My-Daybreak.org

I write in appreciation of the alumni of Sekolah Sri Petaling who initiated the school’s 40th anniversary celebration last November.

I have never seen students so loyal to the school and their teachers. We former teachers received special invitations.

Although many of the students are today professionals and big shots, they behaved humbly when speaking to us.

We were treated to dinner, a question – and- answer contest and musical performances.

the hall had a multiracial mix of students and teachers. It was great to see students and teachers hugging one another and talking about the old days. our prime minister would have been happy to see his 1 Malaysia concept on display during this occasion.

I think the alumni for giving us teachers a wonderful time. I have never seen so much love extended to one another by a multiracial group.

A few months earlier, teachers were invited to dinner at Armada Hotel by the 1975-1980 students. I admired the way they behaved towards the teachers.

Sekolah Sri Petaling is a special school with grateful students. Encik Hassanudin , the headmaster during my time there, should be given a posthumous award for making the school one of the best.

It is a pity that he died some years after retirement.

Loh Siew Eem
Petalin Jaya
New Straits Time

I am bemused by the reasons cited by Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin in his letter ” Why cases remain unsolved ” (NST, Jan 14)

His foremost reason is that investigations are ” hitting brick walls”, that victims are unable to provide a description of the suspect and other vital details with regard to reports lodged. I find that these are just excuses and not real reasons why cases remain unsolved.

In my case, I gave clear-cut evidence in a police report made in April 2008 regarding a case of fraud involving cash transactions purportedly to secure an Indonesia maid.

In my report, and repeated visits to the investigation officer, i gave detailed information about the person involved and his whereabouts.

Details of the transaction involving the cash transfer were provided to the officer.

I also wrote to the inspector-general of police and other top police headquarters regarding the case.

To date, there has been complete silence and the police have failed to prosecute anyone probably because the sum was small. This case, I believe, remains open, adding to the bulk of unsolved cases.

The Point I am making is that the police officers are selective in handling cases. Can I get some answers on my case Dang Wangi/011914/08?

Nandah Kumar Menon
Kuala Lumpur.

Recent revelations of unclaimed deposits to the tune of RM 3 billion are shocking.

Unclaimed deposits are periodically listed in the government gazette and circulated to government departments which take note of the items  pertaining to their departments. And the story ends there.

This state of affairs comes about because the owner of the deposits have either passed away or migrated.

To solve this problem, this list should be published in all newspapers periodically so that the general public is aware of the situation.

Copies of the gazette should also be made available to political parties at stte level.

I believe a large portion of these deposits are from Employees Provident Fund contributors. Statutory declarations and indemnity bonds could be used to make payments to next of kin and through the Malaysian embassies for those who have left the country for good. Where there is a will, there is a way.

I would like to appeal to the Education Ministry not to allow students to drop core subjects, such as science, in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination.

The SPM is the culmination of 11 years of schooling. It is the general education that a child needs to be equipped with basic knowledge. Dropping subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Additional mathematics is detrimental to their education.

True, some of the courses they take may not be of much use to them in later life, but there is such a thing as cross-learning. We accumulate knowledge through exposure to the many subjects we cover in schools.

Meenu Malsyam
Temerloh

New Straits Times

Ｉ　ｒｅｆｅｒ　ｔｏ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｓｔｏｒｙ，　＇Ｉｎ　ａ　ｓｏｒｒｙ　ｓｔａｔｅ＂　（ＮＳＴ，　Ｊａｎ　６）．　Ｉ　ｋｅｅｐ　ａｓｋｉｎｇ　ｍｙｓｅｌｆ　ｗｈｙ　ｗｅ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ｈａｖｅ　ｓｕｃｈ　ａ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　５０　ｙｅａｒｓ　ａｆｔｅｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｏｕｎｔｒｙ＇ｓ　ｉｎｄｅｐｅｎｄｅｎｃｅ．

Ｏｆ　ｃｏｕｒｓｅ，　ｎｅｗ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌｓ　ａｒｅ　ｂｅｉｎｇ　ｂｕｉｌｔ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ｃｏｍｍｅｎｄａｂｌｅ，　ｂｕｔ　ｗｈｙ　ｄｏ　ｗｅ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ｓｅｅ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｋｉｎｄ　ｏｆ　ｄｉｌａｐｉｄａｔｅｄ　ｆａｃｉｌｉｔｉｅｓ？

Ｍｉｌｌｉｏｎｓ　ｏｆ　ｒｉｇｇｉｔ　ａｒｅ　ｗａｓｔｅｄ　ｄｕｅ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｊｅｃｔ　ｄｅｌａｙｓ，　ａｎｄ　ｍｉｌｌｉｏｎｓ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｍｉｓｕｓｅｄ．

Ｗｈａｔ　ａｒｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｌｅｃｔｅｄ　ｒｅｐｒｅｓｅｎｔａｔｉｖｅｓ　ｄｏｉｎｇ？

Ｐｅｒｈａｐｓ，　ｗｅ　ｓｈｏｕｌｄ　ａｌｌ　ａｓｋ　ｏｕｒｓｅｌｖｅｓ　ｗｈｅｔｈｅｒ　ｗｅ　ｈａｖｅ　ｄｏｎｅ　ｏｕｒ　ｐａｒｔ　ｉｎ　ｈｅｌｐｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｄｅｖｅｌｏｐ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｏｕｎｔｒｙ．

Ｃｈｅｌｖａｍ　Ｒｅｎｇａｓａｍｙ

Ｋｕａｌａ　Ｌｕｍｐｕｒ

Here we go again with another case of a maid going berserk. She tried to burn the house down and she is just 14 ( ” underage maid arrested for arson”–NST, Jan 7)

The atrocities of foreign maids, especially Indonesians, are endless. We have had maids causing physical harm to their employers  and abusing children under their charge.

I paid RM 9,000 to hire a maid and just six months into employment, she scooted. She was extraordinarily good in her work and my younger son was very attached to her.

I treated her like my own daughter, yet she did not think twice about doing what she did.

When we report a runaway maid, the police often say finding her would be impossible. A police report becomes a mere formality and the cost is the employer’s time and effort.

To add salt to the wound, the employer is slapped with a fine by immigration for the runaway maid. is there no protection for the amployer?

Nisha Krish

Petaling Jaya

New Straits Times

I refer to your report, “Speak  more in Malay”( NST, 24Dec) in which Tun Dr mahatir Mohamad (speaking at  a dinner at the 64th anniversary of Persatuan Muslim Kayanallur celebrations at Bayan Lepas) was reported as having lamented that the discrimination from Malays against Indian Muslims was because of their widespread use of their mother tongue.

Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying. ” The aspirations of 1 Malaysia concept will not be met if Indian Muslims do not embrace the culture of Malays and opt to converse only in their language as well as practise their own culture. It is up to the Indian Muslims to drop the ‘ Indian’ prefix.

Dr Mahathir was also reported as saying that the Malays were the only race defined under the Constitution to have certain privileges.

The Indian Muslims who have not “dropped their ‘ Indian ‘ prefix”have only successful their comatriots and their children who have dropped the ” Indian” prefix and wholeheartedly embraced the Malay language and culture have become.

They should heed Dr Mahathir ‘s sound advice.

As advised, they should drop the ” Indian” prefix and in the spirit of 1 Malaysia, embrace the culture of Malays and speak in the Malay language- so as to secure a brighter future under the Malaysian sun for themselves, their children and future generations.

M.D.

Kuala Lumpur

New Straits Times

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks ( Perhilitan) appreciates the concerns highlighted by S.M. Mohd Idris of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) in his letter ” A danger to keep them as pets” ( NST,  Dec 24)

The Department, together with the Ministry of National Resources and Environment, is in the midst of amending the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 ( Act 76), which will focus more on the protection, conservation and management of the local species within Peninsular Malaysia, following the consideration of all major recommendations and suggestions from the public and non-governmental organisations, either through dialogues or workshops conducted by the department or through written submissions.

The department would like to take this opportunity to invite NGOs, public institutions and the public to cooperate in creating awareness on keeping wildlife as pets.

The department would also like to thank Idris for his positive feed- back and for supporting Perhilitan in safeguarding biodiversity in Peninsular malaysia.

Should any clarification be needed, please do not hesitate to contact DWNP at pakp@wildlife.gov.my.

Yamuna Perimalu for Secretary-
General Ministry of Natural Resources and Envirronment Putrajaya

New Straits Times

My nephew, who is a doctor, has just returned after attending an induction course held from Dec 19 to 24 at the Bayu Beach Resort in Port Dickson. He is very upset and extremely disappointed.

The first four days of the programme was conducted by officials from the Ministry of Health and they were very professional in their approach and methodology. However, the sessions during the next two days conducted by the NAtional Civics Bureau (BTN) were so downright racist, sickening and was nothing more than an exercise to divide Malaysian, instil hatred and discord.

Although my son is a Muslim and a Malay, and was not the target of the BTN instructors, he and his other Muslim friends were upset that their non- muslim brothers and sister were constantly labelled as ‘ Pendatang” and the Malaysian Indians were hounded in regard to the actions of the now outlawed Hindraf movement.

One BTN instructor even had the temerity to say ; ” No need to attend BTN course if you think we are racists ‘ and ” we warn you not to report what happens here to the press or anyone  else.”

No need to attend ? Can the chief secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan please confirm that the attendance in the programme is voluntary and participants can indeed choose not to attend without the fear of being reprimanded and blacklisted later ?

Can  we make police reports against the BTN for warning and threatening these young and intelligent doctor?

So much has been aid about the BTN programme over the last few months and many of out federal minister had defended it. the truth is, either the ministers are ignorant or they have been given the wrong information.

D.R.H.S.

Alor Star
( New Straits Times)

Some time in April, after an accident involving a double-decker bus that left six people dead, the federal traffic police chief said : ” This is the worst road accident this year.”

I remember saying to myself, ” I hope so”. Well, the dubious record of ” the worst accident of the year” has been broken by latest accident involving yet another double-ducker bus that took 10 lives.

In the accident in April in Rawang, the bus was driven by a driver who had eight out-standing summonses for speeding. In the latest accident near Ipoh, the bus driver had a clean record but he fell asleep at the wheel.

In both cases, we can see that the human factor played a pivotal role.

I always believe that accidents can be avoided if drivers and motorists have the right mindset,  practise defensive driving, keep alert and are disciplined.

All punitive measures, like fines and blacklisting of bad drivers, will come to naught if we continue to be indifferent to potential hazards on the road ; worse, if we are aware but insist on tempting fate.

I have friends who have been driving for 20 to 30 years and have maintained a clean record. It is not mere luck. They respect the rights of other road users and obey traffic rules.

You and I can help reduce, if not stop altogether, the carnage on our roads. Admittedly, bad road and weather conditions increase the element of risk but if the mind is tuned to danger, the level of risk is markedly reduced. You are the one in control, the person behind the wheel.

If we follow rules, respect other road users, are patient and check our vehicles regularly, we can contribute positively to a reduction of unnecessary loss of lives and limbs.

Tam Yong Yuee
Muar