Milestone for Olympia grads

See Toh, who accepts the Nottingham Trent University
Vice-Chancellor’s Award from Ong, hopes to do his part for
the nation.

It was a proud day for over 600 graduands of Olympia College, Raffles Education Group recently as they were bestowed awards in various disciplines by guest-of-honour Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

The occasion also saw nine graduates receiving prestigious awards named in honour of Malaysia’s founding fathers and distinguished political figures.

The recipient of the Nottingham Trent University Vice-Chancellor’s Award was See Tho Wai Keng, 36, who had pursued the MBA programme on a part-time basis.

"I had the opportunity to learn from fellow colleagues and lecturers from different industries," See Tho said of his achievement. "I came with a scientific approach in mind and ended with broader skill sets."

"My long-term plan is to serve as a part-time lecturer so that I can contribute to the younger generation. I believe how a nation progresses highly depends on its future leaders."

Ong, in his address, congratulated the graduands. "The government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak aspires to attain a knowledge-based and developed society by 2020. It is the duty of institutions of higher learning such as the Raffles Education Group, in collaboration with its various international and local partners, to develop and impart the attributes, skills and knowledge to our human capital. I am confident that all of you who are graduating today will no doubt be contributing to nation-building in one way or another."

Olympia College offers quality and globally recognised qualifications at an affordable cost. The MBA offered at Olympia College is approved by the Ministry of Higher Education and is awarded by the University of Derby (UoD), UK.

The UoD MBA programme is well recognised for its strength in equipping students with key functional skills and a deeper understanding of critical business and management practices. The programme is designed to allow the student to apply what he has learnt into his actual work environment. Graduates also gain invaluable people skills and appreciate team dynamics and the various mixes needed to move forward their company’s goals

Olympia also offers such courses as Business Studies, Business Management, IT & Computing, Hotel Management, Secretarial Studies, Accounting and Finance, and English Language.

Are the authorities waiting for more lives lost to act?

It is so very, very sad that I have to speak up again on road safety matters after another tragedy that claimed numerous lives. I am referring to the double-deck tour bus crash on Cameron Highlands on Monday (Dec 20, 2010) which claimed 27 lives.

On Oct 31, 2010, I highlighted in my blog news asking what has happened to the implementation of speed limiter installation for long-haul express buses that I spearheaded last year when I was transport minister.

Is it because the idea was hatched by me, that the present minister Dato' Seri Kong Cho Ha has refused to act and implement ? If so, this is really tragic and Kong must be taken to task.

I had raised the matter of speed limiters after the express bus tragedy on the North-South Highway near the Simpang Ampat toll plaza on Oct 10, 2010, in which 13 people were killed.

I also stressed the need to act urgently, to stop wasting time, to stop wasting more lives. Unfortunately to those who perished on Monday, the transport minister and his ministry did not respond or clarify the matter.

Yesterday, Kong announced the cabinet had ordered an independent probe on the crash and that the Board of Inquiry would also look into the overall structure of commercial vehicle operations.

It is also a tragedy to Malaysians that the minister and ministry officials, particularly the Road Safety Department ( Jabatan Keselamatan Jalan Raya ) had remained recalcitrant, ignoring public calls to implement the speed limiter installation which could have prevented many cases of road crash.

I am also shocked why a double-deck bus was allowed to ply such a hilly terrain. It is indeed very illogical.

The proposed implementation of the speed limiters rule is a proactive measure to help reduce fatal road crashes involving such buses. The ministry is now duty bound to explain what has happened to the implementation.

Any further and unnecessary delay will cost lives, I had told reporters in Parliament in response to MPs clamouring for speed limiters to be fitted to express buses.

I was appointed the lead minister in charge of urban public transport under the National Key Result Area (NKRA) in 2009, and our top concern was fatal road accidents involving public transport.

The Road Transport Department (RTD) and the Road Safety Department were directed to study the matter and come up with workable and proactive measures to curb such rising fatal crashes.

We also decided to join the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) which brings together governments and governmental agencies, the private sector and civil society organisations to address road safety issues.

GRSP is a programme hosted by the Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
I then directed that the fitting of speed limiters on to express buses be introduced with advocacy.

Unfortunately, after I was dropped from the cabinet, nothing has been heard about it, despite constant reminders.
Speed limiters are more effective in tackling speedsters than just having the Global Positioning System (GPS).

The GPS can only be used to monitor the movement of vehicles and calculate the time used by the driver to complete his journey.
It does not solve the problem of speeding. So, the implementation of speed limiters is urgent. In the interest of public, I reiterate to the minister and the ministry to stop dilly-dallying on a matter that concerns the people’s lives.

The public has the right to know the status and progress of the implementation of speed limiters to help save lives.
Of course there is financial consideration of having to install the devices. But between financial consideration and public safety, it is obvious which is more important.

Why is the implementation delayed with no conspicuous action?

To those who prefer to harp on the same platitude of enhancing awareness on road safety as the most effective way to curb road crash, please do open your eyes to the reality that speedsters remain the main culprits in most cases of crash.

ORIGINAL POSTING : http://ongteekeat.net

Isu kepada Menteri Pertanian Dan Industri Asas Tani

Submitted by webmaster on Wed, 2010-12-22 11:16
News Date:  2010-12-22

Nov 23, 2010

Datuk Ir. Ong Tee Keat [ Pandan ] minta MENTERI PERTANIAN DAN INDUSTRI ASAS TANI menyatakan sebabnya setakat kini hasil padi dari sesuatu kawasan, umpamanya Chui Chak dan Sekinchan, masih tidak boleh dipasarkan di luar sempadan negeri yang berkenaan. Tidakkah amalan itu mengehadkan pemasaran hasil padi kaum petani yang berkenaan dan justeru menjejaskan rezeki mereka. (3. PR-1233-L40811)

Datuk Ir. Ong Tee Keat [ Pandan ] to ask the MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY to state the reason paddy produce from certain areas, such as Chui Chak and Sekinchan, still cannot be sold outside of the state boundary. This practice limits the marketing of paddy produce and thus affects their livelihood.)

Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani [Datuk Seri Noh bin Haji Omar]: Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Pemindahan padi antara negeri-negeri di Semenanjung Malaysia adalah dikawal oleh kerajaan menerusi penguatkuasaan di bawah Peraturan 2 Peraturan-peraturan Kawalan Padi dan Beras Sekatan Pemindahan Antara Negeri 1997 (PUA 31) di mana dalam peraturan tersebut, tidak ada seorang pun boleh memindahkan apa-apa padi atau beras dari satu negeri ke satu negeri yang lain dalam Malaysia Barat melainkan dengan kebenaran secara bertulis dahulu daripada ketua pengarah atau mana-mana pegawai yang diberi kuasa.

Pemindahan padi antara negeri tidak dibenarkan atas sebab-sebab seperti berikut;

(i) boleh menjejaskan bekalan padi kepada kilang-kilang tempatan;
(ii) harga padi akan meningkat secara tidak terkawal disebabkan persaingan permintaan daripada pengilang luar; dan
(iii) kilang-kilang kecil sederhana akan berkubur kerana tidak mampu bersaing dengan kilang-kilang yang besar.

Walau bagaimanapun, kebenaran pemindahan padi boleh diberikan dalam keadaankeadaan di antaranya untuk mengelakkan berlakunya lambakan padi yang akan menyebabkan kemerosotan mutu padi apabila kapasiti sempadan padi kilang tidak mencukupi. Sehingga 30 Jun 2010, sebanyak 7,325 permit pindah padi antara negeri telah dikeluarkan oleh pihak kementerian. Terima kasih.

Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat [Pandan]: Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Saya hendak bangkitkan satu soalan tambahan. Apakah kementerian tidak bercadang untuk meminda Akta Sekatan yang dimaksudkan memandangkan bahawa ianya tidak lagi relevan.

Kiranya kita meninjau dengan teliti keadaan pasaran semasa khasnya pasaran bebas yang telah pun menjadi satu kelaziman antarabangsa. Lagi pun Yang Berhormat Menteri tadi menyentuh tentang lambakan padi, kalaulah ini yang dijadikan alasannya, saya tidak faham kenapa mekanisme kita yang sedia ada khasnya BERNAS misalnya tidak dapat memainkan fungsi ataupun peranannya untuk mencegah lambakan padi yang dimaksudkan. Sekian.

Datuk Seri Noh bin Haji Omar: Terima kasih Yang Berhormat. Memang di dalam perancangan kementerian untuk kita mungkin pinda balik peraturan ini kerana peraturan ini peraturan yang lama. Namun demikian, selagi peraturan ini ada kita kena patuhi kerana itu tadi saya nyatakan walaupun ada peraturan tetapi bagi pihak kementerian memang tidak ada apaapa halangan sekiranya mana-mana pihak yang ingin memohon untuk membawa padi mereka keluar dari satu-satu negeri. Oleh sebab itu dalam tempoh tiga bulan ini sahaja, dalam tempoh setengah tahun sehingga Jun, kita telah keluarkan sebanyak 7,325 permit. Ertinya minta sahaja automatik kita akan beri. Seperti di Chui Chak, padi daripada Chui Chak Yang Berhormat bangkitkan sebanyak 32.9% padi di Chui Chak itu kita telah benarkan pun dijual di luar daripada negeri Perak.

Kedua, lambakan ini boleh berlaku jika harga yang ditawarkan oleh pihak swasta dan pihak BERNAS ini tidak seimbang. Kerana itu seperti mana yang saya nyatakan bahawa kerajaan hanya menetapkan dasar harga minimum padi, harga maksimum padi kita open, terbuka. Jadi kalau kita tidak kawal sebelum ini, maka kesannya padi-padi seperti di Sekinchan Yang Berhormat bangkitkan. Kalau kita tidak kawal, kesannya nanti kalau harga padi dibawa ke Kedah dengan harga yang mahal, maka kilang-kilang tempatan di dalam kawasan Sekinchan tempat keluar padi itu pun akhirnya hendak dapat beras pun susah kerana daripada itu dibawa keluar. Kalau kita tidak kawal pun, kita bimbang nanti bahawa lambakan akan berlaku jika berlaku saingan antara pihak swasta. Yang BERNAS ini, selalunya orang yang jual BERNAS ini apabila kilang-kilang swasta sudah tidak mampu hendak beli.

Jadi kilang swasta ini Yang Berhormat, dia beli apabila dia tidak ada beras. Macam tahun lepas, apabila banyak kilang simpan beras di dalam andaian mereka kerajaan akan melaksanakan SUBUR, mereka simpan beras. Apabila mereka sudah cukup beras, mereka tidak mahu beli. Akhirnya BERNAS terpaksa beli, bila BERNAS terpaksa beli, dia beli dengan harga yang lebih rendah daripada pihak swasta. Jadi sebab itu dilihat BERNAS ini sebagai satu agensi yang terpaksa menjalan sesuatu obligasi untuk membeli beras dengan harga yang mungkin lebih rendah sikit daripada swasta tetapi lebih daripada harga minimum yang ditetapkan.

Dato’ Haji Ab. Halim Ab. Rahman [Pengkalan Chepa]: Soalan tambahan, bolehkah Yang Berhormat terangkan stockpile, berapa banyak stockpile bagi beras dan padi di dalam dan luar negara dan berapakah jumlah permit import yang dibenarkan bagi seluruh Malaysia untuk import beras dan padi dari luar negara, terima kasih.

Datuk Seri Noh bin Haji Omar: Jumlah stockpile kita telah pun kita tingkatkan kepada 293,000 metrik tan yang mana ini stockpile di bawah kerajaan. BERNAS pula mereka ada stockpile mereka sendiri, lebih kurang 150,000 metrik tan. Kalau kita combine kan antara BERNAS dengan stockpile kerajaan ini walaupun stockpile kerajaan masih belum kita isi, masih ada 50,000 metrik tan, masih lagi belum kita tambah. Kita kalau apa-apa juga berlaku, kita masih mampu bertahan dalam tempoh tiga bulan kalau tidak silap untuk kita bekalkan beras ini.

Untuk pengetahuan Yang Berhormat, baru-baru ini di peringkat negara-negara ASEAN pun telah bersetuju untuk tubuhkan satu stockpile di mana jika berlaku bencana alam di negaranegara ASEAN, negara-negara ASEAN ini telah bersetuju untuk memberikan sumbangan kepada stockpile membantu negara-negara ASEAN yang mengalami bencana.

Yang kedua mengenai AP, buat setakat hari ini pihak yang boleh mengimport beras ialah BERNAS sahaja. Ini adalah satu perjanjian ataupun konsesi yang telah dipersetujui di antara pihak BERNAS dengan pihak kerajaan apabila BERNAS diberikan tanggungjawab untuk menguruskan soal-soal beras dan dalam erti kata lain  hanya BERNAS sahaja yang boleh mengimport beras ke dalam negara kita, terima kasih.

Original Posting : http://ongteekeat.net

HUSBANDS FOR SALE !

A store that sells husbands has just opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates.

You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!

There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights. There is, however, a catch .... You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men have jobs and love the Lord.

The second floor sign reads:

Floor 2 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love kids.

The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, and are extremely good looking.

'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going. She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:

Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop- dead good looking and help with the housework.

'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!' Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop- dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.  Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a nice day!

Tee Keat says Soi Lek backed ‘ketuanan Melayu’

Malaysian Insider

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
December 09, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat accused Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek today of previously supporting the concept of “ketuanan Melayu”, contradicting the party’s fiery rhetoric now against Umno.

He said Dr Chua also remained subservient to Umno.

Ong, who was ousted as MCA leader this year by Dr Chua, said he was “surprised” and “puzzled” by his rival’s recent call for a ban on terms like “ketuanan Melayu” and censuring Umno for approving government policies during its supreme council meetings.

He claimed that Dr Chua’s firebrand views now contradicted his past statements on similar issues.

Ong alleged that Dr Chua’s remarks at last week’s Barisan Nasional (BN) convention were not only a distinct U-turn from the MCA chief’s past views, they also mirrored Ong’s stand when he was party chief.

“Firstly, on the issue of ‘ketuanan Melayu” (Malay supremacy) he mentioned about the master-slave relationship. I brought this up as early as 2008 when I was interviewed by Bernama, and of course I was under fire back then.

“But at the same time I can still remember some time back he (Dr Chua) himself was supportive of ketuanan Melayu. Especially when he made a statement in a front-page report of Utusan, which was given wide coverage,” said Ong today.

The Pandan MP demanded Dr Chua explain his change of heart, saying that MCA members knew about the “real” stand of some of its top leaders regarding the matter.

“Now all of the sudden he makes such a stand, of course that has taken me by surprise. At least when I expressed my view, I did so through the proper channels. Of course I don’t mean to say that he couldn’t voice his concern but what really surprised me was on the same subject matter, not too long along you were saying something different, and you seem to have made a U-turn and that you choose to do it glaringly, in the open. Which one is your real stand? Please state.”

Dr Chua had told his Umno allies that there should not be a “big brother, small brother” system in the ruling pact.

In his speech at the BN convention, Dr Chua had made direct references to Umno as he reminded the ruling party that the MCA, and all other component parties, deserved to receive equal recognition as coalition partners.

The veteran politician even took a direct swipe at Umno by pointing out that the MCA was not in agreement with how important government policy decisions were made during Umno supreme council meetings instead in the Cabinet.

The MCA president’s remarks were not well received by many Umno leaders, with Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein saying yesterday that Dr Chua had upset a number of leaders last weekend with his remarks.

Hishammuddin had said that many had expressed their dissatisfaction that the straight-talking MCA president had used the Barisan Nasional convention over the weekend as a platform to air his grouses against Umno.

Ong also accused Dr Chua today of abandoning several proposals which Ong had pushed for during his tenure as MCA president.

“When I was MCA president, I brought up such suggestions to BN, to have multi-party participation in the BN grassroots network, especially the appointment of BN divisional chiefs.

“MCA brought up such a proposal and that was adopted by BN ... whereby if a constituency is represented by the MCA or any component party, the BN divisional chairmanship should go to the same party, and that was accepted. If the candidate won, the BN MP should himself be BN division chairman. If he lost, the chairmanship should go to the division chief of the component party,” explained the Pandan MP.

Ong claimed that the implementation of the proposal had been “watered down” when Dr Chua took over the MCA leadership, suggesting that despite the MCA president’s apparent boldness in defending the MCA’s rights, the latter was still subservient to Umno.

“Chua somehow, without the knowledge of grassroots, had overturned this decision ...and at the end of the day, the overwhelming majority of the divisional chairmanship still goes to Umno and of course that was done with his (Dr Chua’s) full knowledge, his consent as well. This could only be done at the BN supreme council level, and I was no longer in the council (when the decision was overturned),” said the one-time transport minister.