Air Asia QZ8501 dipercayai terhempas di perairan Tanjung Pandang dan Pontianak...

Di saat negara berdepan musibah MH370, MH17 & banjir besar..

Di kala kredibiliti sipemerintah dipertikaikan...sejarah berulang buat kali ke-3...

Kementerian Pengangkutan Indonesia mengeluarkan kenyataan mengenai kronologi kehilangan pesawat AirAsia QZ8501 dalam sidang akhbar di pejabat Pihak Berkuasa Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Soekarno-Hatta di sini hari ini.

Pesawat dengan muatan 155 penumpang itu dipercayai jatuh di perairan Tanjung Pandang dan Pontianak.

Air Asia missing 8 minute flight...

Berikut kronologi kehilangan pesawat AirAsia QZ8501 seperti yang dinyatakan Pengarah Perhubungan Udara, Djoko Murjatmodjo:

• 05.36: Pesawat berlepas dari Surabaya menuju Singapura dengan ketinggian 32,000 kaki. Pesawat dilaporkan mengikuti   jalur biasa Surabaya- Singapura, M635.
•  Pesawat berhubung kali terakhir dengan menara Kawalan Trafik Udara (ATC) Jakarta pukul 06.12. Dalam perhubungan itu, juruterbang meminta menghindar ke arah kiri dan meminta izin untuk naik ke ketinggian 38,000 kaki. Permintaan juruterbang disetujui oleh pihak ATC.
• 06.16: Pesawat masih ada di layar radar
• 06.17: Pesawat hanya tinggal isyarat dalam radar ATC
• 06.18: Pesawat hilang dari radar. Yang ada, di radar tinggal data jadual penerbangan. Sepatutnya, di dalam radar ada data lain yakni realisasi terbang namun data itu hilang.
• 07.08: Pesawat dinyatakan INCERFA, yakni tahap awal hilangnya komunikasi. Pihak Ketua Pengarah Perhubungan melakukan komunikasi ke Badan Mencari dan Menyelamat Nasional (Basarnas).
• 07.28: Pesawat dinyatakan ALERFA, tahap berikut dalam menyatakan pesawat hilang kontak
• 07.55: pesawat dinyatakan DETRESFA atau rasmi hilang.

“Lokasi hilang komunikasi yakni antara Tanjung Pandang dan Pontianak agak ke selatan. Basarnas masih mencari posisinya itu,” kata Djoko.

Pesawat AirAsia ini membawa 155 orang penumpang yang terdiri daripada 138 orang dewasa, 16 kanak-kanak dan seorang bayi. Pesawat juga membawa dua orang juruterbang dan empat krew.

Juruterbang bertugas ialah Kapten Irianto dan pegawai penerbangan, Remi Emmanuel Plesel. – Kompas.com

Cuaca buruk, ombak besar halang carian QZ8501, kata Indonesia..

Pihak berkuasa Indonesia di wilayah Bangka Belitung khuatir usaha mencari dan menyelamat pesawat AirAsia QZ8501 yang hilang akan terjejas disebabkan cuaca buruk dan ombak besar.

Portal berita Indonesia Kompas.com memetik jurucakap Agensi Mencari dan Menyelamat (SAR) Nasional (Basarnas) Bangka Belitung, Jhoni Supriadi di Pangkalpinang sebagai berkata, ombak setinggi dua meter melambatkan pasukan SAR daripada sampai ke lokasi di mana dipercayai pesawat itu terhempas.

Menurut laporan terdahulu, kapalterbang Airbus A320 yang hilang itu dipercayai terhempas di lokasi 03.22.46 Selatan dan 108.50.07 Timur, di perairan sekitar 80 hingga 100 batu nautika dari Belitung semasa terbang dari Surabaya ke Singapura pagi ini.

Kompas.com melaporkan dalam keadaan cuaca normal, ia mengambil masa 4 jam untuk sampai ke lokasi itu, manakala masa yang diambil akan berganda dalam cuaca buruk.

Seorang pria mengaku pesawat QZ8501 mendarat di Pulau Long...

Satu pasukan Basarnas berlepas dengan kapal dari pelabuhan Pangkalbalam ke lokasi beserta beberapa pemberita.

Pesawat yang hilang itu dilaporkan berlegar-legar di atas ruang udara laut kerana mengelak ribut sebelum mengalami gegaran kuat, dan dipercayai terhempas ke dalam laut.

Pesawat AirAsia Indonesia, jenis Airbus A320-200 dengan nombor pendaftaran PK-AXC, terputus hubungan dengan pusat kawalan trafik udara Jakarta pada 7.24 pagi ini waktu Indonesia.

Ia membawa 155 penumpang – 138 dewasa, 16 kanak-kanak dan seorang bayi – 2 juruterbang dan 5 kru kabin terdiri daripada 155 warga Indonesia, 3 Korea Selatan, 1 Singapura, 1 Malaysia, 1 United Kingdom dan 1 Perancis. – tmi

Pesawat AirAsia Pulau Pinang ke Langkawi patah balik... 

Pesawat AirAsia yang berlepas dari Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Pulau Pinang (LTAPP) ke Langkawi, Kedah hari ini dilapor berpatah balik selepas 10 minit penerbangan kerana "masalah teknikal".

Jurucakap LTAPP ketika dihubungi berkata pesawat AK6242 yang berlepas pada 4.30 petang itu sepatutnya mendarat di Langkawi pukul 5.05 petang.

"Pesawat itu berpatah balik selepas kira-kira 10 minit memulakan perjalanan dipercayai akibat masalah teknikal dan terpaksa dijadual semula.

"Pesawat itu selamat mendarat (di Langkawi) kira-kira pukul 6.30 petang; terlewat hampir 1 jam 30 minit dari jadual asal," katanya.

Sementara itu, pengurusan AirAsia ketika dihubungi enggan mengulas lanjut dan berkata kenyataan akhbar mengenainya akan dibuat kemudian. – tmi

Experts say ‘something serious’ happened to AirAsia flight...

Various aviation experts and correspondents closely following news of the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 have said that something very bad must have occurred to result in it going off the radar.

With so little factual information currently available except for the extreme weather conditions, aviation expert Doug Maclean told Sky News that all the evidence currently suggests that “something very serious” had happened to flight QZ8501.

Another air crash search and rescue expert William Waldock from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University meanwhile zeroed in on the aircraft’s crew requesting for an unusual route, remarking that this was surprising because the weather, although previously described as extreme, “didn’t seem to be anything unusual”.

Meanwhile Singapore’s Sunday Times reported: “No distress signal was sent, said the Indonesian air transport authorities.”

According to an AFP report, Indonesian officials are sticking to the theory that extreme weather conditions were most likely the cause of the aircraft now having gone missing.

An official from Indonesia’s transport ministry said the pilot asked to ascend 6,000 feet to 38,000 feet to avoid heavy clouds.

“The plane is in good condition but the weather is not so good,” Djoko Murjatmodjo told a press conference at Jakarta’s airport, addressing reports of severe storms in the area where the jet went missing.

The Indonesian air force has since despatched two of its planes to scour an area of the Java Sea, southwest of Pangkalan Bun in Kalimantan province.

“The weather is cloudy and the area is surrounded by sea. We are still on our way so we won’t make an assumption on what happened to the plane,” said Indonesian air force spokesman Hadi Cahyanto.- fmt

AirAsia flight from Indonesia to Singapore goes missing

AirAsia flight turns back after technical problem...

An AirAsia flight has turned back after facing technical problems, according to Berita Harian.

The Langkawi-bound flight from Penang took off at around 4.30pm and was due to arrive at 5.05pm.

However, the report quoted a passenger as saying that Flight AK6242 made a turnback some 10 minutes into the flight.

E Subash, the passenger, said the captain informed them that there was a technical problem.

According to flight tracker portal FlightAware, the aircraft was about halfway through to Langkawi before circling south of the island and turning back to the Penang International Airport.

The report noted that the flight has since been rescheduled and took off at around 6pm.

The same flight tracker portal showed the aircraft having landed safely in Langkawi at 6.44pm.

String of air disasters

Air turnbacks are not uncommon in commercial air travel, but a string of air disasters has created jitters among travellers.

AirAsia Flight QZ8501 - which was bound for Singapore from Surabaya, Indonesia - lost contact with air traffic control this morning.

At writing time, the aircraft with 162 passengers and crew on board has yet to be found.

Indonesian authorities have deployed assets to the vicinity of Pulau Belitung in between Singapore and Sumatra to verify unconfirmed reports that the aircraft had crashed there.

The aircraft belongs to AirAsia Indonesia, though its parent company is Malaysian.

The lost of the aircraft follows twin disasters involving Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

MAS' Flight MH370 - bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur - disappeared without a trace in March and is believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean after drastically deviating from its path for unknown reasons.

To date, the wreckage has yet to be found.

In July, MAS' Flight MH17 - bound for Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam - was shot down over Ukranian airspace as Russia-backed rebels battle government forces in the region.- mk

Air Asia Flight QZ8501 – Malaysia's 3rd lost plane in a year...

When I was young, I met a Malaysian Air Force pilot who told me about his time as a flight cadet. He and his friends had trained on Cessna planes at the Kepala Batas Air Force Base, which was surrounded by paddy fields.

Those paddy fields, he said, acted as insurance during their landings. Being trainee pilots, they didn’t have much experience, and on occasion would mess up their landings. On a good day, they would walk away laughing after crash landing in the field, unhurt but shaken.

On bad days, they ended up carrying out the body of their friend after putting out the fiery crash.

Then the count and the wait would begin. Plane crashes, he said, always came in threes.

According to him, it is a superstition that they pilots shared. In the wake of a plane crash, everyone would be jumpy, as they believed it was just a matter of time before another two would drop out from the sky. If your luck was good, you would walk out of your crash alive.

I remembered the pilot’s ‘rule-of-three’ superstition when Malaysia lost MH370 in March. And when MH17 was shot down, I started wondering whether there was any truth to it. I guess a part of me was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And today, December 28, the worst finally happened – AirAsia Indonesia Flight QZ8501 has disappeared.

The plane, which was travelling from Surabaya to Singapore, lost contact with air traffic control at 7:24am and has not been heard from since. The Indonesian Civil Aviation Authority is spearheading search and rescue operations.

Flight QZ8501 has 155 passengers onboard – 138 adults, 16 children and one infant – together with two pilots and five cabin crew. Nationalities of those onboard are as follows: 155 Indonesians, 3 South Koreans, 1 French, 1 Malaysian, 1 Singaporean and 1 from the United Kingdom.

News of its disappearance first came to light when AirAsia released an announcement on its Facebook page shortly before noon. AirAsia then switched its masthead and logo to gray, which many Facebook users interpreted as an ominous sign.

The disappearance of the aircraft has already been widely reported by mainstream media and has gone viral. Concerned users are monitoring AirAsia’s Facebook page, sharing calls for prayers and messages of sympathy and hope.

While many are still in disbelief that Malaysia has lost yet another plane this year, many people are slowly coming to terms with it and are steeling themselves to face the nation’s third aviation tragedy this year.

Although I, like countless many Malaysians, are praying for a miracle, I can’t help but remember the old pilot’s story and his superstition about ‘the-rule-of-three’.

Let us pray for the passengers and crew of Air Asia QZ8501 and their families.- Mike Tan, theantdaily

Kit Siang ziarahi TG.Nik Aziz di hospital USM,Kubang Kerian...

Nampak tak kelibat 'bas amfibia' RM6 JUTA ketika Terengganu dilanda banjir kini...

Biar Gambar Berbicara...

cheers.

Selamat Hari Natal...updates

dan

Tika rakyat derita banjir,Najib pukoi golf bersama Obama,bertuah punya PM...

Hawaiian holiday turns from coup to disaster...

A picture tells a thousand words but in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's case, the photograph of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in sunny Hawaii tells a million words.

While thousands of Malaysians are braving the worst floods in decades, the PM was seen holidaying in Hawaii, and ostensibly to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) with the US president.
 
Najib left the country on Dec 20 after visiting his home state of Pahang and in particular his constituency of Pekan, the royal town which has been ravaged by floods every year.
                                                           
National news agency Bernama had three reports of him meeting flood victims, including one about him having nasi dagang, and a victim who had walked kilometers to flee the floods and was happy to see Najib’s hands-on supervision of flood relief efforts.
 
However, this is seen as part of a public relations exercise for the embattled PM, who is not only receiving criticisms from human rights groups for his about-turn in the Sedition Act, but also from former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the controversial 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
 
That photograph of Najib playing golf with Obama indeed did not sit well among the thousands of others circulated in the social media of Malaysians suffering from flood waters.

Several hours later Najib uploaded a photograph of him having a chat on the phone with his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, in his Facebook page along with a statement that he was concerned over the deteriorating flood situation, but the damaged had already been done.
 
Najib should know politics is partly about the art of perception. That is why photographs of leaders kissing babies, politicians stirring dodol or trying their hand at tossing a roti canai, or them jumping on a garbage truck to do spot checks can work wonders.
 
In this case, the PM's photograph of him at the golf course has the reverse effect - it resulted in bad publicity which may take days, if not months, for Najib to recover from.
 
History repeats itself
 
History, as they say, repeats itself and that is why it is important to learn from it so that mistakes do not reoccur.
 
Former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s trip to Australia in 2007, when floods ravaged the Umno stronghold of Johor, had also resulted in adverse publicity for the politician who only three years earlier had delivered BN's best showing at the 11th general election.
 
A year later, Abdullah and BN suffered their heaviest setback at the polls. His vacation exploits, combined with his unpopular move to drastically raising oil prices, among others, may have contributed to the poor showing.
 
Will Najib's photograph of him rubbing shoulders with Obama have the same effect? To compound problem, it was only less than two weeks ago that Malay rights group Perkasa warned Najib to cut his overseas trips or he may risk losing power.
 
And was it necessary for Najib to use the government jet for the trip when he is on a personal vacation? Najib said that this was holiday-cum-work trip to discuss the TPPA, but why is there the need to go all the way to Hawaii for that?

After all, in the aftermath of MH370 and MH17 tragedies, Najib did speak to world leaders, including Obama, over the phone. Wouldn’t that be a better and cheaper option?
 
Certainly, the country is waiting for Najib to return and chair the National Security Council meeting, which has been delayed despite the flood conditions worsening by the day. Even cabinet minister Mustapa Mohamed has conceded there was a lack of coordination in flood relief.
 
A picture tells a thousand words and Najib’s Hawaiian holiday has unwittingly eclipsed his overseas achievements this year, which among others, securing the MH17 black box from the Ukrainian rebels and scoring a coup playing golf with the most powerful man in the world.
 
But the flood victims are demanding why he was not here with them in their time of need. He has some explaining to do. But will he? - mk

‘Damage has already been done to his almost non-existent reputation.’

World leader criticized for playing golf in Hawaii

Main golf ye bang?

Pemimpin bergolf ketika negara ditenggelami air

cheers.

UMNO asyik mengemis undi Cina & India sejak 2008...

Mengemis undi bukan Melayu asingkan Najib dari UMNO...

Umno yang sedang mengemis undi dari bukan Melayu menjadi salah satu sebab mengapa Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak terasing daripada partinya, kata wartawan veteran Datuk A Kadir Jasin(bawah).

Beliau berkata Najib yang juga merupakan presiden Umno menggambarkan dirinya terdesak sokongan bukan Melayu, terutamanya dari Cina, menjadikan hubungannya dengan Melayu tergugat.

Bekas pengarang New Straits Times itu berkata walaupun dengan Najib memainkan watak perdana menteri bagi semua dan memikat masyarakat Cina dengan hadiah, beliau dan Barisan Nasional sebulat suara ditolak oleh masyarakat itu semasa pilihan raya umum tahun lepas.

"Namun segala strategi ke haluan ini belum menunjukkan hasil," tulis beliau dalam blognya, merujuk kepada prestasi buruk BN semasa Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 (PRU13) di mana Najib menyalahkan 'tsunami Cina'.

Dalam pilihan raya itu, BN dengan parti utamanya Umno, gagal mengekalkan majoriti dua pertiga yang diperlukannya untuk kali kedua.

Kerajaan memerintah itu mengalami prestasi paling teruk dalam PRU13, menang hanya 133 kerusi persekutuan, kurang tujuh berbanding pilihan raya 2008. 

Ahad lepas, bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad memberi amaran, mengatakan penguasaan Melayu ke atas politik lemah kerana tidak bersatu padu, kemudiannya mendesak mereka untuk mengemis undi dari bangsa lain untuk kekal berkuasa.

Beliau berkata orang Melayu yang merangkumi 60% rakyat sepatutnya dominan dalam politik. Namun kuasa itu kian lemah.

"Kini Umno, PKR, dan PAS perlu mengemis sokongan daripada DAP untuk memenangi pilihan raya umum. Apabila kita jadi pengemis, kita tidak punya kuasa lagi," katanya, menambah yang sekalipun negara mencapai status negara maju, Melayu masih ketinggalan.

Kenyataan perdana menteri paling lama berkhidmat itu ditentang oleh penganalisis politik serta ahli politik PR, termasuk ahli Parlimen DAP dari Bukit Bendera Zairil Khir Johari yang mengatakan dominasi Melayu di dalam setiap sektor masyarakat Malaysia sebenarnya sedang memuncak sekarang.

Kadir berkata pada masa ini, Melayu tidak ke mana-mana, dan dengan parti asas-Melayu berpecah kepada tiga, mereka terpaksa merayu kepada Cina untuk kekal berkuasa.

"Terbiasa dengan sokongan bukan Melayu sekian lama, BN terdesak sekarang. Jika mereka berterusan hilang sokongan bukan Melayu dan golongan muda Melayu berterusan lebih ke arah PR, BN mungkin menjadi pakatan pembangkang dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang," katanya menggunakan akronim untuk pembangkang Pakatan Rakyat.

Berbanding itu, Kadir berkata mengemis undi oleh parti dominan Melayu dalam PR, terutamanya PAS dan PKR, tidak terlalu ketara kerana tiada parti yang dominan dalam pakatan itu.

"Ia merupakan perkongsian sama rata. PKR, DAP dan PAS sama kuat," katanya.

Dalam mengatakan kepentingan kawalan politik yang penting kepada Melayu kerana mempunyai jumlah yang besar, iaitu 157 dari 222 ahli parlimen persekutuan merupakan Melayu-Bumiputera, Kadir bagaimanapun mengatakan tidak pasti sama ada mereka masih memainkan peranan yang efektif dalam menerajui perbahasan dan menetapkan agenda.

Dalam segi ekonomi pula, beliau berkata terdapat kebergantungan antara Melayu dan Cina, dan walaupun dengan usaha terbaik Dasar Ekonomi Negara dan tindakan afirmatif berturut-turut, Melayu masih ketinggalan daripada bukan Melayu.

Oleh itu, beliau mahukan Najib memastikan ekonomi Bumiputera diintegrasi seketatnya dalam ekonomi negara, memberi amaran yang ia resipi kegagalan sekiranya ekonomi Bumiputera terasing daripada ekonomi keseluruhan.

"Saya harap, di antara keperluan untuk menjejak dunia dan ucapan bersemangat, perdana menteri boleh kekal dalam negara dan lakukan apa yan perlu bagi rakyat dan negara ini. Tahun depan kelihatan gelap kini," tambahnya. – tmi

Malays begging Chinese in economy as well...

Are Malay political parties beggars as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had alleged on Dec. 20?

He said, in vying for support among the Malays they stripped the community of power and turned themselves into “beggars” to the Chinese.

The former Prime Minister said the contest among the three Malay-based – Umno, PAS and Keadilan - meant that Malay votes were split into three, forcing them to woo non-Malay support in order to secure the numbers necessary to rule and consequently placing real power in the hands of the minority communities.

He added that Umno, PAS and Keadilan (PKR) are all begging the Chinese to support them at the general elections in order to win.

“And when we are the pengemis (beggars), we are not the powerful ones anymore,” he said in a speech at the Nusantara Youth Convention in Kuala Lumpur.

The answer to the question whether Malay political parties are beggars is yes and no. By the look of things, the one that is really begging for Chinese and Indian votes is Umno.

The Umno-led Barisan Nasional was the one that was rejected by the Chinese in last year’s general elections. Despite fashioning himself as the Prime Minister for all and buttering the Chinese with gifts of money and entertainment, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak was resoundingly and was unequivocally rejected by them. 

In the Pakatan Rakyat, the begging by the Malay-dominated parties, if any, is less obvious. This is partly because there is no dominant party in the pact. It is a partnership of equals. The PKR, DAP and PAS are of equal strength.

The Malays Are Strong?

Dr Mahathir’s assertion was rebutted by the DAP MP for Bukit Bendera, Zairil Khir Johari, who said that the Malay control of public spheres is now at its peak.

He expressed disbelief and dismay over what he called Dr Mahathir’s exercise in deception.

“Politically, every significant government post, from the prime minister of the Federation to 12 out of the 13 state chief ministers, is held by Malays.

“Malay dominance is also very visible in other institutions of state, such as the judiciary, the police force, the civil service and the army,” he said.

As I have argued repeatedly for decades, the power of the Malays rests with their number. Being in the majority and united, they controlled politics.

Political control is important to the Malays because they are not on control of the economy. I am speaking in past tense because I am not anymore sure if the Malays still control politics, despite Zairil’s assertion.

If were count the number of Malays in the Dewan Rakyat and the state legislative assemblies irrespective their party affiliation, we can say that the Malays still dominate. Out of 222 members in the Dewan Rakyat, 157 are Malays-Bumiputeras.

So, politically the Malays still dominate by way of arithmetic. But do they lead the debate and set the agenda? I am not sure.

Whether they have to beg other races in order to hang on to power or to win power is an open debate. Since the 2008 general elections, it is Umno that appears to be begging.

This is also one of the reasons putting Mohd Najib at odd with members and supporters of his own party. He is portraying himself as being desperate for non-Malay support, especially Chinese, at the expanse of the Malays.

But all his strategies in this direction had not produced results. The Chinese rejected Ajid Gor resoundingly during the 2013 GE, prompting him to blame the BN’s dismal performance on the “Tsunami Cina”.

In the present situation, the Malays are neither here nor there. The tree-way split has forced all the Malay-based parties to appeal (beg) to the Chinese to stay in power or to take over power. 

Being used to enjoying the support of the non-Malays for so long, the BN is the one that is more desperate. If it continues to lose non-Malay support and the younger Malays continue to lean towards the PR, the BN could find itself on the opposite side of the House in the coming GE.

Are the Malays Economic Beggars Too?

Economically, despite the best efforts of the NEP and its successor policies the Malays are still lagging behind the Chinese and Indians.

The game of catching up that the NEP had intended to achieve had not succeeded. Bulk of the expenditures spent to eradicate poverty irrespective of race and to restructure society went to the Chinese long before the Bumiputeras felt their effects.

Maybe the Malays are not begging the Chinese as clearly in the economic sphere as they are in politics. But we cannot also deny the intricate interdependence between the Chinese and the Malays in the economy.

The Malays are producers and consumers. The Chinese are the middlemen and traders. The Malays are not consummate consumers. As such whatever is recommended to them by Chinese traders they will buy even at the risk borrowing at exorbitant interest rates.

Remember the stories of Malay rubber smallholders buying refrigerators during the Korean War rubber boom in the early 1950’s even though they had no electricity at home? They apparently used the refrigerators as cupboards.

They are still buying refrigerators and many more electrical goods from the Chinese at exorbitant interest rates. But they are also buying those big noisy exhaust pipes and strobe lights to fix to their ageing Proton Saga because the Chinese workshop operators say these accessories are good and make their cars run faster. In short, the Chinese sell, the Malays buy.

So the practice of “padi kunca” and other forms of consumption loans continues. The end result is this - the Malays own the land but its economic ownership is with the Chinese.

I have no answer to this. With the death of the rural economic institutions like the syarikat kerjasama (cooperative societies), cooperative shops and the rural rice mills, the Malay grass root business activities are now confined to the pasar mini, pasar malam, pasar tani, pekan sehari and roadside stalls. And their dependence on the Chinese increases.

Off course the NEP had enlarged Malay professional class. But they are limited to the government sector. Without government contracts and employment, very few can hope to make the grade.

It is for this reason that I tentatively support Mohd Najib’s call to the corporate sector in April to have better representation of gender, ethnicity and age in their employment. He wanted them produce sustainability reports that include workforce composition detailing ethnicity, age and gender.

But call alone is not enough. The PM must show that he means business. Show us the results. If he wants us to believe in his 1Malaysia, he must make sure that the Bumiputera economy is integrated into the national economy.

It is a recipe for failure once again if we continue to detach the Bumiputera economy from the overall economy. Bumiputera economy is too small to be sustainable and competitive.

The recently released reports by the Khazanah Research Institute and the UNDP amply show the dire circumstances the Bumiputeras and other poor Malaysians. 

I hope, in between the urge to globe-trot and fiery speeches, the Prime Minister stays home and do the needful for the sake of the country and the people. The outlook for the coming year is frighteningly bleak. - A.Kadir Jasin

Perlukah PT3 dikekalkan?

Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) yang diumumkan semalam menerima reaksi berbeza-beza daripada ibu bapa, pelajar ahli akademik dan masyarakat.

Pensyarah Sains Politik, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan Profesor Madya Datuk Dr. Mohammad Agus Yusoff(pix,bawah) berpandangan banyak perkara yang perlu diambilkira daripada kecelaruan PT3 ini.

Bagi beliau rungutan ibu bapa tentang PT3 wajar diambil kira. Beliau mengulas isu ini di dalam facebook selepas membuat tinjauan ke sebuah sekolah di Bandar Baru Bangi di samping merujuk maklumat beberapa keputusan sekolah berasrama penuh yang terkenal.

“Saya bertanyakan ibu bapa dan para guru tentang tentang pelaksanaan PT3. Satu persamaan pandangan mereka ialah PT3 adalah peperiksaan yang paling bercelaru, kelam kabut dan kucar kacir.

“Kata mereka, inilah peperiksaan yang format peperiksaannya bersifat ad hoc, diumumkan lewat, anak-anak dijadikan bahan uji kaji, calon-calon dan para guru tidak diberitahu langsung tentang peperiksaan ini pada peringkat awalnya dan banyak lagi.

“Ibu bapa tidak berpuas hati dengan pentaksiran mengikut sekolah ini kerana kertas jawapan diperiksa oleh guru yang sama mengajar di sekolah, tidak oleh guru dari sekolah atau negeri lain. Mereka mempersoalkan tentang keadilan untuk memohon masuk ke sekolah berasrama penuh dan lainnya.” tulis beliau.

Prof Agus merujuk kepada keputusan SMK Jalan 4, Bandar Baru Bangi yang biasanya jumlah pelajar yang mendapat 8A melebihi seratus orang, namun kali ini hanya 8 orang sahaja yang mendapat 8A.

Beliau bersetuju bahawa PT3 berbentuk subjektif dan memerlukan pelajarnya lebih kreatif dalam berfikir, namun adakah cara ini membantu meningkatkan taraf pendidikan negara?

“Betul, soalan PT3 adalah berbentuk subjektif yang memerlukan pelajar berfikir. Betul, soalan PT3 adalah bersifat Kemahiran Berfikir Aras Tinggi (KBAT). Tetapi pertanyaannya, apakah dengan KBAT ini, ia dapat membantu kita dalam menaikkan taraf pendidikan negara?

Oleh hal yang demikian, Prof Agus mencadangkan supaya suatu kaji selidik yang telus dilakukan dalam kalangan guru dan ibu bapa.

“Melihat kepada kecelaruannya, saya tidak fikir ia dapat membantu meningkatkan sistem pendidikan negara kita. Jadi, apa tindakan seterusnya? Buatlah survei secara jujur dari kalangan guru dan ibu bapa, dan ambillah cadangan dan pandangan mereka. Itulah yang terbaiknya.” Ulasnya lagi. 

Pelajar ini merupakan kumpulan pertama yang mengambil PT3 sejak diperkenalkan oleh Menteri Pelajaran, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tiga tahun lalu. – harakahdaily

PT3: Lebih banyak air mata sedih daripada tangis gembira

UMNO Minister tells Isma to 'butt out' over X'mas greetings...

Housing, Local Government and Urban Well-Being Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan has asked Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) to "butt out" with their claims that Muslims should not wish “Merry Christmas” to Christians.

In a series of Twitter postings this morning, the Umno MP from Kota Belud showed defiance by wishing Christians “Merry Christmas” before making sarcastic swipes at Isma.

"Not only (do) I wish Merry Christmas to all, I will host a bigger Christmas celebration this year in Kota Belud. Isma is invited to learn about moderation," he posted on his Twitter handle this morning.

"Isma is not my voice. They don't represent me and millions of Muslim Malaysians. Religious bigotry has no place in moderate Malaysia," he added.

He was responding to claims made by Isma activists recently that wishing Christians “Merry Christmas” would be tantamount to Muslims admitting that God had a son, and that Muslims should conduct preaching instead during the festive season.

Abdul Rahman also pointed out that Isma “will never understand” the respect that people in Sabah give to non-Muslims.

"Isma will never understand this. So butt out!" he said. - mk

Pencapaian terbaik kerajaan BN...walaupun bolasepak di ranking ratus2...

Sebelum kroni UMNO-lebihan RM5 bilion, Selepas kroni UMNO-hutang RM12 bilion

 Sediakan payung sebelum hujan...

cheers.

Pasai takdak teloq,dia tak tangkap anggota Perkasa...

Berani Zahid arahkan penangkapan anggota PERKASA...

Setiausaha politik kepada Ahli Parlimen Taiping, Chong Zhemin kesal tentang komen yang dibuat Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi berkenaan tindakan anggota PERKASA yang merobek kain rentang bertemakan perayaan Natal di hadapan ibu pejabat DAP Jumaat lalu.

Semalam akhbar The Star telah merakamkan pernyataan Zahid yang mengecam perbuatan seorang peserta demonstrasi yang juga merupakan anggota PERKASA  yang bertindak merobek kain rentang yang membawa pesan Krismas dan Tahun Baru di hadapan ibu pejabat DAP di Ipoh.

Zahid berkata, “Saya konsisten dengan pandangan saya tentang isu agama. Kita harus hormati agama lain jika kita mahu agama kita dihormati.”

Chong yang menggelar kejadian itu “PERKASA Christmas Banner Ripping” berkata bahawa masyarakat Malaysia ingin tahu kenapa setelah 48 jam kejadian berlaku, tiada tindakan diambil oleh pihak polis terhadap pelaku yang merobekkan kain rentang tersebut, yang merupakan kesalahan di bawah Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 dan Kanun Jenayah.

Pengerusi DAP Perak, Nga Kor Ming telah pun menghantar rakaman video dan foto kejadian itu kepada Ketua Polis Perak, Datuk A. Paramasivam dan Ketua Polis Ipoh, ASP Sum Chang Keong Jumaat lalu dan dengan pembuktian yang cukup kuat, tiada alasan untuk pihak polis tidak mengambil apa-apa tindakan terhadap pelaku.

“Zahid mendakwa dirinya konsisten tentang pandangannya dalam isu agama, namun beliau tidak konsisten dari segi tindakannya. Apakah Zahid akan mengambil tindakan jika seorang bukan Islam merobek kain rentang Hari Raya di hadapan ibu pejabat UMNO? Saya yakin jika ini terjadi, pelakunya akan segera ditangkap,” keluh Chong.- fmt

DAP condemms Zahid on “hands are tied” statement...

DAP Perak condemns the Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for failing to act against PERKASA who came to DAP Perak headquarters on Friday and torn down a Christmas and New Year greeting banner during their protest.

According to the report by FMT at freemalaysiatoday.com, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi criticized the act but said that his hands are tied unless DAP Perak or any other concerned party lodges a police report.

The statement by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is extremely contradictory. Plain clothes police and Special Branch officers were present at the scene and witnessed what happened. The police has not only failed to prevent it from happening but is now saying that his hands are tied due to the fact that no report has been lodged. His statement serves as a slap to his own face.

The police have on many occasions, against Pakatan Rakyat and DAP in particular, lodged their own police report and initiated investigations. In December 2009, the police lodged a report against DAP Secretary General, Lim Guan Eng for a statement made by him on Teoh Beng Hock’s death. The police also recently lodged a report on the Pakatan Rakyat Ceramah held on the eve of the nomination day of the Teluk Intan by-election. There were no victims in the aforesaid two cases, so why are the police so concerned about lodging the report? Double standards!

Being the minister in charge of the public order of the nation, Ahmad Zahid has even suggested that the DAP to file a civil suit against the alleged culprit. This is ridiculous. Is Ahmad Zahid telling us, even before any investigations is commenced, that the culprit will be freed from any criminal liabilities or a conclusion of No Further Action is already made?

A member of PERKASA has even assaulted the DAP State Assemblyman YB Ong Boon Piow by attempting to pull him out from the DAP Headquarters. This hooliganism cannot be condoned in any way. Ong will lodge a police report tomorrow on the said assault and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi no longer has any reason not to take action against the culprit.- dap malaysia

Najib jumpa Dr M berhubung isu 1MDB...

Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengadakan pertemuan dengan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad untuk berbincang berhubung kritikan bekas perdana menteri itu mengenai pelabur strategik negara 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MD), kata sumber.

Perdana menteri bertemu Dr Mahathir pada Sabtu tetapi butir lanjut perjumpaan itu belum didedahkan.

“Ia perjumpaan yang mesra. Perdana menteri berpuas hati dengan pertemuan itu,” kata sumber kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Perjumpaan itu diadakan selepas bekas perdana menteri yang paling lama berkhidmat itu berulang kali membangkitkan persoalan mengenai hutang besar dan penggunaan dana di 1MDB menerusi tulisan di blognya dan merungut mengenai operasi 1MDB pada sidang medianya.

Ia juga berlaku ketika ringgit jatuh berbanding dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS), yang menyebabkan sebahagian hutang 1MDB dalam matawang itu semakin membesar.

Hari ini, The Edge Financial Daily melaporkan nilai ringgit yang semakin merosot akan menjejaskan 1MDB, berikutan sebahagian besar daripada keseluruhan RM42 bilion hutangnya dalam mata wang AS.

Bahagian besar berjumlah RM22.25 bilion menurut penyata kewangan 1MDB bagi tahun kewangan berakhir 31 Mac, 2014 kini bertambah kepada RM25.7 bilion – penambahan kira-kira RM3.96 bilion – berikutan kejatuhan ringgit 6.5% dalam tempoh 9 bulan lalu.

Bekas perdana menteri itu dalam posting pada September berkata 1MDB membelanjakan berbilion ringgit membeli loji janakuasa daripada Genting dan Ananda Krishnan dan membayar lebih tinggi daripada harga pasaran.

Beliau juga menyelar 1MDB menanggung hutang yang banyak. Ia berhutang kira-kira RM38 bilion hanya selepas beroperasi 5 tahun sebagai dana wang negara.

“Duit untuk 1MDB bukan daripada lebihan wang negara. Ia adalah hutang, hutang berbilion ringgit yang menambah kepada beban hutang sedia ada negara,” tulis Dr Mahathir.

Bekas perdana menteri itu pada posting terdahulu berkata beliau menarik balik sokongannya kepada Najib, dan berkata kerajaan berdepan dengan masalah bajet defisit, ia tidak akan ada kemampuan untuk bantu membayar hutang 1MDB.

Katanya, sebahagian besar wang yang dikumpul daripada pengeluaran hutang oleh 1MDB itu dihantar ke Kepulauan Cayman, satu langkah yang dipertikaikan ramai pihak.

Pengkritik bercakap mengenai kurangnya ketelusan bagaimana wang itu diuruskan hingga ke Cayman dan dianggarkan sekurang-kurangnya RM18 bilion wang 1MDB disimpan di sana.

1MDB adalah dana wang kerajaan yang kedua selepas Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

Dr Mahathir juga mempersoalkan mengapa perhimpunan agung Umno yang diadakan pada November lalu gagal membincangkan isu kepentingan awam seperti 1MDB.

Pemimpin Umno cawangan di Pulau Pinang, Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan juga membuat laporan polis terhadap 1MDB berhubung aktiviti kewangannya yang meragutkan dan pinjaman yang terlalu banyak.

Bagaimanapun Umno Pulau Pinang cuba untuk tidak terlibat dengan tindakannya itu. – tmi

Najib met Dr Mahathir over 1MDB, say sources

Keputusan PT3 - Sebuah sekolah di Selangor,38 orang pelajarnya mendapat straight F...

PT3 Tanda Kegagalan Din

Mat bluur bikin ribut lagi...

cheers.