Biasiswa Nasional

KENYATAAN AKHBAR
AHMAD IKMAL ISMAIL
NAIB KETUA UMNO BAHAGIAN JERAI

Saya ingin mengalu-alukan pengumuman YAB Dato’ Seri Perdana Menteri mengenai pengwujudan skin Biasiswa Nasional untuk pelajar-pelajar SPM yang cemerlang tanpa mengira agama ataupun bangsa. Ini adalah satu idea yang positif bukan sahaja untuk pelaksanaan konsep 1Malaysia, malah langkah yang membina untuk masyarakat pada jangka masa panjang dan seterusnya satu lagi langkah mengurangkan secara perlahan-lahan penggantungan kepada “tongkat emas” selama ini .

Pengumuman ini juga membuktikan bahawa Kerajaan serius dan berada di landasan yang betul kerana sanggup berbelanja lebih banyak dana untuk memberi ilmu dan pengetahuan kepada pelajar-pelajar. Dengan adanya Biasiswa Nasional dan skim biasiswa yang sediaada, lebih ramai lagi anak-anak muda yang cemerlang dapat meneruskan pelajaran mereka di universiti-universiti terkemuka dan terbaik di dunia. Dalam masa 5 tahun (2 tahun pra-universiti dan 3 tahun universiti sekurang-kurangnya) dari sekarang, negara akan mendapat sejumlah pelajar yang telah dilatih di universiti-universiti terbaik serta bersedia untuk berkhidmat di dalam perkhidmatan awam membangun negara.

Saya ingin mencadangkan kepada Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) yang akan mengendalikan Biasiswa Nasional ini beberapa perkara,. Saya memohon kepada JPA , demi kepentingan semua pihak dan ketelusan, untuk mengumumkan ciri-ciri Biasiswa Nasional ini termasuk:-

i. Jumlah Biasiswa yang disediakan;
ii. Kelayakan pemohon;
iii. Adakah merit yang dicadangkan hanya berdasarkan akademik semata-mata atau
termasuk penglibatan di dalam ko-kurikulum;
iv. Kriteria semasa temuduga;
v. Kursus-kursus yang mendapat keutamaan untuk pemberian Biasiswa Nasional.

Saya yakin, dengan pengumuman oleh YAB Tan Sri Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Pelajaran bahawa calon-calon SPM hanya boleh mengambil 10 subjek sahaja, ramai pelajar akan berjaya mendapat 10 A1 di dalam peperiksaan ini. Ini bermakna pihak JPA harus mencari kualiti-kualiti lain sebagai faktor-faktor memutuskan kelayakan dan seterusnya pemberian Biasiswa Nasional ini. Saya ingin mencadangkan bahawa dasar merit yang ingin digunakan ini patut mengambil kira akademik, ko-kurikulum serta kepimpinan di dalam aktiviti-aktiviti di sekolah. Proses temuduga pula patut dijalankan sebagai satu kem 3 hari 2 malam supaya dapat menilai dengan lebih baik setiap calon berbanding dengan proses sekarang di mana calon hanya berdepan dengan penemuduga 5 atau 10 minit.

JPA juga disaran menghadkan pemohon biasiswa ini kepada hanya 9A 1B ke atas. Ini akan menghapuskan sama sekali dakwaan serta gosip pihak-pihak tertentu yang kononnya pelajar-pelajar yang tidak layak akademik juga diberikan biasiswa seperti yang kedengaran setiap tahun.

Saya berharap Biasiswa Nasional ini akan dilihat sebagai satu anugerah terunggul dan menjadi rebutan pelajar-pelajar lepasan SPM untuk meneruskan pelajaran ke peringkat lebih tinggi. Kita hanya inginkan pelajar terbaik untuk biasiswa ini tanpa mengira agama mahupun bangsa, maka proses pemilihan haruslah difikir dengan baik serta terperinci. Janganlah niat dan idea yang baik yang diumumkan oleh YAB Perdana Menteri bertukar menjadi satu perkara yang buruk dan dikritik kerana perkara – perkara yang boleh dielakkan.


AHMAD IKMAL ISMAIL
NAIB KETUA UMNO JERAI

Gotong - Royong di 3 Kampung

Dua minggu lepas, JKKKP tiga kampung - Kampung Setia Tok Kau, Kampung Tok Kau dan Kampung Berjaya Titi Bom telah mengadakan aktiviti kerjasama bergotong royong. Lebih kurang 150 orang telah turun untuk menjalankan aktiviti bersama ini, jauh menjangkaui apa yang di sangkakan oleh penganjur.

Ini menunjukkan semangat kekitaan dan kerjasama yang kuat masih menebal di dalam hati sanubari para penduduk. Saya seronok dan bangga melihat semangat ini dan cara mereka saling bantu membantu. Kenduri yang diadakan selepas gotong royong juga amat berjaya.

Saya berharap kampung -kampung lain akan mengambil contoh dan menjalankan aktiviti gotong-royong di kampung masing-masing. Selain daripada membersih kawasan, kita juga dapat memupuk semangat perpaduan dan kerjasama selain mengeratkan silaturrahim antara satu sama lain.

Satu keunikan semasa gotong royong perdana ini, ramai kanak-kanak yang turun untuk membantu. Ini adalah satu perkembangan yang baik. anak-anak kita yang akan mewarisi peninggalan kita, maka marilah ktia menginggalkan mereka dengan contoh-contoh yang baik seperti menjaga kebersihan, perpaduan dan semangat kejiranan yang kukuh. Saya juga berharap kita dapat memupuk semangat kesukarelawanan di kalangan anak-anak muda.

Saya berharap aktiviti gotong royong ini diketiga tiga kampung dapat dijalan kan 2 atau 3 kali setahun.

Tahniah kepada semua yang terlibat.

Perasmian Persatuan Alumni SMKA Yan

Baru-baru ini saya telah dijemput merasmikan penubuhan dan Mesyuarat Agung Alumni Sekolah Menengah Agama Yan di Titi Serong. Saya berasa seronok dan berbangga atas inisiatif yang telah diambil oleh bekas-bekas pelajar sekolah ini untuk berkumpul kembali dan membantu adik-adik mereka yang bersekolah di SMKA Yan. Ramai dari bekas pelajar kini sedang memegang jawatan dipelbagai firma dan jabatan kerajaan termasuk Pertonas, Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat dan sebagainya. Pengalaman dan kepakaran mereka ini saya yakin akan memberi manfaat kepada sekolah di dalam pelbagai cara.

Saya juga amat tertarik dengan Ustaz yang telah melafazkan ayat-ayat suci Al-Quran di dalam majlis ini. Walaupun beliau tidak nampak, namun belia telah melafazkan ayat-ayat suci Al-Quran dengan amat terang dan penuh dengan hukum tajwidnya. Alhamdulillah, Allah maha berkuasa dan maha penyayang. Walaupun kekurangan dari segi penglihatan, namun Allah swt telah menganugerahkan beliau satu kelebihan yang ramai dari kita tidak ada.

Untuk mengukuhkan lagi hubungan dan bentuk kerjasama di antara semua pihak, saya telah mencadangkan supaya sekolah menubuhkan sebuah lembaga penasihat yang dianggotai oleh pengurusan, pertubuhan alumni , PIBG, pemimpin pelajar serta seorang dua individu yang dihormati untuk bersama-sama berbincang dan memikirkan halatuju SMKA Yan. Saya yakin alumni ini akan dapat membantu sekolah dan pelajar. Saya berharap sekolah-sekolah lain juga memikirkan bagaimana mereka boleh menubuhkan persatuan alumni di sekolah masing-masing.

Maids

I read with great interest the report that quoted an Indonesian Minister saying that the Indonesian might stop sending Indonesian maids to Malaysia. The report also quoted an Embassy officer as saying that of all Asian countries to take Indonesian maids, Malaysia was the most problematic country.

Now may I say that I am actually very happy if the Indonesian Government does that. Please stop them from coming to Malaysia. I fully agree with this proposal. I would like to suggest to the Indonesian Government that they do not have to wait for a meeting with their counterparts here before proceeding with their threat, but to do so immediately. Lest they be accused of only making empty threats.

The report also said that there are about 300,000 Indonesian maids in Malaysia. I have to admit, I am shocked. That is a big number. If a maid gets on average RM550 a month, 300,000 maids would mean RM165 million are being paid to Indonesian maids a month or RM1.98 billion a year.I wonder how much money these maids send home to their families in Indonesia.I also wonder including their families, how many people are actually benefiting from these Indonesian maids working in Malaysia. Make no mistakes, they come here to work and make money to send it back to Indonesia. Almost zero or very little is spent here.

Don't get me wrong. I actually am disgusted with the way some people treat their maids. These maids are also human beings and should be treated well. I have to say I have had my share of the good and bad. One maid was actually caught stealing from us. Another of my neighbour's maid was seen spitting into the food she prepared for that family. And there was this story of the maid bringing back men to the house when her employer was away. And the list of horror stories involving maids continues on......


There are good maids. I had 2 maids who stayed with us for about 7 years. We were happy with them and vice versa. They were good and honest with us. They took care of us and did not cause much problems. They left only when they were to get married. In fact, our maids had also travelled to Australia once and performed Umrah with our family. That was how close all of us were.

So, I get sick looking at how employers treat some of their maids. And I get disgusted by the horror stories I have heard of what maids do to the employer and the family. I pray to god that my maids now and forever will always be good.

On that score also, it is wrong to just blame one side.

On the Indonesian Minister's threat, again I say it - please make good of your threat. Don't send anymore Indonesian maids here, and please make sure you enforce it well, with no leakages. There are always other sources we Malaysians can tap on.

And while you are doing that Mr Indonesian Minister, could you also please come and take back all the Indonesians who have entered Malaysia illegally too?

10 - is it enough?

I totally agree with the YAB Deputy Prime Minister that to take so many subjects in SPM is ridiculous. It runs totally against the very grain and nature of education in its entirety. Education or educating a person is to give knowledge, and knowledge does not come from just reading books day in day out. Knowledge does not come from just academic subjects neither does knowledge just comes from mathematical or scientific equations and formulaes. We must also develop our young ones in terms of their thinking capabilites (which sadly until recently our education system was more developing their brain power to memorise rather than to think and rationalise), aptitude, interactive skills, motoring skills, soft skills and so on. I have to agree that our education system and our policy makers in the earlier years (before 2000) failed to develop this and concentrated mainly on academic work. Only during the previous miniter, YB Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein do I see focus being given more to creative thinking and softskills.

And we have seen the fallacy of our policy of only developing the academic side of the brain. Many employers are increasingly disappointed with candidates who although showing high marks in academic sunbects, are failing when it comes to social skills, presentation skills, management, soft skills and so on. The same thing goes for interviews during scholarships, although scoring a whole load of As, many fail when it comes to presenting oneself properly, talking and interacting with the interviewers. Many too do not have knowledge outside their small myopic world of academic subjects.

Only in recent years do we see a shift towards developing the other side of the brain. The introduction of Kemahiran Hidup programme in schools for example and the shift away from being too exam oriented as was suggested to replace UPSR exams are a step in the right direction. So is the recent policy where students applying for scholarships or places in universities must have co-curriculum activities as these will form 10% of their marks. For academic interestm there are 4 elements of co-curricular activities that the authorities give marks on - i) sports 2) societies and clubs 3) prefectorial or librarian and such posts 4) if you are selested for PLKN. The authorites will pick the best 2 of 4 to give marks.

To reduce the number of subjects allowed for SPM exam is spot on. A person who get all As for the 20 subjects he or she takes cannot be construed to be better than a person who takes 12 subjects and get all As. Just for information also, residential schools and colleges do not allow their students to take more than 10 subjects. So what does that mean to them when it comes to competing for scholarship and what nots. Are they not as celever as those who took more subjects? I am sure on a level playing ground where everyone in all schools are allowed to take the same number of subjects - well the results might be totally different.

Such a policy to limit the number of subjects would also allow the Ministry to focus and develop othef skills needed and not just academic studies.

I would also have to say there is a particular mindset prevalent in our students and parents these days. Score as many As in as many subjects possible in SPM. This will ensure their child to get a scholarship to study. In a very twisted way, this is why many parents are angry and upset when their child failed to obtain scholarships althoughthey had scored 12/13/15As. They fail to see the other important skills like softskills, presentation skills and so on.

But to limit the number of subjects allowed to 10 subjects starting this might not be so wise. First and foremost, the Ministry must allow students to take more elective subjects other than the 6 compulsory ones. This would allow excellent students to develop other skills to complement the academic side. And many can score 10As these days, closed eyes. What would differentiate them fron the other top scoring student is the quaity of As and also the elective subjects taken.

If you ask me, a maximum of 12 is the magical figure for all students, including those in residential schools. 6 compulsory and 6 electives. This would be more than enough to evaluate the quality of the student other than during the interview.

I would also like to urge the Ministry to postpone the implementation of this policy to at least next year. Many form 5 students now have registered for more than 10 subjects. Although it might be a small percentage compared to the overall of about 450,000 SPM students, to that one student who has been denied the right to do so midway to the exam, after spending money, time and effort on tuition for the extra subjects taken, this decision to be enforced this year seems very unfair to that student. I hope the Minister will have a re-think on this.

I am confident in the long run this policy will benefit the students.

Port Klang Free Trade Zone

PKFZ - What a total fiasco. Generally, I hope the Government will do two things. One - use the audit report as a basis to start investigation on what really happened, who was involved and unearth the financial scandal surrounding PKFZ. I am appalled and angry that those directly involved in the management of this project had allowed things to develop so badly. To me this is a case of mismanagement plus poor management. On the hindsight, I wish the audit report was more comprehensive and brave. From what I understand, though they named the personalities involved, they were more elusive coming out with evidence and documents to clearly link these people to whatever actions. Many times, the report only stated possible "clash of interests" only.

Secondly, the Federal Government must evaluate the fitness and potential of PKFZ. Billions of Rakyat's money have been pumpud in, rightly or wrongly used. To allow PKFZ to die off and become a white elephant is a sin and would be a wrong decision by the Government. Although PKFZ is shrouded in controversy, I hope the Government will evaluate properly and even allocate a bit more money if needed to make PKFZ work. I would rather spend a bit more than see the billions of moey invested so far being wasted down the drain.

PKFZ is a classic case of another good idea with noble intentions from the Federal Government gone bad because of implementation. Let's try to salvage it with good and proper management.

Semangat Kesukarelawanan

Baru-baru ini saya telah dijemput oleh pihak Rakan Muda, Belia Daerah untuk merasmitutup satu program di Tangga Kenari, Titi Hayun Yan. Program ini dijalankan selama 3 hari 2 malam dan dihadiri oleh lebih kurang 50 orang termasuk fasilitator.

Program ini dijalankan dengan satu tema - Membersih Alam Sekitar. Di antara aktiviti yang telah dijalankan adalah menaiki tangga kenari sambil mengutip sampah yang telah ditinggalkan oleh para pelawat. Sedih saya melihat beg -beg hitam sampah yang banyak hasil dari penat lelah para peserta. Ini menunjukkan bahawa tempat peranginan kita ini penuh dengan sampah sarap. Dan betul seperti saya jangkakan, para peserta sendiri telah meluahkan rasa kekecewaan mereka dengan sikap pelawat yang membuang sampah merata-rata tempat.

Namun saya seronok dan berbangga dengan para peserta program ini yang rata-rata tingkatan 4,5 dan 6. Program ini telah berjaya menimbulkan rasa kesedaran terhadap alam sekitar dan menimbulkan semangat kesukarelawanan di dalam diri mereka. Semangat sukarelawanan ini amat penting dalam pembentukan jatidiri mereka sendiri, seterusnya dalam pembentukan masyarakat maddani.

Saya berharap Pejabat Belia dan Rakan Muda akan terus menjalankan program-program seperti ini. Dalam sesi bersembang dan dialog saya bersama para peserta dan fasilitator, ada beberapa perkara yang telah dibangkitkan. Saya akan cuba membantu permohonan-permohonan tersebut termasuklah bersama-sama semua untuk membina masyarakat anak muda yang sihat.

Bakat di Jerai

Baru-baru ini saya telah melawat Encik Hussin Bin Lazim, seorang pembuat serunai yang tinggal di Batu 16, DUN SG Limau. Saya difahamkan di dalam Kedah sendiri, tidak ramai yang berbakat seperti Encik Hussin untuk membuat serunai daripada hanya satu blok kayu.

Encik Hussin dapat menghasilkan lebih kurang 10 serunai dalam sebulan dengan kelengkapanyang ada kini. Pihak UMNO akan cuba membantu beliau dalam mendapatkan mesin kayu lagi untuk meningkatkan produktiviti beliau.

Sesungguhnya, bakat seperti ini haruslah kita tonjolkan dan bantu. Lagi-lagi kerana serunai ini adalah satu warisan tradisi alat permainan muzik Melayu dan kian ramai yang melupainya. Serunai ini selain dimain, ianya kini menjadi hadiah cenderahati kepada tetamu-tetamu VIP di dalam majlis-majlis.

Jadi sesiapa yang ingin tempah serunai ini, berhubunglah dengan saya melalui e -mail.

Gerakerja Siri Lawatan Program Peningkatan Ekonomi

Baru-baru ini saya telah melawat beberapa projek pertanian di Sg Perahu, Jeniang dan Kuala Dulang Kechil. Projek-projek ini telah di beri di bawah peruntukan dari Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani melalui program peningkatan ekonomi rakyat.

Alhamdulillah, saya berasa bangga dan gembira bahawa projek-projek ini berjalan lancar. Ini membuktikan, jikalau diberi peluang, InsyaAllah mereka ini semua akan berjaya.

Tengah tunggu nak makan daging kambing panggang dan gulai ikan puyu.

Program Lawatan ke Dewan kaum Tiong Hua di Pekan Jeniang

Saya dan YB Dr Leong, ADUN Gurun telah melawat dewan dan temple kaum Tiong Hua di Pekan Jeniang untuk melihat perkembangan mereka di sana. Beberapa perancangan pembangunan telah sedang dilaksanakan. Pada masa sama. kami telah ditunjuk sebuah "Guard Post" lama yang ada di dalam kawasan dewan tersebut yang merupakan tempat dimana kaum Cina membantu pihak Kerajaan menentang Parti Komunis Malaya pada masa itu. Saya telah menyarankan supaya "Guard Post" ini dikekalkan dan dijadikan satu peninggalan sejarah yang menunjukkan sumbangan kaum Tiong Hua Jeniang pada masa itu menentang PKM. Saya difahamkan masih ada seorang tua yang dapat menceritakan sejarah penentangan waktu tersebut dan berharap pihak pengurusan Dewan dapat membukukan pengalaman beliau untuk tatapan semua.

Economic Gloom

I was shocked when Tan Sri Zeti, the Bank Negara Governor announced that the country's GDP had contracted by a massive 6.2% in the first quarter this year. And she went on saying that she did not expect the second quarter to be much better than the first. She blamed this contraction to weak external demand which led to our exports falling as major trading countries, especially the US (our largest importer by the way) slowed imports demand.

Dato Seri Najib also said that the Government is revising its forecast for the year to a contraction of between 4% to 5% compared to previously of between -1% to 1% growth for Malaysia. And he rightly said that private investments well more than 25% compared to last year whilst foreign direct investment fell by more than 50%.

Now, that is a massive reduction in the country's economic growth! And based on all these reports, Malaysia will go in a technical recession in about a month's time from now. Totally different from what the officials announced earlier oon.

First things first! I wonder, seriously wonder, why, with all our experts ie in Bank Negara, EPU, MIER (Malaysian Institute of Economics Research), ISIS and so on, these experts can still get it totally off target and wrongly advised the Prime Minister. Are they really doing their work and doing proper research before happily announcing and advising people about our country's economy.

And I have to say this, when these researchers get it wrong because of whatever reason (including being negligent or just plain ignorant), they make their bosses look bad. And these bosses include the Bank Negara Governor, the Finance Minister and ultimately the Prime Minister. And because these people were wrongly advised, they also happily wrongly announced these information to the public, including giving a false sense of security and hope to the rakyat that the county will ride out the economic issues without much problems.

I know many of my friends who were oblivous to the economic problems in US and other countries around because they said Malaysia is so far cushioned from it, and based on the minus 1% to plus 1% growth, they felt Maalysia should weather the economic problems well. Well, I know now that many of them are feeling deflated and are seriously not spending now because of the recent announcements.

I would like to see the officers and researchers to be truthful for once. If we are headed into a deep recession, then say so. Tell your bosses that so that they can tell the Rakyat. And we can brace ourselves to face the recession. And if we are only going to see some recovery only in 2010 or 2011 instead of, and in the words of the Bank Negara Governor " second half of 2009 supported by the fiscal stimulus measures and enhancement in access to financing", then you have got to be open and say it.

I actually agree with Tan Sri that the fiscal stimulus spending will bring some positive impact. However, I wonder if that alone is enough to make a significant impact to the country's GDP. Personally, I do not think so as Malaysia still relies heavily on exports and the US market especially. And I do not see the US market recovering in the short term as more and more bad news leak out. Only today, I got the news that General Motors , one of the big three automakers which hires thousands of workers in the US, is filing for bankruptcy protection.

I am genuinely concerned. The rakyat needs to be told and be given explanation how and what to do when the country goes into recession. The Rakyat also deserves to be informed accurately of the forecast and prognosis that are done accurately and correctly about our country. And to get that is nothing more but sheer hard work and research to get the information by our so called experts.

The Prime Minister and others are only as good as the information these so called experts give to them. Give them the right information, they can process it and tell the people. Give them the wrong and inaccurate information, then these experts are not just lying to the Prime Minister but are doing a disservice to the Rakyat of Malaysia.