Aksi TKI JB 2014

by Shella Rini

They wowed the judges with their poise, confidence and talent.

Retno Dianasari (centre) clinched the top spot in the "Perlombaan DutaTenaga Kerja Indonesia (TKI) Johor Baru." The lass from Kediri, Jawa Timur, is an office clerk.  Her dream is to be an entrepreneur. She is flanked by Erni Wisayanti (left) who secured the second spot.

Erni, 20, from Madiuh, Jawa Timur, works in a factory. Her dream is to be a stewardess. Ni Kadek Aminingsih (right) won the third prize. 

Ni Kadek, 22. Is from Denpasar, Bali. She is pursuing an online course offered by Universitas Terbuka (Indonesia Open University), and hopes to join the hospitality industry.

The competition, which featured eight participants, was held in conjunction with the Aksi TKI JB 2014 today. Into its third year, the annual event attracted some 200 people, mainly Indonesian students and workers.

Aksi TKI was organised by UT Pokjar Johor.

Another highlight of the event was a traditional dance competition where the team from Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia (PPI) of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) won the first prize of RM750 cash with their performance of the "Tari Indang", a traditional dance of Padang.

The "Tari Renggong Manis", presented by another team from PPI UTM, garnered the second spot. They walked away with RM500. Meanwhile, the team from UT POKJAR KL won the third spot (RM250) with their dance "Tari Bajdor Rahot."

All the winners were presented with trophies and certificates.

The event would not have been possible without sponsors like MS Cargo, Western Union, Hotlink and XPress Air.

Present were Consul-General Taufiqur Rijal, the consulate's former minister counsellor Djudjur S.H. Hutagalung and their spouses.

Sunway College Johor Baru Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Ong Mei Mei (left) and Chan Shen Wei

http://www.nst.com.my/node/49218

JOHOR BARU: Some 230 guests attended the 10th anniversary celebration of Sunway College Johor Baru at Mutiara Johor Baru, here, recently.

Its principal, Hor Poh Choo, said the college, which started with a handful of staff and students, now has more than 2,000 students and its staff strength has grown to more than 100.

“Our vision to be the premier private college in the southern region has been realised, with our track record of academic achievements,” Hor said in her speech.

Meanwhile, organising committee chairman Leong Mei Kuen said the event was attended by staff, business associates and alumni.

Among the highlights of the dinner were lucky draws and performances by the staff and students.

Ten staff members received recognition awards for 10 years of service. By Chuah Bee Kim

Foster Unity

a NST exclusive by Adrian Lai

KUALA LUMPUR: A PROMINENT Chinese community leader has admitted that the existence of various school streams in the country has impeded efforts to create a united nation.

Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong) secretary-general Prof Datuk Dr Chin Yew Sin, however, said despite the problem, the government should continue to find ways to foster unity among young Malaysians without changing the status quo.

“Racial polarisation exists, but the right to operate Chinese vernacular schools in Malaysia is enshrined in the Federal Constitution. It is part of the social contract signed by our forefathers and cannot be challenged,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

“If students in national and national-type schools do not interact (with each other) at all, they will grow up living in different worlds and this will create problems in the future.”

He was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s speech at MCA’s Annual General Assembly on Sunday, in which Najib assured the public that Chinese education would continue to be safeguarded.

However, Najib said he hoped students in Chinese vernacular schools would learn and master Bahasa Malaysia.

“Bahasa Malaysia is not only the national language, but also serves as the medium of communication for all ethnic groups in Malaysia. It is a tool that can foster national unity,” said Chin.

He said although the legitimacy of Chinese vernacular schools was guaranteed under the social contract, the inability of students from the different types of schools to interact would cause disunity.

“Students in the different types of schools are moving in the same direction, but on parallel lines. As the Malay adage goes, tak kenal maka tak cinta (to know somebody is to love somebody). We must work around this problem by finding a way to intersect these lines and find common ground.”

Barisan Nasional Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin used a similar analogy to describe the problem of racial polarisation while speaking at MCA Youth’s 50th Annual General Meeting on Saturday.

Citing a fictitious example of Ahmad and Lim, who were both born in Malaysia but followed different language pathways, Khairy said Malaysia was facing a problem of too many “parallel lines”.

“Parallel lines will never meet. In Malaysia, we have too many of these. We need to find a solution to bend these parallel lines, so we can see interaction between youth.”

Chin said the solution was in the government’s efforts to help the various schools converge.
“In recent years, the government had initiated the Racial Integration and Malaysian Unity Programme (Rimup). The programme was designed to encourage the various schools to jointly hold events.

“These events, held in Bahasa Malaysia, range from sports activities and debates to discussion forums. However, Rimup events are few and far between because of insufficient funds.”

He said such a programme would not only help students from Chinese and Indian vernacular schools improve their Bahasa Malaysia, but also foster stronger bonds among the races.

“A similar programme is also outlined in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, and I hope the government will expend time and resources to make it a success.”

Chin said he was confident that all Chinese vernacular schools, Hua Zong and Dong Zong, or United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia, would support the initiative.

The debate on Chinese vernacular schools was sparked recently by Petaling Jaya Utara Umno deputy chief Mohamad Azli Mohemed Saad, who proposed that the status of such schools be discussed at the Umno General Assembly next month.

He had alleged that opposition parties were using the schools to create racial disharmony and sow hatred towards the government.

United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong) chairman Ong Chiow Chuen said he was relieved to hear Najib’s assurance.

However, he said, there were still “voices” that would abuse the issue and call for the abolishment of vernacular schools.

“These people must face the consequences of the law. We cannot let them question our right to run Chinese vernacular schools. Action must be taken against such individuals.”

- source NST online

Summer Vacation

By Chuah Bee Kim

DESARU: Forty-four Korean children, aged 10 to 15, who were accompanied by English language teachers from the United States, recently stayed at the Lotus Desaru Beach Resort here during their school vacation.

The one-month stay at the resort was organised by Gabriel Recruitment Agency (GRA) and sponsored by three Korea-based companies — Gwangju Bank, Chonbuk Bank and MBC Media — where the children’s parents were employed.

Event coordinator Kim Ji Sun, 34, said the programme helped the children to improve their command of the English language and expose them to the Malaysian culture.

“In Korea, the parents push their chidlren to study hard. We organise such events during the summer or winter breaks as we want the children to have fun while learning,” said Kim.

He described Malaysians as a friendly lot, and the group had enjoyed their stay at the resort.

“We are making plans to organise another outing to Malaysia again in January next year,” he said, adding that similar trips had been organised to the Philippines and Australia in previous years.

Kim’s colleague, Daniel Shim, 34, also a Korean, chipped in to say that the children were fascinated with Malaysia’s diverse multi-racial culture.

“The children were curious about the locals here who were made up of Malays, Chinese and Indians and enjoyed trying out new food.

“To round it up, I would say the children had a perfect holiday in Desaru,” said Shim.

GRA also organises English camps and robotics camps for children and university students. 

Maritime Courses

NIMT in Educity, Nusajaya 

By CHUAH BEE KIM

From left: Prof John Chudley,  Prof Mike Wilkinson,  Prof Malek Pourzanjani and Captain Razali Yaacob.

JOHOR BARU: One thousand new students are expected to enrol at the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NIMT) Educity campus in Nusajaya when it opens in May.

Its president Prof Malek Pourzanjani said that number was expected to double by the end of the year at the institute, which has been built to accommodate 4,000 students.

Malek said this after signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Southampton Solent University (SSU) deputy vice-chancellor Prof Mike Wilkinson at the NIMT City Campus at Galleria@Kotaraya, here, yesterday.

Also present were SSU Dean of Maritime and Technology Faculty Prof John Chudley and NIMT founder and managing director Captain Razali Yaacob.

The city campus began offering diplomas in Maritime Transport Management, Port Management and Shipping Management in May 2011. It currently has 620 students.

Malek said NIMT would offer programmes in Maritime Health, Safety, Security and Environment, Maritime Law and Logistics in September.

With the signing of the MoA, homegrown professionals and students graduating from the NIMT can now pursue degree and graduate qualifications from SSU in the United Kingdom.

NIMT academic programmes are designed by academicians and industry players to provide students with in-depth knowledge of the maritime industry, maritime transport and its interface with associate industries.

The signing of the MoA will see an exchange of students from both countries. Plans for a twinning programme are in the pipeline.

Malek said NIMT, a Malaysia-Dutch private educational collaboration, was in talks with several global partners for joint collaborations.

"We are selective about who we want to work with. The two global partners we are in talks with are in the United States, Canada and Australia," he said, adding that NIMT was also looking at the possibility of working with a group of universities.

Razali said NIMT would play a significant role in nurturing Malaysian maritime professionals to meet the increasing demand for such professionals in Johor, which has a burgeoning oil and gas industry, in Malaysia and worldwide.

"However, students lack awareness of what the maritime industry is all about," he said.

Razali said 97 per cent of what went into Johor came through the three ports -- Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Gelang Patah; Johor Port in Pasir Gudang; and Tanjung Langsat Port, which is between the first and second ports.

Wilkinson said it was the same in the United Kingdom, where 97 per cent of its imports also came by sea. 

Read more: 1,000 expected aboard NIMT in Nusajaya - Johor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/1-000-expected-aboard-nimt-in-nusajaya-1.521556#ixzz2wSOygL1r

April 6: Cast Your Vote (If U Love Indonesia)

Pak Taufiqur 

The Consulate-General of Indonesia in Johor Baru is ready for the 2014 Indonesian legislative election that will be held in Malaysia on April 6.

A total of 327,000 eligible voters in Johor, Malacca, Pahang and Negri Sembilan are urged to cast their votes on this day.

Consul-General Taufiqur Rijal said a team of close to 1,000 election helpers have been roped in to be deployed to the four states in 300 rented vehicles.  They will leave the consulate office in Jalan Taat on April 5 to venture into oil palm estates and remote areas to reach out to eligible voters on April 6.

A week before April 6, the consulate office will also despatch 16,000 self-addressed envelopes for those who want to cast their votes by post.

On April 6, voters can also head to the consulate office or the official residence of the Consul-General in Taman Pelangi, Johor Baru, to cast their votes from 8am to 6pm.

I met Pak Taufiqur on Sunday, at an event called the "Pentas Menuju Pemilu".  He took over from  Jonas L. Tobing on Sept 1 last year.

Prior to his appointment as the Consul-General in the Johor Baru office, Pak Taufiqur had served in Sabah from 1991 to 1995 as the vice-consul. He was then posted to Kuwait from 1997 to 2001 as Head of the Consular Section, before helming the Consulate-General of Indonesia in Saudi Arabia from 2003 to 2007.

Meanwhile, the envoy is also waiting for the green light from both the Indonesian and Malaysian government to open a Sekolah Indonesia in Johor (most likely Johor Baru).

Currently, there are Indonesian schools in Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Sekolah Indonesia will prepare schoolchildren for the Sekolah Dasar (primary), Sekolah Menengah Pertama (secondary) and Sekolah Menengah Atas (upper secondary) examinations.

As for the Indonesia Open University online courses, Pak Taufiqur said there are currently about 200 students in Johor pursuing degree and diploma programmes.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun

There's much to be thankful for

By Chuah Bee Kim

sourced from Johor Streets

03 December 2013

IN my previous commentary, I was motivated to talk about respect when I heard lovely Christmas songs playing inside a shopping mall in Johor Baru.

I guess I was inspired by the thought that the world would be a better place if people knew how to respect one another in spite of their differences.

Today, I want to focus on gratitude, and my inspiration for this came after a visit to the One Stroke Calligraphy exhibition at Sutera Mall in Johor Baru.

The exhibition was originally supposed to have been held for two weeks, but due to encouraging public response, the event has been extended to Dec 15.

The show features works by the Venerable Hsing Yun, who was born into a poor family and became a Buddhist monk at the age of 12.

When he was about 17, he was down with a serious illness, his teacher sent someone to deliver half a bowl of pickled vegetables to him. The person tasked to deliver the food had to travel a long distance to get to the young monk.

As he tearfully ate the bowl of pickled vegetables, he made a vow to always remember his teacher's kindness.

Now 86, the Venerable Hsing Yun is still giving motivational talks to Buddhist devotees around the world.

I don't know if this kind of grateful attitude is still practised by today's young people. I did notice many people giving thanks on Facebook during Thanksgiving on Nov 28. Yes, it is so important to give thanks.

But in today's world, what is more common is when you do a hundred good things for someone, but that someone will only remember the one bad thing you did to him or her.  Has that happened to you before?

Anyway, the Ven Hsing Yun was so adamant in expressing his gratitude to his teacher that he started The Water Drop teahouses, which can now be found in various parts of the world.

In Johor Baru, one can find The Water Drop teahouse on the fourth floor of the Sutera Mall, which is next to the newly-opened My Library.

The teahouse derives its name from the gratitude expressed in the old saying, "a drop of water's worth of kindness repaid with a gushing spring".

Hopefully, those who dine here often will remember to repay the drop of kindness from their parents, their teachers, and their country with a gushing spring. Only a grateful life can be a rich life.

And since My Library is just located next to The Water Drop teahouse, I can't help but also mention a little bit about this establishment.

According to a My Library officer, Ginny Lim, nearly 300 people and corporate bodies have joined as members of the library, which receives an average of 5,532 visitors daily since it opened on Nov 18.

Besides an assortment of magazines, books and audio materials, the library also has facilities for rental. These include rooms for discussions, seminars and kids' activities.

One can also order coffee or tea from The Water Drop teahouse while reading at the library.

This library is a corporate social responsibility programme of Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd, the property developer that manages the Sutera Mall.

The management, which has been nurturing the local community with education and culture, has been organising programmes like the One-Stroke Calligraphy exhibition annually since it started operations in 2008.

The theme is different each year, but it is always of a cultural nature and with educational values.

The library also is becoming a favourite haunt for both children and adults. At the library, I saw some children flipping through the pages of the books with great care.

However, there were also some who were running around making a lot of noise. It is very important to maintain silence in a library as people are there to read.

The idea of setting up a library in a shopping mall is a novel one. For that, I am grateful to Tanah Sutera, for having the foresight and the drive to mix retail with education and culture.

Seri Omega International School

Located at Jalan Persisiran Sutera Danga, Taman Sutera, 81300 Skudah, Johor Bahru, Malaysia Tel: +607-556 1368, +607-556 3368


Education is his forte

Education is his forte II

Education is his forte III