Kamalanathan finds PBS hard, too

The Star, Friday February 21, 2014 

by priya kulasagaran

Deputy Edu­cation Minister P. Kamalanathan

KAJANG: The complaints by teachers about the difficulty in accessing the school-based assessments system or PBS are valid. Deputy Edu­cation Minister P. Kamalanathan has learnt that first-hand.

“I have tried logging on to the (online) system myself.

“It took me two minutes just to key in one student’s data.

“If a teacher has three classes of 30 students, this means it will take at least three hours to key in the data.

“This is why the ministry has set up a war room and a hotline for teachers to report the problems they are facing,” he said at SK Jalan Simpangan 1 and 2 yesterday.

Kamalanathan was on a visit to several schools in the Kajang area, including SJK(T) Kajang and SMK Tinggi Kajang.

He said a special team would collect feedback on the teachers’ problems with the system and work on rectifying them.

A main complaint by teachers was the inaccessibility of the online database used to key in data on students’ achievement.

He added that the PBS was a “good system that has been proven to work in many countries around the world”.

“We just have to take another look at the implementation, the mechanism used (for the PBS),” he said.

The PBS system was introduced in primary schools, starting with Year One pupils in 2011 and in secondary schools with Form One students in 2012.

Following grouses by teachers over the inaccessibility of the online database, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said earlier this month that the PBS would be reviewed.

At the same time, teacher group Suara Guru-Masyarakat Malaysia confirmed that it would go ahead with its planned protest over the matter tomorrow at the Bandar Baru Bangi mosque.

Meanwhile, Parent Action Group for Edu­cation Malaysia (PAGE) called for the PBS to be put on hold until “all kinks are ironed out” as parents were still sceptical of the system.

“PBS requires that teachers evaluate each student individually. This can cause inconsistent marking.
“Not only are teachers not used to such a marking scheme, but teacher evaluation is subjective and varies among different teachers and schools.

“In addition, a real sore point with teachers is that PBS evaluation comes with a huge baggage of administrative and clerical chores in the method of reporting students’ progress,” said the group in a statement on Thursday.

According to the ministry’s website, the “war room” for the PBS opens from 8am to 10pm, and its helpdesk can be reached at 03-8889 3640/ 3520/ 3601/ 3551/ 3022.

UPHILL BATTLE: MCA to target Chinese, rely on Umno for Malay votes in Kajang

Malaysian Chronicles, Friday, 21 February 2014

 

KAJANG - It appears that MCA may be in for an uphill battle in winning the hearts and votes of Kajang folk if it contests the March 23 Kajang by-election.

MCA Hulu Langat Youth chief Pung Wai Hung said the party would need to prove its mettle in solving local issues affecting residents such as crime, floods, and traffic jams and garbage management.

He said the party will focus on the Chinese community while relying on Umno for the Malay votes.

“We will be targeting all 16 districts and be humble in our approach to them.

“We realise that it will be an uphill battle,’ he told theSun at its operation centre in Jalan Berjaya 2 here today.

Echoing his sentiment was Umno’s Hulu Langat division secretary Ahmad Fuad Abdul Rahman, who sees the polls as a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) despite the entry of independent candidates.

“This situation (presence of independent candidates) would not make any difference as the Kajang people are generally 50-50 (in their choice), meaning either for BN or PR,” Ahmad Fuad said, adding that the challenge would be to convince the locals here that they need an MCA candidate.

This is because of the large Chinese community in Kajang of 15,931, with 19,194 Malays, Indians (4,073) and others (295), bringing the total to 39,493.

He said while the voters wait for the official announcement of the candidate to contest against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, they are more concerned with daily issues affecting their livelihood.

Another survey conducted with Umno’s members showed that key areas such Sungai Chua 1 and Sungai Chua 2 showed an inclination towards PR, while those in Sungai Sekamat, Kantan and Sungai Kantan were more inclined towards supporting a BN candidate.

“Either way, this by-election will be an interesting one to see who the people pick as their candidate this time around,” said Ahmad Fuad. - The Sundaily

Full article: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=230062:uphill-battle-mca-to-target-chinese-rely-on-umno-for-malay-votes-in-kajang&Itemid=2#ixzz2u8F4oaJq

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Only 18 local councillors for Kajang, against 24 previously

FZ.com, 20 February 2014

KAJANG (Feb 20): The number of Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) members appointed for this session has dropped by at least six, where only 18 letters of acceptance were sent out.

MPKj had 24 councillors in the last session.

An officer in MPKj said many of the soon-to-be-councillors have not returned the letter of acceptance yet and that council president Datuk Hassan Nawawi has not given the date for the swearing in ceremony.

“Well, with the (March 23) Kajang by-election at our doorstep we will conduct the swearing in ceremony a little bit later than the other councils in Selangor. However, we will not conduct it after the by-election, it will definitely be before the by-election.

“We have not received the date from our council president yet and there are some appointed council members who have not returned the acceptance form. I don’t know how many will accept and how many will reject,” the officer  told fz.com.

When asked how many new council members were appointed and whether or not only six council members from the old team were dropped, the officer only pointed out that since the swearing-in ceremony has not taken place, there is no way anyone can confirm on the new line up.

“I can’t answer that. I think there are more than six that have been dropped from the old line-up but for a confirmation, we need to wait till the swearing-in ceremony,” said the officer, who requested anonymity.

The move where many old council members were dropped and only 18 letters of acceptance were sent out is not a surprise due to the standoff between Hassan and his entire council during the last session as reported by fz.com.

The standoff took place when the councillors walked out of a full board meeting in disagreement with Hassan on Aug 24 and moved a motion of no confidence against their president and claimed “abuse of power, non-co-operative civil servants and dubious management procedures” as the reasons for their loss of faith.

It has been confirmed that Hasan had unlawfully given a RM10 million discount to developers, causing ratepayers to lose revenue.

However, Hassan held a trump card in his hand with a dossier holding evidence that at least 10 councillors had sought or benefitted from council contracts.

Kajang was left without a full board meeting up till Dec 13 last year, after Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim told everyone to get back to work.

However, the meeting convened only to confirm that the Menteri Besar’s office was still needed to solve the impasse.

Whether or not 18 councillors for Kajang is enough to serve the population remains to be seen, especially since one of the issues plaguing the satellite town was MPKj’s service.

PKR candidate and de facto Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has identified that one of the issues that Kajang folks are unhappy about is MPKj’s services.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Anwar highlighted that Kajang still faces a lot of local issues where MPKj’s services or lack of it is one of the seven major issues problem he wants to tackle.

The seven major concerns lies with crime and safety (42%) and traffic congestions (38%). This is followed by cleanliness and garbage collection (30%), social ills (20%), welfare for the poor (16%), petty traders and hawkers (12%) and Kajang Municipal Council services (11%).

Read more: http://www.fz.com/content/only-18-local-councillors-kajang-against-24-previously#ixzz2twMiOrEE

Kajang by-election: NewGen Party shortlists three candidates

The Star, Wednesday February 19, 2014 

by rahmah ghazali

PETALING JAYA: The NewGen Party has shortlisted three candidates to stand in the Kajang by-election in what is already a crowded race.

In a statement, NewGen Party secretary-general S Gobi Krishnan said the candidates included a former supporter of PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Yuktes Vijay.

The other two are 31-year-old Elizabeth Lee Su Fen who holds a Masters in Economics and Mohd Azim Nordin, 28, who holds a Bachelor in Political Science.

Gobi Krishnan said the candidates were chosen based on three requirements stipulated by the party, which was launched shortly after GE13.

"We have received 26 applications, which met our three requirements, that they must be residing in Kajang, below 40 years old and a graduate.

"The shortlisted candidates will be required to attend a further evaluation process which includes a psychological test and a final interview to be conducted next week.

"We will then be ready to announce the chosen candidate to represent this party in the Kajang by-election," he said.

Yuktes, is a former aide to Anwar Ibrahim's defence counsels in his sodomy trial but later turned against Anwar. He then briefly worked with Deputy Education Minister II, P Kamalanathan.

He had announced his intention to contest in the Kajang by-election through social media on Jan 28, but never revealed his association with NewGen Party.

Kajang, which is one of three state seats under the Hulu Langat constituency, is expected to see a crowded affair in its by-election.

PKR had announced that its leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would contest the seat, which fell vacant after the resignation of assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh, in an alleged attempt to resolve the internal feud in the state.

MCA from Barisan Nasional had also announced that it would contest the seat, but the candidate has yet to be revealed by the ruling coalition.

Meanwhile, former BN and PKR leader Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had also said he would throw his hat into the ring as an independent candidate.

Besides Zaid, independent candidates in the fray include 1980s dangdut singer Herman Tino and Malaysian Indian United Party president Datuk S Nallakaruppan, who is Anwar's former friend.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) had also initially announced that it was considering contest the seat, but decided not to do so as the reason behind the by-election was "unreasonable".

We’ll make Kajang a showcase of unity: Anwar

fz.com, February 16, 2014

by Chen Shaua Fui

            Let us lead the way in dialogue, said Anwar.

KAJANG (Feb 16): PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will prove to the Kajang voters that they would make the right decision by supporting him, in response to a question on whether he would become the next Selangor Menteri Besar.

"Cikgu Robert Tan, Sir, support me in Kajang, and we will prove to you, this is the right decision," Anwar said in responding to a question from a retired teacher and committee member of the Holy Family Church of Kajang.

Tan had asked: "If you win the Kajang by-election, will you become the Menteri Besar? If you say yes, then I would say 'yes, I will vote for you.' If you say no, I will say no, I won't vote for you. If you say 'I am not sure', I am not sure who I will vote for."

Despite the general belief that the forcing of a by-election in Kajang, dubbed the ‘Kajang Move’, was orchestrated by PKR to let Anwar take over the state leadership, Anwar has however not clearly stated this, although he has been asked numerous times since he announced his candidacy on Jan 28.

Anwar had said "let us cross the bridge by winning the by-election first' in response to this question.

Speaking to a packed hall of mainly local residents, Anwar said that Kajang will be showcased as an examplary unified community that leads the way in dialogue.

"Some people have said that Kajang is just a tiny little town known only for its satay.

"We don’t think so. Yes, the satay is legendary. But Kajang is much more. In many ways Kajang is a mini-Selangor in the way that Selangor is a mini-Malaysia. We have a good mix of the various communities and it is in this diversity that we can showcase Kajang as an exemplary unified community. 

"So, let us lead the way in dialogue. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and followers of other faiths, let us go beyond mere tolerance and achieve greater understanding and appreciation," Anwar said.

"Go back to the Constitution"

Anwar put on many hats today. At times, he was the moderate Islamic leader who preached about the "courage of hope" and the courage to speak against racial and religious intolerance.

At times, he was the Malay leader who promoted the idea of ending the race-based New Economy Policy to move on to a need-based affirmative action policy that would help all Malaysians in need.

Anwar did not gave a definite answer to the question on whether Malaysia is a secular or Islamist state, but asked the audience to consider the meaning and context of  being a secular state or an Islamic state.

He said, in France, it is a complete break between state and religion. However, in the United States, there is a strong Christian sentiment expressed in politics, among both the Republicans and Democrats.

"What is my position? I have avoided using either Islamic state or secular state. I have appealed to people  to go back to the Constitution....Constitution guarantees: we have freedom of faith, freedom of expression, rule of law, justice. We can all agree on this," Anwar said.

Focus on real issues

He also reiterated the position of Pakatan Rakyat on the use of the word "Allah", affirming that non-Muslims were free to use the word, although he acknowledged that there was a fear factor within the Muslim community that the people would be confused over it.

"If the Muslims are worried about this, we have laws (that forbid preaching to the Muslims by non-Muslims). Don't give the Bible to the Malay boy in the village.

Anwar again stressed the position of the Pakatan Rakyat to push for a "National Consensus", under which both BN and Pakatan Rakyat will put aside partisan and personal interest for the sake of the common good.

"So, our priorities must be focused on more pressing issues: such as proper governance, greater transparency and accountability for acts done in the name of power," Anwar said.

He said issue of the rising cost of living and crime rate are real issues that burden the people and this should be the priority of the national leadership.

The meeting was organised by the Holy Family of the Church of Kajang. Anwar was received by Father George Harrison, the Parish priest of the Church. Many Pakatan Rakyat leaders also attended the event.

Read more: http://www.fz.com/content/we%E2%80%99ll-make-kajang-showcase-unity-anwar#ixzz2tZOrptiH

'Kajang folk responding well'

The Star, Monday February 17, 2014

KAJANG: The MCA new leadership and its transformation to serve the people better has gained the confidence of Kajang folk, said party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. 

 

He said he had received overwhelming response from the community during his numerous visits here recently.

“Kajang is always close to my heart. I have stayed in Kajang before and have many old friends here,” said Liow, who graduated from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi nearby. 

Liow has been very active in student and community affairs since his days in the university.

At a press conference after opening the MCA operations room for the Kajang by-election here yesterday, he said the polls would be an opportunity for voters to choose a representative who has their interests at heart.

The by-election, following the resignation of Pakatan Rakyat assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh, will see PKR’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim lock horns with a Barisan Nasional candidate from MCA on March 23. Nomination is on March 11.

Liow urged the voters to scrutinise Pakatan leaders, particularly Anwar, on how they behaved when they were in power in order to see their true colours.

Anwar, he said, could never be forgotten and forgiven for suppressing Chinese education when he was the Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

“Now, Anwar has orchestrated the by-election to pave the way for him to become the Selangor Mentri Besar,” he said. 

Voters should not allow Anwar to continue to manipulate them into supporting him because he only had his own interest at heart, added Liow. 

Pakatan leaders, he said, were good at making promises but poor on delivery.

Citing Lee as an example, he said the assemblyman, who hailed from Petaling Jaya, had not fulfilled his election campaign promise to shift to Kajang and serve the people after winning the seat. 

A Barisan Kajang assemblyman, said Liow, would help to provide check and balance on the Pakatan-dominated Selangor state assembly.

“This is important. As it is now, the people in Selangor and Kajang are facing many problems like hikes in assessment and fees for business licence as well as poor infrastructure.”

MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, who is heading the party’s by-election campaign, said Lee and his performance in the constituency in the past eight months was a good eye opener for the people.

“He (Lee) has promised to tinggal (live) in Kajang and serve the people well when campaigning during the May 5 general election last year. Eight months later, he meninggalkan (left) the seat,” he said.

Kajang folk want elected rep to solve local issues

The Star, Monday February 17, 2014

by foong pek yee AND christina tan

Sungai Jelok overflowing its banks during the flash flood that hit Kajang town in May 2012. - filepix

PEOPLE in Kajang are hoping their new representative will bring some changes to the community.

Henry Lim, 35, said the age, gender and political background of the candidate did not matter.

“Whoever is elected in the by-election must be capable of resolving issues faced by the locals here.

“We do not care about politics. We want solutions to our immediate problems such as improving the infrastructure.

“There is no point harping on national issues when we cannot make ends meet.

“Every day we travel on roads with potholes and pass by clogged and smelly drains.

“It is worse when relatives and friends come down with dengue.

“If the government wants to improve our lives, it should look at basic issues,” lamented the morning market trader who also doubles up as a security guard at night to make ends meet.

Traders and customers at the Sungai Chua market in Kajang.

 

Lim said there were many people who had to hold down two jobs or more to survive these days.

“Generally, wages are too low and not enough to meet our basic needs. Many young people, including university graduates, earn between RM1,000 and RM2,000 a month.

“A meal with meat costs a minimum of RM6, even at a hawker stall,” he said.

Lee Leng Lay, 50, said the government must give more attention to issues confronting the young.

The sundry goods trader said the price of goods as well as property even in small towns was getting too expensive nowadays.

“It is almost impossible for young people to buy a house without help from their parents.

“My son earns only about RM1,500 monthly. After paying for food, toll, rent and car loan, he has no money left to save.

“My daughter earns slightly more, but her salary is barely enough to cover her monthly expenses.

“How can they afford to buy a house when even a terrace house costs a few hundred thousand ringgit?” she said.

Because Jalan Bukit is just a one-lane road, the problem is compounded during peak hour traffic when schoolchildren are dropped off and picked up from their schools, and passengers are dropped off or picked up at the Kajang KTM Station.- filepic

 

Lee said families with young children were facing an even tougher time.

“Imagine having to pay for the bus fare, daycare or babysitter services, and tuition fees,” she added.

Another Kajang resident, who preferred anonymity, said whoever got elected must be active on the ground in order to understand the people’s needs and problems.

He claimed he had never met Lee Chin Cheh, the Kajang assemblyman who resigned last month to pave the way for the March 23 by-election.

“I only know his face on the poster. I do not know his background at all,” he said of Chin Cheh, who is from PKR.