The Malaysia education system is in a state of turmoil.
The recent decision by the government to switch the medium of instruction from the English to Bahasa Malaysia in the teaching of Science and Mathematics is causing great concern amongst parents and children. The Government is in a catch 22 situation, with a general election looming, they can go ahead and implement this change but they must be prepared to face the wrath of voters at the general election.
Parents and students back Tun Mahathir’s call for PPSIM
Full 4.09 min video here
Watch and listen to short sound bites by parents on their views on PPSMI
Datin Noor Azimah speaking to parents and children at Taman Jaya, PJ on 12th Nov 2011
“We have parents who are just as frustrated. What is happening right now is that the principals are being briefed by the Ministry of Education, I am concerned that Principals may be influenced to choose Bahasa Malaysia.”
Mr Bathu, father of 3 speaking about his worries and concern on abolishment of PPSMI
“My main concern is the recent announcement by the Education Minister that science and maths be taught in English but schools will decide which language, I think that is a wrong directive. It should be given that science and maths in English So that we will be able to compete with other countries at level playing field.”
Mr Nanda Kumar, father of 2 speaking about the uncertainty of the Govt policy on PPSMI
“My daughter just finish her PMR so she still has another 2 more years in the education system and based on the current statements and sentiments I find although the education ministry has made a turnaround last week there is no proper directive given to the schools there is still uncertainty whether she is still going to finish in English for the remaining two years.”
Ms Sheila, a retired school teacher on her experience with PPSMI
“I started teaching in English then went into teaching in BM and then i went back to teaching in English. I have seen children from the so called slum areas around PJ in Form One at present, they speak beautiful English. As far as I am concerned PPSMI has been a success.”
Amidst screams of “tarik balik” some 300 members of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) staged a picket at Jalan Barat, Petaling Jaya on 3rd November 2011.
This is part of the nationwide picket organised by MTUC to protest the proposed amendments to the Employment Act which would affect the job security and rights of workers in Malaysia.
Abdul Halim Mansor, Secretary General of MTUC was on hand to explain the reasons for the picket and said that they will take this matter up to the International Labour Organisation if the Government does not heed their demands.
The Putrajaya Night Marathon 2011, kicked off to a start at 8.00pm on the 15th October with close to 10000 participants.
The runners have to weave through the main streets and boulevards of Putrajaya against the beautiful skyline of bridges, mosques, monuments and buildings.
The event has 4 distances and 16 different categories.
The 42km run is open to anyone who is up to the challenge of a full marathon. The 21km half marathon and 10km categories are for beginners and upcoming marathon runners.
There is also the casual 10km run alongside the 5km Fun Run and corporate teams.
Owners of Palm Spring at Kota Damansara, are crying foul over the refusal of the property developer, Maufakat Kekal (MK) to recognise their duly elected management corporation on 11th Oct 2011.
Anwar Manowar, 52, one of the unit owner was elected the Chairman with 7 others as committee members. He explains:
“We manage to do a proper meeting on the 11th Oct 2011 to established a management corporation whereby I was elected as Chairman of the 8 member corporation.
120 people turned up and they are strata title owners. They were legally registered as owners by developers representative who were vetting through the titles.
“Now that Maufakat Kekal are in not in control of the management corporation and non of their management and staff are in the committee, they have decided to organise another meeting on 15th Oct which is far away from here at Selayang”
Owners are now not happy with the decision of Maufakat and have called a press conference this morning to protest. Why would the developers want to form another committee, they ask.
“The idea of Muafakat is that they want to take control so that all the legal suits we have with them on the getting back the sinking funds, giving us the audited accounts, pay the maintenance fees, returning the kindergarten and visitors car park. The moment they take back control all the legal suits we have with them are null and void.
We are getting support from the ADUN Elizabeth Wong and Dr Rasnarathi. They are helping us to meet up with the Jabatan Tanah and Dato Roslan, the Datuk Bandar of Petaling Jaya
What we need from Muafakat is that they recognised us. The meeting has been properly convened, it was not rowdy which we can prove by video or cctv. There is no arrogance and no fighting there is nothing as what the lawyer for the developer was saying in the letter.”
There are a total of 2150 units in Palm Spring Damansara with a total number of resident count at 10,000.
Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating book fair is now at the Cruise Ship Center at Port Klang. With a crew of 400 unpaid volunteers from 45 countries, the Logos is making one huge trip around the world. Its arrival has captured the imagination of Malaysians from all walks of life and the number of visitors has averaged 6000 per day since the ship’s arrival on 28th Sept 2011.
Jessie LaPlue, 24, a volunteer from USA explains : ” We in the Logos Hope have 3 purposes. We want to bring knowledge, help and hope to people in port cities all over the world. There is a unique international community , an example diversity right here onboard the ship. We are known as the worlds largest floating bookfair with more than 5000 titles from novels to cookbooks to children’s book, medical books, language learning and help which will apply to everyone. “
Femke Reinstra, 19 who hails from Netherlands speaks on her trip to Africa: ” The most challenging thing was in Africa, when I had to go out and live with an African family. They did not have water supply and I could not have a shower or use a normal toilet. It took a lot of effort to get drinking water.”
Goobin 24 from South Korea tells of his experience when on the ship, ” I have a very good time on board and I have the chance and opportunity to look round the world. During this time I experience many cultures and languages. I have met many people and it is a good experience for me.”
One of the visitor, Mr Lim took the long queue in his own stride. He says ” I arrive here 3.30 pm and had to queue more than 2 hours before reaching the deck. Hopefully I will come again next time at night.”
The Logos Hope is operated by GBA ships, a German charitable organisation and is the latest replacement to earlier ships which either have been sold or retired. The ship started its life as a car ferry in the 1970′s and have been refitted over the past 5 years to its present almost mint condition.
The Logos Hope berthed here till 24th October and her next destination will be Kuching and then Kota Kinabalu.
It is the final night of Navaratri at the Seafield Mariamman Temple, along the Puchong Hicom Expressway. This temple was built in 1891, for the plantation estate workers who were mainly brought over from India. Over the past 9 days, thousands of devotees have gathered here to celebrate this annual vegetarian festival.
As the story of Navaratri is being re-enacted tonight, the devotees are celebrating with a heavy heart, knowing that a court hearing over the next few weeks may mean that this 120 year old temple be demolished.
Nagaraju, 58 the Temple Chairman has this to say.
“In 1986, the estate was sold to Sime UEP, a development company on the condition that one acre be allocated to the temple at the present site. However in the 1990′s the developer wanted to shift the temple to another site saying that the earlier condition has been revoked. The temple management took the case to court and obtained an injunction restraining the developer from demolishing the temple until the land case is over.
Sime UEP had sold the land to another developer One City Developer, who also wants to shift the temple but the devotees and committee feels that since they have been here for more than 120 years, its our right to stay here. Since this is a place of worship think we should stay at this present site and not move away”
There appears another good reason why this temple should be preserved. There are a few sacred Bo trees in the temple compound which are more than a century old.
Nagaraju has this to say,
“If you see the tree at the back, it is more than 125 yrs old they did a research through the forestry department confirmed that it is more than 125 yrs old in 1991, so now it is 145 years old. There are a total of 3 trees which have been certified The developers are willing to compensate any price, but the devotees want to stay because of the history.”
Bharatanatyam is the oldest and most popular of India’s classical dance form. The dance has it’s origins in the temples of the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is performed as an offering to the Gods.
In conjunction with Navaratri celebrations, the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Seafield, USJ presented devotees with a Bharatanatyam performance by two talented young ladies, K Subhadra age 13 and K Pavitra age 12..
Both of them took up the classical dance at the age of 5 at the Shri Nadeeeswarar Dance Academy in Kuala Lumpur.
This is the annual parade of the Nine Emperor Gods in Pekan Ampang. Led by dragons, lions, lighted floats and mediums the parade weave through the narrow streets of Ampang. This is normally held on the 2nd day of the festival is to welcome the deity Yuan Shui, whose role is to administer the festival. Devotees by the tens of thousands are flocking to this small sleepy hollow to celebrate the nine day vegetarian festival. Meanwhile back at the temple, more devotees have assembled, and are awaiting the return of the Gods to pray for longevity, health and good fortune.
The recent decision by the government to switch the medium of instruction from the English to Bahasa Malaysia in the teaching of Science and Mathematics is causing great concern amongst parents and children. The Government is in a catch 22 situation, with a general election looming, they can go ahead and implement this change but they must be prepared to face the wrath of voters at the general election.
