Malaysians work longer

/* November 12th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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 So, we work about longer, and also nearly half of us bring back work home often. Working longer doesn’t necessarily relate to better pay or productivity, but it can be one of the indicator for wages. Not sure what kind professions the survey covered though. If talk to security guards, workers at shopping complexes, factory operators etc., 8 t0 12 hours shift is normal.

I guess the economic conditions may force some (or many) to work longer or work few jobs.

Are you one of those who work long hours, more than 40 hours a week?

As for bringing work home, its partly due to the availability of ICT tools and infrastructure. We can work from anywhere nowadays. Also, some “bring back work” is for reading or sorting out stuff.

My policy – work stays at office. Leaving office at 5 or 6 or 7pm means leaving work behind.

Anyway, this would be good news for employers to push more employees to work longer.

 

Malaysians are clocking in more hours at work and bringing their office load back home, too.

“Some 47% of workers in Malaysia take tasks home to finish at the end of the day for more than three times a week, compared to 43% globally,” statistics in a global survey by workplace provider Regus showed.

Another 15% of Malaysian employees regularly work for more than 11 hours a day, compared to 10% globally.

The survey also showed 32% of Malaysian workers usually worked between nine and 11 hours every day.

Some 12,000 business people in 85 countries participated in the survey.

William Willems, regional vice-president for Regus Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia said the study found “a clear blurring” of the line separating work and home.

“The long-term effects of such over-work could be damaging to both workers’ health and overall productivity.

“This is because workers may drive themselves too hard and become disaffected, depressed and even physically ill,” he said.

Willems said businesses that enabled employees to work from locations closer to home and manage their time more independently could offset the stress of a poor work-life balance.

On a global scale, the survey revealed that women were less likely to take work home compared to men, with 32% of women bringing tasks to finish at home more than three times a week compared to 48% of men.

“Workers in smaller companies globally were more likely to take work home than those working in large firms,” the study said.

 

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/11/9/nation/9866319&sec=nation

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Alcohol in hamper as Deepavali gift for Tamil school HMs?

/* November 9th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions 1 comment »
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 I’m sure the YB (who is also Deputy Education Minister, and a Muslim) won’t be dumb enough to give alcohol as part of hamper gift, what more to school administrators in the school. You can put fruits, biscuits, chocolates, cordials etc. in hampers. No need to encourage alcohol drinking.

Wonder how this came to be.

If indeed this happened, a shameful incidence for Indian community. Seems like the perception of others is that drinking is a culture of the community.

 

… In Batu Pahat, several Tamil school headmasters and their assistants were suprised to see hampers on their tables when they returned to work after the Deepavali break.

What stunned them the most was that the hampers contained a bottle of Famous Grouse whisky.

The hampers were from the Batu Pahat MP Mohd Puad Zarkashi, who is also the deputy education minister.

“Most of us were suprised and felt uncomfortable. Firstly, the hamper contained a liqour bottle and secondly, we as civil servants should not receive such gifts

“Perhaps it is the deputy minister’s way of thanking us for our contribution,” said a teacher, who declined to be named.

However, he said that sending flowers would suffice and there was no need for liquor bottles.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/11/08/its-raining-goodies-in-johor/

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52 aspirants for one state seat?

/* November 9th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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52??? Can’t believe so many people interested to stand for election in one state seat. It  means either:

1. plenty of candidates whom think they have the support from locals (maybe PKR presence is strong until got so many “qualified” candidates) OR

2. they think voters will vote for party instead of candidate and they want to try their luck.

I would like to believe its 1, but I think reality is 2.

 

Fifty-two PKR members have indicated their interest in contesting the Bukit Melawati state seat in the next general election.

The rush for the seat started about six months ago after a rumour was circulated within party circles that incumbent assemblyman Muthiah Maria Pillay, 63, would not stand.

Out of the 52 aspirants, it is believed that about 30 have sent formal letters to PKR headquarters offering themselves as candidates.

Party insiders say a senior party leader is also believed to be eyeing the seat for his daughter.

Although Bukit Melawati was regarded as an “Indian seat”, those who had shown interest were from all races, said the party insider.

He said the rumour could have been started to oust Muthiah as some felt that it would be easy to grab his seat as the assemblyman was not the confrontational type.

Muthiah said he had not indicated that he would not be contesting in the next general election.

“But I will not ask for the seat as it is against my principles to demand to contest because I feel it’s the party leadership’s decision,” he said.

Muthiah said there was even talk that he was gravely ill.

“Some people called to ask me if it was true that I was very ill and I jokingly told them that I was already dead,” Muthiah said.

Muthiah, who is an engineer by profession, said he had also not lobbied to contest in the 1995 general election where he won the Pasir Panjang state seat in Lumut under the Barisan Nasional ticket.

“Even then, I never asked to contest but was selected by the MIC,” said Muthiah, who was the MIC Youth chief between 1996 to 1999.

He left the MIC to join PKR in 2006.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/11/8/nation/9855589&sec=nation

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Media Statement on PPSMI Soft Landing

/* November 8th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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I have a feeling that the “soft landing” from PPSMI to MBMMBI will be an arduous, bumpy and costly journey. So for the record, below is the media statement by Education Minister, in case we need to refer to it in near future.

 

 KENYATAAN AKHBAR

YAB TAN SRI DATO’ HJ MUHYIDDIN HJ MOHD YASSIN

TIMBALAN PERDANA MENTERI MALAYSIA

DAN MENTERI PELAJARAN

MENGENAI PELAKSANAAN SOFT-LANDING PPSMI

 

Kerajaan pada tahun 2009 telah mengambil keputusan untuk memansuhkan Dasar Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) dan menggantikannya dengan Dasar Memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia dan Memperkukuhkan Bahasa Inggeris (MBMMBI).

Dengan pemansuhan PPSMI, murid di sekolah rendah akan mengikuti pengajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam bahasa Malaysia di Sekolah Kebangsaan, Bahasa Cina di SJKC dan Bahasa Tamil di SJKT. Manakala di sekolah menengah, Bahasa Malaysia akan digunakan sepenuhnya dalam pengajaran Matematik dan Sains.

Untuk membolehkan murid menyesuaikan diri dengan perubahan bahasa dalam tempoh peralihan dasar, Mesyuarat Jemaah Menteri pada bulan Julai 2009 juga telah membenarkan Kementerian Pelajaran melaksanakan pendekatan soft-landing.

Berdasarkan keputusan tersebut, Kementerian Pelajaran pada tahun 2010 telah menetapkan dasar MBMMBI dimulakan pada tahun 2011 di mana murid Tahun 1 pada tahun ini mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam bahasa Malaysia sepenuhnya. Sebagai langkah intervensi untuk mempercepatkan proses peralihan daripada bahasa Inggeris ke bahasa Malaysia di semua peringkat persekolahan, Kementerian juga memutuskan bermula tahun 2012, murid Tingkatan 1 akan mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik dan sains dalam bahasa Malaysia sepenuhnya.

Walaubagaimanapun, peralihan kepada bahasa Malaysia pada Tingkatan 1 bermula tahun hadapan telah menimbulkan kerisauan ibubapa kerana dibimbangi anak-anak mereka yang telah mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran dalam bahasa Inggeris selama enam tahun di sekolah rendah tidak dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan peralihan bahasa secara mendadak.

Setelah mengambil kira pandangan ibu bapa, kabinet pada hari ini memutuskan untuk membenarkan murid sekolah rendah kohort PPSMI untuk meneruskan pengajaran dan pembelajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam bahasa Inggeris sepenuhnya, bahasa Malaysia sepenuhnya atau dalam kedua-dua bahasa apabila mereka memasuki Tingkatan 1 bermula tahun hadapan.

Ini bermakna semua murid kohort PPSMI yang mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam bahasa Inggeris dibenar untuk meneruskan pengajaran dan pembelajaran dalam bahasa Inggeris sehingga tamat Tingkatan 5.

Perlu diperjelaskan di sini juga, murid Tahun 3 hingga Tahun 6 2012 dibenarkan untuk meneruskan pengajaran dan pembelajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam bahasa Inggeris, bahasa Malaysia atau kedua-dua bahasa di sekolah kebangsaan ; bahasa Inggeris, bahasa Cina atau kedua-dua bahasa di SJKC; dan bahasa Inggeris, bahasa Tamil atau kedua-dua bahasa di SJKT seperti yang diputuskan oleh jemaah Menteri pada bulan Julai 2009.

Bagi murid yang telah mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam bahasa Malaysia atau dalam kedua-dua bahasa, mereka dibenar mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran dalam bahasa Malaysia sepenuhnya.

Dengan keputusan ini, pemansuhan PPSMI adalah kekal. Kerajaan tidak bercadang untuk melaksanakan semula PPSMI seperti yang dituntut oleh sesetengah pihak.

Bagaimanapun, kerajaan berharap keputusan yang membenarkan murid kohort PPSMI, iaitu murid Tahun 2 hingga Tingkatan 5 tahun ini untuk meneruskan pembelajaran dalam BI sehingga tamat tingkatan 5 dapat melegakan hati ibubapa. Kerajaan yakin dengan keputusan ini pencapaian murid kohort PPSMI dalam peperiksaan UPSR, PMR dan SPM tidak akan terjejas.

Dengan pendekatan soft-landing ini, pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik dan sains di sekolah rendah akan dilaksanakan dalam bahasa Malaysia sepenuhnya pada tahun 2016. Manakala di sekolah menengah, penggunaan bahasa Malaysia sepenuhnya bagi kedua-dua matapelajaran ini adalah pada tahun 2021.

Kajian Kementerian Pelajaran ke atas semua sekolah di bawah Kementerian menunjukkan bahawa kebanyakan sekolah telah melaksanakan pengajaran dan pembelajaran sains dan matematik dalam bahasa Malaysia.

Dapatan kajian menunjukkan, kurang 5 peratus daripada jumlah kelas di 7,495 buah sekolah rendah menggunakan bahasa Inggeris sepenuhnya dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik dan sains. Manakala di peringkat sekolah menengah, kurang 9 peratus daripada jumlah kelas di 2,192 buah sekolah menggunakan bahasa Inggeris dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik dan sains. Berdasarkan dapatan ini, kebanyakan murid mengikuti pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik dan sains dalam bahasa Malaysia.Dapatan kajian ini membuktikan bahawa PPSMI tidak dapat dilaksanakan sepertimana yang dihasratkan.

Hasil kajian lapangan yang dijalankan oleh Kementerian dengan mengumpulkan maklumat melalui pemerhatian di dalam kelas, pengalaman guru dan amalan di bilik darjah serta temubual murid-murid mendapati murid sukar memahami matapelajaran matematik dan sains dalam bahasa Inggeris. Murid mengambil masa yang lama untuk memahami konsep matematik dan sains kerana mereka tidak faham bahasa Inggeris. Ini memaksa guru-guru untuk mengajar dalam bahasa Malaysia supaya murid dapat memahami kedua-dua matapelajaran tersebut. Masalah seperti ini bukan sahaja dialami oleh sekolah-sekolah di luar bandar, tetapi juga di bandar. Oleh yang demikian, sekiranya PPSMI diteruskan, sebahagian besar murid di negara kita tidak akan dapat menguasai ilmu matematik dan sains dengan baik dan mereka akan terus ketinggalan.

Pemansuhan PPSMI tidak bermakna kerajaan mengabaikan kepentingan penguasaan bahasa Inggeris. Di bawah dasar MBMMBI, Kementerian sedang melaksanakan pelbagai inisiatif baru yang lebih efektif untuk meningkatkan penguasaan bahasa Inggeris dalam kalangan murid.

Antara inisiatif tersebut ialah penambahan masa pengajaran dan pembelajaran bahasa Inggeris, penambahbaikan kurikulum bahasa Inggeris di bawah pelaksanaan Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR), penyediaan guru, pengambilan penutur jati bagi meningkatkan kapasiti pensyarah dan guru Bahasa Inggeris, penyediaan bahan sokongan yang berkualiti seperti bahan bacaan tambahan dan bahan digital bagi menyokong pelaksanaan pengajaran dan pembelajaran di bilik darjah.

Kementerian Pelajaran juga sedang mengkaji beberapa inisatif baru untuk dilaksanakan seperti program Oracy Skills (OPS-ENG) yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan penguasaan lisan dalam kalangan murid, kelas berdasarkan Sistem Set, peningkatan kualiti dan kepelbagaian bahan pengajaran, pembangunan profesionalisme guru dan kecekapan pengurusan panitia bahasa Inggeris di sekolah.

Kerajaan berharap pemansuhan PPSMI dan pelaksanaan dasar MBMMBI dapat meningkatkan penguasaan bahasa Inggeris, ilmu sains dan matematik di kalangan pelajar serta mendaulatkan bahasa kebangsaan.

Pejabat YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri

4 November 2011

source: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=306975049312877

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Healthy food in canteens by CAP

/* November 6th, 2011 by poobalan | View blog reactions No comments »
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This is very interesting article. I think this is a good effort. Perhaps other schools should be roped in to promote such traditional food.

SESAME seed balls and beetroot juice are among the healthy food choices which could be introduced at school canteens to replace junk food and carbonated drinks.

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) education officer N.V. Subbarow said such traditional food and beverages are rich in nutrients and would help to counter the problem of obesity among primary schoolchildren.

“Obesity would lead to diseases that will affect our future generations who are the hope of our country,” he said at a healthy food campaign at SJK(T) Prai.

Subbarow said sesame seed balls are a rich source of calcium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, vitamin E and fibre.

“A handful of sesame seeds contains more calcium than a glass of milk,” he said, adding that sesame seeds are good for women, especially in their menopausal stage.

Rich in nutrients: Subbarow (right) with CAP education officer Suseela (standing left) showing SJK(T) Prai pupils how to prepare the sesame seed balls.

He said beetroot is a natural detoxifier and blood purifier, a good antioxidant and rich in iron, which improves blood circulation and prevents anaemia.

Subbarow added that beetroot has a high content of vitamin C and B, and is rich in fibre and folic acid, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood circulation.

At the event yesterday, teachers and pupils learned about the preparation of sesame balls and beetroot juice during a demonstration by CAP education officer N. Suseela.

She made the sesame balls by grinding jaggery or gula Melaka together with sesame seeds.

A demonstration on how to make beetroot drink.

Subbarow said CAP was planning to hold a similar event for school canteen operators soon to teach them to prepare healthy food, as they had a list of healthy food preparations for schoolchildren.

Headmistress T. Lakshmi thanked CAP for their continuous support to the school.

She said the healthy food campaign is beneficial as it is cheap and easy to prepare.

She added that the CAP’s natural farm in the school is already bearing fruit as they have harvested vegetables from the organic farm it helped create in August.

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/11/4/north/9833906&sec=North

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