Youths Online

Choosing the right place to study

2011-02-28T01:14:00.001+08:00

Examination results are out. What is next? Obviously, the difficult decision making process of choosing the right institution to further our studies. Here, we touch on the possible factors which influence our decisions on the institution of choice.

Finance

Almost every product or service in the world requires some amount of fees and this includes education. In reality, education is a heavy investment that all parents have to cope with for the future of their children.

Is money an issue for you? If money is not an issue for us, then our lives would be terribly easier as we can choose whatever universities we are interested in, assuming that we have the minimum requirements for admission.

If money is an issue, then our choices of institution would be limited to local public institution which offers the cheapest mode of education compared to the private and overseas institutions. Then again, if we are able to obtain some form of financial aid (education loans or scholarships), we will have more options for where we would like to pursue our studies.

Peer Pressure

Are you afraid of being alone? This is a question which troubles some of us. If loneliness is an issue, then we would have the tendency to follow our friends to a particular institution for studies and in extreme cases, enrolling into the same course.

But is it wise to do so? This is a rather personal question which only we, ourselves have the answer. As we will all lead our own lives in the future, some people would believe that we should make decisions best for ourselves. We should not go to a place where we would not be able to enjoy the best of education just because we wanted to be with our friends. Others would think that we should enjoy our lives and if studying together with our friends will serve that purpose, then we should follow our friends wherever they choose for studies.

Quality

Many institutions brand themselves as providers of good quality education institution to attract students. And many of us also look for such places to make the best out of our education, hoping to gain the best skills and knowledge from our education training. The quality of the education institution is defined by the environment, lecturer, facilities, course structure, etc.

Generally, there is always more than one institution that provides a particular course. Sometimes, this causes a headache as we need to weigh out which of these institutions would be our final choice for education. Here is where factors such as quality, peer pressure and finance come into play.

Although many would go for quality education, but not everyone believes in this. Some people think that it is just important to get a paper qualification for easy job application and does not believe in the education training process. Such believes are hard to dismissed especially when many successful businessmen do not possess a university qualification.

Education Model

Different universities employ different education models. Some believes in specialization in the field which we are majoring hence the course modules/subjects to be taken during studies are controlled to ensure you know every bit about the field we are studying.

On the contrary, other universities allow more flexibility in the course modules/subjects which we are allowed to take. Such education model allows us to know a bit of everything in different fields but may reduce our specialization.

The mode of delivery and emphasis during lecture may also differ between universities. Some universities have video recording of the entire lecture for revision purposes, some universities emphasize heavily on critical thinking rather than loads of theories. Some institutions offer the option of having double majors whereas others have double degree programmes. All of these would influence which university we decide to go to in the end.

Supremacy Regional Scholarship Award

2010-04-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

Introduction
This scholarship is open to all Malaysians to pursue their first degree courses and who have obtained or in the process of gaining admission to any of the 13 specified universities in China. The 12 specified universities are Peking University (PKU), Tsinghua University, Nanjing University (NJU), Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), Renmin University of China, Shanghai University of Finance & Economics, Xiamen University, Wuhan University, Jinan University, and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU).

Courses of Study:
1. Accounting
2. Business Administration
3. Actuarial Science
4. Finance
5. Economics
6. International Trade

Value of Awards *
RM35,000 per academic year.

Tenure of Award
Minimum period required by the recipient to complete the course

Requirements:
Applicants must:
1. be below 21 years of age as of the year of application
2. possess good academic result in Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for Independent Chinese Secondary School in Malaysia and active in sports and extra curricular activities.

Provisional offer of scholarship will be made subject to the confirmation of acceptance by the abovementioned educational institutions.

Conditions of Awards
1.Award holders must not be bonded to or holding any other scholarship or receiving financial assistance from any other institutions or organizations.

2.Award holders will be required to enter into a 5-year bond with Great Eastern immediately upon successful completion of their course.

How to apply?
An interested applicant can download the application form during the period when the awards are on offer.

Human Capital Department
Great Eastern Scholarship 2010
Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad
Menara Great Eastern
Level 7 303 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Please indicate "Scholarship" on the top left hand corner of the envelope.

Shortlisted candidate would have to undergo a selection interview conducted by panel interviewers from GELM.

Closing date: 31 May 2010

Source: Great Eastern

Supremacy Local Scholarship Award

2010-04-01T10:16:00.000+08:00

Introduction
This yearly scholarship award is open to all Malaysians who are policyholders or children of policyholders of Great Eastern whose policies have been in force for more than three years to pursue the following first degree courses at any of the recognized local public or private universities:

Courses of Study:
1. Accounting
2. Business Administration
3. Actuarial Science
4. Information Technology
5. Law
6. Mathematics
7. Economics

Value of Awards *

Public University
Maximum RM13,700 per annum for academic fees and living allowance per academic year.

Private University
Maximum RM16,700 per annum for academic fees and living allowance per academic year.

*Terms and Conditions apply.

Tenure of Award
Minimum period required by the recipient to complete the course

Requirements:
Applicants must:
a)be below 21 years of age as of the year of application.
b) possess good academic result in STPM/equivalent and active in sports and extra curricular activities.
c)be able to gain admission to the local public or private universities for approved courses of study. Applicants to be considered from local private universities must have completed their matriculation or the first year in their degree programme.

Provisional offer of scholarship will be made subject to the confirmation of acceptance by the abovementioned educational institutions.

Conditions of Awards
(a)Award holders must not be bonded to or holding any other scholarship or receiving financial assistance from any other institutions or organizations.
(b)Award holders will be required to enter into a 3-year bond with Great Eastern immediately upon successful completion of their course.

How to apply?
An interested applicant can download the application form during the period when the award is on offer.

Human Capital Department
Great Eastern Scholarship 2010
Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad
Menara Great Eastern
Level 7 303 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Please indicate "Scholarship" on the top left hand corner of the envelope.

Shortlisted candidate would have to undergo a selection interview conducted by panel interviewers from GELM.

Closing date: 31 May 2010

Source: Great Eastern

Supremacy Scholarship Award (Overseas)

2010-03-31T15:13:00.001+08:00

Introduction
This biennial scholarship award is open to all Malaysians who are attending or have obtained confirmed or conditional admission into top-notched universities overseas pursuing their first degree in either Actuarial Science or Information Technology.

Value of Award
RM70,000/- per academic year

Tenure of Award
Minimum period required by the recipient to complete the course.

Provisional offer of scholarship will be made subject to the confirmation of acceptance by the abovementioned educational institutions.

Conditions of Award
1. Award holder must not be bonded to or holding any other scholarship or receiving financial assistance from any other educational institutions / organizations

2. Award holder will be required to enter into a 7-year bond with Great Eastern upon completion of his/her course.

How to apply?
An interested applicant can download the application form during the period when the award is on offer.

Human Capital Department
Great Eastern Scholarship 2010
Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad
Menara Great Eastern
Level 7 303 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Please indicate "Scholarship" on the top left hand corner of the envelope.

Shortlisted candidate would have to undergo a selection interview conducted by panel interviewers from GELM.

Closing date: 31 May 2010

Source: Great Eastern

JPA Scholarship 2010

2010-02-04T10:47:00.001+08:00

It's the time again when students of SPM try to grab a piece of the cake from JPA. The scholarship information will be made available next month. All straight A's students can have a go at it...

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Get scholarships to study in top-notch universities
By Marc Lourdes
Source: NSTOnline, 04/02/2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Think you're going to ace your Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)?

Well, better start brushing up on your communications skill then.

The Public Service Department yesterday said government scholarship offers for tertiary education would be published on its website, www.jpa.gov.my, as well as in major newspapers next month.

Up for grabs will be spots in top-notch universities locally and internationally, including 30 places in the best varsities in the world.

The 30 best scholarships, awarded under the National Scholarship Programme, will be open to candidates who obtained straight As for a minimum of nine SPM subjects.

They should also be under 18 (19 for remove students) and will have to perform well during the interview session with the scholarship panel.

Overall, the international scholarships will be very competitive.

One reason is because there were more SPM candidates (455,317) last year compared with 2008 (442,936).

Also, there is the calibre of the candidates themselves to contend with.

For example, only 1,469 out of 15,084 applicants received last year were from students who scored all As.

Most of the them were vying for engineering and medical courses. And most of them aimed to study in the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand.

However, not everybody will get to study overseas, therefore places will still be made available at local universities, including the four main research institutions -- Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

STPM Top Student Didn't Get A Place In IPTA

2009-07-13T18:30:00.003+08:00

Top scorer in STPM yet didn't get any offer to study in IPTA?

This is totally unbelievable. Though he is deaf and mute himself, but that didn't stop him from being one of the top students. He has also been helping other deaf & mute students since April last year through tuitions.

Really hope he can get a place to study.

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No place for top STPM scorer
Source: TheStar Online, 13/07/09

KUALA LUMPUR: Chai Wei Xiong graduated as top STPM special needs student in 2008 and hopes to teach deaf and mute children. He is deaf and mute himself.

But after checking online, he discovered that his application to a local university to study special education had been rejected.

Chai has appealed but has not received any response so far.

He was told by officers in the Ministry of Higher Education that his application was rejected because he did not attend an interview. But Chai maintained he did not receive any notice to attend any interview.

Still hopeful: Chai (right) with his parents looking at the rejected application to study special education at their home in Cheras yesterday.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung and Transport Minister’s private secretary Woon Yong Teai have written to the Higher Education Ministry and the Department of Higher Education to help Chai.

Chai told The Star through writing that he was hopeful of getting a place in the university during the next intake. He has been giving home tuition to deaf and mute students in Malay, English, Mathematics, Science and History since April last year.

Chai has been deaf since he was three years old and started his special education at SKPK Jalan Peel.

He had his secondary education at SMK Dato Ibrahim Yaacob and did Form 6 at Methodist Boys School.

In Form Five, he studied in the United States for about 6 months at the Alabama School for Deaf and Blind as part of a cultural exchange programme.

Taylor's University College - Bumiputera Study Scheme

2009-06-29T08:00:00.002+08:00

Bumiputera students who wish to further their studies at Taylor's can apply for up to 30% study grant and 0% interest study loan made available by Government sponsoring agencies.

The 0% study loan scheme is offered to all qualified Bumiputera applicants for the duration of their study at Taylor's. For students who excel in their academic study and meet the terms and conditions set out by the sponsoring body, the loan can be converted into a scholarship.

Programmes offered under 30% study grant + 0% interest study loan:

ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING, DESIGN
• Diploma in Architectural Technology
• Diploma in Construction Management
• Diploma in Interior Design
• Diploma in Quantity Surveying
• Bachelor of Science (Hons) (Architecture)

BUSINESS
• Taylor's Business Foundation
• Diploma in Business Studies
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Management (Marketing)
• Bachelor of Applied Finance
• BA (Hons) Accounting & Finance

COMMUNICATION
• Foundation in Communication
• Diploma in Communication
• Bachelor of Arts (Communication & Media Management)

COMPUTING
• Foundation in Computing
• Bachelor of Science (IT)
• Bachelor of Science (Computer Science)

HOSPITALITY & TOURISM
• Diploma in Culinary Arts
• Diploma in Tourism Management
• Diploma in Hospitality Management
• Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management (Hons)
• Bachelor of Tourism Management and Engineering (Hons)

Programmes offered under 0% interest study loan only:

AMERICAN DEGREE TRANSFER PROGRAM
• Business
• Computer Science
• Engineering

HOSPITALITY & TOURISM
• Professional Master in International Tourism and Hospitality Management

Source:
- http://www.taylors.edu.my/

Taylor's-RMIT International Computing Scholarship

2009-06-28T10:00:00.000+08:00

Introduction:
- Five 50% and 100% scholarship is open to all international students enrolled for full time study at Taylor's School of Computing.

Courses with Scholarships:
- 3+0 Bachelor of Applied Science(Information Technology)
- 3+0 Bachelor of Applied Science(Computer Science)

Source:
- Taylor's Scholarships & Financial Aid Website

Yayasan Tenaga Nasional Scholarship 2009

2009-06-27T19:50:00.002+08:00

Yayasan Tenaga Nasional (YTN) invites qualified Malaysians to apply for scholarships to pursue study programmes at local public institutions of higher learning for the year 2009 intake.

Field of Study: (Bachelor Degree)
- Electrical Power Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Civil Engineering

Academic Requirements & Qualifications:
- Pass STPM 2008 with at least grade B+ in 4 subjects
or
- Pass Diploma or Matriculation/Foundation with at least CGPA 3.33

General Requirements:
- Must not be more than 23 years of age in year 2009
- Possess strong personality and leadership qualities
- Active in co-curricular activities
- No other sibling currently receiving scholarship from YTN
- Specifically for new student who had obtained admission into a local public institution of higher learning

How to apply:
- Applications should be made 'online' at the website address as follows: http://yayasan.tnb.com.my/sam

Closing date for applications is 19th July 2009.

If you do not hear from YTN within three (3) months of the closing date, please consider your application as being unsuccessful.

Source:
- New Straits Times (27th June 2009)
- www.tnb.com.my

MY Education Fair 2009

2009-06-20T21:09:00.003+08:00

MY Education Fair 2009

Venue: Danga City Mall Johor Bahru

Date: 27th & 28th June 2009

Time: 10am - 7pm

Some of the exhibitors include:
- TM
- ICAN
- Sime Darby Healthcare
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur
- Asiaeuniversity
- Masterskill
- Open University Malaysia
- Metropoint College
etc...

For Enquiries:
- +603 - 2035 5777
- www.myevents.com.my

Talisman Malaysia Limited Scholarship Program

2009-06-20T21:03:00.001+08:00

The Talisman Malaysia Limited Scholarships

In 2008, Talisman Malaysia Limited launched three scholarship programs totaling approximately $600,000 with the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia and University of Malaya over the next five to six years. The Talisman Malaysia Limited Scholarships are focused on programs of study relevant to the Company’s upstream oil and gas business in Malaysia, namely geology, geophysics and petroleum and chemical engineering.

Subject to the terms of each program, the Talisman Malaysia Limited Scholarships cover the full duration of the program of study and cover costs such as:

* living allowance;
* book allowance;
* computer and printer allowance; and
* other fees regarding field work.

Scholarship recipients will also be given priority to receive industrial training, obtain internship placements, join the new graduate program and access the campus- and office-based support activities available at Talisman.

All Malaysian students in the programs listed below with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible to apply.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

* Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical or Petroleum)
* Master of Engineering (Chemical or Petroleum)

Universiti Sains Malaysia

* Bachelor of Science (Geophysics)
* Master of Science (Applied Geophysics)

University of Malaya

* Bachelor of Science (Geology or Applied Geology)
* Master of Science (Petroleum Geology)

To apply for the undergraduate opportunities please submit your application to the designated Faculty of the respective university above.

To apply for the graduate scholarships please submit your application to tmlscholarship@talisman-energy.com.

Applications should include a cover letter in English explaining why they should receive the scholarship, their resume in English indicating their roles and responsibilities in work or volunteer experiences as well as their academic transcript. The scholarships will be awarded to individuals on the basis of both academic merit and extra curricular activities and English language skills.

The deadline for applications is July 15, 2009.

Source: http://www.talisman-energy.com/

Wawasan Education Fund (WEF) Study Grant

2009-06-13T19:44:00.000+08:00

Wawasan Open University is providing a study grant for new potential students who will be pursuing their studies in the university.

The terms and conditions are:

* Malaysian Citizens & NEW STUDENTS admitted to Wawasan Open University Undergraduate Degree Courses or the HeadStart Programme
* Minimum education qualification of SPM or equivalent with a PASS in English Language.
* Students with degree qualification are NOT ELIGIBLE to apply.
* If single, Gross Personal Income of NOT MORE than RM2,500 per month or RM 30,000 per annum
* If married, Gross Family Income of NOT MORE than RM 3,500 per month or RM 42,000 per annum
* Provide clear proof and evidence to support education qualification, income declaration or unemployment declaration
* Below 55 years old.

Application Form can be obtained from the WOU website.

Application Deadline is 21 June 2009.

Results of the application will be announced on 10 July 2009.

For more information, please proceed to Wawasan Open University website.

Source: www.wou.edu.my

Sime Darby Nursing & Health Sciences College

2009-06-07T17:16:00.002+08:00

The Sime Darby Nursing & Health Sciences College provides a opportunity for people who have interest in the field of nursing to pursue a Diploma in Nursing. Another programme available in the college is the Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology.

The college have scholarship & financial assistance which applicants may try to apply for.

Full Scholarships include: Tuition Fees, Accommodation, Uniform & Monthly Allowances.

For more details, please visit Sime Darby Healthcare website.

Source: http://healthcare.simedarby.com/

Top 100 Asian Universities for IT & Engineering

2009-05-15T08:05:00.000+08:00

On the top of the list is Tokyo University from Japan.

Other universities in the region which may interest you guys would be these:
- National University of Singapore = 3
- Kyoto University (Japan) = 4
- Hong Kong University of Science & Technology = 6
- Nanyang Technological University = 7
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay = 10
- Seoul National University (South Korea) = 12
- National Taiwan University = 16
- Bandung Institute of Technology = 21
- Universiti Malaya = 47
- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia = 66

*Please follow the link below for the complete list.

Source: Top Universities

Top 100 Asian Universities for Life Sciences & Biomedicine

2009-05-14T07:51:00.002+08:00

QS Top Universities website has released a list of top universities based on specific study areas. Let's start with the Life Sciences and Biomedicine.

Tokyo University in the Japan top this list followed by Peking and Kyoto University. This is rather interesting to me as I've seldom heard of Peking University.

Other big names to look out for in the region are as follow:-
- National University of Singapore = 4
- Seoul National University (South Korea) = 5
- University of Hong Kong = 6
- National Taiwan University = 10
- Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) = 12
- University of Delhi (India) = 14
- Universitas Gajah Mada (Indonesia) = 16
- Nanyang Technological University = 19
- Universiti Sains Malaysia = 24
- Nagoya University (Japan) = 27
- Universiti Malaya = 36
- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia = 39
- University of Philippines = 47
- Bandung Institute of Technology = 50

*For the complete list, please visit the Top Universities website below.

Source: QS Top Universities

Top 200 Asian Universities

2009-05-13T08:01:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, The Times Higher Education - Quacquarelli Symonds had released a ranking which lists the Top 200 Asian Universities using criteria relevant to this region.

Among the 200 universities, it is commendable that Malaysia universities faired rather well too.

Malaysian Universities on the list:-
- Universiti Malaya (UM) = 39
- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM/National University of Malaysia) = 51
- Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) = 69
- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) = 82
- Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) = 90

The list of universities was top by Universiti of Hong Kong, followed by, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Tokyo.

Other important universities to look out for in the list are as follow:-
- Kyoto University = 5
- Osaka University = 6
- Seoul National University (South Korea) = 8
- Peking University (China) = 10
- National University of Singapore = 10
- Nagoya University = 12
- Nanyang Tecnological University = 14
- National Taiwan University = 22
- Yonsei University (South Korea) = 25
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay = 30
- Mahidol University (Thailand) = 30
- Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) = 35
- University of Indonesia = 50
- University of the Phillipines = 63
- Bandung Institute of Technology = 80

*For the complete list, please follow the link below.

Source: QS Top Universities

OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship

2009-04-20T10:01:00.002+08:00

OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction

The OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship, established in the 1970s, provides financial assistance to students who have gained admission or are eligible for admission into first year full-time undergraduate studies at local Malaysian Universities. The scholarship is also opened to undergraduates of these institutions.

Eligibility Criteria

- Excellent Matriculation / STPM results and extra-curricular records.
- Preference will be given to Malaysian citizens.

Tenure and Benefits of the Scholarship Award

- Each scholarship is valued at RM10,000-00 per annum.
- The scholarship is tenable for the minimum period leading to first degree and additional year if admitted to Honours course, subject to outstanding academic performance.
- OCBC Bank will offer internship opportunities to provide you with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience working in the Bank.
- No bond is required. OCBC Bank may offer you employment, based on merit.
- You must not hold any other scholarship, fellowship or award without prior approval of the University and the Bank.

Application

Applications must be made on prescribed forms. Please send your completed application forms, together with photocopies of your academic certificates and relevant documents, to:

The Selection Committee
OCBC Bank Scholarship
OCBC Bank (M) Berhad (295400-W)
Human Resource Department
P.O. Box 10197, 50911 Kuala Lumpur.

Application closes on 24 April 2009.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Please refer to website for application form.

Source: http://www.ocbc.com.my/

Gamuda Scholarship Award 2009

2009-04-07T11:26:00.002+08:00

Introduction

Education - Scholarship awards and education sponsorships

Over the years, the Gamuda group has consistently provided deserving individuals with higher education opportunities. We believe strongly that education is the foundation to one’s personal development and growth. Since 1996, we have consistently helped provide higher education opportunities through our annual presentation of Gamuda Scholarship Awards amounting to RM11 million for 125 scholars from local and foreign universities, LITRAK Scholarship Awards amounting to RM560,000 for 34 scholars from local universities and SPLASH Scholarship Awards amounting to RM216,000 for 12 scholars from local universities from 2000 to 2008.

In 2004, the group expanded its education programme through the Gamuda Excellence Awards to reach out to more outstanding individuals. These cash awards are presented to Civil Engineering undergraduates in local public universities, who are outstanding with high academic achievement and possess strong leadership qualities. For this same purpose, road shows and recruitment exercises have also been organised to attract young graduates to join the industry.

Source: www.gamuda.com.my

Working Partime after SPM/STPM/A-levels?

2009-03-25T07:41:00.000+08:00

After taking the exams, there is normally a 6-7 months of waiting period before the university admission. So what do students normally do during this period?

Some of them stay at home, some go for vacation and some work.

Let’s say you decide to work, because it will look good for your curriculum vitae when you apply for scholarship or work when you graduated later. How will working be like? Some would say it is fun. Some would end up complaining how bad the experience was. Right?

Well, sometimes it really depends a lot on luck. If you find a nice place, with nice people, it will be something you enjoy before you enter university to continue with your education journey.

Let’s assume it’s something bad, you get a bad boss who screams at you, you get to do all the boring chores, you get colleagues who won’t help you, so how is that?

Well, actually things don’t always work out the way you expected it to be. But sometimes, you can still work it in a way that it goes to your advantage.

For example, your boss is bad, your work is boring, but when you are applying for scholarship or job later when you have graduated, would you actually complain about the job experience?

I guess not, no matter how bad it was, nobody knows about it. Only you know, so why not try to find the good point about it and let others know so they will find that you have some kind of added value which others don’t. You get what I mean? So, if you are really hating your part time work now, think about how you are going to use this experience for your own benefit in the future…

STPM Results are Out!!!!

2009-03-11T08:23:00.003+08:00

STPM results are out!! So how did you do?? Hope everything went well with all.

According to report, the number of straight As for the STPM has dropped again this year with only 13 scored 5As (25 in 2007) and 223 scored 4As (267 in 2007).

Well, no idea what's the cause of this, is it because the quality of the students? or because they have increased the stringency of the exam?

Long ago, people don't really look at straight As in STPM, they will often say how many principals you have achieved. Principals is something like credit in SPM, it refers to the full passes you have obtained, which shows how hard this exam was back then.

But nowadays, it is often a comparison of how many straight As there are in every year.

I really hope this world recognised examination can maintain it's quality and stringency in order to produce truly capable students for the country.

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STPM results: More passes but fewer who scored straight As
By: Veena Babulal
Source: NSTonline, 11/03/09

KUALA LUMPUR, Tue.:

The number of students who scored straight As for the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia(STPM) dropped for the second year in a row.

Only 13 candidates who enlisted for five subjects scored all As last year compared with 25 students in 2007.

Of this number, 10 candidates were from the Science stream while three came from the Arts stream.

There were also only 223 students taking four subjects who scored straight As in 2008 compared with 267 the previous year.

The overall STPM performance for last year improved by 0.65 per cent with 46,227 candidates or 92.26 per cent of the total number of students passing, with at least one principal compared with 56,963 (or 91.61 per cent) meeting this requirement in 2007.

These statistics were announced here yesterday by Malaysian Examiniation Council chairman, Professor Tan Seri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.

A total of 53,638 candidates sat for the examination last year.

The number of those who achieved a Cumulative Grade Point Average(CGPA) of 4.0 also dropped from from 760 students two years ago to 440 students last year.

For 2008, a total of 3,437 students obtained principals in all five subjects (or 6.85 per cent) compared with 3,689(or 5.93 per cent) the year before.

Whereas a total of 18,686 students or 37.25 per cent of the total number of candidates obtained four straight principals compared with 23,112 or 37.17 per cent of the total number of students who achieved such results in 2007.

Dzulkifli also pointed out that 92.7 per cent of candidates were confident enough to fully answer examination papers in English.

Although the performance gap between rural and urban areas continued to be obvious high scoring rural students in the Science Stream outdid urban students for the very first time.

“There were 14.81 per cent rural students who achieved three to five As this year compared to 12.99 per cent of the urban candidates from the Science Stream. This is not only surprising but extraordinary because as far back as I can recall this has never happened before,” he added.

However the number of urban candidates who scored between three to five As made up 10.39 per cent while only 6.77 per cent of rural candidates obtained results within the same grade bracket.

Of the 19 subjects students signed up for examinations no subject recorded a dip in performance.

Generally students performed better in Usuluddin, Geography, Sports Science, Further Mathematics T, Computing, Visual Science, Economy besides Business Studies.

Candidates performances in other subjects remained relatively unchanged.

Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) First Degree (Honours) Scholarship

2009-03-10T06:04:00.000+08:00

Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) First Degree (Honours) Scholarship

FIELD OF STUDIES:

- Economics
- Financial Engineering
- Accounting
- Actuarial Science
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Finance
- Islamic Banking and Economics
- Law
- Shariah Law
- Information Technology
- Mathematics

Minimum Requirements

- Fulfilling at least one of the following criteria:
- STPM / A-Level - at least 2 A and 1 B ; or
- Diploma / Matriculation - Cumulative Grade Point Aggregate (CGPA) of at least 3.50 ; or
- Australian Matriculation - TER of at least 85% ; or
- American Foundation Program - SAT1 score of at least 1200 ; or
- For candidates currently pursuing First Degree - Current CGPA of at least 3.50 .
and
- Passed SPM with credits in Bahasa Melayu and English subjects
- Not exceeding 25 years of age on 1 July 2009
- Have confirmed or will be offered a place to pursue a First Degree in 2009 at recognised local or foreign universities

Additional Requirements

- Good command of the English language, both written and oral
- Flexible, versatile and posses high teamwork capabilities
- Excelled in both extra-curricular activities and sports

*Students who are currently pursuing a First Degree (Honours) at recognised local and foreign universities are also eligible to apply.

Application

- Online Application. Starts on 10th March 2009. Please visit Bank Negara's website (www.bnm.gov.my) for application.

Closing Date

- 10th April 2009

Source: www.bnm.gov.my

Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) Master's & PhD Scholarship

2009-03-09T18:09:00.003+08:00

Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) Master's & PhD Scholarship

FIELD OF STUDIES:

- Economics
- Financial Engineering
- Accounting
- Actuarial Science
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Finance
- Islamic Banking and Economics
- Law
- Shariah Law
- Information Technology
- Mathematics

Minimum Requirements

- Obtained a First Class (Honours) Bachelor / Master's Degree or equivalent from recognised local and foreign universities
- Will pursue courses that will add value to the roles and functions of Bank Negara Malaysia
- Not exceeding 30 years old for Master and 35 years old for PhD
and
- Passed SPM with credits in Bahasa Melayu and English subjects
- Have confirmed or will be offered a place to pursue Master's / PhD in 2009 at recognised local or foreign universities
- Those who fulfilled the minimum requirements are required to send a written application to Scholarship Section, Bank Negara Malaysia along with these documents:
- Curriculum Vitae / Resume
- Certified copy of Bachelor Degree's / Master's Degree's results
- Letter of recommendation from previous or current university
One (1) page of Abstract / Executive Summary of your proposed research

*Post graduate students who are currently pursuing Master's or PhD at recognised local or foreign universities are also eligible to apply.

Application

- Write in. Please visit Bank Negara's website (www.bnm.gov.my) for further instructions & application forms

Closing Date

- 30 April 2009

Source: www.bnm.gov.my

Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) Pre-U & Overseas Preparatory Program Scholarship

2009-03-09T17:58:00.002+08:00

Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) Pre-U & Overseas Preparatory Program Scholarship

FIELD OF STUDIES:

- Economics
- Financial Engineering
- Accounting
- Actuarial Science
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Finance
- Islamic Banking and Economics
- Law
- Shariah Law
- Information Technology
- Mathematics

Programmes

A-LEVEL, AMERICAN FOUNDATION PROGRAM, AUSTRALIAN MATRICULATION, INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME

Minimum Requirements

- Passed the 2008 SPM examination with at least 8 1As
- Not exceeding 19 years old of age on 1 July 2009

Additional Requirements

- Good command of the English language, both written and oral
- Flexible, versatile and posses high teamwork capabilities
- Excelled in both extra-curricular activities and sports

*Sponsorship to pursue Bachelor Degree (Honours) at foreign universities will be extended subject to meeting the approved criteria.

Application

- Online application. Starts from 10th March 2009. Please visit Bank Negara's website (www.bnm.gov.my)

Source: www.bnm.gov.my

SPM Results Out on 12th March

2009-03-07T10:35:00.003+08:00

STPM candidates will receive their results on March 10th, then it is the deciding day for the SPM candidates who will receive their results two days later on 12th March. Good luck people!!!

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SPM results on March 12
Source: TheStar, 06032009

PETALING JAYA: The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) results will be released on March 12.

Students would be able to obtain the results after 10am from their respective schools, said Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom.

“Private candidates will receive their results through the post,” he said in a statement yesterday.

A total of 442,936 students sat for the SPM examination, while 6,240 students sat for the STAM papers last year.

STPM Results Out on March 10

2009-03-07T10:29:00.003+08:00

For those who sat for their STPM last year, I guess this announcement can be as exciting as it can also be scary too. Now, everyone would be wondering whether they have done enough to do well and obtain flying colours in the exam. All the best...

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STPM results out on March 10
Source: TheStar, 05032009

PETALING JAYA: The Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) results will be released next Tuesday.

Malaysian Examinations Council public relations officer Khawari Idris said students could obtain the results from their schools from 12 noon onwards.

“Private candidates will receive their results through the post,” he said in a statement.

Students can also check their results via SMS by sending “STPM (Their MyKad number)” to 39003 or surfing www.mpm.edu.my from the same time onwards on March 10.

An analysis of the results will be available on the same day, he added.

A total of 53,638 students sat for the examination last year.

Teacher Had Sex With Student: Who's fault?

2009-02-23T18:39:00.002+08:00

A female teacher jailed for 10 months for having sex with her male student which is under 16.

Now, the teacher age 32 years old, reportedly had sex with this guy for 6 times.

Ok, before you all think she is wrong, the news also mentioned that she tried to end the relationship but resulting in the teenager threatening to kill her, causing her to make the police report.

So, who's at fault? Any idea?

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Female teacher jailed 10 months for teen sex
Source: YahooNews, Channelnewsasia, 23/02/2009

SINGAPORE: A female teacher in Singapore who had sex with a 15—year—old student was jailed for 10 months Monday, a court spokesman said.

The woman’s identity had been withheld to protect the victim, said the spokesman, who confirmed that District Judge Sarjit Singh handed down the sentence, but gave no further details.

Now unemployed, the 32—year—old woman earlier pleaded guilty to having sex with a minor under the age of 16.

The friendship between the teacher and boy began when he was a 14—year—old Grade Six pupil and joined an overseas school trip which she led, a report said.

They later had sex, when he was 15, after the boy said he loved the woman who had declared him her godson, it said. By then, the boy had moved on to a secondary school.

They had sex five more times but when she tried to end the affair the boy threatened to kill her, leading her to contact police, the report continued.

The report added that Judge Singh said the case involved a serious breach of trust.

The woman could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

She wept as she was led away to serve her sentence, 938Live radio reported.

— AFP/yb

Selangor Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies in China

2009-01-15T18:28:00.003+08:00

This is a Scholarship from the Selangor State Government. There are about 5 to 10 of such scholarships worth RM100,000 each for one year of study in Universities in China.

The scholarship are only for Malay and Indian students who studied in Chinese schools and fluent in Chinese...

I've never seen such scholarships before, nonetheless, it is a very good initiative to promote the use of Mandarin..

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Study in China on a Selangor scholarship
By : Mazlinda Mahmood
Source: NSTonline, 15/01/2009

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government is offering five to 10 scholarships worth RM100,000 each for a year's study, to Malay and Indian students who had their early education in Chinese schools and are fluent in Chinese to further their studies in universities in China.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the students would be given the opportunity to do their postgraduate degree in business studies in Beijing and Shanghai.

"The state government hopes that this would enable Selangor graduates to explore the knowledge, expertise and skills in business in a country which had charted the highest economic growth.

"This would also encourage language proficiency and attract students to study a language other than their mother tongue," he said after the weekly state executive council meeting yesterday.

He added that aside from gaining valuable education, the students could also set up a business network and form international relationships with fellow students in China.

On the government's purchase of a fleet of 15 Toyota Camry cars which arrived on Friday, Khalid said he had not received the figures on how much they cost the state.

"I will make the announcement. We will also announce how much the state had spent to repair the cars (Perdana V6 Executive) last year.

"The conclusion will show that it is cheaper to get the new cars than to continue using the old ones."

The Star Education Fund - Scholarships Awards 2009

2009-01-11T13:36:00.004+08:00

Applications are now open to Malaysians for scholarship awards offered by the following educational institutions.

ELIGIBILITY
be Malaysian citizens of not more than 25 years of age as at 1st January 2009.
have excelled in extra-curricular activities & active in sports.
not be bonded to or in receipt of any financial aid or awards from other educational institutions or organizations.
for Foundation / Diploma courses, applicants must possess reasonably good results in the SPM / UEC or equivalent.
for the Higher and Advanced Diploma / Degree courses, applicants must possess reasonably good results in the STPM / A-Level / UEC or equivalent.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
To obtain an application form, please download the form here or submit a stamped (40 sen) self-addressed envelope (25cm x 30cm) to:

Manager
The Star Education Fund
c/o Star Publications (M) Bhd
Menara Star
15 Jalan 16/11 Section 16
46350 Petaling Jaya Selangor

Completed application forms with the required certified supporting documents listed in the application forms must be received by (2) two weeks after the release of SPM or STPM results. Late applications will not be accepted. Only short-listed applicants will be notified.

To download the latest Adobe Reader, please click this button.

LISTINGS

1. ALFA International College
Diploma in Architecture
Diploma in Interior Architecture
Diploma in Visual Communication / Graphic Design / Multimedia Design

2. Binary University College
Diploma in Accounting
Diploma in Entrepreneurship
Diploma in Business Administration (City Campus)
BA (Hons) Accounting
BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship

3. Brickfields Asia College
A-Levels (Arts)
LLB (UOL)
Diploma in Business

4. Equator Academy of Art, Penang
Diploma in Graphic & Multimedia Design
Diploma in Interior Design
Diploma in Fashion Design Technology

5. FTMS College
Diploma in Computer Science
Diploma in Business Information Technology
Diploma in Information System
Diploma in Computer Games Technology
Diploma in Business Administration
Diploma in Accounting & Finance
Diploma in Marketing Management
Diploma in Hotel Management
Foundation + BSc (Hons) in Software Engineering
Foundation + BSc (Hons) in Computer Games Technology
BSc (Hons) in Software Engineering
BSc (Hons) in Computer Games Technology

6. Han Chiang College, Penang
Diploma in Mass Communication
Diploma in Broadcast Journalism
Diploma in Business Management
Diploma in Accounting
Diploma in Logistic Management
Diploma in Information Technology
Diploma in Multimedia Communication Design
Diploma Chinese Studies

7. HELP International College of Technology
Diploma in Food Science & Technology
BA in Communication / Psychology / BSc in Business (Southern New Hampshire University)
Bachelor of Business in Accounting (Edith Cowan University)
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical Engineering / Electronic Engineering (University of Hertfordshire)

8. HELP University College
Foundation in Arts / Science leading to
Bachelor of Business (Hons)
Bachelor of Management (Hons)
Bachelor of Communication (Hons)
Bachelor of Banking (Hons)
Bachelor of Economics (Hons)

9. Institute Advertising Communication Training
Diploma in Broadcasting
Diploma in Advertising
Diploma in Mass Communication
Diploma in Creative Multimedia
Diploma in Graphic Design

10. INTI College Subang Jaya
Cambridge A-Level
Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Diploma in Information & Communication Technology
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering
Foundation in Information & Communication Technology & BSc (Hons) in Computer Science (3+0, Coventry University, UK)
Foundation Program (Business) & BA (Hons) in Accounting (3+0, Hertfordshire University, UK)
Bachelor of Business Administration (Marketing & Management -Dual Major) (4+0, Northwood University, USA)

11. INTI International College Penang
TAFE Advanced Diploma in Accounting
Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Diploma in Information Technology
Diploma in Business Administration

12. INTI University College
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons)
Bachelor of Accountancy (Hons)
Bachelor of Biotechnology (Hons)
Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons)
Bachelor of International Business (Hons)
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor or Engineering (Hons) Civil Engineering
BSc (Hons) in Network & Mobile Computing
BSc (Hons) Internet & Mobile Computing
BSc (Hons) Games Software Development
BA (Hons) Business Communication

13. ISBA UK Thinking Skills College & Academy
Diploma in Business Management
Diploma in Business Information System
Diploma in Financial Management
Diploma in Human Resource Management
Diploma in Marketing
Diploma in Travel Tourism & Hospitality Management
Diploma in Islamic Finance

14. KDU College PJ
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Electrical & Electronic Engineering (3+0, Northumbria University, UK)
Bachelor of Mass Communication (Public Relation) (3+0, Murdoch University, Australia)
BA International Hotel & Tourism Management (3+0, IMI Switzerland)

15. KDU College Penang
Diploma in Business
Diploma in Computer Studies
Diploma in Games Technology
Diploma in Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering
Diploma in Mass Communication
Diploma in Interior Design
Diploma in Digital Art & Design / Graphic Design
KDU IMI Diploma in International Hotel & Tourism Management
Diploma in Professional Chef Training
Bachelor of Commerce (Murdoch University, Australia)
Bachelor of Management (USM)
BSc (Hons) Computing Studies (Northumbria University, UK)
BEng (Hons) Electrical & Electronic Engineering (Northumbria University, UK)

16. Kolej Disted- Stamford
Cambridge A-Level
South Australian Matriculation
Certified Accounting Technician
Diploma in Business Studies
Diploma in Hospitality Business Management
Diploma in Computer Science / IT
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (3+0, Staffordshire University)
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Electronics (2+2, MMU)

17. Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman
Diploma & Advanced Diploma Level

School of Business Studies
Accountancy / Management / Marketing / Economics / Finance / Banking / Logistics / E-Commerce / International Business / Human Resources / Management Information Systems / Logistic & Supply Chain Management

School of Arts & Science
Business Information Systems / Information Systems Engineering / Internet Technology / Interactive Software Technology / Computer Science / Microelectronics / Chemistry & Biology / Sport & Exercise Science

School of Technology
Electronic Engineering / Materials & Manufacturing Engineering / Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering / Mechatronics Engineering / Telecommunications / Building / Quantity Surveying / Property Management / Architecture

School of Social Science & Humanities
Advertising / Broadcast Communication / Journalism / Media Studies / Public Relations / Graphic Design / Multimedia Design / Fashion Design / Counselling / Psychology / Hotel Management / Tourism / Foodservice

18. Kuala Lumpur Infrastructure University College
Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Hons)
Bachelor of Electronics Engineering (Hons)
Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Network Technology / Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Software Engineering / Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons)
Bachelor of Communication (Hons) in Corporate Communication
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in E-Commerce / Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons)
Bachelor of Accountancy (Hons)

19. Life College
Diploma in Accounting
Diploma in Business Studies
Diploma in Multimedia
Diploma in Mass Communication

20. Limkokwing University of Creative Technology
(London Campus)
BA (Hons) Professional Design
BA (Hons) Professional Communication
B Bus (Hons) International Business
B Bus (Hons) Business Administration
(Cyberjaya Campus)
B Business (Hons) Business Information Technology
BA (Hons) Information Technology
BSc (Hons) Software Engineering with Multimedia
BSc (Hons) Electronic Commerce
BSc (hons) Mobile Computing
BSc (hons) Games Technology
B Business (Hons) Accounting
B Business (Hons) Entreneurship
B Business (Hons) Marketing
BA (Hons) Tourism Management
BSc (Hons) Information & Communication Technology
BA (Hons) Human Resource Management
BA in Interior Architecture
BA (Hons) Digital Imaging & Illustration
BA (Hons) Industrial Design
MA of Communication
MBA in Sport Management
MA in International Contemporary

21. Management & Science University
Diploma in Accountancy
Diploma in Info Tech
Diploma in E-Commerce
Diploma in Management
Bachelor Information & Communication Technology
Bachelor Computer Science
Bachelor International Business
Bachelor Decision Science
Bachelor Food Service Technology

22. Methodist College
GCE A-Level (Arts)
Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT)
Diploma in Early Childhood Education

23. Metropolitan College
Foundation leading to Bachelor of Commerce, Curtin University of Technology

24. Multimedia University
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Electronics majoring in Bio-Instrumentation
BSc (Hons) Bio-Informatics
BSc (Hons) Medical Information Technology

25. Olympia College
Diploma in Business Studies (Management / Human Resource Management / Marketing / Mass Communication) (PJ & Kuantan Campus)
Diploma in Business Management (KL, Penang, Ipoh & JB Campus)
Diploma in Information Technology (KL, Penang, Ipoh, JB, PJ & Kuantan Campus)
Higher National Diploma in Hospitality Management (PJ & Ipoh Campus)
Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design (PJ Campus)
Higher National Diploma in Fashion & Textiles (PJ Campus)
Higher National Diploma in Electrical / Electronic Engineering (KL & Ipoh Campus)

26. PJ College of Art & Design
Diploma in Interior Design / Graphic Design / Design Management
Diploma in Interactive Multimedia & Animation Design / Industrial Design
Diploma in Fashion Design

27. PTPL Group of Colleges
(PTPL Shah Alam, PTPL Ampang, PTPL Sentral @ KL, PTPL Kemahiran (Kajang), PTPL Seremban, PTPL Sg. Petani, PTPL Kota Bahru, PTPL Terengganu, PTPL Sabah, PTPL Sarawak)
Diploma Teknologi Maklumat
(PTPL Shah Alam, PTPL Ampang, PTPL Sentral @ KL, PTPL Kemahiran (Kajang), PTPL Seremban, PTPL Sg.Petani, PTPL Kota Bahru, PTPL Terengganu, PTPL Sabah, PTPL Sarawak) Diploma Pengurusan
(PTPL Penang)
A Level
Diploma Pengurusan Pelancongan
Private Secretaraial Studies (Diploma) LCCI )
Business (Diploma) LCCI
Accountancy (CAT Intro to Adv Level)
Accountancy (ACCA) Part 1 to 3

28. RafflesDesign Institute
Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design
Advanced Diploma in Fashion Marketing & Management

29. Rose Education Foundation
London School of Commerce
MBA
University of Gloucestershire
Master in Business School

30. Saito College
Diploma in Interior Design
Diploma in Multimedia Design
Diploma in Security Management
Diploma in Business Information Technology

31. SEGi International Bhd
(SEGi University College / SEGi Kuala Lumpur)
Diploma in Creative Multimedia / Video & Animation
Diploma in Mass Communication
Diploma in Advertising Design / Graphic Design / Interior Design
Diploma in Business Administration / Accounting / Marketing
Diploma in Construction Management / IT
Diploma in Civil Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical & Electronic Engineering / Chemical Engineering
American Degree Program (4+0, Upper Iowa University, USA) BSc in Psychology / Communication / Marketing / Management / Financial Management / Human Resource Management / Business Administration
BA (Hons) Accountancy & Finance (3+0, University of Teesside, UK)
BSc (Hons) International Tourism & Hospitality Management (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BA (Hons) Business & Management (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BSc (Hons) Applied Business Computing (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BEng (Hons) Electrical & Electronics Engineering (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)

(SEGi College Subang Jaya)
American Degree Program (4+0, Upper Iowa University, USA) BSc in Psychology / Communication / Marketing / Management / Financial Management / Human Resource Management / Business Administration
Bachelor of Early Childhood (3+0, University of Southern Queensland, Australia)
BA (Hons) Graphic Design (3+0, University of Teesside, UK)
BSc (Hons) Applied Business Computing (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BEng (Hons) Electrical & Electronics Engineering (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BA (Hons) International Tourism & Hospitality Management (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BA (Hons) Accounting & Finance (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BA (Hons) Business & Management (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)

(SEGI College Penang)
Diploma in Marketing
Diploma in Tourism Management
Diploma in Hotel Management
Diploma in Accounting
Diploma in Business Administration
BA (Hons) Accounting & Financial Management (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)
BA (Hons) Business & Management (3+0, University of Sunderland, UK)

(SEGi College Sarawak)
Diploma in Environmental Health / Medical Laboratory Technology
Diploma in Early Childhood Education
Diploma in Tourism Management
Diploma in Hotel Management
Diploma in Graphic Design/ Creative Design & Interactive Multimedia
Diploma in Marketing / Human Resource Management / Business Management
Diploma in Computer Studies / Accountancy
Diploma in Law / Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (LLB University of London, UK)

32. Stamford College
Diploma in Hospitality Management (AHLA)
Diploma in Corporate Administration
Diploma in Executive Secretaryship
Diploma in Human Resource Management
Diploma in Media & Communication
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Business Studies (Marketing) (University of East London, UK)
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (University of East London, UK)

33. Sunway University College
BSc (Hons) Accounting & Finance
BSc (Hons) Business Studies
BSc (Hons) Business Management
BSc (Hons) International Tourism Management
BSc (Hons) International Hospitality Management
BSc (Hons) Information Technology
BSc (Hons) Multimedia Systems
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Bachelor of Business (3+0, Victoria University, Australia)

34. Taylor's University College
Diploma in Culinary Art / Tourism Management / Hotel Management
Diploma in Multimedia Design / Graphic Communication Design / Interior Design / Construction Management
Bachelor of Hospitality & Tourism Management (Hons) / Bachelor of Tourism Management & Engineering (Hons) (3+0, University Of Toulose, France)
BSc (Hons) Architecture (Taylor's University College) / Bachelor of Information Technology (3+0, RMIT University) / Bachelor of Computer Science (RMIT University, Australia) / BA Communication & Media Management (3+0, University of South Australia)
BA (Hons) Accounting & Finance (University of TheWest of England, Bristol, UWE)
Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) / Bachelor of Applied Finance / Bachelor of Management (Marketing), University of South Asia (UniSA)

35. The One Academy of Communication Design
Diploma in Advertising & Graphic Design
Diploma in Multimedia Design
Diploma in Illustration

36. The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
Foundation in Computer Science leading to an under graduate degree in the School of Computer Sciences, BSc (Hons)
Foundation in Bioscience leading to an undergraduate degree in Plant Biotechnology, BSc (Hons)
Undergraduate degree in the Nottingham University Business School, BA (Hons) Finance, Accounting & Management / Business Economics & Management / Business Economics & Finance / International Business Management / Management Studies / BSc (Hons) Applied Psychology & Management Studies
Undergraduate degree in the School of Computer Sciences, BSc (Hons) Computer Science / Computing & Information Systems / Computer Science & Management Studies
Undergraduate degree in the School of Biosciences, BSc (Hons) Plant Biotechnology

37. Unity College International
Diploma in Management
Diploma in Information Technology
Diploma in Architecture Technology / Civil Engineering (UTM)
Diploma in Architecture Technology / Civil Engineering
Bachelor of Management (3+0, University of Ballarat, Australia)
BSc (Hons) Business Information System (3+0, University of East London, UK)
BSc (Hons) Computing (3+0, University of Wales Newport, UK)
BA Business Administration (3+0, University of Wales Newport, UK)
Master of Business Administration (University of Wales Newport, UK)
Master of Science Computing (University of Wales Newport, UK)
Master of Business Administration (University of Ballarat, Australia)

38. UCSI University
BEng (Hons) Electrical & Electronic Engineering / BEng (Hons) Communication & Electronic Engineering / BEng (Hons) Mechatronic Engineering
BSc (Hons) Computing
BSc (Hons) Business Information Systems
BA (Hons) Business Administration / Accounting / Accounting & Finance / Marketing

39. University Tunku Abdul Rahman
Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) Accounting
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) Banking & Finance / Entrepreneuship / Marketing / Financial Economics / Finance
BA (Hons) Chinese Studies / English Language / Graphic Design & Multimedia /
Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Journalism / Public Relations / Advertising / Broadcasting /
Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) Psychology
Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons)
Bachelor of Information Systems (Hons) Business Information Systems / Information Systems Engineering
Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) Computer Engineering / Communications & Networking
Bachelor of Science (Hons) Applied Mathematics with Computing / Actuarial Science / Biotechnology / Chemistry / Construction Management / Biomedical Science / Biochemistry / Quantity Surveying / Physics
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Electronic / Electrical & Electronic / Materials & Manufacturing / Mechanical / Civil / Electronic & Communication / Biomedical / Mechatronics / Chemical Engineering.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/edufund/

MARA Scholarship 2009

2009-01-09T10:34:00.004+08:00

MARA Scholarship is up for grabs again. Please NOTE that this is only for Bumiputra, please check for eligibility criteria on MARA's website. Please refer to local dailies for further info.

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MARA Scholarship 2009
Source: NSTonline, 09/01/2008

KUALA LUMPUR: Bumiputera undergraduates with excellent results can apply for scholarships to study in top universities overseas under Mara's Excellent Students' Scheme.

Those with a cumulative grade point average of three and above are encouraged to apply. Advertisements in newspapers will be out from today until Sunday.

----------------------------------------------------

From MARA's Website:- (URL: http://www.mara.gov.my/BPP/default.htm )

PROGRAM PENGAJIAN DI INSTITUSI PENGAJIAN TINGGI TERKEMUKA LUAR NEGARA.

i. Program Ijazah Pertama bagi calon lepasan Matrikulasi / Diploma
ii. Program Profesional bagi calon lepasan Diploma / Ijazah Pertama
iii. Program Sarjana bagi calon lepasan Ijazah Pertama
iv Program Ijazah Doktor Falsafah bagi calon lepasan Sarjana
* Program ini hanya diiklankan dalam akhbar-akhbar tempatan pada setiap hujung tahun bagi kemasukan sesi tahun hadapannya (tertakluk kepada pindaan). Walaubagaimanapun, pertimbangan tajaan adalah tertakluk kepada peruntukan semasa dan dasar terkini MARA.

Bagi pengambilan sesi 2009/2010 iklan akan dikeluarkan di akhbar-akhbar berikut pada 9 hingga 11 Januari 2009

Akhbar :
Utusan Malaysia
Berita Harian
Sunday Times
Mingguan Malaysia
Berita Minggu

NS Food Poisoning

2009-01-09T10:28:00.002+08:00

Seems like our NS isn't doing so well after years of implementation. The young trainees are still facing the same problem. Food poisoning doesn't seem like a new issue in Malaysia's NS program, yet it seems like it cannot be prevented.

Authorities should really do something about this as it involves the health of the trainees...

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155 fall ill after meal
Source: NSTonline, 09/01/2008

LUMUT: One hundred and fifty-five National Service trainees at the Teluk Rubiah camp were rushed to hospital yesterday with food poisoning.

They were brought to the hospital at 7.20am after suffering from stomach ache, diarrhoea and vomiting after a meal of chicken chop at the camp canteen.

A hospital spokesman said most of the trainees had been sent back after treatment but eight were warded. Camp commandant Commander K. Kannan declined to elaborate and asked the media to contact the NS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur for details.

Young Muslim Girls Addicted to Sex?

2009-01-05T20:42:00.002+08:00

I was rather shocked to have come across this article which says that some of these Muslim girls lost their virginity at the young age of 10!! And they are not ashamed of it!!!! OMG!!!!!

A 15 year old even said she was addicted to sex!! Another one said she had sex with her boyfriend when she was just around 11 year old (Year Five)!!! What the hell!!!!

Something is really going wrong with our society.. Terribly wrong...

Try to read the last paragraph yourself.. I am really speechless with what that girl said..

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Tudung-clad teens who are hooked on sex
Source: TheStar Online, 05/01/2009

A GROUP of Muslim tudung-clad girls were not ashamed to say they were no longer virgins, with some admitting they became pregnant at 15, Metro Ahad reported.

Some even said they lost their virginity at the age of 10, while others claimed they had multiple sex partners.

They also told Metro Ahad they would ostracise schoolmates who were still virgins.

A 15-year-old from Johor told the paper she first had sex with her boyfriend when in Year Five and was now “addicted to sex.”

“When I was in Form Three I started changing partners, and have done it with two guys at once,” she told the tabloid.

Another 15-year-old girl from Selangor told the paper the term “pure” or virgin did not exist between her friends and her.

“What is wrong if my friends and I want some fun and have sex while we are still young? ,” she told the tabloid.

One Year Old Baby Raped by 16 and 30 Year Old?

2008-12-23T08:08:00.003+08:00

Ok, this is the kind of news I classify as extreme. A one year old baby was raped!!! Is the sexual desire so strong that they actually made a new born one year old baby the rape victim?

One of the suspects is 16 year old! Gosh!! Where the hell did he learn to rape at such a young age? Another one is a 30 year old uncle who is supposed to be matured enough to tell right from wrong!! What's wrong with the world we live in?

They caused a big wound in the baby that it needed to be stitched up... Maybe they should be castrated or something.. This people really has no cure!!!

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Year-old baby raped: Two held
Source: NSTOnline, 23/12/2008

BUTTERWORTH: Police have detained two suspects for raping a year-old toddler.

Seberang Prai Utara district deputy police chief Superintendent Mohd Shukri Awang said the two suspects, aged 30 and 16, were neighbours of the victim. They were picked up on Saturday night.

Shukri said the child's mother, a 32-year-old sales promoter, only found out that her daughter had been raped when she took the girl to the Seberang Jaya Hospital after returning home from work at 11pm on Friday.

Relating the incident, the woman said her mother had picked up the baby from a babysitter's house, about 50 metres away, at 6pm.

"My mother told me that my daughter was bleeding from her private part and I took her to hospital.

"There was a deep wound and the doctors told me that she had been raped. They had to stitch to close the wound.

"I do not know who was responsible for doing such a cruel act to my daughter. They must be animals."

Girlfriend sets her boyfriend on fire!!

2008-12-22T17:53:00.002+08:00

Yes, you didn't read the title wrongly! A girlfriend actually pour petrol on her boyfriend and then put him on fire!!! The fire caused the guy to suffer 90% burn and died.

Isn't this amazing?! Talking about a weird incident. Boyfriend and girlfriend relationship ended up in fire?! What happened that needed her to actually put him on fire to kill him?

That's really irrational... What a weird world we are living in!!!

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Man dies after being set ablaze by girlfriend
By FARIK ZOLKEPLI
Source: TheStar Online, 22/12/2008

JOHOR BARU: A 32-year-old man died after he was set ablaze by an assailant, believed to be his girlfriend.

G. Ganipathy was set on fire at a house in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah at about 7.30am on Sunday.

It is learnt that the victim had been renting a room with his girlfriend at the house. The suspect had allegedly doused him with petrol and set him on fire before escaping.

Ganipathy was in the toilet when the incident occurred. His housemates, who heard his screams, rushed in and quickly put out the fire before sending him to Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

However Ganipathy, who was 90% burnt, succumbed to his injuries at about 10pm the same day.

Johor Baru (North) OCPD Asst Comm Ruslan Hassan said police had identified the suspect, who is a 45-year-old woman.

“We are currently tracking down the suspect and are confident of apprehending her soon,” he said when contacted here on Monday.

He said police have classified the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

“We are exploring all angles in the investigation,” he said, adding that the body had been sent for post-mortem.

Hostile Malaysia Caused Suicidal International Students?

2008-12-11T18:00:00.002+08:00

Malaysians hostile towards international students?? Is this true? Hmm... I wonder myself.. Maybe what the international students say is true as many Malaysians may relate them to criminal activities hence discriminating them...

Well, I can only say don't judge a book by its cover and we should try to be friendly as host to welcome these international students regardless of their background to study in our country and enjoy our multicultural society...

To discriminate until the extend of having them being depressed and have suicidal thoughts are a little extreme and does not reflect our eastern culture and ethics...

I hope the society's perception towards these international students can change as soon as possible to allow them to feel at home in Malaysia...

Maybe more should be done by the youth group in the education institutions and also ministry of education to allow more interaction between locals and also the foreigners so that we can actually learn from each other and understand each other better...

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Hostile reception pushes Bostwanian students to the brink of suicide
By KAREN CHAPMAN, RICHARD LIM and PRIYA KULASAGARAN
Source: TheStar Online, 11/12/2008

PETALING JAYA: Students from Botswana feel they are being unfairly treated in Malaysia and many are so stressed out that they even resort to suicide.

Some even have to put up with racial slurs and insults on a daily basis.

Thembani Eliot Ncube, 19, and Mamie Baleseng, 17, who are students at a private higher education institution, claim Malaysians don’t seem to want to mix with them.

Still adapting: Ncube (left) and Baleseng find it hard mixing with Malaysians who they feel could be biased against Africans.

“Perhaps they associate us with crime because of a few African students but this should not be the case. It can make some of us depressed,” said Ncube, who is studying electrical engineering.

A 19-year-old design student, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed his friends had been arrested because they were carrying photocopies of their passports and visas instead of the original documents.

Two female students, who also declined to be named, said that male students were more likely to face hostility compared to their female peers.

First-year student, Tebogo Lamaona, 20, said he was told that Malaysia was a friendly country, but his experience so far had been different.

“I have to put up with racist slurs and insults every day,” he claimed.

Botswana’s Education Minister Jacob Nkate is currently in Kuala Lumpur to meet with students from his country studying here to find out more about Botswanian students who had committed suicide here.

He is accompanied by the High Commissioner of the Republic of Botswana based in Beijing, Naomi E. Majinda, and the education attache Shiayana Kalane.

The delegation will be in Malaysia for a few days to gather feedback and make their assessments of the situation here.

According to a report in an African news portal, four Botswanian students had died in Malaysia this year in car accidents while two fell from the balconies of their apartments after drinking alcohol.

Ncube said he was happy to learn that Nkate was in the country so they could voice their concerns.

On the report, he said people should not think that all Botswanian students in Malaysia had suicidal tendencies.

Baleseng, who is doing her foundation studies, said the problem could stem from the mental state and motivation of some students.

“My friends and I are only interested in doing well in studies but some students may have come to Malaysia to ‘escape’ from their problems back home,” she said.

She said some may resort to drinking or suicide if things got worse.

Study-wise, both Ncube and Baleseng who have been in Malaysia for three months, said adapting to the local environment was not a problem.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung advised any international student having problems to speak to representatives from their institutions.

“The students can also approach us through the ministry’s Student Affairs Division,” he said.

There are currently about 7,000 African students in Malaysian higher education institutions.

Dr Hou had previously held dialogues with student representatives from China and Indonesia as part of the ministry’s move to have open interaction with international students.

“There are plans to meet students of other nationalities soon,” he said.

Psychiatric Observations For Doctor Wannabes

2008-12-02T15:52:00.002+08:00

I agree with the editor that psychiatric observations should be carried out on the doctors wannabes to screen out the ones truly passionate towards this career.

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Not all top students cut out to become docs
Source: TheStar Online, 02/12/2008

WHO should study medicine? That was the question posed by Nanyang Siang Pau in its editorial.

The daily said yesterday that many intelligent students chose to study medicine although not all had the qualities to be doctors.

“Besides having good results, the student should have good communication skills,” the daily said.

To study medicine, one needed to have a deep interest in the medical field and aspirations to become a doctor, it said.

“Besides the long hours and giving up many of life’s pleasures, doctors have to put up with unhappy faces and deaths,” it added.

If the person could not take up the challenges of becoming a doctor, he or she should not take up the profession.

The daily noted that apart from conducting psychiatric observation on potential doctors, the authorities should also check if medical students could withstand the pressures of being a doctor.

The daily’s comments came following reports quoting Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican as saying that every month, at least five doctors are found to be suffering from mental illnesses.

Medical Graduates Suffering from Depression?

2008-12-02T08:17:00.002+08:00

I've always thought that people who wants to become doctors should have passion in the field, dedicated to save lives. Hence, I can't comprehend or should I say I can't accept the reason given that they are depressed because they were trained in another place which has a different culture. That sounds a little pathetic to me. Doesn't it?! Medicine is a field without boundaries. It is a field to save lives regardless of race, background and culture. The graduates and doctors wannabe should have known this before they enter the field in the first place.

It is utterly unacceptable to say, "Because they were trained in a Russian, Indian, Polish, Indonesian, British or Irish environment, thus they can't/don't know how to treat Malaysians, therefore they are depressed". Is this in anyway logical? With the ever rising medical problems, new diseases, virus mutating, advances in medical technologies, Doctors are supposed to be critical and creative in their thinking and adapt to the changes to provide the medical care to the patients who entrusted their lives to the medical professionals.

In the news report, the term "weaker students" were used, I wonder how weak are these students. Does it refer to academically weak? I'm very curious. "Having difficulty relating and working"? Aren't doctors supposed to be people who are able to speak to others, interact and communicate with patients and colleagues? How did these people pass the screening/interview to get scholarships to go overseas to study medicine? Is there a flaw in the screening process? To become a 'good' doctor, not a successful one, isn't easy, passion and dedication is of utmost importance, not just straight A's or from a wealthy family, I think people should start to understand this.

"Schools have increased but teaching hospitals have not"?? Isn't this under the purview of the ministry of education and health? Shouldn't they monitor the situation? As mentioned in the article, the standards and quality of patient care should not be compromised, hence, isn't it wiser to regulate the license given out to private colleges to offer medical programmes? I'm sure the public doesn't want crappy doctors to treat us, don't we???

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Many medical students suffer from depression
By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY
Source: TheStar Online, 01/12/2008

KUALA LUMPUR: Many Malaysian medical students overseas who take examinations in a foreign language suffer from depression when they return.

Physicians for Peace and Social Responsibility (PPSR) vice-president Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Abdul Kadir said that large numbers of young Malaysians were being trained in foreign medical schools in Indonesia, Russia, India, Poland, Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

At a forum on Saturday organised by the PPSR, it was highlighted that at least five such houseman are found to suffer from mental illnesses every month.

“These countries have varied systems of medical training and different types of patient care, based on the emphasis of the country. As a result, many of the students who go there undergo a culture shock,” said Dr Abdul Hamid.

“Coming from different universities, backgrounds and experiences, they have difficulty relating and working, especially the weaker students,” he said, adding that there had been a sudden sprouting of many public and private medical schools.

While the schools have increased, however, the number of teaching hospitals have not.

Dr Abdul Hamid said that although there was an increasing demand for doctors, the standards and quality of patient care should not be compromised.

“These are the major concerns which the country’s healthcare and medical educational planners have to constantly bear in mind so that the value systems governing the training of our doctors are never lost sight of in the short term and the long term.”

Is Taman Perling Safe?

2008-12-02T08:10:00.001+08:00

Is Taman Perling safe? This poor young guy was stabbed to death near a bus stop. He is so young! I hope people staying in Perling area be more careful when going out, because it really doesn't look very safe anymore.

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Sales assistant stabbed to death
Source: TheStar Online, 01/12/2008

JOHOR BARU: A 21-year-old sales assistant was stabbed to death at a bus stop some 200m from his house in Taman Perling here.

The man, identified as Rocky Teo, was believed to have fallen down a slope while trying to escape from his attackers and died under a tree.

Police have ruled out robbery as the motive.

Johor deputy CID chief Asst Comm Che Yusoff Che Ngah said that Teo left home for work between 11am and noon yesterday, and was believed to have been attacked by two men at the bus stop.

Shocking find: Teo’s sister (second from left) comforting their mother at the bus stop near where he was attacked in Taman Perling, Johor Baru, yesterday.
Teo, he said, had a stab wound.

He said police investigations into the murder were focused on personal issues, including revenge.

Teo’s mother, who was leaving for work, found out about the body from people gathered at the bus stop.

When she went up to have a look, she recognised a bag on the road near the body as belonging to her son and broke into tears.

ACP Che Yusoff urged those with information to contact the police at 07-221 2999.

Autistic But Scored Straight A's

2008-12-01T08:36:00.003+08:00

This is an inspiring story which tells us not to give up on those who seemed at a disadvantage and definitely don't give up on ourselves..

This boy could not talk until he was 7 and wore diapers until the age of 9! But he is the UPSR Straight A's student!!!!

Bravo dude!!! All the best in your future undertakings!!! If he can do it, the rest of us should not give up when we are faced with problems in our studies and work harder instead to be the best!!!!

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Study on autistic wonder
By Zainuddin Muhammad
Source: NSTonline, 01/12/2008

KUALA TERENGGANU: An autistic 13-year-old who scored straight As in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), will be a case study for the state Education Department.

Muhammad Danial Zainuddin became the first special education candidate in the country to achieve all As.

Department deputy director Razali Daud said the "autistic wonder" would make an interesting subject for a case study.

At a luncheon with 29 UPSR special education candidates at Permai Inn yesterday, Razali said the study would be undertaken by the special education unit. Its findings would help administrators, educators and parents of special needs children to improve their learning abilities.

He said Danial of SK Padang Hiliran, who could not talk until he was 7 and wore diapers to school until he was 9, had intrigued teachers and students when he emerged top of his class in Year Four.

Even his headmaster, Md Sidek Besar, could not explain his transformation from an unruly and hard-to-control child in the special education class to a straight-A student.

Education Ministry special education deputy director Rozainum Ahmad later presented Danial with an Acer notebook, RM500 worth of shopping vouchers and another RM500 cash from Mydin Hypermarket.

Every month at least 5 Doctors found to have Mental Illness

2008-11-30T10:06:00.000+08:00

This is why choosing a course which you have interest to study in university is important as most likely you will be stucked in that field for the next 30-40 years before you decide to retire.

If you study something which you have no interest due to peer pressure, or pressure from parents/relatives, society influences, monetary temptations, etc, just like these doctors who were pressured to study medicine by parents, you may just end up like them. Doing something you don't like for long period will just stress you out over a long period and lead towards mental breakdown.

Hence, every student should plan their career path properly, make the right decision for themselves and don't regret it. Don't let others influence you into something you have no interest and then regret it later, or fail to excel in it.

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At least five doctors to suffer from mental woes every month
By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY
Source: TheStar Online, 30/11/2008

KUALA LUMPUR: Every month, at least five doctors are found to be suffering from mental illnesses, director-general of health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said.

He said these doctors were either psychotic or neurotic but still managed to get into medical schools because these schools were not screening students meticulously enough.

“When the doctors complete their two-year housemanship and their applications are submitted for registration with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), they fail to get registered.

“Their supervisors do not certify them as fit to be registered because of indiscipline and poor attitude arising from mental health problems.

“The mental cases range from psychotic to neurotic. Psychotic cases include delusions and hallucinations, and neurotic behaviour includes anxiety, fear and anger due to the competitive environment,” said Dr Ismail.

These medical graduates, totalling about 60 cases a year, are unable to cope with their housemanship as they may have been pressured by their parents to take up medicine.

Dr Ismail said it was disheartening to note this emerging trend due to an inefficient selection process, adding that the mental cases were referred to the Medical Review Panel (MRP).

Since many of these graduates have spent a lot of money on their medical education, the MRP may extend their housemanship and at the same time send them for psychiatric treatment.

“In the event they are assigned to work, they will be thoroughly supervised and counselled by experts and given light duties until their mental condition improves.

“I am not so sure whether we can identify those with attitude problems during an interview unless such problems are obvious,” Dr Ismail said at a forum on Training Future Doctors: Have we got it right?”

About 2,000 medical doctors are registered annually from 21 local medical schools and 400 recognised schools overseas.

Different medical schools around the world have different selection criteria for their students, Dr Ismail said.

However, he said that the ministry was also planning some form of examination to check their attitude, knowledge and experience after they complete their final examination.

Most of the mentally ill students, he said, could have undergone pressure and depression while studying and faced difficulty in coping in a hospital environment.

The other weakness was a lack of proficiency in the English language.

Higher Education director-general Prof Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the ministry was currently reviewing universities’ curricula to ensure high standards in medical education and training for doctors.

“Uppermost on our minds will be the safety and well-being of patients,” he said.

He Paid Others To Sit for His SPM to get A's!!!

2008-11-29T18:26:00.000+08:00

This is a first!! A guy paid other students to sit for his SPM exam and scored very well, and got into college and one of the best scores.

Worse, his mother allowed this to happen and agreed to help him when authorities questioned about it.

I understand parents will all want their children to be successful and obviously every student would want themselves to Ace the exams too. But is this acceptable?

To have obtained A's through such unethical and unscrupulous means, will he and his parents be satisfied? Can they be proud when facing others?

This is so wrong... We should get our A's through our own effort and stand tall among others with our heads high... not like this...

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'My son paid friend to take his SPM'
By : Farrah Naz Karim
Source: NSTonline, 29/11/2008

The article which appeared in the November issue of ‘The Women’s Weekly’. Education Ministry director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom says he will look into this confession.

PUTRAJAYA: Can the Examination Board be duped by students who pay others to take public examinations for them?

One student from a private school did just that, according to a confession to a local women's magazine, in which a mother related her son, John's (not his real name) experience at having someone else take his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination.

He had paid his friend RM200 for each paper that he sat for, she said.

"All the guy had to do was to turn up at the examination centre with John's identity card and sit the paper he had registered for.

"I knew this friend and that he would be able to guarantee good enough results for my son to enrol into college.

"If anyone became suspicious, his friend would just insist that he was the boy in the picture and that he just looked different at 17."

In ensuring that the plan worked, she said her son's friend memorised all his details in case anyone asked.

The friend managed to avoid raising any suspicion as the invigilators failed to see the physical difference between the two boys.

"I reluctantly agreed to be at home to answer the phone in case the authorities called.

"The days of exams passed without trouble and we were glad when the last paper was over.

"Weeks later, my son received his results ... his grades were good enough for entry to a college and even qualified for one of the best courses," she said in the November issue of The Women's Weekly's monthly contributor's page "Share a Secret".

Education Ministry director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom, who expressed disbelief that there was such a case, said he would look into the claim.

He said yesterday there was a directive for the Examination Board to be more vigilant when it came to private schools and private candidates.

This is because unlike government schools where teachers and the principals know their students, private students sitting for a paper merely have examination slips.

"When it comes to private students, invigilators would be more watchful and would check their identification against the candidate sitting for the exam.

"Details of these students are checked each time they sit for a paper."

He said there had been no reports of cheating in the past years.

PTPTN Defaulters Summoned!!!

2008-11-28T08:31:00.003+08:00

Wow, so many haven't paid up their PTPTN loans..

The breakdown:-
Malay - 15,457 (83.41%)
Chinese - 1,433 (7.73%)
Indian - 991 (5.35%)
Others - 651 (3.51%)

Looking at the figures, I wonder why they don't want to pay back, it's not that much per month anyway...

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Summonses for defaulters
Source: NSTonline, 28/11/2008

THE National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has sent out a total of 18,532 court summonses to loan defaulters up to October this year. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin, in a written reply to a question by Amran Ab Ghani (PKR-Tanah Merah), said 15,457 or 83.41 per cent of the defaulters were Malays, 1,433 or 7.73 per cent Chinese, 991 or 5.35 per cent Indians while 651 or 3.51 per cent were other races.

15 year old shot his Mother with Dad's gun

2008-11-27T08:28:00.003+08:00

Gosh, does an argument require such serious response by shooting his own mother? And this guy is only 15 years old!!!

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'Policeman allowed to take gun home'
Source: NSTonline, 27/11/2008

SUNGAI BULOH: A policeman who brought home his service pistol, which resulted his 15-year-old son allegedly shooting his mother, did not contravene procedures.

Deputy Gombak police chief Superintendent Rosly Hassan said as a detective sergeant in the crimes division, the policeman was permitted to take his gun home.

"His action (in taking the gun home) was not wrong. Any action to be taken against the policeman would depend on the police disciplinary board," he said after visiting the policeman's injured wife at Sungai Buloh Hospital yesterday.

The boy is being held at Kuala Selangor police headquarters, pending a remand order.

Rosly said the suspect was arrested on a motorcycle in Kuala Selangor on Tuesday. The motorcyclist was also detained.

The gun, a Glock 9mm, was found in a rest house not far from where the boy was nabbed.

The teenager's 45-year-old mother, who suffered a gunshot wound on the right side of her chest, does not blame her eldest son over the incident at Bandar Country Homes. "My husband and I have forgiven him."

Recounting the incident, she said she was inside the house when she heard her son and husband arguing, before a shot hit her. -- Bernama

Sex Education in National Service... Sounds Fun!!!

2008-11-26T11:59:00.000+08:00

Sex education in National Service? Cool right!!! I wonder what can they talk about in there among all the young and energetic and full of adrenaline 18 year olds.

'The Birds and The Bees'... The reproductive organs... The penis and the vagina... The testicles and the ovaries... hmm... yummy... hahaha... Sperms are the smallest cells in the body while the ovum is the largest... Sperm swims, ovum sits and wait... Sperms touch the ovum and fertilisation occurs!!! Sperms are produced through a process called spermatogenesis while ovums through oogenesis...

Boys and Boys are NO NO... Get 20 years in jail, you know!!!

Girls and Girls are also NO NO... But no idea how long in jail, coz I haven't heard any news report in Malaysia yet...

Girls and Boys are YES YES!!! But must be at legal age and no blood relationship... Brother and Sister can get 24 years!!! (Read this News Article)

Grandfather/Father and Daughters are disgusting!!! NO NO also... Don't know how many years also even though this happens so often... Didn't really take note of the years, but there are rotan though, until the butt 'open flower', as in the skin comes off!! hehe...

Ok, what more can they say? hmmm... I think I better stop, I'm getting over-excited!! hahaha...

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Sex education unlikely at National Service
Source: NSTonline, 26/11/2008

KUCHING: Sex education will unlikely to be introduced in the National Service (NS) training programme in January.

National Service Training Council chairman Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe said yesterday the NS Training Department had not received any feedback from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the Education Ministry, religious bodies and non-governmental organisations.

"The implementation of a slot on sex education will depend on the feedback we receive from those bodies," he said after a seminar on health management here.

In August, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said a slot on sex education would be introduced in the NS training programme at the January intake. -- Bernama

Do you think a 10 year old can be a robber?

2008-11-26T11:44:00.002+08:00

Ever wonder how young can a robber be? 10 to 12 years old!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! Talk about how progressive the crime world has gone!!! So young and they are robber?! Amazing!!!!

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Young robbers unrepentant
Source: NSTonline, 26/11/2008

KAPAR: They may be only aged 10 to 12, but the three boys are already armed robbers.

What is more shocking is that, after being released on bail, the trio -- two of whom are brothers -- were overheard bragging about their exploits to their friends.

The transformation from petty criminals to armed robbery came when they threatened a 10-year-old boy, alone at home, with a penknife and took the jewellery belonging to their victim's mother.

The boys were caught when they sold a pair of large oil lamps worth RM4,000 to a scrap metal dealer, who has also been arrested.

He watched Porn with his sister!!

2008-11-26T10:56:00.002+08:00

He was 16 to 18 while his sister was 6 to 8 years old, when he watched porn with his sister and committed incest with her.

It is wrong to have committed such an act. At the same time, I can't help thinking that his situation really needs to be sympathized as when the incident occured, his mother had passed away and he dropped out of school and started to work already. What you guys think?

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24-year sentence against youth for incest to stay
By : V. Anbalagan
Source: NSTonline, 26/11/2008

PUTRAJAYA: A youth who committed incest with his sister after watching pornographic videos will spend the prime years of his life in jail.

The Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed his appeal against the sentence of a High Court which enhanced the jail term to 24 years.

The youth, who is now 22, will also receive three strokes of the rotan.

Court of Appeal judge Datuk James Foong, who sat with Datuk Zainun Ali and Datuk Sulong Matjeraie, said they felt the jail term was appropriate as the offences were serious.

"We are aware that you are young but we will be sending a wrong message that those who commit a similar offence will be jailed only for a few years if the imprisonment term is varied," Foong said of the unanimous decision.

The jail term is to commence from Sept 11, 2004.

He advised the youth to be serious in his religious lessons in order to distinguish right from wrong.

Having come to the appellate court, the youth has finally exhausted his appeal.

With one-third remission, the youth is expected to walk out of prison in 2020 at the age of 34.

On Oct 23, 2004, the Sessions Court sentenced him to eight years' jail each after he pleaded guilty to three counts of incest between January 2002 and July 2004.

However, he served eight years because the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

On the third count, the court also ordered him to be given three strokes of the rotan as the youth was aged above 18 when he committed the offence.

The incidents occurred at an unnumbered house in Kampar, Perak, when the girl was aged between 6 and 8 and the accused was aged between 16 and 18.

On appeal against sentence by the public prosecutor, the High Court, on May 27, 2005, maintained the eight-year jail term for each count but ordered them to run consecutively, which meant a total of 24 years.

The three strokes of the rotan were maintained.

Before the High Court, the youth, in mitigation, told the judge that he was spurred to commit the act on his sister after watching pornographic videos.

The youth, who was unrepresented, then appealed to the Court of Appeal against the sentence.

Deputy public prosecutor V. Shoba submitted that the appeal should be disallowed because the offences committed were separate.

Facts of the case revealed a police report was made only after a welfare officer discovered that the victim had been sexually abused.

Their mother had passed away when the incidents took place. The youth had dropped out of school after Form Four and worked in a factory in Gopeng.

Negarakuku Singer in Trouble Again?

2008-11-26T08:21:00.001+08:00

The singer is in trouble again?! Gosh.. I wonder how he copes with all these legal issues...

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Negarakuku lad now in trouble with school
Source: TheStar Online, 26/11/2008

CONTROVERSY seems to follow rapper Wee Meng Chee wherever he goes, reported major Chinese dailies.

The three newspapers, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press reported that Wee, who caused an uproar with his parody of the Negaraku last year, had been issued a legal notice by his alma mater, Chung Hwa High School.

The notice was to remove his latest recording from YouTube entitled “The ABC Time of Teacher Khoo”.

The school in Muar had demanded that the recording, which used the school as the backdrop while criticising the Malaysian Chinese education system, be removed.

The school said it had not given permission to Wee to use the school as a backdrop in his recording.

China Press reported that Wee had been served the legal papers at his home in Muar, Johor, on Monday.

Asked how he felt about the legal papers, Wee said that he was not surprised.

In his blog, Wee said the legal papers had helped raise awareness about his latest effort and problems faced by independent school students.

Criticising the local Chinese education system as being incomplete, Wee said it would force Chinese school graduates to look for alternatives to make a living.

Wee, who is better known as “Namewee”, made the controversial Negarakuku video while he was studying Mass Communication in Taiwan’s Ming Chuan University.

Both Parents ill, How does she sit for SPM?

2008-11-23T15:04:00.000+08:00

A girl who woke up at 3am, rides to a rubber estate 10km away, earn RM20 per day then returns home at 6am then goes to school to study.

Her mother is asthmatic, dad is diabetic with heart problem, both no longer works. Only this daughter who is sitting for SPM earns the money to take care of the family.

How many of us can do what she does? Be as strong as her when situations are bad...

This is a story which should inspire all of us to thrive harder in life...

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SPM student’s year-long burden
By A. LETCHUMANAN
Source: TheStar Online, 23/11/2008

SEREMBAN: SPM candidate Maragatha Ambiga wakes up at 3am to tap rubber for three hours before rushing to school.

This is what the Fifth Former, 16, has been doing since her parents fell ill in August last year.

She would ride a motorcycle to the 4.6ha rubber estate in Bukit Jalor, about 10km away, and help a neighbour tap rubber for three hours before returning home at 6am.

She would then clean up and head to SM Bukit Jalor which is 3km away.

She gets RM20 a day tapping the rubber. If it rains, she would not get any money.

Student breadwinner: Rajagopalu (left) taking a look at Ambiga’s SPM’s revision books. With them are her father Ramasamy (right), mother Tamil Shelvy and brother Suriya. Looking on is Tampin MIC division chairman R. Rajendran (second from left).

He mother V. Tamil Shelvy, 42, became asthmatic in August last year and was unable to work.

Her father P. Ramasamy, 48, was a lorry driver before joining his wife to tap rubber.

He also had to stop working because he is a diabetic and has high blood pressure and heart problem.

She has a brother, Suriya, 10, who is studying in a Tamil primary school.

Ambiga’s plight was brought to the attention of Negri Sembilan MIC chairman Datuk T. Rajagopalu who visited the family in Taman Air Kuning Selatan, near Gemen-cheh about 75km from here.

Tamil Shelvy said her daughter’s rubber tapping provides the only source of income for the family in addition to the RM200 welfare assistance for the children’s schooling.

She said that her family members had refused to help her out and instead, had asked her to get her daughter married off.

“I want my daughter to study hard and be somebody in life.

“I have confidence in her,” she said.

Ambiga, who is currently sitting for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, said she had to work for the sake of her family.

“I am confident of passing and hope to secure a place to attend teacher training course as I want to become a teacher,” she said.

Rajagopalu said he would assist the children with their education.

He had also made arrangement for Ambiga’s parents to receive treatment at Seremban Hospital and for a contractor to do some repairs to their house.

Those who want to contribute can send cheques to the Maragatha Ambiga Fund, c/o Negeri Sembilan MIC, Jalan Tuanku Antah, 70000 Seremban or contact Rajagopalu at 019-6612337 or 06-7622609 or Tampin MIC division chairman R. Rajendran 013-3532526.

Michael Jackson A Muslim??

2008-11-22T11:32:00.003+08:00

This is an interesting news! It is reported that Michael Jackson, The King of Pop has converted to Muslim!

Why the sudden conversion?? I'm so totally speechless... Read the article below for more info...

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Michael Jackson embraces Islam
Published: November 21, 2008, 23:31
Source: http://archive.gulfnews.com/world/U.S.A/10261639.html (Gulfnews.com; 22/11/2008)

Los Angeles: Pop star Michael Jackson has reportedly become a Muslim and changed his name to Mikaeel.

The singer embraced Islam in a ceremony at a friend's house in Los Angeles. He is said to have sat on the floor and worn a small hat while an imam officiated.

According to The Sun, the ceremony took place while Jackson was recording an album at the home of Steve Porcaro, a keyboard player who composed music on his Thriller album.

The former Jackson 5 star was counselled by David Wharnsby, a Canadian songwriter, and Phillip Bubal, a producer, who have both embraced Islam.

A source said: "An imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief."

Last year his brother, Jermaine Friday, suggested Jackson would convert having taken an interest in Islam since Friday's conversion in 1989.

"When I came back from Makkah I got him a lot of books and he asked me lots of things about my religion and I told him that it's peaceful and beautiful," said Friday.

UM Students Worried of Snatch Thieves

2008-11-22T10:39:00.002+08:00

Seems like the snatch thieves nowadays are getting more and more daring and violent. They no longer just snatch your bags on a speeding bike but also threaten you with knives and if you refuse to give your valuable, they will even beat you up with helmets.

What are the precautions taken by the authorities to protect the students and also the residence of snatch theft proned areas? Just warn people to be more vigilant? Is that enough? Should more be done? Or should I say "Can more be done by the authorities to protect us?"

For the quiet street leading to Section 11, is the lightings sufficient? Can patrol cars be station there at night? What more can we do to protect ourselves? Can the authorities do more?

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Students worry about snatch thefts
By M.KUMAR
Source: TheStar Online, 22/11/2008

Tertiary students staying near Universiti Malaya’s Petaling Jaya side of the campus are worried about the increasing number of snatch thefts in the area.

Snatch thieves are targeting the students as thefts are being reported to the police almost every other day.

Several victims have alleged that the authorities have not acted on their reports.

A. Ramapraba, 27, said the students were being targeted as they normally walked to and from their homes in Section 11, just opposite Universiti Malaya.

“I was walking to the university with a friend when six men on motorcycles surrounded us and threatened us with knives.

Streets of danger: The quiet roads of Section 11 where students say numerous snatch thefts have taken place.

“They took our handphones, cash and student ID cards,” she said.

P. Nagamah, 60, whose son, a student at the Mahsa College in Petaling Jaya, was robbed, said the crime spree had become worse this month with the thieves becoming more aggressive.

“They put a knife to my son’s throat and demanded his belongings.

“When he refused, they beat him up with helmets,” she said.

“After taking his valuables, they tried to stab him but he was able to run into a neighbour’s house and the thieves fled when the neighbour came out to help,” Nagamah said.

Petaling Jaya deputy OCPD Supt Mohd Shukor Sulong said the police were looking into the matter and urged the public to be more vigilant while walking outside.

Commits Suicide after Being Raped

2008-11-22T10:31:00.002+08:00

Girls nowadays are becoming more and more daring... They dare to go out with people whom they have just met for very short period of time without much fear... It is terrible that she had to undergo that terror...

After going through that unfortunate event, it is unimaginable for us to understand the emotional stress she is under until she tried to kill herself by swallowing 18 painkillers.

Hope she can be strong and live on and testify those evil beings so they don't have chance to do the same to other innocent girls...

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Girl survives suicide bid
Source: TheStar, 22/11/2008
Compiled by TAN SIN CHOW, ROYCE CHEAH AND A. RAMAN

An 18-year-old gang-rape victim who was rushed to hospital after swallowing 18 painkillers is in stable condition, reported China Press.

The girl and her friend had gone for a date on Tuesday with a man she had just befriended in Klang, Selangor.

The man and five other friends he had brought along took the two girls in two cars to a house where they took turns to rape them.

The girls were only released the next day.

Earn RM10K but don't want pay back PTPTN?

2008-11-22T08:53:00.001+08:00

OMG!! This is so over!!!!! Earning RM10000 per month yet don't wana pay back the PTPTN loan? Why ah? Can give a good explanation or not? These irresponsible people are making it hard for the rest of the good students to get financial aid!!!

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Study loan defaulters owe RM1.2b
Source: NSTonline, 22/11/2008

KUCHING: There are 300,000 student loan defaulters still owing the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) about RM1.2 billion.

Since PTPTN was established in 1997, it has approved 1,254,596 applications nationwide.

Speaking at the launch of PTPTN's first Info Centre for East Malaysia here yesterday, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Idris Haron said as of Aug 31 this year, PTPTN had given out RM25.9 billion for students to pursue their studies at various higher education institutions.

"About 50 per cent of these have paid their loans," Idris said.

"We are still trying to get the remaining 50 per cent to pay up. There is a lot to do to collect these debts."

Idris said many of the defaulters were financially sound.

"What upsets us is that some of these defaulters are professionals such as lawyers and doctors, and some are successful in business, earning up to RM10,000 a month," he said, adding that many chose to ignore the repeated reminders and warnings send to them.

"If this persists, we'll have to initiate legal proceedings against them and blacklist them from taking bank loans in the future," he said. "We would also impose a travel ban."

Idris said the defaulters were preventing thousands of students from studying.

"When they came to us for loans, they begged us to help them. Now, they don't want to pay up or even bother about others who need help."

He said PTPTN had appealed to them to pay as little as RM60 per month to keep the fund going.

Meanwhile, PTPTN chief executive officer Yunos Abd Ghani said that from now on, the corporation would require parents to have savings in the National Education Savings Scheme before their children were eligible for loans.

Under the new conditions, parents earning more than RM2,000 a month must have RM3,000 in the savings scheme while those earning less than RM2,000 must have RM500.

"We have also made it compulsory for parents or guardians to stand as guarantors."

"Hopefully, these new conditions will help us overcome the problem of unpaid loans."

No Hands but Still A's in UPSR!!

2008-11-15T11:14:00.003+08:00

This is another wonderful story which shows how perseverance will pay off someday.. Congratulation to this young kid in his success and I hope he can achieve his dreams in becoming a lecturer in future.

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UPSR Results: Hadi shows he can score, too
Source: NSTOnline, 15/11/2008

Muhammad Hadi Darus scored 4As and 1B in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah.

PENDANG: Meet Muhammad Hadi Darus. The 12-year-old from SK Sungai Tiang was born disabled but he still scored 4As and 1B in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah examinations.

The second of five siblings, Hadi was born without any hands and his fingers are attached to his shoulders. He goes to his school, which is located 500m from his house in Felda Sungai Tiang, here, using a battery-driven wheelchair.

He said during the three-day examinations, he would climb three flights of stairs to the exam hall.

Unlike his peers, Hadi would use his foot when writing notes or answering exam questions.

"Although I did not obtain As in all five papers, I'm glad the results were still good.

"I will continue to work hard in the future."

Hadi, who wants to be a lecturer when he grows up, attributed his success to his father, Darus Dariman, 47, and mother, Halimah Che Pah, 45.

He thanked them for their endless encouragement and support.

In Kedah, a total of 3,482 pupils obtained straight As. They were among 40,062 pupils who sat for the exams.

Blind But Still Score A's

2008-11-14T15:47:00.002+08:00

This should inspire those who are going to sit for examinations... Don't give up, be strong and work hard...

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UPSR Results: Disability not an obstacle to score As
By : Dennis Wong
Source: NSTonline, 14/11/2008

Rossie Binyai (right), who scored 3As in her UPSR, consoling her friend, Then Chiew Yen, who did not do so well in the examination

KUCHING: Blindness is not an excuse for being ill-educated, and Rossie Binyai, 14, proved just that by scoring As in all her three language papers, 1B for Science and 1C for Mathematics in her Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah.

Blind since birth, Rossie never knew how the world around her looked like. But coming from a poor family, she wanted to do her bit for the family despite her disability.

"My dream is to go to university and graduate as an English teacher," said Rossie when met at SK Pendidikan Khas (B) yesterday.

Rossie, from Rumah Pantu Mujung, Kapit, is one of three blind students who sat for the UPSR exam in the state.

Two others were Then Chiew Yen, 14, and Seripah Hadiah Wan Mohamad, 14, who is also deaf.

Rossie, who wants to prove that blindness is not a hurdle in education, said she spent six hours a day revising her subjects in her dormitory.

"I prepared a timetable and followed it every day. In any case, what was I to do besides study?" she joked.

Next year, Rossie goes to Form 1 at SMK Batu Lintang, studying alongside normal students under an integrated programme.

"It will be a challenge to study alongside normal students, but I will do my best and fulfil my promise to my family.

"I will not let them down as they have done a lot for me," she added, proudly. "This is my chance to shine."

Rossie's English teacher, Mariana Yusuf, was proud of her results.

"Science and Mathematics are difficult subjects for students like Rossie, because they can never tell what a butterfly looks like or what a change in colour is and what graphs are.

"Their minds cannot register all this as they have never seen such things before. Despite this, Rossie overcame all these problems," said Mariana.

Student Asked to Caress Teacher's Genitals

2008-11-08T08:15:00.001+08:00

This is extremely disgusting!! What is wrong with the society? Being a teacher, isn't he supposed to be educating the young ones, instilling knowledge and cultivating good moral values in them. How can he be doing such nonsense? Using the children as a tool to satisfy his own sexual desire!!! This is utterly unacceptable!!!! Parents should beware of such imbecile and not simply entrusting their children to them. This teacher is an insult to the profession and is tainting the image of other good teachers who spent years of their life educating the younger generations. I hope the authorities investigate this thoroughly and take appropriate actions against him. They must take into account the life-long emotional effect that has been inflicted to the children who have become victime of his immoral act.

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Teacher held for molesting pupils
By Jassmine Shadiqe
Source: NSTonline, 08/11/2008

JOHOR BARU: A teacher was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly molesting a nine-year boy at his tuition centre in Taman Melodies here.

He is believed to have been doing this for the past year.

The boy's mother, who wanted to be identified as Ah Fang, 32, said a friend of her son told her on Oct 31 that she did not want to attend classes at the tuition centre as the teacher had molested her.

"As soon as my son came back from his tuition class about 6pm that day, my husband and I asked him if he had experienced any problems with the teacher," Ah Fang said at the state MCA complaints bureau yesterday.

"He said the teacher often forced him to strip and lie on a table with his eyes closed and was then asked to caress the teacher's genitals until he ejaculated. This took place in the class room after the other students had left.

"My son said the teacher threatened to punish him if he told anyone about what had taken place.

"He also told us the teacher had wanted my son to perform oral sex on him but my son refused," Ah Fang said, adding that the last incident was on Oct 29.

"I am extremely upset and disgusted with the teacher's actions."

She said the teacher often sent her son, who is the eldest of her three children home late after classes.

Also present was state MCA complaints bureau deputy chief Rodney Soon.

Ah Fang said she lodged a report at the Johor Baru (South) police district headquarters on Sunday.

District police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainuddin Yaacob said a man had been arrested and remanded for five days.

University Student Raped by Taxi Driver!

2008-11-07T08:00:00.000+08:00

Gosh!! Girls going out at night should be extra careful so to not fall prey of rapist wearing a 'nice guy mask'. This girl was offered a drink which knocked her out allowing the taxi driver to rape her. ALL GIRLS BECAREFUL!!!!!

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Cabbie rapes student
By : Lee Shi-Ian

KAJANG: A university student was raped by a taxi driver on Monday night after accepting a drink from him.

The drink is believed to have contained a date-rape drug.

The 20-year-old victim had boarded the taxi in Sentul about 8.30pm and asked to be taken to Jalan Imbi.

However, the taxi driver, who was apparently charming and polite, said he had left his driving licence at his house.

He convinced the student to let him to go back to his house in Kajang to collect his driving licence before sending her to her destination.

The taxi driver, who was in his 40s, then offered the student a soft drink.

She felt dizzy after taking a few sips.

The student only had a vague memory of what transpired after that.

It is believed that the suspect took the victim back to his house where he raped her several times before helping her to dress up again.

He carried her back to his taxi and later dropped her off at an undisclosed location.

When the victim regained consciousness, she immediately lodged a police report.

Unfortunately, she could not recall much of what had transpired.

She managed to provide police with a photofit of the suspect but was unable to recall where he had taken her or the registration number of the taxi.

A source said police were unsure how many women had fallen victim to the taxi driver as this was the first reported case in Kajang.

Police are advising women using taxis alone to be vigilant.

Kajang police chief Assistant Commissioner Sakaruddin Che Mood confirmed the incident but declined to elaborate as investigations were ongoing.

Will Malaysian Matriculation Ever Be Abolished?

2008-11-02T10:28:00.001+08:00

I was hoping that the Malaysia's Matriculation system would be abolished to allow a "One-Examination System" for entry into the competitive Public Universities. I feel it is better for everyone to take the same set of exam questions, marked with the same marking schemes and graded using the same grading systems to allow fair competition among every Malaysian student.

But it seems like from this report, the Matriculation is here to stay for a long long time as another four more will be completed by 2010.

Reasons for having Matriculation system:-
"Before the matriculation programme was introduced in the 1980s, Bumiputera students who excelled in their studies found it difficult to enrol at public universities due to the limited places.

Some of them were also stuck at the STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) level and could not further their studies," he said at the launch of the matriculation centres' national-level foster family programme in Felda Chini Timur here yesterday."

After 20 years, haven't the Bumiputera students benefited from the system and become more competitive? more progressive? In universities, it is undeniable that the majority of students are the Bumiputeras, so isn't it a sign that they have became more competitive after so many years and are able to compete by themselves? I think I've met many Bumiputera students in my Universtity that can survive in the education sector without the help of such a system actually. Don't you guys think so?

Would you prefer one standard system for entry into university or having multiple routes?

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Matriculation gets a boost
By M. Hamzah
Source: NSTonline, 02/11/2008

PEKAN: Four more matriculation colleges will be completed by 2010, bringing the number of available places to more than 40,000.

The new colleges are being built in Selangor, Kelantan, Sabah and Terengganu under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the matriculation centres were important as they gave a chance to Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) holders, particularly Bumiputera students, to secure a place in public universities.

He said the existing colleges would be upgraded to enable them to enrol more students.

There are nine matriculation colleges with a total intake of 28,000 students annually. Each of the new colleges is expected to have the capacity to handle more than 3,000 students.

"Before the matriculation programme was introduced in the 1980s, Bumiputera students who excelled in their studies found it difficult to enrol at public universities due to the limited places.

"Some of them were also stuck at the STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) level and could not further their studies," he said at the launch of the matriculation centres' national-level foster family programme in Felda Chini Timur here yesterday.

His speech was read by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail.

Najib said the matriculation programme had reduced the gap between the intake of Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera students. "It has helped to increase the number of Bumiputera students in public higher learning institutions, particularly in courses such as medicine, dentistry, architecture, accounting and management."

Najib said the matriculation programme was also open to non-Bumiputera students, who had been allocated 10 per cent of the available places.

Najib, who is also in charge of Felda, said the agency would continue to implement programmes to improve the performance of students in Felda schemes.

For next year, he said, Felda would add five science learning centres after successfully introducing the centres in 10 schools this year.

The centres provide free tuition in science subjects and mathematics to Form Four and Form Five students.

On the community programme yesterday, Najib said it was a good exposure for the matriculation students who would lead the nation in future.

7 Malaysian students in Australia are Missing?

2008-11-01T11:38:00.002+08:00

Seven students under scholarships studying in Australia are missing?? What nonsense is this? How can somebody just go missing?

Well, they found one of them which actually just stop studying because she no longer has interest in the field she is studying.

Now, this is pathetic I think. When you choose a course to study in university, it is supposed to be something that you like, that interest you! The problem with many students nowadays are they simply choose the courses or let others (parents mostly) choose the course for them and in the end feeling tired and unhappy about it.

I wonder what is this girl's story....

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'Missing' student safe and sound
Source: NSTonline, 01/11/2008

KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has found that only one Malaysian, sponsored by a government-linked company, studying in Australia had "gone missing".

In a statement released yesterday, the ministry's media and corporate communications unit said the student, Norzarifah Kamarauzaman, had decided to quit her studies as she was no longer interested in the field she had taken up.

It said Norzarifah had been studying at Curtin University in Perth for 31/2 years and needed only another six months to complete her degree in Geology.

"She contacted the Malaysian consulate in Perth to explain that she had not "disappeared" and was, in fact, safe," said the statement.

The unit was responding to a report in the New Straits Times yesterday that seven students in Australia sponsored by the GLC had pulled a vanishing act.

Umno Youth social welfare secretariat chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Azeez Abdul Rahim had told the NST that he had found this out when the parents of these students voiced their fears.

He said the wing had contacted Wisma Putra, Interpol and the Malaysian students club in Australia for assistance and was prepared to fly the parents of these students to Australia to coax them to continue their studies.

Bernama reports that Abdul Rahman Azeez will send a team to Australia to bring Norzarifah home.

He said his secretariat had "received an indication" about her whereabouts from the university's students and lecturers.

"We need at least a week to settle matters such as travel documents and some technical aspects."

He said he had discussed the matter with Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Idris Haron before informing Wisma Putra.

14 year old boy beaten up by 10

2008-11-01T11:28:00.002+08:00

Have you guys ever been bullied in school? Being beaten or insulted? Why are there bullies in school? Why do they like bullying other students?

In this case, a 14 year old school boy supposed to be celebrating his birthday ended up being beaten up by 8 seniors and 2 peers!! Why do they want to do that to a helpless boy? What do they get actually?

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Bullies beat birthday boy
Source: NSTonline, 01/11/2008

ALOR STAR: Thursday was his 14th birthday but instead of getting presents from his schoolmates, Muhammad Rais Mustar got a beating.

The student of SMK Tunku Abdul Malik was assaulted by eight seniors and two peers in the visitors' room at 6.30pm.

Rais was forced by five seniors to follow them to the room, where the other five were waiting for him. One of the boys locked the door and they all began bashing him up.

"I really don't know why they attacked me. When they forced me to the room, I just followed them although I sensed something bad was going to happen to me," said the fourth of seven siblings at his home in Kampung Permatang Buluh, Yan, yesterday.

Present was his 45-year-old father, Mustar Misan, a security guard at a private hospital here.

Rais said the attacked lasted 10 minutes. He was kicked and punched on the body and face until he fell.

"I tried to cry out for help but someone was choking me. I could also see a few of them hitting me with sticks although I can't remember their faces."

Rais said he later learned from friends that he was attacked because the schoolboys thought he was involved in a theft a few weeks ago.

Mustar said he was waiting outside the school to fetch his son when the attack occurred.

"When he did not show up, I thought to myself that he might have gone home early since it was the first day of the school's year-end examinations," he said.

A short while later, Mustar received a call from Rais.

He rushed to the school, only to find that his son's face was bloodied and there were bruises on his body.

Mustar took his son to the district police headquarters to lodge a report before seeking treatment at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.

Mustar claimed his son's attack was a second incident.

On Oct 10, two senior students kicked and punched him while he was boarding at the school. After the incident, the school decided to dismiss him and five others as boarders.

State Education Department director Shahidan Abdul Rahman said he would investigate the case.

Fujitsu Scholarship

2008-10-29T07:56:00.004+08:00

Fujitsu Scholarship

The Fujitsu Scholarship supports your development as a global leader by funding your participation in the East-West Knowledge Leaders Program.

Hone your leadership vision with this specialized program, delivered by JAIMS, in the wonderful setting of Honolulu, Hawaii. The diverse student body and rigorous curriculum will stretch you to be your best, and prepare you to lead your organization to success in the 21st Century.

The deadline for submitting your completed application for the 25th Fujitsu Scholarship is January 31, 2009. Please click on a link in the box below for more details.

Qualifications

In addition to qualifying for the Fujitsu Scholarship, you must also qualify for admission to JAIMS' EWKLP. For complete EWKLP information, refer to the EWKLP Application Packet contained at the bottom of the Application Checklist section. Fujitsu Scholarship qualifications include the following:

1. A bachelor's degree or a degree equivalent to a four-year standard baccalaureate degree in any discipline from a regionally or nationally accredited institution.
2. Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3. A minimum TOEFL score of 577/233/90 (paper/computer/Internet), TOEIC score of 750, or IELTS overall band test result of 6.5 or higher from tests taken between January 2007 and January 2009. Applicants who received a bachelor's degree or an advanced degree with at least two years of full-time coursework within the last five years from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, or New Zealand; or from a university in Canada, Africa or Singapore, where English is the language of instruction are exempt from taking the TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS.
4. A minimum of three years of relevant full-time work experience (five years preferred) at the time of application.
5. To qualify for the Fujitsu Scholarship, applicants must be a resident of the state of Hawaii, U.S.A., or a citizen of one of the following countries: Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam.

To find out more information about these placement exams, click on the appropriate link below:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- http://www.ets.org/toefl/
Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)
- http://www.ets.org/toeic/
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- http://www.ielts.org/

Application Process (Please refer to website for further information)

1. Download the Fujitsu Scholarship Application Packet from the bottom of the Application Checklist.
2. If you are unable to do so, please request the application packets through your local Fujitsu Limited affiliated office. You can find your local affiliate from this list here.
3. Complete and submit all documents listed on the Application Checklist.
4. Deadline for submission: January 31, 2009
Applicants who fail to submit all documents by the due date cannot be considered.
Submitted application documents will not be returned to applicants.
5. Submit all application materials to:
Fujitsu Hawaii Representative Office
c/o JAIMS
6660 Hawaii Kai Drive
Honolulu, HI 96825
U.S.A.

Selection Process

1.Initial Screening
Initial screening is based on the strength of the application, which includes meeting the admission qualifications.

2. Interview
Applicants who pass the initial screening will be contacted for an interview at a designated date in April or May 2009. Applicants should be residing in their respective countries of citizenship (or in Hawaii for Hawaii residents) at the time of their interview.

3. Selection of recipients
- a. Final selection will be determined by Fujitsu Limited.
- b. Selection is based on English proficiency (for non-native speakers of English), work experience, motivation, goals as expressed in the essay and interview, academic performance, and test scores. A key factor is the individual's commitment to contributing to the mutual understanding and cooperation between countries and to the development of his/her home country. However, no single attribute outweighs others in the selection process, and strengths in one area may be used to offset weaknesses in another.

Benefits

The Fujitsu Scholarship benefits include tuition and fees for the EWKLP program. Other benefits, which vary in amount each year, are also included.

1. Tuition and Fees for the EWKLP

2. Stipend Toward Living Expenses *
*Applicants from the following countries/areas are not eligible to receive the monthly stipend: Australia, Hawaii, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

3. Airfare:
Fujitsu Ltd. will provide a round-trip air ticket to cover transportation from the participant's home country to Honolulu, and back. The selection of the air carrier and travel agent, including itinerary, is at the discretion of Fujitsu Ltd. In the event the participant wishes to change and/or expand the route and/or the period of stay, Fujitsu Ltd. reserves the right to withhold the original ticket.

4. Health Insurance:
Fujitsu Ltd. will provide medical insurance that covers a portion of the participant's medical expenses during the program period. The participant pays all medical expenses not covered by the medical insurance. The selection of the medical insurance plan is at the discretion of Fujitsu Ltd.

5. Housing Arrangements:
JAIMS will assist in locating appropriate housing in Honolulu for all participants. Fujitsu Ltd. will provide and pay for participant accommodations in Japan.
6. Visa Arrangements:
When applicable, participants will be assisted in obtaining the F-1 Student visa to enter the U.S. EWKLP participants will be assisted with the appropriate visa to enter Japan, if necessary. The expense of obtaining the visa is the financial responsibility of the participant.

Source: http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/responsibility/community/scholarship/

No Money, No Love

2008-10-26T16:53:00.002+08:00

Going through the newspaper today, I saw a shocking letter written by a poor guy. He had just broken up with a girl he had been with for six years. Even after breaking up, he still love and missed her.

But the reason for breaking up is very saddening. Just because he wasn't rich. I guess my advice to him is, forget the girl who only love the money and not his heart. There is no point at all being with such a person.

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No money, no love
Source: TheStar Online (Lifestyle), 26/10/2008

Letter by a guy:-

I AM 25 this year, and have been working for almost three years after graduating from university.

I was dating this girl, J, for more than six years. She is still studying.

We just broke up recently. I love and miss her very much.

We had fought and broken up many times before but we always got back together after a few days of breaking up.

But this time, it’s different. She said that she couldn’t be together with me any longer because our opinions were so different all the time, and we were both suffering because of these differences.

No matter what I do, she will never be satisfied and even will not give me any support for it.

I tried to save money from the beginning of the year for our future marriage.

She changed a lot after entering university two years ago. She told me that a guy was in love with her and “chasing after” her. She enjoys the feeling of being chased.

She mentioned that this guy comes from a rich family. She might be in “love” with him because of his wealth.

The night before we broke up, she told me that she would not marry or be with me until I was rich.

She has taught me a very good lesson; that without money, there is no true love.

No Money, No Love

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Reply from the editor:-

DON’T be so bitter. Is this girl really worth so much pain that you become such a harsh, cynical man?

You know her now for the manipulative, materialistic and malignant person that she is. She is cancerous, eating into your heart and mind, destroying your trust in love.

But if you could be rational and pragmatic, walk away and leave the hatred and bitterness behind. Then at least, you still have a chance to win in love.

Consider this your lucky break. A good man does not need a cold, mercenary woman.

She will never be happy and contented to share a sweet and simple life with you. She will probably make you feel a failure, a man who can never provide enough for her.

So stop thinking about her and get on with your life.

It is important that you know love and values. A good woman would know a good man, so be patient until true love finds you.

Boy Cuts Man's Throat over RM5

2008-10-25T08:49:00.003+08:00

Teenager cuts the throat of a 30 year old man when he refused to give the teenager RM5??? This is a little over the board, isn't it? Will you as a youth kill other people just for RM5??

Ok, I think I should rephrase.. Should any teen/youth commit a murder in the first place, regardless of the amount?

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Man's throat slashed over RM5
Bernama
Source: NSTonline, 25 Oct 2008

TAWAU, Fri:

For RM5, a man almost lost his life when his throat was slashed with a dagger by a teenager, last night.

Tawau police acting chief Supt Ramli Ali Mat said the incident occurred in Taman Pelita, here, about 10.30pm when the 30-year-old victim was hanging out with his girlfriend in a quiet spot at the residential area.

He said a group of 10 teenagers approached the couple and asked for RM5.

“When the victim told them that he had no money, one of the teenagers pulled out a “badik” (small dagger) and pointed it to the victim’s throat.

“The victim's throat was slashed he tried to put up a fight.” Residents who heard the victim’s girlfriend scream for help called police and the victim was taken to Tawau Hospital.

Ramli said police launch a hunt for the gang and arrested one of the members last night.

He also advised young couples not to hang out in dark, quiet spots to avoid untoward incidents. — BERNAMA

Guy Stabs Girl for Rejecting Him??

2008-10-24T08:00:00.003+08:00

OMG!!! It's just a rejection.. Does it need such a drastic response? To stab the girl? This is totally weird!! I really don't understand what is going on.. You get rejected, you get sad, cry a bit, then move on lor.. Need to stab??? Exam time really aint the time to talk about love it seems...

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Fifth Former stabs classmate over spurned love
By : Fay Angela D'cruz and Mazlinda Mahmood
Source: NSTonline, 24th Oct 2008

SHAH ALAM: There was mayhem at a secondary school in Kampung Baru Cina Subang here on Monday when a Form Five student was stabbed in the abdomen by a spurned lover.

The victim, whose identity is being withheld, was admitted to the University Malaya Medical Centre in serious condition, while her assailant has gone missing.

The suspect, said to be also in Form Five, is believed to be the victim's classmate.

Initial investigations revealed that the suspect had been trying to woo the girl for the past six months. He had even visited her home several times, but she was not interested in starting a relationship.

Witnesses told police that the girl was attacked in-between two school blocks just before the morning bell went off.

She was left in a semi-conscious state on the ground and was bleeding before teachers and students rushed to her aid.

Police said several students of the co-ed school started screaming when they saw the attack, forcing the suspect to immediately flee the scene.

One of the teachers lodged a police report at noon after rushing the victim to the hospital.

"The suspect and victim are from the same school," a police official said, adding that the suspect was long gone when police arrived at the scene.

"We are looking for the suspect and the weapon used."

The official said police were still speaking to witnesses. They were also waiting to speak to the victim, who is in the hospital's emergency ward.

At the hospital yesterday, a relative said the victim was still in shock and refused to speak to anyone.

"She cries when she begins to relate what had happened. Then she stops talking," the relative said.

"We believe she was attacked simply because she had rejected the suspect's advances and had refused to go out with him.

"He had been trying to court her for more than six months."

The relative said the boy had gone to the house several times but the girl had refused to entertain him,

"I can't believe something like this can happen as she is a nice and decent girl."

The victim's family is now concerned that she might not be in the right frame of mind to sit the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination next month.

The victim's parents, who were at the hospital, declined to comment and asked to be left alone.

2008 World University Ranking

2008-10-19T14:22:00.000+08:00

The 2008 THE - QS World University Rankings results is out!! The complete list can be obtained from the link at the end of the post. Go check your favorite universities' ranking there.. In this post, I would just like to highlight a few universities from Malaysia and a few others in this region. How did we do? Here goes... *Drum roll*

Universiti Malaya (UM) - 230 (It was at 246 in 2007)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) - 250 (It was at 309 in 2007)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) - 313 (It was at 307 in 2007)
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) - 320 (It was at 364 in 2007)
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) - 356 (It was between 400-500 in 2007)

From the rankings, generally there is an improvement for all university except for USM which slipped 6 place downwards. Bravo!! To Malaysian universities!!

Now, across the Causeway, let's look at the Singapore universities'.

National University of Singapore (NUS) - 30 (It was at 33 in 2007)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) - 77 (It was at 69 in 2007)

Over in Australia, let's look at the Group of Eight. From the rankings, it is a little surprising that with the exception of ANU, all the rest of the Group of Eight fell in the rankings.

Australian National University (ANU) - 16 (It was at 16 in 2007)
University of Sydney - 37 (It was at 31 in 2007)
University of Melbourne - 38 (It was at 27 in 2007)
University of Queensland - 43 (It was at 33 in 2007)
University of New South Wales - 45 (It was at 44 in 2007)
Monash University - 47 (It was at 43 in 2007)
University of Western Australia - 83 (It was at 64 in 2007)
University of Adelaide - 106 (It was at 62 in 2007)

So, which is the university which you are interested in going? Do remember that this is just a general ranking, it doesn't really represent whether the universities are really good in a particular field of your interest. Better to check out the universities or ask friends who are already studying there for more information. For example, University XYZ maybe higher in the overall world ranking compared to University PQR, but when it comes to Engineering, University PQR maybe higher in the Technology (includes Engineering) Ranking compared to University XYZ.

If you are interested in going for a particular field, e.g. medicine, physics, biotechnology, etc. I would suggest you to look at the Rankings by Subjects to see how the particular university of interest did in the evaluation. There are five subjects which the universities are classified into:- (Please click the following subjects to go to the pages)

- Arts & Humanities
- Life Sciences & Biomedicine
- Natural Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Technology

Source: http://www.topuniversities.com/

Teen abducted and gang-raped

2008-10-04T23:11:00.002+08:00

Sometimes I really don't understand why all these are happening? Why do some guys just can't control their urge for sexual pleasure? Why do they have to harm other innocent girls just to satisfy themselves? What is wrong with this society?

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Teen abducted and gang-raped
Source: TheStar Online, 04/10/08

JOHOR BARU: A 16-year-old girl was abducted outside a shop, gang-raped and beaten senseless.

The girl was walking outside the shop in Bandar Baru Uda at 9pm on Thursday when four men drove up and bundled her into the car.

They drove to an empty house in Taman Dahlia, Kempas, where several other men were waiting.

It is learnt that the girl was tortured and beaten unconscious and only realised that she had been raped when she woke up at 4am and found blood on her private parts.

It is learnt that one of men dropped her off in Bandar Baru Uda.

Police arrested two suspects in Kempas last night and are looking for eight more, state acting CID chief Asst Comm Che Yusuf Che Ngah said. The girl lodged a report at the Tampoi police station at 2pm yesterday.

Mum fears for student missing since Friday

2008-09-23T19:19:00.003+08:00

Missing student, with the recent kidnap-murder case. I'm sure this mother would be extremely worried of her child. I hope she returns home safely soon.

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Mum fears for student missing since Friday
Source: TheStar Online, 23rd Sept 2008

JOHOR BARU: Secondary school student Low Mei Ling (pic), who was suspended from school last week, has been missing for the past five days.

Her mother Tan Yok Ching, 51, fears the worst.

“I last heard from her at 7pm on Friday when I called her on her mobile phone.

“She said that she was at a shopping mall in the city with some friends and that she would be sleeping over at her friend’s house,” she said, adding that Mei Ling, 15, had looked unhappy the night before.

Tan, who is a single parent, said she did not think that her daughter, the youngest of four siblings, had run away as both of them shared a good relationship.

“We always share our problems with each other.

“However, when I tried to cheer her up on Thursday, she told me not to bother her,” she said at a press conference organised by Johor MCA Youth Public Service and Complaints Bureau deputy chief Rodney Soon.

Tan was even more shocked to discover that her daughter had been suspended from school since last Wednesday.

“I was told that she was penalised because she had failed to hand in her homework.”

Tan hoped that her daughter would call her soon and return home.

“I miss her terribly and am very worried for her safety,” she said.

Soon urged those with information about the missing girl to contact him at 019-7713 912.

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob said police were working hard to finding Mei Ling.

“We also hope that members of the public inform us should they spot her,” he said.

He urged anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 07-2212 999 or the nearest police station.

Her Brother Died, Should She Join NS?

2008-09-23T19:08:00.002+08:00

Recently there is this news about a 20 year old youth passed away after his NS training. And now, the parents are reluctant to allow their daughter to go through NS due to her elder brother's death.

What do you think? Should she join or not? Looking in another point of view, should the parents allow her to join or not? It is undeniable that the parents are obviously extremely sad about the lost of their son and are extra protective of their daughter.

I think a thorough investigation should be carried out to find out the cause of their son's death to see whether it was in anyway related to the NS training. Then the authority should decide whether their fear is valid or not and whether to allow her to be exempted from NS...

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Jane must attend NS
By NG CHENG YEE and ALLISON LAI
Source: TheStar Online, 23rd Sept 2008

PETALING JAYA: National service candidate Jane Lim has to attend training because her brother’s death is not a valid reason for exemption.

Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said it had no authority to exempt the 17-year-old from the programme because her brother Ricky died nine days after his NS stint.

“If she wants to defer training or be exempted from the programme, she will have to submit an official request to our department according to normal procedure,” he said.

Abdul Hadi said Jane could only be exempted from the programme if the reason given for her request fell within the conditions stated in the National Service Training Act.

On Sunday, Jane’s parents Lim Geok Kim and Meng Yeok said they would not let their only surviving child go for training following Ricky’s death.

Ricky, 20, died on Sept 15 after completing his three-month national service on Sept 6.

The SMK Catholic High student did not complain of any illness or pain prior to his death but he did complain about the camp’s hygiene and yellowish water supply.

In a press statement, Abdul Hadi said Ricky attended all training modules without suffering any health problem, except for a cough and mild fever.

“He followed the training as usual after receiving treatment from our medical staff.”

He also said the Lagenda Gunung Ledang Asahan camp had received clearance from the Jasin Health Department on June 18 and was safe to be used.

The report also showed that its water supply had been treated at the Jasin Water Supply Department in Malacca, Abdul Hadi said.

In Malacca, Lim remained firm in his decision not to allow Jane to attend training.

He said he and his wife would not accept any reason from the authorities.

“We will not let her go and I don’t care what it takes. My son’s death is already unacceptable for us and we are sure we will not take any risk of losing my only daughter,” he said.

“I will not bother to write to apply for anything (exemption). If any warning letters (from the authorities) come, I will just tear them.”

Teacher and student hit with a hammer and spanner

2008-07-19T23:21:00.003+08:00

A misunderstanding needs to end with hitting others using metal equipments? I wonder what is the big misunderstanding which had to end this way... Are school safe for children to study anymore?

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Teacher and student hit with a hammer and spanner
By MEERA VIJAYAN
Source: TheStar Online, 19/07/2008

JOHOR BARU: Students watched in horror as their teacher and a classmate were repeatedly assaulted with a hammer and spanner during an examination in a classroom.

The incident at a top Chinese school here resulted in the student and teacher suffering multiple head injuries. They were both rushed to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital for treatment.

The attack is believed to have been sparked by a misunderstanding a few days ago when the victim allegedly called the assailant “useless”.

The drama unfolded at 1.30pm yesterday during a Chinese language exam for 50 Form Two students.

Rude shock: Schoolboys mopping the classroom floor after a teacher and a student (below) was attacked and injured during an exam in Johor Baru yesterday.

The 17-year-old assailant, also a student at the school, rushed into the classroom armed with a small hammer and spanner and started hitting the 15-year-old victim on the head.

The teacher, only known as Seng, said that she happened to be near the victim at that time and rushed to protect him when she was also hit with the hammer above her right eye.

Seng said that she and her student were bleeding profusely.

“There was blood everywhere,” she said, adding that she ran to the discipline teacher’s room to report the matter.

Both Seng and the student received several stitches at the hospital.

According to the injured student’s cousin, electrician Lee Boon Huat, 44, the misunderstanding stemmed from a small argument between the victim and another boy.

The student’s parents declined to comment on the matter, saying that their son was now recovering from the attack.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm II Amer Awal confirmed the attack and that a Form Five student was handed over to the police by school authorities.

YBSTAR Scholarship (The Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship)

2008-07-17T00:00:00.000+08:00

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship

This scholarship fund was established under the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation Sarawak Scholarship Ordinance in 1982. The Sarawak Foundation becomes the secretariat responsible for managing of its fund.

Objective

To assist students studying in either local or overseas institutions
Priorities are given to students doing their first degree, masters, doctorate or post-graduate diplomas.

Applications

Applications will be opened and advertised in the local newspapers.
The application form must be duly completed.
Application forms can be obtained from:
The Sarawak Foundation's office.
All Resident's office.
All District offices.
Divisional Education offices.
Local institution of higher learnings.
The application must reach us on or before the stated closing date.
Other matters:
The cost of per application form is RM2.00.
Please follow the instruction on the application form closely.
Attached the necessary supporting documents and make sure it is certified true copy. (eg. examination certificates, offer letter, result slip for those on-going with their studies)

Selection

Only duly completed forms will be entertained.
Criteria:
Academic excellence
Actively involved in co-curicculum activities
Sosio-economics
Type of course of study
Interview.

Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be called for interview.
The date and time of interview will be informed through the student's respective institutions.
Place of interview will be at the respective institution where the student is studying. Students will be notified of other places of interviews to conducted should a need arise.

Outcome

The result of the interviews will be out within 2 weeks after the interview date.

Scope of assistance

The first payment will be made after all the necessary documentations is completed.
Scope:
Subsistence allowance
Fees
Book allowances*
Thesis allowances*
Air tickets
Equipment allowances
Final semester study allowances**
Clothing allowances
* Note: For post-degree studies only.
** Note: For oversea studies only.

Note: Please refer to the website for application forms.

Source: http://www.yayasan.org.my/

Adequate Sleep Important To Retrieve Accurate Information

2008-07-16T11:29:00.000+08:00

Adequate Sleep Important To Retrieve Accurate Information

Many students have the tendency to sleep late at night and then wake up early to attend classes or lectures the next day. The reasons for them to do so may vary from burning the midnight oil to study for exams, playing computer games, going out for supper with friend, etc.

A recent research carried out in Jan Born's laboratory at University of Lubeck, Germany shows that sleep-deprived people are more likely to have false memory when asked to recall certain information.

But if you are sleep-deprived, there seems to be away to help you recall information more accurately, which is caffeine. Their studies also showed that sleep-deprived people were able to retrieve information more accurately when they were given caffeine.

Well, I'm not suggesting all of you out there to drink cups of coffee before a morning exam paper. But, if you really didn't get enough sleep the night before the exam, I guess it would be a good idea to, since it boost your memory when you don't have enough sleep.

What I would like to advise here is that everyone should study consistently so that you don't have to sleep late before the exam day, hence, you don't have to worry about recalling the wrong information while putting down your answers during an exam.

Happy sleeping!!! *I sure love to sleep a lot; beginning from now on, MORE SLEEP FOR TEDDY!!!*

Source: "Sleep Loss Produces False Memory: But caffeine helps to boost accurate recall" by Kerri Smith, Nature News, 14 July 2008.

Sarawak Foundation Scholarship Scheme (Yayasan Sarawak)

2008-07-15T00:00:00.000+08:00

Sarawak Foundation Scholarship Scheme

Introduction

Introduced in 1999, this scheme caters for students doing their studies either locally or overseas in fields that are emphasized by the State Government.

Objectives

To assist Sarawak students studying in the relevant institution.
To enable students to study without worrying about the financial details.
To assist the State Government in overcoming the shortages in critical positions in the public sector.

Applications

Applications will be open and advertised in the local newspapers.
Applicants must duly complete the application form and submit to us on or before the stated closing date.

Selection

Completed forms with the required details will be processed based on the following criteria:

Academic achievements
Actively involved in co-coriculum activities
Sosio-economics
Type of course pursued
Interview

Outcome

Students will be duly informed of the outcome of their application.

Scope & Amount of scholarship

Every student will be assisted based on the following:
Fees
Subsistence allowance
Thesis allowance
Air tickets

Note: Please refer to the website for the application forms

Source: http://www.yayasan.org.my/

Indian Students to get Scholarships!!!

2008-07-14T19:29:00.003+08:00

There has been many issues regarding the small number of Indian students who received scholarships and seats in local public universities. Finally it seems there is some improvement. Based on this news article, Indian students who scored 9A and above for SPM will be given scholarships beginning from this year. Now, isn't that some good news!!! How about the Chinese I wonder? Don't see anything about Chinese though...

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Scholarships for Indian students who score 9As
By : Annie Freeda Cruez
Source: NSTonline, 14/07/08

Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam says the MIC is working hard to improve Indian equity in the capital market

KUALA LUMPUR: All Indian students who score 9As and above in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia will be given government scholarships, starting this year, to pursue their studies in local government universities and four local private institutions -- Monash, Swinburne, Curtin and Nottingham universities.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the MIC had also asked the government to include the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology.

"Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has agreed in terms of policy and we are now in the process of formalising it."

He said the decision was made on July 1 at the first meeting of the Special Committee for Indian Related Affairs, formed under the directive of the cabinet and chaired by Najib.

Others in the committee are MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Dr Subramaniam, MIC deputy ministers, finance and education ministers, Public Service Department director-general, representatives from ministries related to problems faced by the Indian community and multi-agency committees.

"It was a fruitful meeting and we discussed many issues related to the Indian community. It was decided at the meeting that the Human Resources Ministry will be the secretariat for the committee."

Among other decisions were:

- All partially-aided Tamil schools to be gradually made fully-aided schools and facilities at all schools upgraded;

- University intake for Indian students in critical courses to be increased; and,

- A relook at the appeal of Indian students who achieved about 3.0 CGPA grading but did not get university places.

Dr Subramaniam said eight per cent of PSD scholarships were given to Indians to study medicine and law. The committee was seeking more places for Indians wishing to pursue programmes in dentistry, pharmacy, accountancy and architecture.

He said the committee also discussed the issue of employment of Indians in the civil service.

Dr Subramaniam said of the 16,000 Indians who applied for government jobs last year, only 1,500 were offered postings.

"It's not true that non-Malays are not applying for civil service posts," he said, adding that the percentage of Indians in the civil service should be increased from the five to eight per cent.

"We want Indians not only in lower-category jobs but also in higher categories. PSD has been cooperative in furnishing the MIC with information on vacancies in the civil service," said Dr Subramaniam, who is also MIC secretary-general.

The committee was also looking at ways to uplift the economic status of the Indian community.

"We have also asked the government to provide Indian contractors the opportunity to take part in government projects from the low to higher levels."

Efforts are also being made to get licences for businesses for Indians.

Dr Subramaniam said MIC was also working hard to improve Indian equity in the capital market from 1.1 per cent to 1.5 per cent within the next three years.

Official University Orientation Week (Ragging?)

2008-07-13T15:15:00.002+08:00

Official University Orientation Week (Ragging?)

Orientation for all local public university in Malaysia has ended. At least the formal one organised by the university is. *Smirking* All the first year undergraduate should have started their lectures too. So, how did it go actually? I mean the orientation week. Was it fun? Was it tiring? Was it exciting? Did you get pushed around? Did you have to stay up late and wake up early? Did you get shouted at a lot? Does the word 'ragging' come into mind anytime during the orientation?

On the first day of registration, first year undergraduate students (hereafter, referred to as freshies; that's how the 2nd/3rd/4th year students like to call them) from all over Malaysia would arrive in the respective university struggling to walk to the registration counters with their luggages in both hands. They come by cars, taxis, busses, trains or even planes. Some escorted by their parents, some came exploring the world of the university by themselves.

After registration, they are directed to the designated hostels (known as Colleges in Malaysia; overseas would normally call them Hall of Residence). Parents who are with the freshies follows their baby child (obviously already 19 or 20 year old but then, no matter how old you are, you are always a baby in the eyes of your parents) to their allocated rooms and help clean the rooms, hoping to provide not a perfect but at least a comfortable room for their children to return to after long tiring lectures. Rooms for the freshies are normally shared room with 1 or 2 other guys.

Normally in the early afternoon, parents are informed by the facilitators (hereafter, referred to as facis; comprised by 2nd/3rd/4th year students who are in the Student Welfare Committee of the colleges) that the orientation programmes are starting and they need to leave. Now, you see parents hugging their children, telling them to take care, expressing their love and care, some have tears knowing this is the first time their child is going to be away from home, worrying whether they are able to care for themselves. Do you all recall this sight?

After the parents have left, what happens? Nightmare? Does the friendly and full of smile facis who attend to you earlier turn fierce and grumpy? Maybe not that soon for some. Basically, they start of the orientation programme by first introducing to everyone the main characters of the College (hostel), which includes the Principal (Head of Hostel, which is normally a lecturer too), office personnel and the facis themselves. They break a few jokes, we smile and laugh. Everything goes well, programme ends around 10pm and everyone retires to their own dorms after the facis instruct the freshies to gather at 7am in the next morning.

Next morning, everyone gathers after having breakfast in the college canteen, normally nasi lemak. First programme would be the gotong-royong which requires everyone to help clean the vicinity of the college. Then they may start informing you about the necessary regulations which you must abide to throughout the orientation week. Most of the time, the rules are about you submitting to the authorities of these facis who are mostly arrogant students who think they are all mighty and great.

You will be briefed about the history of your college, taught to sing the college songs, university songs, and also be brainwashed about their ideology. Oh yes, their silly ideologies! LOL~~ Since each universities has a number of colleges, obviously the facis will tell you which is your main rival, the ones you must beat during inter-college contest throughout the orientation week and also your university years.

The freshies may need to sleep late at night because all of you are too busy being drilled by the facis to sing the college songs AS LOUD AS possible!! Remember that?! LOUD as in they want the other colleges to know that you are strong and mighty. Then you may get a rude knock on the door as early as 3am in the morning to gather everyone again just to sing the college songs again until 7am which the orientation continues. Talk about sleepless nights!! If your tempo is out, or your voices aren't up to expectations, then be ready for some screaming from the facis!!!

You basically get screamed at for every possible reasons!!! For being slow when gathering, for not singing loud enough, for not being enthusiatic, etc. Some children are gems of their parents' heart, hence, their parents would drop by the college to pay them a visit asking "How are you?", "Getting used to it?", "Is everything ok?", "Did you get to sleep?", "Is the food ok?", "Is your roommate nice?". And YES!!! YOU GET SHOUTED FOR PARENTS VISITING YOU TOO!!!! I've seen facis shouting at the freshies when their parents have left. Some may think the facis want the freshies to learn to be independent, but some may think that the facis just don't want to get caught by the parents of how they are treating their children. I recalled an incident where two freshies decided to go to a nearby town as there were a few hours gap between the programmes. Unfortunately they didn't manage to get back in time. While we were all gathered at the common area, the facis dragged those two into a storeroom nearby, slammed the door!! And started screaming at those two! The screaming is terrible, I've never seen people scream in such ways!! The facis took turn to go in and shouted, screamed, scolded, verbal assaulted the two which took almost an hour. The rest of us also got a lecture on "Who you think you are? You must listen to our instructions. You are not supposed to do what you like without our approval! Blah Blah Blah!!"

Everyone is provided with one college t-shirt, and you are not allowed to wear any other t-shirts throughout the orientation week. Since your programme starts early and ends late, you won't have the time to wash the shirt and even if you have, you don't have time to let it dry. So, basically, everyone just wear the same shirt througout the week, being stinky and emitting the sour type of smell!!! Hahaha... That should be unforgetable right!

Then there are the inter-college contest: sports, debates, etc. You get the facis screaming at you about the need to win!!! Apart from this usual contest, the facis can also come up with all the other unorthodox type of contest to intimidate the other colleges. Example, any students in UKM should know about Perang Dectar. During the orientation week, there will be programmes that are held in the main university hall called DECTAR (Dewan Canselor Tun Abdul Razak) where all the colleges have to gather at. After the programmes (usually motivational talks) end, freshies are supposed to leave DECTAR to their individual colleges for the other orientation programmes organised by the respective colleges. But the facis of the some colleges would instruct the freshies not to move. YES, JUST SIT PUT!!! Whichever colleges that leaves DECTAR last is considered the winning college. TALK ABOUT NONSENSE!!!! During my orientation, my facis and the facis of KTSN (Kolej Tun Syed Nasir; another college) had a verbal argument and almost beat each other up after both colleges did not want to leave the hall. In previous years, there were also incidents where the university security turned the lights off in the hall as the colleges did not want to leave, and the busses which shuttles the freshies of certain colleges which are far from the hall just drove off after being tired of waiting.

Seriously, sometimes I just feel that these facis can be rather brainless, I wonder what is in their minds, how did they end up in universities which are for the people who have certain level of intelligence, since we don't have enough places in local public universities for all the pre-university students, theoretically, only those who are clever can get in right?!

Obviously, you do make friends during the orientation week since you need to gather with each other so much, sit together for activities etc. That was the nice thing about orientation week. Making friends.

On a personal view, I don't like the way how the orientation week was handled. I believe the orientation week is about getting the students used to the new environment, providing useful information regarding the university. Unfortunately, the orientation week was misused by certain senior students as a channel for them to show off their authorities. Everyone who entered university are already 19 or 20 years old, technically adults. They should be treated as adults, respected as one, not to be shouted at crazily, pushed around. Any students in local universities would know that the universities no longer use "Orientation Week" anymore. I think it is due to the reason that there were previously a lot of ragging/bullying which occured during the orientation week due to some irresponsible senior students. The worst I've heard was the seniors tied the penis of a freshie to the fan and let him run with the fan while it spins. I wonder why some people just love to bully others. Does that make them manly? Powerful? Nowadays, university come up with very nice names for these Orientation Week such as Minggu Mesra Mahasiswa for UKM, other similar names for the rest of the public universities.

What do you guys think? How was your orientation week? Would love to hear some of your experience too.

PS: As the title goes "Official University Orientation Week (Ragging)", this post is regarding the Official Orientation Week organised by the universities. For the Chinese students, all of us have the so called FacNite, an Unofficial Orientation Week by our Chinese seniors. My next post will be on that. See you...

Yayasan Sarawak - Full Study Loan

2008-07-13T01:00:00.000+08:00

Yayasan Sarawak - Full Study Loan

This scheme in the form of loan is to help students going for overseas studies by topping up the total cost of the duration of their studies. Application for the scheme is open twice a year.

Introduction

To assist Sarawak students studying overseas.
To enable them to concentrate on their studies without worrying about financial details.
To encourage students to focus their efforts in completing their studies

Applications

Duly complete the Full Study Loan form
The form can be obtained from our office.
Supporting documents: Photocopies of exam certificates, offer letter, result slip (for students currently doing their studies) and other relevant certificates all of which must be certified true copy.

Selection

Duly completed forms with the required details will be process based on pre-determined criteria.

Outcome

Students will be informed of the outcome of their application.

Amount of Loan

The maximum loan allowed is RM30,000.00 per year.

Note: Please refer to the website for application forms.

Source: http://www.yayasan.org.my/

Yayasan Sarawak - EDUCATIONAL LOAN SCHEME

2008-07-12T15:58:00.003+08:00

Yayasan Sarawak - EDUCATIONAL LOAN SCHEME

This scheme is introduced in 1972 to assist students studying at the various public local institutions of higher learnings (IPTA). It is then extended to students studying in private institutions [IPTS) provided that the course they undertake is a franchised/twinning program from the IPTAs.

Objectives:

To assist students from Sarawak in pursuing their studies without any hitches.
To enable them to continue their studies without worrying about their financing aspect.
To encourage students to focus their energies in their studies thus achieving excellence in academics.

Application:

Fill out and complete the Educational Loan Scheme Form.
Forms can be obtained from: The Sarawak Foundation's Office, all Resident and District offices, Divisional Education Department and also institutions of higher learnings.
Supporting documents: Certified photocopies of public exams certificates, offer letter and result slip (for current students in IPTAs/IPTS) and other relevant documents.
Date of applying for this scheme will be advertised in local newspapers.

Process:
Duly completed forms will be processed and assessed base on the following criteria:

Applicant's sosio-economics
Academics
Type of course
Year of studies
Result
Students will be duly notified of the outcome of their application.

Other features of the scheme:
1. Practical Loan Scheme:

To cater for current recipients of the above scheme who undergoes practical training during their semester break and does not receive any allownces from any party. this scheme provides for their daily allowances.

2. Additional Loan Scheme:
To cater for current recipients of the above scheme who are required to finish their study outside the stipulated period due to unavoidable circumstances in order that they may complete their studies.

Thesis Loan:
To cater for students doing their degrees to prepare on their project papers or thesis. To qualify for this loan, applicants must show proof that it's a compulsory requirement by the relevant IPTs. Amount of loan approved is RM500.00.

Upgrading Loan:
To cater for current recipients of our Educational Loan Scheme who are offered to continue their studies by their respective IPTs from diploma to degree level consecutively.

Note: Please refer to the website for application forms.

Source: http://www.yayasan.org.my/

Paying Back PTPTN Loan (Pembayaran Balik PTPTN)

2008-07-11T00:00:00.000+08:00

For those who have successfully completed their tertiary studies using the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan, here are the methods which you can use to pay back the loan.

Paying back of the loan is important as it allows the rest of the students to have similar opportunities to further their studies in the institutions of higher learning just like the rest.

I think it is rather unfair that certain people took the loan and then refuse to pay back, depriving the rest who really needs the financial assistance to continue their studies and pursue their dreams. We shouldn't be selfish......

Source: TheStar Online, 08/07/2008

Samling Global Limited (Scholarship and Bursary Programme)

2008-07-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

Samling Global Limited
Scholarship and Bursary Programme

Nurturing Future Leaders

To enrich the talent and skills force in the countries in which we operate, we grant annual scholarships to students with outstanding academic credentials and leadership potential.

Since the scholarship programme began in Malaysia in 2000, we have provided over RM800,000 to about 30 students attending local universities who pursued studies in areas relevant to our forestry operations.

We are also planning to expand our support through a bursary scheme. More flexible than a scholarship, the bursary programme reaches out to a wider group young people, ranging from school leavers, students from low income background, to those admitted to special institutions for disability-related reasons.

The scholarship application requires the following documents (either in soft copy or hard/duplicate copy) to be sent or emailed to Samling:

- Cover letter
- Details of full education details and family financial background
- Transcript of academic results and relevant certificates
- Passport-sized photo

For further details on how to apply, please contact enquiry@samling.com

Source: http://www.samling.com/

HSBC Scholarship Awards 2008 (Masters Scholarship)

2008-07-09T12:45:00.000+08:00

HSBC Scholarship Awards 2008: Masters Scholarship Programme

Eligibility:
Working Malaysian adults who will be pursuing a full-time / part-time master programme in 2008, in a local public or private university or college.

Working Experience:
At least 3 years working experience after obtaining a first degree

Age Group:
Below 40 years of age

Academic – Degree:
Minimum Upper Second Class Bachelor degree with honours; CGPA of 3.3

Academic – English:
Good score in TOEFL or IELTS or equivalent (TOEFL = 550, IELTS band 6)

Scholarship duration:
Up to 24 months

Scholarship Amount:
Up to RM30,000 per scholar

Studies Criteria:
1. Full-time / part-time master studies (12-24 months programme)
2. Must have gained admission into recognised local public / private education provider
3. For twinning programmes, the full duration must be done locally
4. No restriction on field of studies

Other details:
1. No bonding required
2. Applicants must not be in receipt of any other scholarship, or award from any educational institutions, or any other organisations/foundation
3. Education loan is permissible if the scholarship amount is not sufficient to cover tuition fees

How to apply:
Complete the application form; attach all certified true copies of relevant examination certificates and testimonials together with your essay. Kindly forward to the address provided on the scholarship application form.

Note: Please refer to the website for application forms.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified and required to attend an interview.

Source:
http://www.hsbc.com.my/
http://www.hsbc.com.my/1/2/miscellaneous/hsbc-scholarship-awards

HSBC Scholarship Awards 2008

2008-07-09T12:31:00.004+08:00

HSBC Scholarship Awards 2008

Eligibility:
Malaysian students who will be pursuing full-time first-degree studies in 2008, in a recognised local public or private university or college inclusive of local twinning programmes.

Age Group:
Below 25 years of age

Academic (SPM):
Minimum 5 distinctions

Academic (STPM):
Minimum 2As and a pass in the General Paper

Academic (Diploma/Matriculation/Foundation):
Minimum CGPA 3.0

Scholarship duration:
Up to 4 years

Scholarship Amount:
Up to RM8,000 per annum – private (Up to RM32,000 for 4 years)
Up to RM6,000 per annum – public (Up to RM24,000 for 4 years)

Studies Criteria:
1. Full-time degree studies (up to 4 years programme)
2. Only students who are pursuing their first degree
3. Must have gained admission into recognised local public / private education provider
4. For twinning programmes, the full duration must be done locally
5. No restriction on field of studies

Other details:
1. No bonding required
2. Applicants must not be in receipt of any other scholarship, or award
from any educational institutions, or any other organisations/ foundation
3. Education loan is permissible if the scholarship amount is not sufficient to cover tuition fees

How to apply:
Complete the application form; attach all certified true copies of relevant examination certificates and testimonials together with your essay. Kindly forward to the address provided on the scholarship application form.

Note: Please refer to website for application forms.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified and required to attend an interview.

Source:

http://www.hsbc.com.my/;

http://www.hsbc.com.my/1/2/miscellaneous/hsbc-scholarship-awards

Yayasan Sabah Education Loan

2008-07-08T00:00:00.000+08:00

Yayasan Sabah Education Loan

Responsible for processing applications for students’ loans every year, publishing all offer letters, monitoring students academic performance, co-ordinating and releasing payment for students.

1. What is Yayasan Sabah Study Loan?

It is financial assistance in loan form offered to students furthering their studies at public and private universities and in ASEAN / Middle East Countries only.

2. What are the courses offered under this study loan programme?

Any courses taken by the students provided those courses are certified by LAN (National Accreditation Board).

3. Loan Amount ( within the country and overseas):

• LOAN (within the country)
Public Universities:
- Diploma: -RM4,000.00
- First degree/Advanced Diploma: -RM6000.00
- PhD / Master’s degree: -RM8,000.00
Private Universities
- Diploma and first degree: -RM2,000.00 - RM12,000.00
Outside Campus:
- First degree: -RM4,500.00
- Master’s degree: -RM8,000.00
Kolej Yayasan Sabah:
- Diploma: -RM7,000.00

•LOAN (overseas)
- ASEAN/Middle East: - RM8,000.00 - RM15,000.00

4. How payment is done?

- For public universities, UiTM, Kusza and Polytechnics, payment is made two times in a year. Payment for the first semester in Oct-Dec and second semester in Feb-March.
- For private colleges/outside campus/ASEAN and Middle East, payment is made once a year.
- Payment is only made to student who submitted their exam result slip.

5. When is the Loan Sponsorship offer published?

The loan application form can be obtained at the price of RM3.00 at all Yayasan Sabah Zone’s offices, Yayasan Sabah Kuala Lumpur Branch office and Yayasan Sabah Headquarters Complex, Kota Kinabalu.

6. How to apply and obtain the loan application form?

The loan application form can be obtained with the price of RM3.00 at all Yayasan Sabah Zone’s offices, Yayasan Sabah Kuala Lumpur Branch office and Yayasan Sabah Headquarters Complex, Kota Kinabalu

7. Who is qualified to apply?

- Malaysians born in Sabah
- Either mother or father must be born in Sabah
- Did not get any financial assistance from other sponsorship body

8. Which applicants are given priority during the selection process?

- Students who come from poor family backgrounds
- Students from rural areas
- Students whose parents have many other children that are still schooling
- Orphaned students

9. Selection criteria used by Yayasan Sabah.

- Low income
- Lots of responsibility(children to bear, raise and feed)
- Academic achievement
- Still studying / getting a place at public university
- Courses taken are courses that can guarantee their future

10. What should be done by successful applicants?

- Read and understand the forms attached
- Complete 4 copies of the loan form
- Stamp and chop the loan form for official purposes

All offers for university level will be announced on the radio and published in local dailies in the month of March every year or right after SPM results are announced by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Forms can be obtained at Yayasan Sabah Headquarters Complex or any Yayasan Sabah Zones Administration Offices.

11. When does a lender start to repay the loan?

Six months after completing their studies. Monthly installment payment amount and repayment period will be determined based on the loan amount and age level.

Note: Please refer to website for the application procedures.

Source: http://www.ysnet.org.my/

SAMLING Scholarship (Malaysia) [for Mechanical Engineering]

2008-07-05T23:04:00.003+08:00

SAMLING GROUP OF COMPANIES

Samling Group of Companies is Malaysia’s premier wood-based group, creating value from sustainable forest management and wood product manufacturing in Malaysia and abroad. We also have major interests in areas such as oil palm plantations, forest plantations and property development.

Samling competes in and caters to markets around the world., Wwe have carved ourselves a reputation as a diversified business group with an impressive number of achievements in terms of global recognition and performance.

The Samling Group is committed towards enriching and fortifying the country’s human resources and the development of a skilled workforce. Through our scholarship programme, we invite deserving and outstanding students to apply for scholarships for full-time study.

FIELD OF STUDY
 Mechanical Engineering

VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIP
RM7,500.00 per academic year. The scholarship is tenable for the period laid down for the course of study and will be offered on a year-to-year basis, based on successful results obtained yearly.

PREREQUISITES
- Students with outstanding results in SPM and/or STPM seeking admission to university.
- Existing students with excellent academic results currently enrolled in university.
- Must be Malaysian citizens.
- Possess excellent communication skills, dynamic personality and holding leadership positions in extra-curricular activities.
- Must not be holding a scholarship from any other organization.
- Sarawakians and Sabahans are encouraged to apply.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Upon graduation, successful candidates will be required to enter into an agreement to serve the Samling Group of Companies for a stipulated period of time. They will be absorbed into the Group’s management development programme to be groomed into the Group’s future generation of managers.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Interested candidates are encouraged to write in, giving full personal with contact details and education details, including family financial circumstances, copies of academic results, and a passport sized photograph (n.r.). Please state details of course currently pursued or already offered for the 2008 academic year and send your applications to:-

Human Resource Department
Samling Group of Companies
P O Box 12053
50766 Kuala Lumpur

before/not later than 31 July 2008

Visit us at www.samling.com
Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Source: www.samling.com; (UKM e-pelajar)

Yayasan Sabah Scholarship

2008-07-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

Yayasan Sabah Scholarship

• Sabah State Excellence Award Scholarship

For Sabah students who obtain excellent results for their SPM examinations, this acts as an accolade to their success. This programme can help to spur other students to achieve excellent results.

• Russia Medical Scholarship (KURSK)

This programme is only for students taking medical courses at the State Medical University, Kursk, Russia.

• Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Financial Assistance Fund

Students who are ex-SPM holders or those currently taking pre-diploma courses at UiTM can apply for this fund.The amount of the fund is RM1,000 per year and approval of continuation of the fund is given based on their academic results i.e obtaining at least CGPA 2.25 each semester.
• Institut Kemahiran Mara (IKM) Financial Assistance Fund

This financial assistance is offered to students furthering their studies at certificate level at various polytechnics in Malaysia. This financial assistance is only meant for the fees and study equipment.

• Polytechnic Financial Assistance

This financial assistance is offered to students furthering their studies at certificate level at various polytechnics in Malaysia. This financial assistance is only meant for the fees and study equipment.

• Pre-University Financial Assistance

For ex-SPM holders who are continuing their pre-course studies at the International Islamic University / College and Institute only.

Note: Please refer to website for application procedures.

Source: http://www.ysnet.org.my/

University (IPTA) Appeals

2008-07-03T12:27:00.004+08:00

Want to know how many appeals for university (IPTA) seats were made through MCA this year? Read the excerpt below.

***************************************************

A short excerpt from the news article:-

"On another matter, Dr Wee said the MCA Youth education bureau and SUPP Youth had submitted 666 and 93 appeals, respectively, to the Higher Education Ministry on behalf of students who failed to obtain places or courses as well as subjects of their wish at public universities.

Dr Wee said of the 666 cases, 131 of them had achieved a CGPA of above 3.0.

“Some of them do not only have good academic results but have also done well in co-curricular activities yet they have failed to get the subject of their wish,” he said.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung said the ministry would solve the problems as soon as possible."

Source: "MCA angry over MP’s statement"; TheStar Online, 04/07/2008

SMS friend raped her

2008-07-03T12:27:00.002+08:00

With the current advances in information technology, it can be rather hard to find a youth who does not connect with others through the internet. I guess most of us would have met some 'online friends', whether it is through ICQ, Facebook, Friendster, Myspace, Hi5, MSN, YM, IM, blogs, forums, etc.

Some also make friends through teen magazines where the readers often advertise themselves hoping to find other people other there with the same interest.

There is nothing wrong with making friends, nonetheless, we must always be cautious of who we mix with. There are a lot of people out there with their own ulterior motives when they mix with you. Their hidden agenda will never be obvious until it is too late for you.

Hence, I advice every youth out there to becareful of all this 'friends' who you can't see in reality. If you do in the end trust the person well enough to meet personally, please becareful to avoid any unwanted incidents to occur, just like the this unfortunate girl in the news article who was raped by her 'SMS Friend'...

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Labourer nabbed over rape of girl, 15
Source: TheStar Online, 03/07/2008

SANDAKAN: A labourer raped a 15-year-old girl whom he befriended through SMS.

The Form Three student told police that she made friends with the 25-year-old man through SMS some time ago. After exchanging SMSes, he asked her out.

He fetched the girl from her school in Jalan Labuk on June 25 and proceeded to his house in an oil palm plantation where he allegedly raped her.

The man threatened the girl not to say anything to anybody.

However, her family found out and brought her to the police station to lodge a report. She was referred to the Duchess of Kent Hospital for a medical examination.

Sandakan police deputy chief Supt Fadzil Mohd Ali said the man had been detained for investigation under Section 376 of the Penal Code.

Permodalan Nasional Berhad Scholarship

2008-07-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

As part of our commitment to develop a pool of highly qualified and competent Bumiputera as well as raise the level of competency of our human resources, we provide scholarships to the public and our staff members and their children.

1) Staff Sponsorship Programme
Under this programme we sponsor our staff members and their children for qualification upgrading and professional enhancement which includes Master in Business Administration, Chartered Financial Analyst, Bachelor of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, Diploma in Financial Markets and Certified Financial Planner.

2) Scholarship for Children of Staff Members
We also provide scholarship for children of our staff members who have secured places for Matriculation, Diploma and Bachelor Degree programmes at local public or private institutions of higher learning.

3) Overseas Scholarship
We offer scholarships to Bumiputera who obtain excellent results in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia to pursue tertiary education at selected foreign universities in disciplines related to our business such as Finance and Investment, Accountancy, Economics, Law, Information & Communication Technology, and Engineering.

Prior to entry into universities, these scholars are required to undergo a two-year A-Level programme or other preparatory programmes as determined by PNB.

Note: Please refer to website for application procedures.

Source: www.pnb.com.my

Yayasan Proton Scholarship

2008-07-02T00:00:00.001+08:00

Yayasan Proton Scholarship

We at YAYASAN PROTON would like to begin our process of choosing qualified Undergraduates at local universities to be awarded our Scholarship Awards for 2007/2008.

Among the aims of YAYASAN PROTON is to contribute towards the nations manpower development to assist those who are really in need. YAYASAN PROTON scholars will be bonded with the company after their graduation. Students will be eligible for the YAYASAN PROTON Scholarships Awards are those who match the criteria below:

There are 3 scholarship Program / Category:
1. Students with Academic Excellence.
a) CGPA 3.5 and above
b) Posesses strong leadership traits and good communication skills / proficient in English
c) Active in extra-curricular activities.
2. Students from a Eligible Family.
a) CGPA 3.0 and above
b) Household income not more than RM1,500 per month (to attach salary slip)
3. Students / Children of PROTON Employee.
a) CGPA 3.0 and above
b) Staff that has been serving PROTON for a minimum of 3 years.

Selection Criteria
- Students must posess excellent SPM examinations results, including distinction in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mathematics.

- Students must not be a recipient of other scholarship programme, loan or financial assistance from any other organisation / educational institutions.

- This Scholarship Program is valid for entry to public and private Universities only.

- Students will be bonded to the company and must be ready / willing to serve PROTON for a speficied period after graduation.

- Final selection of students will be based on interview, participation in extra curricular activities and SPM / STPM / Matriculation examination results.

- The scholarship consists of full academic fees, subsistence, book and accomodation allowances.

Field of Study
• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering - Electronics / Electrical / Mechanical / Mechatronics / Automotive Engineering
• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing
• Bachelor's Degree in Accountancy / Business Administration
• Information Technology
• Bachelor's of Law

Application Procedure
Applicants are required to submit the application forms with copies of first semester examination results, relevant certificates and documents can be submit to:

YAYASAN PROTON
Learning and Development Department (LND)
Human Resource Division
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn. Bhd.
HICOM Industrial Estate, Batu 3,
P.O. Box 7100, 40918 Shah Alam
Selangor
Tel: 03-51911055 ext 2752
Fax: 03-51953008
Email: izzatumn@proton.com
(Attention to: Puan Nor Izzatul Farita Mohamad Nordin)

Note: Please refer to website for application forms.

Source: www.proton.com

Maxis Scholarship For Excellence Award

2008-06-30T18:17:00.003+08:00

Maxis Scholarship For Excellence Award

About the Scholarship

The Maxis Scholarship For Excellence Award is an effort to nurture a forward-thinking and progressive new generation of Malaysians. It is open to young and outstanding Malaysians who have gained admittance to top universities in the US and UK.

Successful applicants will be awarded the opportunity of a postgraduate scholarship to pursue their academic goals at the world’s most prestigious universities.

Selection of Programmes

Founded and fully-funded by Maxis as part of its extensive Corporate Social Responsibility campaign, the Maxis Scholarship For Excellence Award is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for outstanding young individuals to fulfill their dreams and aspirations of creating a better society, a richer culture and a greater nation.

Five successful applicants will be awarded a postgraduate scholarship at the world's most prestigious universities to pursue a course in:
- Life Sciences and Engineering
- Medicine
- Business and Management Studies
- Law and Government Studies
- The Performing Arts

Application Criteria

Ideal applicants for Maxis’ Scholarship For Excellence must have already gained admittance to a top US or UK university and meet the following stringent criteria:-

- Aged 30 years or below
- Achieved a minimum of a 2nd Class Upper Honours (or equivalent) degree from a good university.
- Have a minimum of three years working experience
- Have a strong appreciation and appetite for current affairs (for example, a general knowledge of Malaysia’s constitutional and legal framework, economic levers, government initiatives and nation building philosophies).
- Demonstrate a continuing involvement in extra-curricular activities (team or individual sports; voluntary service; affiliation with a recognized association or society) as well as special achievements in academics, social work or similar contributions.
- Possess the traits of an ambassador for Malaysia, with a sense of loyalty and identification for the country. There should also be evidence of a clear sense of purpose and goals in life, as well as a display of visionary capabilities.
- In short, an individual who is not only high-achieving, but boasts a well-rounded, potent blend of academic, personal, social, extra-curricular and experiential abilities and skills.

Application Procedures

Please refer to website for online application.

Source: www.maxis.com.my

SSi Schaefer Scholarship Awards

2008-06-29T12:47:00.003+08:00

SSi Schaefer Scholarship Awards
Shaefer Systems International Sdn Bhd

We are one of the world largest Racking and Shelving solutions provider. Our manufacturing plant is an ISO9001:2000 certified and fully owned subsidiary of SSI Schaefer, Germany. We have been established more than 10 years at Simpang Renggam, Johor. As a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we are inviting deserving individuals seeking financial assistance to pursue their full-time education in Malaysian Public Institutions of Higher Learning, to apply for scholarship offered by Schaefer Systems International Sdn. Bhd.

The Scholarship
- Degree: RM8,000.00 per academic year

Prefered Field of Study
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering

Eligibility
- Good academic results (STPM min 1A/Foundation - CGPA of 3.3 and above)
- Good command of English Language, both written and spoken
- A record of active participation in extra curricular activities
- Must have a confirmed placement from public institutions of higher learning
- Not bonded or holding any other scholarship or receiving financial assistance from any organisation
- Be prepared to serve at any location within the group for 3 years
- Preference will be given to Johorean

Application
Interested individuals can e-mail/write in their application, together with a covering letter, full curicullum vitae (incl. copy of SPM & STPM results), photograph (1pc. - nonreturnable) and acceptance letter from public institution of higher learning, to:-

The Human Resource Manager
SCHAEFER SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL SDN BHD
PLO 25, Jln SR/3,
Kaw. Perindustrian Simpang Renggam,
86200 Simpang Renggam,
Johor.
Tel: 07-7557451 (ext.108)
E-mail: subash@schaefer.com.my

Note:
- Incomplete application will be rejected
- Only shortlisted candidates will be notified
- Closing date is on 30 July 2008

Source: NST paper (28/06/2008); www.ssi-schaefer-asia.com

How To Keep Your Memory In Tiptop Condition ?

2008-06-27T20:02:00.000+08:00

Keeping the memory in good condition is a vital part of the brain’s function. Every now and then, our actions greatly depend on a lot of information we retrieve from our memory bank. Such information can either be short term (such as specific tasks that we have to do) or long term (such as the ability to drive a car or repeat an instruction we read from a book). While long-term memory may come spontaneously without too much effort when the need arises, short-term memory requires recalling information from the accumulation of things stored in our memory. This is why you need to keep your memory in great shape to achieve efficiency in your daily endeavors:

• Keep your attention focused on the needed information to be stored in your memory bank. Even with distractions around you, stay focused on the subject. The more concentrated you are on the information, the better the chances of retaining it in your memory.

• Utilize the most ideal sense or senses when gathering the information. This what we call acuity in sensing our environment. Be aware of the color or details of a picture, or the particular sound or smell of the thing involved. All our bodily senses are attuned to collect information depending on the circumstance at hand. While our sense of vision may be the most used in gathering information, our senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch are equally important and helpful in remembering things, situations, and information about something or someone.

• When you’re not sure that the information you are about to remember would really be retained by your brain, it would be better to write the information. This could be proven effective especially in gathering very long and tedious information like lecture notes or a personal interview. Just be sure you don’t forget that you have a note at hand; and of course, don’t misplace the note.

• Maintain a balance diet. A well-proportioned diet will result to a conditioned memory. Oily and sweet foods may cloud the memory. If you cannot completely eliminate a bad diet, gradually cut down your intake of these memory-inhibiting foods. Doing it gradually cushions the effect of withdrawal symptoms and you’ll get adjusted to the new lifestyle you are creating. This is not only beneficial to the memory, but we can say you’re on your way to a healthy life. Drinking lots of water brings lots of advantages to your overall health, and memory is not an exception.

• Don’t deprive yourself with enough rest and sleep. Having enough sleep does not condone laziness; oversleeping does. So don’t feel guilty resting or sleeping as long as it is not overdone. You need it badly to keep you revitalized from the tiresome demand of work.

• Take time to relax. Breathe deeply if you must. Keep your thoughts organized before acting on them. Keep away from stress and anxiety. It may be impossible to completely eliminate stress since it is part of our challenging generation, but try to keep it down as much as possible. Stress may bring your memory into its inefficient level. Avoid the habit of saying to yourself that you might forget things, because you’re more likely to if you do. This just builds your anxiety level up to its panic mode.

• Stay positive, creative, and energetic. Your memory needs to be within a circle of various things. Things that come in various shapes, sizes, and colors can motivate your creativity. This is a positive way of discovering your surroundings in all its variations and diversities. Avoid being enclosed within the four walls of your room just like you’re a prisoner. The only time to be enclosed is when you have to rest or sleep. Don’t be a couch potato. There’s a very exciting world out there waiting to improve your memory.

The very best way to improve your memory is between infancy and adolescent. As we grow old, memory starts to fail. But a strong memory that we can develop during the prime years of our lives will definitely enhance us to be good thinkers. This can be done by continuously exercising our memory through reading and other cognitive activities like the habit of solving crossword puzzles. The more you do these, the better memory retention is developed.

As far as health is concerned, high blood pressure can lead to stroke and heart ailments. It also results to poor memory retention. Memory function declines when blood pressure is high. Researchers have observed that people with normal blood pressure, especially at midlife, have a higher cognitive function. Concentration, decision-making, and remembering functions falter as a result of high blood pressure. What is healthy for the body is likewise healthy for the memory.

Top 5 Study Tips That Every Students Should Know -Part 5

2008-06-26T23:28:00.000+08:00

From Start to Finish

Confused about what to write down in your notebook during class? Get stressed when preparing for tests and looking over your notes? Here are some suggestions to take you from the beginning of the studying process in the classroom, to the end, or the test itself.

Read assignments before heading to class. This will build your background for the information that will be presented in class. It helps you be familiar with the vocabulary and concepts. This is especially helpful if you are unfamiliar with the subject matter. As you read, underline and highlight important information. If you don’t have time to read the entire assignment, at least look over introduction paragraphs, bolded words, and summaries. This will give you a good overview of the information.

Although it seems obvious, you need to go to class and take notes. Most professors or teachers lecture during class periods, emphasizing points of importance. Head to class ready to be attentive and write during the entire class. Don’t stop taking notes until the lecturer is finishing. Pay particular attention to the end of the lecture, as professors will cram information into this part to finish up for the day. Use abbreviations; get details and main ideas to get complete notes.

While the notes are still ‘fresh’ in your mind, look over them and make any additions or corrections as soon as possible after class. Be sure to make note of any parts you didn’t understand or missed. Ask either the professor or a friend via email or before the next class period to get the missing information.

Try to pass your first test in each class to boost self-confidence. Make up a list of study questions and definitions and practice reciting this information aloud, either to yourself or someone else. Don’t wait until the last minute study. Rather, study for short periods over several days. Of course, you will want to review the night before a test.

Finally, test day arrives. Use these strategies during your exam to make all your hard work worthwhile. Read directions carefully before you begin. Take a few minutes to look over the test, then answer all the questions you know first. This will help you get sure points and builds confidence. Don’t leave any blanks; it is better to guess if you don’t know. Watch your time, and manage it accordingly. Don’t rush, but don’t go too slow. Take a few minutes at the end of class to look over your test to be sure you have answered all questions and that your answers make sense.

Top 5 Study Tips That Every Students Should Know -Part 4

2008-06-25T23:28:00.000+08:00

Skimming with Skill

Think about how you find a name in a telephone book. You don’t read any more than necessary to find the name. Maybe you use your finger to guide your eyes. This type of reading is known as scanning. Skimming uses the same type of skill mechanically but a different skill mentally. In scanning, you know what you are looking for; in skimming, you don’t.

Since you don’t know exactly what you are looking for while skimming, prepare yourself by reading the title, source, author, and any pictures; then question yourself,--who, what, when, where is this likely to focus on? With a questioning mind direct your eyes down the column of print, or in a zigzag, if the lines are quite long. Look for exact names of people, places, things, ideas, numbers and words like therefore, whenever, until, because, and instead, to clue you to how and why.

When you first start to learn to skim you may see only the words in bold type, italics, digits, or capitalized words. Soon you will note new or unusual vocabulary. As you become an efficient skimmer your span of perception will develop and your ability to make closure will increase.

Skimming is a step you should always take before you read any article of factual or practical narrative. You will soon be able to detect most important facts, strange vocabulary, and words that are clues to important relationships.

It's a good practice to skim everything in mass media after reading the title and first paragraph. You may get all the information you want. This keeps your skimming skills from deteriorating, or will give you the practice you need to develop necessary skills.

Skim everything you intend to read before you make a final decision to read, discard, or study the material.

Skim all highlighting and develop a read-skim pattern to use for rapid review. And don't overlook this! Reviewing frequently and rapidly is the best way to memorize (or simply remember information) from notes and long text assignments. Skimming is a very useful tool for studying, so learn it and use it!

STPM Straight A didn't get first choice of Medic course...

2008-06-25T02:00:00.000+08:00

Some important excerpts from the following article:
- In 2007 STPM exam, there were a total of 25 students who scored 5 A's
- Among the 25, six of them scored all A's in the 13 sub-papers
- Among these six, three of them failed to get their first choice to study medicine in University Malaya.

The big issue here is - based on the meritocracy system, aren't the top students supposed to be given the priority in university admission process? Shouldn't they fill up the places first then followed by other students with the academic results in a descending order with the weakest at the bottom? So, how come there are National Level Top Students who can't get the first choice? Can somebody answer this?

Another issue to address here is the students themselves. Medicine is a healthcare profession where the personnel must be caring towards the patients and the patients always come first. To be in such a career, passion and interest is of utmost importance. The students were not denied of their ambition and have been offered places at other universities (UKM and UMS) to pursue their medical degrees.

In my personal opinion, if you have the passion and interest, the dedication to be a responsible and caring doctor, you have been given the chance to pursue it now. The place to study should not be an issue anymore. Yes, UM is the premier university in Malaysia, but that shouldn't be the main motivation and drive for one to pursue a career in medicine, right? It should be your own passion and interest that motivates you. I hope that the students can be grateful of the chances given to them, and pursue their medical degree at the universities and be dedicated doctors when they graduate.

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荣登全国最佳学生榜‧3优秀生进不了马大医学系
Source: www.sinchew.com.my

（雪兰莪‧八打灵再也）3名荣登全国最佳成绩学生榜的大马高级学校文凭考生却无法获得首选国立大学的医学系。

这3名STPM最佳考生申诉，虽然他们考获5科A的佳绩及获得大马考试局颁发全国卓越学生奖状，但却无法进入梦寐以求的大学深造，这令他们备感失望。

据瞭解，今年全国共有25名学生考获5科A；不过，当中只有6人在这5科13张的试卷中考获全A的佳绩，而週三（18日）向星洲日报申诉得不到首选大学的3名STPM考生正是其中3人。

3人的首选大学皆是马大医学系，可是他们一概不被录取，反之却被派去其它的大学的医学系，令他们倍感无奈及不解。

江韵儿：被分配第五选择

来自八打灵再也公教中学江韵儿（20岁）亲临星洲日报申诉说，儘管她考取好成绩，但她却被获录取第五个选择，即沙巴大学医学系，这令她深表惊讶及不公平。

“我付出了很大的努力考取佳绩，可是换来的结果却让我失望，我觉得很奇怪，全国只有6人在5科13张的试卷中考全A，为何我们无法获得首选大学的医学系？我们理应有优先权进入马大的医学系。”

符展宇：盼政府正视

也是来自八打灵再也公教中学的符展宇则说：“我们是国家最好的，却无法进入国內最好的大学深造，这太不公道了；我们都进不了，那么还有谁有资格进？”

他说，虽然他获得第二选择，即国大医学系，但他对自己无法获得首选大学的事宜备感不幸。

他希望，政府正视他们所面临的困境，并让他们进入马大医学系。

陈佩珊：以为可顺利进马大

另一名来自咖啡山圣约翰国中的陈佩珊接受星洲日报电访时说，当她知道本身获录取第二选择，即国大医学系的消息时，她有点失望。

“原以为可顺利进入马大医学系，但却一场空。”

她认为，由於全国只有6名卓越学生，因此就算6人申请进入马大医学系，应该不成问题。

星洲日报‧2008.06.18

Malaysia Express Bus Accidents (Malaysia Bus Can Fly)

2008-06-25T01:00:00.000+08:00

For a youth, whether a student studying in a boarding school/university or a fresh graduate looking for a better opportunity, express busses is the most convenient mode of transport for us, due to the price and we don't need to drive for long hours on the highway.

But it has been rather worrying that we often see accidents involving busses. What has the authority have in mind to curb such accidents? Bus turning turtle, bus crashing into dividers, bus drove into the ravine, bus ended up in the river, bus overshot into the sea, etc?

I used to travel a lot by bus, and you can seriously be surprised with the speed a new bus (3 seats in a row type) can achieve!!! I've had the honour of risking my life taking the front row seat behind the driver in a midnight bus heading to Kuala Lumper. Guess what I saw on the speedometer... 150kmph!!! YES, the meter was pointing at 150kmph!!!! Tell me how fast is that?

For all the university or college students out there, I'm sure you need to travel back to home sometime which is in another state, are you afraid? Are your families worried of your safety?

Earlier this year, a friend of my friends unfortunately met a fatal accident on a bus. A very young student. A great loss to many. It is also very saddening to read her friends blogging about her after her accident.

I urge the authorities to take firm actions to ensure the safety of the bus passengers. We really do not want any bus accidents during the start or ending of a semester when the bus is usually filled with so many young students.

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2 killed in express bus crash
Source: NSTonline, 25/06/2008

The crashed bus at Km406 of the North-South Expressway.

KUALA KUBU BARU: Two people were killed and seven others seriously injured when the express bus they were in slammed into a divider and overturned at Km406 of the North-South Expressway near Lembah Beringin.

In the 1.30pm incident, the Allison Express bus was on its way to Singapore from Penang with 18 passengers when the driver lost control of the vehicle after negotiating a bend.

Police said the 44-year-old driver had an arrest warrant and three traffic summonses under his name.

Selangor traffic police chief Superintendent Che Hussin Omar said investigations showed that the driver lost control of the bus due to heavy rain and the slippery road.

The wreck covered two lanes of the expressway and caused a massive jam.

"Two passengers died on the spot after they were pinned under the overturned bus, while seven others were seriously injured.

"They have been warded at Slim River Hospital and Sungai Buloh Hospital."

The deceased were identified as Husaini Karim, 52, of George Town, Penang and Khoo Kheng Ch'ng, 77, of Ayer Hitam, Penang.

The others, including the driver and his assistant, were given outpatient treatment at the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital.

Police have yet to detain the driver, Che Hussin said.

Litrak Scholarship Awards

2008-06-25T00:00:00.000+08:00

Litrak Scholarship Awards

Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (LITRAK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lingkaran Trans Kota Holdings Berhad, a company listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. We are one of the leaders in highway operations, infrastructure development and maintenance services. As part of LITRAK's corporate citizen objective, applications are now open to outstanding young Malaysians to apply for the LITRAK Scholarship 2008 to pursue fulltime First-Degree programmes at recognized universities in Malaysia.

Field of Study
- Civil Engineering (majoring in Traffic Engineering/Design/Highway)
- Electrical Engineering
- Finance/Accountancy
- Computer Science/Information Technology

Academic Requirement
- Have complete the matriculation/diploma level (with CGPA of 3.0 and above) or currently pursuing in Bachelor degree
- With at least 5A's in SPM with credits in Mathematics, Bahasa Malaysia and English OR 4A's in STPM

Additional Requirements
- Possess good command of English, strong interpersonal and leadership skills, dynamic, independent and active in co-curriculum activities
- Currently not holding a scholarship from any other organization and free from any obligation and willing to serve the company after completion of studies
- Those who are currently holding PTPTN are encourage to apply
- Has gained acceptance into local public University at the time of interview

The Scholarship
- Full tuition fees and living expenses of RM500.00 per month
- Bonded for a period 3 to 5 years depending on the amount sponsored and upon successful completion of studies

Application Details
- Application forms may be obtained ffrom LITRAK Office during office hours
- Download from http://www.litrak.com.my/
- Complete the application form and indicate "SCHOLARSHIP 2008" on top left-hand corner of the A4 size envelope and address to:-

LINGKARAN TRANS KOTA SDN BHD
Kompleks Operasi LITRAK, KM19
Lebuh Raya Damansara - Puchong
Bandar Sunway, PJS 9,

47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-74947000 Fax: 03-74947065

- Please refer to website for closing dates
- Only short-listed candidates will be notified for an interview, incomplete and late applications will not be considered
- Forms can be photocopy for additional application

Source: http://www.litrak.com.my/

Top 5 Study Tips That Every Students Should Know -Part 3

2008-06-24T23:26:00.000+08:00

Concentration is Key

Learning to concentrate while studying and doing work is a skill that will be used for the rest of your life. The art of concentration is to eliminate any possible distractions and completely focus on the task at hand. Many students will read through material and discover that they have no idea what they have just read. Or, they will attend lectures and have difficulty paying attention to what is being said. Here are a few suggestions to help you stay focused and boost your grades…

When scheduling study times, try to stick to a consistent and efficient routine. Try to avoid studying one day late at night, and the next in the afternoon. Write in your planner or calendar when you will study so as not to have conflicts.

Always study in a quiet environment. If you haven’t already, find a designated study spot free of distractions. If you live in a noisy house or dormitory, this may mean heading to a study room or even the library.

When you need a study break, do something different from you have been doing, and in a different area. Get up and walk around in another room. Listen to music for a few minutes. Grab a snack. Try to take a break every hour for about 10 minutes.

Every student struggles with day dreaming while studying…thinking about plans for the night or tomorrow’s basketball game. To avoid daydreaming, ask yourself questions about the material as you study it, which will keep your mind focused.

If you have trouble focusing during classroom lectures, look over the notes of the previous lecture and read the course material pertaining to the lecture beforehand so you can anticipate the main ideas that the instructor will cover. Additionally, show outward interest during lectures. Have an attentive expression and posture. This will self-motivate internal interest. Also, resist distractions by sitting in front of the room away from disruptive occurrences and classmates and by focusing on the instructor through listening and note taking.

Just a few minor adjustments in your studying habits will go a long way in improving grades and concentration.

Euro 2008 VS Studies

2008-06-24T08:32:00.003+08:00

Soccer is undeniably a popular sports among Malaysian youths, in fact, among youths around the world too. Many would stay up late just to watch this exciting matches with friends in the dorm over a packet of groundnut and coke.

What about you? Do you do that too? Or due to studies, you forgo the matches and go to sleep early for your morning lectures? Fear not, according to this article, Penang Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman is actually providing The Star Euro 2008 street edition in the kolej!!! So it allows the students to get the latest results everyday.

Anyway, I do want to advice every youth out there that, education is very important, and thus should come first. But don't forget to find a balance between study and having fun, k!! Enjoy the matches!!!!

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Pullout gets students rushing to college early
Source: TheStar Online, 24/06/2008

GEORGE TOWN: Avid football fan Tan Khai Keong cannot afford to stay up late to watch the Euro 2008 matches because he has to attend classes in the morning.

That is why the Penang Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman student is among the first to reach the college to grab a copy of The Star Euro 2008 street edition.

“The pullout gives me the latest results. The content is comprehensive,” said the second-year Diploma in Accounting student.

The pullout is given free daily until June 30 to keep football fans updated on their favourite teams.

Tan, 20, said he could not watch his favourite team as most of the matches were telecast live in the wee hours of the morning.

“To me, studies come first and I have to sleep early,” he said.

A total of 150 copies of the pullout are distributed at the college daily.

Tan Sok Mun, 21, said she would rush to the administration office to get a copy.

“At times, all the copies are snapped by 9.30am,” she said, adding that the graphics and interesting write-ups are good ways to keep her informed on the latest matches.

The pullout is also available at the Juru and Penang Bridge tollbooths on weekends.

Copies can also be obtained at government offices, colleges, 7-Eleven outlets, shopping complexes, certain nasi kandar restaurants and petrol stations.

25 receive Shell scholarships

2008-06-24T08:26:00.001+08:00

25 receive Shell scholarships
Source: NSTonline, 24/06/2008

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a joyous moment for S. Shobana Ghanam when she received her Shell Malaysia scholarship yesterday.

The 18-year-old, who obtained 12 1As in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, said it would ease her family's financial burden.

"I feel privileged to receive this scholarship as there are many who did well but are struggling to further their studies because of their financial background."

Shobana said she would be studying chemical engineering in Britain.

A total of 2,700 students applied for the scholarships but only 25 were selected. It will cover tuition fees and living expenses.

Ten students will pursue their higher education abroad while the rest will study in local universities.

Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Mohzani Abdul Wahab, who presented the awards, congratulated the recipients.

Shell Malaysia also rewarded five students with excellent Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia results. They received RM1,000 and a certificate each.

Twenty students who performed well in the SPM examination received RM800 each and a certificate.

Five schools with excellent Penilaian Menengah Rendah results received RM5,000 and a certificate each.

Top 5 Study Tips That Every Students Should Know -Part 2

2008-06-23T23:24:00.000+08:00

Keep Supplies in a Homework Kit

It’s four o’clock…you know what that means…time to do homework. You scour the house looking for a pencil. Then you need a pencil sharpener. Ten minutes later you find one. Finally you sit down to start your homework. Where’s the calculator? Dad’s desk? Brother’s bedroom? Once found, you discover that it is low on batteries…there have to be some in the house…but where? If you find your typical study session unfolding like this, then here are a few suggestions to make you finish your homework with ease…

You can waste a lot of time looking for homework supplies and making sure they are ready to be used. OR, you can use a homework box or supply kit of some kind to keep it all together. Then, when it comes time to do homework, everything is in place for you. No running around, no scouring the house.

Any kind of box will do. You can use a storage tote, an old shoebox, or even a drawer. The key is to keep everything you need in there, ready to go. Make sure the tote or box is placed conveniently in your study area. It should not move from the spot.

Make sure siblings and family members know that these supplies are for homework, and not for other activities. Those supplies should stay there, and only be used for homework. You may want to label it so there is no confusion as to its purpose.

Pencils and crayons should be sharp, calculators fully equipped with fresh batteries, markers with lids tightly attached. Here’s a tip, since your parents are always offering to help with your homework but it is up to you to do the work, suggest that they take responsibility for keeping the supply kit full and in working order.
When it comes to studying, there are few people that want any more struggle or stress than is necessary. Keeping all materials and supplies handy and ready to go will make your studying not only go smoother, but possibly quicker. And who wouldn’t want to shorten the time they need for studying?

IJM Corporation Berhad Scholarship

2008-06-23T00:00:00.000+08:00

The IJM Scholarship Award programme was established to help develop, nurture and raise young and bright Malaysian talents of the future. Through our awards, students are given a chance to realise their potential, hence, achieving their highest ambitions.

Students with excellent academic record, who are proactive and highly-motivated, and intend to pursue or are pursuing any one of the following courses are encouraged to apply for the IJM Scholarship Awards 2008.

Fields Of Study

• Bachelor of Accounting

• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical & Industrial)

• Bachelor of Housing, Building & Planning

• Bachelor of Quantity Surveying

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Polymer Science/Mineral Science)

• Bachelor of Economics/Business Administration

• Bachelor of Agricultural Science/Agribusiness

• Bachelor of Science (Material Science/Geology)

The Scholarship

• RM10,000 per academic year

To Qualify

• Good STPM or Matriculation grades

• Strong record in extra co-curricular activities

• Good command of English

• Full-time undergraduate study at a local government university or local private institution of higher learning

• Not be bonded to or in receipt of financial aid from other organisations

To Apply

• Please refer to website for application forms and closing dates.

Source: http://www.ijm.com/

Top 5 Study Tips That Every Students Should Know -Part 1

2008-06-22T23:15:00.002+08:00

Find a Place to Study

Figuring out a time and place to do your homework and study is of the utmost importance. Once you have figured out when to do your homework, the next question is where to do it.

A good study area should have a desk or table big enough to spread out books, notes, worksheets, etc. without them all being on top of each other. You do not want to make a mess, but you also do want to have ample room to work.

Make sure you have plenty of light. Ideally, you will near a window with an overhead light and perhaps even a small reading lamp.

Most important in choosing a study location is finding a place that is relatively free from distractions. That means no TV on in the room, no brothers or sisters running by, no phone conversations to listen in on, and no instant messenger or emails to keep you busy.

Whether or not you listen to music while you study depends on your personal preference. You may choose to ignore any phone calls, or turn off your cell phone, and forget about the urge to go and get a snack every ten or fifteen minutes.

Depending on your home, you may be able to find this area at the kitchen or dining room table, or in your bedroom. You may be able to set aside a study space in your basement or an office in you home. Some people find their homes too filled with distractions, and prefer to take their studies to the local library.

Wherever you choose, it is best if you can study in that same place all the time. If you can study in this same location consistently, your mind will get used to this being a focused and important place. When you enter this area, you will know it is time to get down to business. Your pens and pencils, paper, erasers, stapler, calculator, and anything else you use often can be kept nearby. Also, you can keep them in a bin or bag which can be pulled out whenever you need them. This will avoid having to stop studying to collect supplies.

Having this dedicated study spot will help you get down to business and focus more easily on getting your work complete.

Maju Institute for Education Development (MIED) MIC Education Loan/Scholarship

2008-06-22T13:46:00.003+08:00

Maju Institute for Education Development (MIED) MIC Education Loan/Scholarship

Since the commencement of its operations in 1984, MIED has assisted needy students by providing study loans to pursue their courses and today it has become the leading provider of study loans to members of the Malaysian Indian community seeking such assistance for further education. From the eighties to this day, MIED's annual disbursement amount has steadily increased and helped thousands of Indian students to pursue higher education and thereby achieve major career and life goals.

For instance, in the year 2004, MIED disbursed more than RM9 million in loans to students pursuing higher education. The scarce financial resources of MIED did not deter if from approving the increased number of loan applications.

The scope of the disbursement of study loans to students were expanded last year to accommodate more subjects. Other than providing loans to students pursuing traditional courses such as Medicine, Law and Accountancy, huge amounts of loans were allocated this year to students of Information Technology and Sciences. This was in tune with the government's call for a more technology based society, thus helping to spur growth our economy. MIED does not encourage students abroad, particularly when the course is available locally. With this outlook, MIED is able to help more students pursue tertiary education and at the same time to promote the local education industry.

Syarat-Syarat Permohonan
1. Pinjaman pendidikan MIED akan ditawarkan kepada Warganegara Malaysia yang mengikuti kursus di Institusi-institusi pengajian tinggi dalam negeri dan luar negeri.
2. Bagi kursus di Institusi-institusi pengajian tinggi tempatan, semua kursus perlu diluluskan oleh Lembaga Akreditasi Negara (LAN), manakala semua kursus luar negeri perlu diiktiraf oleh Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA).
3. MIED akan menimbang permohonan pinjaman daripada 20% hingga 50% nilai yuran pengajian tinggi.
4. MIED akan mengenakan kadar faedah 6% setahun mengikut syarat-syarat yang ditetapkan di dalam surat perjanjian.
5. Semua permohonan perlu kemukakan salinan surat tawaran daripada institusi pengajian tinggi yang mengesahkan bahawa pemohon layak mengikuti kursus yang dipilih, dalam institusi berkenaan.
6. Pinjaman pendidikan MIED tidak akan ditawarkan kepada pemegang-pemegang pinjaman lain.
7. Keputusan permohonan dan jumlah amaun pinjaman akan ditetapkan oleh Lembaga MIED.
8. Pembayaran pinjaman akan dilakukan menerusi Pejabat Bendahari Institusi pengajian berkenaan.
9. Pinjaman pendidikan MIED hanya akan diberi kepada pemohon yang layak sahaja.
10. Salinan Sijil keputusan akademik, Kenyataan pendapatan, Kad pengenalan, Salinan surat tawaran institusi pengajian tinggi dan sebagainya wajib disertakan untuk menyokong permohonan.
11. Kelulusan pinjaman adalah untuk satu tahun sahaja dan pelanjutannya bergantung kepada kedudukan kewangan MIED dan kejayaan pelajar pada tahun pinjaman diberi.
12. Sekiranya pinjaman diluluskan, pemohon perlu menandatangani satu surat perjanjian dengan MIED mengenai pembayaran balik pinjaman. Pembayaran balik akan bermula dalam enam bulan selepas permohon menamatkan kursusnya. Dua orang yang diterima oleh MIED adalah perlu sebagai penjamin kepada peminjam yang telah diberi pinjaman.

Note: Please refer to the website for application procedures and contacts.

Source: http://www.mied.com.my/

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Aid for Indian students
By A. LETCHUMANAN
Source: TheStar online, 22/06/2008

THE MIC-owned Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) has launched a scholarship scheme to assist Malaysian Indian students who are unsuccessful in getting scholarships.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said that scholarships would be offered to those who have excellent results in the SPM and STPM examinations.

“We will give priority to those who had submitted their results for the annual President’s Merit Award,” he said.

Samy Vellu (fifth from left) and other MIC leaders posing with top SPM and STPM scorers at the awards presentation ceremony.

According to Samy Vellu, only 50 out of the 192 students who had appealed to the Public Services Department (PSD), through MIED, for scholarships, were successful.

“We will absorb the 142 unsuccessful students into our scholarship scheme to enable them to pursue foundation studies in science or business at AIMST University in Sungai Petani, Kedah,” he said, adding that students who scored 10 1As and above would be awarded full scholarships whilst those with 9 1As and 8 1As would be awarded 60% and 50% fee waivers, respectively, to pursue foundation courses in science.

“There are also about 100 full scholarships for students who wish to pursue foundation studies in business,” he said.

This scheme will help more Indian students further their studies.

Samy Vellu had earlier presented trophies, certificates and cash awards to 374 students who scored 8 1As and above in the SPM examinations, and 37 students who had 4As and above in the STPM examinations last year.

“By honouring these high achievers, we hope to motivate them and build up their self-esteem and confidence,” he said.

MIC, through MIED, has honoured 2,074 students who have done well in the SPM and STPM examinations between 2000 and 2007.