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The MIT factor: celebrating 150 years of maverick genius

By Ed Pilkington | Wednesday 18 May 2011
The Guardian

Yo-Yo Ma’s cello may not be the obvious starting point for a journey into one of the world’s great universities. But, as you quickly realise when you step inside the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), there’s precious little about the place that is obvious.

The cello is resting in a corner of MIT’s celebrated media lab, a hub of techy creativity. There’s a British red telephone kiosk standing in the middle of one of its laboratories, while another room is signposted: “Lego learning lab – Lifelong kindergarten.”
Continue reading “The MIT factor: celebrating 150 years of maverick genius”

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Subsidy reduction is not the only thing

By Hafiz Noor Shams | May 23, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 23 — Subsidy reduction will allow market forces to allocate resources more efficiently. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was reported saying so recently to justify his administration’s commitment to subsidy reduction in the long run.

By doing so, the Najib administration claims to be an advocate of free market. A claim that is not necessarily true, however. At best, that claim reveals a selective belief in the free market.
Continue reading “Subsidy reduction is not the only thing”

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Ethnic Indian appointed as Singapore Army Chief

By Krishna Singh
7th Rangers (Mechanized)

Singapore: The appointment of Brigadier-General Ravinder Singh, a Sikh, as the next chief of the Singapore Army is the culmination of a long tradition of the community serving in uniform, both as policemen and in the armed forces, in the city-state.

Their role in Singapore belies their small number: There are only an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Sikhs in Singapore, a nation of five million people. Their number is small even when compared to 100,000 Sikhs living in Malaysia. Sikhs came to this part of Southeast Asia as soldiers and policemen during the British era.
Continue reading “Ethnic Indian appointed as Singapore Army Chief”

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1Care: Unhealhy lack of public engagement

By Dr Helmy Haja Mydin | May 20, 11
Malaysiakini

One of the essential features of a successful healthcare system is the presence of a well-organised primary care service that provides comprehensive services to the public that it serves.

Primary care services are usually delivered by a general practitioner(GP) and should ideally deal with a wide range of healthcare issues, from dealing with minor acute ailments to keeping a lid on the development of chronic illnesses.
Continue reading “1Care: Unhealhy lack of public engagement”

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Najib vs. Anwar: Epic Battle

Asia Sentinel | Monday, 23 May 2011

Wikileaks cables detail a struggle Najib has won so far

Hidden in thousands of pages of US diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and made available to Asia Sentinel, is a years-long battle for Malaysian political primacy between Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

It is a battle that Najib appears to have won, at least for now, having been named prime minister while an embattled Anwar remains in the dock, fighting charges that he sodomized an aide.
Continue reading “Najib vs. Anwar: Epic Battle”

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‘Let Talent Corp choose scholars’

By Joseph Sipalan | May 23, 11
Malaysiakini

The task of handing out scholarships should be re-assigned to the newly set-up Talent Corp as this falls in line with its job of retaining talent, said the DAP.

National publicity chief Tony Pua said the Public Services Department (PSD) has proven time and time again that it is incapable of fairly distributing scholarships to the country’s top-scorers.
Continue reading “‘Let Talent Corp choose scholars’”

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Idris Jala: Pemandu not bothered by racial rhetoric

By Regina Lee | May 23, 11
Malaysiakini

INTERVIEW When the New Economic Model was first unveiled back in March 2010, possibly the loudest debate was centred around its affirmative action policies.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (left) had called to do away with race-based affirmative action and to replace it with a needs-based one instead, undoing 40 years of the New Economic Policy (NEM).
Continue reading “Idris Jala: Pemandu not bothered by racial rhetoric”

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Guan Eng calls for Felda to bear sugar subsidy cuts

By Lee Wei Lian | May 23, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Lim Guan Eng continued to pressure the government over subsidy cutbacks, saying that the government should look at the profitability of some of its government-owned businesses first before burdening the public with further price increases.

The DAP secretary-general said in a media statement today that the purported RM116.6 million in savings from raising sugar prices by 20 sen could be more than offset by the RM232 million in profit reported by MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd, a subsidiary of government-owned Felda Global Ventures Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Continue reading “Guan Eng calls for Felda to bear sugar subsidy cuts”

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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #66

By M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and Leadership

Culture as an Agent for Change

Culture, far from being an impediment to progress, can be harnessed and made into an agent for change. Many are calling for a cultural revolution among Malays, but having seen the disastrous consequences of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and other social upheavals, I am not too enthused. Today’s Malay armchair “revolutionaries” are calling for a revolusi mental (“mental revolution”). They would have Malays give up our cherished traditions and become kurang ajar (uncouth or crude) in order to compete effectively in a globalized world. Some are calling for Malays to colonize others!
Continue reading “Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #66”

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10 Days in May (28)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

RCI TBH: Who in MACC responsible 4″black blog” 2accuse DAP of murder of TeohBengHock 2distract public attention of real cause of TBH death?

Evident “black blog” MACC handiwork. Not difficult 2zero in on culprits as MACC documents leaked in “black blog”. Will RCI re-open hearing?

Will MACC Chief AbuKassim (named 1 of 100 influential ppl in business ethics 4 2010 by Ethisphere Institute) apply 2RCI re-open hearing?
Continue reading “10 Days in May (28)”

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Malaysian universities improve ranking on Asian scale

By Boo Su-Lyn
The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Six out of seven Malaysian universities improved their ranking on the QS Asian University Rankings this year, with Universiti Malaya (UM) climbing three spots to 39th.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) also jumped 20 slots to 57th out of 200 Asian universities.

No Malaysian university entered the top 10 ranks while the National University of Singapore (NUS) retained its third place.

QS also said in a statement the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) knocked the University of Hong Kong down to the second spot.

The global higher education information specialist noted that Malaysia had seven universities in the top 200 Asian universities compared to Thailand’s nine and Indonesia’s eight.

Japan was the best-represented nation with five universities in the top 10 ranks and 57 in the top 200.

In contrast, China had 40, South Korea 35, Taiwan 16, India 11, and Hong Kong had seven universities in the top 200 Asian institutions. Continue reading “Malaysian universities improve ranking on Asian scale”

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If not 1 Malaysia, then what?

Jema Khan
The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2011

MAY 23 — Writing this article from Singapore which has just undergone its own general election, I wonder what other possible political themes may come out in Malaysian politics.

The Najib administration is pushing its 1 Malaysia theme which in general is supposed to appeal to a broad spectrum of Malaysians as its purpose is to be inclusive.

Even the opposition PR has to work on inclusive general themes that have broad appeal to the multiracial voter base that is Malaysia. Their theme cannot be far off from Najib’s 1 Malaysia. Continue reading “If not 1 Malaysia, then what?”

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10 Days in May (27)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Don’t agree w NUJ chief Hata 2shut down UtusanMsia but action must be taken agnst it 4rabid extremism/sedition eg “Christian Msia” bogey

If no action agnst Utusan “ChristianMsia” bogey (ref SinChew ChinaPress MakkalOsai SwakTribune) its double stds HusseinOnn wld not approve

If Utusan enjoys immunity 4Christian Msia bogey Najib’s GMoM call utter mockery. Also means Utusan extremists running UMNO n BN Cabinet/govt

Has Najib political will 2salvage 1Msia GMoM? Or allow 1Msia become 1Melayu, NEM in2 “new economic muddle”, Talent Corp in2 Talent Corpse? Continue reading “10 Days in May (27)”

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Umno VP spooked by DAP’s move into Malay territory

Malaysiakini
May 22, 11

Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has exposed a plan by the DAP to name Malay candidates in several states in the next general election.

He said DAP was now identifying suitable Malays to contest seats in states like Perak, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan.

“They’re taking measures to ensure that the candidates (Malays) would be accepted by voters,” he told reporters after opening the Masjid Tanah Umno divisional meeting in Alor Gajah today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Defence Minister, said DAP planned to name Malay electoral candidates in Perak in hopes of conquering the state and naming one of its own as menteri besar. Continue reading “Umno VP spooked by DAP’s move into Malay territory”

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Will the GST be another nail in the coffin?

Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
May 22, 2011

MAY 22 — A long time ago, I wrote about the government’s plan to implement goods and services tax (GST). I am not going to bother looking at what I wrote. Maybe what I wrote then did not make sense at all.

But to me, the plan to implement the GST will be another nail in the coffin for the Barisan Nasional government. In almost all cases where the GST was introduced, it has raised a lot of discontent. Governments have fallen because of the GST and finance ministers have resigned.

Remember this: Governments have fallen, finance ministers have quit.

I hope, the government’s tax package is not an attempt to trick workers into thinking that they will be better off after the proposed tax cuts. I also hope it will not trick people on government benefits that they will be better off after the so-called “compensation”, despite the introduction of a GST.

Consider this. Our tax base is perhaps only 15 per cent, i.e. only about 15 percent of the population pays taxes. The balance do not pay taxes — kampong people, self-employed, ordinary folks outside the tax bracket. Now, all are caught in the tax trawler net and will pay consumption tax. Never mind, says the government, we will compensate the ordinary people. Continue reading “Will the GST be another nail in the coffin?”

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Puad: Pakatan psy-war puts Umno in peril

Malaysiakini
May 22, 11

Umno could be in peril if it fails to curb the psychological attacks mounted by the opposition, said party supreme council member, Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

He said the opposition’s approach was dangerous as it could influence the minds of the young who did not fully understand the history of this country and who were thinking too much about material things and freedom.

“Their thinking could be affected by negative perceptions. For example, the 1Malaysia concept is a good thing and is perceived negatively by certain quarters who could influence those with little understanding of the concept in a negative way.

“The psychological attacks are also carried out in a hit-and-run manner, by not admitting to it afterwards because they (opposition) want the people to be angry with Umno so as to weaken Malay power,” he said after opening the Umno Kota Raja division delegates’ meeting, here, today. Continue reading “Puad: Pakatan psy-war puts Umno in peril”

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Penang gives RM25,000 to landslide victims

The Malaysian Insider
May 22, 2011

GEORGE TOWN, May 22 – Penang will give RM25,000 to the 25 victims of the Hulu Langat landslide yesterday which claimed 16 lives.

Nine others survived the landslide at the Rumah Anak-anak Yatim dan Anak-anak Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa at Batu 14, Hulu Langat in Selangor.

“Although it is not a lot, it is moral support for the families of those who died and survived so that they can persevere through this tragedy,” Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said in a statement. Continue reading “Penang gives RM25,000 to landslide victims”

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Islamic leaders question non-Muslim rights

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
The Malaysian Insider
May 22, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 – Several Islamic leaders have questioned the loyalty of non-Muslims in the country, declaring today the community’s rights must be re-evaluated if Malaysia is to call itself an Islamic state.

Former president of Islamic Da’wah Foundation Malaysia (Yadim), Datuk Nakhaie Ahmad, said treatment of non-Muslims must be based on the social contract agreed and pointed out that the government has been too gracious to the community.

“In attempts to get vote and support of non-Muslims, we have been very gracious in giving them their civil rights. Civil rights given to them includes the rights to vote, participation in politics, hold office, involvement in the military and so forth but we cannot just willingly give them everything.

“Our offer must be based on religious practices. If we look at the prophet’s agreement in the Madinah constitution, civil rights were given to the Jews but the rights must be paid back with responsibility. They must have the responsibility and agree to defend our country and not insult the agreement,” he said during a forum here.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared Malaysia an Islamic state a decade ago in a move to counter PAS’s growing influence among the country’s key Malay Muslim population. Continue reading “Islamic leaders question non-Muslim rights”

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Pakatan gov’ts offer aid to landslide victims

Malaysiakini
May 22, 11

Pakatan governments of Selangor and Penang have pledged aid to the victims of the landslide yesterday in Hulu Langat, Selangor as a sign of moral support.

Selangor is sending aid as well as contributing RM1,000 to each victim’s family, while Penang is suggesting a RM25,000 lump sum donation to the victims of the tragedy.

16 youths were reported killed and nine injured when a landslide hit Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa orphanage at 2.30pm yesterday.

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim yesterday said the state has sent a humanitarian aid mission to the scene of the tragedy to provide immediate assistance to the victims. Continue reading “Pakatan gov’ts offer aid to landslide victims”