SBPA perkenal dasar keluar bagi penjawat awam

KUCHING 25 Okt. — Sistem Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam (SBPA) yang dilaksanakan mulai tahun depan bakal menguatkuasakan ‘dasar keluar’ bagi penjawat awam yang berprestasi rendah atau yang ingin bertukar ke agensi lain termasuk swasta.

Presiden Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS), Datuk Omar Osman berkata, buat permulaan dasar itu melibatkan penjawat awam Kumpulan Pengurusan dan Profesional dan penilaian dibuat berdasarkan laporan prestasi tahunan serta Pencapaian Petunjuk Prestasi Utama (KPI) penjawat awam berkenaan.

Kumpulan Pengurusan dan Profesional melibatkan penjawat awam Gred 41 ke atas.

"Ia bagus kerana di bawah dasar baru tersebut penjawat awam tidak akan hilang status pencen serta faedah lain yang layak diterima,” katanya kepada Bernama selepas taklimat isu semasa CUEPACS untuk ketua-ketua jabatan dan penjawat awam negeri ini di Bangunan Sultan Iskandar hari ini.

Omar berkata, berbeza dengan Skim Saraan Malaysia (SSM) pada masa ini yang membenarkan penjawat awam untuk pencen awal pada umur 40 tahun, SBPA membenarkan penjawat awam berbuat demikian lebih awal tertakluk kepada syarat-syarat tertentu yang akan ditetapkan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA).

Katanya, dasar baru itu memberi ruang kepada penjawat awam untuk bertukar kerjaya sama ada berkhidmat di agensi lain seperti Syarikat Berkaitan Kerajaan (GLC) atau swasta yang sedia ada sekarang.

"Dasar ini bagus kerana mungkin penjawat awam tersebut boleh meningkatkan produktiviti di sektor lain yang dirasakan sesuai untuk mereka,” katanya.

credit to Bernama

Guru Tuisyen Dituduh Perdagang Amah

KUALA LUMPUR – Seorang guru tuisyen hari ini mengaku tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Sesyen Ampang di sini atas tuduhan memperdagangkan pembantu rumahnya dengan tidak membayar gaji selama sembilan bulan, September lepas.

Lim Chee Chong, 42, didakwa memperdagangkan Khy Sareth, 23, seorang warga Kemboja bagi tujuan eksploitasi dengan tidak membayar gaji selama sembilan bulan lapan hari bermula dari 25 November tahun lepas sehingga 2 September lepas yang berjumlah RM5,400.

Pemilik Pusat Tuisyen ”Cikgu Sim” itu didakwa melakukan perbuatan tersebut di rumahnya di No 62, Jalan Pandan Indah, 5/18 Taman Pandan Indah pada 3.45 petang, 2 September 2011.

Tertuduh didakwa mengikut Seksyen 12 Akta Antipemerdagangan Orang dan Anti Penyeludupan Migran 2007 yang membawa hukuman penjara maksimum 15 tahun dan denda, jika sabit kesalahan.

Mahkamah menetapkan 15 dan 16 November depan untuk perbicaraan kes.

TPM: Matematik ke bahasa Melayu satu langkah tepat.

SEREMBAN 15 Okt. - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin menyifatkan peralihan pembelajaran subjek Sains dan Matematik daripada bahasa Inggeris ke bahasa Melayu sebagai satu langkah tepat.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, keputusan itu seiring dengan usaha kerajaan memartabatkan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa ilmu di negara ini.

"Keputusan ini dibuat selepas mengambil pandangan semua pihak dan majoriti rakyat mahukan kedua-dua mata pelajaran berkenaan diajar dalam bahasa Melayu.

"Kita juga mendapati peratusan golongan yang mahukan Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) adalah terlalu kecil," katanya menjawab satu soalan pada Majlis Dialog Warga Pendidik di Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Raja Melewar (IPGRM) di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN), Datuk Abdul Razak Mansor; Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Pelajaran, Datuk Dr. Rosli Mohamed; Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud dan Pengarah IPGRM, Musa Abdullah.

Muhyiddin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran menjelaskan, selepas enam tahun PPSMI dilaksanakan pihak kementerian mendapati ia tidak mencapai sasaran.

Menurutnya, antara masalah yang timbul ialah bilangan pelajar yang menguasai bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa pengantar amat rendah.

"(Daripada segi guru) Kita belum mempunyai keupayaan dan kebolehan, sebagai contoh ada guru yang mahir dalam bahasa Inggeris tetapi tidak mahir untuk mengajar subjek Matematik dan Sains.

"Begitu juga guru yang mahir dalam subjek Matematik dan Sains tidak pula mempunyai kepakaran mengajar kedua-dua subjek ini dalam bahasa Inggeris," jelas beliau.

Terdahulu berucap pada majlis pelancaran Institut Perguruan Kebitaraan Sukan (IPKS) di padang IPGRM, beliau memaklumkan tiga institut perguruan iaitu Institut Perguruan Kampus Perlis, Institut Perguruan Kampus Tun Abdul Razak dan IPGRM dipilih menjadi IPKS.

Katanya, tiga kampus itu dipilih bagi memberi tumpuan dalam aspek pembudayaan sukan dalam masyarakat sekali gus memenuhi objektif dasar 1Murid 1Sukan yang diperkenalkan oleh kerajaan.

"Pengiktirafan ini merupakan satu penghormatan kepada institut perguruan dalam usaha memartabatkan sukan di Malaysia," katanya.

credit to Bharian

Kenaikan gaji guru setimpal beban tugas: NUTP

KUALA LUMPUR: Kesatuan Perkhidmatan Perguruan Kebangsaan (NUTP) menyifatkan kenaikan gaji kakitangan awam terutama guru pada pembentangan Bajet 2012 oleh kerajaan baru-baru ini adalah selaras dengan bebanan kerja dihadapi warga pendidik kini.

Presiden NUTP, Hashim Adnan, berkata jika dibandingkan negara maju, gaji warga pendidik mereka lebih tinggi berbanding gaji kakitangan awam di kementerian lain kerana guru adalah aset melahirkan modal insan cemerlang.

“Memang pengumuman Bajet oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak kali ini menyaksikan kenaikan gaji kakitangan awam yang mana guru mendapat sedikit kelebihan, namun, bagi saya ia bertepatan dengan tugas dan tanggungjawab guru kini.

“Jika kita lihat negara maju, Jepun, Sweden dan Korea, gaji warga pendidik mereka adalah tinggi. Begitu juga dengan negara jiran kita Singapura,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Pengumuman bajet itu menyaksikan golongan guru yang meliputi kira-kira sepertiga daripada 1.2 juta penjawat awam mendapat kenaikan gaji terbesar menerusi Sistem Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam (SBPA).

Guru bukan siswazah menerima kenaikan sehingga 39 peratus, manakala guru siswazah menerima kenaikan 37.7 peratus. Sebagai contoh, gaji maksimum guru bukan siswazah gred DGA34 dinaikkan daripada RM3,860 di bawah Sistem Saraan Malaysia (SSM) kepada RM5,370 mengikut SBPA. Bagi guru siswazah pula, gaji maksimum gred DG48, di bawah SSM ialah RM6,325 menjadi RM8,710 mengikut SBPA.

Sementara itu, Hashim turut menggesa pihak pentadbiran sekolah agar tidak menyekat warga pendidik berusia 47 tahun ke bawah untuk melanjutkan pengajian ke peringkat ijazah.

Kementerian Pelajaran katanya, sudah mengeluarkan pekeliling September lalu dengan membuka peluang kepada warga pendidik lepas diploma untuk menyambung pengajian.

credit to Bharian

Pemuda dan Wanita GERAKAN mula bersidang

KUALA LUMPUR: Persidangan Perwakilan Pemuda dan Wanita GERAKAN sempena persidangan perwakilan kebangsaan (NDC) ke-40 parti itu, memulakan persidangan masing-masing secara serentak di Menara PGRM di sini, semalam.

Perwakilan Wanita memulakan persidangan di Dewan Cempaka pada jam 10 pagi manakala Pemuda di Dewan Pulau Pinang.

Persidangan sayap Wanita dirasmikan Timbalan Presiden GERAKAN Datuk Chang Ko Youn manakala sayap Pemuda oleh Naib Presiden GERAKAN Datuk Mah Siew Keong.

Ahli Seumur Hidup Gerakan turut bersidang semalam namun bermula lebih awal iaitu kira-kira jam 8.45 pagi.

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dijadual merasmikan persidangan badan induk parti itu, hari ini. 

credit to Bernama

JADIKAN MOTIVASI UNTUK BERJAYA : ANAK PUNAN PERTAMA JADI PEGAWAI

Felicia Alow

Felicia Alow kelihatan teruja bercerita tentang bahasa ibundanya, bahasa Punan. “Nu denge maksudnya apa khabar, nu ngaro no ertinya apa nama kamu manakala piru umun no berapa umur kamu. “Oh ya, jangan lupa sebutkan tupu koman si setiap kali tiba waktu sarapan, makan tengah hari atau makan malam. Ayat itu bermaksud awak sudah makankah?” kata Felicia, anak kelahiran Rumah Panjang Nyipa di Kampung Kuala Pandan, daerah kecil Sebauh dalam Bahagian Bintulu, Sarawak. Kampung di tepi Batang Kemena, anak Sungai Rajang itu terletak kira-kira 40 minit menaiki kereta dari bandar Bintulu. Felicia, 28, merupakan anak Punan pertama yang menjawat jawatan bertaraf penguasa di Jabatan Imigresen. Sebagai Penolong Pengarah Bahagian Pas Penggajian jabatan itu, Felicia bakal ditempatkan di Putrajaya - Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan yang memiliki bangunan serba moden. “Suasananya tentu sahaja jauh berbeza dengan penempatan masyarakat Punan yang sinonim dengan hutan dan sungai,” beritahu Felicia. Gadis lulusan Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) ini kelihatan segak dalam persalinan seragam putih Jabatan Imigresen. Berwajah manis, kulit Felicia putih bak telur dikupas. “Orang selalu salah sangka bila mengatakan saya seorang gadis Cina. Sebenarnya kebanyakan orang Punan memiliki ciri fizikal seperti saya,” katanya ketawa.

Dia ditemui di Akademi Imigresen Malaysia (AIMM) di Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan semasa mengikuti kursus induksi selama tiga minggu baru-baru ini. Menurut Felicia, etnik Punan Sarawak yang berjumlah 50,000 orang adalah berbeza daripada kaum Penan walaupun kedua-duanya merupakan penghuni tebing sungai-sungai di negeri itu. “Penduduk Sarawak sendiri seperti di Miri dan Kuching masih ramai yang keliru tentang kaum Punan sedangkan kami sudah hampir 300 tahun menghuni tebing sungai berkenaan,” kata Felicia. Felicia anak keenam daripada lapan beradik. Katanya, walaupun suatu masa dulu memiliki anak yang ramai merupakan satu kebiasaan masyarakat Punan, generasi baharu kaum itu selesa mempunyai dua atau tiga orang anak sahaja. “Setakat ini tuai rumah panjang di kampung saya memiliki paling ramai anak iaitu 10 orang,” katanya. Dari segi geografi, majoriti penempatan etnik Punan bertumpu di kawasan berhampiran bukit dan sungai. Aktiviti penduduk ialah berburu, mencari tumbuhan dan sayur di hutan selain menangkap ikan di sungai. “Kegiatan menanam padi diusahakan oleh setiap keluarga rumah panjang. “Malah, masyarakat Iban dan Melanau yang tinggal berjiran dengan kampung saya turut menanam padi,” katanya sambil memberitahu, aktiviti berburu sudah berkurangan sekarang.

“Tidak seperti kira-kira 25 tahun lalu yang menyaksikan pemburuan dilakukan secara meluas,” ujarnya. Oleh kerana kedudukan kampungnya berjiran dengan kaum Melanau dan Iban, Felicia dapat mempelajari bahasa kaum itu melalui kawan-kawannya. “Apabila berjumpa kawan Melanau, saya suka meniru cara mereka bercakap. Saya juga cuba berbahasa Iban semasa bertemu kawan-kawan Iban,” ujar Felicia yang menambah, bahasa Iban diajar di sekolahnya. Felicia turut bercerita mengenai tarian su’ei dan makanan kegemarannya, teleguk. “Tarian itu sedikit pelik tetapi merupakan satu tradisi kaum Punan. Teleguk pula ialah sejenis pulut yang dibungkus menggunakan daun palas sebelum dikukus,” katanya. Dia juga masih dapat mengingati wajah penduduk kampung yang bertelinga panjang kerana memakai subang yang besar dan berat. “Saya masih berpeluang melihat suasana seperti itu. Di kampung saya masih terdapat tiga wanita yang mempunyai telinga begitu. “Bagaimanapun, tiada orang muda yang mahu mengikut tradisi itu lagi. Mungkin zaman sudah berubah,” ujarnya. Kata Felicia, etnik Punan terbahagi kepada Punan Pedan, Bah dan Biau. Tiada perbezaan antara ketiga-tiga puak tersebut. Boleh dikatakan semua penempatan mereka bertumpu di kawasan berbukit dan berhampiran sungai.

Dia menambah, kini perkampungan Punan agak moden. “Rumah panjang sudah diubah suai dengan berlantaikan simen tetapi masih mengekalkan binaan kayu bagi dinding rumah. “Jalan masuk ke kampung saya juga telah diturap dengan tar manakala kemudahan elektrik banyak mengubah suasana perkampungan itu. “Dahulu, kami hanya menggunakan generator yang dihidupkan dari pukul 6 petang hingga 12 malam,” ceritanya. Sebagai sebahagian daripada kaum Dayak, terdapat juga orang Punan yang mahir dalam perubatan tradisional khususnya yang bercampur unsur mistik. “Mereka menggunakan kuasa tertentu untuk menyembuhkan penyakit,” katanya. Menurut Felicia, dalam satu upacara yang unik, tubuh pesakit termasuk mata akan ditutup sepenuhnya menggunakan kain sarung. “Pesakit akan dibaringkan di atas sebuah tempat khas di kawasan lapang sebelum beberapa orang menari mengelilingi pesakit berkenaan sambil membaca mantera dan memukul gendang. “Kali terakhir ritual itu dibuat ialah pada lapan tahun lalu. Sekarang, dukun wanita itu sudah tua dan belum ada siapa yang mewarisi ilmunya,” katanya. Mendaftar masuk di UPM, Serdang, Selangor, bererti kali pertama juga dia menjejakkan kaki ke ibu kota Kuala Lumpur.

“Saya sememangnya tidak pernah datang ke Kuala Lumpur sebelum itu. “Ia sebuah kota yang sesak tetapi begitu mengujakan. Saya menganggapnya sebagai satu cabaran dan tempat untuk saya mempelajari banyak perkara baharu setiap hari,” katanya. Sebelum bertugas di Jabatan Imigresen, Felicia pernah bekerja sebagai guru sandaran di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sebauh di Bintulu. selama enam bulan iaitu sejurus selepas dia menggenggam ijazah pada tahun 2006. Selepas itu, beliau bekerja di Pejabat Daerah Tatau, juga selama enam bulan. Dia sempat menjadi guru sandaran di SMK Simanggang, Sri Aman selama lebih setahun. “Kerjaya sebagai pegawai Imigresen merupakan kerjaya yang membanggakan walaupun cita-cita saya dahulu ialah untuk bergelar pensyarah. Saya akan menjalankan tugas saya dengan penuh yakin,” kata gadis ini bersemangat. Di luar pakaian seragamnya, Felicia merupakan seorang penggemar sejarah selain pandai melukis. “Ketika di sekolah, Sejarah adalah mata pelajaran kesukaan saya. Saya gemar membaca kisah penjajahan keluarga James Brooke di Sarawak. Sekarang, saluran dokumentari History di Astro pula menjadi pilihan saya,” ujarnya.

credit to Harian Kosmo

Effendi: No report lodged against Ling by ministers

KUALA LUMPUR: No police report has ever been lodged by Cabinet ministers against Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik over the 404.5ha Pulau Indah land deal in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project, a former minister told the High Court.

In taking the stand yesterday, former Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi said as far as he was aware, no police report had ever been lodged against Dr Ling.

During cross-examination by Dr Ling’s counsel Wong Kian Kheong, Effendi said that neither was he aware of any complaint against the former Transport Minister for “chea­ting the Cabinet”.

Wong: My client is charged with cheating the Cabinet. Did you lodge a police report against him for cheating the Cabinet?

Effendi: No.

Wong: Did you tell the police my client cheated over the PKFZ project?

Effendi: No.

Effendi also told the court that he was only interviewed by the police about a month ago (after the trial had begun).

Wanita SPDP teguh di belakang kepimpinan parti

MESYUARAT EXCO: Chiew (duduk tengah) bersama ahli exco  Pergerakan Wanita SPDP merakamkan kenangan selepas mengadakan mesyuarat, semalam.

 SIBU: Pergerakan Wanita Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) mempunyai pendirian untuk terus berdiri teguh di belakang kepimpinan dan memberi sokongan padu kepada parti.

Ketua Wanitanya, Chiew Yen Chew berkata, mereka mengambil pendirian tidak menyebelahi mana-mana pihak, sebaliknya memberi fokus dan keutamaan untuk memenangi semua kerusi Parlimen yang dimenangi parti pada pilihan raya Parlimen lepas.

“Pergerakan Wanita percaya yang kita harus berdiri teguh di belakang kepimpinan parti serta menyokong penuh parti serta setiap perancangan yang telah dibuat kini dan untuk masa akan datang.

Asajaya representative taking over duties of Kota Samarahan MP

KUCHING: Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Hamzah has taken over funding allocation and administration duties from Kota Samarahan MP Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib.

Karim, who is the newly appointed Youth Development and Housing Assistant Minister, told reporters here yesterday that he had a “good relationship” with Samarahan residents.

“Whatever money is allocated to him (Sulaiman), I’m the one who is handling it,” Karim said in response to a question on whether an assemblyman like him felt “handicapped” that the Kota Samarahan MP “has not been on the ground much”.

Gerakan future, general election to top conference agenda

KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan's 40th National Delegates Conference (NDC) kicks off Saturday with focus on plans for the party's future and the 13th General Election.

The annual NDC will start with its Youth, Wanita and the Life-long Members meetings held simultaneously, while the parent body's meeting on Sunday is expected to be opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Party secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow said top on the agenda would be charting a roadmap for the party to face the upcoming General Election and beyond.

Wajib guna bahasa Melayu

KUALA LUMPUR: Mulai tahun depan, tindakan tegas akan diambil ke atas mana-mana agensi kerajaan, perbankan dan syarikat yang enggan menggunakan bahasa Melayu (BM) dalam semua urusan berkaitan, tertakluk di bawah tetapan Jawatankuasa Pelaksanaan Bahasa Kebangsaan (JPBK).

Ketua Pengarah Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Datuk Termuzi Abdul Aziz, berkata langkah itu diambil bagi memastikan semua pihak bersatu dan bekerjasama dalam usaha memartabatkan bahasa Melayu yang juga bahasa rasmi, sekali gus penggunaannya meluas di seluruh negara.

“JPBK atau jawatankuasa induk ini dipengerusikan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, mempunyai enam jawatankuasa kecil di bawahnya bertujuan melaksana, memantau dan memastikan bahasa Melayu digunakan sewajarnya.

BlackBerry blackout: how it happened

The internet blackout that afflicted Blackberry users for more than three days this week was caused by a complex series of hardware and software failings at RIM, the Canadian firm behind the smartphone brand.

Image 2 of 2

The Queen is presented with a white BlackBerry Bold by RIM chief executive Mike Lazaridis (right). 

Tweet nothings: some BlackBerry owners are calling for compensation Photo: AP

Engineers at its European headquarters in Slough, Berkshire, as well as its corporate base in Waterloo, Ontario, are still investigating what went so badly wrong. According to industry sources, however, a picture is beginning to emerge.

While Slough is the site of RIM’s European headquarters, and is also in charge of operations in the Middle East and Africa, it is not the physical location of the stacks of networking equipment that actually serve the tens of millions of BlackBerry users in these regions.

The firm is famously tight-lipped on such matters, but it is widely known within the mobile industry that the machines are actually maintained at its site in Egham, Surrey.

The problems began on Monday at around 10AM BST. Mobile networks noticed that BlackBerry internet traffic had fallen away completely. Senior RIM executives confirmed to them that there was a problem, and that an urgent investigation had been launched.

Brief outages are reasonably common in the internet industry and at this stage there was no indication that this one would lead so many customers to vow to abandon their BlackBerry in favour of rival smartphones. 

By Christopher Williams, Technology Correspondent

7:30AM BST 14 Oct 2011

The Obedient Wife Club... from the makers of the Polygamy Club

The Obedient Wife Club, perhaps unsurprisingly, was brought to you by the same people who dreamed the Polygamy Club in 2009 to encourage Malaysia’s Muslim men to take multiple wives.

Ashaari Muhammad Photo: EPA

Both were the brainchild of a group called Global Ikhwan, a business organization set up by former member of a religious cult, Al-Arqam.

It was banned in 1994 by the Malaysian government because its members believed the founder, Ashaari Muhammad, could wash away their sins and put off death.

Most of the Polygamy Club’s member belonged to the sect. The club’s aim was to promote polygamy which is not common among Malaysia’s Muslim men, as the Ashaari clan believed it should be.

The club claims its noble aim is to help single mothers, reformed prostitutes and women regarded as past marriageable age by increasing the pool of willing husbands.

From such beginnings it was only a short jump to the Obedient Wife Club set up in June with the stated aims of curbing social ills like prostitution, domestic violence and divorce. It now has about 800 members in Malaysia, and branches in Singapore, Indonesia and Jordan. 

By Ian MacKinnon, in Bangkok

2:15PM BST 14 Oct 2011

Utusan Ordered To Pay RM60,000 In Damages To Khalid Samad

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- The High Court today ordered Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad to pay RM60,000 in compensatory damages to Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Abdul Samad for publishing an article defamatory to him in its newspaper two years ago.

High Court Judge Dr Prasad Sandosham Abraham awarded the amount to Khalid after hearing submissions from both parties on assessement of damages.

Dr Prasad said in awarding the amount, he had taken into consideration that the article had not directly referred to Khalid, and the original author of the article had not been sued by Khalid.

Gadis hilang ikut rakan Facebook

MOHD. SABRI bersama isterinya, Nur Hafizah Nordin (dua dari kiri) menunjukkan gambar Nurul Nur Syawaltie yang hilang dari rumah di Kangar semalam.

KANGAR – Seorang bapa runsing apabila anak perempuannya lari dari rumah dipercayai mengikut rakan lelaki yang dikenali melalui laman sosial, Facebook sejak tiga hari lalu.

Menurut Mohd. Sabri Samat, 35, kehilangan anaknya, Nurul Nur Syawaltie, 14, disedari apabila dia tidak pulang ke rumah selepas tamat waktu persekolahan di Sekolah Menengah Putra di sini Rabu lalu.

Prominent businessman eyes SUPP Piasau top post

Hii King Chiong

 MIRI: Prominent businessman and philanthropist Hii King Chiong yesterday announced his decision to go for the

SUPP Piasau chairman post during branch elections next month.

The present chairman of SUPP Piasau, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan, announced he was stepping down shortly after he was defeated by a DAP political novice Alan Ling Sie Kiong during the April 16 state election.

Prior to the election, Dr Chan, who is also SUPP chairman, was holding the following portfolios – Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Industrial Development, and Minister of Tourism and Heritage.

Apple wins injunction to temporarily block Samsung tablet sales in Australia

SYDNEY: Samsung Electronics Co. lost a bid to sell its newest tablet computer in Australia until after a patent dispute with Apple Inc. is settled, a decision that means the product may never come to market in the country, according to Bloomberg.

Federal Court Justice Annabelle Bennett on Thursday granted Apple's request for an injunction barring the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia until the two companies' patent dispute is resolved following a trial.

Samsung had said it would scrap the release of the Galaxy 10.1 if the injunction were granted because missing the Christmas season would make the new tablet “dead” by the time it reached market, Neil Young, a lawyer representing the Suwon, South Korea-based company, told Bennett in Sydney on Oct. 4.

Apple claims the Samsung tablet infringes at least three patents, and its litigation had delayed the release of the Galaxy 10.1 for more than two months in Australia.

The dispute is part of a larger battle between the two companies that spans four continents and began in April, when Apple sued in the U.S. and claimed Samsung's Galaxy products “slavishly” copied the designs of iPhones and iPads.

A German court temporarily banned sales of Galaxy tablets in August, a ruling Samsung has appealed.

The two companies are also involved in legal disputes in South Korea, Japan and the Netherlands, Bloomberg reported.

Young said earlier this month that technology changes so quickly that even another month's delay in the release of the Galaxy 10.1 would threaten the product's sales prospects. Samsung had offered to agree to a quick trial on Apple's patent claim if Apple agreed to drop its demand for a ban on the sale of the Galaxy 10.1, Young said.

Apple rejected the proposal, he said.

Samsung said a trial can't be held until next year because it must collect evidence, Bloomberg reported

SPDP 5 say party president has failed to amicably resolve internal conflict

KUCHING: The quarrel in SPDP has taken a turn for the worse after five of its elected representatives declared that they had lost faith and confidence in their president Tan Sri William Mawan.

“This is World War III,” said Marudi assemblyman Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, in capping off a press conference here yesterday with the five representatives dubbed the SPDP 5.

Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian, who is the SPDP senior vice-president, said earlier that they had lost faith and confidence in Mawan.

He said their president had failed to resolve the internal conflict amicably and peacefully, maintain the party’s unity and protect the Barisan Nasional’s interest.

“The straw that broke the camel’s back and forced us to make this decision is that if the president seriously wanted to resolve the current conflict, a reconciliation or unity committee should have been formed rather than the disciplinary committee to take action against us, which we feel is very unfair and done solely to chop us off,” said Nansian, who appeared to be the group’s main spokesman.

The other elected representatives invol- ved are Bekenu assemblyman Rosey Yunus, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang and Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, all supreme council members of the party.

Sylvester, Nansian and Rosey are also assistant ministers.

Mawan and the remaining SPDP supreme council members had on Sept 13 referred the five to the party’s disciplinary com- mittee after they failed to attend the council’s meetings since a walkout about two years ago.

The walkout happened when Mawan decided not to reappoint Sylvester as the party’s secretary-general without first consulting the council.

A show-cause letter was issued to Sylvester, which he has not replied. Although the rest of the group did not receive show-cause letters, they decided to stick together.

“Our stand today is our reply to the show-cause letter,” said Nansian. He said they no longer cared what action the committee would take against them, and that they would on their own find the “best solution” to ensure that they could continue to serve the people as well as the Barisan.

Asked if the best solution was for Mawan to step down, he retorted: “We never said that.”

He refused to divulge what their plans or options were should they be expelled from the party.

He also denied that they had informed or sought advice from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on their move.

“We will cross the bridge when we come to it. Our interest is below that of the Barisan,” said Nansian, when pressed for an answer as to what they could do.

He pointed out that the group had met Mawan formally at least three times over the last two years to seek reconciliation.

According to him, they had agreed on many points to iron out their differences, but Mawan had not implemented them.

“While we urged him to run the party with principles, consistency, fairness and sincerity to maintain party unity and stability, we were labelled as the Rebel 5 and Group of 5. So, who started the friction and faction in the party?” he asked.

credit to sarawakstar@thestar

‘Good money in technical education’

Taib testing his driving skills at an exhibition booth put up at the ‘PPKS National Technical HRD Conference 2011’ yesterday. – Bernama photo

KUCHING: Children, especially those from the rural areas, should be encouraged to pursue technical education because the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) would require at least 217,000 semi-skilled workers by 2030, said the chief minister yesterday.

Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said efforts should now be made to help parents in the rural areas understand the situation so they would take proactive measures to spur their children to be technically skilful.

Speaking at ‘PPKS National Technical HRD Conference 2011’ here, Taib also spoke of the need for all the key players, especially those in technical and vocational institutions, to work together to ensure the level of technical education in the state was on par with that in countries such as Germany and Australia.

One area which needed serious attention is the bridging of the gap between those at the certificate, diploma and tertiary levels.

Taib told those present that the supply of manpower, especially those at the lower skill level, ought to be pondered seriously because there was likely to be a shortage when countries in the South East Asian region, especially Malaysia, hit the high-income economy status in the near future.

“The competition will be tough and the best solution is to train more people now as we cannot just fight the situation by `buying’ people to work here,” Taib said.

He said he foresee technical education mushrooming into a rewarding one for the people in the future.

“The view that working in the technical field is not prestigious would no longer be relevant in future as it is a potential source of high income,” he said.

Taib revealed that to get more people to become interested in technical education, efforts to explain job opportunities related to technical education would be organised.

“Awareness campaigns (on technical education) would be implemented in the rural areas for the benefit of the youths there,” he said.

On PPKS, Taib advised them to proceed with what they were doing until some kind of cooperation and coordination could be etched out between them and University College Laila Taib in Sibu.

“The government is trying to get these two entities together not only to hasten the pace of training but also to make such trainings more practical and match the requirements of SCORE,” Taib revealed.

credit to Borneo Post