Permohonan Borang Jawatan Konstabel Polis

Setelah mendapat panggilan telefon dari RI yang tengah panik-panik tak tahu nak isi borang, aku pun setuju, untuk menolong dia. Nasihat aku pada asalnya, fikirkan betul-betul pasal nak masuk polis pasal dia hanya menggunakan sijil SPM, dan sekarang dia dah pun berada di Kolej. Jadi, aku rasa eloklah kalau dia habiskan Kolej dulu, dan baru buat permohonan.

Tapi memandangkan dia tak minat dengan subjek Kolej, dan lebih berminat nak masuk Polis. Aku pun menolong. Nak dijadikan cerita, nak isi borang adalah teramat memeningkan kepala, lebih-lebih lagi bila Sijil SPMnya itu adalah Sistem Terbuka, dan dia adalah batch pertama. Jadi aku bertambah pening, pasal arahan dalam buku panduan tak merangkumi ciri-ciri Peperiksaan Terbuka. Kod Peperiksaan, Senarai Subjek Wajib, dan juga Subjek-subjek yang dia 'score', memang ada ruangnya. Masalah timbul, bila Sistem Terbuka menggunakan (A+, A, A-), tapi dalam borang, tidak ada Alphabet, tapi cuma (1,2,3..etc), selepas tu, ada kena pulak diHITAM didalam ruangan berkenaan.

Mulanya aku menyangka aku terlepas pandang didalam buku panduan (yang merupakan sebuah buku, hampir setebal sebuah novel). Setelah dibelek-belek berkali-kali, dan dirujuk semula dengan kawan-kawan RI, memang tak ada langsung JADUAL PengGREDan yang borang tu kata perlu dimasukkan. Akibatnya, usaha menolong RI, terbantut. Kesian dia.

Kaedah yang aku guna waktu tu, aku ambil pensil, aku slash off, semua dalam buku panduan mana yang tak berkaitan untuk dia. Penuhlah dengan slash mark BATAL, dari situ aku mencari-cari klausa berkaitan dengan SPM, tak lah banyak mana pun dari 'buku novel' tersebut, dah dikecilkan skop pun, masih lagi tak jumpa-jumpa.

Kadang-kadang pelik juga, benda yang kita cari, tak jumpa-jumpa, yang kita tak jangka jumpa, terjumpa pulak. Masa tengok borang dia tu, aku terlihat kod untuk Universiti dan Kolej-kolej. Kagum juga aku, bila Ijazah Pertama aku ada disenaraikan didalam Bidang Profesional & Ikhtisas PDRM. Masa aku p England dulu-dulu, katanya Perkhidmatan Awam tak pandang kelulusan Chartered aku ni. Universiti aku yang kat England pulak, walaupun dah tukar nama, tapi dalam Borang Polis DiRaja Malaysia, masih pakai nama yang asal. Ertinya dari dulu lagi PDRM dah tahu tempat belajar aku ni. Cuma, kenapa Perkhidmatan Awam waktu tu poyo sangat. Entahlah, mungkin dugaan hidup buat aku agaknya.. Sampailah ke University MBA aku kat Cleveland Ohio, US, pun ada terjumpa. Jadi tak lah se bunian mana pun tempat-tempat yang pernah aku pergi belajar..

So, aku nasihatkan pada RI, habiskan je la Diploma, lepas tu mohon balik guna Diploma tu, lebih elok untuk tangga gaji. Lagipun, kawan baik dia, tak dapat nak turut serta dalam permohonan kali ni. Kan elok kalau apply sama-sama.. Lagi satu, jangan masa nak interview tu baru nak berhenti rokok, baru nak start p jogging apa semua.. Kena mula sekarang, badan tu X kan naik magically bila besok nak interview, malamnya baru nak buat macam-macam.. (sorry la, taw kan, yang abg memang sound direct kat korang, mcm biasa...)

Harap-harap aku, dia baca la blog ni...

JPJ

Kadang-kadang tak perasan pula bagaimana keadaan menjadi mudah bila semua orang menunaikan tanggungjawab. Memang kagum, bila, nak buat lesen baru yang dah lama tertangguh, akhirnya siap, dengan kebetulan-kebetulan yang tidak dijangka.
Sambil menunggu rakan yang ajak bersarapan, dan dia lewat, pergi ambil gambar..
Selesai minum, masih ada waktu, rushing ke Setapak
Sampai, tanya, apa yang perlu, ialah 5 tahun sekali, tak tahu kalau peraturan berubah..
Sampai aje dikaunter dilayan baik.
Tiada rungutan, tiada keluhan. Katanya:
Kalau lesen hilang, bayar RM20, bayaran untuk setahun RM30.
Siap bayar siap juga lesennya..
Beliau membuat yang terbaik..
Namanya ..tak berapa ingat.. bunyinya..mccm
SURA_ _ _ _ _
Kaunter 11, jam 1250 tengahari.
Lesen yg tertangguh hampir 6 bulan, selesai dlm 20minit..
Moga Allah merahmati beliau, kerana ikhlas bersama rakyat..

Focus Economy

Many thanks to Astro Awani - 501, the producers, not to forget Mr Bakhtiar or as I fondly calls as Gerojes..the crew and everyone involved in the making of this production...
(macam la menang anugerah Grammy...) wat eva...

27th Februari 2010 ( Al Raqib - Yang Maha Mengawasi )

Tanggal 27hb Februari, merupakan suatu lagi tarikh, dimana kunci pintu masuk MPEC (MISSIB Professional & Educational Centre), rosak. Ini merupakan kali ke - 3, dan melalui rujukan, didapati pintu tersebut dirosakkan oleh seseorang.

Pada kali ke - 2, saya sendiri terkurung didalam.

Memandangkan, MPEC selaku sebuah institusi tidak pernah, menganiaya sesiapa, dan pada masa yang sama, telah berkali-kali diperlakukan sebegini, semoga mereka yang mempunyai PhD tersebut (samada yang melakukannya & yang menyokongnya), dilaknat Allah Azza Wa Jall..(wallahi, wabillahi, watallahi...)

Seperti yang ditulis di Wall Facebook saya (sebelum kejadian terkini ini berlaku), ...kenapa orang yang tidak bersalah.... ini adalah antara sebabnya..

Pada 2008, MPEC diugut, oleh Penjawat Awam (Keselamatan), pada 2005 - 2007 pula adalah cercaan dari Penjawat Awam di Putrajaya..Hanya pada 2009, MPEC tenang dari tsunami, kini, pada awal tahun 2010, sabotaj bermula lagi..

"It is impossible to please all of the people, all of the time", tapi perkara yang terjadi kepada MPEC, adalah berdasarkan kepada situasi iaitu keadaan yang berlaku. Tiada fitnah melulu, tiada tuduhan yang tidak berasas..

"...dan adalah aku menjadi saksi terhadap mereka, selama aku berada diantara mereka. Maka setelah Engkau wafatkan (angkatkan) aku, Englaulah yang mengawasi mereka. Dan Engkau adalah Maha Menyaksikan segala sesuatu" (Surah Al-Ma'idah : Ayat 117)

Whitney Houston - When U Believe

Thanks Alex,
I know it was tough when you were living in Australia, and now that you are married & living in Taiwan with the girl you met in Australia,
Still, I never forget what you said about about this song.
Life goes a long way...
Congratulations, you made it...
Happy Chinese New Year..

Many nights we pray

With no proof anyone could hear

And our hearts a hopeful song

We barely understand

Now we are not afraid

Although we know there's much to fear

We were moving mountains long

Before we know we could



There can be miracles

When you believe

Though hope is frail

It's hard to kill

Who know what miracle

You can achieve

When you believe

Somehow you will

You will when you believe



In this time of fear

When prayer so often proves in vain

Hope seems like the summer birds

Too swiftly flown away

And now I am standing here

My heart's so full I can't explain

Seeking faith and speaking words

I never thought I'd say



There can be miracles

When you believe (When you believe)

Though hope is frail

It's hard to kill

Who know what miracle

You can achieve (You can achieve)

When you believe

Somehow you will

You will when you believe



They don't always happen when you ask

And it's easy to give in to your fear

But when you're blinded by your pain

Can't see you way safe through the rain

Thought of a still resilient voice

Says love is very near



There can be miracles (miracles)

When you believe (When you believe)

Though hope is frail

It's hard to kill

Who know what miracles

You can achieve (You can achieve)

When you believe

Somehow you will

You will when you believe

You will when you believe

You will when you believe

Just believe

You will when you believe

Memories

There comes a times in everyone’s life - where there is a need to get rid of the past and embrace the present. However, as I look at the ageing memento, I was reminded of my trip to Japan many years ago, in particular when I was in the Hida Village. It has been years since I’d thought about the village. Indeed, had it not been for the souvenir of that trip, I might never have thought about the Village again. The memory of the Village and that day would simply have been lost, forever. Then, there was this beer mat taken from a Pub in Koln, Germany, and the programme from watching Godsend Theatre in London, plus the newspaper I collected warning about the millennium bug on the new year’s eve of 2000. Like everyone else, I have no control over what I can and cannot remember. Some early childhood memories are so clear, I feel as if I’m reliving something that took place 5 minutes ago - or so it seems to me. But ask me, what I had for lunch yesterday, and would be hard pushed to tell you. Other memories fall between these two extremes.

I can remember where I went for my adventure and lived in trains and buses, migrating from people’s houses, but not all the details. I can’t remember every play, everyone whom I seek help when I lost my way, the name of the old Bulgarian man who gave way for me at Moscow Airport, or the pleasant Egyptian whom I chat with at Jeddah Airport just before I enter the plane, even the Lebanese who offered me chocolate while I was on transit in Doha, or every person who made me laugh or change my point of view. I remember some of them, but others need tangible to jog my memory. Indeed, without photographs, cards and souvenirs, much of my past would be gone forever.

That day, I closed my drawer of memories without getting rid of a single thing. There is merit in remembering certain events, people who’ve touched me in some way, and activities experienced for the first time (or even the last time) as I went for Biro Tata Negara, in Kaki Bukit Camp in Perlis, many many years ago..

I wonder what happened to the 5 year old boy in Siberia, who came to me, begging for money so that he could buy his lunch. What happened to him today, has he manage to get meals every time he is hungry. Has become a matured teenager or has he become... I can only hope and pray, the future i.e. today is a happier day for him..and all those, who have tried to make others happy..

May the Blessing of God shine upon them...

Telus dan Ikhlas

Apakah masih ada dikalangan bangsa ku yang sebegitu... Atau, menanam tebu dibibir mulut lebih menjadi tradisi kebanggaan, kerana manis mulut itu perlu...bagaimana pula..dengan..keluhuran dan keikhlasan memegang tanggungjawab..apakah juga semata-mata atas nama pangkat...atau atas nama ingin berbakti atau inginkan NAMA dikenang..betul..harimau mati meninggalkan belang...manusia mati meninggalkan nama...Patah tumbuh hilang berganti..tetapi..ada yang tak reti reti...masih beranggapan hidup menongkat langit..senyum...ada tetapi tidak semestinya ikhlas..salam dihulur..tidak semestinya...kerana ingin bersahabat...dimana sebenarnya..nawaitu masing-masing....

Ada yang baru setahun jagung..tetapi merasa dirinya..sudah lebih dulu makan garam..ada yang hanya baca brochure universiti..tetapi merasakan dirinya setaraf sarjana universiti..ada yang hanya sekelumit usaha dan sumbangan tapi tanpa segan -silu menuntut pujian....dimana ye...barangkali perasaan rendah diri orang Timur yang mana Agamanya dilindungi oleh Perlembagaan..dimana ye..sifat tawaduk..untuk berterus terang tanpa perlu mengungkit2 dengan reverse psychology supaya dirinya dilihat berusaha dan layak....selayak -layaknya bekerja...

Dimana pulak keimanan mereka yang suka berkata 'Insyallah'...tetapi, tak pernah hadir bila dijemput...

Sungguh menarik dunia hari ini..memang betul - betul plastik...

Old Testament

The Old Testament is the collection of books that forms the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The contents of the Old Testment canon vary from church to church, with the Orthodox communion having 51 books: the shared books are those of the shortest canon, that of the major Protestant communions, with 39 books.

All Old Testament canons are related to the Jewish Bible Canon (Tanakh), but with variations. The most important of these variations is a change to the order of the books: the Hebrew Bible ends with the Book of Chronicles, which describes Israel restored to the Promised Land and the Temple restored in Jerusalem; in the Hebrew Bible God's purpose is thus fulfilled and the divine history is at an end, according to Dispensationalism. In the Christian Old Testament the Book of Malachi is placed last, so that a prophesy of the coming of the Messiah leads into the birth of the Christ in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Tanakh is written in Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic, and is therefore also known as the Hebrew Bible (the text of the Jewish Bible is called the Masoretic, after the medieval Jewish rabbis who compiled it). The Masoretic Text (i.e. the Hebrew text revered by medieval and modern Jews) is only one of several versions of the original scriptures of ancient Judaism, and no manuscripts of that hypothetical original text exist. In the last few centuries before Christ Jewish scholars produced a translation of their scriptures in Greek, the common language of the Eastern portion of the Roman Empire since the conquests of Alexander the Great. This translation, known as the Septuagint, forms the basis of the Orthodox and some other Eastern Old Testaments. The Old Testaments of the Western branches of Christianity were originally based on a Latin translation of the Septuagint known as the Vetus Latina, this was replaced by Jerome's Vulgate, which continues to be highly respected in the Catholic Church, but Protestant churches generally follow translations of a scholarly reference known as the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. In 1943, Pope Pius XII issued the Divino Afflante Spiritu which allows Catholic translations from texts other than the Vulgate, notably in English the New American Bible.

The Hebrew Bible divides its books into three categories, the Torah ("Instructions"), the Nevi'im ("Prophets") (according to some Christians, essentially historical, despite the title), and the Ketuvim ("Writings}," which according to some Christians might better be described as "wisdom" books (the Song of Songs, Lamentations, Proverbs, etc). The Christian Old Testaments ignore this division and instead emphasise the historical and prophetic nature of the canon - this the Book of Ruth and the Book of Job, part of the Writings in the Hebrew Bible, are reclassified in the Christian canon as history books, and the overall division into Instructions, Prophets and Writings is lost. The reason for this is the over-arching Messianic intention of Christianity - the Old Testament is seen as preparation for the New Testament, and not as a revelation complete in its own right, see Supersessionism for details.

Although it is not a history book in the modern sense, the Old Testament is the primary source for the History of ancient Israel and Judah. The Bible historians presented a picture of ancient Israel based on information that they viewed as historically true. Of particular interest in this regard are the books of Joshua through Second Chronicles.[1][2]

The oldest material in the Hebrew Bible - and therefore in the Christian Old Testament - may date from the 12th century BCE. This material is found embedded within the books of the current Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, which reached their current form at various points between the 5th century BCE (the first five books, the Torah) and the 2nd century BCE[3], see Development of the Jewish Bible canon for details.

Adab dan Pekerti Bangsa Melayu

Didalam suasana hari ini, dimasa semua mengejar kemewahan dan bererti juga keselesaan, saya tertanya-tanya, apa yang dikejar sehingga ia menjadi sikap diluar dari yang diwar-warkan..
Sewaktu berada di Bunga Raya petang semalam..sebagai orang yang menghormati orang lain..saya menghulurkan tangan berjabat salam..dengan hamba Allah yang berpangkat, berusia muda..punya penglibatan diri didalam korporat walaupun dia menzahirkan dirinya sebagai seorang pemimpin..Apa disebabkan jawatan...makanya bererti..dia berhak untuk menoleh kearah lain..semata-mata kerana saya enggan untuk bersalam dengannya pada kali pertama? Kenapa saya, kalau bukan kerana dia merasakan...bahawa ruang lingkup persekitaran..disitu adalah untuk mereka - mereka yang 'sewaktu' dengannya...tertanya saya - dimana amanah yang dipegang oleh jati dirinya (tak perlu saya ulas tentang ucapannya dikaca TV baru-baru ini..dimana saya turut sama berada dalam 'idiot box' tersebut.
Semoga kata-kata 'Rakyat Didahulukan' dihayati oleh beliau juga...kerana selain dari tidak tahu hendak senyum, beliau melanggar kaki saya didepan kapalterbang..sewaktu hendak mengejar 'rakannya' yang turut 'sewaktu' dengannya...
Belajarlah rendah diri sikit...

RM 150 million allocated to PERMATA

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.’

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.