College changing management but not intake policy, says Wong

28/02/2010

SIBU: The change in the name and management of United College Sarawak from tomorrow will not affect the intake of Chinese students into the institution.

Sarawak’s Second Finance Mi nister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said he was aware that some Chinese parents were worried that the change would make it more difficult for their children to gain admissionto the college.

“This is not true. In fact, I believe more Chinese students who are qualified will be admitted to the college,” Wong told reporters in a press conference at the college yesterday, stressing that entry will be based on merit.

New name: United College Sarawak has been renamed to Kolej Laila Taib to honour the late wife of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The college, established in 1997, will be renamed Kolej Laila Taib to honour Puan Sri Amar Laila Taib, the wife of Sarawak Chief Minister who passed away last April.

On Feb 18, Wong announced the decision by college’s board of directors to donate the RM30mil college to the state for a token sum of RM1.

Wong said he was also confident that under Yayasan Sa rawak, which would be managing the college, the education industry in Sibu would experience a big breakthrough.

He added that a Laila Taib Edu cation Fund would soon be set up to benefit the less fortunate students of all races by offering them scholarships.

“Students who pass the Chinese senior middle three examinations with five Bs and SPM with 5 credits are eligible to apply.

“The college will also add new courses and disciplines where ap propriate,” he pointed out.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will officially launch the college under its new name and management on Mon day.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/28/nation/5764686&sec=nation

Move to improve quality of football

SHAH ALAM: The Government wants to improve the quality of football and take the country’s competitiveness back to its heydays of 1960’s and 70’s.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Education Ministry has made football one of the seven major sports under the high performance school sports programme started in 2008.

He said under the programme, 30 district training centres and 14 state football schools had been set up alongside two Malaysia Sports School to train elite school football players.

“We are aware of the need to enhance the quality of football in the country. This is where schools can play their role in building the country’s football team,” he said in his speech when launching the Education Ministry’s football league 2010 season at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seksyen 9 here yesterday.

Skilful: Muhyiddin showing his skill after launching the Education Ministry’s football tournament yesterday. Also present was Selangor Education Director Sulaiman Wak (third left)

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said the high performance sports programmes were supervised by 160 coaches, and involved 1,450 school football players aged between 13 and 17.

The Ministry football league is made up of the Education Ministry’s Trophy League for students under 14 years old and the Junior League in collaboration with the Football As sociation of Malaysia for students below 17 years old.

He added that the ministry had spent RM1.5mil for sports equipment in Selangor under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to alleviate insufficient sport infrastructure and equipment to bring back glory in school sports.

“To improve sports infrastructure, an allocation of RM9.5 million was given to Selangor, with Shah Alam getting RM280,000 to build a multipurpose court at SMK Section 7,” he said.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/28/nation/5765875&sec=nation

Schools get RM140,000 from MCA’s education scheme

28/02/2010

KOTA KINABALU: Independent Sabah Chinese schools have received a total of RM140,000 “ang pow” from MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Sabah Tshung Tsin School received RM100,000, the Sabah Chinese Independent Schools Association RM30,000 and Kota Kinabalu Chung Hwa School RM10,000.

Ong presented the contribution during Chinese New Year gatherings on Friday and yesterday.

Tshung Tsin Secondary School board chairman Datuk Jimmy Chong received the contribution from Ong while Datuk Liew Siew Fatt, the association’s president, received it on behalf of the association.

CNY gift: Ong giving ang pows to children during SRJK Chung Hwa’s Chinese New Year open house in Kota Kinabalu

In his speech, Ong said the contribution was from MCA’s education scheme, which is aimed at providing assistance to schools to meet their needs in providing good education to students.

Ong, who is also Transport Minister, said the party and its leaders were always ready to fulfil the needs of the people in the state.

“We don’t just concentrate our efforts in the peninsula. We are always sensitive to the needs of the people (everywhere), whatever happens here is also our problem,” he added.

Assuring everyone that the needs of Sabahans were always being looked at, he said that with effect from Jan 1, his ministry had facilitated the start of a new ferry service from Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei to Menumbok in Sabah’s southwest coast.

This will improve movement of people between the state and the sultanate.

He said he would be going to Brunei to endorse the agreement on the ferry service.

Ong also said that various education matters, including the move to relocate a school in Beaufort, were being worked out by him and the Federal leadership.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/28/nation/5765939&sec=nation

Britain plugs visa loopholes on students

28/02/2010

By PAUL GABRIEL
paulnews@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Britain is plugging loopholes in its rigorous points-based student visa system to prevent abuse by those intending to enter and work.

Tougher rules will be enforced from Wednesday on clauses governing English Language ability, the period a student is permitted to work and on entry of dependants.

Fees for international student visas are also being increased from £145 (RM913) to £199 (RM1253).

Britain introduced its points-based visa system last March to prevent the entry of bogus students and to crack down on illegitimate institutions operating there.

The changes involving Tier 4 (student visa) are:

> A MINIMUM English Language requirement equivalent to B1 under CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) or a score of 4.5 under IELTS (International English Language Testing System) for students pursuing courses below degree level (excluding foundation degree courses);

> HALVING the amount of time a student pursuing below first degree-level course (except for foundation degree course) can work to 10 hours during term time;

> RESTRICTING lowest-level courses (A-levels and equivalent) to only “most trusted institutions” and

> BANNING dependants of students pursuing non-foundation or below undergraduate degree courses from working.

British High Commissioner to Malaysia Boyd McCleary said he expected the latest changes to have “minimal impact” on Malay- sia, saying that the measures were introduced following abuses by students in other countries.

“Malaysia is not the country we are targeting as you have been sending us good students.

“We approved 98% of your student visa applications because they followed the guidelines,” he told The Star.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/28/nation/5765791&sec=nation

Larian Baton Sukma XIII hari ini

28/02/2010

MELAKA 27 Feb. – Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam menyeru seluruh rakyat di kawasan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Linggi berhimpun beramai-ramai di pintu masuk Restoran Terapung bagi memeriahkan permulaan Larian Baton Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) XIII, esok.

Beliau berkata, penyertaan seluruh masyarakat daripada berbilang kaum di Kuala Linggi amat diperlukan bagi menyemarakkan permulaan larian tersebut yang akan menjelajah seluruh daerah di negeri ini sehingga 5 Jun ini.

Katanya, tanpa penyertaan daripada seluruh masyarakat di DUN Kuala Linggi matlamat kerajaan negeri untuk menyemarakkan Sukan Malaysia yang akan berlangsung di negeri ini dari 10 hingga 19 Jun ini tidak akan tercapai.

”Saya harap seluruh penduduk di DUN Kuala Linggi untuk turut sama dalam larian Baton Sukan Malaysia dan tidak hanya penduduk setempat, tetapi juga kepada orang ramai boleh turut serta untuk mengiringi pembawa baton.

”Larian ini adalah sebagai tanda awal bermula temasya dwi tahunan yang mana Melaka menjadi tuan rumah buat pertama kali. Saya harap lebih daripada 2,000 orang akan menyertai larian ini,” kata beliau dalam kenyataannya di sini hari ini.

Larian itu akan menjelajah 28 DUN termasuk Tanjung Bidara, Ayer Limau, Lendu, Taboh Naning, Rembia, Gadek, Machap, Durian Tunggal, Asahan, Rim, Bemban, Sungai Rambai dan Merlimau.

Kawasan lain ialah Serkam, Telok Mas, Banda Hilir, Duyong, Ayer Molek, Bukit Baru, Ayer Keroh, Bachang, Kota Laksamana, Kesidang, Klebang, Pantai Kundor, Sungai Udang dan Paya Rumput.

Mohd. Ali berkata, larian yang akan bermula di Kuala Linggi akan memakan masa selama empat bulan melalui 28 DUN sebelum ia berakhir di DUN Paya Rumput pada 5 Jun iaitu lima hari sebelum bermulanya temasya dwi tahunan itu.

”Saya meramalkan larian ini akan disertai lebih daripada 56,000 orang daripada 28 DUN dan saya harap ia akan berjalan lancar.

”Larian ini akan diadakan pada setiap hujung minggu dari DUN ke DUN untuk menerima baton sehingga ia berakhir di Stadium Hang Jebat di DUN Paya Rumput,” katanya.

Bagi larian esok, beliau berkata, ia akan melalui perjalanan sejauh 14.8 kilometer melalui beberapa kawasan seperti Kampung Dahan, Kampung Tengah, Pekan Kuala Sungai Baru, Teluk Belanga, Teluk Gong, Sungai Tuang dan berakhir di Kompleks Perahu Layar Pengkalan Balak.

”Apabila sampai di Kompleks Perahu Layar, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Kuala Linggi, Ismail Othman akan menyerahkan baton kepada ADUN Tanjung Bidara, Datuk Ab. Karim Ab. Sulaiman,” katanya.

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0228&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Selatan&pg=ws_03.htm