Beijing 2008 Olympic Games-MALAYSIA BOLEH!

With less than 50 days remaining to the start of Beijing Olympics on Aug 8, Malaysian athlete must mentally and physically prepare to face the challenges. So far 33 athletes from nine sports have confirmed their tickets to Beijing and the National Sports Council's (NSC) main concern in the remaining days to the opening ceremony is that all the athletes stay fit and healthy. They must also look after what they eat and ensure they get proper rest. Every skills and techniques that has learned during training sessions fully applied in the game.

There are possibilities athletes in Malaysia’s contingent increase before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games start off, athletics duo Noraseela Khalid and Zaiful Zainal Abidin, women archers S. Anabarasi, Irza Hani Abu Samah and Nur Amirah Mohamad and triathlon's Kimbeley Yap as those still in with a chance to qualify. This is more or less our contingent to the Olympics although there is a possibility one or two more may qualify later. The end of qualification for athletics is in July, with Noraseela and Zaiful and the women archers are keep trying their best to enable them confirm their ticket to Beijing. All the coaches have their own plans to prepare their athletes and they are already in the final phase of preparations. The main focus now is on preparing them mentally for the challenge ahead.

In Beijing, the 33 athletes will represent Malaysia in archery (3), athletics (3), aquatics (9), badminton (9), cycling (4), sailing (1), shooting (1), taekwondo (2) and weightlifting (1).

Malaysia's medal hopes are being placed heavily on badminton players Lee Chong Wei in the men singles and the two doubles pairs of Kien Keat-Boon Heong and Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah while the men's archers are an outside bet for bronze in the team event.Cycling too could surprise given the rise of Azizul Hasni Awang with ample back up from seasoned Olympic campaigner Josiah Ng while the divers, led by Bryan Nickson Lomas , could just as well make a big splash.

Medal drought since 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games force athletes to work harder. Our athletes have their responsibility to bring home medals to satisfy 27 million Malaysian people. May God bless them.

‘MALAYSIA BOLEH’

Is it their fate?

rubber tapper

Is there never a full stop for them? Poor people have been struggling to make ends meet with the rising of food costs. The drastic increase in fuel prices can derail the government’s target to wipe out abject poverty or reduce the number of the poor to 2.8 per cent by 2010. I believe the 41 per cent hike in petrol and 63.3 per cent in diesel prices in the wake of skyrocketing global oil price has made it as a big task. People's purchasing power had shrunk significantly following the revised fuel subsidy which saw petrol price rising by 78 cents and diesel RM1. Now they are hit once more with more expensive fuel while there is zero growth in their income.

In April, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Amirsham A. Aziz had expressed confidence that the government would realize its goal to rid abject poverty despite the spiraling oil price in the world market. I really doubtful on the prospect, based on today's purchasing power, more Malaysian could slip into the poverty bracket, if not below. As in previous occasions, higher fuel price means increase in prices for everything, from food to other necessities including services. The price increase of 78 cents per liter for petrol and RM1 for diesel affected the masses from all walks of life, but the poor suffered the most.Look at it this way...one has RM1 and the other has RM100. Forking out 20 cent more for the one with RM100 is nothing much compared with the one with RM1.

Even though we may not see a drastic jump in statistics, based on that simple calculation we can see more will fall figuratively into the poor category. What more with those earning below the poverty line of RM691.I don't think the current poverty line income is relevant anymore as today's cost of living is getting higher by the day. To me, it should be much higher, maybe around RM1 500. Based on the 2005 calculation, poverty line for the whole nation is RM691, while for the peninsula is RM661, Sabah (RM888) and Sarawak (RM765). The figures are based on a family of five. To ease the burden of this segment of the population, the government must allocate some amount to save the poor.

The people too should be paid dividends based on the companies' profits. Owned either whole or partly by the government such as PETRONAS and Tenaga (Tenaga Nasional Bhd) should give out cash bonuses to the people. In this case, we can follow the foot step of our neighbour country, Singapore. Singapore’s government pays bonuses to the people. Last year, every Singaporean received around S$700 or RM1 800. Cash given out of fuel subsidy would not benefit all the deserving people. It only those who owned vehicles were eligible. What about those who do not own a vehicle and rely solely on public transport. They are not eligible for the rebate whereas the hike in fuel prices has multiple effects and this group of people will also feel the crunch because prices of everything will increase as well. The government should consider a better way to help this target group. Any assistance provided should centre on three aspects, namely food, transportation and services such as health. These three aspects are vital for the poor as they need them for survival. Therefore, the government should come up with ways to ensure the target groups receive direct benefit.

These three aspects are vital for the poor as they need them for survival. Therefore, the government should come up with ways to ensure the target groups received direct benefit. I believe the government could still provide a "comfortable" subsidised fuel for the people if the quantum of Petronas' profits allocated for subsidy was based on the global market price. At the moment, the government has not explained the formula in calculating the percentage given by Petronas from its profits. They just give us the total amount.

“Kadar kemiskinan di Malaysia sebenarnya lebih 30 peratus dan bukannya 5.7 peratus seperti yang diumumkan oleh kerajaan” Dr Denison Jayasooria, President of Yayasan Strategik Sosial.

If Dr.Denison’s statement is correct, I am wondering is the Vision 2020 still available for Malaysia? More than 5o years of independence, this it what we have achieved? Poor remain poor and the rich remain rich. What’s the point we have blessed with much natural resource like rubber, tin, petroleum, fishes,palm oil and others?

Towards Two-Party System

The formation of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) helps to transform our nation’s political arena. Malaysia’s politics has been dominated by a single coalition for more than 50 years, the formation of PR coalition make it as the alternative to Barisan Nasional (BN). Vote for BN or PR enable one of them to rule for 5 years. In the duration, people will make decision on whom to vote, this guarantee the nations progress. I am not talking in favor of supporting any party, but it reflects the real democracy in our nation. Let people decide which coalition qualified to lead and rule. I believe that every citizen expect the changes from the new ruling government. Of course, the commitment surely to the coalition that fulfill people’s expectations and who kept their promises.

PM and DPM trying to fulfill their promises

Such two-coalition party system, which allows voters to choose two viable parties. Developed nations who practice this system such as the United States, Britain, and Canada, has proven system's effectiveness. This situation also happens in developing countries like Jamaica, and India. There are very clear move by most of the developing nations towards the form of two-party system; hence I optimist that the PR coalition will stay on track to compete with BN. Not like the circumstances in 1999, which the Barisan Alternatif (BA) coalition shattered because of their ideology dissimilarity. DAP, PAS, KeADILan and PRM made their debut in the 10^th general election. After the election, DAP decided to leave the coalition and remain as a coalition-free party after the lost of the DAP hardcore-Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh and the conflict of ideologies. PAS and KeADILan as Barisan Alternatif (BA) continued their struggle in 2004 general election.

Anwar Ibrahim:We are government in waiting.

Now in 2008, after 50 years of independent, the coalition becomes stronger with a different story. They emerged at the end, right after few months of general election. This time with a new identity as Pakatan Rakyat. The joint of three parties- DAP,PAS and PKR has agreed to give emphasis on the national issue rather than struggling their party's ideology. The win in 5 states and the denial of the 2/3 majority in parliament will create a new dimension of Malaysia. Both coalitions must work all out to fulfill election's manifesto.

I hope the coalition never destroyed like happened after 10^th general election, ruling party must makes it clear that peoples interest comes first before party ideology.

Another Member in Pakatan Rakyat (PR)...???

Just few months after12^th general election, Parti sosialis Malaysia (Socialist Party of Malaysia, PSM) has given approval from the government. The green light has obtained by PSM after battle of a decade. Home Minister made decision to register the organization as a legal political party. Before this PSM’s candidate contested in elections in the ticket of other party politics such as PKR and DAP. Some even made their debut as independent candidate. So far, they haven’t make any decision to join Pakatan Rakyat(PR).

PSM was an organization in Malaysia that denied registration as a political party by the Federal Government of Malaysia. The reason given by the government is that PSM is a threat to national security. Although the Court of Appeal dismissed the national security argument on 16 August 2006, which the court felt was a bad reason; it upheld another reason to deny PSM the right to be registered. This was that the party did not comply with a seven state regulation. PSM has filed an appeal against the Court of Appeal decision to the Federal Court.

I hope it come forward to join Pakatan Rakyat (PR) towards two party systems (BN-PR). The system that I mean is two-coalition system, which allows voters to choose between two viable parties. The system will allow for shaping a new democracy in Malaysia follow the foot step of few countries namely India, Britain, the United States and Canada.

Lastly, I would like to congrats them on their success to be a legal political party in Malaysia.

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE VS MOTHER TONGUE

We can’t deny the fact that English is the language of the Internet and the global communication language for practically every important aspect of interaction in this era of globalization. Just go to any established and well-known company in Malaysia and you can see for yourselves the importance of English and it being the top qualification for employment.

I am particularly concerned that the government is considering changing the teaching of Mathematics and Science from English to the mother tongue. I always believed that the government made the right decision to change the teaching of these two subjects to English back in 2003 and we should not make a U-turn now.



Furthermore, with English, you can do research on the Internet to supplement and enhance our knowledge, much more than what you can get from books. More often than not, you will also find up-to-date information on the Internet compared to what the books contain. However, to use this important tool, you need to be well versed in English, not Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin or Tamil.

Considering the critical shortage of textbooks, journals, and other literature in other languages, teaching the two subjects in English would facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge by our students.
Some parties also fear the threat of the erosion of their ethnic roots, culture and customs in this country and they believe that the way to prevent this erosion is by ensuring that schools teach important subjects in their respective mother tongues. But is this a threat real? Let me be the first to tell you that I am an Indian that received primary education in Chinese school. My English is not excellent when further my study to secondary school. Because of that, I had difficulties in my class. All the subjects in primary school were in Mandarin. The subject that only in English is English, there were no any action or effort to allocate extra hours to the subject. This crisis does not happen to me alone. I believe most of the students in Malaysia experienced that. Besides learning Mandarin, of course I did not fail to remember Tamil, my mother tongue.
Emphasis must be given on English, it does not mean that i am not respecting mother tongue as English is realy assiting a lot in the future of Malaysians. Therefore, I call upon all parents who love their children to all rises up and oppose the move to revert to teaching mathematics and science in mother's tongue. If you don't fight for this now, I dread to think what will happen to our future generations while the government and these ethnic based groups gamble with our student’s future.

Happy Father's Day

I wish happy father's day to my father Mr.Appalasamy and all fathers in this world..