KAJIAN MENUNJUKKAN KERJAYA POLIS LEBIH STRES BERBANDING GURU

Polis lebih stres berbanding guru

Kerap bertugas luar waktu pejabat punca ramai anggota alami tekanan

KUALA LUMPUR 2011/09/27: Lambakan beban kerja dan kerap mendapat tugasan di luar waktu pejabat atau on call menyebabkan ramai anggota polis mengalami tekanan atau stres, berbanding penjawat awam di sektor lain, iaitu doktor, jururawat, guru serta bomba.

Lambakan beban kerja termasuk kerja lebih masa yang perlu mereka lakukan kerana menyertai pelbagai operasi dan serbuan yang kebiasaannya dilakukan di luar waktu pejabat, iaitu antara jam 5 petang sehingga 6 pagi.

GOVT OFFICER’S LABOUR OF LOVE FOR COUNTRY

Govt officer’s labour of love for country

KOTA KINABALU September 17, 2011: It was Md Tajudin Sadi’s best six-hour work  which he would cherish for a lifetime.

Sewing the Jalur Gemilang and Sabah flags together to make out a robe, it was no surprise that the 53-year-old officer with the State Education Department’s Uniformed Co-Curriculum Division caught the people’s attention.

 “Many came to talk to me and asked about my robe. Some even took photos with me … this is my way of celebrating Malaysia Day,” he said with a smile.

Md Tajudin said he did not plan to sew the dress until Thursday.

“So I started sewing robe from 6pm and completed the work at midnight. The robe symbolises Malaysia Day while my songkok (which was also wrapped with the flags) reflects the Merdeka Raya, since we are still in the month of Syawal,”

CADANGAN Kesatuan Olahraga Amatur Malaysia (KOAM) untuk mengadakan program latihan atlet dengan kos RM3 juta di Kompleks Sukan Ranau, Sabah ditolak Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN), semalam.

Ranau tidak sesuai

Kesatuan Olahraga Amatur Malaysia (KOAM) untuk mengadakan program latihan atlet dengan kos RM3 juta di Kompleks Sukan Ranau, Sabah ditolak Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN), semalam.

Ketua Pengarah, Datuk Zolkples Embong berkata, tempat latihan dikemukakan badan induk sukan olahraga itu tidak sesuai kerana daripada segi geografi, Ranau bukan kawasan tanah tinggi yang sesuai untuk latihan atlet acara trek.

“Kami tidak mahu bazirkan peruntukan kerajaan untuk program yang tidak memberi kesan kepada pembangunan semua atlet,” katanya mengulas perkembangan cadangan KOAM untuk mengadakan program latihan di luar Kuala Lumpur bagi persiapan menghadapi Sukan Sea di Indonesia.

Beliau berkata, atlet olahraga perlukan pertandingan berbentuk kompetitif dan bukannya menjalani latihan di luar Kuala Lumpur.

Zolkples berkata, MSN akan berhati-hati menyalurkan peruntukan kewangan kepada KOAM selepas badan olahraga itu didapati beberapa kali menggunakan peruntukan tidak mengikut cadangan MSN.

“Tahun lalu MSN menyalurkan peruntukan besar kepada KOAM bagi program pembangunan atlet tapi digunakan untuk menghantar atletnya bertanding di luar negara,” katanya.

Katanya, MSN menyalurkan peruntukan khas kepada KOAM untuk membeli peralatan bantuan sukan namun mereka tidak membuat pembelian itu dan wang tidak dikembalikan kepada MSN.

“Saya kecewa dengan kenyataan KOAM mendesak atlet yang masih belajar menyertai program sedangkan ada di antara mereka perlu menghabiskan pengajian tahun ini selepas tujuh tahun menangguh pengajian.

“Tahun ini atlet tidak ada banyak kejohanan penting dan inilah masa mereka menghabiskan baki pengajian di institut pengajian tinggi sebelum kembali sibuk dengan kejohanan sukan tahun depan,” katanya.

Tahun depan atlet negara perlu memberi sepenuh perhatian kepada persiapan menghadapi temasya Sukan Olimpik London, katanya.

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MAAU To Send 72 Athletes For High Altitude Training Stint In Ranau

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) plans to send 72 national athletes, identified for the 2011 SEA Games, for a high altitude training stint in Ranau, Sabah starting next month.

MAAU deputy president Karim Ibrahim said the first of a four-phase training camp to prepare athletes for the SEA Games would comprise 50 elite athletes and those from the back up squad.

"The training in Ranau will be divided into four phases and each phase will be for a duration of between two to three months, depending on the requirement.

"The training will be followed by competitions to test the performance of the athletes under training," he told reporters after a periodisation workshop held at the National Sports Council and attended by 72 national coaches from all levels.

Karim said the first phase of training in Ranau would focus on long distance runners and walkers.

"The programmes in Ranau will be conducted by coaches Ithnin Mahadi, Istiaq Mubarak, Mohd Man Sahar and Harun Rasheed," he said.

Commenting on athletes who had claimed that training in Ranau would interrupt their academic schedule, Karim said their respective coaches would draft their programmes without clashing with their studies.

"But don't simply claim that going to Ranau will affect their studies but when the same athletes are recommended for overseas stints, they are willing to put their studies on hold," he said.

Karim said the programme aimed at producing favourable results in the SEA Games would however, depend on the financial approval from the National Sports Council, since the MAAU expect the cost to reach about RM3 million.

"MAAU had sent the proposal to NSC on Dec 10, 2010 and we are waiting for a favourable reply. If the NSC does not approve the budget, then the MAAU will have to look for an alternative option. But the NSC should not point fingers at us if the athletes don't perform well in Indonesia," he said.

"If we have been sending our athletes to train at high altitude places like Kunming, China in the past, why not train at our own high altitude place which will certainly save cost because it will be much cheaper."

-- BERNAMA

KOAM tergesa-gesa

TOO MANY NEW DOCTORS AND TOO FEW HOSPITALS TO TRAIN THEM, THIS HAS GIVEN RISE TO CONCERN THAT THEY MAY NOT GET SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE ?

Too many new doctors and too few hospitals to train them

PETALING JAYA: The number of medical housemen undergoing clinical training in most government hospitals has increased and this has given rise to concern that they may not get sufficient experience.

With new medical schools opening up locally and lower fees being offered at new institutions abroad, around 4,000 Malaysian medical students are expected to graduate annually from 350 universities all over the world in the coming years.

Senior Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) consultant physician Datuk Dr S. Jeyaindran said each specialist was supervising four times as many housemen compared to a decade ago.

“Five years ago, one houseman looked after 10 patients in hospital wards at any one time but now it is one to four patients,” said Dr Jeyaindran, who is HKL department of medicine head and national head for medicine at the Health Ministry.

“The concern is that these interns are seeing fewer patients and hence, have fewer opportunities to carry out adequate procedures. In some hospitals, there are more housemen than patients.”

Dr Jeyaindran said they were not only concerned about the increase in numbers but also their attitude.

“Some lack responsibility towards their patients,” he said, adding that there were also those who did not know how to give an accurate diagnosis and relied too much on investigative tools instead of clinical skills and getting the proper patient history.

Malaysian Medical Council ethics committee chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Abdul Kadir said several specialists had expressed concern about the large numbers and training hospitals were finding it difficult to cope.

“In the past, it was five housemen in each department but now it could be 20 to 30 for each department,” he said, adding that some specialists were overburdened by the workload.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the ministry was aware of the issue and would be increasing the number of training hospitals.

He said the ideal ratio should be one specialist supervising five housemen with one houseman taking care of 14 hospital beds depending on discipline.

There were 38 hospitals providing training to more than 3,058 housemen last year.

However, the number increased to the current 6,253 housemen since the ministry increased the duration of housemanship from one year to two.

“This led to most hospitals, including those in Sabah and Sarawak, having an excess of housemen,” he said.

Hospitals that were chosen must be able to cater to six areas in which housemen need training – medical, surgical, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedic and accident, and emergency, he said.

Liow also said that they would be getting 58 contract specialists from Egypt, India and Pakistan next month to help supervise housemen and reduce the burden of the specialists now.

He also said that the ministry had taken steps to overcome the lack of experience among housemen by making training compulsory for two years instead of one.

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Time even for a movie during work

KRISIS AKHLAK REMAJA NEGARA DI TAHAP SERIUS - KPN

Kerajasama Semua Pihak Penting Bantu Atasi Masalah Sosial - Musa Hassan

GEORGE TOWN, 27 Julai (Bernama) -- Kerjasama dari ibu bapa, anggota masyarakat, pihak sekolah dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) amat penting dalam membantu menurunkan kadar masalah sosial khususnya di kalangan golongan remaja di negara ini, kata Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Beliau berkata kerjasama itu perlu dititik beratkan oleh semua golongan ekoran kes seperti pembuangan bayi, penderaan, ketagihan dadah dan mat rempit semakin menular pada masa ini.

"Ini adalah berdasarkan perangkaan-perangkaan statistik yang banyak menunjukkan betapa seriusnya krisis akhlak yang melanda remaja di negara kita ketika ini," katanya di sini Isnin malam.

Musa berkata pelbagai pihak perlu memupuk kesedaran bahawa jenayah seperti itu tidak boleh dianggap sebagai remeh oleh masyarakat.

Beliau juga berkata hubungan antara komuniti dan polis amat penting bagi mendidik masyarakat bahawa pencegahan jenayah adalah tanggungjawab bersama dan ia merupakan satu perkara yang perlu dititik beratkan dalam apa juga aktiviti.

Timbalan Yayasan Pencegahan Jenayah Malaysia, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye pula mencadangkan supaya satu perlaksanaan diwujudkan sebagai inisiatif memerangi jenayah serta mencipta persekitaran hidup yang lebih selamat.

Beliau berkata `inisiatif bandar raya selamat atau kejiranan selamat' yang merupakan suatu projek yayasan tersebut merupakan contoh kerjasama antara kerajaan dan NGO terhadap pencegahan jenayah melalui perancangan persekitaran dan pendidikan.

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Dua Remaja Dihantar Ke Sekolah Pemulihan Akhlak Kerana Merompak

Kes remaja hamil kronik

TERDAPAT AKTIVITI-AKTIVITI KONGSI GELAP, MENGEDAR DADAH, ALKOHOL, VANDALISME DAN JENAYAH SEKSUAL BERLELUASA DI KALANGAN PELAJAR SEKOLAH

'Tiada Kuasa' Lawan Pelajar Buli - Guru

RAWANG: Guru-guru di sekolah di sini yang berlakunya kes seorang gadis berumur 14 tahun dirogol oleh rakan sekelas memberitahu bahawa mereka ‘tiada kuasa’ untuk berhadapan dengan pelajar-pelajar yang tidak berdisiplin.

Seorang guru senior berkata, keadaan sekolah itu sesak dengan 3,264 pelajar dan hanya terdapat 30 guru disiplin di kalangan 169 kakitangan yang mengajar.

Peratus bilangan pelajar meliputi Cina sebanyak 43.96 peratus, India pula 38.63 peratus dan Melayu (15.4 peratus).

“Ia terlalu ramai untuk kami kawal,” kata guru berkenaan.

Pasukan Starprobe semalam melaporkan terdapat aktiviti-aktiviti kongsi gelap, mengedar dadah, alkohol, vandalisme dan jenayah seksual berleluasa di kalangan pelajar sekolah itu.

Pelajar-pelajar terbabit yang terdiri daripada beberapa kumpulan telah menimbulkan kebimbangan di kalangan pelajar, guru-guru, ibu bapa juga penduduk setempat.

Cabul dilihat perkara biasa di sekolah itu dan bilangan pelajar yang terlalu ramai hanya menjadikan keadaan tersebut semakin buruk.

Rina (bukan nama sebenar), bekas pelajar mengakui dia pernah dicabul sewaktu belajar di sekolah itu.

Namun dia hanya dituduh kerana melakukan konspirasi dengan pelajar lain apabila mengadu kejadian tersebut kepada seorang guru.

“Guru itu berkata jika benar saya dicabul, saya sepatutnya mengalami trauma,” ujarnya.

Seorang guru yang memberitahu Starprobe berkata, pelajar-pelajar akan dibuang sekiranya mempunyai masalah disiplin, namun kembali semula dengan bantuan ibu bapa mereka.

“Kami percaya ibu bapa pelajar terbabit menggunakan ‘kedudukan’ mereka untuk memastikan anak-anak mereka kembali belajar di sini. Sekurang-kurangnya 30 pelajar akan kembali semula selepas dua atau tiga bulan mereka dibuang,” katanya.

Malah katanya, terdapat kejadian di mana pelajar buli mengambil tindakan dengan membuat laporan polis terhadap guru yang didakwa mengasari mereka.

“Mereka sepatutnya tampil bersama peguam,” ujarnya.

Pengendali bas sekolah yang membawa pelajar-pelajar daripada sekolah berkenaan selama 15 tahun berkata, disiplin mereka semakin teruk sejak bertahun-tahun.

“Ada di antara mereka melakukan vandalisme terhadap rakan lain yang mengendalikan bas sekolah dengan menyembur ayat ’08 is tops’ pada bas terbabit. Malah, mereka pernah menyerang seorang pelajar berhampiran kenderaan saya dua bulan lepas,” katanya.

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Juvana 17 tahun ancam mahu bunuh cikgu di tempat letak motosikal sekolah

Murid pecah gegendang telinga ditampar guru

"ONE DAY, THOUSANDS OF THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL OCCUPY SEATS OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT; CONTROL ALL THE BIG BUSINESSES AND LABOUR AND SO ON. "WHAT CAN WE DO, IF THEY DECIDE TO HAND OVER SABAH TO THE PHILIPPINES?"

Jeffrey blasts the Feds

KUCHING - Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, PKR coordinator for East Malaysia, has put the blame squarely on the Federal Government for the lack of concern over security matters affecting Sabah and Sarawak.

"The main reason why the two states agreed to the formation of the Malaysian Federation was because of the communist threat due to the Domino theory as well as to threats coming from the then Indonesian Government under President Sukarno and the Philippines Government under President Macapagal," he said when addressing a forum on 'Saya Anak Bansa Malaysia' (SABM) at a leading hotel in Kuching yesterday.

History has recorded that Sukarno was against the formation of Malaysia labeling it as a new form of colonialism, while Macapagal had staked a claim on Sabah.

"As we from Sabah and Sarawak were fearful of the threats posed by Indonesia and the Philippines and believing that the new federation could protect us and provide the security, we agreed to join Malaya and Singapore to form the federation of Malaysia," he explained.

Illegals are security risks

"But now where is the security that has been promised? Thousands of illegal immigrants are coming to Sabah resulting in more foreigners in the state than Sabahans.

"No action is taken against these illegal immigrants; in fact they are being welcomed with Mykad and allowed to register as voters.

"With these cards, they can go anywhere in the country and some may be security risks," Jeffrey warned.

"One day, thousands of these illegal immigrants will occupy seats of the State government; control all the big businesses and labour and so on.

"What can we do, if they decide to hand over Sabah to the Philippines?" he asked, reminding the federal leaders that the Philippines has not dropped its claim on Sabah.

"Or what will happen if there is national strife? And security problems in Sabah are not Sabah's problems alone; it will be a Malaysian problem.

"These are our worries as the Federal Government has failed to look after the interests of Malaysians in Sabah," he added.

On the Malaysian Agreement, Kitingan called for the formation of a committee comprising West Malaysians, East Malaysians and the British to relook into the 20-point Agreement as some of the most important points in the agreement have not been honoured.

"There are trails of broken promises," he said, pointing out that there is no compliance mechanism to check the implementation of the agreement.

Status of those born of mixed marriages

Another panel speaker, Baru Bian spoke on "How the Federation has failed Sarawakians" especially with regard to the issuing of birth certificates and Mykads, citizenship, education, the recruitments into the civil and diplomatic services.

"Thousands of natives in Lawas, Ba'kelalan, Lubok Antu and Kapit have not been given birth certificates and Mykads and as a result,they are non-citizens.

"These are big issues," he said, pointing out that the Federal Government has failed to address the problems.

On the status of natives arising from mixed marriages, Baru suggested that the law must be amended to ensure that if the father is a native and the mother is a non-native, their off-spring should be considered "native".

"If the current provision of Article 161A of the Federal Constitution is to be enforced strictly, then there will be no natives in Sarawak.

"We need to amend the law and make it very clear," he added.

Baru who Sarawak PKR chairman also expressed regret that in the 47 years of the formation of Malaysia, less than five Sarawakians have been appointed as ambassadors or high commissioners.

"Where is the spirit of the Federation and the promise of equal partnership and the special privileges accorded to the natives?" he asked.

Batu Lintang State Assemblyman Voon Lee Shan was also a panel speaker at the event..

APA BELIA WANITA KATAKAN MENGENAI RASUAH

''Contohnya, pemimpin-pemimpin yang rasuah tidak akan mampu mengekalkan keamanan serta keselamatan bangsa dan negara.

''Rasuah juga akan menyebabkan perpaduan antara kaum yang pelbagai di negara ini berpecah belah yang akhirnya menimbulkan ancaman kepada keamanan negara,"

Norhaslina Rosli, 21, dari Kolej Perubatan Univeristi Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)

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''Rasuah juga akan menyebabkan rakyat di negara ini mungkin terpaksa merempat di bawah jambatan dan hidup umpama 'kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang,''

''Kesannya, rakyat memberontak kerana tidak puas hati dengan kerajaan yang ada dan berlaku perang saudara, pembunuhan beramai-ramai serta saling tidak mempercayai antara satu sama lain,"

Nur Syakina Jamali, 19, dari Kolej Sakura Unimas

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''Walaupun sesetengah negara itu kaya dengan sumber alam, namun pembangunan infrastruktur terlalu mundur seperti jalan raya, sekolah, hospital dan kemudahan awam tidak dibangunkan secara teratur akibat perbuatan rasuah.

''Sekiranya amalan rasuah dibiarkan berterusan, undang-undang yang melindungi rakyat ketika ini akan dipinggirkan dan seterusnya memungkinkan perundangan negara ditentukan oleh pengamal rasuah,"

Cordelia Herbert, 22, dari Kolej Allamanda Unimas

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Kaum wanita sememangnya wajar diberi peluang menerajui parti-parti politik di negara ini kerana sifat semulajadi mereka yang sentiasa amanah dan bersungguh-sungguh ketika bekerja,

Antara kelebihan wanita mereka sentiasa melakukan kerja sepenuh hati apabila diamanahkan dan jarang sekali terlibat dalam gejala rasuah.

Pengerusi Yayasan Suara Wanita Malaysia, Tan Sri Zaleha Ismail

SABAH YAKIN CAPAI CUMA 15% SASARAN PELAKSANAAN JALUR LEBAR KEBANGSAAN (NBI) TAHUN DEPAN ?????!!!!!

KOTA KINABALU, 10 Okt (Bernama) -- Kerajaan Sabah yakin mampu mencapai 30 peratus daripada sasaran 50 peratus Pelaksanaan Jalur Lebar Kebangsaan (NBI) isi rumah menjelang tahun depan, kata Menteri Pembangunan Sumber Asli dan Teknologi Maklumat negeri Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai pada hari Sabtu.

Beliau berkata kerajaan negeri mengaku selama ini, Sabah sentiasa ketinggalan dalam bidang teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi (ICT) serta capaian kemudahan jalur lebar.

Kadar capaian kemudahan jalur lebar isi rumah di Sabah sekarang hanya sebanyak 11 peratus, kata beliau.

"Kami akan usahakannya melalui program yang sedang dilaksanakan...sebenarnya, kami ingin berada setara dengan yang lain (negeri lain di seluruh negara). Kami tak mahu melihat ada negeri yang ketinggalan berbanding negeri lain.

"Oleh itu, patut sangatlah ada satu dasar nasional di mana setiap negeri sama dengan yang lain agar kami dapat kukuhkan kedudukan kami di peringkat nasional," kata Yee kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Pesta Jalur Lebar anjuran Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (MCMC) di sini.

Pengarah MCMC Sabah dan Labuan Ahmad Nor Hisham Mohd Yusop berkata capaian 15 peratus isi rumah terhadap kemudahan jalur lebar dijangka menjadi kenyataan di negeri ini menjelang tahun depan.

MCMC menetapkan sasaran NBI pada kadar 50 peratus isi rumah di seluruh negara tahun depan. Kini, Malaysia merupakan antara negara yang berada di kedudukan paling bawah daripada segi capaian kemudahan jalur lebar berbanding negara anggota Asean lain.

Yee berkata menjelang akhir tahun ini, kementerian itu berharap dapat menyediakan latihan dalam bidang ICT kepada kira-kira 80,000 penduduk negeri ini melalui program yang dijalankan sejak empat tahun lepas.

Sementara itu, dalam ucapannya, Ahmad berkata antara cara bagi memperkenalkan kemudahan jalur lebar kepada orang ramai ialah penubuhan Pusat Jalur Lebar Masyarakat (CBC) dan setakat ini enam pusat berkenaan telah diwujudkan di Sabah.

CBC galak jalur lebar

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PAKATAN PEMBANGKANG BOLEH BENTUK GABUNGAN RASMI, KATA ROS

"Saya nak jelaskan di sini, syarat itu tak terpakai untuk parti politik sebab mereka sudahpun bertaraf nasional, tetapi kalau pertubuhan tidak berstatus kebangsaan mahu menjadi pertubuhan kebangsaan mereka perlu ada tujuh wakil dari negeri-negeri,"

Mengulas laporan media Selasa yang memetik kenyataan Timbalan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar bahawa pakatan pembangkang boleh membentuk satu parti jika mereka benar-benar mahu berbuat demikian walaupun hanya ada tiga anggota.

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan (ROS) Datuk Md Alias Kalil

PENTINGNYA TOLERANSI KAUM

Keadaan menjadi lebih tegang dan hampir mencetuskan pergaduhan apabila seorang penduduk yang mewakili masyarakat India, R. Gunaretinam, 27, bangun dan menegaskan persetujuan 48 keluarga India di situ berhubung pembinaan kuil tersebut.

Ini kerana, katanya, kebanyakan rumah di bandar raya itu mempunyai surau dan masjid.

Dia kemudian mendakwa orang Melayu di Seksyen 23 tidak peka dengan sensitiviti masyarakat India di situ yang didakwanya bertoleransi dengan orang Islam berhubung isu azan lima kali sehari.

Dakwaan Gunaretinam itu telah mencetuskan kemarahan penduduk beragama Islam sehingga ada yang dilihat bertindak mengangkat kerusi yang akhirnya menyebabkan Abdul Khalid terpaksa bangun dan menghentikan perbincangan sambil meminta penduduk bertenang.

“Hentikan perbincangan cadangan pembinaan kuil Seksyen 23, kita akan cari jalan yang sesuai dan saya akan cuba selesaikan hari ini.

“Kalau kita perlu selesaikan, kita cari penyelesaian dengan baik bukan dengan cara memecah-belahkan masyarakat.

“Kerajaan negeri akan cari jalan penyelesaian, tiada perbincangan lagi, saya akan jumpa masyarakat Hindu dan lihat bagaimana nak selesai masalah kuil dan saya juga berharap mereka dapat sabarkan diri,” ujar beliau.

Namun, sekumpulan penduduk dilihat terus mengerumuni tempat duduk komuniti India di dalam dewan tetapi keadaan berjaya dikawal anggota penguat kuasa MBSA dan tiada sebarang kejadian tidak diingini berlaku.

Sementara itu, seorang guru India yang tinggal di fasa kedua Seksyen 23, M. Sekar ketika ditemui selepas sesi dialog memberitahu, walaupun penduduk India di situ menyokong pembinaan kuil di kawasan itu, namun mereka akur dengan keputusan yang akan dibuat oleh kerajaan negeri.

“Kami mahu kuil itu dibina dan ia adalah hak kami untuk menyokong pembinaan kuil itu tetapi kami akur dengan keputusan kerajaan negeri,” katanya.

"DO YOU THINK I WOULD JUMP INTO A WELL IF I KNEW IT WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?"

Barisan Nasional candidate for Permatang Pasir Rohaizat Othman should have been honest with party leaders about his background and the issues surrounding his candidacy.

"If he had informed me (about all this), I would have objected to his candidacy ... instead, he chose to keep the truth to himself.

"He was not honest and has put Umno and the BN in a bad light."

"Do you think I would jump into a well if I knew it was there in the first place?"

Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid

KERAJAAN PUSAT BERDOLAK-DALIK – SAMAD SAID

"Saya lihat sampai sekarang kerajaan gagal mengumumkan mengenai langkah mereka memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu. Apa yang mereka lakukan hanyalah memperkasakan Bahasa Inggeris kerana ia adalah bahasa perniagaan serta bangsawan.

"Selain itu, saya juga ingin menyatakan bahawa kerajaan pusat berdolak-dalik untuk memansuhkan PPSMI. Ini terbukti kerana ketika hendak melaksanakan, mereka hanya ambil masa lima bulan, tetapi dua atau tiga tahun untuk memansuhkannya,"

"Apabila golongan kami tidak didengar pendapatnya, lebih baik kami minta bantuan daripada pembangkang yang agak lantang menyuarakan isu-isu seumpama itu,"

Sasterawan Negara, Datuk A. Samad Said

BEAT IT, MA!

So who's to blame for your kid's potty mouth?

It's not the proudest moment for any parent when kids increase their vocabulary with bad words. Be it from television, the Internet, friends or family, kids are learning to say the darndest things these days, writes AUDREY VIJAINDREN.

ONE of the many joys of parenting is hearing your child's first words, be it "mama" or "papa".

But when kids develop a "potty mouth", things around the house are not so pleasant anymore.

Potty mouth is a term used when a toddler picks up bad words or swear words and starts repeating them, without always knowing what it means.

More often than not, potty mouth starts even before a parent realises it, when they accidentally blurt out a bad word at home, in front of their kids.

But these days, it seems that potty mouths are more common among school-going children. They've developed more "colourful" words and even codes to hide their language from adults.

Two months ago, it was reported that based on a survey of 69 schools across Britain, more than one in five primary schools had raised the alarm over pupils' conduct.

Children as young as 4 were being expelled from school for violence, including biting, chair-throwing and inappropriate sexual behaviour.

It was reported that some schools were struggling to cope with the disturbing behaviour, especially among children who had been exposed to domestic violence, sexual abuse, poverty or a parent's illness.

But this is not just a problem in Western countries. Malaysian kids are fast picking up on words that once would have caused their mouths to be washed with soap or rubbed with chilli.

While most parents are not at home to keep a close watch on their children, others are feeling the strain and hurt of being on the receiving end of curses and insults.

"Kids are constantly coming up with 'colourful' words these days. They are exposed to the Internet, and don't know how to express their anger, frustration and other feelings.

"Society has become so accommodating with these words, so children don't see anything wrong with it," says SEGi College student counsellor Marian Arumugam.

A problem that starts with primary schoolchildren can become worse as they grow up.

"Once you get hooked on a word like f***, it's difficult to stop using it. It becomes a habit. But you can't stop it all together... you have to gradually teach them that it's inappropriate.

"It usually happens with primary schoolchildren who are testing their boundaries and experimenting in the hope of getting a reaction from adults.

"Hopefully, the novelty of using that word wears off and they replace it with something else like 'fantastic', something better.

"It's not always for attention, they may be just pushing the limits. They may want more freedom to express themselves."

But labelling these children, Marian says, is not the answer.

"There is no need to label them as 'bad children', they are just picking up and applying the word without knowing what it actually means. The words don't always fit the context and it usually has a different meaning.

"But it varies according to age group because many older children usually have learnt when and where to use these words, most of the time among their peers."

In Britain, she says, the situation is far worse than in Malaysia.

"The media has to bear the brunt of the blame. Even chefs on TV cooking shows use foul words. Technology has its advantages and disadvantages.

"Malaysian television is very good because they are trying to curb this problem by censoring shows.

"You may not be able to stop it completely because of other media, like the Internet. But you have to try all ways of controlling the use of these words."

Whether your child is being influenced by friends or is an influence, yelling and screaming at them will not solve the problem.

"There is no point shouting or yelling at them when they use bad words. It's better to correct them by saying, 'we don't quite like the word', 'it's not a nice word' or 'that's not the way to communicate'.

"Instead of reprimanding them, it's better to make them understand that it's wrong.

"Religion is a good way to instil good values. Being more spiritual will definitely help.

"It's also good to use a little humour and make the situation light-hearted but, at the same time, explain it a bit and check that word."

Whatever the age group, Marian says, children need to know their limits.

"There must be ground rules to teach children what they can and cannot do.

"But you have to give children a certain amount of leeway because you will not always be there to check them. They have to find out in their own way."

Children are not the only ones with vocabulary issues. Many kids pick up bad words from their own parents.

"It's difficult to teach children to behave and speak properly when parents themselves are using words like s**t* and f*** in front of their children.

"Instead of blurting out a bad word when you bump your toe, try changing it to 'ouch, that hurts'. It's important to be a positive role model," says Marian.

Embarrassed in public when their children use bad words they picked up at home, many parents claim they have no idea how their child came up with that.

But checking yourself first, Marian says, has to be done before you try to check your children.

"If you accidentally blurt out a bad word, you must recognise and apologise to your child. Otherwise, you are giving confusing messages to your children.

"If you allow your child to use bad words at an early age, you should not complain when they develop other bad habits in their teenage years.

"It's sad to see young kids being dressed up like adults with make-up and branded items. Many parents don't realise that they are grooming their children to have a certain image and grow up too soon. Let them be children."

What turned off some parents...

“I cancelled my subscription to all cartoon channels when my 4-year-old called me a ‘loser’ because I asked her to turn off the television at 11pm.”

“Most times when I talk to my 5-year-old, she would say, ‘that was so 30 minutes ago’.”

“When I turned off the lights to leave the house with my daughter, my 4-year-old son turned around to say, ‘I was wondering what the hell happened’.”

“When I told my daughter she had to clean her room, she stomped out muttering, ‘I’m going out to find a new parent’.”

“My daughter has started talking with an American accent she picked up from television shows and wearing similar make-up!”

“I’m not worried about the language as much the attitude kids are mimicking from their favourite characters, who are much older than her.”

“When my little one was told that he should not sit too close to the television, he told my husband that I should have got a bigger house.”

Media the biggest culprit

SUE Ann (not her real name) is a working mother with a 4-year-old daughter.

Although she spends quality time doing craft work and cooking with her daughter, the influence of cartoons was inevitable.

“It got to a point where my husband and I started doubting our parenting methods. Our daughter was a very sweet girl but over the past year, she had picked up inappropriate words from cartoon shows.

“I used to grow up with great cartoons which had moral values. Today, it seems cartoons are the biggest culprit in influencing the attitude of young children. I’d rather let her watch sitcoms instead,” she says.

After being “told off” by her daughter a few times, Sue Ann realised that she had to take control of the situation or she’ll never be able to communicate with her daughter.

“After much contemplation and discussions with my husband, we decided to ensure proper parental guidance by keeping her away from teen shows and ‘rude’ cartoons.

“We stopped most of the television packages and bought her more books. She was upset with us at first but eventually, she learnt to adjust.

“In just a few months, we saw a total change in our daughter. Now she is more polite and her attitude has improved tremendously,” Sue Ann says.

Although adults tend to blame the media for inculcating bad habits and adult language to the kids, they should realise that this was also present in the days when they were young.

“It’s easy to say that television and the Internet are the cause of social ills, but were we not exposed to such material before?” asks Dr Subash Kumar, senior lecturer and consultant psychiatrist of the television to music.

“The best way to curb this is not to ban or restrict the movies but to improve the role of parenting.

“A young child does not know right from wrong and so it is up to parents to determine the correct behaviour.

“You can’t stop everything from entering your home, so it is up to the parents to decide. Parents may have problems managing these kids because they may not be spending enough time with them.

“It’s important to build a relationship with a child. But that takes time and unfortunately, spending time with our kids has become a luxury now.”

Dr Subash says children model themselves after their parents.

“If the influence is not strong, then these children are going to turn to some other factor.”

“So we cannot blame our kids when they curse and shout when we are doing it ourselves.”