Monday, May 26, 2008
SPM top scorers complain to MPs - The Sun
By Giam Say Khoon and Humayun Kabir
KUALA LUMPUR (May 26, 2008): Four students from Selangor and Johor, who scored 11 or 12 As in the SPM, today brought their grouse to Parliament about not getting the Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship, joining an annual list who bring up the same complaint.
The students were accompanied by Pulau Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin to Parliament and were received by Yusmadi Yusof (PKR-Balik Pulau).
They were Chew Kin Cheng, who got eight A1s and four A2s; Tan Kian Hin with nine A1s and two A2s; Tiow Zyn Ann with eight A1s and three A2s; and Lim Soon Seng with 10 A1s and two A2s.
In a press conference in Parliament lobby, Yusmadi said: "Our brightest students often do not get the opportunity to go for higher education to bring out the best in them. Eventually we would only encourage mediocrity and our nation would lose competitiveness in the process."
Yusmadi added that there was a rot in the selection system as no one seemed to know the details of the selection.
"The selection has failed us year after year. Often, the officials explained the system in general terms. However, we demand to know more. It should be transparent and fair," he said, adding that the social background of an applicant should also be taken into account as those in need should be given the priority.
[More at http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=22662]
RM2mil worth of stolen microchips, components recovered - The Star
By Looi Sue-Chern
GEORGE TOWN: Police have busted a microchips theft gang here and recovered RM2mil worth of microchips and electronic components.
Balik Pulau OCPD Deputy Supt Lai Fah Hin said six men, aged between 30 and 50, were arrested in Bayan Lepas, Sungai Nibong, Taman Bagan in Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and other locations last week.
"We believe the microchips and electronic components were sold to regular buyers," he said, adding that those arrested were buyers and factory staff, including a factory security supervisor and guard.
He added that police investigations since a month ago had led to the recovery of most of the stolen goods at locations in Bayan Lepas and Bukit Mertajam.
"The police recovered the stolen microchips in Permatang Damar Laut in Bayan Lepas; one box of electronic components in Sungai Nibong; two boxes and a sack of components in Bukit Tengah, and 10 sacks in Taman Limau Manis in Bukit Mertajam.
"This is the largest bust by the Balik Pulau police this year," he told a press conference Monday at the Balik Pulau police headquarters.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/26/nation/20080526183958&sec=nation]
‘No snoop squad in MCA’ - The Star
By Hah Foong Lian
IPOH: Allegations of a snoop squad set up to spy on rivals of MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting are baseless, said party secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
“It is totally baseless and has nothing to do with the party,” said Ong when asked about on-going investigations being conducted by a three-man panel of inquiry into the matter.
“I am the secretary-general of the party and as far as I’m concerned, it does not exist,” he said yesterday after closing the Ipoh branch Malaysian Red Crescent Society youth training camp.
The three-man panel of inquiry headed by Tan Sri Dr Sak Cheng Lum and assisted by party veteran Tan Sri Michael Chen and senior lawyer Roger Tan has been set up to investigate allegations on the existence of such a squad.
Ong pointed out that the party leaders had been very open-minded by forming a panel to investigate the allegations.
“By right, it is something we can just ignore but we formed a committee so that people’s doubts can be cleared,” he said.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/26/nation/21361631&sec=nation]
Nothing sexy about girls’ school uniform - The Star
PALOH: There is nothing sexy about the school uniform now worn by girls in government schools, says Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said he personally felt it was unfair to blame the students or their uniform for sexual crimes.
“From what I have seen, clothing is not the main consideration of those who commit despicable acts. Usually, there is an underlying problem, such as a disease, that makes them behave that way,” he said.
The National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia recently condemned the uniform as being too sexy and encouraging rape and pre-marital sex.
Hishammuddin said although he believed that changing the school uniform would not reduce sex crimes committed against schoolgirls, he would refer the matter to experts within his ministry to listen to various ideas before making a decision.
He also said that the uniform, which has been there for so many years, would not change very much in the next few years.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/26/nation/21361461&sec=nation]
Be prepared for snap polls, officers told - The Star
PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has informed its officers to be prepared for a snap election, said chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.
Stressing that he was not one to speculate, Abdul Rashid said the EC was prepared “for anything” and was capable of handling a snap election as it had all necessary infrastructure in place.
In an interview with mStar Online yesterday, he revealed that after the post-mortem of the 12th General Election, he had instructed all returning officers (RO) to be prepared for any eventuality.
Similarly, the 140,000 people involved in the general election have also been advised to not refuse when called upon again for duty in the event of a snap election.
“But I don’t want to speculate, and it is not for us to speculate, but we are prepared for anything. In the past two months of meeting with the ROs, I’ve already told them to be prepared as it may be called anytime,” he said.
Abdul Rashid was responding to talk on recent events that have led to speculations of Umno members defecting from the party en masse and even party hopping following Barisan Nasional's dismal showing in the elections.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/26/nation/21359051&sec=nation]
