PERMATApintar Negara di dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) di sini bagi memberikan pendidikan khusus kepada kanak-kanak pintar berusia 16 tahun.
Beliau berkata, sebagai permulaan sebanyak 150 kanak-kanak pelbagai kaum akan memulakan pengajian di kompleks terbabit pada 2011 dan jumlah itu akan ditambah sehingga 300 orang pada tahun-tahun akan datang.
''Langkah ini bersesuaian dengan hasrat kerajaan untuk melakukan transformasi sekali lagi terhadap negara kita dan membentuk model ekonomi baru bagi menjadikan Malaysia negara maju yang berpendapatan tinggi.
''Kita akan memperhebat lagi program ini dengan menambah bilangan yang terlibat dan meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan kerana jumlah yang pintar adalah ramai iaitu dengan anggaran tiga hingga lima peratus daripada keseluruhan kanak-kanak di negara ini," katanya.
Beliau berucap merasmikan Perkhemahan Cuti Sekolah PERMATApintar 2009 di UKM di sini hari ini.
Turut hadir isterinya, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin dan Naib Canselor UKM, Tan Sri Profesor Dr. Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin.
Sebelum itu, Najib turut menyempurnakan upacara pecah tanah kompleks seluas lapan hektar itu dan menanam kapsul masa untuk tempoh 25 tahun yang mengandungi catatan harapan beliau dan Rosmah terhadap program pendidikan pelajar pintar di negara ini.
Pembinaan kompleks itu akan memberi peluang kepada pelajar pintar untuk merasai situasi pembelajaran di menara gading, sekali gus berpeluang mendekatkan diri dengan suasana berkonsepkan penyelidikan.
Projek pembinaan dibahagikan kepada dua fasa dengan fasa pertama dijangka siap 2011 merangkumi bangunan pentadbiran, kelas pembelajaran, bangunan makmal, kafetaria dan dewan serbaguna manakala pembinaan fasa kedua membabitkan sebuah auditorium, dewan makan, asrama, bangunan kelas pembelajaran, makmal dan kolam renang.
Selain menitikberatkan orientasi pembelajaran dalam bangunan, kompleks itu mengambil kira suasana pembelajaran kondusif meliputi interaksi sesama manusia dan alam semula jadi.
Menurut Najib, langkah menyediakan pendidikan khusus untuk kanak-kanak pintar adalah bagi memenuhi ruang kosong yang wujud berikutan kerajaan kini hanya memberikan tumpuan kepada pelajar biasa dan mereka yang memerlukan pendidikan khas kerana cacat.
Menurut beliau, program kedua yang telah dibuat untuk pelajar pintar ialah mengadakan perkhemahan cuti sekolah dengan kerjasama Universiti John Hopkins, Amerika Syarikat di UKM yang melibatkan 405 kanak-kanak berusia sembilan hingga 15 tahun dari 30 November hingga 18 Disember ini.
''Saya lihat kanak-kanak yang menyertai program ini telah menunjukkan kebolehan memberangsangkan termasuk tahu memecah kod rahsia dan saya yakin mereka boleh menjadi saintis yang bekerja dalam perisikan tentera.
''Terdapat di kalangan mereka yang sudah tahu bagaimana hendak mereka bentuk 'roller coaster' robot dan juga mengkaji bagaimana taufan terhasil yang amat berguna bagi menghadapi fenomena perubahan cuaca,'' katanya.
Kata beliau, bakat kanak-kanak berkenaan kalau dipupuk dan dikembangkan secara saintifik akan membolehkan lahir satu generasi baru rakyat Malaysia yang lebih berkemampuan dalam semua aspek.
''Langkah ini dibuat kerana kita sedar bahawa dalam membentuk sebuah tamadun yang gemilang, maka tiang seri mesti merupakan proses pembelajaran dan pengajaran yang boleh melahirkan masyarakat yang berteraskan ilmu.
''Kita juga sedar bahawa empayar yang boleh bertahan lama bukan yang menggunakan kekuasaan ketenteraan tetapi yang berasaskan kekuatan minda,'' ujarnya.
Sehubungan itu, Perdana Menteri berkata, kerajaan telah memutuskan untuk membina Kompleks PERMATApintar Negara di dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) di sini bagi memberikan pendidikan khusus kepada kanak-kanak pintar berusia 16 tahun.
Beliau berkata, sebagai permulaan sebanyak 150 kanak-kanak pelbagai kaum akan memulakan pengajian di kompleks terbabit pada 2011 dan jumlah itu akan ditambah sehingga 300 orang pada tahun-tahun akan datang.
''Langkah ini bersesuaian dengan hasrat kerajaan untuk melakukan transformasi sekali lagi terhadap negara kita dan membentuk model ekonomi baru bagi menjadikan Malaysia negara maju yang berpendapatan tinggi.
''Kita akan memperhebat lagi program ini dengan menambah bilangan yang terlibat dan meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan kerana jumlah yang pintar adalah ramai iaitu dengan anggaran tiga hingga lima peratus daripada keseluruhan kanak-kanak di negara ini," katanya.
Beliau berucap merasmikan Perkhemahan Cuti Sekolah PERMATApintar 2009 di UKM di sini hari ini.
Turut hadir isterinya, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin dan Naib Canselor UKM, Tan Sri Profesor Dr. Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin.
Sebelum itu, Najib turut menyempurnakan upacara pecah tanah kompleks seluas lapan hektar itu dan menanam kapsul masa untuk tempoh 25 tahun yang mengandungi catatan harapan beliau dan Rosmah terhadap program pendidikan pelajar pintar di negara ini.
Pembinaan kompleks itu akan memberi peluang kepada pelajar pintar untuk merasai situasi pembelajaran di menara gading, sekali gus berpeluang mendekatkan diri dengan suasana berkonsepkan penyelidikan.
Projek pembinaan dibahagikan kepada dua fasa dengan fasa pertama dijangka siap 2011 merangkumi bangunan pentadbiran, kelas pembelajaran, bangunan makmal, kafetaria dan dewan serbaguna manakala pembinaan fasa kedua membabitkan sebuah auditorium, dewan makan, asrama, bangunan kelas pembelajaran, makmal dan kolam renang.
Selain menitikberatkan orientasi pembelajaran dalam bangunan, kompleks itu mengambil kira suasana pembelajaran kondusif meliputi interaksi sesama manusia dan alam semula jadi.
Menurut Najib, langkah menyediakan pendidikan khusus untuk kanak-kanak pintar adalah bagi memenuhi ruang kosong yang wujud berikutan kerajaan kini hanya memberikan tumpuan kepada pelajar biasa dan mereka yang memerlukan pendidikan khas kerana cacat.
Menurut beliau, program kedua yang telah dibuat untuk pelajar pintar ialah mengadakan perkhemahan cuti sekolah dengan kerjasama Universiti John Hopkins, Amerika Syarikat di UKM yang melibatkan 405 kanak-kanak berusia sembilan hingga 15 tahun dari 30 November hingga 18 Disember ini.
''Saya lihat kanak-kanak yang menyertai program ini telah menunjukkan kebolehan memberangsangkan termasuk tahu memecah kod rahsia dan saya yakin mereka boleh menjadi saintis yang bekerja dalam perisikan tentera.
''Terdapat di kalangan mereka yang sudah tahu bagaimana hendak mereka bentuk 'roller coaster' robot dan juga mengkaji bagaimana taufan terhasil yang amat berguna bagi menghadapi fenomena perubahan cuaca,'' katanya.
Kata beliau, bakat kanak-kanak berkenaan kalau dipupuk dan dikembangkan secara saintifik akan membolehkan lahir satu generasi baru rakyat Malaysia yang lebih berkemampuan dalam semua aspek.
''Langkah ini dibuat kerana kita sedar bahawa dalam membentuk sebuah tamadun yang gemilang, maka tiang seri mesti merupakan proses pembelajaran dan pengajaran yang boleh melahirkan masyarakat yang berteraskan ilmu.
''Kita juga sedar bahawa empayar yang boleh bertahan lama bukan yang menggunakan kekuasaan ketenteraan tetapi yang berasaskan kekuatan minda,'' ujarnya.
Generasi muda khazanah tidak ternilai - Rosmah
PORT OF SPAIN 29 Nov. - Isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor hari ini mengajak dunia yang mahu menjadikan bumi ini lebih hijau supaya turut merancang pelaburan terhadap pendidikan awal kanak-kanak.
Berucap pada majlis dialog isteri-isteri ketua kerajaan Komanwel di sini malam ini, beliau berkata, generasi muda bakal mewarisi bumi dan merekalah yang bertanggungjawab memuliharanya untuk generasi seterusnya.
"Pemimpin lalu mungkin tidak mendapat faedah daripada pengetahuan sainstifik yang diperoleh sekarang iaitu antara sebab mengapa mereka tidak memberi tumpuan kepada pemuliharaan alam sekitar.
"Bagaimanapun, pemimpin masa depan boleh dididik dari sekarang dengan data dan maklumat yang diperolehi kini," katanya yang berucap atas tajuk Pembinaan Masa Depan Melalui Penjagaan dan Pendidikan Awal Kanak-Kanak.
Rosmah yang berkongsi semangat dan komitmen menjayakan Program Pengasuhan dan Pendidikan Awal Kanak-kanak (Permata) berkata, generasi muda adalah khazanah yang tidak ternilai harganya dan menjadi permata untuk masa depan.
"Kanak-kanak yang akan menjadi pemimpin masa depan bukan saja berjaya dalam akademik dan kurikulum tambahan, tetapi memahami peranan sebagai manusia untuk mengekalkan ekosistem bumi.
"Justeru kita perlu melengkapi kanak-kanak dengan kesedaran dan pengetahuan untuk memulihara bumi melalui penggunaan sains serta teknologi menerusi aktiviti harian," katanya.
Rosmah berkata, dalam usaha memulihara alam sekitar kanak-kanak perlu memahami mengenai kepentingan budaya 'hijau'.
"Sekiranya majoriti daripada kita sekarang tidak melakukan kitar semula dan tidak sedar mengenai tindakan yang mencemarkan dunia, mari kita pastikan kanak-kanak melakukan tindakan sepatutnya dilakukan untuk memulihara alam," jelas beliau. -- Utusan
Berucap pada majlis dialog isteri-isteri ketua kerajaan Komanwel di sini malam ini, beliau berkata, generasi muda bakal mewarisi bumi dan merekalah yang bertanggungjawab memuliharanya untuk generasi seterusnya.
"Pemimpin lalu mungkin tidak mendapat faedah daripada pengetahuan sainstifik yang diperoleh sekarang iaitu antara sebab mengapa mereka tidak memberi tumpuan kepada pemuliharaan alam sekitar.
"Bagaimanapun, pemimpin masa depan boleh dididik dari sekarang dengan data dan maklumat yang diperolehi kini," katanya yang berucap atas tajuk Pembinaan Masa Depan Melalui Penjagaan dan Pendidikan Awal Kanak-Kanak.
Rosmah yang berkongsi semangat dan komitmen menjayakan Program Pengasuhan dan Pendidikan Awal Kanak-kanak (Permata) berkata, generasi muda adalah khazanah yang tidak ternilai harganya dan menjadi permata untuk masa depan.
"Kanak-kanak yang akan menjadi pemimpin masa depan bukan saja berjaya dalam akademik dan kurikulum tambahan, tetapi memahami peranan sebagai manusia untuk mengekalkan ekosistem bumi.
"Justeru kita perlu melengkapi kanak-kanak dengan kesedaran dan pengetahuan untuk memulihara bumi melalui penggunaan sains serta teknologi menerusi aktiviti harian," katanya.
Rosmah berkata, dalam usaha memulihara alam sekitar kanak-kanak perlu memahami mengenai kepentingan budaya 'hijau'.
"Sekiranya majoriti daripada kita sekarang tidak melakukan kitar semula dan tidak sedar mengenai tindakan yang mencemarkan dunia, mari kita pastikan kanak-kanak melakukan tindakan sepatutnya dilakukan untuk memulihara alam," jelas beliau. -- Utusan
Smart Students Required For 'Permata Pintar Negara' Programme
KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 (Bernama) -- The Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, today launched the "Permata Pintar Negara" programme, which aim is to search, and identify, smart students to be moulded into outstanding intellectuals in future.
She said there were about 140,000 smart students in the country and that 20,000 of them had turned up for screening tests conducted since March 2.
"The students went through three screening tests, which are equivalent to the IQ tests carried out in developed countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom and Australia," she told reporters after launching the programme and presenting brochures on the programme to state education directors in Subang Jaya, near here.
Rosmah, who is the patron of the programme, said the cooperation of the state education directors was needed to identify smart students of between nine and 15 years of age to be sent for screening tests under the programme.
"These students have special needs and are unique physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually, the aspects which have to be fulfilled and nurtured in a holistic way," she added.
Rosmah said 300 students who obtained the highest score in the screening test would be selected to participate in a two-week camp to be held in December at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
They would be trained by selected facilitators, comprising professors, skilled teachers, and teachers with masters and doctorates in Mathematics, Science and Creative Writing, she added.
She said the facilitators would be sent to the John Hopkins University in the United States of America to undergo special training for the purpose.
The "Permata Pintar Negara" programme is carried out with the cooperation of UKM and the Centre for Talented Youths, John Hopkins University.
-- BERNAMA
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Will Hungary Go Bankrupt?
Monday, 20 October 2008
On Saturday, Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and 60 top lawmakers, ministers, central bank chiefs and trade union leaders met in a “national summit” to swap theories concerning the impacts of the global financial crisis on Hungary. As anyone can clearly see, Hungary is facing some very significant financial issues and is being hit quite hard by the global financial crisis. Before going further with the content of the national summit, however, I would like to first turn back the clock to try and understand whether or not the Hungarian government is hiding something that is far worse. What is the risk that Hungary itself will go bankrupt?
In order to shed some light on dire situation, I have collected some articles from the past month and created a timeline of key events.
September 15th, 2008: Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy protection, Merrill Lynch was taken over by Bank of America for $50bn, and the global financial system finds itself in its worst predicament since the Great Depression.
September 22nd, 2008: The following text was widely distributed on Monday morning by the Erste Bank Bond Research Team:
The impact of the global financial crisis on the Hungarian financial sector has been limited, Hungary's financial market watchdog PSZAF said in a statement on Friday. PSZAF said it had surveyed all segments of the financial sector asking institutions to report on their existing or potential business links or any potential losses related to battered foreign institutions. "Based on the data in the survey, banks' risk exposure to the international players affected by the crisis amounts to about 1.3 percent of the Hungarian banking sectors' 2007 equity, and within this the really risky portfolio is only 0.15 percent," PSZAF said. "Based on the survey, the U.S. subprime crisis has had a minor effect on Hungarian financial service providers, they operate in a stable and predictable manner," it said, adding that PSZAF continued to closely monitor the impact of market turmoil. Earlier on Friday, central bank Governor Andras Simor said the financial crisis, which this week saw Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy protection, Merrill Lynch losing its independence and the U.S. government bailing out insurer AIG, would not have a significant direct impact on Hungary. "I said and I am still saying that this financial crisis will have no direct significant impact on Hungary," Simor said.
September 22nd, 2008: The following text was also widely distributed by Forbes Magazine:
Global contagion. As a consequence, a truly global contagion is in prospect. All previous crises were geographically limited. They were either mature economy crises with some consequences for some emerging markets, or they were emerging market crises with limited contagion to other emerging market regions or to mature markets. The increased level of integration since the burst of the dot.com bubble means there is a serious risk that the current financial crisis will reach all sectors and all countries:
While the usual weak spots of emerging markets (e.g., Thailand, the Philippines, South Africa, Argentina, Hungary) could suffer substantially in the wake of what is essentially a mature-economy financial crisis, those with more robust structures--although with checkered pasts--may also be tested (e.g., Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico).
September 30th, 2008: The headline from MTI news now readsHungarian national bank keeps rates at 8.5%; Simor warns on growth.” What happened to “no direct significant impact on Hungary?”
The global financial crisis could have a negative effect on Hungary's economic growth, which is why the government's 3.0pc GDP growth target in the 2009 budget appears a bit exaggerated, Mr. Simor said, answering a question. He added that it was appropriate for the prime minister to instruct the Finance Ministry to calculate with a lower GDP growth figure.
October 8th, 2008: The reliable and independent financial watchdog, PSZAF, reports yet again that there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
BUDAPEST, Oct 8 (Reuters) – “Hungary's banking sector is liquid and not experiencing any signs of a crisis,” Istvan Farkas, the Chairman of financial market regulator PSZAF said on Wednesday.
October 8th, 2008: Don’t worry because all is well, just don’t read the following MTI news brief that was released that same day.
The Budapest Stock Exchange's main BUX index plunged 7.71pc to 16,097.88 in the morning Wednesday as investors grew alarmed about the outlook for credit markets and the global economy.
OTP Bank, the bourse's blue chip most affected by the global financial crisis, plummeted 13.68pc to 4,480 in the morning. Trade of OTP Bank shares -- which was suspended for several minutes in the morning after falling 10pc -- came to HUF 15.0bn, accounting for nearly 70pc of an unusually high total morning turnover of HUF 21.6bn.
October 10th, 2008: Don’t look now, PSZAF, but this looks a lot like a financial crisis.
Hungary’s financial markets watchdog PSZAF has launched an inquiry into a sell-off in OTP Bank’s shares on the Budapest bourse on Thursday, the regulator said on Friday.
OTP’s shares fell over 14% in late trade on Thursday to end at Ft 3,855 ($20.96), its lowest level since May 2004 on market talk that the government planned to nationalize it. OTP, central Europe’s biggest independent bank, and the government both denied the rumor.
Market watchdog PSZÁF said the sudden nature and extent of the price falls triggered its inquiry. “Given the size, timing and the significant (price) difference of the deal in contrast to previous quotes, acting under its legal obligations, the Financial Services Authority has launched a market supervision procedure with immediate effect,” PSZÁF said. (Reuters)
October 17th, 2008: I think we can now safely say that the global financial crisis has had a direct and significant effect on the Hungarian economy.
BUDAPEST (AFP) — Hungary, feeling the effects of the global financial crisis, is the recipient of a five-billion-euro (6.7-billion-dollar) loan from the European Central Bank (ECB).
In an unprecedented move outside the eurozone, the ECB came to Hungary's aid Thursday to help it combat a financial crisis that experts here attribute to panic and speculation.
"There is practically zero chance of a national bankruptcy in Hungary," he added.
But investors have nonetheless made known their concerns. The Budapest stock exchange has shed half its value and the national currency, the forint, has lost more than 10 percent against the euro.
October 17th, 2008: On the same day that Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany attempts to deliver more reassurance, Fitch lowers outlook on Hungary's l-t IDR rating to Negative from Stable.
"The revision of Outlook reflects Fitch's view that shocks from global financial turbulence and the likelihood of recession in the euro area have heightened downside credit risk given Hungary's high external debt stock, wide current account deficit and large external financing requirement," said David Heslam, Director in Fitch's sovereign team.
“The deterioration in global, and particularly European, financial conditions have heightened the risks for economies with large external financing needs and reliance on bank financing. Hungary's gross external debt amounts to 99% of GDP, one of the highest levels in Central and Eastern Europe," Fitch said.
Fitch added that financing of Hungary's current account deficit - which stood at 6.4% of GDP in 2007 (based on revised official statistics) - is “sensitive to strains in international capital and banking markets, with a significant proportion of financing dependent on flows to local banks from their western European parents."
Four domestic banks have announced that they are to restrict growth in foreign currency loans.
“Heightened risk aversion has led to strains in government debt and inter-bank markets and to a weakening of the HUF, which if exacerbated would increase debt servicing requirements and place strains on loan portfolios of the domestic banking system, where foreign currency-denominated loans account for over half of private sector credit."
In addition, the global economic slowdown, and particularly the likelihood of a recession in the euro area - the destination for over half of Hungary's exports - “has weakened an already subdued growth outlook, increasing the challenges facing the government in its attempts to continue to narrow the fiscal deficit."
“At 66% of GDP the government's gross debt remains high relative to the 'BBB' median of 28% and low economic growth will make it difficult for the debt burden to fall, while external markets are an important source of financing, including through substantial non-resident holdings of HUF-denominated debt."
October 18th, 2008: One day later, a national summit is held and there are no smiling faces among the leaders gathered to face what is now openly acknowledged as a severe economic crisis. Here are some ideas that were being tossed around, along with a healthy does of partisan bickering.
BUDAPEST (AFP) — Government and central bank officials outlined measures, including cutting government spending, to mitigate Hungary's risks in the current global financial crisis at a meeting in Budapest Saturday.
Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany expressed hope that "ongoing investments would not have to be suspended," during a meeting of some 60 top lawmakers, ministers, central bank chiefs and trade union leaders to work out a short-to-medium term action plan to tackle the financial turmoil.
He also announced modifying the use of European funds "if necessary," while offering no specifics, and ruled out implementing tax cut proposals during the current financial turbulence, a decision supported by business groups.
For his part, central bank governor Andras Simor said Hungary can fend off the effects of the financial crisis only if its economy becomes less vulnerable by "the adoption of the euro, a hike (in competitiveness) by increasing economic growth and a significant decrease of social expenses."
October 18th, 2008: We have heard from the politicians, what about effects of this crisis on the average Hungarian? Here are some excerpts from a New York Times article:
Crisis Comes to Hungary in Loans of Francs and Euros
By NICHOLAS KULISH
‘Average Hungarians are also in trouble. They flocked in droves to banks here in the last several years for once-cheap loans in Swiss francs and euros to buy their cars and houses. Now, they find themselves exposed to rising debt payments.
But Hungarian consumers can do little more than hope their wobbly currency, the forint, stabilizes.
Borrowing in another currency, a mostly foreign concept for middle-class Americans, had become as simple here as walking into the nearest bank branch and applying for credit. The interest rates were lower. There was a risk, but only if the Hungarian currency declined relative to other currencies, forcing borrowers to pay increasing amounts to cover the same monthly bills.
That possibility did not stop nearly 90 percent of consumer borrowers this year from taking out their loans in Swiss francs or euros, according to the central bank.’
On Saturday, Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and 60 top lawmakers, ministers, central bank chiefs and trade union leaders met in a “national summit” to swap theories concerning the impacts of the global financial crisis on Hungary. As anyone can clearly see, Hungary is facing some very significant financial issues and is being hit quite hard by the global financial crisis. Before going further with the content of the national summit, however, I would like to first turn back the clock to try and understand whether or not the Hungarian government is hiding something that is far worse. What is the risk that Hungary itself will go bankrupt?
In order to shed some light on dire situation, I have collected some articles from the past month and created a timeline of key events.
September 15th, 2008: Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy protection, Merrill Lynch was taken over by Bank of America for $50bn, and the global financial system finds itself in its worst predicament since the Great Depression.
September 22nd, 2008: The following text was widely distributed on Monday morning by the Erste Bank Bond Research Team:
The impact of the global financial crisis on the Hungarian financial sector has been limited, Hungary's financial market watchdog PSZAF said in a statement on Friday. PSZAF said it had surveyed all segments of the financial sector asking institutions to report on their existing or potential business links or any potential losses related to battered foreign institutions. "Based on the data in the survey, banks' risk exposure to the international players affected by the crisis amounts to about 1.3 percent of the Hungarian banking sectors' 2007 equity, and within this the really risky portfolio is only 0.15 percent," PSZAF said. "Based on the survey, the U.S. subprime crisis has had a minor effect on Hungarian financial service providers, they operate in a stable and predictable manner," it said, adding that PSZAF continued to closely monitor the impact of market turmoil. Earlier on Friday, central bank Governor Andras Simor said the financial crisis, which this week saw Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy protection, Merrill Lynch losing its independence and the U.S. government bailing out insurer AIG, would not have a significant direct impact on Hungary. "I said and I am still saying that this financial crisis will have no direct significant impact on Hungary," Simor said.
September 22nd, 2008: The following text was also widely distributed by Forbes Magazine:
Global contagion. As a consequence, a truly global contagion is in prospect. All previous crises were geographically limited. They were either mature economy crises with some consequences for some emerging markets, or they were emerging market crises with limited contagion to other emerging market regions or to mature markets. The increased level of integration since the burst of the dot.com bubble means there is a serious risk that the current financial crisis will reach all sectors and all countries:
While the usual weak spots of emerging markets (e.g., Thailand, the Philippines, South Africa, Argentina, Hungary) could suffer substantially in the wake of what is essentially a mature-economy financial crisis, those with more robust structures--although with checkered pasts--may also be tested (e.g., Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico).
September 30th, 2008: The headline from MTI news now readsHungarian national bank keeps rates at 8.5%; Simor warns on growth.” What happened to “no direct significant impact on Hungary?”
The global financial crisis could have a negative effect on Hungary's economic growth, which is why the government's 3.0pc GDP growth target in the 2009 budget appears a bit exaggerated, Mr. Simor said, answering a question. He added that it was appropriate for the prime minister to instruct the Finance Ministry to calculate with a lower GDP growth figure.
October 8th, 2008: The reliable and independent financial watchdog, PSZAF, reports yet again that there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
BUDAPEST, Oct 8 (Reuters) – “Hungary's banking sector is liquid and not experiencing any signs of a crisis,” Istvan Farkas, the Chairman of financial market regulator PSZAF said on Wednesday.
October 8th, 2008: Don’t worry because all is well, just don’t read the following MTI news brief that was released that same day.
The Budapest Stock Exchange's main BUX index plunged 7.71pc to 16,097.88 in the morning Wednesday as investors grew alarmed about the outlook for credit markets and the global economy.
OTP Bank, the bourse's blue chip most affected by the global financial crisis, plummeted 13.68pc to 4,480 in the morning. Trade of OTP Bank shares -- which was suspended for several minutes in the morning after falling 10pc -- came to HUF 15.0bn, accounting for nearly 70pc of an unusually high total morning turnover of HUF 21.6bn.
October 10th, 2008: Don’t look now, PSZAF, but this looks a lot like a financial crisis.
Hungary’s financial markets watchdog PSZAF has launched an inquiry into a sell-off in OTP Bank’s shares on the Budapest bourse on Thursday, the regulator said on Friday.
OTP’s shares fell over 14% in late trade on Thursday to end at Ft 3,855 ($20.96), its lowest level since May 2004 on market talk that the government planned to nationalize it. OTP, central Europe’s biggest independent bank, and the government both denied the rumor.
Market watchdog PSZÁF said the sudden nature and extent of the price falls triggered its inquiry. “Given the size, timing and the significant (price) difference of the deal in contrast to previous quotes, acting under its legal obligations, the Financial Services Authority has launched a market supervision procedure with immediate effect,” PSZÁF said. (Reuters)
October 17th, 2008: I think we can now safely say that the global financial crisis has had a direct and significant effect on the Hungarian economy.
BUDAPEST (AFP) — Hungary, feeling the effects of the global financial crisis, is the recipient of a five-billion-euro (6.7-billion-dollar) loan from the European Central Bank (ECB).
In an unprecedented move outside the eurozone, the ECB came to Hungary's aid Thursday to help it combat a financial crisis that experts here attribute to panic and speculation.
"There is practically zero chance of a national bankruptcy in Hungary," he added.
But investors have nonetheless made known their concerns. The Budapest stock exchange has shed half its value and the national currency, the forint, has lost more than 10 percent against the euro.
October 17th, 2008: On the same day that Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany attempts to deliver more reassurance, Fitch lowers outlook on Hungary's l-t IDR rating to Negative from Stable.
"The revision of Outlook reflects Fitch's view that shocks from global financial turbulence and the likelihood of recession in the euro area have heightened downside credit risk given Hungary's high external debt stock, wide current account deficit and large external financing requirement," said David Heslam, Director in Fitch's sovereign team.
“The deterioration in global, and particularly European, financial conditions have heightened the risks for economies with large external financing needs and reliance on bank financing. Hungary's gross external debt amounts to 99% of GDP, one of the highest levels in Central and Eastern Europe," Fitch said.
Fitch added that financing of Hungary's current account deficit - which stood at 6.4% of GDP in 2007 (based on revised official statistics) - is “sensitive to strains in international capital and banking markets, with a significant proportion of financing dependent on flows to local banks from their western European parents."
Four domestic banks have announced that they are to restrict growth in foreign currency loans.
“Heightened risk aversion has led to strains in government debt and inter-bank markets and to a weakening of the HUF, which if exacerbated would increase debt servicing requirements and place strains on loan portfolios of the domestic banking system, where foreign currency-denominated loans account for over half of private sector credit."
In addition, the global economic slowdown, and particularly the likelihood of a recession in the euro area - the destination for over half of Hungary's exports - “has weakened an already subdued growth outlook, increasing the challenges facing the government in its attempts to continue to narrow the fiscal deficit."
“At 66% of GDP the government's gross debt remains high relative to the 'BBB' median of 28% and low economic growth will make it difficult for the debt burden to fall, while external markets are an important source of financing, including through substantial non-resident holdings of HUF-denominated debt."
October 18th, 2008: One day later, a national summit is held and there are no smiling faces among the leaders gathered to face what is now openly acknowledged as a severe economic crisis. Here are some ideas that were being tossed around, along with a healthy does of partisan bickering.
BUDAPEST (AFP) — Government and central bank officials outlined measures, including cutting government spending, to mitigate Hungary's risks in the current global financial crisis at a meeting in Budapest Saturday.
Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany expressed hope that "ongoing investments would not have to be suspended," during a meeting of some 60 top lawmakers, ministers, central bank chiefs and trade union leaders to work out a short-to-medium term action plan to tackle the financial turmoil.
He also announced modifying the use of European funds "if necessary," while offering no specifics, and ruled out implementing tax cut proposals during the current financial turbulence, a decision supported by business groups.
For his part, central bank governor Andras Simor said Hungary can fend off the effects of the financial crisis only if its economy becomes less vulnerable by "the adoption of the euro, a hike (in competitiveness) by increasing economic growth and a significant decrease of social expenses."
October 18th, 2008: We have heard from the politicians, what about effects of this crisis on the average Hungarian? Here are some excerpts from a New York Times article:
Crisis Comes to Hungary in Loans of Francs and Euros
By NICHOLAS KULISH
‘Average Hungarians are also in trouble. They flocked in droves to banks here in the last several years for once-cheap loans in Swiss francs and euros to buy their cars and houses. Now, they find themselves exposed to rising debt payments.
But Hungarian consumers can do little more than hope their wobbly currency, the forint, stabilizes.
Borrowing in another currency, a mostly foreign concept for middle-class Americans, had become as simple here as walking into the nearest bank branch and applying for credit. The interest rates were lower. There was a risk, but only if the Hungarian currency declined relative to other currencies, forcing borrowers to pay increasing amounts to cover the same monthly bills.
That possibility did not stop nearly 90 percent of consumer borrowers this year from taking out their loans in Swiss francs or euros, according to the central bank.’
Dinosaurs to Dots
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
The world’s first computer weighed 17 tons, filled a 9-by-17 meter room, and was as big as a dinosaur. It was called the ENIAC, or the Electronic Numerator Integrator Analyzer and Computer and it was built back in 1946. When the giant computer was solving a problem, it literally made loud cracking and buzzing noises because it used 17,000 vacuum tubes. These tubes would become red hot and frequently blow out, so a team of people were needed just to run around and constantly change the bulbs. Before ENIAC, however, it took a room full of people to solve the same problem.
The age of computers may have started slowly, but the wheels of innovation were set permanently in motion. By 1971, Intel had already developed a 12-millimetre computer chip with 12 times the capability of ENIAC. In 1978, I got an Atari 2600 game system for Christmas and I quickly became addicted to games like “Space Invaders” and “Asteroids”. This chunky, wood paneled console housed an amazing 1.19 MHz processor!
1946 ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computing
While computers began to become commonplace in the 1980’s, mobile phones were just getting their feet wet. The first generation or “1G” really began in 1983 when the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x was introduced to the U.S. market. The picture of the silvered haired gentlemen is of Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola, who previously made the first U.S. analogue mobile phone call on a larger prototype model in 1973. Can you imagine making a call with something larger than what he has in his hand?
As we moved into the 1990’s, we began to see the second generation of mobile phones or “2G”. Many mobile standards emerged during this time, such as GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and CDMA (Code division multiple access). One of the key differences between 1G and 2G is the usage of digital circuit switched transmission.
While the mobile networks got a whole lot better, mobile phone makers began to find that people preferred to carry smaller phones rather than the dictionary sized ones. Technological advances like better batteries and more powerful, yet more compact operating systems enabled this transition. Another important developed was the dramatic improvement in the density of cellular towers, which reduced the need for phones to have the power to reach distant sites.
The move to 3G systems has been talked about ever since 2G networks were launched. After many years of indecision and 2.5G rollouts, we are finally starting to see why 3G really is the next generation. More specifically, it enables the following:
· Enhanced multimedia (voice, data, video, and remote control).
· Usability on all popular modes (cellular telephone, e-mail, paging, fax, videoconferencing, and Web browsing).
· Broad bandwidth and high speed (upwards of 2 Mbps).
· Roaming capability throughout Europe, Japan, and North America.
The real appeal of 3G is that it should be operational from any location on our planet. The whole point is to allow people to remain connected at all times and new technologies like WiMAX now offer mobile users to roam between different kinds of networks with ease. All of these new network capabilities have started a revolution in mobile handset developments. The iPhone has opened everyone’s eyes to just how powerful and cool a mobile can really be. Smart phones are now being rolled out in great numbers and they have the computing power of laptops that are just a few years old. Mobile phones are rapidly taking on the role of the personal computer and portability is synonymous with fashion.
The quest for smaller and faster computers does not stop, however, with mobile phones or anything that can be seen or touched. Nanotechnology involves building working devices using nanoscale dimensions. If you consider that there are one billion nanometers to a meter and that a nanometer is 40,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, then I think we can comfortably say that nanometers are quite small. The basic idea is to take molecules and use them like Legos. It is argued that in the future it will be possible to create a sugar cube sized supercomputer more powerful than a billion laptops. Wow, and to think I take my coffee with three sugars.
Nanotechnology Takes Off - KQED QUEST
Okay, this is where things can get a bit weird. The future of nanotechnology involves producing nanoscopic machines called “assemblers”, which can then literally construct any physical object by pasting together the right molecules. The idea would first be to get these assemblers to replicate themselves so that there would be trillions of them. The next step is to get maestro to step in and get them all to work together on a particular job. In the field of medicine, this may one day lead to the creation of new organs for those in need. Need a new liver, give us a minute. Your new mobile phone could be a tiny dot implanted in your ear. All of the data that is now stored in your computer could literally be contained in your fingertip. The potential applications of nanotechnology are endless and this is precisely what has a lot of people scared. Whether any of us like it or not, however, none of us will be able to stop the evolution from dinosaur sized computers to ones that are far smaller than that of one human hair. The world is truly becoming a smaller place.
The world’s first computer weighed 17 tons, filled a 9-by-17 meter room, and was as big as a dinosaur. It was called the ENIAC, or the Electronic Numerator Integrator Analyzer and Computer and it was built back in 1946. When the giant computer was solving a problem, it literally made loud cracking and buzzing noises because it used 17,000 vacuum tubes. These tubes would become red hot and frequently blow out, so a team of people were needed just to run around and constantly change the bulbs. Before ENIAC, however, it took a room full of people to solve the same problem.
The age of computers may have started slowly, but the wheels of innovation were set permanently in motion. By 1971, Intel had already developed a 12-millimetre computer chip with 12 times the capability of ENIAC. In 1978, I got an Atari 2600 game system for Christmas and I quickly became addicted to games like “Space Invaders” and “Asteroids”. This chunky, wood paneled console housed an amazing 1.19 MHz processor!
1946 ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computing
While computers began to become commonplace in the 1980’s, mobile phones were just getting their feet wet. The first generation or “1G” really began in 1983 when the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x was introduced to the U.S. market. The picture of the silvered haired gentlemen is of Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola, who previously made the first U.S. analogue mobile phone call on a larger prototype model in 1973. Can you imagine making a call with something larger than what he has in his hand?
As we moved into the 1990’s, we began to see the second generation of mobile phones or “2G”. Many mobile standards emerged during this time, such as GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and CDMA (Code division multiple access). One of the key differences between 1G and 2G is the usage of digital circuit switched transmission.
While the mobile networks got a whole lot better, mobile phone makers began to find that people preferred to carry smaller phones rather than the dictionary sized ones. Technological advances like better batteries and more powerful, yet more compact operating systems enabled this transition. Another important developed was the dramatic improvement in the density of cellular towers, which reduced the need for phones to have the power to reach distant sites.
The move to 3G systems has been talked about ever since 2G networks were launched. After many years of indecision and 2.5G rollouts, we are finally starting to see why 3G really is the next generation. More specifically, it enables the following:
· Enhanced multimedia (voice, data, video, and remote control).
· Usability on all popular modes (cellular telephone, e-mail, paging, fax, videoconferencing, and Web browsing).
· Broad bandwidth and high speed (upwards of 2 Mbps).
· Roaming capability throughout Europe, Japan, and North America.
The real appeal of 3G is that it should be operational from any location on our planet. The whole point is to allow people to remain connected at all times and new technologies like WiMAX now offer mobile users to roam between different kinds of networks with ease. All of these new network capabilities have started a revolution in mobile handset developments. The iPhone has opened everyone’s eyes to just how powerful and cool a mobile can really be. Smart phones are now being rolled out in great numbers and they have the computing power of laptops that are just a few years old. Mobile phones are rapidly taking on the role of the personal computer and portability is synonymous with fashion.
The quest for smaller and faster computers does not stop, however, with mobile phones or anything that can be seen or touched. Nanotechnology involves building working devices using nanoscale dimensions. If you consider that there are one billion nanometers to a meter and that a nanometer is 40,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, then I think we can comfortably say that nanometers are quite small. The basic idea is to take molecules and use them like Legos. It is argued that in the future it will be possible to create a sugar cube sized supercomputer more powerful than a billion laptops. Wow, and to think I take my coffee with three sugars.
Nanotechnology Takes Off - KQED QUEST
Okay, this is where things can get a bit weird. The future of nanotechnology involves producing nanoscopic machines called “assemblers”, which can then literally construct any physical object by pasting together the right molecules. The idea would first be to get these assemblers to replicate themselves so that there would be trillions of them. The next step is to get maestro to step in and get them all to work together on a particular job. In the field of medicine, this may one day lead to the creation of new organs for those in need. Need a new liver, give us a minute. Your new mobile phone could be a tiny dot implanted in your ear. All of the data that is now stored in your computer could literally be contained in your fingertip. The potential applications of nanotechnology are endless and this is precisely what has a lot of people scared. Whether any of us like it or not, however, none of us will be able to stop the evolution from dinosaur sized computers to ones that are far smaller than that of one human hair. The world is truly becoming a smaller place.
Attila’s Lost Treasure
Mankind throughout its history has been drawn to treasure like moths to a flame. For the incredibly small chance of success, treasure seekers have been willing to risk everything, including their lives. Even with all of the modern technology available today, the world is a big place that is loaded with lost treasures. The truth is that very few of them will ever be found, but this does not keep us from looking and dreaming.
One of the most sought after treasures is the coffin of Attila the Hun. Just to provide the proper context, he was one of the most feared barbarians in history and was called the “scourge of God” by the Romans. During his reign, the Huns controlled a vast territory and it is even rumored that they lived, ate, and slept on horseback. While some stories may vary, it is an undeniable fact that Attila left an immortal footprint on history.
So what happened to this great warrior? Attila, ironically, did not die in battle as many of his followers did. He passed away on his wedding night to his latest wife, the beautiful Ildiko, in the year 453 AD. His body was found drenched in blood and there was no evidence of any wound inflicted. It is said that he suffered from a massive nosebleed and drowned in his own blood. The dead body was soon transported to somewhere in the great grass covered plain, and put on display in a silk tent. Written accounts describe how warriors entered the tent, ripped the hair from their heads and mutilated their faces. The reason for these acts was to ensure that Attila was mourned by the blood of warriors and not the tears of women.
While the exact cause of his death may never be known, there is considerable agreement that he was placed in a triple coffin made of gold, surrounded by silver, and then finally by iron. The gold and silver are said to symbolize his status as a mighty king, while the iron designates his strength and power over all nations. Armaments from defeated enemies, along with precious stones and ornaments, were also added to Attila’s elaborate coffins.
This fabulous treasure, however, had to be hidden from those seeking its riches. One story says that a group of men were sent to bury the body at night and then all of them were slaughtered. Another tale tells how the body was buried in the steppe and then thousands of horses trampled down the ground around it to conceal its whereabouts. An even more unbelievable story suggests that the Tisza River was redirected over his resting place. While stories about Attila’s burial site are numerous, there is a consensus that it does exist and currently represents one of the world’s most significant lost treasures.
The town of Tápiószentmárton, located southeast of Budapest, has built a replica of Attila’s palace based on the text of Priscus Rhetor, a Roman envoy to the Huns during Attila’s last days. Many believe the Attila’s lost treasure is located somewhere near this town, yet nothing has been found. If you are feeling lucky and believe Priscus, then quit your job, grab a shovel, and seek your fortune.
Hungary is the 36th most expensive office location in the world
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
The world's top ten most expensive office locations saw rents, a large component of occupancy costs, increase by an average 40 per cent last year, according to Office Space Across the World 2008, a global report by real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.
Office Space Across the World 2008 compares office occupancy costs in 203 key locations in 58 countries around the world, with new entries in the global ranking including Kyiv in Ukraine (16th) and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City (17th place).
Hungarian overview
Nationally, rental growth in 2007 was 3%, with 9 % of take-up transacted on the Pest CBD, where rents rose by 5%. However, there is a significant supply coming on to the market, therefore rents may come under increasing pressure in 2008 and 2009, especially in the non-central and periphery locations.
Zsuzsa Fekete, Head of Office Agency at C&W Budapest says: "Performance in the Hungarian office market over the past 12-18 months has been steady, with an occupier market remaining active and buoyant. Large multinational companies such as IBM, NSN & Nokia, Citibank, Morgan Stanley and also the Hungarian owned bodies such as the Post took significant amount of office spaces in Category "A" buildings throughout Budapest.
A number of new service centers have decided to locate their operations on Váci út, the main business corridor of Budapest, while others have extended their lease. Some of the key shared service center transactions were Diageo in West End Business Center, Inbev and IBM in Duna Tower and Celanese Corporation in Váci 33. Another active business sector on the Váci út were state owned companies and agencies. Some of the larger transactions were ESZA in Atrium Park and Magyar Posta in Gateway.
Key transactions in South Budapest included T-Online and DBH in Infopark D, Philips in IP West and Nokia in Studium.
The periphery (Budaörs) saw a drastic increase of take-up from 5,000 sqm in 2006 to 19,000 sqm - mainly renewal deals for Pannon, Invitel, Capgemini and Johnson & Johnson - in 2007.
International overview
In this year's ranking, London retains its title as having the most expensive office occupancy costs in the world, with one square metre of prime space in London's West End at €2,277 a year (app. HUF 600.000), or US$312 per square foot (app. HUF 56.000), with rents up 30% last year in local currency terms. In second place is Hong Kong, at €1,745 (app. HUF 460.000), where rents were up 40% last year in local currency terms.
Of the 203 locations, 79% showed rental growth last year, 20% stable rents and only one per cent showed a rental fall (compared with 6 percent the previous year). Overall globally, rents grew by 14% in 2007, compared with 10% in 2006.
Elaine Rossall, Head of Business Space Research & Consultancy for Cushman & Wakefield in EMEA, says: "Last year saw the fastest level of growth in office occupancy costs in many of the world's top locations since the turn of the property cycle in 2001, with the strongest demand coming from the financial sector. Behind this growth is a shortage of top-quality product as developers remain relatively cautious, especially compared with the previous peak years of 2001 and 2002."
Looking forward, Elaine says: "We are unlikely to know the full effects of the current credit squeeze on the world's main office locations until further into 2008. In the meantime, we foresee the market for the right product in the right location remaining robust, especially in the more buoyant markets of Asia Pacific, although expectations are that last year's strong rental growth will ease this year."
This year's risers
In the top ten of the global ranking, the biggest risers include Singapore, which went up ten places to join the top ten at position #7. Prime office rents rose 78% in Singpore last year in local currency and, together with strong performances in India and Vietnam, helped Asia Pacific to achieve the strongest regional growth, with rents rising 25% over the course of 2007.
Meanwhile, Moscow rises two places to join the top five ranking for the first time, with prime occupancy costs now above those of Paris, which in addition has been overtaken by Mumbai.
The strongest riser in the global ranking is Oslo, which goes up 14 places to 11th position.
The world's top ten most expensive office locations saw rents, a large component of occupancy costs, increase by an average 40 per cent last year, according to Office Space Across the World 2008, a global report by real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.
Office Space Across the World 2008 compares office occupancy costs in 203 key locations in 58 countries around the world, with new entries in the global ranking including Kyiv in Ukraine (16th) and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City (17th place).
Hungarian overview
Nationally, rental growth in 2007 was 3%, with 9 % of take-up transacted on the Pest CBD, where rents rose by 5%. However, there is a significant supply coming on to the market, therefore rents may come under increasing pressure in 2008 and 2009, especially in the non-central and periphery locations.
Zsuzsa Fekete, Head of Office Agency at C&W Budapest says: "Performance in the Hungarian office market over the past 12-18 months has been steady, with an occupier market remaining active and buoyant. Large multinational companies such as IBM, NSN & Nokia, Citibank, Morgan Stanley and also the Hungarian owned bodies such as the Post took significant amount of office spaces in Category "A" buildings throughout Budapest.
A number of new service centers have decided to locate their operations on Váci út, the main business corridor of Budapest, while others have extended their lease. Some of the key shared service center transactions were Diageo in West End Business Center, Inbev and IBM in Duna Tower and Celanese Corporation in Váci 33. Another active business sector on the Váci út were state owned companies and agencies. Some of the larger transactions were ESZA in Atrium Park and Magyar Posta in Gateway.
Key transactions in South Budapest included T-Online and DBH in Infopark D, Philips in IP West and Nokia in Studium.
The periphery (Budaörs) saw a drastic increase of take-up from 5,000 sqm in 2006 to 19,000 sqm - mainly renewal deals for Pannon, Invitel, Capgemini and Johnson & Johnson - in 2007.
International overview
In this year's ranking, London retains its title as having the most expensive office occupancy costs in the world, with one square metre of prime space in London's West End at €2,277 a year (app. HUF 600.000), or US$312 per square foot (app. HUF 56.000), with rents up 30% last year in local currency terms. In second place is Hong Kong, at €1,745 (app. HUF 460.000), where rents were up 40% last year in local currency terms.
Of the 203 locations, 79% showed rental growth last year, 20% stable rents and only one per cent showed a rental fall (compared with 6 percent the previous year). Overall globally, rents grew by 14% in 2007, compared with 10% in 2006.
Elaine Rossall, Head of Business Space Research & Consultancy for Cushman & Wakefield in EMEA, says: "Last year saw the fastest level of growth in office occupancy costs in many of the world's top locations since the turn of the property cycle in 2001, with the strongest demand coming from the financial sector. Behind this growth is a shortage of top-quality product as developers remain relatively cautious, especially compared with the previous peak years of 2001 and 2002."
Looking forward, Elaine says: "We are unlikely to know the full effects of the current credit squeeze on the world's main office locations until further into 2008. In the meantime, we foresee the market for the right product in the right location remaining robust, especially in the more buoyant markets of Asia Pacific, although expectations are that last year's strong rental growth will ease this year."
This year's risers
In the top ten of the global ranking, the biggest risers include Singapore, which went up ten places to join the top ten at position #7. Prime office rents rose 78% in Singpore last year in local currency and, together with strong performances in India and Vietnam, helped Asia Pacific to achieve the strongest regional growth, with rents rising 25% over the course of 2007.
Meanwhile, Moscow rises two places to join the top five ranking for the first time, with prime occupancy costs now above those of Paris, which in addition has been overtaken by Mumbai.
The strongest riser in the global ranking is Oslo, which goes up 14 places to 11th position.
A Tale of Five Cities
Friday, 22 February 2008
While the battle rages on in Budapest about whether or not to build high rises on Csepel Island, metropolises around the globe are competing with each other to attract tourists with amazing developments that are literally scraping the skies. If a city can manage to build something that is unique and takes architecture to new heights, then visitors from all around the world are sure to come. Not sure where to go on your summer vacation? No worries. Here’s our list of the Top 5 Cities with the Most Impressive Real Estate Developments.
Number 2: Moscow, Russia
With great power comes great responsibility. Being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Moscow needs to aim high when it comes to mega - developments. And they don’t fail to live up to this task. Moscow International Business Center alone, powered the city all the way to the second place of the podium.
Contrary to its name, MIBC will combine government, business activities, living spaces and entertainment. In other words, it’s going to be a city within the city on a one square kilometer area. It will be the new home of Moscow’s city hall and city Duma (parliament), as well as the headquarters of numerous big corporations. More than 1 million square meters of office space should be enough for them.
Europe and Russia: Moving to Win-Win
Saturday, 21 November 2009
When EU and Russian leaders meet in Stockholm for their regular summit this week it might be a useful occasion for a stock-taking exercise. This will be the last such summit for Javier Solana and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU’s two top foreign policy chiefs. Next year, under the Lisbon treaty, their jobs will be merged thus giving the EU more coherence, continuity and visibility in external relations – or so it is hoped.
The Stockholm summit will take place just after Sweden and Finland have granted permission for the controversial Nordstream project to go ahead. It will also take place less than a month before the Copenhagen climate change conference. But unlike the EU, climate change is almost a non issue in Russia. Their major focus is on the economy and restoring Russia’s influence in its neighbourhood. The summit will hopefully give a push to the faltering PCA negotiations although little can be expected in the remainder of 2009. Russia is already looking to Spain, the next EU Presidency, to push the reset button.
What can the summiteers learn from the past five years and where should EU-Russia relations be heading? An obvious win-win area is economic cooperation. Russia has been hit more severely than the EU or most large countries by the global financial crisis. While China expects to grow at 8.5% this year, Russia faces a dramatic 11% drop in its growth rate. The IMF expects only a modest recovery of 1.5% growth in 2010.
Talk of Russia relying on its own resources to shield it from the swings of global markets has faded and Vladimir Putin has embarked on a new charm offensive to win back foreign investors. Despite Mr Putin’s exhortations, there has been no rush back to the Russian market. Indeed the well publicised cases of BP, Shell, Telenor and IKEA underline how much Russia still has to do in terms of fighting corruption and establishing the rule of law. Two other major problems are the monograds – the many cities across Russia reliant on one industry – and the banking system which is increasingly under state control and clogged by bad debts.
Perhaps the strongest critic of the past years is President Medvedev who last week stated that Russia had to tackle its "ineffective economy, semi-Soviet social structure and weak democracy." In his state of the union speech, Medvedev named five priority areas for Russia to focus on: energy efficiency technology, the nuclear sector, information technology, space and pharmaceuticals. The President reiterated his attack on huge state corporations, created by his predecessor Vladimir Putin, saying they would have to reform into commercial companies or disappear. He also ordered the government to reduce the share of the state-controlled sector, now exceeding 40 per cent, by the time of the next presidential election in 2012. But his speech did not address the key issue of what would be the driving force behind innovation.
The President has also been trenchant in his criticism of ‘legal nihilism,’ recognising that without independent courts Western investors, essential for the transformation of Russia, will remain highly cautious about further investment. There are some positive signs with the Ministry of Justice working to update the bankruptcy laws and other legislation affecting business. But Medvedev’s remarks demonstrate that what is needed is no less than a fundamental reform of the political system. It is not obvious, however, that the man in the Kremlin has sufficient support to bring about such change in the near future.
Against this background how can the EU help Russia to modernise its economy? The EU is already the top trading partner for Russia – 55% of Russian exports go to the EU – and the top investor – 65% of FDI comes from the EU. The EU has the finance, technology and know-how to help Russia modernise its increasingly outdated infrastructure, especially in the energy sector. For its part, the EU is heavily dependent on Russian energy. But as a result of recent ‘gas wars’ – and the threat of more to come - it is looking to diversify its energy supplies and speed up the introduction of renewable energy. Russia itself wastes an enormous amount of energy - it loses more gas each year than France consumes.
The EU and Russia need to consider a new deal whereby the EU offers to help modernise the Russian economy and guarantees security of demand for Russian energy. In return, Russia would ease its restrictive new laws on foreign ownership and take real steps to improve the court system. Russia should also consider recognising the importance of early membership of the WTO and drop its insistence on joining only with Belarus and Kazakhstan. This would then pave the way for a free trade agreement between the EU and Russia.
Pragmatic cooperation on the economic front could contribute to greater understanding on other issues, including the common neighbourhood and foreign policy issues such as Iran and Afghanistan. It could also be accompanied by moves to abolish visas and greatly expand educational and scientific exchanges.
It will not be easy to move from an atmosphere of suspicion to one of mutual cooperation. But both sides stand to gain from a new approach. A strong, stable, prosperous and increasingly liberal Russia is very much in the interests of the EU.
When EU and Russian leaders meet in Stockholm for their regular summit this week it might be a useful occasion for a stock-taking exercise. This will be the last such summit for Javier Solana and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU’s two top foreign policy chiefs. Next year, under the Lisbon treaty, their jobs will be merged thus giving the EU more coherence, continuity and visibility in external relations – or so it is hoped.
The Stockholm summit will take place just after Sweden and Finland have granted permission for the controversial Nordstream project to go ahead. It will also take place less than a month before the Copenhagen climate change conference. But unlike the EU, climate change is almost a non issue in Russia. Their major focus is on the economy and restoring Russia’s influence in its neighbourhood. The summit will hopefully give a push to the faltering PCA negotiations although little can be expected in the remainder of 2009. Russia is already looking to Spain, the next EU Presidency, to push the reset button.
What can the summiteers learn from the past five years and where should EU-Russia relations be heading? An obvious win-win area is economic cooperation. Russia has been hit more severely than the EU or most large countries by the global financial crisis. While China expects to grow at 8.5% this year, Russia faces a dramatic 11% drop in its growth rate. The IMF expects only a modest recovery of 1.5% growth in 2010.
Talk of Russia relying on its own resources to shield it from the swings of global markets has faded and Vladimir Putin has embarked on a new charm offensive to win back foreign investors. Despite Mr Putin’s exhortations, there has been no rush back to the Russian market. Indeed the well publicised cases of BP, Shell, Telenor and IKEA underline how much Russia still has to do in terms of fighting corruption and establishing the rule of law. Two other major problems are the monograds – the many cities across Russia reliant on one industry – and the banking system which is increasingly under state control and clogged by bad debts.
Perhaps the strongest critic of the past years is President Medvedev who last week stated that Russia had to tackle its "ineffective economy, semi-Soviet social structure and weak democracy." In his state of the union speech, Medvedev named five priority areas for Russia to focus on: energy efficiency technology, the nuclear sector, information technology, space and pharmaceuticals. The President reiterated his attack on huge state corporations, created by his predecessor Vladimir Putin, saying they would have to reform into commercial companies or disappear. He also ordered the government to reduce the share of the state-controlled sector, now exceeding 40 per cent, by the time of the next presidential election in 2012. But his speech did not address the key issue of what would be the driving force behind innovation.
The President has also been trenchant in his criticism of ‘legal nihilism,’ recognising that without independent courts Western investors, essential for the transformation of Russia, will remain highly cautious about further investment. There are some positive signs with the Ministry of Justice working to update the bankruptcy laws and other legislation affecting business. But Medvedev’s remarks demonstrate that what is needed is no less than a fundamental reform of the political system. It is not obvious, however, that the man in the Kremlin has sufficient support to bring about such change in the near future.
Against this background how can the EU help Russia to modernise its economy? The EU is already the top trading partner for Russia – 55% of Russian exports go to the EU – and the top investor – 65% of FDI comes from the EU. The EU has the finance, technology and know-how to help Russia modernise its increasingly outdated infrastructure, especially in the energy sector. For its part, the EU is heavily dependent on Russian energy. But as a result of recent ‘gas wars’ – and the threat of more to come - it is looking to diversify its energy supplies and speed up the introduction of renewable energy. Russia itself wastes an enormous amount of energy - it loses more gas each year than France consumes.
The EU and Russia need to consider a new deal whereby the EU offers to help modernise the Russian economy and guarantees security of demand for Russian energy. In return, Russia would ease its restrictive new laws on foreign ownership and take real steps to improve the court system. Russia should also consider recognising the importance of early membership of the WTO and drop its insistence on joining only with Belarus and Kazakhstan. This would then pave the way for a free trade agreement between the EU and Russia.
Pragmatic cooperation on the economic front could contribute to greater understanding on other issues, including the common neighbourhood and foreign policy issues such as Iran and Afghanistan. It could also be accompanied by moves to abolish visas and greatly expand educational and scientific exchanges.
It will not be easy to move from an atmosphere of suspicion to one of mutual cooperation. But both sides stand to gain from a new approach. A strong, stable, prosperous and increasingly liberal Russia is very much in the interests of the EU.
Embassies warn over lack of transparency
Thursday, 26 November 2009
In the wake of recent scandals – such as the local council in the city of Pécs seizing control of a local water utility firm in which the French firm Suez had a minority stake and the controversial granting of national radio broadcasting rights to two newcomer firms at the expense of long-time broadcasters Danubius and the US-owned Sláger Rádió – the embassies of nine countries issued a joint statement last Thursday calling on the government to increase transparency and clamp down on corruption.
For legal reasons, the embassies themselves refrained from giving any specific examples of cases of opacity or suspected corruption.
Economy Minister István Varga criticised the joint statement, saying it did not present a balanced view of the situation in Hungary. Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai quickly agreed to meet all nine ambassadors this Monday. Tamás Kende, an international lawyer, told the daily Népszabadság that Hungary had received a “serious warning from the developed world” about corruption in public life. “This type of thing is usually received by African states and South Asian dictators,” he said.
‘Significant new instances of non-transparent behaviour’
The statement issued with the support of the embassies of Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States: We represent countries whose companies provide the majority of Hungary’s foreign direct investment:
As friends of Hungary who have witnessed its recent difficulties and its concerted efforts to tackle the effects of the global economic crisis, we look forward to the recent encouraging predictions of renewed economic growth in Hungary becoming a reality.
An important component of that predicted growth will reflect the decisions taken by current and potential foreign investors, many of whom come from the countries we represent. It is therefore with great concern that we hear of significant new instances of non-transparent behaviour affecting investors in such areas as public utilities, broadcasting, and elements of the nation’s transport infrastructure. These reports could hinder the investment for which Hungary, like every other country, is competing.
As the global economy recovers, foreign investors will make their own decisions about where they will commit their resources. As friends of Hungary, we hope that the investment climate here remains one that makes the nation an attractive destination for those resources, rather than the opposite.
Transparency can be a critical competitive advantage. Passing, implementing and enforcing new anti-corruption legislation could be an important factor in helping meet the aspirations of Hungary’s citizens for renewed economic gorwth and prosperity.
In the wake of recent scandals – such as the local council in the city of Pécs seizing control of a local water utility firm in which the French firm Suez had a minority stake and the controversial granting of national radio broadcasting rights to two newcomer firms at the expense of long-time broadcasters Danubius and the US-owned Sláger Rádió – the embassies of nine countries issued a joint statement last Thursday calling on the government to increase transparency and clamp down on corruption.
For legal reasons, the embassies themselves refrained from giving any specific examples of cases of opacity or suspected corruption.
Economy Minister István Varga criticised the joint statement, saying it did not present a balanced view of the situation in Hungary. Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai quickly agreed to meet all nine ambassadors this Monday. Tamás Kende, an international lawyer, told the daily Népszabadság that Hungary had received a “serious warning from the developed world” about corruption in public life. “This type of thing is usually received by African states and South Asian dictators,” he said.
‘Significant new instances of non-transparent behaviour’
The statement issued with the support of the embassies of Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States: We represent countries whose companies provide the majority of Hungary’s foreign direct investment:
As friends of Hungary who have witnessed its recent difficulties and its concerted efforts to tackle the effects of the global economic crisis, we look forward to the recent encouraging predictions of renewed economic growth in Hungary becoming a reality.
An important component of that predicted growth will reflect the decisions taken by current and potential foreign investors, many of whom come from the countries we represent. It is therefore with great concern that we hear of significant new instances of non-transparent behaviour affecting investors in such areas as public utilities, broadcasting, and elements of the nation’s transport infrastructure. These reports could hinder the investment for which Hungary, like every other country, is competing.
As the global economy recovers, foreign investors will make their own decisions about where they will commit their resources. As friends of Hungary, we hope that the investment climate here remains one that makes the nation an attractive destination for those resources, rather than the opposite.
Transparency can be a critical competitive advantage. Passing, implementing and enforcing new anti-corruption legislation could be an important factor in helping meet the aspirations of Hungary’s citizens for renewed economic gorwth and prosperity.
Man dies in shooting at Hungary's Pecs university
Thursday, 26 November 2009
A man died in a shooting inside a building of Pecs University in the south of Hungary on Thursday, spokesman for the university Zoltan Gyorffy told the press on Thursday.
Police have arrested the attacker, a 23 year-old man, who entered the building of the university's biophysics research institute and opened fire with an as yet unspecified weapon.
Earlier two people were reported to be in a critical condition, a third in a serious condition and a fourth was lightly hurt in the shooting.
The shooting broke out in a class of Hungarian pharmaceuticals students. The students reported that they became aware of one of their classmate's unusual behaviour. The man who died in the shooting was one of the pharmaceuticals students. The injured include students and a cleaner, Gyorffy said.
Ildiko Konrad, who works at the research institute, told MTI that she heard several shots. Later, a student emerged from the building, shouting that one of her fellow classmates was shooting inside the building.
Police have sealed off the area.
Classmates of the victim are in emotional shock and are comforting each other in front of the building, Gyorffy said.
Education Minister Istvan Hiller is on his way to the scene of the shooting.
PM expresses condolences
Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai expressed his grievances over the death of a student in a campus shooting at Pecs university on Thursday morning.
Bajnai said the government would give all possible support to the victim's family and the three other people seriously injured in the shooting.
Bajnai said the assailant's motives were unknown, and no one could have been prepared for such an act, but all must be done to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future.
Parties send condolences to victim's family
The governing Socialist party's parliamentary group leader expressed condolences to the family of a student who was killed in a shooting inside a building of Pecs University in the south of Hungary on Thursday morning.
Attila Mesterhazy said he was shocked to hear about the events and wished quick recovery to the three other wounded in the shooting.
Main opposition Fidesz parliamentary leader Tibor Navracsics also sent his condolences to the family. Head of parliament's national security committee, Istvan Simicsko, of the opposition Christian Democrats said "brutal violence is spreading in the country, which must be stopped."
A man died in a shooting inside a building of Pecs University in the south of Hungary on Thursday, spokesman for the university Zoltan Gyorffy told the press on Thursday.
Police have arrested the attacker, a 23 year-old man, who entered the building of the university's biophysics research institute and opened fire with an as yet unspecified weapon.
Earlier two people were reported to be in a critical condition, a third in a serious condition and a fourth was lightly hurt in the shooting.
The shooting broke out in a class of Hungarian pharmaceuticals students. The students reported that they became aware of one of their classmate's unusual behaviour. The man who died in the shooting was one of the pharmaceuticals students. The injured include students and a cleaner, Gyorffy said.
Ildiko Konrad, who works at the research institute, told MTI that she heard several shots. Later, a student emerged from the building, shouting that one of her fellow classmates was shooting inside the building.
Police have sealed off the area.
Classmates of the victim are in emotional shock and are comforting each other in front of the building, Gyorffy said.
Education Minister Istvan Hiller is on his way to the scene of the shooting.
PM expresses condolences
Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai expressed his grievances over the death of a student in a campus shooting at Pecs university on Thursday morning.
Bajnai said the government would give all possible support to the victim's family and the three other people seriously injured in the shooting.
Bajnai said the assailant's motives were unknown, and no one could have been prepared for such an act, but all must be done to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future.
Parties send condolences to victim's family
The governing Socialist party's parliamentary group leader expressed condolences to the family of a student who was killed in a shooting inside a building of Pecs University in the south of Hungary on Thursday morning.
Attila Mesterhazy said he was shocked to hear about the events and wished quick recovery to the three other wounded in the shooting.
Main opposition Fidesz parliamentary leader Tibor Navracsics also sent his condolences to the family. Head of parliament's national security committee, Istvan Simicsko, of the opposition Christian Democrats said "brutal violence is spreading in the country, which must be stopped."
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