Day: October 6, 2011

The release today of the Times Higher Education (THE) 400 Top World University Ranking 2011/12, where not a single Malaysian university is included, has punctured the elation and euphoria just two months ago over the QS 200 World University Rankings 2011/12 which saw University of Malaya making to the top 200 Top Universities moving 40 places to 167 compared to 2010.

In the QS World University Rankings 2011/12 released in September, four other Malaysian universities slid down the rankings –University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) ranked 279 this year compared to 263 in 2010; Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) ranked 335 (309 last year); Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) ranked 358 (319 last year) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) at between 401 and 450 (365 last year).

But in the just-released THE 400 Top World University Ranking 2011/12, none of the Malaysian universities made it into the placings.

For the first time, Harvard (with Stanford) is at number two, failing to take the top spot in the list’s eight-year history when California Institute for Technology is named the best university in the world.

The rest of the Top Ten spots are Oxford (4), Princeton (5), Cambridge (6), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (70, Imperial College London (8), Chicago (9) and California (Berkeley) (10). Continue reading “No Malaysian university in Times Higher Education (THE) 400 Top World University Ranking 2011/12”

Patrick Lee
Free Malaysia Today
October 6, 2011

Pakatan Rakyat members tick off Ongkili for making decisions without consultation and barring Bersih from attending the meetings.

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat MPs in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for electoral reforms have rapped its chairman for making decisions without consulting the group first

PAS Kuala Krai MP Hatta Ramli said that PSC chairman Maximus Johnity Ongkili jumped the gun by announcing nationwide public hearings, and also barring Bersih 2.0 from attending the PSC’s meetings.

“This may not be a big issue, but (the fact remains) that the decision was made by him without consultation. The first meeting hasn’t even been held… decisions should have been made then, but he seems to have decided himself.”

“Is this a one-man-show or a committee of nine people?” asked Hatta, when talking to reporters at the Parliament lobby here today. Continue reading “Is PSC a one-man show?”

Steve Jobs
1955-2011

Stanford Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.
Continue reading “Steve Jobs – Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 06, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The government said today that Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli had breached the Companies Act by not disclosing his interests when he was chairman of Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

But Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said that the fine incurred by Tajuddin has been postponed as the case involves a civil suit that has not been resolved.

The de facto law minister said that reports made by the national carrier against its former boss had been referred to the Attorney-General in 2006.

“Based on the investigation, evidence shows that he had breached section 131 of the Companies Act which involves ‘disclosure of interests’.

“As the case involves a civil claim that has not been resolved, he asked the Attorney-General’s Chambers to delay the compound. The A-G’s Chambers has granted the request,” Nasri said in a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) in Parliament today. Continue reading “Nazri says Tajuddin did not disclose interests in MAS deals”

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 06, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — International weekly Time has likened Datuk Seri Najib Razak to other authoritarian leaders in Southeast Asia and foresees sweeping reforms led by a media-savvy youth will shake up the entire region.

But the magazine said the prime minister has taken heed of the need for change and has begun initiating changes that include the repeal of outdated laws covering security and the media.

“Southeast Asians… know what it’s like to live under authoritarian regimes and rulers. The latter range from brutal autocrats (Burma’s recently-retired General Than Shwe) to self-styled strongmen (Cambodia’s Hun Sen) to leaders who benefit from repressive laws that safeguard the predominance of a single party (Malaysia’s Najib Razak),” the influential news magazine said in its latest issue dated October 1.

It observed too there is a rising number of youths who are social-media-savvy who are is fed up with authoritarian rule and have grown bolder in saying so. Continue reading “Pressure on Najib to change or be changed, says Time”

— Tommy Thomas
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 05, 2011

OCT 5 — The Malay Peninsula was colonised 500 years ago this year, and its significance in our history should be marked in some way by universities and scholars. We should be having public seminars and academic conferences to remember and discuss this aspect of our history in its 500th anniversary. I am surprised that nearly half a year has passed, and no university has publicly announced any such initiative.

Remembering that the Malay Peninsula was colonised half a millennium ago is one way to remind the post-independence generation of Malaysians to be grateful for Merdeka. It is critical to teach the present generation about the dangers of empire and colonialism so that we can celebrate what independence means and pay tribute to the people who fought for it. Parts of the Malay Peninsula have only experienced 54 years of self-governance since 1511 when the Portuguese invaded and colonised Malacca. Soon after the founding of Malacca by Parameswara in 1403, it rapidly developed into a major entrepot in Southeast Asia, with traders from the Indonesian archipelago, China, India and Arabia crowding its marketplace. Admiral Cheng Ho led the then greatest naval expedition to Malacca and could have easily taken Malacca by force. The Chinese did not do that; instead, they were content to allow Malacca to govern itself through the Malacca Sultanate. Hence, throughout the 15th century, no foreign power colonised Malacca. Continue reading “Remembering 500 years of colonialism”