Sunday, May 31, 2009

Cleaner’s life turned upside down after accident

May 31, 2009

IPOH: Life was fine for cleaner Wong Yoke Kham until her husband was involved in a nasty accident three years ago.

He became an invalid, forcing Wong to become the family’s sole breadwinner overnight.

Wong, 42, said that her 38-year-old husband Ting Hoo Ling was working in Singapore before the tragedy struck.

Help needed: Chan (left) comforting Ting, who was bedridden following an accident three years ago. With them are (from right) Beruas MCA division chief Ooi Jing Ting, Ayer Tawar New Village JKKK chairman Ling Leong Chin and Wong.

“My life was turned upside down overnight,” she said, adding that her family was dependent on her meagre RM400 a month income as a cleaner. They have also been relying on financial aid from relatives.

“But I know I cannot depend on them forever as they, too, have their families to care for,” she said.

Besides having to care for their two children, aged eight and 10, Wong also has to bring Ting for his regular check-up at the Manjung Hospital.

Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief Alex Chan [who is a student of Open University Malaysia (Perak)] has appealed for donations to help the family.

“The bureau handed Wong a donation of RM1,000 while an anonymous donor also contributed another RM1,000 to start the ball rolling,” he said.

Those who wish to help can send cheques made out to “Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau” with Ting’s name written on the back.

The cheques can be sent to the Perak MCA headquarters at 90-92, Tingkat Satu, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, 30000 Ipoh.

For details, contact Chan at 05-2536981.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Don’s indelible mark - Star

Yap credits his favourite teacher, Dr Shaari, for showing him that the life of an academician doesn’t revolve purely around research.

By RICHARD LIM

ALTHOUGH the industries may seem disjointed, television personality Owen Yap has his professor to thank for his on-screen and off-screen success.

Yap clearly remembers how he got close to the professor who changed his life.

And no, it wasn’t through one of those after-lecture pep talks or a detention dressing down.

“It was actually through chill-out sessions at clubs and cafes in Bintang Walk,” says the television host. “He is a very special teacher.

“Although it happens overseas, it’s rare to find Malaysian teachers who will let their hair down and be honest with their students like him.”

The teacher concerned is Prof Dr Shaari Abdul Hamid, currently Open University Malaysia’s (OUM) faculty of business and management director.

Prof. Shaari (2nd from left)

Their acquaintance dates back to 2000 when Yap was preparing his postgraduate thesis on Oriental Customer Behaviour at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Dr Shaari was a UPM professor then and he had the pleasure – or discomfort – of supervising Yap’s MBA thesis. Although he comes across as the smooth operator on screen, Yap admits his shortcomings and certain things never seemed to click until Dr Shaari came along.

“I wasn’t very good at finance-based subjects,” he admits. Part of the problem, he feels, is that he never felt inspired by “lecturers spoon-feeding their students in class” and Dr Shaari struck him as a breath of fresh air.

“He made an instant impact as he was just so different,” Yap says. “He was like ‘No notes, guys. Just listen to me.’

“His reasoning was that while notes have a purpose, flashing too many words on power point was an excess and that could actually distract students from the gist of the lecture.

“He has that ability to make concepts appear simple and they really are the moment you get them. His personality also attracts you to the subject matter.”

Spending time with Dr Shaari also led to Yap shedding misconceptions about the teaching profession.

He used to think that the life of an academician revolves purely around research but his mentor showed him that academicians don’t necessarily retreat to their ivory towers.

“There was a genuine concern between him and his students,” Yap enthuses. “He’d meet us informally and we really appreciated that.

“Learning from him was and is fun because although he takes work – and not himself – seriously. He’s very down to earth and there are no fronts.”

Yap’s experience of learning from Dr Shaari took on a new dimension when he decided to teach part-time at Nilai International College and Tunku Abdul Rahman College.

The students responded well to the informal modus operandi and Yap now sees that as a distinct feature in his life.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

OUM To Host 9th International Conference On Information - Bernama

By Mohd Azhar Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- Open University Malaysia (OUM), working in collaboration with the Esterhazy Karoly College, in Eger, Hungary; the Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Morocco and the Delta Academy of Science in Egypt; will host the 9th International Conference on Information (ICI9) at the Legend Hotel, here from 12 to 13 August, 2009.

The world is being globalised, shrunk and brought closer in technological terms.

"Technology is integral in today's educational experience, particularly in the field of open and distance learning (ODL), where an impressive array of technologies have enabled the learning process to be conducted effectively at a time, place and pace that suit individual lifestyles, learning preferences and personal development plans," OUM Senior Vice President, Prof Dr Mansor Fadzil, told Bernama in a recent interview.

According to Prof Mansor, the theme of the conference 'Learning Innovations in Higher Education' will provide the platform for researchers and educationalists to share the latest development and innovation in teaching and learning, apart from being an avenue for networking.

"The very nature of ODL means that the boundaries to the 'field' are ever changing and evolving; a scenario that is set to continue well into the next millennium. Therefore it is incumbent upon providers of open learning to constantly innovate and explore new technologies," he said.

ICI9 is expected to attract some 150 participants comprising members of the Asian Association of Open Universities as well as learning solution providers.

NEW INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Teaching is the transmission of knowledge from an educator to learners.

In ODL, the conventional 'chalk and talk' academic discourse is replaced by the use of information and communication technologies that allow for interactive two-way transmission between educators and learners.

Successful ODL courses are those that are well planned, with aspects from learning outcomes to assessment, from student support to technology; being integrated and well organised.

But innovation and development in information communication technology is a double-edge sword. While they offer new possibilities for advancement in the delivery system, the same technology has also made plagiarism easier.

Thus the relationship between new technologies and ODL is often focused on issues surrounding ICT services, network reliability and other techno-educational matters. Particular attention is given to the human element that cannot be replicated by computers and technology.

ICI9 participants will cover e-learning and open learning environments, the use of mobile devices such as cellphones and MP3 players in mobile learning (mLearning), emerging technologies and their implementation in a higher education setting, and their application as a tool for effective assessment with respect to ODL.

"OUM will showcase its Learning Management System (LMS), which was developed in-house for our students, lecturers and tutors, to support the e-learning delivery," Prof Mansor said.

"We will also deliberate on OUM's mLearning experience that uses existing social network applications like Facebook, MySpace, and mobile devices like cellphone, iPod and digital camera to send materials to students," he added.

PUBLIC PERCEPTION

In the not too distant past, people held the perception that valid and valuable adult learning can only take place in the presence of an accredited and professionally qualified educator.

Skeptics argued that ODL -- which had its humble roots in correspondence courses -- lacked the open-ended dialogue then regarded as the touchstone of legitimate education.

But in this instance, being 'out of sight' does not translate into 'out of mind'. Distance learning is not the soulless and isolated activity that some might assume it to be. Invigorating forum that generates tremendous intellectual ferment can and often do take place across the Internet.

New communication technologies can accommodate the social aspect of learning. Simulated two-way communication, peer-group contact and lively discussions, which can be just as illuminating as a conventional lecture session, take place through e-mail, Facebook and chat groups.

Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. As a force contributing to social and economic development, open and distance learning is one of the most rapidly growing fields of education and training today.

The constant change in technological innovation in communications has conclusively pushed ODL approaches to the forefront of educational practice.

Few would now argue that distance education, as practiced at OUM, matches the best that any conventional university can offer.

BIG IMPACT

Conventional ideas about education are undergoing a transformation as the concepts of ODL and lifelong learning gain popularity.

ODL is fast becoming an accepted and indispensable part of mainstream education systems in both developed and developing countries.

Millions of learners around the world have discovered that learning can happen at any time, in any place and in any setting; it is no longer necessary to be in a classroom in front of a teacher to be in a 'place of learning'.

CREATING A KNOWLEDGE-BASED SOCIETY

Open University Malaysia is jointly owned by a consortium of 11 public universities in the country.

The university offers a total of 70 disciplines ranging from diploma to doctorate programmes, all of which are accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

Its flexible approach offers opportunities for working adults to upgrade their knowledge, competitiveness and versatility, without leaving home or the workplace.

"Since its inception in 2000, OUM has produced some 13,000 graduates. ODL is going to have a big impact in Malaysia, as more and more people realise that it is flexible and affordable yet the quality of education is not compromised in the process," Prof Mansor said.

"The challenge lies in monitoring, motivating and counselling ODL students, who are mostly working adults with the attendant family as well as social commitments; to stay true to their academic pursuits to the end," he added.

Through the projects and activities of its secretariat, OUM International, OUM has acquired a reputation for rigorous quality control.

With over 35,000 learners listed in its enrollment register, without doubt, OUM is fast becoming a name to conjure with in the field of open and distance learning and play an especially decisive role in the creation of a knowledge-based society.

Further details and update on ICI9 can be obtained at http://ici9.oum.edu.my

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

'Stay interested in the world, take on a challenge'

By Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew

This story was first published on Jan 12, 2008.

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd meets with former Singapore's prime minister Lee Kuan Yew (L) at the Istana presidential palace in Singapore August 12, 2008.

MY CONCERN today is, what is it I can tell you which can add to your knowledge about ageing and what ageing societies can do.

You know more about this subject than I do. A lot of it is out in the media, Internet and books. So I thought the best way would be to take a personal standpoint and tell you how I approach this question of ageing.

If I cast my mind back, I can see turning points in my physical and mental health. You know, when you're young, I didn't bother, I assumed good health was God-given and would always be there. When I was about - '57 that was - I was about 34, we were competing in elections, and I was really fond of drinking beer and smoking. And after the election campaign, in Victoria Memorial Hall - we had won the election, the City Council election - I couldn't thank the voters because I had lost my voice. I'd been smoking furiously.

I'd take a packet of 10 to deceive myself, but I'd run through the packet just sitting on the stage, watching the crowd, getting the feeling, the mood before I speak. In other words, there were three speeches a night. Three speeches a night, 30 cigarettes, a lot of beer after that, and the voice was gone.

I remember I had a case in Kuching, Sarawak . So I took the flight and I felt awful.. I had to make up my mind whether I was going to be an effective campaigner and a lawyer, in which case I cannot destroy my voice, and I can't go on. So I stopped smoking.

It was a tremendous deprivation because I was addicted to it. And I used to wake up dreaming...the nightmare was I resumed smoking. But I made a choice and said, if I continue this, I will not be able to do my job. I didn't know anything about cancer of the throat or oesophagus or the lungs, etc. But it turned out it had many other deleterious effects.

Strangely enough after that, I became very allergic, hyper-allergic to smoking, so much so that I would plead with my Cabinet ministers not to smoke in the Cabinet room. You want to smoke, please go out, because I am allergic.

Then one day I was at the home of my colleague, Mr Rajaratnam, meeting foreign correspondents including some from the London Times and they took a picture of me and I had a big belly like that (puts his hands in front of his belly), a beer belly. I felt no, no, this will not do.

So I started playing more golf, hit hundreds of balls on the practice tee. But this didn't go down. There was only one way it could go down: consume less, burn up more.

Another turning point came when -this was 1976, after the general election - I was feeling tired.. I was breathing deeply at the Istana, on the lawns. My daughter, who at that time just graduating as a doctor, said: 'What are you trying to do?' I said: 'I feel an effort to breathe in more oxygen.'
She said: 'Don't play golf. Run. Aerobics.'

So she gave me a book, quite a famous book and, then, very current in America on how you score aerobic points swimming, running, whatever it is, cycling. I looked at it sceptically.
I wasn't very keen on running. I was keen on golf. So I said, 'Let's try'.
So in-between golf shots while playing on my own, sometimes nine holes at the Istana, I would try and walk fast between shots. Then I began to run between shots. And I felt better. After a while, I said: 'Okay, after my golf, I run.' And after a few years, I said: 'Golf takes so long. The running takes 15 minutes. Let's cut out the golf and let's run.'

I think the most important thing in ageing is you got to understand yourself. And the knowledge now is all there. When I was growing up, the knowledge wasn't there. I had to get the knowledge from friends, from doctors.

But perhaps the most important bit of knowledge that the doctor gave me was one day, when I said: 'Look, I'm feeling slower and sluggish.' So he gave me a medical encyclopaedia and he turned the pages to ageing. I read it up and it was illuminating. A lot of it was difficult jargon but I just skimmed through to get the gist of it.
As you grow, you reach 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and then, thereafter, you are on a gradual slope down physically. Mentally, you carry on and on and on until I don't know what age, but mathematicians will tell you that they know their best output is when they're in their 20s and 30s when your mental energy is powerful and you haven't lost many neurons.

That's what they tell me. So, as you acquire more knowledge, you then craft a programme for yourself to maximise what you have. It's just common sense. I never planned to live till 85 or 84. I just didn't think about it. I said: 'Well, my mother died when she was 74, she had a stroke. My father died when he was 94.' But I saw him, and he lived a long life, well, maybe it was his DNA. But more than that, he swam every day and he kept himself busy. He was working for the Shell company. He was in charge, he was a superintendent of an oil depot. When he retired, he started becoming a salesman.. So people used to tell me: 'Your father is selling watches at BP de Silva.' My father was then living with me. But it kept him busy. He had that routine: He meets people, he sells watches, he buys and sells all kinds of semi-precious stones, he circulates coins. And he keeps going. But at 87, 88, he fell, going down the steps from his room to the dining room, broke his arm, three months incapacitated. Thereafter, he couldn't go back to swimming.

Then he became wheelchair-bound. Then it became a problem because my house was constructed that way. So my brother - who's a doctor and had a flat (one-level) house - took him in. And he lived on till 94. But towards the end, he had gradual loss of mental powers..

So my calculations, I'm somewhere between 74 and 94. And I've reached the halfway point now. But have I? Well, 1996 when I was 73, I was cycling and I felt tightening on the neck. Oh, I must retire today. So I stopped. Next day, I returned to the bicycle. After five minutes it became worse. So I said, no, no, this is something serious, it's got to do with the blood vessels. Rung up my doctor, who said, 'Come tomorrow'. Went tomorrow, he checked me, and said: 'Come back tomorrow for an angiogram.' I said: 'What's that?' He said: 'We'll pump something in and we'll see whether the coronary arteries are cleared or blocked.'

I was going to go home. But an MP who was a cardiologist happened to be around, so he came in and said: 'What are you doing here?' I said: 'I've got this.' He said: 'Don't go home. You stay here tonight. I've sent patients home and they never came back. Just stay here. They'll put you on the monitor. They'll watch your heart. And if anything, an emergency arises, they will take you straight to the theatre. You go home. You've got no such monitor. You may never come back..'

So I stayed there. Pumped in the dye, yes it was blocked, the left circumflex, not the critical, lead one. So that's lucky for me. Two weeks later, I was walking around, I felt it's coming back. Yes it has come back, it had occluded. So this time they said: 'We'll put in a stent.' I'm one of the first few in Singapore to have the stent, so it was a brand new operation. Fortunately, the man who invented the stent was out here selling his stent. He was from San Jose , La Jolla something or the other. So my doctor got hold of him and he supervised the operation. He said put the stent in. My doctor did the operation, he just watched it all and then that's that. That was before all this problem about lining the stent to make sure that it doesn't occlude and create a disturbance.

So at each stage, I learnt something more about myself and I stored that. I said: 'Oh, this is now a danger point.'

So all right, cut out fats, change diet, went to see a specialist in Boston , Massachusetts General Hospital . He said: 'Take statins.'
I said: 'What's that?'
He said: '(They) help to reduce your cholesterol.'
My doctors were concerned. They said: 'You don't need it.. Your cholesterol levels are okay.'
Two years later, more medical evidence came out. So the doctors said: 'Take statins.'
Had there been no angioplasty, had I not known that something was up and I cycled on, I might have gone at 74 like my mother. So I missed that deadline.

So next deadline: my father's fall at 87.

I'm very careful now because sometimes when I turn around too fast, I feel as if I'm going to get off balance. So my daughter, a neurologist, she took me to the NNI, there's this nerve conduction test, put electrodes here and there. The transmission of the messages between the feet and the brain has slowed down.

So all the exercise, everything, effort put in, I'm fit, I swim, I cycle. But I can't prevent this losing of conductivity of the nerves and this transmission.

So just go slow.

So when I climb up the steps, I have no problem. When I go down the steps, I need to be sure that I've got something I can hang on to, just in case. So it's a constant process of adjustment.

But I think the most important single lesson I learnt in life was that if you isolate yourself, you're done for. The human being is a social animal - he needs stimuli, he needs to meet people, to catch up with the world.

I don't much like travel but I travel very frequently despite the jet lag, because I get to meet people of great interest to me, who will help me in my work as chairman of our GIC. So I know, I'm on several boards of banks, international advisory boards of banks, of oil companies and so on. And I meet them and I get to understand what's happening in the world, what has changed since I was here one month ago, one year ago. I go to India , I go
to China .

And that stimuli brings me to the world of today. I'm not living in the world, when I was active, more active 20, 30 years ago. So I tell my wife. She woke up late today. I said: 'Never mind, you come along by 12 o'clock. I go first.'

If you sit back - because part of the ending part of the encyclopaedia which I read was very depressing - as you get old, you withdraw from everything and then all you will have is your bedroom and the photographs and the furniture that you know, and that's your world. So if you've got to go to hospital, the doctor advises you to bring some photographs so that you'll know you're not lost in a different world, that this is like your bedroom.

I'm determined that I will not, as long as I can, to be reduced, to have my horizons closed on me like that. It is the stimuli, it is the constant interaction with people across the world that keeps me aware and alive to what's going on and what we can do to adjust to this different world.

In other words, you must have an interest in life. If you believe that at 55, you're retiring, you're going to read books, play golf and drink wine, then I think you're done for. So statistically they jjshow you that all the people who retire and lead sedentary lives, the pensioners die off very quickly.

So we now have a social problem with medical sciences, new procedures, new drugs, many more people are going to live long lives. If the mindset is that when I reach retirement age 62, I'm old, I can't work anymore, I don't have to work, I just sit back, now is the time I'll enjoy life, I think you're making the biggest mistake of your life. After one month, or after two months, even if you go travelling with nothing to do, with no purpose in life, you will just degrade, you'll go to seed.

The human being needs a challenge, and my advice to every person in Singapore and elsewhere: Keep yourself interested, have a challenge. If you're not interested in the world and the world is not interested in you, the biggest punishment a man can receive is total isolation in a dungeon, black and complete withdrawal of all stimuli, that's real torture.

So when I read that people believe, Singaporeans say: 'Oh, 62 I'm retiring.' I say to them: 'You really want to die quickly?' If you want to see sunrise tomorrow or sunset, you must have a reason, you must have the stimuli to keep going.'

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Courses for adults - Star

May 26, 2009

WORKING adults in the manufacturing and service industries now have the option to take up pro-fessional training in logistics, accounting and management through the joint initiative of two institutions.

Straits Academy of Logistics (SAL) and Open University Malaysia (OUM) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly run diploma and certificate programmes.

SAL general manager P. Push-palingam said the programmes included career certificates in integrated transport and operation (CITM) and practical accoun-ting, and executive diplomas in logistics management and accounting.

He said they would also provide a professional diploma in integrated transport manage- ment and operation (DITM) and a professional postgraduate diploma in human resource ma- nagement.

SAL is part of the IAL Group of Companies.

The MoU was signed by Pushpalingam and IAL Group assistant general manager for human resources Prasaanth Bhaskaran Nair, and by Repin and IPD-OUM director Assoc Prof Dr Selvaraj Oyyan Pillai.

Classes will begin next month.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Gambar Sekitar Sesi Suai Kenal T-Zero untuk Pelajar Ambilan Mei 2009

Lebih dari 120 orang pelajar baru ambilan Mei 2009 telah menghadiri sesi suai kenal T-Zero pada 17 Mei 2009. Berbagai aktiviti telah dijalankan dan diuruskan oleh Puan Ros dan Cik Erna bagi membolehkan pelajar baru menyesuaikan diri serta menjalinkan hubungan mesra antara satu sama lain sebelum Tutorial 1 bermula pada 24 Mei 2009.

Pelajar dibahagikan kepada 9 kumpulan dan setiap kumpulan telah diberikan satu senarai aktiviti di mana markah akan diberikan kepada daya kreativiti dan persembahan masing-masing.

Berikut adalah gambar sekitar aktiviti T-Zero:









Juara kumpulan jatuh kepada Kumpulan 2

Najib juara jatuh kepada Kumpulan 4



Berikut adalah persembahan yang dibuat oleh setiap kumpulan:
Persembahan dari Juara Kumpulan













MAJLIS KONVOKESYEN KETUJUH (14 - 18 NOVEMBER 2009)

Posted by Puan Hjh Kamariah (Pendaftar, OUM)

Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa Majlis Konvokesyen Ketujuh OUM akan diadakan pada 14 -18 November 2009 bertempat di Dewan Merdeka, Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC).

Sehubungan dengan itu, terdapat beberapa perkara yang perlu diambil perhatian oleh semua bakal graduan, seperti berikut:

a)Bakal graduan hanya diberi peluang untuk menyertai Majlis Konvokesyen yang mana nama graduan telah tersenarai bagi Majlis Konvokesyen yang berkenaan. Ini bermakna penangguhan tidak dibenarkan; dan

b)Unit Peperiksaan akan memuatnaik pemakluman terperinci berkenaan pengijazahan dan konvokesyen di dalam portal myLMS yang merupakan saluran rasmi penyebaran maklumat konvokesyen; dan

c)Melunaskan yuran pengajian serta lain-lain yuran, termasuk yuran konvokesyen; dan

d)Bakal graduan dinasihati supaya sentiasa merujuk kepada myLMS dan memuatturun maklumat berkenaan dan mengambil tindakan yang perlu bagi mengelakkan sebarang masalah dan kesulitan daripada berlaku; dan

e)Para pelajar diingatkan untuk menyiapkan Kursus yang melibatkan Kajian Berasaskan Sekolah, Kertas Projek, Latihan Amali, Tesis dan Disertasi serta menyerahkannya kepada pihak Fakulti atau Pemeriksa selewat-lewatnya pada 31 Julai 2009.

f)Para pelajar yang ingin mendapat pengesahan tentang status pengijazahan, adalah dinasihatkan supaya menghubungi pihak Fakulti atau Unit Peperiksaan selewat-lewatnya pada pertengahan Ogos 2009.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Gambar Sekitar Hari Pendaftaran dan Bengkel Kemahiran Belajar Untuk Pelajar OUM Perak Ambilan Mei 2009

Berikut adalah gambar-gambar sekitar hari pendaftaran dan bengkel kemahiran belajar untuk para pelajar ambilan semester Mei 2009 yang telah dijalankan di OUM Perak, Jln Lim Bo Seng pada 10 Mei dan 17 Mei, 2009:











Saturday, May 16, 2009

English can be fun

May 16, 2009

Spotted in a toilet of a London office:
TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.

In a London Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES:
PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

Outside a London second-hand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC.
WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Spotted in a safari park:
ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR

Seen during a London conference:

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN’T KNOW IT,
THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR

Notice in a field:

THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE,
BUT THE BULL CHARGES

On a repair shop door:

WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING
(PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR,
THE BELL DOESN’T WORK)

People in other countries sometimes go out of their way to communicate with their English-speaking tourists. Here is a list of signs seen around the world :

At a Budapest zoo:
PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SUITABLE FOOD,
GIVE IT TO THE GUARD ON DUTY.

Doctors clinic, Rome :
SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Hotel, Acapulco :
THE MANAGER HAS PERSONALLY
PASSED ALL THE WATER
SERVED HERE.

In a Nairobi restaurant:

CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR
WAITRESSES RUDE SHOULD WAIT
AND SEE THE MANAGER.

In a City restaurant:

OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK,
AND WEEKENDS TOO.

In a Calcutta Coffee House:

PEOPLE DISCARDING CIGARETTE
STUBS IN CUPS WILL BE SERVED
COFFEE IN ASH TRAYS

Friday, May 15, 2009

Happy Teacher's Day



The Management, Staff and students of OUM Perak, would like to wish all our tutors and fellow students who are teachers, a very "Happy Teacher's Day".

Teaching is the most noble profession since the dawn of civilization and without teachers there will be no continuity of human knowledge as what we have today.

Teachers paint their minds
and guide their thoughts
Share their achievements
and advise their faults.
Inspire a love
of knowledge and truth
As you light the path
Which leads our youth
For our future brightness
With each lesson you teach
Each smile you lengthen
Each goal you help reach
For the dawn of each poet
Philosopher and King
Begins with a techer
And the wisdom they bring
-Kevin William Huff-

PM Records Appreciation To Teachers:

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has called on Malaysians to join him in recording his appreciation and gratitude to educators in the country in conjunction with Teachers' Day Saturday.

In his latest posting in his blog '1Malaysia.com.my', Najib thanked the teachers who had toiled to enlighten the minds of generations of Malaysians.

"I hope this venerable fraternity continues to do so with dedication for many more generations," he said.

He believed that teachers were the most unsung heroes in the country, to the extent that some were stationed in the most remote villages in the country.

"These are people who spend most of their lives nurturing and shaping the offspring of others, as the future human capital to spur the growth of our beloved Malaysia.

"Too often, their work calls for personal sacrifices, which sometimes go unnoticed and unappreciated by the people they serve," he said.

In this context, he said, their sacrifices and contributions should not be remembered once each year, but remembered and valued every other day of the year.

"As parents, we will desire the best education for our children, and hope that they develop into productive members of society," he said.

Najib said teachers were there not just to teach the students to add or subtract numbers, or to read and write in different languages, or to memorise historical dates.

They were there to teach the pupils how to be creative, articulate their their thoughts well, and understand their role and potential in the community, he said.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Google launches new maps malaysia search platform - The Malaysian Insider

The above is the map showing the road (in blue) from my house in Ipoh Garden (marked as B) to OUM (Marked as A). Kindly click on image to enlarge

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Google Inc today launched Google Maps Malaysia (http://maps.google.com.my), a new search platform that enables users to find local geographic information on their personal computers and mobile phones.

These include online maps, satellite imagery, driving directions, addresses and busineses listings, Google said in a statement today.

Google’s Southern Asia product manager Andrew McGlinchey said Google Maps Malaysia was an exiting step forward in helping Malaysian users quickly and easily find the local geographic information.

“Google’s dynamic and collaborative geographic platform allows consumers to create personal maps and enables businesses to connect with customers through virtual maps,” he said.

Users can search for local businesses and points of interest, check out what events or movies are going on nearby, advise visiting friends and tourists on local attractions, research the locations or properties to buy or rent, and even locate dining, shopping or nightlife options, Google said.

Google’s Southeast Asia head of marketing, Derek Callow, said Google Maps Malaysia enabled local users, businesses and developers to contribute and share their information.

“This is a great start and we’re looking forward to working with many more Malaysian organisations to enhance the quality, features and usefulness of the local version of Google Maps,” he said. — Bernama

Govt Wants Civil Service To Be First Career Choice, Says Sidek - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- The government will offer job positions and salaries that are competitive to make the civil service the first choice for a career among job seekers, said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

He said the government would soon introduce remuneration and employment schemes that would be attractive to job seekers based on their academic qualifications and work experience.

"As an example, if an applicant had 10 years experience in the private sector and is interested in joining the civil service, he will not have to begin from the bottom but will be put on a scale commensurate to his experience," he told reporters after participating in Radio Television Malaysia's "Dialog" programme at Angkasapuri here tonight.

At the same time, high performers already in the civil service would also be duly rewarded in terms or promotions and increase in pay irrespective of which grade they were in, he added.

What are you doing today?


Enter the Twitter world. Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?



Why Twitter?

Because even basic updates are meaningful to family members, friends, or colleagues—especially when they’re timely.

* Eating soup? Research shows that moms want to know.
* Running late to a meeting? Your co–workers might find that useful.
* Partying? Your friends may want to join you.

How does it work?


With Twitter, you can stay hyper–connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time. You can even set quiet times on Twitter so you’re not interrupted.

Twitter puts you in control and becomes a modern antidote to information overload.

How could Twitter benefit you as stakeholders of Open University Malaysia (OUM) Perak?

Whether you are a student, tutor, or prospective students who wants to know more about happenings at OUM Perak, twitter provides you just that. As such effective May 13, 2009, OUM Perak has started tweeting and has added Twitter into its blogs: http://oum-perak.blogspot.com and http://bbmp-1103.blogspot.com.

This is another way for us to reach out to you and keep you posted with what is happening. Have fun.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Pendaftaran Pelajar Baru Ambilan Mei 2009

Pendafataran Pelajar Baru Open University Malaysia untuk ambilan Mei 2009 akan dijalankan serentak di seluruh negara pada 10 Mei 2009 kecuali di Pusat Pembelajaran Kedah di mana pendaftaran akan dijalankan pada 16 Mei.

Sesi taklimat untuk pelajar baru di OUM Perak akan dikendalikan oleh Pengarahnya Richard Ng

Untuk ambilan Mei 2009 ini. Lebih dari 2000 orang pelajar telah berjaya ditawarkan berbagai program dari peringkat diploma sehinggalah ke peringkat kedoktoran. Bagi mereka yang berminat untuk menyertai ambilan Mei ini masih sempat berbuat demikian secara "walk-in" dengan membawa semua sijil-sijil mereka serta yuran pendaftaran sekurang-kurangnya RM700 pada hari pendaftaran.

Sesi pendaftaran pelajar ambilan semester Januari 2009

Kelayakan minimum untuk masuk ke program diploma ialah SPM 3 kredit. Bagi mereka yang mempunyai kelulusan PMR atau SPM serta berumur sekurang-kurangnya 21 tahun dan ingin untuk memohon ke program ijazah sarjana muda bolehlah berbuat demikian dengan menduduki ujian "Open Entry" yang akan dijalankan pada hari pendaftaran juga. Kemasukan secara "Open Entry" juga ditawarkan untuk program ijazah sarjana jika pemohon berumur sekurang-kurangnya 35 tahun dan memiliki sekurang-kurangnya sijil STPM atau Diploma yang diiktiraf MQA.

Pembayaran bolehlah dibuat secara tunai pada hari tersebut. Pastikan anda membawa sijil asal dan satu salinan sijil serta 2 keping gambar berukuran paspot bagi mempercepatkan proses pendaftaran.

Peta lokasi OUM Perak di Jln Lim Bo Seng, Ipoh. Klik pada gambar untuk melihat imej yang besar

Pendaftaran bagi pelajar-pelajar di Perak akan dijalankan di Pusat Pembelajaran OUM Perak di Jln Lim Bo Seng. Oleh kerana hari pendaftaran 10 Mei merupakan hari Ahad dan Jln Lim Bo Seng tutup untuk pasar pagi Loking, maka pelajar dinasihatkan agar datang pada jam 8.00pg dengan mengikut peta seperti tertera di atas. Bagi mereka yang datang dari luar bandar Ipoh, OUM Perak terletak di hadapan Ipoh City Hotel yang berwarna hijau orange seperti tereter di bawah. Jika terdapat sebarang kemuskilan pada hari pendaftaran sila hubungi nombor telefon pejabat 05-2546006 atau hubungi pentadbir kami En. Fahmi No. H/P: 019-4618519 atau Puan Murni No. H/P: 016-6883287.

Ipoh City Hotel

Pelajar juga diingatkan bahawa kedatangan adalah wajib. Taklimat akan diadakan seperti biasa dari jam 8.30pg hingga 12.30tgh dan diikuti oleh bacaan ikrar pelajar dan seterusnya pendaftaran dan pengambilan modul.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Hari Keluarga OUM Perak - Hari Ketiga

3 Mei 2009

Hari ini merupakan hari ketiga dan terakhir kami di Pulau Pangkor. Hujan telah turun sejak tengah malam lagi sehingga pagi ini seolah-olah menyatakan rasa sedihnya dengan kepulangan kami.

Menanti cuaca untuk reda ...

Keadaan yang sejuk ini menyebabkan ramai di antara kami yang bangun lewat sehingga chef-de-mission kami Puan Ros terpaksa mengetuk dari pintu ke pintu pada jam 8 pagi bagi mengejutkan mereka untuk sarapan pagi yang telah terhindang.

Beginilah rupa cuaca yang mendung

Memandangkan hari ini adalah hari terakhir maka aktiviti pada pagi ini merupakan aktiviti "free and easy". Malangnya hujan yang masih renyai menyebabkan kami terpaksalah tinggal di chalet. Selepas sarapan pagi hujan pun mula reda dan kira-kira pada jam 9.30 pagi, Pengurus Pembangunan Perniagaan Purnama Beach Resort iaitu Sdra Harun dengan murah hati telah membawa kami ke Jeti Pangkor untuk membeli ikan yang dijangka dibawa naik oleh nelayan di pantai.

Mrs. Beh (baju putih) sedang memberikan penerangan mengenai syarikatnya

Inilah tempat di mana ikan bilis yang telah diproses dijemur

Proses pengasingan ikan bilis secara manual dijalankan di sini

Sampai sahaja di sana, kami telah diperkenalkan kepada Mrs. Beh, tuan punya syarikat yang menjual ikan satay, ikan bilis dan lain-lain hasil tangkapan laut. Mrs Beh juga adalah tuan punya syarikat Pemborong dan Penangkapan hasil laut terbesar Pangkor iaitu syarikat Kheng Hai Chuan atau ringkasnya KHC.

Sdra Harun (baju hijau)sedang bergambar dengan kami. Kelihatan di belakang adalah bot-bot serba lengkap syarikat KHC

Mrs. Beh membawa kami untuk melihat bot besar mereka yang dilengkapi dengan sistem GPS dan lain-lain peralatan penangkapan ikan yang canggih. Mrs Bh juga menunjukkan pada kami cara mereka menangkap dan memproses ikan bilis secara besar-besaran. Sdra Harun yang merupakan kawan rapat syarikat ini membawa kami melihat dengan lebih dekat lagi bot penangkapan ikan. Malangnya pada pagi itu, laut amat bergelora dengan hujan dan angin kencang. Jadi bot tidak keluar ke laut untuk menangkap ikan.

Salah sebuah bot kepunyaan syarikat KHC

Apapun dari cerita Sdra Harun dan Mrs. Beh, dapat kita faham bagaimana nelayan mencari pendapatan yang lumayan. Sebelum pulang, kami sempat membeli sedikit ikan bilis dan satay ikan sebagai tambahan stok kami. Nampaknya makan ikan bilis le sepanjang minggu depan.

Ombak yang begitu kuat memukul pantai Teluk Nipah

Dalam perjalanan pulang ke chalet, Sdra Harun sempat menunjukkan pada kami pantai-pantai lain seperti pantai pasir bogak serta Pangkor Laut dan selat dinding. Kira-kira jam 10.45 pagi kami pun tiba di chalet. Apa lagi, masih sempat lagi kami berjalan di pantai Teluk Nipah. Malangnya, ombak begitu kuat sekali sehingga mencecah 10 hingga 15 kaki tinggi bila memukul pantai. Bilangan pengunjung telah berkurangan kerana ramai yang telah balik ke pekan masing-masing.

Sementara menanti makan tengahari kelihatan Sdra Hamid sedang membuat persediaan untuk berkaraoke

Kami cuba mengusik Adam, anak Zura, sementara menantikan semua berkumpul untuk sesi bergambar

Kira-kira jam 12.30 tgh, kami pun dihidangkan dengan makan tengahari. Sudah tentu lauk yang istimewa ialah gulai ikan yu yang kami tangkap semalam. Kami juga telah dihidangkan dengan ikan nyonyok masam asam pedas dan kacang bean.

Selepas makan kami pun mengemas barang-barang kami dan bertolak dari chalet ke Jeti Pangkor pada jam 2.00ptg. 3 hari rasanya begitu pantas sekali berlalu. Apapun, banyak kenangan manis yang telah kami perolehi semasa di Teluk Nipah ini.

Kelihatan di sini Jeti Pangkor

Inilah feri yang kami naiki dalam perjalanan pulang ke Lumut

Pandangan kampung nelayan Pulau Pangkor dari feri

Pada jam 2.30ptg kami pun tiba di Jeti dan sebuah feri telah tersedia menanti ketibaan kami. Tepat jam 3ptg, feri pun bertolak. Kami tiba di Jeti Lumut kira-kira jam 4ptg. Dalam keadaan letih, kami mengucapkan selamat pulang dan selamat jalan kepada semua rakan-rakan seperjuangan. Maka tamatlah suatu sesi riadah yang tak dapat kami lupakan.

Pemandangan di Jeti Lumut

Hari Keluarga OUM Perak - Hari Kedua

2 Mei 2009

Pada hari kedua, sarapan pagi telah disediakan pada jam 8.00pg. Kami disajikan dengan mee goreng, kuetiau goreng dan roti. Selepas makan sarapan pagi kami telah diberi sedikit taklimat mengenai aktiviti yang akan dijalankan pada hari ini. Antaranya termasuk: boating di teluk nipah dan snorkeling.

Sarapan pagi


Lagi gambar sarapan pagi

Tepat jam 10pg kami pun pergi ke pantai uuntuk bersiap sedia dengan jaket keselamatan sebelum menaiki bot. Kami berpecah kepada dua kumpulan sebab bot hanya muat 8 orang sahaja maksimum.



Bersiap sedia dengan jaket keselamatan sebelum menaiki bot

Bot sedang bertolak ke Pulau Giam

Gambar Pulau Giam di mana terletaknya crocodile rock di sebelah kiri dan Coral Bay ditengah-tengah antara dua buah pulau

Cuaca agak baik pada hari ini dengan ombak sederhana. Kami dibawa untuk melihat tempat-tempat menarik di sekitar Teluk Nipah ini seperti Monkey Bay, Coral Bay, Crocodile rock. Pada jam 10.30pg kami pun tiba di Coral Bay iaitu di Pulau Giam di mana aktiviti snorkerling dijalankan. Airnya begitu jernih dan kami nampak banyak anak-anak ikan. Tapi malangnya kami tak nampak sebarang batu karang yang masih hidup. Oleh kerana hari ini merupakan hari cuti hujung minggu, maka tempat ini penuh sesak dengan pengunjung. Pada kira-kira jam 12tgh, bot pun sampai untuk mengambil kami balik ke chalet kami.

Bergambar di Coral Bay


Apa lagi kami pun snorkeling di Coral Bay macam orang lain juga

Zura dan Ros turut serta dalam snorkeling

Sdra Hamid sedang mengawasi staf OUM Perak semasa snorkeling

Selepas mandi dan berkemas, kami pun berkumpul semula untuk makan tengahari yang disediakan oleh pihak Purnama Beach Resort. Kami dihidangkan dengan berbagai makanan yang enak seperti kari ikan, sayuran campur, tom yam dan sebagainya.

Hamid bukan sahaja menjaga keselamatan staf semasa Hari Keluarga tapi turut menjaga anak Zura, Adam, sebagai sebahagian "pakej" tambahan

Pada jam 2.30ptg, kami pun membuat lawatan mengelilingi Pulau Pangkor. Antara destinasi pertama ialah Teluk Dalam yang sungguh indah. Di sini juga kita nampak sebuah lapangan terbang kecil yang menampung penerbangan Berjaya Air. Selepas itu kami melawat kilang membuat ikan satay. Berkilo-kilo ikan bilis dan satay ikan dibeli kami. Apa tidaknya, semuanya fresh.

Kilang Ikan Satay

Salah sebuah rumah nelayan yang sempat kami rakamkan

Tidak berapa jauh dari kilang ini terdapat sebuah kilang membuat bot. Kata pemandu pelancong kami, bot yang dibina ini berharga sekurang-kurangnya RM500,000 sebuah. Itu baru rangkanya sahaja.

Rangka sebuah bot yang sedang dibina


Seterusnya kami dibawa untuk melawat pekan Pangkor di mana terletak jeti. Di situ kami sempat untuk singgah sebentar untuk meninjau harga satay ikan dan ikan bilis yang dijual.Rupanya haragnya lebih murah daripada harga yang ditawarkan dikilang ikan satay tadi. Apa lagi, beli lagi berkilo-kilo ikan bilis.

Pandangan dari depan Foo Lin Kong

Ini dia batu dengan tulisan Cina yang bermaksud "Jodoh"

Lepas itu kami bertolak ke sebuah tokong Cina yang terkenal di Pulau Pangkor ini iaitu Foo Lin Kong. Di sebelah kanan atas bangunan tokong ini kelihatan sebuah batu besar dengan tulisan Cinanya bermaksud "Jodoh". Di sini kelihatan ramai gadis naik ke atas untuk menghampiri batu ini kononnya ianya membawa tuah kepada mereka yang bujang bila menyentuhnya.

Seterusnya kamipun pergi ke destinasi seterusnya iaitu melawat Kota Belanda. Kota yang dibina sejak tahun 1670an oleh orang belanda untuk memyimpan bijih timah tinggal temboknya sahaja dan sebuah meriam.

Bergambar di hadapan Kota Belanda

Pandangan dari atas Kota Belanda

Selepas itu kami pun sambung perjalanan kami ke Pantai Pasir Bogak sebelum balik ke chalet pada kira-kira jam 4.15ptg. Hujan renyai mula turun. Rancangan kami untuk pergi memancing tergendala sebentar.

Pada jam 5.30ptg, hujan telah berhenti dan kami pun terus merancang untuk menyambung aktiviti yang dinanti-nantikan ini. Cari punya cari, dapat kita beli umpan sotong. Pada jam 6.00ptg kami pun berjalan kira-kira 1km dari chalet kami ke suatu tempat strategik di tepi pantai yang mempunyai batu besar.

Hamid, Shah dan Erna sedang bersiap dengan pancing masing-masing.

Sharon juga turut bersedia untuk menanti tangkapannya

Cuaca amat baik sekali. Selepas setengah jam kami memancing, akhirnya berkat kesabaran kami berbaloi dengan tangkapan seekor ikan yu sebesar 18 inci dan seberat 800gm oleh Sharon. Lima minit kemudian, mata kail Sharon terus dibaham seekor lagi ikan yu yang sama besar dengan ikan tadi.

Inilah tempat strategik yang membawa tuah memancing pada kami

Inilah ikan yu yang berjaya ditangkap Sharon (baju hijau)

Apa lagi geng-geng lain pun turut datang ke tempat yang sama. Agaknya ada sekumpulan ikan yu di sana. Tidak lama kemudian, mata kail Sharon sekali ditarik ikan tapi malangnya talinya putus digigit ikan. Seminit kemudian giliran mata kail Erna pula mengena ikan yu yang sama besar.

Lihat betapa indahnya pemandangan dari tempat kami memancing pada jam 7.30mlm.

Hari dah makin gelap dan semangat memancing tu masih membara. Tapi apakan daya, kita terpaksa balik ke chalet untuk makan malam yang telah kami rancang pada jam 8.00mlm. Apapun sesi memancing cukup memuaskan. Pemandangan di tepi laut juga amat indah.

Benar-benar makan besar pada malam ini dengan ikan talang bakar serta sotong dan ketam

Jam 8.30 malam, makanan dihidangkan. Hari ini kami makan besar. lauk kami terdiri daripada BBQ sotong dan ketam beserta bee hoon dan nasi goreng.

Senyum lebar Ros sementara menantikan semua staf bersedia untuk makan

Apa lagi bunyi aje wisel dah terus terkam makanan masing-masing