04 August 2007

Abdullah sambut baik skim VSS

Utusan Online

KOTA BHARU 3 Ogos – Saranan supaya diwujudkan Skim Pemberhentian Sukarela (VSS) bagi melepaskan pekerja-pekerja bermasalah daripada terus berkhidmat dalam kerajaan merupakan satu idea yang baik, kata Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Menurut Perdana Menteri, beliau percaya ia dapat menjadi kaedah yang meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan awam demi kepentingan masyarakat.

Beliau tidak menolak kemungkinan cadangan itu dapat mencegah timbulnya salah laku termasuk amalan rasuah dan salah laku lain di kalangan kakitangan.

“Saya tak kata itu (dapat menghalang rasuah) sebagai alasan, tetapi ia (cadangan itu) suatu peringatan untuk (kakitangan dan pegawai kerajaan) bekerja keras.

“Pandangan ini baik, tetapi saya ingin tahu tentang butiran terperinci cadangan ini yang merupakan idea Ketua Setiausaha Negara (Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan) sendiri,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas majlis perasmian Operasi dan Pelancaran Pelan Pembangunan Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) di kampus sementara universiti tersebut di Pengkalan Chepa dekat sini hari ini.

Media hari ini melaporkan Mohd. Sidek mencadangkan supaya Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA) mewujudkan skim VSS bagi melepaskan kakitangan bermasalah daripada terus berkhidmat seperti mana yang telah dilaksanakan sektor swasta sejak sekian lama.

Sementara itu apabila ditanya tidakkah cadangan itu boleh menjejaskan peluang mencari rezeki kakitangan awam yang terlibat, Perdana Menteri menegaskan, tindakan tatatertib termasuk buang kerja bukan baru dalam perkhidmatan awam.

Katanya, telah ramai kakitangan awam dikenakan tindakan dibuang kerja, cuma ia tidak pernah dihebahkan kepada pihak media sebelum ini.

UUM students ticked off despite dress code denial

The Star

A FEW weeks after Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) denied it had imposed a new dress code, several UUM students received notices for wearing skirts, Nanyang Siang Pau reported.

One of the students, who wore a collared shirt and a skirt which covered her knees, said she received the notice from a warden on Wednesday.

The notice stated that the student did not abide by the university’s dress code and had worn revealing clothes, the article reported.

Last month, the university authority denied imposing a new ruling forcing all female students, including non-Malays, to wear baju kurung.

UUM deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Assoc Prof Dr Ahmad Faiz Hamid said the university allowed students to wear skirts and slacks.

“Even though the university authority has said this to the media, my friends and I still received the notices,” the student said, adding that they only wore skirts after learning that the university authority had revoked the ruling.

Government to hire retired vets to overcome shortage

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Retired veterinarians will soon be re-recruited on a contract basis to overcome the critical shortage in the country, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

The Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister said that it was a short-term measure adding that the shortage thwarted efforts to revitalise the agriculture sector including implementation of programmes under the Veterinary Services Department.

“For instance, we want to implement the foot and mouth disease (FMD) free programme but we are lacking veterinarians. We need more experienced veterinarians,” he told reporters yesterday after the opening of the 19th Veterinary Association of Malaysia Congress 2007 here.

He said that Sabah and Sarawak had already achieved the FMD-free status and the ministry would initiate the FMD-free programme for Peninsular Malaysia in January next year.

“We strive to complete the first phase by 2009 and the second phase by 2011. To do so, we require many qualified people not just veterinarians but also technical support services staff. We need to mobilise veterinarians nationwide,” he said.

Muhyiddin said that veterinarians who had retired for 10 years could attend a refresher course to return to the industry.

“This is a fast-track measure to fill up the shortfall. For our long-term measure, we need to work with the higher learning institutions to churn out more graduates to fill up the vacancies,” he said.

Muhyiddin said the department needed 18 veterinarians to fill up vacancies every year to achieve its target of one veterinarian for each district.


03 August 2007

Cuepacs bantah SPA perkenal VSS

Berita Harian

KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs membantah cadangan Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA) memperkenalkan skim pemisahan sukarela (VSS) bagi `melepaskan’ kakitangan awam bermasalah, tidak berdisiplin dan gagal menunjukkan prestasi perkhidmatan sepatutnya.

Presidennya, Omar Osman, berkata peraturan sedia ada mencukupi bagi mengambil tindakan terhadap kakitangan.

“Memang ini skim sukarela tetapi kita bimbang kemudian nanti ada unsur paksaan sukarela apabila pihak atasan memanggil pekerja dan meminta mereka mengambil VSS.

“Jika kakitangan itu tertekan dan mengambil VSS, itu bukan lagi sukarela tetapi dibuat kerana arahan. Sekarang pun `paksaan sukarela’ ini sudah berlaku, jadi cadangan ini tidak wajar,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Beliau mengulas saranan Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan semalam yang mahu SPA mengkaji kemungkinan melaksanakan VSS bagi ‘melepaskan’ kakitangan awam bermasalah.

Sektor awam perkenal VSS

Berita Harian


SPA diminta kaji skim bagi lepaskan kakitangan kerajaan bermasalah, tak berdisiplin

KUALA TERENGGANU: Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan (gambar), semalam membayangkan kerajaan mungkin memperkenalkan Skim Pemisahan Sukarela (VSS) bagi ‘melepaskan’ kakitangan awam yang bermasalah dan tidak berdisiplin.

Beliau meminta Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA) mengkaji kemungkinan menggunakan skim yang diamalkan sektor swasta itu supaya kakitangan yang gagal menunjukkan prestasi sepatutnya, meninggalkan perkhidmatan awam.

“Kita perlu wujudkan ‘exit policy” yang jelas kepada anggota bermasalah, tidak berdisiplin mahupun mereka yang tidak menunjukkan prestasi perkhidmatan sepatutnya. Mungkin boleh diwujudkan VSS seperti diamalkan sektor swasta,” katanya ketika menutup Persidangan Suruhanjaya-Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam, Pelajaran dan Negeri ke-10 di sini.

Pengerusi SPA, Tan Sri Jamaluddin Ahmad Damanhuri dan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Terengganu, Datuk Mokhtar Nong, turut hadir pada persidangan yang bertemakan ‘Modal Insan Asas Kecemerlangan Perkhidmatan Awam’ itu.


Mengikut perangkaan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA), sejak 2002 hingga tahun lalu lebih 10,438 pegawai kerajaan dikenakan tindakan tatatertib kerana melakukan pelbagai kesalahan mengikut Peraturan-Peraturan Pegawai Awam (Kelakuan dan Tatatertib) 1993 (Pindaan 2002).

Daripada jumlah itu, 2,918 kakitangan dibuang kerja, 1,699 dilucutkan hak emolumen, 1,490 didenda, 813 ditangguhkan pergerakan gaji, 364 diturunkan gaji, 143 diturunkan pangkat, manakala selebihnya diberikan amaran dan surat tunjuk sebab.

Kumpulan pegawai sokongan paling ramai dikenakan tindakan, iaitu 9,649 orang atau 92 peratus. Dalam tempoh yang sama, 7,390 pegawai dan anggota Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) dan 4,819 dari Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) turut dikenakan tindakan tatatertib.

Mohd Sidek bagaimanapun mengingatkan sebarang tindakan yang diambil mesti telus dan adil untuk mengelak penganiayaan.

Beliau turut menyarankan SPA belajar daripada syarikat swasta terkemuka berhubung pengambilan pelajar cemerlang untuk berkhidmat dalam organisasi masing-masing.

“Cara sektor swasta mengenal pasti pelajar cemerlang sekurang-kurangnya pada tahun akhir pengajian, mungkin boleh dilakukan dalam pengambilan kakitangan perkhidmatan awam.

“Tidak ramai pegawai tadbir dan diplomatik (PTD) yang baru dilantik dalam perkhidmatan awam mempunyai ijazah kepujian kelas pertama atau graduan dari universiti terkemuka baik dari dalam mahupun luar negara,” katanya.

Sambil mengakui pekerja terbaik tidak semestinya yang mendapat ijazah kelas pertama atau graduan Harvard dan Oxford, Mohd Sidek bagaimanapun berkata, SPA perlu menjalankan sedikit kajian mengapa pelajar cemerlang tidak berminat atau mungkin tidak berpeluang memasuki perkhidmatan awam.

“Proses pemilihan dan pelantikan ke dalam perkhidmatan awam perlu sentiasa dinilai dan ditambah baik supaya selaras dengan perkembangan semasa,” katanya.

Mohd Sidek berkata, proses pengambilan dan pelantikan juga tidak semestinya berlaku pada “entry point” dalam Gred 41 saja. Sudah tiba masanya SPA menimbang kemasukan di pelbagai peringkat seperti Gred 44, 48 dan seterusnya, dengan mengambil kira kelayakan dan pengalaman calon.

“Langkah itu bertujuan membolehkan dan menggalakkan mereka yang cemerlang di sektor swasta atau badan bukan kerajaan untuk menabur jasa dalam perkhidmatan awam.

“Perkhidmatan awam perlu dibarisi anggota dan pegawai yang benar-benar berketrampilan, profesional serta berwibawa kerana kualiti modal insan menjadi penentu kejayaan negara,” katanya.

02 August 2007

A-G dismisses 'DPPs quit' reports as 'sick stories'

The Sun

R. Surenthira Kumar

PETALING JAYA (Aug 1, 2007): Attorney-General (A-G) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail today dismissed reports that some deputy public prosecutors were quitting.

"Come on, even they (the DPPs in question) have denied quitting, so what more is there? These are all because of sick people spreading sick stories," he said when contacted.

A news website had reported that classified cases unit head Salehuddin Saidin and prosecution division head Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden had denied rumours that they were quitting.

To questions from theSun via SMS last evening, Salehuddin's response was: "Ha, Ha, Ha."

Abdul Gani also dismissed a theory that Sallehudin and Mohd Yusof had indeed opted for early retirement before the Altantunya murder trial but the timing of the case and the subsequent withdrawal of both DPPs gave the impression that they were resigning in protest.

Abdul Gani said his official response is available on the A-G's Chambers website at agc.gov.my

"I do not want to say anything more. My colleagues will be putting something up on our website. You can check and that will be our official stand."

At press time, the posting was not up.

Sources said Salehuddin had put in a request for optional retirement last week, and Mohd Yusof had done so earlier than that.

"They had planned to apply for early retirement for quite some time. It's the timing, their submitting their applications now coincided with some high-profile cases and investigations, leading to the rumours," added the sources.

Rumours had been in circulation that a number of senior officers from the A-G'sl Chambers have tendered their resignations as a result of their displeasure with Abdul Gani.

The unhappiness was allegedly over the handling of several cases being investigated and that which were handed over to the A-G's Chambers for further action.

Salehuddin was abruptly taken off from continuing with the prosecution of the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial a day before the trial resumed.

Abdul Gani later explained the action was taken because Salehuddin was seen playing badminton with the trial judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasi


"Akujanji" contributing to integrity decline

Harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (ES) - The "Akujanji" or pledge of loyalty to the ruling government by academicians is one of the repressive tools introduced in tertiary institutions which is contributing to the decline in integrity especially among undergraduates.

Terengganu PAS commissioner Dato' Mustafa Ali said it was common practice in the 70's, 80's and early 90's for politicians from across the political divide to sit together in a forum at tertiary institutions, but this is not the practice now.

As a result, Mustafa said undergraduates graduating from local tertiary institutions tended to be docile lots who were not well versed in other matters apart from what they've studied at university.

"Once they go for a (work) interviews, they would not know how to answer questions (outside of their fields of study) especially on current issues because they had been concentrating on their studies without knowing current developments," he said referring to the Akujanji which made the system of education in university rigid and prevented healthy culture of discussions with dissenting views.

Mustafa said this in a forum on "Political Integrity with PAS, PKR and DAP youth" held at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM) here yesterday. Other panelists at the forum were Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Mustaffa Kamil Ayub, Democratic Action Party (DAP) parliamentary member for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw and UKM Institute of Occidental Studies director Prof. Datuk Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin.

The forum was moderated by Malaysia National Human Right Commission (SUHAKAM) commissioner Datuk Siva Subramaniam.

The observation resonated with some 40 former and present academicians who recently endorsed a petition calling for the revocation of the Akujanji.

They said the pledge "not only inculcated a culture of fear, passivity and uncritical thinking in the campuses" but "it has also eroded the fundamental right of freedom of association and expression that is so important to protect and enhance if our nation is to advance".

National Integrity Index to be published by February

Earlier during a briefing on National Integrity Plan (NIP) IIM president Datuk Mohd Tap Salleh said a national integrity index would be published "hopefully" by February next year.

He said a survey of "several questions" would be conducted between August and October this year but he did not reveal the total number of questions to be included in the survey as well as sampling size.

"You never know who will be knocking on your door (to do this survey)," he said. The survey will gauge integrity on the area of curbing corruption, misappropriations, abuse of power and public service efficiency and delivery.

It will also gauge integrity involving corporate and business ethics as well as in family institutions.

Mohd Tap who acknowledged the declining integrity in the country noted instances of incest cases, corruptions and crime rates as well as a study which placed Kuala Lumpur among the rudest city in the world.

"We don't even bother to say thank you here," he said.

He also revealed a survey by IIM out last year where even government servants acknowledged that some of their peers were dishonest and inefficient in discharging their duties.

He noted the drop in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2006 to the worst ever at 5, despite the formation of IIM and NIP in 2004.

Mohd Tap also voiced out dissatisfaction with those out to question the methodology used to get CPI or to come with the conclusion that KL is one of the rudest city. -ES

Ganjaran pendidik pedalaman berbeza

Berita Harian

KAMI sebagai kakitangan awam khasnya warga pendidik melahirkan ucapan terima kasih kepada kerajaan kerana berusaha menaikkan taraf pendidikan di negara ini. Program yang terbaru dilancarkan ialah Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan yang terkandung hasrat untuk menaik taraf sistem pendidikan di kawasan luar bandar khususnya pedalaman.

Serentak itu, guru yang berkhidmat di kawasan pedalaman akan menerima pelbagai kemudahan yang diumumkan kerajaan baru-baru ini iaitu insentif khas pedalaman, elaun balik kampung dan sebagainya.

Menurut kenyataan Kementerian Pelajaran, insentif kepada guru pedalaman adalah mengikut tahap kesukaran yang dialami guru yang berkhidmat di sesuatu kawasan. Kenyataan itu juga menyatakan bayaran yang diberikan adalah RM500 sehingga RM1,500 bagi pedalaman tahap pertama hingga ketiga.

Namun, menurut pekeliling baru, Elaun Hidup Susah (BIP) sebanyak 10 peratus yang diterima guru sebelum ini akan ditolak jika guru berkenaan menerima insentif khas pedalaman.

Ia bermakna bagi tahap pedalaman pertama yang menerima insentif khas pedalaman RM500 sebenarnya hanya menerima tidak sampai RM300. Di manakah kewajaran kementerian yang sebelum meuar-uarkan memberi insentif khas pedalaman RM500 hingga RM1,500 sedangkan kami hanya terima kurang daripada jumlah itu.

Perkara kedua yang membuatkan kami rasa terkilan adalah berkenaan pemilihan untuk menentukan tahap pedalaman sesuatu kawasan. Apa yang kami perhatikan di sini, ada sekolah yang terletak berhampiran dengan pekan dan mempunyai pelbagai kemudahan, tetapi tergolong dalam tahap pedalaman kedua yang menerima insentif RM1,000.

Namun, sekolah yang jaraknya berpuluh-puluh kilometer dari pekan dan tiada kemudahan jalan raya, elektrik, bekalan air bersih, klinik dan sebagainya hanya dikelaskan sebagai pedalaman tahap pertama yang menerima bayaran RM500.

Adakah ini adil kepada kami yang jauh terperosok di kawasan pedalaman yang langsung tiada kemudahan infrastruktur, tetapi hanya diklasifikasikan sebagai pedalaman tahap pertama?

Kami merayu kepada Kementerian Pelajaran agar menyemak balik pekeliling yang dikeluarkan mengenai kewajaran penolakan Elaun Hidup Susah (BIP) sebanyak 10 peratus yang kami terima sebelum ini.

GURU PEDALAMAN,
Beluran, Sabah.

Little Napoleons at work: RM10,000 fine for parking ticket?

NST

HOW the little Napoleons flex their muscles! Just watch the Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB).

On July 18, I went to Melaka Sentral to buy a bus ticket. The few parking lots along the road were full. I parked at a vacant ground under the bridge. There was no "No parking" sign or yellow line. When I came back after 10 minutes, there was a summons on my windscreen.

On July 23, I went to the MBMB to appeal against the fine of RM100. I was told by the officer that I was lucky to be issued with a fine of RM100 because there was provision for a maximum fine of RM10,000.

I looked at the summons notice and, true enough, there were fines of RM50, RM80, RM100, RM250, RM500 and RM10,000.

The officer who issues the notice has to tick one of the boxes. If he is in a bad mood that day, I pity the offender.
Just what is going on? Even a fine for reckless driving (which can cause death) is RM3,000.

There must be some sense in fixing fines for minor offences such as parking in the wrong places — otherwise a RM10,000 fine for a parking offence should certainly be listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

The Suffian Report states that the levy of parking charges is only to help regulate the traffic flow. It should not be a means of minting money.

So, what do I do? Pay and keep quiet? I pray that should I commit a parking offence again, the officer is in a good mood and would not tick the RM10,000 box.

Government staff to get RM5 driving allowance

The Star

SEREMBAN: Civil servants required to drive government vehicles to conduct official duties can now claim a RM5 daily allowance.

This will also apply to those required to drive vans, lorries or motorised boats.

Public Services Department director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said civil servants required to ride motorcycles for official duties would also be entitled to claim RM3 per day.

“These allowances are for civil servants who are ordered by their superiors to drive a government vehicle, although it is out of their job scope,” he said in a circular.

The directive was made effective June 1.

However, Ismail said that in order for civil servants to be eligible for the allowance, they must drive for at least four hours a day and possess a valid driving licence.

Those required to handle boats should have a competency certificate issued by the Marine Department.


01 August 2007

Doctor given wrong transfer info

The Star

RECENTLY, the Health Ministry transferred my daughter, who had just completed her housemanship at HKL, to Sarawak on very short notice.

The directive, in the form of a one-page letter, asked her to report for duty in Kuching. No details were provided. But, surprisingly, the letter mentioned Pekeliling Perbendaharaan Bil 4/1995 (Treasury Circular).

I advised her to ask the signatory to the letter to furnish details of the flight arrangement, accommodation and other facilities to be provided by the Government.

The officer at the Health Ministry told her that she had to buy her own ticket, but she would be reimbursed. She also had to arrange, on her own, the shipment of her personal belongings, and she could choose her own movers.

She was also advised that the Government did not provide any personal advances for her travel.

It appears that the ministry’s ability to help doctors on transfer is hamstrung by the absence of policy guidelines.

I was not happy with the explanation and did my own research online – looking for the various circulars of the Treasury and JPA pertaining to support provided by the Government for officers going on transfer – and concluded that the officer at the ministry was either ignorant or uninterested in servicing the needs of its clients.

Again, my daughter went to see the financial officer at HKL and was told once more that it was never the practice of the hospital and the ministry to arrange for the ticket and to provide the personal advances.

When my daughter showed the officer the Treasury Circular, she told her that it had to be authorised by the HKL director.

My daughter managed to see Datuk Dr Zaininah, who gave approval for HKL to arrange for the airline ticket.

My daughter then went to see the clerk-in-charge of the selection of movers to ship her belongings. She was given a list of approved movers and told to call for quotations for final selection by HKL.

I wonder why, despite the salary increase, the attitude of civil servants has not improved.

MOHD SHAH ABDULLAH,

Ampang, Selangor.

ZAINUL ARIFIN: Why I would give teachers the benefit of doubt

NST

I DO not believe that I was an exceptionally disruptive kid in school, but I have had my share of punishments.

Many of them, I don’t think, were ever prescribed in teaching manuals, but they were effective. While they have not scarred me for life, I do remember them well.

Once, a few of us had to stand in front of the class with chalks in our mouths for talking. There was also an instance when the whole class had to go through an entire period standing on our desks with our chairs on our heads. I believe we were noisy, or playing football in the class.

We had also done laps around the football field for failing to do homework or made to stand in the sun for coming in late after recess.

There was a teacher who had perfected the art of pinching the tummy — he would grab a big chunk of abdominal flesh and while asking us rhetorical questions, would twist, push and pull that part of us between his fingers, and our whole body would convulse, our knees would become weak, and our eyes would water.
We would feel the pain till the next day and remember it for the rest of our lives.

In primary school, I had a teacher whose favourite accessory was a foot-long wooden ruler, nicely balanced and seasoned through encounters with knuckles and palms.

As the class teacher, he would conduct surprise checks on our fingernails, or if we had brought handkerchiefs to school. I must confess that I have had many encounters with the ruler.

While I have never been asked to sit in water, in the dozen or so years in school, I have had strokes of the rotan or ruler on my hands, legs or behind; my ears yanked; made to do squats with hands on the ears; had chalks thrown at me; seen both ends of the feather duster; and many others that I cannot recollect at this point of time.

I do not believe I was exceptionally bad, but being a kid meant being ignorant or defiant of the rules.

It is characteristic of kids to test the limits of the rules, to stretch or bend them, and in some instances, break them, and see if we would be caught. We could be neglecting our homework, talking in class, fighting, pulling pranks, playing truant, smoking in the boys’ room, or disobeying school rules.

In the later part of our school years, the rebellious streak decided to come to the fore, and we would find ourselves in trouble with figures of authority, teachers being one of them.

Often, though, we would be caught, and had to suffer the consequences of our transgressions.

Corporal punishments were the flavour then, and they came in many forms. They were only limited by the ingenuity and imagination of teachers. The punishments were designed to make us remember and realise our mistakes, and hopefully never to repeat them.

Were the teachers sadists, given the nature of the punishments? Perhaps some were, but most were acting out of instinct based on how best to handle the nature of the beasts called schoolchildren.

They were entrusted with the role of producing responsible citizens, more than just teaching the 3Rs.

At some point, many must have thrown out the child psychology manuals and decided to deal with the situations as they came.

Teachers were also confident that what they did was necessary and they had the support of headmasters, administrators, parents and society at large.

Why did they punish us so? They could have spoken and reasoned with us, called our parents and explained to them where we had done wrong.

But it was a different time then. Teachers were asked not only to teach, but also to discipline, build character and develop decent human beings. They gave us the tools to survive beyond the school gates.

They gave us a sense of purpose and a sense of right and wrong. There was little use for niceties.

Then, there were no parents to report to, since if you were punished by your teachers, you must have done something wrong, and perhaps deserved another round at home.

Seldom were the teachers’ methods or authorities questioned or challenged. You and your family respected them because they were teachers. End of story.

Parents were willing to accept whatever teachers did in return for turning their kids from pasty-faced, clinging 7-year-olds to young adults ready for the world. The freedom to discipline was the trade-off in the contract parents had with schools and teachers.

There were, of course, abuses and improper conduct, but society placed teachers and their actions on a pedestal.

Having to carry your chair over your head during recess when everyone else could see, reminded us not to do what we did again. It was the pain, humiliation and agony that taught us to mend our ways.

Most times such punishments worked, since kids were quicker at understanding corporal punishments as consequences of transgressions.

These days, many of the teachers who taught me and meted punishments against me and my peers would have had to deal with police reports and opportunistic politicians and New Age pedagogical consultants.

Now most parents think they are smarter than teachers. This is probably true in some cases. But most parents have no idea what it takes to teach their kids, what more to handle 40 teenagers in a class with raging hormones.

It is unfortunate that some parents believe that teachers and schools provide day care for their charges, before the real education process begins at tuition centres.

It is often not a surprise that teachers know more about a kid than his parents. The responsibility of bringing up the kid has been sub-contracted out to teachers, schools, maids, piano teachers, tae kwon do instructors and tuition teachers. We are quite screwed up, really.

Of course, abusive teachers are something to be abhorred and stopped. We know better now and we should not return to those days when teachers’ methods were beyond reproach.

Maybe we should really be talking to our kids and letting them understand where they have gone wrong, rather than make them stand in the sun.

But as parents, we should also not be too quick to the trigger. Often, teachers know our kids better than we do. As someone who has had his share of corporal punishments, I would naturally give teachers the benefit of the doubt.

Government to build new clinics, upgrade existing ones

The Star

PUCHONG: The public can expect better health services with the building of 500 new clinics and the upgrading of existing clinics in the next three years, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

A total of RM1.2bil will be spent on building the new clinics and another RM400mil for upgrading of existing premises, he said.

The new clinics will be built in cities as well as rural areas in the next three years, said Dr Chua, adding that the ministry approved the RM300,000 request by the Puchong Health Clinic for its expansion work.

The clinic has five doctors and they see 480 patients daily, said Puchong MP Lau Yeng Peng.

Dr Chua said the Eighth Malaysia Plan had concentrated on building hospitals, with almost RM5bil spent.

However, in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, no new hospitals will be built and the allocation will be on city and rural clinics.

Due to a lack of land in cities, the ministry is looking into building multi-level health clinics and 20 mobile clinics to meet the needs of poorer city folk.

At the multi-level clinics, the ground floor will be allocated for mothers, children and emergency cases while other cases will be referred upstairs, he said.


Biro Bantuan Guaman tambah kakitangan

Berita Harian

KOTA BHARU: Biro Bantuan Guaman (BBG) kini distruktur semula menerusi penambahan 415 pegawai dan kakitangan di seluruh negara bagi memantapkan khidmatnya kepada orang ramai.

Timbalan Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk M Kayveas, berkata sebagai agensi bantuan guaman kepada golongan tidak berkemampuan, kerajaan memberi jaminan BBG kini menyediakan khidmat setaraf firma guaman swasta.

"Demi memenuhi keperluan orang ramai, penstrukturan semula BBG dilakukan sepanjang bulan ini dan setakat ini 415 daripada 515 jawatan berjaya diisi membabitkan semua cawangan di seluruh negara.

"Penambahan kakitangan ini membolehkan BBG menyediakan khidmat bantuan dan nasihat guaman serta pengantaraan lebih baik kepada rakyat yang memerlukan," katanya.

Beliau memberitahu pemberita selepas merasmikan Persidangan Tahunan Pegawai BBG Ke-19, di sini, semalam.

Kayveas berkata, kes kendalian BBG di seluruh negara meningkat daripada 23,226 pada April kepada 26,969 kes sepanjang Mei lalu merangkumi kes keluarga (syariah dan sivil), sivil dan jenayah.

Katanya, sepanjang Mei lalu, BBG menyelesaikan 2,879 kes dan mempunyai baki 24,090 kes belum selesai mulai awal Jun lalu, di samping 1,191 bilangan khidmat nasihat guaman yang diberikan di seluruh negara.

30 July 2007

KSN Umum Pelantikan Ke Jawatan Baru Di EPU

Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Julai (Bernama) -- Lapan belas pegawai kanan perkhidmatan awam terlibat dalam pelantikan dan pertukaran bagi mengisi jawatan baru yang diwujudkan di Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU), Jabatan Perdana Menteri, berkuatkuasa 1 Ogos.

Mereka adalah antara 21 pegawai yang terlibat dalam pelantikan dan pertukaran yang diumumkan oleh Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Sidek Hassan dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.

Pelantikan jawatan baru di EPU melibatkan Noriyah Ahmad, 55, yang ditukar sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pengarah, Program "Strategic Programming and Allocation"; Datuk Dr Ali Hamsa, 52, dilantik sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pengarah, Program "National Transformation and Advancement"; Noor Zaidah Dahalan, 50, dilantik sebagai Pengarah, Seksyen Pembangunan Modal Insan.

Dr Mohd Gazali Abas, 47, dari Institut Tadbiran Awam (Intan) dilantik sebagai Pengarah, Seksyen Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam; Adam Sulong, 48, dari Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Negara (MTEN) dilantik sebagai Pengarah Seksyen "National Transformation and Advancement"; Dr Ibrahim Abu Ahmad, 52, juga dari MTEN dilantik sebagai Timbalan Pengarah "Malaysian Development Institute"; dan Noraini Ibrahim, 49, dari MTEN dilantik sebagai Pengarah, Seksyen Kerjasama Antarabangsa.

Nurshiah Arshad, 52, dilantik sebagai Pengarah Seksyen Industri, Sains dan Teknologi; Ahmad Husni Hussain, 48, dan Zohari Haji Akob, 49, kedua-duanya sebagai Timbalan Pengarah, Seksyen "Public Private Sector Cooperation; Dr Kamariah Noruddin, 48, dari MTEN sebagai Timbalan Pengarah "Malaysian Development Institute"; Mat Noor Nawi, 52, dilantik sebagai Pengarah Seksyen Pengagihan; Azimah Mansor, 50, dilantik sebagai Pengarah, Seksyen Pasukan Komunikasi; Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng, 51, ditukar sebagai Timbalan Pengarah "Malaysian Development Institute".

K.Yogeeswaran, 49, ditukar sebagai Pengarah Seksyen K-Ekonomi; Razali Che Mat, 51, ditukar sebagai Timbalan Pengarah Seksyen "Bumiputera Commercial Industry Community-2"; Liew Siew Lee, 51, dilantik sebagai Pengarah Seksyen Ekonomi Alam Sekitar dan Sumber Asli; Azizah Hamzah, 51, dilantik sebagai Timbalan Pengarah Seksyen Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam.

Pengarah Seksyen Penilaian EPU Dr Rosli Mohamed, 49, dilantik sebagai Pengarah Seksyen Tenaga unit tersebut bagi menggantikan K.Yogeswaran yang ditukarkan sebagai Pengarah Seksyen K-Ekonomi.

Sidek juga mengumumkan pelantikan Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Latihan, Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara, Kementerian Pertahanan, Mohd Tajudin Don, 53, sebagai Setiausaha Bahagian Kewangan dan Akaun kementerian tersebut, mulai 1 Ogos, bagi menggantikan Mhd Najri Abd Hamid yang bertukar sebagai Ketua Pengarah Perbadanan Hal Ehwal Bekas Angkatan Tentera (Perhebat).

Pengarah Bahagian Pengawasan dan Penguatkuasaan, Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Dr G.Parameswaran, 55, pula dilantik sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pengarah I, Jabatan Perumahan Negara, mulai 4 Ogos, menggantikan Rozali Ahmad yang bertukar sebagai Timbalan Pengarah (Pengurusan) Jabatan Audit Negara pada tarikh yang sama.

-- BERNAMA

Not wise to go semi-private

The Star

IT IS disheartening to note that the Putrajaya and Selayang Hospitals will be accorded semi-private status 'Two government hospitals to adopt ‘full-paying patient’ concept' (The Star, July 28) in an effort to stem the brain drain from the government to the private sector.

The party that stands to lose most are the post-graduate medical and surgical trainees currently practising in these two hospitals and this problem is just the tip of the iceberg.

The concept of allowing subsidised private care in Malay-sian government hospitals was pioneered by two teaching hospitals in the Klang Valley.

The aim was to prevent the growing number of physicians and surgeons from leaving the government service to join the more lucrative private sector.

The reality is that, the exit door is still wide open and that eventually, the number of medical practitioners retained, especially at specialist level, is less than 10%, despite the incentive.

The reality is also that most specialists will use the private-practice incentive in those selected hospitals as a stepping-stone to the world of in-dependent practice in private hospitals.

There is inevitably a conflict of interest between caring for government patients and private practice.

In addition, there is also a conflict of interest between training postgraduates (in the teaching hospital/government hospital setting) and focusing on private work within the same institution.

Postgraduate training in specialities such as medicine and surgery rely on patient volume and appointed lecturers to guide students to be competent practitioners who can practice safely.

Somehow, Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand as well as Singapore have succeeded in training their doctors to become specialists within the government setting, minus the interference from private practice.

There are several measures that the Government should consider:

· OUTSOURCE post-graduate training in various specialities especially internal medicine and surgery to Europe/Aus-tralia/New Zealand (in the form of scholarships) coupled with a longer bond to government service;

· MATCH the pay of private sector to stem the brain drain;

· SEPARATE private and government practice within the same institution; and

· MAKE post-graduate training a form of “national service” to all Malaysian-registered specialists and consultants.

A CONCERNED PATIENT,
Petaling Jaya.

Kudos to hospital: Walking, working angels

NST

IN April, my sister underwent an operation at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. The service at the hospital was remarkable from the registration counter to the point of paying the bill. All the staff we encountered were friendly and caring.

A big thank you to the doctors at the obstetrics and gynaecology clinic. Also, my thanks to the doctor at the physician’s clinic (medical department).

Thank you to all the nurses at the out-patient clinic and Ward 6A. They are not mere nurses but walking and working angels. Thanks to all the hospital staff for their good work.

The Sungai Buloh Hospital is clean, well-maintained and the charges are affordable to the lower-income group.

If all government hospitals can offer such services, most patients would prefer and favour these hospitals.

NUTP mahu pembentukan nilai murni diutama

Berita Harian

KESATUAN Perkhidmatan Perguruan Kebangsaan (NUTP) percaya sistem pembelajaran yang terlalu mengutamakan kecemerlangan akademik dan menggalakkan pelajar mengejar gred ‘A’ dalam semua mata pelajaran, secara langsung mengikis nilai murni seperti diamalkan sejak sekian lama.

Malah, kesatuan itu menyifatkan perlumbaan mencapai ‘A’ menyebabkan wujud pelbagai tekanan sama ada kepada guru atau murid dan keadaan itu lebih menjejaskan emosi pelajar lemah yang akan menunjukkan reaksi negatif terhadap semua tekanan berkenaan.

Presiden NUTP, Anuar Ibrahim, berkata semua tekanan itu mewujudkan khalayak murid ‘kurang ajar’ yang sering memberi masalah kepada guru, namun apabila tindakan diambil ia tidak diterima pula ibu bapa pelajar.

Membandingkan senario pendidikan pada zaman sebelum dan awal kemerdekaan, beliau berkata, pada zaman dulu status sosial masyarakat lebih bercorak kekitaan dan ikatan sosialnya juga amat ketara selain mengetepikan sikap individu dan kebendaan.

“Apabila mereka tidak begitu memandang kebendaan, maka gurulah yang menjadi tempat rujukan sebagai sumber ilmu kepada anak mereka. Keadaan itu menyebabkan tahap penghormatan kepada guru cukup tinggi.

“Konsep ketika itu, terimalah anak kami dan cikgu ajarlah dengan apa cara sekalipun, cuma jangan sampai patah dan buta sudahlah,” katanya.

Justeru, NUTP mencadangkan supaya sebarang bentuk penggubalan dalam akta pendidikan atau garis panduan pelaksanaan peraturan disiplin sekolah mengambil kira pelbagai aspek pembentukan sahsiah pelajar dan mengkaji beban tugas guru supaya dapat memainkan peranan lebih aktif sebagai pendidik serta tidak terbatas berperanan mengajar.

Anuar juga mencadangkan supaya pembabitan Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG) serta badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) haruslah dilihat kembali supaya lebih memainkan peranan membantu pihak sekolah dan bukannya sekadar bijak melemparkan pelbagai kritikan.

Namun, apabila memperkatakan semua permasalahan guru dalam menjalankan tugas mendidik, Anuar berkata guru sering berdepan kesukaran kerana tiada peraturan jelas dan standard dalam pelaksanaan hukuman terhadap kesalahan disiplin pelajar.

“Satu masalah besar di sini ialah terdapat peraturan dan pekeliling berkaitan disiplin pelajar yang terlalu ketinggalan zaman. Contohnya, peraturan berkaitan ‘Public Canning’ (hukuman rotan di khalayak) yang sudah digantikan dengan ‘Corporal Punishment’ dalam Akta Pelajaran 1996 menyebabkan kuasa kepada guru besar dan pengetua amat terhad.

“Sewajarnya ‘Public Canning’ diwujudkan semula supaya pelaksanaan kaedah pendisiplinan di sekolah menjadi lebih berkesan dengan guru dan pelajar mendapat pengajaran daripada pelaksanaan kaedah itu,” katanya.

Presiden Majlis Permuafakatan Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru Nasional (PIBGN), Profesor Madya Mohd Ali Hasan, berkata sebarang bentuk hukuman yang dilaksanakan mestilah tidak bersifat penderaan dan mengikut emosi semata-mata.

“Hukuman yang dikenakan mestilah setimpal dengan salah laku dilakukan. PIBGN bersetuju jika guru diberi kelonggaran dalam proses mendisiplinkan pelajar tetapi jangan sampai melampaui batas.

“Apa salahnya jika guru menggunakan budi bicara yang baik untuk menangani masalah disiplin pelajar. Ini tidak, ada hukuman yang dianggap terlalu melampau sehingga mendatangkan kecederaan kepada murid serta menjejaskan emosi mereka,” katanya.

Beliau bersetuju dengan cadangan Kementerian Pelajaran untuk mengkaji kemungkinan menggubal garis panduan disiplin sekolah dan meminta kementerian meneliti secara terperinci segala ruang yang ada sama ada ia mencukupi atau tidak.

Laporan Khas: Kuasa guru dikembalikan

Berita Harian

Oleh Azrul Affandi Sobry
Kementerian mahu rombak garis panduan, mudahkan tangani disiplin pelajar

KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Pelajaran mengkaji kemungkinan mengembalikan kuasa guru dalam mendisiplinkan pelajar, termasuk merotan di khalayak ramai, bagi memastikan pendidik dapat menjalankan tanggungjawab itu dengan lebih tegas dan berkesan.

Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom, berkata garis panduan sedia ada perlu dikaji semula supaya masalah sosial di kalangan pelajar dapat dikawal dengan kaedah pendisiplinan yang tidak terlalu terikat dengan pelbagai peraturan.

“Kita perlu lihat sama ada membenarkan tindakan yang tidak keterlaluan oleh guru dalam proses mendidik pelajar. Ini perlu kerana kadang kala guru sebagai manusia bertindak sedikit keras apabila berdepan dengan pelanggaran peraturan yang berlaku di depan mata,” katanya kepada Berita Harian.

Baru-baru ini, Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran, Datuk Noh Omar (gambar), berkata kementerian dalam proses meminda Peraturan-Peraturan Disiplin (Pelajar) 1957 bagi mengemas kini peraturan dan tindakan yang boleh diambil guru terhadap pelajar bermasalah.

Beliau berkata, akta berusia 50 tahun itu terlalu umum sehingga mengeliru dan menyukarkan pentadbiran sekolah melaksanakan hukuman terhadap pelajar.

Alimuddin berkata, peraturan terlalu ketat mengongkong guru dan secara langsung membataskan tugas pendidik untuk menjalankan tanggungjawab sebagai ibu bapa pelajar selama mereka di sekolah.

Malah, guru sukar menegur kesalahan pelajar di luar kawasan sekolah kerana tiada peraturan membenarkan berbuat demikian.

“Lebih mengecewakan apabila ibu bapa sering mengambil pendekatan salah dengan beranggapan anak mereka tidak bersalah dalam apa saja keadaan walaupun selepas diberi penerangan oleh pentadbir sekolah.

“Ibu bapa sepatutnya faham bahawa apa saja tindakan guru adalah bertujuan mendidik dan kebiasaannya hukuman yang diambil adalah pilihan terakhir selepas pelbagai amaran diberikan.

“Rasanya lebih baik guru menghukum pelajar daripada langsung tidak mengambil tahu apa berlaku kepada muridnya. Kesudahannya, murid itu juga yang rugi,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihat Kluster Kecemerlangan, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Rahman Arshad, mencadangkan supaya sekolah kluster menjadi perintis pelaksanaan peraturan disiplin yang lebih tegas dan membabitkan lebih ramai guru.

“Jika ada ibu bapa yang tidak suka anak mereka ‘disentuh’, jangan hantar anak mereka ke sekolah kluster kerana di situ anak mereka akan menerima didikan secara seimbang dan menyeluruh,” katanya.

JPJ terima seguni perut babi

Utusan Online

JOHOR BAHRU 29 Julai – Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) Johor yang melancarkan Operasi Tutup (Ops Tutup) mulai 23 Julai lalu, berdepan pelbagai ancaman dan ugutan termasuk dihantar dengan bungkusan berisi perut babi.

Pengarahnya, Rosli Ramly memberitahu, dalam kejadian pada Khamis lalu, satu guni yang berisi perut babi ditinggalkan di bawah meja yang disifatkan sebagai amaran daripada pihak tertentu supaya tidak meneruskan operasi itu.

Selain itu, katanya, pihaknya juga menerima ancaman dalam bentuk lain termasuk apabila alas meja digunakan di lokasi operasi itu dibakar manakala khemah yang didirikan telah dirosakkan.

Tambah beliau, JPJ Johor menerima paling banyak ugutan berbanding operasi serupa di negeri-negeri lain umpamanya di Pulau Pinang, Perak dan Pahang.

“Setakat ini, kita terima empat kes ugutan di lokasi Ops Tutup di Simpang Renggam, Tanjung Labuh, Muar dan Pekan Nenas dan kejadian ini (dihantar seguni perut babi dan alas meja dibakar) berlaku di lokasi bukan 24 jam.

“Segala ancaman dan ugutan ini petanda Ops Tutup berkesan menghalang pengguna jalan raya daripada melakukan kesalahan dan pada masa sama pegawai dan anggota JPJ yang terbabit tidak gentar atau tunduk dengan sebarang ancaman demi menjalankan tugas dan tanggungjawab,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini semalam.

Dalam pada itu, menurut Rosli, sejak Ops Tutup dilancarkan, pihaknya mengeluarkan 2,061 saman dengan 75 peratus iaitu 1,539 daripadanya melibatkan kenderaan pengangkutan.

Katanya, 683 saman dikeluarkan ke atas kenderaan pengangkutan yang membawa lebihan muatan yang dibenarkan.

“Fokus kita ialah kepada kenderaan pengangkutan membawa lebih muatan kerana itu berbahaya pengguna lain dan boleh menyebabkan kemalangan,” ujarnya.

Rosli menambah, kesalahan lain oleh pemandu kenderaan pengangkutan termasuk memandu tanpa lesen, tidak mempunyai permit dan insurans.

Beliau memberitahu, sepanjang operasi itu juga, JPJ mencatatkan 14 kes kesalahan pemandu yang memiliki lesen memandu palsu.

Katanya, mereka yang didapati bersalah boleh dikenakan denda maksimum RM5,000 atau setahun penjara.

Selain itu, beliau berkata, pihaknya turut berjaya menyita 25 kenderaan melanggar pelbagai peraturan dan syarat.

Beliau juga berkata, jumlah itu dijangka meningkat menjelang berakhirnya Ops Tutup pada minggu pertama bulan depan.

Ops Tutup diadakan secara bersepadu melibatkan 170 pegawai dan anggota JPJ di 14 lokasi seluruh Johor. Ia bermula pada 23 Julai lalu dengan sekatan jalan raya 24 jam di beberapa lokasi seperti di Skudai, Mersing, Muar, Batu Pahat dan Tanjung Puteri manakala beberapa lokasi lain turut dipantau JPJ.



Don’t blame the teachers

The Star

MALACCA: Don't just point fingers at teachers when things go wrong but come up with creative ideas to solve the problem, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said.

Lauding the National Union of the Teaching Profession’s (NUTP) move to conduct courses for teachers to help them deal with the pressures they faced, he said:

“This is a proactive move because many people have been pointing fingers but not many were stepping forward to help.

“There is no point stating the obvious. It would be more helpful if they (critics) came out with creative and innovative ideas to solve the problem. I applaud and fully endorse the action taken by NUTP to help the teachers' plight,” Hishammuddin told reporters after launching the Alor Gajah Umno division meeting in Machap here yesterday.

Earlier in his speech, Hishammuddin touched on the case in Kota Tinggi where a secondary school student who tried to strangle his teacher and was later expelled.

“We have 318,000 teachers in the country and the vast majority are doing their job admirably,” said Hishammuddin, adding that he fully supported the punishment meted out by the education department against the student.

He added that Umno Youth was confident that the Barisan Nasional would be able to wrest the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat from Parti Keadilan Rakyat in the next general election.

The trump card, he said, was in the hands of the 46% non-Malay electorate.

PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail won the seat, a traditional Umno stronghold, in the last two general elections and remains the sole parliamentary seat being held by the opposition party.

“I visited Permatang Pauh yesterday (Saturday) and felt the progress done so far by our party is very satisfactory,” Hishammuddin told reporters.