Archive - 16 August 2002

As findings of the ill-effects generated by the 'Asian Brown Cloud' — a 3km thick blanket of pollution covering South Asian countries — attracts international attention, the Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) appears to be slow in reacting to the issue.

laporan penuh Hari ini adalah kali ketiga parti-parti yang mewakili masyarakat Cina dalam Barisan Nasional (BN) bermesyuarat untuk mencari kata putus mengenai cadangan kerajaan untuk melaksanakan pengajaran bahasa Inggeris untuk matapelajaran Sains dan Matematik di sekolah Cina. Bagaimanapun selepas sejam bermesyuarat hari ini, mereka masih gagal mencapai kata sepakat mengenainya.

Labour rights activists in Indonesia want their government to do more in protecting their nationals in the wake of Malaysia's flip-flop policy on Indon workers.

Dalam lawatan rasmi seharinya ke Terengganu hari ini, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata tindakan untuk mengatasi penyelewengan PAS melalui penggunaan tindakan undang-undang seperti Akta Dalam Negeri (ISA) tidak akan berkesan dan boleh menyebabkan rakyat menuduh kerajaan zalim dan kejam sekiranya mereka tidak mendapat penjelasan dan maklumat tepat.

Masyarakat Islam di Singapura masih was-was mengenai penggunaan air baru Newater yang diproses daripada kumbahan manusia, terutamanya untuk diminum dan digunakan untuk mengambil wuduk. Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (PUM) berkata sekiranya proses pembersihannya diakui oleh agama Islam, kesucian air itu tidak patut dipertikaikan.

As the government has made known its intention to introduce English-medium instruction for Science and Mathematics, many are wondering if Malaysian teachers are able to cope with the short-notice policy change.

The place for PAS leaders is in hell because they have betrayed the religion by calling God a "thug" and a "hoodlum", says Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Terengganu today.

laporan penuh Isu penggunaan bahasa Inggeris untuk matapelajaran Sains dan Matematik kini semakin menarik perhatian dan tentangan daripada pertubuhan pendidikan Tamil. Yayasan Pembangunan dan Kajian Pendidikan Tamil Malaysia (DK) berpendapat pelajar Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (JKT) Tamil, khususnya di luar bandar akan menjadi mangsa kepada dasar baru kerajaan itu.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's expected talks with Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not take place during the premier's visit to Burma this Sunday. There is no official request by Suu Kyi for such a meeting, says a Malaysian official.

The Malaysian Bar human rights sub-committee members met with Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairperson Abu Talib Othman today to discuss possible areas of cooperation.

Unable to rebut well-reasoned opposition to the English issue, the government is forced to look for red herrings — "Chinese extremists" being a favourite. MGG PILLAI brushes that aside and argues instead that the new lease of life given to English must start amongst policy makers before it is applied to the nation.

How would Malaysian journalists improve their standards if laws hinder their work? And would the proposed Media Council get the respect it deserves if it ignores the need to repeal these laws? Intriguing questions... and the answers at the moment are anybody's guess.