JPN, MPSJ, MPM menang hadiah utama

Berita Harian

KUALA LUMPUR: Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN), Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ) dan Majlis Perbandaran Manjung (MPM) masing-masing muncul pemenang tiga hadiah utama Anugerah Kualiti Sektor Awam (AKSA) 2007 berlangsung di sini, malam tadi.

JPN memenangi Anugerah Kualiti Ketua Setiausaha Negara, MPSJ (Anugerah Kualiti Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam), manakala Majlis Perbandaran Manjung (Anugerah Kualiti Ketua Pengarah Unit Pemodenan Tadbiran dan Perancangan Pengurusan Malaysia).

Hadiah disampaikan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dalam majlis yang berlangsung di Pusat Konvensyen Kuala Lumpur. Hadir sama, Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Sidek Hassan.

Bagaimanapun, tahun ini tiada pemenang bagi anugerah paling berprestij iaitu Anugerah Kualiti Perdana Menteri. Selain itu, Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Alor Gajah muncul pemenang Anugerah Kualiti Pentadbiran Daerah dan Tanah.

Jabatan Kehakiman Syariah Malaysia dengan projek e-Syariah pula meraih tempat pertama Anugerah Kualiti Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi, manakala Kementerian Kesihatan dengan projek Sistem Maklumat Kawalan Penyakit Berjangkit (CDCIS) meraih tempat kedua.

Unit Penyelarasan Pelaksanaan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri pula memenangi Anugerah Kualiti Pengurusan Kewangan bagi kategori jabatan, manakala Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) menguasai kategori badan berkanun dan Majlis Perbandaran Manjung untuk kategori pihak berkuasa tempatan.

AKSA bertujuan memberi pengiktirafan kepada organisasi sektor awam yang mencapai tahap kecemerlangan pengurusan kualiti dalam organisasi dan dalam bidang tertentu.

AKSA dibahagikan kepada Anugerah Kualiti Perdana Menteri, Anugerah Kualiti Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi, Anugerah Kualiti Pengurusan Kewangan, Anugerah Kualiti Pentadbiran Daerah dan Tanah, Anugerah Kualiti Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan dan Anugerah Kualiti Pengurusan Projek.

Sebanyak 27 pencalonan diterima bagi Anugerah Kualiti Perdana Menteri, Anugerah Kualiti Teknologi Maklumat (29), Anugerah Kualiti Pengurusan Kewangan (23), Anugerah Kualiti Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (empat), Anugerah Kualiti Pentadbiran Daerah dan Tanah (13) dan Anugerah Kualiti Pengurusan Projek (12).

AKSA 2007 dibahagikan kepada dua peringkat iaitu peringkat pertama yang memberi pengiktirafan kepada agensi yang sudah mencapai kecemerlangan dalam pengurusan organisasi secara menyeluruh.

Peringkat kedua memberi pengiktirafan dalam pengurusan teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi, pentadbiran pihak berkuasa tempatan, pentadbiran daerah dan tanah, pengurusan tanah, pengurusan projek, inovasi dan kumpulan mutu kerja.

Ketua Pengarah BPR dilantik semula

KL Pos

KUALA LUMPUR: Ketua Pengarah Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan sebagai dilantik semula ke jawatan tersebut selepas bersara wajib.

Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin telah memperkenankan pelantikan semula beliau.

Pelantikan beliau secara kontrak selepas bersara wajib untuk selama satu tahun mulai 26 Mei 2008 hingga 25 Mei 2009 itu adalah selaras dengan Seksyen 3(3) Akta Pencegahan Rasuah 1997 (Akta 575).

Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Sidek Hassan dalam kenyataan akhbar hari ini memberitahu, pelantikan semula itu memandangkan perkhidmatan Ahmad Said sebagai Ketua Pengarah BPR masih diperlukan.

Ahmad Said yang dilahirkan di Pulau Pinang pada 26 Mei 1952 dilantik sebagai Ketua Pengarah BPR mulai 14 Mei 2007 dan bersara wajib pada 25 Mei 2008 pada umur 56 tahun.

Limits of authority

The Sun

"... every official, from the Prime Minister down to a constable or a collector of taxes, is under the same responsibility for every act done without legal justification as any other citizen. The [Law] Reports abound with cases in which officials have been brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority. [Appointed government officials and politicians, alike] ... and all subordinates, though carrying out the commands of their official superiors, are as responsible for any act which the law does not authorise as is any private and unofficial person.

– Law of the Constitution (London: MacMillan, 9th ed., 1950).

These prophetic words I chanced upon while surfing the Net on "rule of law" over the weekend did not allow concentration on the Liverpool-Newcastle match or the Arsenal-Wigan game. The key words – "the same responsibility", "excess of their lawful authority" and "liable to punishment" – kept repeating themselves in my mind.

Shouldn’t the members of the Selangor Executive Council be brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority? Why not? By alienating land meant for low-cost housing to a sitting councillor’s wife at a fraction of the market price, they must have acted in "excess of their lawful authority." But then, alienation of land has always been done in secrecy. The consolation they can take is that little is known about the limits of their authority and hence, it will be a difficult case for the rakyat to prove!

Shouldn’t the officials of the Youth and Sports Ministry be brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority? The ministry used taxpayers’ money to the tune of RM17 million to stage an international junior inter-club tournament, which ended in a flop. The question is: Did the ministry act in excess of lawful authority? By all standards and norms, tournaments are organised by sports bodies and associations. It had no business to go into sports business. Period.

Shouldn’t the enforcement officers from the Klang Municipal Council be brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority? After all, they dragged an innocent tailor from his shop, bundled him into a car and took him away – all because his brother had an altercation with the officers. In the eyes of the law, it would be abduction, trespass to person and wrongful confinement. Shouldn’t they be held personally liable for unlawful use of force, let alone acting in excess of their lawful authority?

Shouldn’t the president and officials of the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council be brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority? How could they have not acted in excess of their lawful authority when they allowed an unlicensed beer garden to operate on a school’s land reserve? Did they ignore the fact that its proximity to a school is an important factor before licences are issued for a beer garden?

Shouldn’t the past presidents and officials of the Petaling Jaya City Council be brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority? Did they act in lawful authority when they decreed that all applications for outdoor billboard licences should go through the sports club? They definitely broke the law by accepting "donations" in lieu of licence fees from advertisers! Besides, proceeds from the sales of its own publications were channelled to the sports club. If there’s an open-and-shut case of excess of their lawful authority, this is it!

Shouldn’t the presidents and officials of the Subang Jaya Municipal Council be brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful authority?

They made a ruling that the businesses in municipality should use the services of a consortium for pest control services. Since when did the council have powers to decide on such services which do not come under its purview? To add insult to injury, some of the companies in the consortium had not been registered with the Pesticides Board, which is a legal requirement. Did they act in excess of their lawful authority?

So, if only the rule of law is followed, there’ll be quite a number of councillors, politicians and government officials behind bars, but this theory will remain a fallacy for as long as the powers-that-be lack the will and determination to put it into practice.

The broom blunder

The Sun
Radzuan Halim

To make punishments efficacious, two things are necessary; they must never be disproportioned to the offence, and they must be certain. – Simms

The recent "award" of brooms to two local council heads had raised a right royal ruckus. The ordinary-looking brooms were handed over by Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo to two heads of district councils in Selangor which had failed to fulfil set financial targets.

The picture of Khir presenting a broom to the president of the Hulu Selangor District Council, an officer of the Malaysian Civil Service (MCS), created a furore. Public opinion was mostly against such awards. But there was a spirited defence of it as well.

Those against view the award as going against local traditions and beliefs. A broom supposedly symbolises a "sial" (accursed) instrument which can only bring bad luck and humiliation for the recipient. The contra view is that officers in government agencies had been getting the cushy treatment for too long, had not been performing to par and needed harsher treatment from their bosses.

The award apparently did not go down well with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who uncharacteristically stated his views in no uncertain terms. He was quoted as saying, "It should not have happened at all. Use more effective methods to enhance the performance of agencies." He also regarded such awards as "demeaning... undignified... humiliating... (and) should be scrapped". By the looks of it, that would be the first and the last of such broom awards in Malaysia. It may be noted that our prime minister was a senior MCS officer prior to his entry into full-time politics.

Some friends regarded the award as reflective of more important issues. A retired civil servant told me that he was deeply disturbed and had a sleepless night over it. He felt that such an award reflected the low status and esteem currently faced by the inner civil service, at least in the eyes of some senior politicians. According to him, in the old days MCS officers, even junior ones, were accorded great deference by the highest in the land.

Another friend, a Second World War buff, was of the view that dishing out such "punishment" to one’s own officers and men could spell trouble for the giver. He gave the example of General George S. Patton, commander of the US Third Army in France, a war hero and military strategist, who met his downfall after striking a combat-shocked soldier with his gloves.

Yet another friend, a lawyer with human-rights leanings regarded such awards to be contrary to the norms of common law. He asked me to look up the US Constitutional Amendment Article VIII, which reads, "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." Personally, I find describing the broom award as "cruel and unusual punishment" to be somewhat excessive.

From the above discussion, you can see that there is a lot more to the broom award than meets the eye. Let me share with you some of my research findings.

English: There are several expressions involving brooms. There’s the popularly used proverb "New brooms sweep clean". This is a somewhat sarcastic description of newly appointed office-holders who start off enthusiastically. In time they become no better than their predecessors. "Swept her off her feet" refers to those whirlwind romances in which the girl is thoroughly impressed with a beau she’s only just met. "To sweep under the carpet" is to hide problems while keeping up appearances. Which reminds you of Enron and the subprime debacles – two financial disasters which were successfully kept hidden for extended periods.

Apart from the broom being used by English witches to fly about, the broom does not signify any real taboo nor an object of condemnation for Englishmen. William Shakespeare made only one mention of broom in his plays. It was uttered by Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

"... not a mouse

Shall disturb this hallow’d house.

I am sent with broom before

To sweep the dust behind the door".

Chinese: I was told early in life that the Chinese do not sweep their houses on the first day of the Lunar New Year. This "pantang" is observed in order to avoid sweeping away the good luck coming with the onset of the new year.

One morning I accompanied a Chinese colleague, a senior executive, up the lift to his office. He was known to enjoy a flutter or two at the race course and this was a Saturday. At the lift, a cleaner was sweeping the floor and the broom ends just barely touched my friend’s well-polished shoes. His face turned slightly red and his steps became more brisk. When he reached the office he immediately called the building supervisor to issue a terse reprimand, "Why do you have to clean when people are walking in? Why do you not use vacuum cleaners? Out of date to use brooms!" It is clear that for the Chinese, the broom is not associated with good luck.

Malay: The controversial award involved Malays and so Malay cultural underpinnings are highly relevant here. It is common for Malays to refer to "broom" as a term of rebuke or worse. A married lady would confide to a female friend, Kalau dia berani kahwin lagi, aku kejar dengan penyapu! ("If that hubby of mine dares to take a young wife, I will chase him with the broom stick.") Or an unwanted visitor is forewarned, Jangan tunjok muka, nanti kena penyapu. ("Don’t come around, you’ll get the broom treatment.")

Given such invocation of "broom" in everyday language, it is not surprising for many Malays to regard the use of the broom as a source of humiliation and an affront to personal dignity for the recipient.

In looking up literary sources, I found many references to perahu (boats) but very little on penyapu. However, I managed to find a gem in MBRAS’ (Malaysia Branch Royal Asiatic Society) collection of Malay Proverbs and Sayings by E.S. Hose of the Malayan Civil Service (1933 ).

Penyapu diikat benang sutera (A broom tied up in silk). Explanation by author, "A beggar in finery."

There you have it. One does not present a symbol of beggary to one’s own officer, what more to a senior officer of the crown.

Radzuan Halim, a former banker, teaches MBA and law students.

Tough act for many parents

NSTP

I REFER to “Unfair to extend internship of medical graduates” (The Star, Nov 29) and “Longer housemanship means better exposure” (The Star, Nov 27).

I totally agree with the views expressed by both David Law and V.K. Chin respectively. It is not fair on those parents (and students) who have to finance their children through medical school from loans and borrowing to have the internship extended arbitrarily.

My wife and I have retired. I have four kids and we were unable to obtain any kind of assistance from any of the government bodies except for loans from MIED and, of late, from PTPTN.

We are indeed very grateful to these two organisations though it was not sufficient to cover the entire cost of the medical programme. I still have two children to put through university.

It was not easy for us to get the financial aid to put my daughter in a private medical university in Kuala Lumpur. We exhausted all our savings and had to sell our house to put her through medical school.

With God’s grace, she is going to complete her MBBS and we are hoping that she will complete the (previous) mandatory internship and be able to assist us in meeting various financial obligations, including repayment of loans taken from MIED and PTPTN.

If the Government believes that increasing the internship will do a world of good for these medical graduates (though these graduates have been performing clinical activities at various government hospitals as part of the MBBS programme), it should evaluate all needy cases and assist them financially or write off the loan taken, especially from PTPTN.

Since there is an acute shortage of medical doctors, I believe the option to write off loans taken from PTPTN (in view of the extended years of internship) would be a much cheaper option in comparison to the Government having to recruit foreign medical personnel.

It is also not fair on the part of the Government to equate compulsory internship of medical graduates who had to finance medical studies (especially in private medical universities) through loans, borrowings, exhausting savings and selling assets against those who had the full benefit of some form of scholarship to finance their studies or were privileged to study at public universities.

There has to be a distinction made and efforts need to be made by the authorities to assist those doctors falling in the earlier category. Alternatively (as Dave Law suggested), implement a pay scale for doctors different from that of the normal civil service.

I have nothing against lengthening the internship of medical graduates. But it has to be fair and equitable.

I am very sure the ministry concerned can work out some kind of formula to ensure all needy cases receive due attention, especially those who were unable to obtain any government scholarship or had the privilege to enter government-funded public universities to complete their medical studies.

As parents, we want our children to be well educated and contribute to nation building of this beautiful and blessed country.

N. PERIASAMY,

Subang Jaya, Selangor.

All eyes on the quality awards . . .

The Star

THE Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre will be a hive of activity tonight for the Public Service Quality Awards (AKSA) 2007 with the Prime Minister as the guest of honour.

The annual event organised by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) is to reward government agencies that have excelled.

This is the 18th year since the awards were first presented and it is an event that is the highlight of the public service calendar.

The public delivery service is constantly being improved and government departments and agencies that have successfully displayed excellent administration deserve to get the credit.

Introduced in 1990, the Awards are to create awareness on quality in the public sector and provide formal recognition to government agencies that have good management and leadership skills.

There are different criteria for each award and the shortlisted agency has to make the presentation to a panel of judges. For AKPM, the panel is chaired by the Director General of MAMPU with a team of senior officials of various ministries.

Every agency looks forward to winning an award which reflects the good work done by the staff. The top award, the Prime Minister’s Quality Award (AKPM), is the ultimate prize.

Apart from being recognised for their dedication, the agency that wins this prestigious award is allowed to use the ‘Q’ symbol as well as the statement, ‘Winner of the Prime Minister’s Quality Award’, on its letterhead for three years.

Winners are allowed to contest again after three years. The healthy competition among agencies helps promote a better management system that will not only benefit the public service but also the public at large.

The Public Sector Quality Awards are now divided into two tiers: Upper-Tier and Lower-Tier.

The Upper-Tier level gives formal recognition to any government agency that has excelled in managing the organisation as a whole.

Awards in the Upper Tier category consist of the Prime Minister’s Quality Award (AKPM), the Chief Secretary to the Government’s Quality Award (AKKSN), the Director General of Public Service’s Quality Award (AKKPPA), and the Director General of MAMPU’s Quality Award (AKKP MAMPU).

For the Lower-Tier level, awards will be given to acknowledge agencies that have shown excellence in specific areas.

They are the Information and Communication Technology Quality Award (AKICT), Local Authorities Quality Award (AKPBT), Finance Management Quality Award (AKPK), District and Land Administration Quality Award (AKPDT) and Project Management Quality Award (AKPP), which is a new award introduced this year.

Six government agencies vying for PM’s award

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Two municipal councils have been shortlisted as finalists for the Prime Minister’s Quality Award (Aksa) 2007.

Subang Jaya and Manjung municipal councils are among the six government agencies and departments vying for the award to be announced tonight.

The others are the Inter-national Islamic University, Na-tional Registration Department, Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Tabung Haji.

Manjung council secretary Is-mail Saffian said the council was keen to win to set a benchmark for other councils and share information on improving their delivery system.

Tabung Haji group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Ismee Ismail said to be shortlisted was already an honour for the agency.

The winning agency will bag RM50,000, a trophy and certificate from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Introduced in 1991, the Aksa award is aimed at creating awareness on quality in the public sector and recognising government agencies that have good management and leadership skills.

Urusan di Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Marang lebih pantas

Utusan Online

MARANG 29 Nov. – Inisiatif Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Marang membangunkan aplikasi sistem rangkaian dalaman bagi melancar dan memudahkan proses tindakan berjaya memendekkan tempoh masa setiap urusan berkaitan orang ramai sebanyak 20 hingga 30 peratus.

Enam aplikasi tersebut iaitu bagi urusan tender, perolehan, mesyuarat, duti setem, maklumat Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) serta permohonan pembangunan tanah dibangunkan sendiri oleh kakitangan jabatan itu sejak tahun lepas dengan kos tidak lebih RM1,000.

Hasil kreativiti mereka membolehkan Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Marang terpilih sebagai calon akhir Anugerah Kualiti Sektor Awam (AKSA) bagi disiplin Anugerah Kualiti Pentadbiran Daerah dan Tanah Tahun 2007 yang berlangsung esok di ibu negara.

Menurut Pegawai Daerah Marang, Abdul Rahman Che Ali, aplikasi sistem rangkaian dalaman jabatan membolehkan beliau memantau pergerakan setiap kakitangan di samping mengenal pasti status tindakan semasa setiap urusan tanpa melibatkan perjalanan fail.

‘‘Sistem ini banyak membantu meningkatkan prestasi kerja malah sejak diperkenalkan, kakitangan kita tidak lagi merungut kerana banyak kerja walaupun jabatan ini masih kekurangan kira-kira 20 pekerja,” katanya ketika ditemui di sini hari ini.

Beliau memberitahu, tiga aplikasi iaitu sistem duti setem, permohonan pembangunan tanah dan maklumat JKKK serta profail daerah boleh diakses oleh orang ramai untuk mengetahui status permohonan mereka di e-Kios yang ditempatkan di lobi jabatan dengan hanya memasukkan nombor kad pengenalan atau fail permohonan.

Malah jelasnya, aplikasi tersebut boleh diakses termasuk oleh pelajar dalam tempoh tujuh hari seminggu.

Katanya, sistem tender, perolehan dan mesyuarat pula sentiasa dipantau bagi membolehkan pihak pengurusan mengenal pasti prestasi kakitangan yang dipertanggungjawabkan.

Beliau memberitahu, semua sistem rangkaian tersebut mempunyai kawalan keselamatan melalui penggunaan kata laluan dan kakitangan hanya dibenar untuk mengakses aplikasi yang berkaitan dengan tugas mereka sahaja.

Hasil kejayaan sistem itu, pihaknya berhasrat membangunkan dua lagi aplikasi iaitu untuk sistem laporan prestasi kakitangan dan sistem pengurusan pilihan raya Parlimen Marang.

Jelasnya, pihaknya mendapat permintaan daripada jabatan lain supaya meningkatkan aplikasi tersebut di peringkat antara jabatan, namun ia perlu mendapat kelulusan Unit Pengurusan Maklumat Negeri Terengganu.

Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Marang mempunyai 150 kakitangan yang menguruskan pentadbiran daerah seluas 68,399.6 hektar meliputi lapan mukim iaitu Alur Limbat, Rusila, Pulau Kerengga, Mercang, Jenung, Bukit Payong (Pekan), Bukit Payong (Binjai Rendah) dan Bukit Payong (Wakaf Tapai) dengan 150 penduduk bagi setiap satu kilometer persegi.

Resolve problems facing housemen first

The Star

I REFER to “Longer housemanship means better exposure” (The Star, Nov 27).

It is noteworthy that although the stipulated time-frame for housemanship is one year, the exact duration, however, varies from hospital to hospital.

For instance, in the government hospital that I am currently attached to, housemanship is at least 20 months, and that includes all five major postings – medicine, OBG, surgery, orthopaedics and paediatrics.

In some other hospitals, housemanship includes all five major postings but with the duration of the last two postings being three months each, which comes to a total of 18 months.

There are also places where the shortage of medical officers has prompted the management to promote a houseman to medical officer immediately after one year of training.

Therefore, if the two-year housemanship system were to be introduced, it would definitely not be much of a setback for those doing 20 months of training, as it would only be extended by four months.

Not all medical graduates look forward to joining the private sector with the intention of monetary gain.

The workload at any government hospital is stressful to say the least, and a tired doctor, after 36 hours of work, is hazardous to both the patient and himself.

Many join the private sector just to get a “good night’s sleep” and to spend more quality time with their families.

The extension of housemanship is definitely beneficial to the doctor in terms of experience and exposure, but whether the desired results would be attained is an open question.

Most times, the houseman is subjected not only to hard work but the most dreadful of all must be the fact that they get mentally tortured with a poor working environment, difficult superiors, and being left to learn on their own.

There are many unresolved problems and weaknesses in the current housemanship system that needs to be looked into, otherwise the extension would not serve its real purpose.

HOUSEMAN,
Malacca.

PhD bukan syarat naikkan pangkat

Berita Harian

MERUJUK kepada maklum balas daripada Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi kepada ‘Pensyarah PhD DS45’ yang disiarkan pada 16 November lalu. Saya tidak setuju dengan dasar kementerian untuk menaikkan pangkat pemegang PhD DS45 kepada pensyarah kanan DS52.

Kenaikan pangkat seorang pensyarah ke pensyarah kanan bermakna seseorang itu mesti mempunyai kecemerlangan akademik yang istimewa mutunya (Pekeliling Perkhidmatan Bilangan 31 Tahun 2005).

Seseorang pensyarah tidak boleh dianggap sebagai mempunyai kecemerlangan akademik yang istimewa mutunya hanya dengan memiliki PhD. Ia seharusnya diiringi dengan ‘curriculum vitae’ yang istimewa mutunya, seperti mempunyai beberapa penerbitan jurnal pada peringkat antarabangsa.

Masalahnya, ramai pensyarah berkelulusan PhD tidak mempunyai penerbitan sedemikian rupa. Mereka mungkin ingin menghujah mereka mempunyai banyak kertas pembentangan dalam persidangan tetapi kenapa tidak dapat diterbitkan dalam jurnal antarabangsa?

Jika diteliti nama pada kertas persidangan, begitu ramai yang menenggek di atas kertas akademik orang lain untuk mendapatkan pengiktirafan.
Pemilik PhD harus bersyukur kerana diberikan biasiswa untuk melanjutkan pengajian di dalam dan luar negara dan tidak mendesak untuk dinaikkan pangkat hanya beralaskan PhD. Mereka harus ingat bahawa biasiswa diberikan tanpa sebarang persaingan.

Mungkin disebabkan ketiadaan persaingan, maka ramai daripada mereka gagal menghabiskan PhD dalam jangka masa yang diperuntukkan, yakni tiga tahun dan memerlukan pertambahan masa sehingga satu atau dua tahun. Dengan pertambahan elaun sara hidup sebanyak dua kali ganda mulai tahun ini, seseorang yang berada di United Kingdom, misalnya, menerima RM14,000 sebulan di samping gaji lumayannya sebagai pensyarah.

Ringkasnya, pensyarah berkenaan membelanjakan wang rakyat sebanyak lebih setengah juta untuk mendapatkan ijazah PhD di United Kingdom. Tambahan pula, kebanyakan mereka yang belajar di luar negara bekerja separuh atau sepenuh masa kerana mereka tahu bahawa Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi membenarkan mereka melanjutkan masa pengajian, sekurang-kurangnya setahun lagi dengan gaji penuh.

Jika pensyarah yang baru mendapat PhD dalam umur yang begitu muda tanpa sebarang kecemerlangan akademik yang istimewa mutunya dan dinaikkan pangkat ke pensyarah kanan, maka telah berlaku ‘triple award’ di mana mereka diberikan dua kali ganjaran untuk PhD.

Dapat biasiswa tanpa persaingan adalah ‘award’ pertama. Bila mereka ada PhD, universiti menaikkan mata gaji mereka untuk tiga tangga. Ini adalah ‘award’ kedua. Bayangkan seorang pensyarah berada di tangga gaji T3 dalam DS45 ketika pergi belajar di luar negara selama empat tahun.

Bila balik, dia berada di T10 (termasuk tiga pergerakan gaji). Kemudian, universiti pula menganggap mereka mempunyai kecemerlangan akademik yang istimewa mutu hanya semata-mata kerana PhD dan kemudian dinaikkan pangkat ke pensyarah kanan DS52 dengan gaji permulaan RM4,000 lebih.

Ini adalah ‘award’ ketiga. Ramai yang bergelar pensyarah kanan diketawakan oleh pensyarah luar negara sebab bagi mereka, bila bergelar kanan bermakna mereka ini telah banyak menulis dalam jurnal antarabangsa.

PEMERHATI KANAN,

Kuala Lumpur.

Cabaran apex pulih reputasi IPT tempatan

Berita Harian

Oleh Syuhada Choo Abdullah

HARAPAN banyak pihak untuk meraikan kegemilangan institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) negara dalam pengukuran bertaraf antarabangsa sekali lagi berkecai apabila keputusan penarafan Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) tahun ini gagal memihak kepada Malaysia.

Penilaian itu yang dikendalikan Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS), agensi berpangkalan di London bukan saja tidak menyenaraikan satu pun IPT Malaysia sebagai 200 universiti terbaik dunia, malah kedudukan IPTA seperti Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) dan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) yang pernah menyinar dalam penarafan THES, turut merudum. Kali ini, UM hanya mampu berada pada tangga ke-246, USM (307) dan UKM (309).

Walaupun, banyak pihak mengemukakan pelbagai versi faktor, tidak keterlaluan sekiranya diandaikan isyarat awal sebenarnya sudah ketara menerusi pengumuman Kajian Reputasi Akademik IPTA 2006 oleh Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, beberapa hari sebelum keputusan THES 2007 dikeluarkan.

Hasil kajian pertama kali itu mendapati tiada satu pun di kalangan 17 IPTA meraih tahap pencapaian tertinggi enam bintang atau terbilang bagi persepsi Universiti Terbaik Keseluruhan.

“Terbilang bermaksud bertaraf dunia, bermakna masih belum ada IPTA negara ini yang mencapai status berkenaan berdasarkan persepsi responden terbabit,” akui Mustapa.

Bagaimanapun, pada sidang akhbar di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) ketika itu, beliau menjelaskan: “Sekali lagi, persepsi adalah amat subjektif. Secara umum, kualiti IPTA di Malaysia adalah baik tetapi masih ada ruang untuk meningkatkan mutu pengajian tinggi negara.”

Namun yang pasti, hakikat itu harus diterima positif sebagai indikator amat penting bahawa seluruh jentera kerja Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi tiada pilihan melainkan berpijak di bumi nyata, bekerja lebih keras dan memberi komitmen 100 peratus sekiranya tidak mahu segala matlamat dan sasaran dalam Pelan Strategik Pendidikan Tinggi Negara dan Pelan Tindakan Pendidikan Tinggi Negara, sekadar tinggal angan-angan.

Amat penting untuk menyedari bahawa kecemerlangan bidang pengajian tinggi adalah nadi kepada pembentukan modal insan berkualiti tinggi serta mampu mengangkasakan negara dalam mengharungi cabaran global yang semakin hebat.

Dalam pertemuan dengan Berita Harian di Putrajaya, baru-baru ini, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Pejabat Pengurusan Program (PMO) bagi agenda transformasi pendidikan tinggi negara di bawah kementerian itu, Prof Datuk Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar, menegaskan sekarang bukan lagi masa untuk mana-mana pihak melontarkan kutukan berterusan.

Sebaliknya, sudah tiba masa untuk menggemblengkan seluruh dan sepenuh tenaga, tumpuan serta pengorbanan demi memastikan universiti negara berjaya merealisasikan hasrat mencapai taraf dunia melalui perancangan serta pelaksanaan yang digariskan dengan teliti dalam kedua-dua pelan strategik dan pelan tindakan itu.

Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata, kementerian akan mengumumkan pemilihan universiti, sama ada IPTA atau IPT swasta (IPTS), yang merintis status universiti apex sebagai landasan pantas untuk menjadi universiti bertaraf dunia, selepas pertengahan tahun depan.

Katanya, pemilihan itu akan membabitkan universiti yang dikenal pasti paling berpotensi mencapai taraf antarabangsa menjelang 2020.

“Sebagai prasyarat kejayaan, universiti apex mesti mengandungi elemen utama yang digariskan, iaitu pemimpin terbaik. Universiti ini mesti diterajui pemimpin yang mempunyai tahap serba cekap yang amat tinggi, antara lain mempunyai visi, sangat bermotivasi dan komited kepada kecemerlangan.

“Selain itu, ia perlu ada pentadbir dan pengurus cemerlang, mempunyai daya komunikasi hebat, memiliki nilai moral dan integriti yang sempurna, serta mampu memacu yang lain untuk turut cemerlang. Seterusnya, elemen fakulti terbaik, ahli akademik di fakulti universiti itu mestilah guru dan penyelidik yang hebat dalam bidang masing-masing.

“Sebagai guru, mereka mesti mempunyai teknik yang segar dan boleh menyuntik inspirasi serta motivasi tinggi. Penyelidikan mereka pula mestilah kreatif dan inovatif, melangkaui permintaan serta dapat melebarluaskan lagi sempadan ilmu pengetahuan sedia ada,” katanya.

Elemen lain ialah pelajar terbaik. Merit harus menjadi kriteria tanpa kompromi untuk pemilihan calon memasuki universiti apex. Hanya mereka benar-benar memenuhi syarat kemasukan akademik yang ketat akan terpilih. Dengan itu, pelajar terpilih harus mencatat kecemerlangan akademik pada standard tinggi secara konsisten dan berterusan sepanjang tempoh pengajian mereka.

“Satu lagi elemen ialah kemudahan terbaik. Universiti Apex harus menikmati kemudahan terbaik yang mempertingkat proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran serta penyelidikan dan pembangunan,” katanya.

Bagi tujuan itu, Sahol Hamid berkata, kajian serta tinjauan dilakukan ke universiti terkemuka di arena antarabangsa demi mempelajari segala yang terbaik sebagai ‘ramuan dan resepi’ untuk mencapai taraf dunia.

Beliau mengakui semua usaha terbabit bukanlah proses yang mudah, namun transformasi itu mesti direalisasikan dengan sepenuh keazaman, kegigihan, keikhlasan serta pengorbanan. Penjanaan modal insan berkualiti tinggi dengan mentaliti kelas pertama sebagaimana ditekankan Perdana Menteri, bukanlah mustahil direalisasikan.

“Banyak negara kini memacu pantas kemajuan mereka seperti Thailand, Korea, India dan China. Oleh itu, Malaysia sama sekali tidak boleh ketinggalan. Inilah sebab utama transformasi pendidikan tinggi negara mesti dijayakan.

“Transformasi ini mempunyai hala tuju dan matlamat yang amat jelas membabitkan empat fasa pembangunan dari 2007 hingga 2020, sasaran kuantitatif dan kualitatif, serta langkah mencapainya.

“Fasa pertama ialah membina asas (2007-2010), kedua pengukuhan dan peningkatan (2011-2015), ketiga kecemerlangan (2016-2020) dan keempat keterbilangan serta mempertahankan kejayaan.

“Perkara ini digariskan dengan sangat teliti dan terperinci merangkumi empat peringkat, iaitu individu, institusi, nasional serta antarabangsa. Kita bukan mahu suatu yang tidak dapat dicapai, tetapi suatu yang mampu direalisasikan pada tahap terbaik,” katanya.

Sahol Hamid berkata, pelaksanaan tujuh teras strategik digariskan dalam Pelan Strategik Pendidikan Tinggi Negara dibahagikan kepada 13 projek, iaitu apex, autonomi - pentadbiran, audit, kepimpinan, pembelajaran sepanjang hayat, Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional, IPTS, akademia, pengajaran dan pembelajaran, penyelidikan dan pembangunan, Skim Latihan Graduan, MyBrain15, serta pengantarabangsaan.

“Setiap projek ini akan ada penasihat dengan jawatankuasa masing-masing yang terpilih dari pelbagai latar belakang, termasuk dunia korporat dan universiti.

“Kita akan menyediakan bilik yang dipenuhi segala carta berkaitan untuk pemantauan berterusan supaya sentiasa maklum perkembangan terkini setiap universiti terbabit dalam semua projek berkenaan,” katanya.

Tempoh bayar invois capai standard dunia

Berita Harian

PUTRAJAYA: Kemampuan sektor awam Malaysia menjelaskan bayaran invois dalam masa 14 hari bekerja, berbanding 30 hari sebelum ini, meletakkannya setanding dengan standard yang diamalkan oleh sektor swasta secara global, kata Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN) Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Kemampuan ini bererti perkhidmatan awam Malaysia mencapai kejayaan baru dalam mengurangkan kos pembiayaan oleh pembekal, terutama kontraktor, kata beliau dalam satu kenyataan semalam.

Beliau berkata, kejayaan mengurangkan tempoh pembayaran kepada 14 hari bekerja daripada 30 hari hanya memerlukan disiplin dan komitmen baru daripada kakitangan awam.

“Langkah ini penting bagi memastikan pasaran kita terus relevan, terus berdaya saing kepada pelabur, baik dari dalam ataupun luar negara,” kata beliau.

Mohd Sidek berkata adalah menjadi peranan kerajaan sebagai pemboleh perniagaan dalam bidang ekonomi untuk meringankan beban yang ditanggung oleh pembekal perkhidmatan di mana perlu.

Tahun lalu, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menggesa sektor awam melaksanakan tanggungjawabnya kepada kontraktor, terutama berkaitan pembayaran memandangkan golongan itu menghadapi kesukaran sekiranya lambat menerima bayaran.

Beliau meminta agar langkah diambil bagi memastikan isu yang sering timbul, ditangani dengan pantas dan cekap untuk mengelak timbulnya kerumitan dan bagi mengelak peningkatan kos pembiayaan yang berpunca daripada kelewatan pembayaran oleh kerajaan.

Sejajar itu, semua kementerian pada peringkat persekutuan dan negeri diminta memastikan tempoh pembayaran bagi semua jenis invois, tidak kira yang membabitkan kakitangan atau pembekal perkhidmatan, dikurangkan kepada 14 hari, mulai 1 November 2006.

Berikutan arahan itu, tempoh yang jelas dan tegas ditetapkan bagi menyelesaikan bayaran invois, bil dan tuntutan.

Mohd Sidek berkata pejabat pada peringkat negeri sudah menyelesaikan pembayaran bagi 41,655 invois berjumlah RM611.9 juta dalam tempoh 14 hari seperti yang ditetapkan.

Beliau berkata, jika pembayaran tidak dibuat dalam tempoh ditetapkan, pihak berkenaan boleh mengemukakan aduan kepada beliau melalui e-mel sidek@pmo.gov.my. - Bernama

Enough money for science and technology R&D, says ministry

The Star

MALACCA: The Government has allocated RM2.7bil under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for research and development in science and technology. Of the amount, more than RM663mil has been disbursed up till October.

“We hope researchers will come out with a product which will popularise the country,” Science, Technology and Innovation ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Dr Mohd Ruddin Ab Ghani said after opening the international conference on engineering and ICT2007.

Mohd Ruddin said the Government was aware of the urgent need to promote the growth of the services and knowledge-based sectors, in particular advanced manufacturing, and information and communication technology.

“A proper research agenda must be developed and pursued in order for Malaysia to become an industrialised country,” he said, adding that there was a need for more collaboration among researchers.

Mohd Ruddin said this collaboration would eventually spread across borders, involving peer researchers worldwide and dealing with projects with high commercialisation potential and global benefits.

He said the recent national astronaut programme provided excellent exposure for dominant, non-resource-based manufacturing industries such as electrical, electronics, machinery and equipment manufacturing in the aerospace industry.

“The manufacturing sector has also seen an emergence of resource-based manufacturing industries such as biofuel, oleochemicals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and halal food products,” he said.

Mohd Ruddin said practising engineers must not only use the essential resources such as materials, money and manpower but also use them creatively.

All eyes on government sector Oscars

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Excitement is building up among finalists of the Public Sector Quality Awards (Aksa) 2007.

Various government departments, agencies and local councils are vying for 11 awards to be announced at the awards ceremony tomorrow.

Manpower Department director-general Datuk Ismail Rahim is elated to have his department make it into the final six of the Information and Communication Technology Quality Award.

The department was selected for the successful implementation of its Job Clearing System, which started four years ago as a portal for job seekers to register.

“The nomination is a recognition of our efforts and we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will win. I feel we deserve it,” he said.

The focus of every department and agency will be the coveted Prime Minister’s Quality Award, which has six finalists.

The finalists include the International Islamic University Malaysia, and its rector Prof Datuk Dr Syed Arabi Idid said he was both surprised and honoured at being shortlisted.

“It is the first time we have been considered for the award and it is a great honour to us.

“We have always focused on providing quality education,'' he added.

Seberang Prai Municipal Council president Farizan Darus is also eagerly awaiting the awards night.

The council has been nominated for the Finance Management Quality Award and the Local Authorities Quality Award.

“It is a great feat for us (to be nominated for two awards). The council has been working hard in implementing innovative programmes and management systems in accounting and budgeting,'' he said.

Introduced in 1991, the Aksa awards is aimed at creating awareness on quality in the public sector and recognising government agencies that have good management and leadership skills.

The awards have now been divided into the Upper-Tier in recognition of any government agency excelling in managing the organisation, and the Lower-Tier for agencies that have shown excellence in specific areas.

Chinese youths prefer to be officers instead of constables

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese youth want to become police officers but not police constables.

This was the finding of the MCA police recruitment campaign, which saw encouraging response from Chinese youths wanting to join the force as police officers.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said there was lukewarm interest in filling up posts in the lower ranks.

The month-long campaign, jointly organised by MCA Youth and the Police Recruitment Department, attracted 250 Chinese youths. It ended on Monday.

“When we went around (during the campaign), 250 youths responded and applied to join the force as police officers. In fact, more than 80% applied for the posts of police inspector and above.

“However, there was lukewarm response for the post of police constable and other lower ranks.

“Therefore, we have to come out with better programmes to woo youths, particularly SPM leavers, to take up the post of police constable,” Liow, who is Youth and Sports Deputy Minister, said in an interview yesterday.

Liow said MCA Youth would come up with more awareness campaigns to inform them that they could advance in the force by joining as police constable even with an SPM qualification.

“We want to let them know that even as police constables, they can further their studies by pursuing degrees,” he said.

He said many Chinese youths were unaware that they could still join the force even with only four credits and a pass in Bahasa Malaysia in their SPM.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said that of the 90,000 policemen and policewomen in the country, only 2.38% were Chinese.

Between January and the end of October, he said police received 7,226 applications to join the force.

“Of these, only 46 (0.6%) were Chinese, while 80% were Malays. The rest (1.9%) were Indians.

Fu said the Government’s target was to raise it to 10%, but he agreed that it would be a great achievement if they could achieve 5% in the next few years. – Bernama

Kaji Kamus Dewan sebelum kritik

Berita Harian

SAYA ingin memberi reaksi terhadap kenyataan Ahli Parlimen Grik, Datuk Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh bertajuk 'DBP alami kemandulan minda' yang disiarkan dalam muka hadapan Berita Harian, semalam. Saya telah lama meninggalkan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) tetapi saya berasa terpanggil untuk membuat reaksi terhadap kritik atau teguran terhadap badan perancangan bahasa negara yang penting ini.

Dengan mengatakan bahawa Jawatankuasa Istilah DBP sedang mengalami semacam 'kemandulan minda' kerana kononnya badan ini tidak berjaya atau tidak berusaha melakukan penyelidikan untuk mencari istilah asli' bahasa Melayu dan tidak hanya mengambil atau meminjam istilah daripada bahasa Inggeris, saya kira ini bukan kritikan, tetapi tuduhan yang tidak benar.

Sebenarnya, DBP banyak memasukkan perkataan dan 'istilah asli' bahasa Melayu yang diberikan makna saintifik atau makna khusus dalam Kamus Dewan. Cubalah kaji kamus itu dengan teliti.

Menuduh DBP mencipta istilah seperti 'bajet' untuk menggantikan istilah yang sudah lama dan biasa digunakan, iaitu 'belanjawan', ini kenyataan yang salah. Setahu saya istilah 'bajet' bukan dicipta DBP tetapi dicipta oleh ahli politik Malaysia pada waktu itu yang tidak menghiraukan pandangan pihak yang lebih mengetahui dalam bidang perancangan bahasa dan pembentukan istilah.

Contoh lain: siapakah yang mencipta istilah seperti 'cif inspektor' (menggantikan istilah lama 'ketua inspektor') dan beberapa istilah pangkat polis yang lain? Istilah seperti itu bukan dicipta oleh pakar istilah yang memerah otak dalam Jawatankuasa Istilah DBP untuk mencipta istilah yang sesuai, tepat dan sesuai dengan budaya dan sistem linguistik bahasa Melayu.

Yang mencipta istilah itu ialah orang bukan ahli bahasa dan ahli istilah dalam Polis Diraja Malaysia. Bayangkanlah, dalam bahasa Melayu sudah ada perkataan 'cif' yang diceduk bulat-bulat daripada perkataan Inggeris 'chief'.

Jadi, kalau adalah jawatan seperti 'ketua penghulu' maka sepatutnya jawatan ini diubah menjadi 'cif penghulu'. Inilah yang dikatakan perbuatan merosakkan bahasa Melayu - bahasa yang hebat, bahasa yang kaya dengan perbendaharaan katanya yang dapat digunakan untuk mengungkap apa saja fikiran, idea, rasa hati dan perasaan manusia.

Untuk makluman Dr Wan Hashim yang juga orang ilmuwan dan sarjana, kebanyakan istilah yang dipinjam atau 'diserap' daripada bahasa Inggeris dengan penyesuaian linguistik dan ejaan yang sesuai ialah istilah khusus dalam bidang ilmu khusus, bukan istilah biasa dan umum.

Kebanyakan istilah itu diambil daripada bahasa Latin-Greek melalui bahasa Inggeris kerana tidak ada istilah padanannya dalam bahasa Melayu asli. Sebenarnya istilah itu bukan istilah Inggeris tetapi asalnya istilah Latin-Greek.

Kebanyakan bahasa yang maju di dunia termasuk bahasa Jepun dan bahasa Korea, mengambil atau meminjam dan menyerap istilah sains dan teknologi daripada sumber yang sama, iaitu sumber bahasa Latin dan bahasa Greek klasik.

Anggota Jawatankuasa Istilah DBP bukan orang sembarangan tetapi terdiri daripada sarjana dari pelbagai bidang ilmu, tidak saja ahli bahasa. Mereka tidak mencipta istilah sesuka hati mereka saja.

Wan Hashim tentu tahu bahawa di dunia ini bahasa Inggeris adalah antara bahasa yang paling banyak meminjam kata-kata biasa apatah lagi istilah ilmu (sains, matematik dan sebagainya) daripada bahasa Latin dan Greek klasik.

Istilah itu tidak ada dalam bahasa Inggeris asli. Hari ini tidak ada satu pun ayat bahasa ilmu, bahkan ayat biasa dalam bahasa Inggeris, yang tidak mengandungi rata-rata lebih daripada 80 peratus perkataan atau istilah Latin-Greek. Kerana inilah bahasa Inggeris berkembang dan maju.

Jadi, tidak benar sama sekali kalau dikatakan bahawa Kamus Dewan adalah kamus rojak. Yang mencipta bahasa Melayu rojak bukan ahli bahasa, bukan orang DBP, tetapi orang yang tidak tahu bahasa Melayu, orang yang sudah hilang budaya bahasa Melayunya.

Sering kali orang Melayu termasuk orang di DBP sendiri terlalu bergantung pada perkataan biasa dalam bahasa Inggeris untuk berfikir dalam bahasa Melayu, padahal kita boleh berfikir dengan cekap, lancar dan cukup kreatif menggunakan perkataan biasa bahasa Melayu yang jumlahnya cukup banyak.

Orang Melayu dulu kala, orang yang mencetuskan fikiran dan pandangan hidup yang tinggi nilai ilmunya, misalnya melalui peribahasa, pepatah dan pantun, mampu menggunakan bahasa Melayu yang indah, betul dan puitis tanpa bergantung pada kamus dan buku tatabahasa, padahal mereka boleh jadi tidak tahu membaca dan menulis.

Saya juga sering tidak puas hati dengan kecekapan DBP sekarang tetapi saya tidak sanggup membedal badan ini secara terbuka kerana perbuatan ini tidak berfaedah. Kita sepatutnya menyokong dan memberi bantuan fikiran dan cadangan yang baik kepada DBP untuk membolehkan badan ini menjalankan tugasnya dengan lebih cekap dan lebih produktif, tidak hanya membantai saja.

Saya tidak fikir kita dapat menerbitkan ribuan buku dalam pelbagai bidang ilmu dalam tempoh berkenaan jika tidak ada ratusan ribu istilah ilmu diciptakan, dikembangkan dan dimantapkan DBP.

Janganlah kerana beberapa perkataan atau istilah yang kita tidak suka, kita bantai badan ini seolah-olah tidak berguna lagi.

Saya ingin mengingatkan pihak pimpinan DBP supaya mengendalikan badan yang penting ini dengan lebih cekap berdasarkan pertimbangan dan wibawa ilmu dan lebih berani dan tidak kerana takut ditegur dan dimarah oleh pemimpin politik mereka.

DATUK DR HASSAN AHMAD,
Ketua Eksekutif Yayasan Karyawan.

Thumbs up to HTAR’s dedicated team

The Star

WE, the family of the late A.M. Chandran, wish to express our heartfelt thanks to the staff of the A&E and the ICU Ward 5C of Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR), Klang.

Our father was first taken to a private hospital in Klang and later transferred by ambulance to HTAR.

We were initially afraid that being 76-year-old, our father would be denied the treatment that he deserved. Our fears proved to be wrong! The staff at the A&E attended to him with so much care and dedication – something that took us by surprise!

About an hour and a half later, he was transferred to the ICU in Ward 5C. There, he had a second heart attack and passed away on the morning of Nov 22.

Our father suffered for only one week. But during that one week, he received the best medical attention possible.

We all know that government doctors work extremely long hours and have very little time to explain to family members what the situation is. This was not the case with the doctors at HTAR.

Special mention must be accorded to two very special people – Dr Rasem A. Kh. Husani and Dr Indra of the ICU, Ward 5C. Even when our father was fighting for his life, Dr Rasem was always positive; that itself gave us courage. He may not have had the time, but he always made sure that we were constantly updated on our father’s condition.

Dr Indra took the trouble to sms her condolences and told us that she could be contacted any time if our mother required counselling in coping with her loss!

These two doctors went beyond the call of duty to provide the best possible attention to our father. Words can’t thank them enough. The nurses at Ward 5C too never took their eyes off our father – they must never be forgotten.

To the ICU team at HTAR, keep up your excellent service and dedication – you are a fine example to the outside world of what service is all about.

FAMILY OF THE LATE A. M. CHANDRAN,

(Ward 5C, Bed No. 8)

Klang, Selangor.

Peranan DBP dipersoalkan

Utusan Online

Oleh AZMAN ANUAR (WARTAWAN UTUSAN)

KEPADA kakitangan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka kritikan Ahli Parlimen Gerik, Datuk Dr. Wan Hashim Wan Teh terhadap Jawatankuasa Istilah badan pembina bahasa itu cukup memedihkan hati.

Pengerusi Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia itu mempunyai alasan untuk mengatakan Jawatankuasa Istilah DBP mengalami kemandulan minda kerana gagal mewujudkan istilah-istilah baru bagi memperkasa bahasa Melayu.

Sebenarnya peranan DBP sudah lama dikritik. DBP dilihat gagal dalam usaha untuk mengatasi penggunaan bahasa rojak jika jawatankuasa itu hanya menyeduk istilah bahasa Inggeris menjadi istilah baru dalam bahasa Melayu.

Minggu lepas Pengerusi Lembaga Pengelola DBP, Datuk Johan Jaaffar mengatakan agensi bahasa itu berdepan dengan peranan yang semakin mencabar. Katanya, kedudukan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan tidak difahami termasuk ada pihak mempertikai fungsi dan peranan DBP.

DBP perlu berhati-hati dalam memilih istilah. Kita bimbang istilah bahasa Inggeris yang seolah-olah sudah menjadi ‘bahasa ibunda’ dan lingua franca globalisasi akan mengetepikan istilah bahasa Melayu seperti mana bahasa rasmi negara kita ini mengetepikan bahasa suku tertentu seperti bahasa Banjar, Rawa dan Minang.

Istilah

Jika kita tidak berhati-hati istilah bahasa Melayu juga boleh mengalami kepupusan. Maknanya kewujudannya tidak dihargai dan dirasai.

Sejak ditubuhkan setahun sebelum merdeka, fungsi utama DBP ialah merealisasikan dua rancangan besar iaitu melalui pembinaan bahasa dan pengembangan bahasa.

Ketika menyambut ulang tahun ke-50 DBP tahun lalu, Ketua Pengarahnya yang berdarah Minang, Datuk Dr. Firdaus Abdullah mengumumkan akan menstrukturkan semula DBP agar lebih berwibawa dan kembali dihormati oleh masyarakat.

Hakikatnya, usaha beliau itu belum mencapai tahap yang dijanjikannya. DBP kini berdepan dengan sedemikian hebat cabaran, yang bukan sahaja menimbulkan keraguan tetapi juga masyarakat mulai menanyakan makna peranan badan berkanun yang ditugaskan memartabatkan bahasa kebangsaan.

Secara jujur, DBP berada dalam dilema yang luar biasa. Semangat DBP yang dibina pada 1956 lahir di tengah-tengah kesedaran kebangsaan dan era nasionalisme linguistik perlu dihidupkan kembali.

Jika orang bijak pandai bahasa dan pakar-pakar bidang ilmu gagal mencipta istilah baru dalam bahasa Melayu, kita tentulah khuatir sekiranya orang mulai mengabaikan penggunaan bahasa rasmi negara.

Elok kita bertanya kepada warga pimpinan DBP, apa yang telah mereka lakukan untuk memastikan bahasa kebangsaan berada pada tahap yang kita mahukan.

Jangan amalkan gaya perbelanjaan hujung tahun

Utusan Online

PUTRAJAYA 27 Nov. – Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan meminta jabatan dan agensi kerajaan agar tidak mengamalkan gaya perbelanjaan yang hanya dilakukan pada hujung tahun semata-mata bagi menghabiskan peruntukan tahunan.

Menurut beliau, ketua-ketua setiausaha kementerian dan ketua jabatan telah diminta agar mempunyai jadual perbelanjaan dan melaksanakan projek dan pembelian yang dirancang dengan teliti.

‘‘Saya sudah menyatakan kepada semua ketua setiausaha kementerian dan ketua jabatan bahawa dalam aktiviti perbelanjaan jangan buat macam ‘Christmas shopping’.

‘‘Dia kena ada jadual pembelian barangan dan projek yang betul-betul dirancang, itu yang penting dan bukan setakat nak habiskan peruntukan sahaja,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas majlis sambutan Hari Kualiti Jabatan Perdana Menteri 2007 di sini hari ini.

Menurut Mohd. Sidek, perbelanjaan kerajaan pada tahun ini dilakukan tepat pada sasarannya tetapi pada masa ini, jumlahnya masih rendah memandangkan tempoh kewangan bagi tahun ini masih belum berakhir.

Malah, katanya, keadaan itu juga disebabkan terdapat syarikat swasta yang terbabit dengan projek-projek kerajaan masih terus mengamalkan sikap menunggu pada hujung tahun bagi menghantar bil tuntutan pembayaran.

Ini katanya, menyebabkan kerajaan tidak dapat membuat pembayaran tepat pada waktunya.

‘‘Kerja-kerja telah dilaksanakan tetapi biasanya syarikat swasta tidak semestinya menghantar bil tuntutan tepat pada waktunya dan suka tunggu pada hujung tahun,” jelas beliau.

Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata, terdapat kementerian yang berjaya mencatatkan pembayaran dalam tempoh yang ditetapkan iaitu 14 hari sebanyak 100 peratus dan dari segi puratanya sebanyak 80 peratus pembayaran dibuat dalam tempoh tujuh hari.

‘‘Ini adalah salah satu contoh penambahbaikan sistem penyampaian awam,” katanya.

Terdahulu dalam ucapannya, Mohd. Sidek berkata, penyelewengan segelintir penjawat awam sebagaimana yang didedahkan dalam Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2006 telah mencemarkan imej perkhidmatan awam secara keseluruhannya.

‘‘Imej yang tercalar mengambil masa untuk dipulihkan. Sekiranya gejala ini tidak dibendung, semua usaha kerajaan untuk meningkatkan penyampaian perkhidmatan akan menjadi sia-sia,” katanya.

Faster payments as public sector improves delivery

NSTP

PUTRAJAYA: The success of the government in cutting payment time has made the public sector comparable with the private sector on standards globally.

This came a year after all federal and state agencies were instructed to ensure that payments to staff and service providers be reduced from 30 to 14 working days.

In a statement, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said the success required discipline and renewed commitment from those involved.

"It is our role as business enablers of the economy to ease the burden of service providers where applicable.

"This move is imperative to ensure our market remains relevant and competitive to local and foreign investors."
The statement said from Nov 1, last year, clear and succinct turnaround times were set for all agencies.

As a result, the process for resolving invoices, bills and claims had been set at two days for cost centres, seven days for the responsible offices while paying offices have to close all payments in five working days.

In October, state level offices were able to close 41,655 invoices amounting to RM611.9 million within the revised payment time.

In the same period, 93.6 per cent of invoices amounting to RM3.6 billion met the 14-day deadline in all 28 ministries while 62.3 per cent were able to pay invoices within seven days.

The Prime Minister's Department closed 36,453 invoices amounting to RM483.6 million in the same period, with 75.9 per cent of the amount being paid within seven days.

Sidek said what was needed was the setting of new standards which required the people concerned in the supply chain meeting the government's key performance indicators.

"When we all do what we are supposed to do, the picture will no longer be a puzzle."

Contractors who failed to receive payments within the payment time could send their complaints to sidek@pmo.gov.my.

At the Prime Minister's Department's Quality Day in the morning, Sidek said government service agencies in the Klang Valley would be linked online for information sharing and easier transactions with the public.

He said the eKL Initiative would be introduced to suit the lifestyles and online connectivity of clients in the Klang Valley.

"The eKL project will allow government service agencies to be integrated and communicate with one another to share information and expertise.

"For the public, it will facilitate payment, making complaints or enquiries, and obtaining information."

Sidek also directed all agencies, beginning with those under the PM's Department, to conduct customer satisfaction surveys.

"It is important to know the extent to which clients are happy with our service and to identify room for improvement

Customs officer in trouble over 'too long' leave

NSTP

PUTRAJAYA: A Customs Department station head is facing disciplinary action after he went on leave for "too long".

The 56-year-old station head is based in a northern state and is due to retire next month.

Sources said he had been on leave since May and, in his absence, his officers in the smuggling prevention unit (UPP) had been crossing the Thai border without permission.

However, it is not known who had authorised the station head's long leave.

The matter came to light following the arrest of a 34-year-old Customs officer in Padang Besar last Wednesday for possession of a sub-machine gun and 283 rounds of ammunition.
The officer was believed to have smuggled in the weapon and ammunition from Thailand and had crossed the border without permission.

The officer had been posted to the border under the unit for the past few years and was due for a transfer soon.

Unit officers are usually transferred out after serving for three to five years.

The officer, previously based at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, was transferred to the unit because of an alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Other forms of action were not taken as there was not enough evidence.

The detained officer had been with the department for about 10 years.

Customs director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid said he was expecting a full report on the absence of the station head on Monday.

He said under normal circumstances, retiring officers who wanted to take leave would be replaced by other officers. "However, I will have to wait until Monday to get a clearer picture of the matter before taking any action."

Sources also said there was a possibility that the unit officers had no problems crossing the border due to their "close ties" with other enforcement officers manning the checkpoint. "They usually just wave their hands," a source said.

It is also understood that 10 Customs personnel under the unit would be transferred. The transfer order would be endorsed by Rahman later this week.

Rahman had said last Saturday that the officers would be transferred for suspicious behaviour, including crossing the border without permission.

Although there was no evidence of criminal activity, their movements were considered suspicious enough to warrant a transfer.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum had said that officers manning the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complexes at the Malaysian-Thai border would be rotated regularly from now on.

This is to prevent them from becoming too friendly with those who frequently cross the border.

Longer housemanship means better exposure

The Star

Comment: By V.K.CHIN

THE Health Ministry's decision to extend housemanship by a year is aimed at providing better exposure to new doctors in all sectors of medicine.

Such training will be extremely useful since they would be better equipped to practise medicine whether in government service or private practice later on.

They should therefore view this latest ruling positively since this will give them more confidence in treating patients. They cannot afford to make mistakes.

However, many young doctors who intend to go into private practice as soon as they have completed their housemanship and three-year compulsory service will have to remain in the government for five instead of four years.

It will not matter to government scholars who have to serve out their bond, which is likely to be for 10 years, so the extension will not be an inconvenience.

Those who studied medicine on their own would certainly find this annoying since their intention is just to fulfil their statutory requirements. Otherwise, they will not be able to get the practising licence issued by the Malaysian Medical Council.

Many of them have borrowed money for their medical studies and they will find their government pay and allowances insufficient to meet their financial commitments.

Though Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said he would try to get them into a higher grade, the amount may still not come to much.

Those directly involved will consider this as another year of cheap labour. This means most of them will only be able to quit government service when they are around 30.

Of course the government can get round this by reducing the three-year compulsory service to two thus retaining the four-year period. This is unlikely to happen unless the ministry feels comfortable that this will not lead to any serious shortage.

The downside is that many of those studying medicine overseas on their own may opt to stay back instead of returning home thus depriving the nation of their services.

This will be a loss but since they are financing their studies, there is nothing the authorities can do to force them to come back.

But it cannot also be denied that a year's housemanship is definitely too short to train a new graduate in all areas of medicine. By the time they become medical doctors, they will be dealing with people's lives.

They must therefore be well prepared for the task ahead and they must be competent enough to face such challenges either in government or private practice.

The ministry has a responsibility to ensure that people’s health is protected and they must get the best possible treatment at least in terms of diagnosis in hospitals or clinics.

Masalah sara hidup pelajar kita di Asia Barat dikaji

KAHERAH 26 Nov. – Kerajaan akan mengkaji masalah yang dihadapi oleh para pelajar tajaannya di Asia Barat termasuk Mesir ekoran elaun sara hidup sekarang ini tidak lagi sesuai dengan kos taraf hidup yang semakin meningkat.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi memberi jaminan itu sebagai menjawab pertanyaan seorang pelajar jurusan perubatan di sini yang merayu kerajaan menaikkan elaun sara hidup yang didakwanya tidak pernah berubah sejak tahun 1980-an lagi.

Menurut Abdullah, beliau sendiri telah dimaklumkan oleh Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed berhubung masalah yang dihadapi oleh pelajar Malaysia di Mesir dan akan mempertimbangkan perkara itu.

‘‘Dalam bajet lalu, kita telah menaikkan elaun sara hidup bagi pelajar tajaan kerajaan di beberapa negara termasuk Amerika Syarikat dan Kanada.

‘‘Keputusan menaikkan kadar elaun itu adalah berasaskan kajian yang dilakukan setelah mengambil kira kos sara hidup di negara-negara terbabit dan selepas ini kajian sama akan dilakukan terhadap masalah pelajar kita di Mesir dan negara-negara lain,” katanya.

Abdullah berkata demikian pada sesi dialog dengan pelajar Malaysia selepas merasmikan Karnival Kerjaya Asia Barat di Cairo International Convention Centre (CICC) di sini, hari ini.

Terdapat lebih 7,000 pelajar Malaysia di Mesir, 1,200 pelajar daripadanya mengambil jurusan perubatan di tujuh buah universiti.

Menjawab pertanyaan lain, Abdullah berkata, banyak kes rasuah didedahkan oleh media massa sejak akhir-akhir ini bukannya menggambarkan amalan buruk itu semakin berleluasa berbanding dulu.

Beliau menegaskan, pendedahan demi pendedahan kes rasuah berlaku kerana kesedaran rakyat yang semakin meningkat terhadap peranan Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR).

Mengenai pelaksanaan dinar emas, Perdana Menteri menjelaskan bahawa kerajaan belum membuat keputusan menolak penggunaan mata wang itu dan ia masih di peringkat kajian Bank Negara.

Selain itu, kata beliau, penggunaan dinar emas juga perlu dibuat kajian dari segi penerimaan pelbagai pihak.

Berhubung keperluan Malaysia mewujudkan jawatan Mufti Negara bagi menyelaras isu-isu berkaitan agama, Abdullah berkata, perkara itu agar sukar dilaksanakan kerana pentadbiran urusan agama berada di bawah bidang kuasa negeri-negeri masing-masing.

‘‘Di samping itu, setakat ini tiada keperluan mendesak untuk mewujudkan jawatan Mufti Negara kerana urusan agama termasuk fatwa berjalan baik tanpa masalah. Bagaimanapun, perkara itu akan dipertimbangkan bila ia benar-benar mendesak kelak,” ujarnya.

Dalam ucapan perasmiannya, Perdana Menteri berkata, Malaysia selaku pengerusi Pertubuhan Persidangan Islam (OIC) akan berusaha membantu negara Islam yang miskin untuk menggerakkan ekonomi mereka.

Menurut beliau, usaha perlu digerakkan bagi memastikan negara-negara Islam tertentu tidak terlalu bergantung kepada bantuan dari negara-negara penderma bukan negara Islam.

– Utusan

Ramai puas hati khidmat awam

Berita Harian

Oleh Norfatimah Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR: Penambahbaikan sistem penyampaian dalam perkhidmatan awam yang menjadi tumpuan Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sejak mengambil alih kepemimpinan negara, mendapat pujian masyarakat berbilang kaum di negara ini.

Hasil kaji selidik dijalankan firma penyelidikan tempatan, Merdeka Centre dengan kerjasama The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad, menunjukkan purata 62 peratus daripada 1,024 responden berpuas hati dengan mutu perkhidmatan kerajaan ketika ini.

Semua responden berkenaan berusia lebih 21 tahun yang juga pengundi mewakili tiga kaum utama � Melayu, India dan Cina, serta dari pelbagai latar belakang dan tinggal sama ada di bandar atau luar bandar.

Pengarah Merdeka Centre, Ibrahim Suffian, berkata peratusan positif itu diperoleh berikutan maklum balas baik daripada responden Melayu dengan 76 peratus dan 71 peratus lagi kaum India.

"Langkah kerajaan membaiki sistem penyampaian awam meningkatkan keyakinan masyarakat, terutama dengan tindakan dikenakan terhadap kakitangan yang gagal menunjukkan prestasi kerja bermutu," katanya.

Tinjauan bagi soalan berkaitan sistem penyampaian awam itu juga menunjukkan hanya satu peratus responden kaum India yang tidak tahu atau enggan memberi sebarang maklum balas berhubung perkara itu, manakala empat peratus lagi Melayu.

Keseluruhannya, lapan peratus responden memilih kategori tidak tahu atau enggan memberi maklum balas berkaitan sistem penyampaian, manakala 30 peratus lagi kurang berpuas hati dengan mutu perkhidmatan awam ketika ini.

Selain itu, maklum balas berkaitan masalah alam sekitar menunjukkan purata 49 peratus responden berpuas hati, manakala 48 peratus berpendapat sebaliknya.

Bagaimanapun, berdasarkan pandangan responden mengikut pecahan kaum didapati orang Melayu mencatat angka tertinggi yang berpuas hati dengan 53 peratus, India (45 peratus) dan Cina (44 peratus).

Flood list on Civil Defence Department's website

The Star

By ROSLINA MOHAMAD

KUANTAN: A list of flood-prone areas in the country will be posted on the Civil Defence Department's website for the public to have access to the information and enable them to make early preparations.

The department’s disaster and operations deputy director Kol Norhafifi Ismail said the data would be put up soon as there were still people who were ignorant of the fact they were living in flood-prone areas.

He said the data was compiled from information gathered from the National Security Council, police and local authorities.

“We will make a list of the places and post it on the department’s official website.

“This way, the public will have access as there are some who are only aware that their homes are in a flood-prone area when the premises get flooded,” he said at a briefing on the department’s state of preparedness for the monsoon season attended by Kuantan MP Datuk Fu Ah Kiow at the Kuantan Complex here yesterday.

Also present were director-general Datuk Nasir Mat Dam and state director Kol Ibrahim Mat Adam.

Norhafifi said there were 1,258 flood-prone areas with 2,349 relief centres which could accommodate more than 760,000 evacuees in the country.

“There are 232 permanent officers and 57,834 volunteers placed on stand-by with another 3,843 who can be deployed at any time.

“The department has also spent RM356,361.95 of the RM636,955 to purchase raw materials in its preparation for the floods,” he said.

On the emergency number that the public could use, Norhafifi said they could still use 991 as the call would be put through to the 999 number.

Fu expressed satisfaction over the department’s state of preparedness and urged more people to join the department as volunteers.

For details about the department and its operations, visit www.civildefence.gov.my.

Orang Sarawak bukan anti pegawai Semenanjung

Utusan Online

LUBUK ANTU 25 Nov. – Penduduk Sarawak sentiasa mengalu-alukan pegawai dari Semenanjung Malaysia yang berkhidmat di negeri ini, kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Dr. Maximus Ongkili hari ini.

Kata beliau, sebagai penduduk yang peramah, rakyat Sarawak sentiasa mengalu-ngalukan mereka ke negeri ini dengan tangan terbuka dalam menghargai bakti, komitmen dan pengorbanannya semasa berkhidmat kepada penduduk di sini.

“Adalah tidak benar bahawa penduduk Sarawak anti orang Semenanjung Malaysia yang didakwa oleh sesetengah individu yang menyebarkan cakap-cakap ini bertujuan menjejaskan hasrat murni kerajaan dalam meningkatkan hubungan yang lebih baik antara rakyat Malaysia menerusi program integrasi nasional,” katanya pada program orientasi bagi pegawai Persekutuan baru yang dihantar berkhidmat di Sarawak, di sini.

Mengenai program orientasi ini, beliau berkata, objektifnya adalah untuk mendedahkan pegawai baru itu kepada budaya tempatan dan menyesuaikan diri mereka dengan persekitaran baru.

Menurutnya, program itu yang dianjurkan Jabatan Perpaduan dan Integrasi Nasional dengan kerjasama Pejabat Setiausaha Persekutuan Sarawak, telah menerima maklum balas yang positif dan ia telah dimaklumkan kepada Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN), Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

“Melalui program ini, saya percaya bahawa anda akan memperoleh sedikit pengetahuan mengenai cara kehidupan orang tempatan dan membolehkan mereka bergaul dengan lebih baik dalam menjalankan tugas yang lebih baik,” kata beliau.

Seramai 16 pegawai Persekutuan dari Semenanjung Malaysia dan empat orang dari Sabah menghadiri program ketiga itu tahun ini yang bermula dari Jumaat lepas sehingga Selasa ini.

Ongkili menyeru ketua jabatan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk terus bekerjasama dengan membenarkan pegawai mereka membabitkan diri dalam acara yang dianjurkan oleh jabatan masing-masing.

Terdahulu, Setiausaha Persekutuan, Ngah Senik berkata, program orientasi itu akan melengkapkan pegawai baru tersebut dalam menyesuaikan diri kepada persekitaran dan tempat kerja baru apabila mereka mula bertugas di negeri ini.

– Bernama

Syor tukar pegawai KIK setiap 3 tahun

Berita Harian

Oleh Johari Ibrahim

BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Anggota penguat kuasa di Kompleks Kastam, Imigresen dan Kuarantin (KIK) di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand perlu ditukarkan setiap tiga tahun bagi mengurangkan kemungkinan mereka menjalinkan hubungan terlalu rapat dengan sindiket jenayah di negara jiran.

Timbalan Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum, yang membuat cadangan itu semalam, berkata menempatkan seseorang anggota penguat kuasa terlalu lama di sesuatu KIK boleh menimbulkan masalah lain termasuk bersubahat dengan pihak tertentu untuk menyeludup senjata api.

"Ada (anggota) yang makan pagi dan tengah hari di negara jiran dan lama-kelamaan dia akan mendapat 'contact' di sana dan menjalankan aktiviti yang menyalahi undang-undang," katanya kepada pemberita selepas melawat KIK Bukit Kayu Hitam di sini, semalam.

Mohd Johari berkata, beliau akan mencadangkan kepada semua agensi penguat kuasa sempadan mengenai perkara itu.

Beliau juga berkata, anggota penguat kuasa sempadan juga perlu dihalang daripada memasuki Thailand bagi meminimumkan risiko mereka terbabit dengan kegiatan jenayah.

Katanya, langkah itu mampu mengelakkan kejadian seperti seorang anggota Kastam Diraja Malaysia (KDRM) Padang Besar, Perlis, yang ditahan kerana menyeludup senjata api baru-baru ini.

"Saya difahamkan itu adalah kali kedua suspek membawa masuk senjata api maknanya sepucuk sudah diseludup ke negara ini.

"Itu baru dia seorang, bagaimana dengan yang lain-lain," katanya.

Beliau berkata, sehingga ini anggota Pasukan Gerak Am (PGA) bertugas di KIK bertukar setiap sebulan.

Mengenai mesin pengimbas di KIK, Mohd Johari berkata, sejumlah RM75 juta diperlukan bagi menyediakan alat itu di KIK yang kritikal iaitu di sini, Padang Besar dan Rantau Panjang, Kelantan. Setiap satu memerlukan RM25 juta.

Mesin pengimbas di sini dan Padang Besar dilaporkan rosak sejak lebih dua tahun lalu manakala sempadan di Rantau Panjang, Wang Kelian, Perlis dan Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, tidak ada alat itu.

Katanya, selain mesin pengimbas terkini yang mampu mengesan penyeludupan, kementerian juga mencadangkan supaya diletakkan televisyen litar tertutup di beberapa lokasi strategik di KIK dan sepanjang sempadan Malaysia-Thailand.

Mohd Johari berkata, beliau akan bertemu Ketua Pengarah Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) dan berbincang dengan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, supaya peruntukan untuk pemasangan alat itu diluluskan segera.

Polis sudah memberi taklimat kepada MKN mengenai perkara itu.

Beliau berkata, apabila dipasang, semua agensi penguat kuasa sempadan seperti Imigresen, polis dan KDRM akan menggunakan mesin pengimbas sama supaya tindakan pencegahan dapat dilakukan secara bersepadu.

Office boy spots RM9.7m land grab

NSTP

KUALA LUMPUR: An alert office boy has stumbled on the fraudulent transfer of a piece of land worth RM9.7 million in the "Golden Triangle".

He works for the legal firm engaged by Taiwanese investor Chen Wei Pin to handle the sale of his land.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau head Datuk Michael Chong told a news conference that Chen and his two brothers had bought the 1,580 square metre plot of land behind Plaza See Hoy Chan in Changkat Raja Chulan in 1990 and had the original land title to prove their ownership.

In April, Chen decided to sell the land to Lim Chai Beng, who paid the 10 per cent deposit and tried to lodge a caveat on the land to protect his interest while the sale was completed.

The office boy did a land search at the Kuala Lumpur Land Office in June and discovered that the Malaysian director of a private company registered here had entered a private caveat on the land.
Chen's lawyer, Justin Chin, helped him to lodge a report at the Dang Wangi police station on July 6, in which he said he was told the director had sworn a statutory declaration claiming that Chen had sold the land to his company.

Chen said neither he nor his brothers had ever heard of the company or the director and lodged another police report on Thursday. He said in this report that he instructed his lawyers to issue warning notices dated July 4 and July 11 to the director to withdraw the caveat, but he had not done so.

He then told the lawyers to file an application to remove the caveat from the Land Registry on July 9 and to lodge their own caveat on the land.

But their application was rejected by the Land Registrar on July 10. To this day, the application to remove the director's caveat had not been dealt with by the Registrar, the report said.

On Wednesday, another land search showed that another Malaysian was now the registered owner of the property through a memorandum of transfer registered on Oct 24.

Chen said his lawyers told him they were advised by the Registrar to lodge a police report to enable them to lodge a Registrar's caveat on the land to stop all further transactions on the land.

Chong and bureau legal adviser Datuk Theng Fook said, over the past five years, they had received 17 such complaints in several states involving idle and prime land worth some RM30 million.

"We have met Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Ramli Yusuff, the Selangor menteri besar and other authorities to inform them of these land fraud cases.

"The reputation and investment climate of the country are at stake when such cases happen. We want the problem to be tackled at the cabinet level," added Theng.

Theng said the transfer was highly suspicious as the Federal Territory land office had said the files were missing, but computer records showed the transfer was made and a new land title was issued.

Chong said they strongly suspected that Chen's case was an "inside job".

Pilot system to detect mistakes being tried out at KLH

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: A pilot incident reporting system where mistakes in treatment can be detected is being tried out at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said a culture of safety would only develop when people were not afraid to report mistakes and when people were able to sit down and learn how to correct those mistakes and improve.

“One of the important prerequisites for this to occur is an incident reporting system. This is currently being piloted at the KLH under the guidance of a World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant.

“This makes Malaysia among the first in the world to comply with WHO standards. However, incidence reporting and problem solving is only part of the solution. The other part involves prevention,” Dr Chua said at the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) public forum.

The text of his speech was read out by the ministry’s medical practice director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakub.

It is understood that the incident reporting system comprises a standard two-page form which collects information on anything that may have gone wrong during a medical procedure.

Healthcare providers involved in the procedure could fill up this form anonymously with the ultimate goal of providing information to rectify procedures so that the same mistakes do not recur.

The form addresses seven areas, namely the patient, task and technology, healthcare provider, team, work environment, policy and procedures and external factors.

It is also understood that the reporting system would be extended nationwide and this would allow all public hospitals to learn from each other’s mistakes and improve.

MSQH president Datin Siti Sa’diah Sheikh Bakir said the society had accredited 61 public hospitals and 17 private hospitals which accounted for more than 50% of hospital beds in the country.

“The accreditation ensures international safety and quality standards are adhered to and hospitals are surveyed every three years to make sure they are always improving,” she said.