559 calon SPM 2011 peroleh semua A+

Seramai 559 calon Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) tahun 2011 memperoleh gred cemerlang tertinggi (A+) bagi semua mata pelajaran yang diduduki, berbanding 403 pada tahun 2010.

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran Datuk Seri Abd Ghafar Mahmud berkata daripada jumlah itu, seramai 506 adalah calon sekolah menengah kebangsaan manakala 53 lagi calon dari sekolah selain sekolah menengah kebangsaan berbanding masing-masing 363 dan 40 calon pada tahun 2010.

"Pencapaian keseluruhan calon SPM 2011 bertambah baik dengan Gred Purata Nasional (GPN) 5.04, berbanding 5.19 pada tahun 2010," katanya pada majlis pengumuman analisis keputusan peperiksaan SPM di Putrajaya hari ini.

Beliau berkata seramai 468,808 calon menduduki peperiksaan itu tahun lalu.

Semua 36 pegawai setuju pulangkan ‘kenaikan’ SBPA

Semua 36 pegawai atasan kakitangan awam dalam Kategori Perkhidmatan Utama yang menerima gaji baru di bawah Skim Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam (SBPA) yang dibatalkan, bersetuju untuk memulangkan kenaikan’ yang diterima baru-baru ini.

Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan berkata ini berikutan pembatalan skim itu dan kembali kepada Sistem Saraan Malaysia (SSM) yang dtambah baik, sebagaimana diumumkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“Sebagai penjawat awam yang bertanggungjawab, mereka telah bersetuju untuk memulangkan kenaikan itu (di bawah SBPA).

“Lebih daripada separuh telah kembalikan manakala yang lain tidak sempat kerana berada di seberang laut,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas majlis syarahan “Chief Secretary Annual Lecture Series: The Fifth Estate - A space for Academia?” di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) semalam.

Sebelum ini, dilaporkan bahawa 36 pegawai atasan kakitangan awam telah menerima kenaikan gaji antara RM35,000 hingga RM60,000, di bawah SBPA.

SBPA diperkenalkan awal tahun ini telah mengundang keresahan dan tidak puas hati di kalangan penjawat awam, dan kerajaan pada 12 Jan lalu memutuskan supaya skim itu dikaji semula.

Pada 8 Mac, Perdana Menteri mengumumkan pembatalan SBPA dan pengembalian kepada SSM yang ditambah baik.

Mengenai penubuhan suruhanjaya bagi mengkaji penambahbaikan SSM, Mohd Sidek berkata ia akan diumumkan dalam tempoh terdekat.

“Saya akan bincang dengan pihak-pihak yang tertentu dan akan umumkan,” katanya.- Bernama

Ruler wants state govt to ensure status of Malay reserve land is maintained

By A. RUBAN
ruban_22@thestar.com.my

SHAH ALAM: The Sultan of Selangor wants the state government to ensure no Malay reserve land is transferred to non-Malays.

“I believe the Menteri Besar and all state government staff involved in land matters will always be wary in ensuring Malay reserve land does not lose its status,” the Sultan said at the opening of state assembly session yesterday.

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah also said he wanted land encroachment in the state to be eradicated.

Describing land as the state's main asset, the Sultan said he hoped the Selangor Government together with corporate organisations and the rakyat would play their roles in putting an end to land encroachment.

On another matter, Sultan Sharafuddin said he consented when Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim took up the position of exco in charge of Islamic religious affairs.

“I believe the Mentri Besar can work together with his department in strengthening the stand of the Muslims in the state,” said the Sultan.

He added that the state government must always make sure the Muslims were not left behind as the state progressed.

“Muslims, who are the majority here, can make a positive contribution in the economic sector if due consideration is given to them,” said the Sultan.

On the 12th Selangor assembly meeting, the Sultan said he wanted all assemblymen to actively take part and discuss issues involving the people.

“Political differences should not be a hindrance to help the people and I hope the House will be a good platform to discuss matters involving my people,” said the Sultan.

The Sultan also called for the state government to adopt “smart governance” by making use of the latest technology in administrating the state.

“With the emergence of Internet, it can definitely speed up state economic process,” said the Sultan.

Perdana Menteri lancar RTC Wakaf Che Yeh 4 Mei

PUTRAJAYA 15 Mac - Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dijangka melancarkan Pusat Transformasi Luar Bandar (RTC) di Wakaf Che Yeh, Kelantan, 4 Mei ini.

Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Seri Mohd. Shafie Apdal berkata, RTC tersebut adalah yang kedua di negara ini selepas yang pertama dilancarkan di Gopeng, Perak pada Februari lalu.

Katanya, pelbagai kemudahan akan disediakan di RTC termasuk latihan dan kursus oleh Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), penganjuran pameran kerjaya oleh Kementerian Sumber Manusia, kemudahan perbankan serta penempatan pejabat Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara dan Imigresen untuk urusan permohonan kad pengenalan dan pasport.

''Inisiatif ini akan memanfaatkan rakyat di Kelantan khususnya petani, penternak dan peniaga dan saya yakin ia akan menambah baik kemudahan perniagaan sedia ada,'' katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan ucapan pada perhimpunan bulanan kementeriannya di sini hari ini.

Turut hadir, Timbalan Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Hasan Malek dan Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian, Datuk Ibrahim Muhamad, Ketua Pengarah RISDA, Datuk Wan Mohamad Zuki Mohamad dan Setiausaha Bahagian Kanan Kementerian, Zainiah Ahmad.

Mengulas lanjut, Mohd. Shafie berkata, sebelum transformasi dilakukan, keadaan tapak perniagaan di Wakaf Che Yeh tidak tersusun dan tidak selesa.

''Kita melakukan penambahbaikan melalui pelbagai pendekatan seperti menyusun semula ruang perniagaan supaya ia lebih rapi, kita mahu jadikan ia tempat yang selesa," katanya.

Perdagangan China-Malaysia RM305 bilion

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Mac - Jumlah dagangan antara China dan Malaysia dijangka mencecah AS$100 bilion (RM305 bilion) tahun ini, yang akan menjadikan Malaysia negara ketiga di Asia melepasi jumlah AS$100 bilion selepas Jepun dan Korea Selatan, kata Duta China ke Malaysia, Chai Xi hari ini.

Beliau berkata, tahun lepas, perdagangan dua hala mencecah paras tertinggi sebanyak AS$90 bilion (RM275 bilion) dan memihak kepada Malaysia.

"Malaysia mendapat faedah daripada lebihan yang besar berkenaan iaitu sebanyak AS$30 bilion (RM91.5 bilion)," kata beliau pada taklimat media mengenai hubungan China-Malaysia dan Persidangan Konsultatif Politik China dan Kongres Rakyat Nasional Sesi 2012.

Beliau berkata, minyak sawit merupakan satu daripada komoditi utama yang dieksport ke China manakala barangan utama ialah produk teknologi maklumat (IT) seperti cip.

14,000 guru terima Bayaran Insentif Tawaran Baru

MUHYIDDIN Yassin diapit Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Pelajaran, Datuk Dr. Rosli Mohamed (kanan beliau) dan Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Seri Abd. Ghafar Mahmud (kiri beliau) ceria menunjukkan isyarat 1Malaysia bersama 403 guru besar yang menerima anugerah BITB dan TBGB 2011 di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Mac - Kira-kira 14,000 warga pendidik daripada 403 buah sekolah rendah pelbagai aliran di seluruh negara menerima Bayaran Insentif Tawaran Baru (BITB) 2011 bernilai hampir RM15 juta, hasil kecemerlangan prestasi sekolah masing-masing sepanjang tahun lalu.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, ia terdiri daripada 300 sekolah kebangsaan, 46 sekolah jenis kebangsaan Cina, 51 sekolah jenis kebangsaan Tamil, lima sekolah agama bantuan kerajaan dan sebuah sekolah Orang Asli.

Cukai prabayar mulai Julai?

Oleh AHMAD FADZIL ZAINOL ARIFFIN
bisnes@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Mac - Kerajaan dijangka membuat keputusan untuk membenarkan syarikat telekomunikasi (telko) tempatan mengenakan cukai perkhidmatan sebanyak enam peratus terhadap pengguna prabayar, berkuatkuasa pada 1 Julai depan.

Mengikut sumber yang dipetik oleh Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research, difahamkan, Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) telah mengeluarkan memo kepada semua syarikat telekomunikasi supaya bersedia secara teknikal terhadap pelaksanaannya.

Menurut HLIB Research, dengan pelaksanaan itu, pendapatan syarikat telekomunikasi dijangka meningkat berbanding sebelum ini di mana mereka terpaksa menyerap cukai perkhidmatan itu berbanding dikenakan kepada pengguna.

Japan, here we come

By ALYCIA LIM
educate@thestar.com.my

TO GAIN more knowledge in the field of Engineering, Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM) has been collaborating with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Malaysia Higher Education Loan Fund Project (Help) in providing scholarships for engineering students.

Sending it’s fifth batch of students to Japan this year, YPM consultant Tatsuo Konta said, “The scholarship, which is given to about 80 students each year, is bond-free, and we have seen an increasing number of graduates getting jobs in Japan, or in Japanese companies.”

Help scholarship recipients apply for the programme after their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, and when accepted, they complete three years of study at Universiti Selangor (Unisel) before moving on to their final two years of study to get a degree from a Japanese university.

“JICA agreed to provide loans to YPM because the Japanese people were excited that Malaysia was sending so many students to Japan,” said Konta.

New challenge: Siti and Ahmad Sufian are eager to learn more about Japanese habits and attitudes.

It all started after former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Look East Policy. The policy’s objective was for Malaysians to learn and emulate the work ethics and knowledge of the Japanese.

Konta said that with about 3,500 applications each year, the students were shortlisted based on their SPM results, followed by a series of interviews.

“When selected, the students would begin an intensive course to learn the Japanese language, because when they go to Japan, they would have to study in Japanese.”

Siti Nor Khuzaimah Amit, 22, who would be pursuing her Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering at Japan’s Keio University, said she looked forward to her departure on March 24.

“This will be my first time in Japan, and I look forward to learning more about their cultural habits and attitudes, such as how they place so much importance on punctuality, for example.”

She added that a challenge for her would be to make friends in a new environment.

“We would be entering the university in the second year, so most of the students there would already have their own circle of friends and study groups. Furthermore, they would be speaking in Japanese, and I would have to break through the language barrier first.”

Being the only female in her class, Siti Nor Khuzaimah said she was concerned about how her classmates would treat her.

Coming from Miri, Sarawak, the youngest of three siblings said she first found out about the scholarship through her school teacher.

“I never expected to come this far, and I hope to make the most of this opportunity, and bring some good values that I learn in Japan when I come back home,” she said.

For Ahmad Sufian Abdul Satar, 21, the opportunity to study at Waseda University was beyond his wildest dreams.

“I never thought about going to Japan, until I heard about this scholarship. However, I like the Japanese culture a lot, especially their traditional dances and ceremonies. I have also begun watching Japanese movies and anime to learn the language.”

Being a Mechanical Engineering student, Ahmad Sufian said he was looking forward to learning more about the technological aspects in the field and plans to gain some work experience in Japan before coming back to Malaysia.

“I hope to learn as much as possible while I am there, and hopefully gain some work experience before pursuing postgraduate studies in the future,” he said.

Mahasiswa perlu sedar isu Palestin

Ir Abdel Rahim Shehab berkongsi segala pengalaman pahit dan maung rakyat Palestin khususnya

di Bandar Gaza yang menderita angkara sikap rakus dan ganas rejim Palestin.

REJIM Zionis mengganas lagi dengan menjadikan Bandar Gaza bermandi darah dengan kematian lebih dari 25 penduduk Palestin yang mati syahid dalam satu serangan roket dan bom baru-baru ini.

Namun di peringkat Malaysia, negara bukan jiran yang jauh dari sempadan Palestin, usaha-usaha bagi meningkatkan kesedaran dan membantu rakyat Palestin tidak pernah henti-henti dilakukan.

Ia tidak sekadar kempen propaganda yang biasa hanya semata untuk memahami isu pergolakan Timur Tengah.

Namun setiap lapisan masyarakat di negara ini perlu menyokong perjuangan rakyat Palestin dengan sekurang-kurangnya mengajar kita supaya menghargai nikmat kemerdekaan dengan mengekalkan kemerdekaan negara malah membantu negara lain yang menghadapi musibah seperti Palestin.

DRB HICOM buys Proton: deal to be completed in seven days

KUALA LUMPUR: DRB HICOM Bhd expects to complete the acquistion of Proton Holdings Bhd, the country's national carmaker within the next seven days.

The acquistion will mark, the second time in which DRB HICOM has a controlling stake in the national carmaker.

DRB-HICOM was the first controlling owner of Proton, during the former's old form of Hicom Holdings Bhd in early mid-1980s. (Hicom later merged with Diversified Resources Bhd (DRB) to create the DRB-HICOM group). The group gave up its stake when the 1997/1998 Asian financial crisis took its toll on many regional companies.

DRB HICOM shareholders today approved the acquisition on a 42.7 per cent stake in Proton. DRB HICOM is buying the stake from Khazanah Nasional Bhd for RM5.50 a share.

DRB HICOM's group managing director Datuk Mohd Khamil Jamil said that the decision to buy Proton was very much business diriven.

With the acquisition of the 42.7 per cent stake, DRB HICOM in total will have a 50.01 per cent stake in the national carmaker, having bought a 7.7 per cent stake from the market, earlier in the year.