Memaparkan catatan dengan label Maklumat Umum. Papar semua catatan
Memaparkan catatan dengan label Maklumat Umum. Papar semua catatan

Selasa, 25 Oktober 2011

CUEPACS saran penjawat awam lakukan protes kenaikan harga barang mulai bulan depan

Berita Harian Online|CUEPACS saran penjawat awam lakukan protes kenaikan harga barang mulai bulan depan

2011/10/25

KUCHING: Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) menyarankan 1.3 juta penjawat awam di negara ini melakukan protes secara senyap terhadap kenaikan harga barang terutama ayam mulai bulan depan.

Presidennya, Datuk Omar Osman berkata protes boleh dilakukan dengan mengurangkan kekerapan ke pasar selain mencari alternatif yang lebih murah bagi membantah tindakan peniaga menaikkan harga barangan tanpa sebab munasabah.

"Penjawat awam belum mendapat manfaat gaji naik dan bonus, peniaga sudah mula ambil kesempatan," katanya kepada BERNAMA selepas taklimat isu semasa CUEPACS dengan ketua jabatan dan penjawat awam, di sini hari ini.

Kata beliau masanya sudah tiba bagi semua penjawat awam bersatu dan menggunakan hak mereka sebagai pengguna.

Fenomena kenaikan harga barangan terutama ayam berlaku di seluruh negara termasuk di negeri ini dan kesannya semakin dirasai pengguna.

Pengarah Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan Sarawak, Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman sebelum ini, dilapor berkata harga ayam di Sarawak kini antara RM9.50 dan RM11.50 sekilogram bergantung kepada lokasi, susulan kekurangan bekalan sejak bulan lalu.

Bagaimanapun beliau menjangka harga ayam kembali ke paras biasa iaitu antara RM7.50 dan RM8 sekilogram pada pertengahan bulan depan apabila bekalan kembali normal. - BERNAMA

1 ulasan

Khamis, 28 Julai 2011

BAGAIMANA UNTUK MEMBUAT TUNTUTAN KECIL DI MAHKAMAH

(sumber: http://www.kehakiman.gov.my/html/faq.shtml#BAGAIMANA  UNTUK MEMBUAT  TUNTUTAN KECIL  DI MAHKAMAH)

(Prosidur Tuntutan Kecil) Mahkamah Majistret

    • Mahkamah Tuntutan Kecil diwujudkan bertujuan untuk memberi kemudahan kepada orang ramai untuk membuat tuntutan yang berupa hutang, perkhidmatan dan lain-lain di mana jumlah tuntutan ialah tidak melebihi RM5,000.00.
    • Mahkamah ini diwujudkan bagi membicara kes di mana hanya pihak menuntut dan pihak kena tuntut sahaja yang terlibat tanpa menggunakan peguam, mengurangkan kos perbicaraan.

Apakah Perkara-Perkara Yang Boleh Dituntut

1. Mendapatkan kembali hutang }
2. Tuntutan barangan melibatkan nilai }
Wang tidak lebih RM5,000.00 } Jumlah nilai
3. Upah sesuatu perkhidmatan yang tak dibayar } tuntutan tidak
4. Sewa menyewa } tidak melebihi
5. Tuntutan atas barangan yang rosak. } RM5,000
6. Tuntutan persembahan yang tidak dilaksanakan }

Di Mana Tuntutan Perlu Dibuat
Tuntutan (saman) ini boleh dibuat di mana-mana Mahkamah Majistret yang berhampiran.
Pejabat Pendaftaran Mahkamah Majistret dibuka pada waktu pejabat.

Bagaimana Anda Hendak Memulakan Saman
Anda perlu mendapatkan Borang 164 yang telah disediakan di Mahkamah dan mengisi borang tersebut mengikut mana-mana bersesuaian.
Terdapat beberapa jenis borang yang mempunyai tujuan masing-masing yang akan digunakan selepas penghakiman diperolehi.
Bagi memulakan saman anda dikehendaki mengisi Borang 164 dalam 4 salinan menyatakan amaun dan butir-butir tuntutan.
Tandatangan di borang tersebut atau cap jari.

Kehadiran Ke Mahkamah Pada Tarikh Yang Ditetapkan
Apabila peringkat di atas telah selesai anda dikehendaki hadir ke Mahkamah pada tarikh yang ditetapkan oleh Mahkamah.
Sekira defendan hadir dan menafikan tuntutan maka Mahkamah akan tetapkan satu tarikh untuk bicara. Sekira defendan hadir dan bersetuju dengan tuntutan maka Mahkamah akan memberi penghakiman kepada plaintif dan mengarahkan defendan membayar sama ada di Mahkamah ataupun pada tarikh yang disetujui oleh kedua pihak.
Sekira defendan tidak hadir maka anda kenalah membuktikan kepada Mahkamah bahawa anda telah menyerahkan saman sama ada melalui penyerahan sendiri atau pun melalui pos. Selepas itu anda berhak memohon Penghakiman Ingkar (tampa kehadiran defendan).
Sekiranya anda tidak hadir tanpa sebab dan defendan hadir maka saman anda boleh dibatalkan oleh Mahkamah.

Perkara Lain Yang Boleh Dituntut
Selain dari penghakiman anda juga boleh menuntut kos iaitu perbelanjaan yang boleh anda lakukan tidak melebihi RM100.00 dari defendan.

Peguam
Kedua-dua ihak di dalam kes tuntutan kecil tidak dibenarkan menggunakan khidmat peguam dan perbicaraan adalah di antara pihak-pihak.

Majistret
Orang yang akan membicarakan kes anda. Majistret akan memastikan bahawa pihak-pihak mengemukakan bukti-bukti bagi menyokong kes masing-masing mengikut peruntukan undang-undang . Pihak-pihak yang terlibat akan dibantu oleh Majistret di dalam perbicaraan.

Jurubahasa Mahkamah
Jika anda tidak memahami Bahasa Malaysia dengan baik anda perlu memberitahu Mahkamah sekiranya anda memerlukan bantuan jurubahasa sama ada Cina, India atau bahasa-bahasa lain.

Perhatian:
RISALAH INI DIKELUARKAN SEBAGAI PANDUAN DAN UNTUK MAKLUMAN SAHAJA. IA TIDAK BOLEH DIGUNAKAN SEBAGAI BAHAN RUJUKAN ATAU KETERANGAN DI MAHKAMAH.

ARAHAN KEPADA PLAINTIF:

1. Plaintif mestilah mengisikan namanya dengan penuh dan nombor kad pengenalannya dalam bahagian pertama.  Jika plaintif adalah suatu syarikat atau firma, nama penuh syarikat atau firma itu hendaklah dinyatakan.

2. Dalam bahagian kedua plaintif  mestilah mengisikan nama defendan dengan penuh dan alamatnya yang terakhir diketahui.

3. Dalam bahagian ketiga plaintif mestilah menyatakan amaun tepat yang dituntut.  Amaun yang dituntut itu tidaklah boleh melebihi RM5,000,000.  Jika amaun itu melebihi RM5,000.00 maka tuntutan itu hendaklah difailkan di Mahkamah Majistret Kelas Satu dan tidaklah boleh dibuat dalalm borang ini.

4. Dalam bahagian yang sama, plaintif mestilah menyatakan butir-butir tuntutannya.  Butir-butir itu mestilah menyatakan tarikh relevan dan bagaimana tuntutan itu telah berbangkit atau apakah asas tuntutan itu.

5. Setelah mengisi butir-butir, plaintif mestilah menandatangani borang secara sendiri.  Jika plaintif adalah suatu syarikat, borang mestilah ditandatangani oleh seorang pegawai syarikat itu yang diberikuasa dengan sempurnanya untuk bebuat demikian.  Jika ia adalah suatu perkongsian, maka ia bolehlah ditandatangani  oleh seorang daripada pekongsi.

6. Setelah menyiapkan borang, plaintif mestilah memfailkan borang dalalm 4 salinan di Pejabat Pendaftaran bagi Mahkamah Majistret Kelas Dua.  Dia mestilah membayar fee pemfailan sebanyak  RM10.00 .  Pejabat Pendaftaran akan meletakkan meterai Mahkamah ke atas 4 salinan borang itu dan mengisikan tarikh pendengaran.  Satu salinan borang akan dikembalikan kepada plaintif.

7. Kamu boleh berunding dengan peguam tetapi tidak boleh  diwakili oleh peguam di pendengaran itu.

ARAHAN-ARAHAN KEPADA DEFENDAN:

1. Apabila kamu menerima borang ini yang dimeteraikan dengan meterai Mahkamah, kamu adalah didakwa oleh plaintif.

2. Jika kamu mempertikaikan tuntutan itu kamu mestilah menyatakan pembelaan anda, dengan butir-butir, dalam Borang 165.

3. Kamu mestilah memfailkan pernyataan pembelaan kamu di Pejabat Pendaftaran Mahkamah.

4. Jika kamu gagal memfailkan pembelaan kamu dalam masa yang ditetapkan atau jika kamu gagal hadir di Mahkamah pada tarikh pendengaran, maka Mahkamah akan memberikan penghakiman untuk plaintif berserta dengan kos.

5. Kamu boleh berunding dengan peguam tetapi tidak boleh diwakili oleh peguam di pendengaran itu.

Cara Mengisi Borang Saman (Borang 164)
Di bawah ini ditunjukkan cara Borang 164 diisi.  Terdapat juga penjelasan bagi perkataan yang belum anda ketahui.

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11 ulasan

Ahad, 8 Mei 2011

Malaysia Public Holidays 2011 - One Stop Malaysia

Malaysia Public Holiday 2011

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Isnin, 21 Mac 2011

Kenapa tunggu 2012 haram botol susu polikarbonat

Berita Harian Online|Kenapa tunggu 2012 haram botol susu polikarbonat

2011/03/15

image

PERBEZAAN botol susu diharamkan policarbonate (kanan) dengan botol susu boleh digunakan.

PUTRAJAYA: Mengapa tunggu hingga 2012 jika ia membahayakan? Persoalan yang ditimbulkan berikutan tindakan kerajaan menunggu hingga tempoh itu bagi pengharaman penjualan botol susu bayi polikarbonat yang mengandungi bahan Bisphenol A (BPA) kerana dikhuatiri boleh mengganggu sistem hormon dan tubuh bayi serta kanak-kanak.

Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, berkata keputusan Kabinet yang dicapai pada 2 Mac lalu itu bertujuan memberi tempoh pada pihak industri membuat persediaan menukar atau membeli mesin serta menggunakan bahan mentah sesuai bagi memenuhi peraturan baru itu.

“Keputusan ini diambil sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga kerana sehingga kini tiada bukti saintifik menunjukkan botol susu polikarbonat yang mengandungi BPA selamat untuk golongan berisiko tinggi khususnya bayi dan kanak-kanak,” katanya pada sidang media di sini, semalam.

Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) dan Kumpulan Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), mempersoalkan tindakan itu dan mendesak kerajaan mengharamkan terus penjualan botol berkenaan.

Setiausaha Agung PPIM, Datuk Dr Maamor Osman, berkata tindakan kerajaan mengharamkannya pada tahun depan hanya akan menyebabkan lebih ramai bayi dan kanak-kanak berisiko mendapat pelbagai penyakit.

Pengarah Komunikasi FOMCA, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman pula mahu setiap botol susu yang dipasarkan melalui pemeriksaan ketat bagi memastikan penggunaannya tidak membahayakan kesihatan bayi dan kanak-kanak.

Tiong Lai sebelum itu berkata, kajian terhadap 159 sampel botol susu bayi juga mendapati 85 peratus atau 135 dikesan mengandungi bahan BPA dalam julat 0 hingga 0.7 miligram per kilogram.

Katanya, kajian Universiti Malaya (UM) pula menunjukkan kadar migrasi sebanyak tujuh kali ganda pada suhu 80 darjah celsius berbanding pada suhu bilik 25 darjah celsius. Kadar migrasi merujuk kepada percampuran bahan BPA itu dengan kandungan botol susu berkenaan pada suhu tertentu.

“Dalam tempoh setahun ini, pengguna perlu mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga untuk mengurangkan risiko pendedahan kepada migrasi BPA berdasarkan panduan penggunaan botol susu bayi polikarbonat yang disarankan kementerian,” katanya.

Bagaimanapun, katanya orang ramai boleh bertindak awal dengan menukar penggunaan botol susu bebas BPA mengikut kemampuan masing-masing.

Beliau berkata, pengharaman ini selaras tindakan sama yang diambil beberapa negara antaranya Jerman, Perancis, Denmark, Kanada, Australia, New Zealand dan Kesatuan Eropah.

Justeru, beliau menasihatkan orang ramai yang menggunakan botol susu bayi polikarbonat supaya mematuhi arahan pengendalian dan mengelak menggunakan air panas secara terus ketika membancuh susu, selain menggunakan peralatan mencuci botol sesuai bagi mengelakkan permukaan dalam botol rosak serta bercalar.

Orang ramai yang ingin mendapatkan maklumat lanjut boleh menghubungi Bahagian Keselamatan dan Kualiti Makanan di talian 03-88833652/3653/3655 atau melayari laman web www.moh.gov.my atau http://fsq.moh.gov.my.

INFO: Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Bahan kimia industri yang digunakan dalam penghasilan botol susu bayi polikarbonat
- Boleh menyebabkan gangguan kepada sistem hormon sekali gus mengganggu sistem fungsi tubuh bayi
- Botol susu bayi bebas BPA biasanya dilabel `bebas BPA' pada bahagian bawah botol.
- Botol susu bayi polikarbonat yang mengandungi BPA bersifat keras dan lutsinar
- Ia boleh dikenal pasti melalui kod identifikasi plastik yang biasa didapati di bawah botol susu bayi.
- Kod terbabit ialah nombor 7, nombor 7 dan PC, nombor 7 dan `other'
- Alternatif botol susu bayi di pasaran ialah yang diperbuat daripada polypropylene (PP), polyethersulfone (PES), polyamides (PA) dan kaca.

INFO: Panduan pengendalian botol susu bayi polikarbonat:
Steril botol susu bayi mengikut arahan pengendalian pada label atau yang diberikan oleh pengeluar, jika ada.
Jika tiada panduan, pengguna perlu merendam botol susu bayi polikarbonat dalam air yang mendidih selama lima hingga 10 minit.
Elak menggunakan air panas secara terus dalam botol susu bayi polikarbonat untuk membancuh susu.
Guna peralatan mencuci botol susu yang sesuai seperti span dan berus lembut bagi mengelakkan permukaan dalam menjadi rosak dan bercalar.
Sentiasa periksa permukaan dalam botol susu dan jika ada kesan calar atau rosak, ia perlu diganti.
Jika tiada kerosakan, botol susu perlu diganti setiap enam bulan.

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Sabtu, 11 Disember 2010

MYLAUNCHPAD NEWS | US life expectancy falls


US life expectancy falls



WASHINGTON, (AFP) - Life expectancy has dropped slightly for all Americans except for black men, who gained around two and a half months in longevity, according to a recent report.
Data gathered by the National Center for Health Statistics showed that life expectancy for most American men was 75.3 years in 2008, down by one-tenth of a year from 2007.
Women also saw a drop in the number of years they can expect to live, from 80.4 years to 80.3 years, the data show.
Black men, on the other hand, bucked the trend and reached a record-high life expectancy of 70.2 years in 2008, up by 0.2 years compared to 2007.
They were still the shortest-lived Americans, though, with life spans around 10 years less than white women, who have the highest life expectancy, followed by black women and white men.
The pattern of white women enjoying the longest lives and black men the shortest has held true for nearly three decades, but life expectancy for all groups has generally increased over those 30 years.
Arialdi Minino, a statistician who worked on the report, told the Washington Post that officials have no idea what may have caused the fall in longevity in 2008.

"I would take this with a grain of salt," he told the Post.
"These are preliminary numbers. You can never tell whether this is a little blip or some trend that will stay there and linger there for some time. You can't tell until you have more data points."
The best state to live in, in terms of mortality, was Hawaii, which had an age-adjusted death rate of 589 deaths per 100,000 people in 2008.
The worst state for mortality was West Virginia, where the age-adjusted death rate was more than one-and-a-half times greater than in Hawaii -- 958 per 100,000 people.
Heart disease remained the leading cause of death in the United States, followed by cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke and accidental injury.
The sixth leading cause of death was Alzheimer's disease, one of six diseases or causes for which the age-adjusted death rate increased significantly, the study says.
A study released in October said the United States ranked 49th in the world for male and female life expectancy, a precipitous drop from the fifth place it held in 1950.

MYLAUNCHPAD NEWS | US life expectancy falls 0 ulasan

Rabu, 6 Oktober 2010

Prasyarat Kreativiti

Antara prasyarat yang perlu ada bagi membolehkan kreativiti wujud di kalangan pekerja sesebuah organisasi ialah:
♦ Mempunyai daya imiginasi yang tinggi untuk melihat sesuatu secara berlainan
♦ Berfikiran terbuka atau berfikir di luar kotak (think out of the box), analitikal, kritikal dan praktikal
♦ Melihat sesuatu perkara itu sebagai peluang yang boleh mencetuskan idea baru
♦ Mempunyai komitmen yang tinggi, iaitu bersabar terhadap kompleksiti dan isu-isu yang timbul serta tenang dan tabah menghadapi cabaran dengan berusaha menangani masalah dan halangan yang dihadapi
♦ Berupaya mengenal pasti masalah dengan mengemukakan soalan yang menjurus kepada penemuan isu dan jawapan serta jalan penyelesaian
♦ Menggunakan minda yang kreatif untuk menemui perspektif baru
♦ Bersedia menghadapi risiko dan berupaya menerima kega galan serta belajar daripada kegagalan tersebut
♦ Bersedia dikritik dan mengenepikan ego serta mendapatkan nasihat daripada rakan dan mencuba ideanya
♦ Mempunyai motivasi dalaman, iaitu rasa gembira, berpuas hati dan menjadikan kerja sebagai cabaran untuk mencapai kejayaan

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Definisi Kreativiti

Kreativiti ialah kebolehan atau keupayaan untuk mencipta, mewujud dan menghasilkan sesuatu yang baru atau dalam bentuk baru melalui kemahiran imaginasi. Ia melibatkan:

♦ Keupayaan berfikir yang dapat melahirkan idea baru yang unik dan menarik
♦ Keupayaan berfikir secara kritikal dan membuat penilaian secara analitikal terhadap idea dan seterusnya mengemukakan cadangan penyelesaian
♦ Keupayaan berfikir secara praktikal yang dapat menterjemahkan idea dan teori kepada bentuk aplikasi

Contoh Kreativiti:
♦ Perkakas untuk Memasang dan Membuka Bunting atau Bendera Pada Tiang Lampu dan seumpamanya oleh Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ), iaitu:
“Mencipta alat baru bagi memudah dan mempercepatkan proses memasang dan membuka bunting atau bendera pada tiang-tiang lampu tanpa menggunakan kaedah konvensional seperti tangga atau skylift”.

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Definisi Inovasi

Inovasi ialah kaedah mencari jalan untuk menghasilkan produk atau perkhidmatan yang lebih baik sama ada melalui pengubahsuaian atau penambahbaikan. Ia adalah hasil cetusan idea-idea yang kreatif dan inovatif dalam mana-mana aspek kerja yang dapat meningkatkan kualiti dan produktiviti organisasi. Idea-idea ini boleh merangkumi apa-apa perubahan dalam bentuk sistem dan prosedur, kaedah dan cara bekerja mahupun pengenalan teknologi.

Contoh Inovasi:
♦ Sistem Penempatan Pelajar Praktikum Secara Atas Talian (OPSP) oleh
Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), iaitu:
“Mengembangkan pangkalan data yang berstatus Intra-Net kepada Extra-
Net bagi mempercepatkan proses penempatan pelajar secara atas talian
dan meminimumkan penggunaan kertas (paperless) yang menjimatkan
masa dan kos”.

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Isnin, 27 September 2010

Facebook denies plans to build its own phone

Facebook denies plans to build its own phone
Written by Reuters
Monday, 20 September 2010 07:58


LOS ANGELES: Social networking website Facebook said on Sunday, Sept 19 it is pushing deeper into the mobile phones sector, but denied an Internet report that it will build its own phone.

Privately held Facebook has more than 500 million users worldwide and the company already has applications on a number of mobile phones that tie into its social networking website.

But Jaime Schopflin, a spokesman for Facebook, said the privately held company "is not building a phone." Facebook's current projects include "deeper integrations with some manufacturers," he said.

"Our view is that almost all experiences would be better if they were social, so integrating deeply into existing platforms and operating systems is a good way to enable this," Schopflin said in a statement.

In a report on Sunday, the website TechCrunch.com said a source with knowledge of the project revealed that Facebook is secretly building software for a phone and working with a third party to build the hardware.

TechCrunch.com said Facebook wants to integrate deeply into the contacts list and core functions of a mobile phone, which it can only do if it controls the phone's operating system.

Facebook, for its part, cited Facebook Connect, a service to allow members to log onto third-party websites, for Apple Inc's iPhone, and contact syncing on its iPhone application as projects it has already undertaken.

In May, Facebook also launched a stripped-down version of its social networking website designed for mobile phones with limited bandwidth Internet connections.

"The bottom line is that whenever we work on a deep integration, people want to call it a 'Facebook Phone' because that's such an attractive soundbite, but building phones is just not what we do," Schopflin said.

Facebook's denial comes after Google Inc last year dismissed media reports about its plans to build a phone, and then later came out with the Nexus One.

At the time, the company said it was focusing on developing its Android mobile operating software, which works on a multitude of mobile phones developed by other companies such as Motorola Inc's hot-selling DROID device.

But Google eventually did release in January its own smartphone called the Nexus One, manufactured by Taiwan-based HTC Corp. Google sold the device itself through an online store, but in May announced it was closing that sales outlet and said the store had not lived up to expectations. - Reuters

Facebook denies plans to build its own phone 0 ulasan

Keeping tabs on your household debt

Keeping tabs on your household debt
Tags: BNM | DGP | Oscar Wealth Advisory Sdn Bhd | Residential mortgages

Written by Lim Siew May
Thursday, 23 September 2010 11:12


Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) recent proposals to reduce loan-to-value ratio for residential mortgages, being stricter on the eligibility and number of credit cards owned, as well as reducing the limit of personal loans suggests that our nation’s household debt level may need a reality check. As at mid-2010, household debt is around 76% to 77% of our GDP, says a recent Citi Investment Research and Analysis (CIRA) report. The figure is reported to average around 67% from 2005 to 2008.

In this modern life, everyone is looking to enjoy an enhanced lifestyle, notes Sean Lee, Group CEO of Oscar Wealth Advisory Sdn Bhd. One common mistake people make now is to own something that they “want”, and not what they “need”, added Lee.

KC Lau, author of Top Money Tips for Malaysians, says that most people only realise that they have gotten into unbearable debts when the situation becomes too severe. “If several loan instalments have been defaulted for three months and credit cards are maxed out, it is quite late to look into the matters at this stage,” he said.

How do you keep tabs on your household debt? There are a few formulas to help you assess if you’re borrowing within your means, says financial practitioners.

According to chartered financial consultant Adrian Ho, as a rule of thumb, a healthy debt-to-asset ratio is one that does not exceed 50%. “Half of whatever we have (assets) should be funded by our own money, while the other half, may be funded by ‘other people’s money’ (debts),” he says. In other words, if you decide to purchase a car, you should put down 50% of our own money and take out a loan for the remaining balance. Better still, buy it fully in cash if you can afford to, he added.

“If you start buying our home, cars, furniture and household appliances and all other gadgets and gizmos under the 10/90 formula or Zero-Percent Instalment Schemes, it may spell trouble,” he said.

Another method is to look at your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, which shows how high your debt is compared to your income, says Lee. “A low DTI ratio means you don’t spend much of your income paying debts.

Meanwhile, a high DTI ratio means most of your income is put towards paying off your debt, leaving you without very little to spend or save.”

Lee offered a scenario: Assuming Alex’s household monthly income amounts to RM4,000, while his monthly household debt payment amounts to RM1,800. Going by the formula of DTI ratio, one should divide RM1,800 by RM4,000, and then multiply it by 100 to come up with a percentage. In Alex’s case, his DTI ratio is 45%, which indicates potential financial trouble, Lee pointed out. “35% or less is the healthiest debt load for the majority of people,” said Lee. “50% or more is a dangerous ratio where one should be aggressively paying off your debts or even restructuring your debts.”

One way to keep your household debt under control is to pare down your debt by making extra income. “Consider doing some freelance work that suit you such as writing, teaching, selling property, insurance selling and even doing Internet business,” said Lee, adding that one can also sell unused or surplus household goods in exchange for some cash. “Learn how to invest in stocks, unit trust and alternative funds to overcome high interest loans,” he pointed out. “But, you should first make sure that you have a good understanding of the risks involved.”

In Lau’s view, one should have a default set of criteria to deal with debt problems. This would include not buying stuff on installment plans (with the exception of big ticket items like cars and properties), not stopping at the minimum required amount for your credit card bill, and making purchases on cash terms only, he said.

Meanwhile, Ho summed up his debt management tips in the acronym SMART “Stay focused on your needs not wants. Manage your cash flows based on your needs,” he says.

“Ask yourself before buying anything whether you really need it. Restructure your debts to achieve healthy ratio. Think “debt-free” and you’d achieve it someday,” he concluded.


This article appeared on the Personal Finance page, The Edge Financial Daily, September 23, 2010.

Keeping tabs on your household debt 0 ulasan

Increased information flow vital for economic stability: Wikipedia co-founder

Increased information flow vital for economic stability: Wikipedia co-founder
Tags: Jimmy Wales | Wikipedia

Written by Emily Tan
Thursday, 23 September 2010 12:50


Market turbulence has to do with poor policy choices, not free flow of info, adds Wales

A decade ago, the concept of an online encyclopaedia that anyone could edit would have sounded like an invitation to anarchy. It was, in the words of its co-founder, Jimmy Wales: “a really dumb idea”. However, nine years after its launch, Wikipedia (the name of which is derived from the Hawaiian word “wiki” which means “quick”) has become one of the top 10 sites on the Internet. With over three million articles on everything from national leaders to muppets, the online encyclopaedia is now the first source of information for many netizens.In an interview via Skype on Sept 11, The Edge Financial Daily spoke to Wales, one of the keynote speakers at next week’s World Capital Market Symposium in Kuala Lumpur, on technology, the free flow of information and its impact on today’s economic landscape.

TEFD: Looking back to the launch of Wikipedia, how do you view its advance and impact on society?
Wales: In my own life as in everyone’s, access to Wikipedia has been really quite amazing because I use it all the time, of course, as everyone does. It’s amazing. People have a strong demand for more knowledge. They really are not satisfied with only a small amount of knowledge. They want deep explanations of everything. We are in the age of learning, study and information and there is a strong trend in that direction.

Over time Wikipedia has evolved quite a long list of rules for its users. Would you say it’s getting more or less open with time?
Actually, in the early days, it was not possible to allow everyone to edit everything due to vandalism. We adjusted software more and more to allow people to edit. Wikipedia is more open for the general public today than it ever has been in the past.

But there are a great many rules aren’t there?
Yes, there are a great many rules in Wikipedia. We have a very large community who is always discussing policy — what counts as a reliable source, how to achieve the highest amount of accuracy. Those are the issues that absorb us. One of the rules we’ve always had is ‘no personal attacks’. Within our community we don’t want people to have personal arguments and debates about each other. We require high standard of behaviour. Focus on the facts and get at the truth rather than have personal attacks and fights which is what people do all over the Internet. Bear in mind that having rules doesn’t imply that we don’t think the best of people. The rules of Wikipedia are generated by people to guide their own action and resolve conflict. We find that people do contribute in good faith and they are eager to help make Wikipedia as good as it possibly can be.

Some have said that the free flow of information and its rapid speed have in some ways contributed to today’s turbulent economy. Is there a connection in your opinion?
Absolutely none. None. Increased flow of information is critical for stability; any attempt to stem the flow of information is dangerous and leads to instability and violence. Turbulence in the markets has almost nothing to do with flow of information. It has to do with impact of poor policy choices. Nothing to do with information at all.

Is there a need then for any sort of information control? Gatekeepers perhaps?
Complete nonsense. Those are the words of the kind of tyrants who would sacrifice freedom and justice to their own ends.

Should every company start a ‘wiki’ of their own?
I’m not sure. Wiki is a tool but perhaps not the right tool for every situation. The general principle of being open and sharing info with shareholders, rethinking your approach to communication, is quite valid in today’s modern situation.

How then, in your opinion, should businesses manage the flow of information about their companies?
It’s very important to be very strong (on the principle) that you will be open, transparent, honest and clear. People get in trouble when they try to deceive or stop the flow of information. That’s when things go south. The important thing is to embrace information-sharing, be transparent and honest.

So you do believe in the ‘marketplace of ideas’ (the notion that the best ideas will arise out of free and transparent public discourse)?
Absolutely.

How has Wikipedia and its form of information exchange impacted businesses?
Within all kinds of industries, it’s become increasingly important over the years that employees are well-educated, flexible, able to learn things. Wikipedia, as a part of the Internet, has been very influential in making sure people have access to information to learn new things. In the modern economy it’s important to go further and teach people the skills of how to learn for themselves throughout a lifetime. A more flexible style, creativity, lifestyle, value of information — then you’re more equipped for a lifetime of change.


What will you be speaking about at the World Capital Markets Symposium 2010?
I’ll be talking more generally about the flow of information in society, importance of knowledge for a vibrant economy. Different economies in the world are prospering through massive knowledge-sharing which allows the population to be more educated. The general theme is the growth of knowledge in society and how it brings prosperity.


The World Capital Markets Symposium with the theme “Transforming Capital Markets: Leadership, Change and Governance”, will be held on Sept 27 and 28 at the Shangri La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. It is hosted by the Securities Commission.




This article appeared on the Media & Advertising page, The Edge Financial Daily, Sep 23, 2010

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Innovation, everybody’s business

Innovation, everybody’s business
Tags: innovation | Robert Tucker

Written by Emily Tan
Friday, 13 August 2010 12:47


Innovation author and speaker Robert Tucker likes to tell the following story. About 10 years ago, Tucker attended a dinner held by a Midwest-based manufacturing firm in the US. During the dinner, the firm awarded its “Innovator of the Year” award to the person who had submitted the most ideas to the company’s idea suggestion programme. That year, the award went to the company receptionist.

When asked how she came up with so many ideas, the receptionist answered: “It’s simple. Customers call in all the time and sometimes they aren’t too happy with something we’ve done or failed to do. Instead of getting defensive, I decided to look at it as an opportunity. I always hear them out and then ask my favourite question: ‘What do you think we should do so this never happens again?’ Then I write up their suggestion and submit it to our ‘New Ideas’ programme.”

For Tucker, the receptionist is proof that anyone, regardless of rank, can innovate. “She could have said, ‘Make innovation my business? You’ve got to be kidding. I’m just the receptionist!’ Instead she made innovation the means by which she approached her work,” he said during his seminar organised by the ITD group on “Innovation: Tools and techniques for sustainable growth” in Kuala Lumpur in late June.

“The biggest obstacle to innovation is actually not the company, the system, or the boss. It’s yourself,” says Tucker in an interview with The Edge Financial Daily following his talk. In his upcoming book Innovation is Everybody’s Business to be published in October by John Wiley, Tucker asserts that to innovate, the mindset has to be right.

“If you’re a Defeatist thinker, you’re not generating ideas because you’re dwelling on ‘what might have been’. Sustainers are focused on maintaining status quo and shoot down their own ideas thinking ‘that will never work’. Dreamers generate lots of ideas, but never carry anything out. The Innovator’s mindset, on the other hand, is alert to ideas and action-oriented,” he explains.

The recent economic downturn drove home the point that the world is a disruptive place and companies can go from “champs to chumps” overnight, says Tucker. Organisations increasingly need individuals who are capable of consistently adding value, making the jobs they do easier and better, and then reaching beyond. “It can be as small as problem-solving and getting things done better. Not only does it help the company, it makes the individual employee indispensable,” he adds.

The first step to overcoming a non-productive mindset is to assault certain basic assumptions about innovation. In his seminar, Tucker pointed out that many assume innovation is something you do when you have time. In fact, it can save you time. “It’s how you approach your work. Sometimes it starts with the simple phrase, ‘there has got to be a better way’,” he says.

Another assumption is that innovation is all about inventing that great breakthrough product. “Innovation can also be about adding value where you are. For example, Brent Gow, the director of global payroll consulting and compliance for Starbucks who managed to cut payroll costs by over 50%,” says Tucker.

He went on to explain that Gow asked himself what he could do to lower employment costs. One solution was to try to eliminate paper entirely. Each store was moved to self-service and rated on accuracy as that meant less rework and thus, less cost to the department. “When the downturn hit, Starbucks was forced to shutter 800 stores, cut 5,000 employees and cut US$500 million (RM1.59 billion) in costs. Because of his initiative, which he conducted before the downturn, Gow was in a position to help strategise the company through this time of crisis,” explains Tucker.

Then there’s the assumption that you have to hold a position or be in the “creative” or “innovation” department to innovate. “Remember the receptionist. You can innovate in any job, any department, any organisation but you do have to choose where and when you innovate,” says Tucker.

Finally, people need to rid themselves of the phrase “somebody ought to... ” and just do the job themselves. “Innovation is about action, it’s not enough to have a great idea you’ve got to make it happen.”

The last is easier said than done. What if you have a great idea but no one else sees it?
“That’s where you have to learn how to ‘build the buy-in’, get others to jump on board with your idea,” says Tucker. In his seminar (and his book) he outlines several methods to sell your ideas.

The first is to do your homework to determine the strongest value your idea has for the person or organisation you’re trying to convince. “Help others see what your vision could be,” says Tucker.

Next, network and build relationships so people are more open to your idea, often making it their idea.

How you communicate is also as important as what you say. “Think about who you’re presenting to. Use familiar language and present facts in a way that your listeners respond to. Analytical persons need data, but some are more ‘big picture’ and dislike details,” explains Tucker.

Finally, when all else fails, be persistent but keep trying new ways. “When 3M first launched Post-it Notes, nobody was buying it and the team responsible was getting desperate. Retailers didn’t understand the product and customers didn’t know they needed it. Finally the team took suitcases of the little sticky pads to the business district of Richmond, Virginia and started handing them out to passersby. Once people started using them they couldn’t stop and the rest is innovation history,” narrates Tucker, employing yet another persuasion method he favours, storytelling.


This article appeared on the Management page, The Edge Financial Daily, Aug 13, 2010

Innovation, everybody’s business 0 ulasan

Testosterone may drive aggressive takeovers -study



Testosterone may drive aggressive takeovers -study   
Written by Reuters 
Thursday, 09 September 2010 06:04




WASHINGTON: Younger chief executives with high testosterone levels may be more likely to try a hostile takeover -- and to get burned in the attempt, Canadian researchers said on Wednesday, Sept 8.


They found age was clearly linked with aggressive takeover behavior, and did a careful but indirect analysis to see if testosterone might be involved.


It likely is, said Kai Li and colleagues at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia.


"Young male CEOs appear to be combative: they are 4 percent more likely to be acquisitive and, having initiated an acquisition, they are over 20 percent more likely to withdraw an offer," Li's team wrote in the September issue of Management Science.


"Furthermore, a young target male CEO is 2 percent more likely to force a bidder to resort to a tender offer. We argue that this combative nature is a result of testosterone levels that are higher in young males."


Could experience be a factor, or rational thinking? "Our main thesis is hormones in a person's body may influence corporate decisions," Li said in a telephone interview.


"Personality, gender, age all matter."


The best way to test that would be to monitor CEOs in the midst of a takeover battle, but it was not practical, Li said. "But there are studies that already demonstrate a strong relationship between male age and testosterone," she said.


The hormone starts to decline in men at around age 45.


So Li's team looked at a Thomson Reuters database of 2,458 acquisition bids made by U.S. public for U.S. public targets between 1997 and 2007.


Researchers looked at the characteristics of the CEOs involved -- including how long they had been at the helms of their respective companies, in case the differences came down to simple experience.


There was a clear pattern -- younger CEOs were 4 percent more likely to initiate a bid than CEOs over the age of 45.


"In a more marked finding, male CEOs' relative youth increases their likelihood of withdrawing a merger/acquisition bid by as much as 20 percent," Li's team wrote.


Younger men with presumably higher testosterone would reject low offers, even if the rejection meant losing any chance of an offer, the researchers said.


Testosterone appears to provide the best explanation.


"The connections we find are present even after controlling for other plausible influences on M&A outcomes," they wrote.


In controlled laboratory tests, young men with high testosterone often will make a no-win offer, research has shown.


"This opens a new chapter in corporate finance research," Li said.


Do women CEOs behave the same way?


"Unfortunately in the corporate world ... only about 1 percent of the CEOs are female, so there just aren't enough data points for us to draw any conclusions," Li said.


Last year, researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago found that female MBA students with higher levels of testosterone were far more likely than those with lower levels to choose finance careers such as investment banking that can be lucrative but also risky.


Testosterone may drive aggressive takeovers -study
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Modern Etiquette: How to cope with email overload

odern Etiquette: How to cope with email overload
Written by Reuters
Tuesday, 21 September 2010 12:20


NEW YORK: Imagine if hundreds of people were talking to you simultaneously about dozens of different topics and each was expecting an immediate response.

You'd go crazy, or at least turn up the volume on your iPod.

Yet that's what it can feel like when you look at your email inbox: a surfeit of questions, comments and come-ons that invite a speedy reply.

We know that it's polite to respond quickly -- it's an etiquette instinct we've evolved ever since stone age man procrastinated with the cave-to-cave salesmen hawking iron.

And it's increasingly a reason why we're checking our BlackBerrys so often.

More than one quarter of Americans and a fifth of Britons who check email outside of business hours do so because they feel they are expected to provide quick responses, even outside "regular" business hours, according to a survey published this month by Xobni, a maker of software for searching your Outlook email.

(The quote marks are there for people who think the workplace abandoned regular hours at around the same time that Motorola thought it would be a great idea to let people carry phones in their pockets.) But quick-fire responses are frequently impractical, especially if you work for one of those companies that expects you to do actual work. So here are some strategies for dealing with an overflowing inbox without losing your cool.

BECOME A FILTER NINJA

Outlook and other email software lets you set up filters that show you only the messages that meet your selected criteria.

I have one filter called "Top Contacts" that shows me only messages from my boss, my direct reports and other email addresses that I've told Outlook to look out for. These usually warrant the quickest response.

Another called "Only to Me" shows me emails where my address is the only one on the "to" line. These emails are likely to deserve a faster reply too, if only because nobody else is going to answer them for me.

You can likewise set up filters for criteria such as "Family," "Bank," "People who are suing me" or whatever else helps you find the messages that matter most.

REDUCE YOUR CARBON COPY FOOTPRINT

Many of us use the cc line too liberally, copying everyone in our organization who has recently expressed an opinion on the subject we're writing about.

While there are legitimate reasons for using the cc line to keep people in the loop, abuse of the electronic "carbon copy" is a big factor behind inbox bloat.

You can dissuade persistent offenders by politely explaining to them what you need to know ("Looking forward to hearing more about the new line of iron-based tools, John. In the meantime, I'm sure Paul can keep me in the loop about any minor changes to our decision to phase out stone"). But good etiquette is always best taught through example. Cut down on the cc'ing and trust that others will follow your lead.


GRAB A TECHNICAL ASSIST

Filters are okay, but my email software really ought to be able to do the hard work for me. After all, it has all the information it needs to figure out who are my most important contacts based on the frequency with which we exchange email.

That's the theory behind Gmail Priority Inbox, a feature Google introduced on Aug. 30. This optional way of organizing your Gmail puts your important messages at the top of your inbox.

Gmail requires a bit of training to help it understand what you consider important, but early reviews are largely favorable. I'm not aware of any equivalent tools for Outlook, though Xobni told me that they're working on ways to help people prioritize their inbox. - Reuters

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Ahad, 28 Februari 2010

bharian: Teori 18 tahun rungkai kemelut Melayu

Sanusi Junid

Bumiputera harus bersatu padu elak perpecahan, persengketaan di tanah air sendiri

Mengimbas kembali teori 18 tahun

PADA Sabtu 13 Februari 2010 saya dijemput untuk berucap atas tajuk 'Melayu Digugat dan Digigit' dalam satu kursus untuk pemimpin baru Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) dari seluruh negara di Pusat Belia Antarabangsa, Cheras. Persoalan yang harus saya huraikan ialah mengenai bagaimana Melayu harus bertindak apabila bangsanya digugat dan digigit.

Sebenarnya tiada orang yang berani menggugat dan menggigit bangsa Melayu kecualilah orang Melayu sendiri memaksa dirinya diperlakukan sedemikian. Lihatlah bagaimana kelab belia MAYC terbiar dan menjadi tidak sah lagi mengikut undang-undang kerana lima tahun berturut-turut tidak mengadakan mesyuarat agung.

Allah SWT telah mentakdirkan dua tokoh belia menduduki kerusi Perdana Menteri iaitu Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad daripada MAYC yang pernah menjadi Naib Presiden MAYC, dan Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi daripada GPMS. Hampir ada yang ketiga daripada Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim).

Saya perhatikan perbezaan yang ketara antara dua tokoh ini ialah, hanya Dr Mahathir kekal dengan kawan-kawan yang seangkatan dalam belia dan sedarjah dengannya di sekolah menengah dan di universiti. Manakala Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim saya kira akan selamat jika dia terus mendekati kawan-kawan lama beliau, di dalam Abim.

Seperkara lagi saya perhatikan ialah hubungan tiga tokoh ini dengan agama. Dr Mahathir tidak berpendidikan agama tetapi bertambah mendekati agama dengan bertambah tinggi kedudukannya. Abdullah berpendidikan agama dan terlalu berani memperkenalkan pendekatan baru. Anwar pula tidak berpendidikan agama, tetapi memperjuangkan agama pada masa mudanya, tetapi berubah dengan bertambah tinggi pangkatnya.

Teori 18 Tahun

Pada mesyuarat agung MAYC ke-34 pada 1988, selepas membuat perkiraan melihat tarikh penting dalam negara dan sekitar Tenggara Asia, saya telah memperkenalkan teori 18 tahun. Ketepatan anggaran tahun ini berbeza satu atau dua tahun daripada tahun yang dipilih.

1897

Sebelum 1897 saya dapati ada pergolakan berlaku di selatan Thailand. Pihak British mengetahui bahawa pergolakan ini berlaku kerana penduduk Weng, Yala, Narathiwat dan Pattani di selatan Thailand sebenarnya daripada rumpun Melayu dan tidak selesa di bawah pemerintahan Thai. Walau bagaimanapun Raja Melayu di utara Semenanjung berasa bimbang jika wilayah di selatan Thailand ini menjadi sebahagian daripada negerinya, maka kedudukan raja akan terancam. Oleh itu pada 1897, keempat-empat wilayah di selatan Thailand menjadi sebahagian daripada Thailand.

Dari 1897 pihak British sibuk mempengaruhi Raja-Raja Melayu untuk menerima penasihat bagi pemerintahan negeri. Johor adalah negeri terakhir menerima seorang penasihat pada 1914. Dengan penerimaan ini maka pada 1915 genaplah 18 tahun daripada 1897 proses penaklukan negeri Melayu dilakukan dengan cara terhormat tanpa disedari.

1915

Mulai 1915 penasihat British memperkenalkan bendera dan lagu berasingan bagi setiap negeri serta menamakan rakyat bagi setiap negeri berkaitan dengan nama negeri masing-masing. Orang Melayu pada waktu itu memanggil diri mereka bukan lagi sebagai orang Melayu tetapi sebagai orang Perlis, orang Penang, orang Perak, orang Kelantan, orang Johor, orang Selangor, orang Melaka dan lain-lain.

Mulai 1915 negeri Melayu telah mula menerima pendatang atau imigran dari China dan India kerana masalah politik dan desakan ekonomi di negara masing-masing. Walau bagaimanapun, pendatang China dan India ini tidak datang dengan cara yang dirancang oleh British.

1933

18 tahun dari 1915 iaitu pada 1933 pihak British telah mengizinkan imigran dari China dan India datang kembali ke Malaysia dengan cara yang terancang. Orang China telah dipelihara oleh British, antara lain, sebagai pemborong kecil dan pekedai runcit untuk menyalurkan hasil keluaran industri pengguna di Britain. Orang India pula, antara lain, dibawa ke Malaya sebagai buruh di estet milik British, dan The Chartered Bank yang pada waktu itu menghadapi masalah meminjamkan wang kepada pengguna dan peniaga kecil Melayu telah membawa ceti ke Malaya sebagai orang tengah dalam urusan pinjaman wang.

Oleh kerana keghairahan menang dalam Perang Dunia Kedua pihak British berhasrat untuk menjadikan Malaya sebuah koloni British yang lebih mantap seperti New Zealand, Australia dan Kanada. Wadah Malayan Union diperkenalkan dan pada 1 April, 1946 Malayan Union ditubuhkan dengan pelantikan Sir Edward Gent sebagai Gabenor Union of Malaya pertama. Di bawah Malayan Union taraf Raja-Raja Melayu dihina ke taraf hampir sama dengan penghulu mukim. Penghinaan ini tidak dapat diterima oleh orang Melayu.

Dari 1 hingga 4 Mac, 1946 satu Kongres Melayu diadakan di Kelab Sultan Sulaiman Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Keputusan dibuat untuk menentang Malayan Union. Sebuah jawatankuasa ditubuhkan untuk merancang tentangan terhadap Malayan Union. Dari 11 hingga 12 Mei, 1946 satu lagi perjumpaan diadakan di Istana Johor di Johor Bahru yang memutuskan supaya Umno ditubuhkan untuk memperjuangkan kemerdekaan dan bukan setakat menentang Malayan Union seperti keputusan Kongres Melayu pertama di Sultan Sulaiman Kelab.

1951

18 tahun dari 1933 iaitu pada 1951 berlaku lagi perpecahan di dalam Umno dengan berhentinya Datuk Onn Jaafar dan berlaku perebutan kuasa untuk jawatan Ketua Umno. Ahmad Fuad dikalahkan oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman. Calon lain yang kalah ialah CM Yusof. Mustapha Hussein daripada PKMM telah menarik diri daripada bertanding.

Apabila PKMM diharamkan tiga parti baru ditubuhkan oleh pemimpin PKMM, iaitu (1) Parti Melayu Semenanjung (PMS) dipimpin Bung Kahar sebagai Ketua dan Bung Isa sebagai Setiausaha Agungnya; (2) Parti Islam SeMalaya (Pa - Alif - Sin = Pas) di bawah pimpinan Dr Burhanuddin Al Helmi dan (3) Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaya (PSRM) pimpinan Ahmad Boestamam. Bung Kahar, Dr Burhanuddin dan Ahmad Boestamam ketiga-tiganya berketurunan dari Indonesia. Gabungan idea PMS, Pas dan PSRM adalah Nasakom ala Malaya.

Agak aneh juga kerana yang mengusahakan penubuhan Pas ialah Ahmad Fuad selepas beliau dikalahkan oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman, dalam pertandingan untuk menjadi ketua Umno, tetapi beliau sendiri tidak pernah menjadi ahli Pas, sebaliknya dilantik pihak British untuk menjadi Ahli Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang. Umno dan sekutunya, MCA dan MIC, dalam Parti Perikatan berjaya memimpin Malaya mencapai kemerdekaan pada 31 Ogos, 1957. Bersekali dengan perjanjian kemerdekaan ditandatangani juga Perjanjian Keselamatan di mana penjajah British berjanji untuk kembali mentadbir Malaya seandainya berlaku huru-hara antara kaum dalam masa 10 tahun sehingga 31 Ogos, 1967.

British mengetahui bahawa pemerintahan Malaya hanya boleh aman, dan tidak akan berlaku huru-hara, jika Umno kuat kerana didukung oleh orang Melayu. Keadaan yang melemahkan politik orang Melayu muncul pada 1962 apabila Pas mengkafirkan Umno. Tertubuhnya Malaysia pada 1963 tidak menambah kekuatan politik orang Melayu. Malah fokus terhadap masalah orang Melayu bertambah kurang apabila Malaysia yang baru ditubuhkan mula menghadapi konfrontasi dari Indonesia. Pada Pilihan Raya Umum 1964 kekuatan Umno jelas menurun. Kesan daripada perpecahan bangsa Melayu dengan isu pengkafiran ini memakan masa untuk dirasai. Malah Majlis Raja-Raja Melayu mengharamkan fatwa Dewan Ulama Pas yang mengkafirkan Umno itu kerana sudah meramalkan kesannya sebaik saja fatwa dibuat pada 1962.

1969

Rupa-rupanya kesan fatwa Pas pada 1962 itu memberi kesan pada Pilihan Raya Umum 1969. Tingkah laku DAP selepas mengetahui keputusan pilihan raya ini sungguh menghina orang Melayu. Mereka berasakan Malaya sudah menjadi milik mereka saja. Rusuhan kaum berlaku lantaran keputusan ini. Adalah jelas bahawa kelemahan politik orang Melayu seperti diketahui oleh penjajah British, menjadi ancaman kepada keselamatan negara. Malangnya bagi penjajah British kerana rusuhan kaum ini berlaku dua tahun selepas tamat perjanjian keselamatan yang ditandatangani di waktu Malaya mencapai kemerdekaan pada 31 Ogos, 1957.

Apabila maruah Melayu terancam barulah pemimpin politik Melayu bersatu semula dalam Barisan Nasional (BN) di bawah pimpinan Tun Abdul Razak. Tetapi lambat laun pemimpin Melayu menjadi selesa semula. Kita tentu sudah faham berbagai perkembangan yang melemahkan kedudukan politik orang Melayu. Pelbagai peristiwa muncul antara lain, Pas terkeluar daripada BN, Tun Musa Hitam berlawan dengan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Tun Musa Hitam menentang Dr Mahathir dengan meletak jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Timbalan Presiden Umno.

1987

Pada 1987, Tengku Razaleigh menentang Dr Mahathir untuk jawatan Presiden Umno. Beliau beregu dalam Team B, dengan Musa yang bertanding mempertahankan jawatannya sebagai Timbalan Presiden yang masih disandangnya. Tun Ghafar Baba mengalahkan Musa dan Tengku Razaleigh dikalahkan Dr Mahathir. Berikutnya Umno diheret ke mahkamah oleh 11 orang ahli dengan sokongan Team B. Umno diharamkan dan Umno Baru ditubuhkan. Tengku Razaleigh menaja Parti Semangat 46 (S46) yang didaftarkan pada 3 Jun 1989. Pada Pilihan Raya Umum 1990 Parti Semangat 46 bekerjasama dengan DAP dan Parti Rakyat dalam Gagasan Rakyat dan bekerjasama dalam Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah (APU) dengan parti Islam Pas, Berjasa dan Hamim. APU berjaya 100 peratus di Kelantan (24 Adun Pas dan 15 Adun S46). Pada 1993, Anwar mengorak langkah untuk menentang Ghafar dan merebut jawatan Timbalan Presiden Umno sebagai sebahagian perancangannya untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri dalam masa 10 tahun masuk Umno. Anwar menang tanpa bertanding apabila Ghafar menarik diri daripada mempertahankan jawatannya. Sejak Pilihan Raya Umum 1990 sehingga Pilihan Raya Umum 1995, hubungan S46 dengan DAP menjadi renggang dan pakatan di dalam APU menjadi retak. Prestasi S46 pada Pilihan Raya Umum 1995 sungguh mengecewakan sehingga pada Mei 1996, S46 dibubarkan dan ahlinya kembali kepada Umno. Anwar memegang tampuk Timbalan Presiden Umno dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri dari 1993 hingga 1998 apabila beliau dipecat daripada kedua-dua jawatan itu kerana kesalahan rasuah dan liwat.

Ketika Anwar di dalam penjara Parti Keadilan Rakyat ditubuh. Pada Pilihan Raya Umum 1999, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, sebagai anggota dalam pakatan Barisan Alternatif bersama Pas dan DAP, menang satu kerusi saja di Permatang Pauh yang ditandingi Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Pada 5 Julai 2002, satu perjanjian persefahaman ditandatangani untuk menyatukan PSRM dengan Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Memandang kepada semua perkembangan ini saya meramalkan 18 tahun dari 1987 iaitu pada 2005 kedudukan politik orang Melayu akan sesungguhnya menjadi terancam. Pada 2003 Abdullah mengambil alih kepemimpinan negara. Dalam satu pertemuan dengan pemimpin GPMS saya dengan sinisnya dicabar sama ada saya akan gembira jika ramalan saya atas punahnya kuasa Melayu betul berlaku seperti yang saya ramalkan. Saya menjawab: "Tidak ada dalam saluran darah saya setitik pun darah yang menderhaka kepada Umno atau kepada Melayu." Saya menegaskan teori 18 tahun ini hanya satu amaran bagi semua untuk cuba menghindarkan apa yang mungkin berlaku.

2005

Alhamdulillah pada Pilihan Raya Umum 2004 BN mendapat keputusan yang meyakinkan. Maka teori 18 tahun yang seharusnya memberi gambaran buruk pada 2005 kerana 1987 + 18 = 2005, terbuktilah sudah dapat dibantutkan. Malangnya, dengan keputusan durjana Pilihan Raya Umum 2008, teori 18 menghantui semula. Tahun berikutnya bagi Teori 18 tahun ialah 2005 + 18 = 2023. Tahun ini ialah 10 tahun selepas pilihan raya yang akan datang. Bagaimanakah prestasi BN pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke 13 pada 2013? Kini saya berdepan sekali lagi dengan pemimpin GPMS. Sudah tentu soalannya ialah 'Di manakah silapnya kita?'

Kesilapan kita ialah kerana kita sudah menyimpang jauh daripada nilai murni seperti amanah, berani, disiplin, rajin dan setia iaitu sifat terpuji yang sepatutnya ada pada orang yang beragama Islam. Sifat inilah yang diketengahkan dalam semangat Bushido orang Jepun, semangat Hwarang orang Korea, semangat Jin Qing orang China, dan semangat Muru'ah orang Arab. Tetapi pemimpin Umno sekarang tidak berasa terhina seperti saat British memperkenalkan Malayan Union dan menurunkan taraf Raja-Raja kita dulu ataupun ketika DAP meminta kita serahkan pemerintahan Selangor pada waktu kita kalah banyak kerusi pada Pilihan Raya Umum 1969, padahal lebih banyak kekalahan kerusi pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 pada 2008 daripada yang diterima pada 1969. Oleh kerana kita sudah menjadi penakut, kita terima kekalahan tanpa berasa malu dan terhina. Kita bersalah kerana sudah menjadi bangsa penakut.

(Sumber dari Berita Harian, 28/02/2010)

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Sabtu, 27 Februari 2010

thestar: Humour therapy can ease cancer pains

Published: Saturday February 27, 2010 MYT 6:43:00 PM

PETALING JAYA: As the old saying goes, "laughter is the best medicine." And doctors are encouraging cancer patients to try it.

Medical expert Dr Alvin Chong said on Saturday cancer patients were encouraged to engage in humour therapy to reduce the stress they were having due to the illness.

He said several studies had revealed that humour therapy could ease the pain suffered by cancer patients as the laughter could prevent the cancer cell from multiplying and spreading to other areas of the body.

"When you make a person happy, it's like a natural mechanism in the body. The immune system will be boosted.

"Nowadays, there are many theories saying the reason why certain people develop certain types of cancer is because their immune systems are weak as a result of stressful lifestyles."

He said this after the launch of Cancerlink Foundation's silver jubilee celebration by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here on Saturday.

Dr Chong, who is also a volunteer at the foundation, said the humour therapy was mostly conducted by humour experts as part of the effort to cure cancer patients.

Earlier in his speech, Abdullah also advised cancer patients to be strong in fighting the illness and engaged themselves in outdoor activities.

He also shared his experience on seeing how his first wife, the late Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, had lived her life to the fullest even after she was diagnosed with third-stage breast cancer.

"Throughout her last five years of living with breast cancer, Endon was more active than usual. She did not give any hint to the public that she was in pain. She just lived her life like nothing happened," he said. Endon succumbed to cancer on Oct 20, 2005.

Meanwhile, the Cancerlink Foundation also received a donation of RM80,008 from Sime Darby Foundation to implement its cancer awareness programmes.

Cancerlink Foundation was established in 1986 with the aim of providing cancer-related information as well as emotional and practical support for cancer patients and their families and friends. - Bernama 1 ulasan
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