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I refer to the letter ” Security issues  that need attention” ( NST, Nov 12)

the quenstion of whether the Department of Immigration has implemented a biometric system to document foreign workers, migrants and citizens for facial and fingerprint recognition was highlighted in the letter.

Foreign workers are fingerprinted at Immigration checkpoints once they enter the country and then again when their applications to work there have been approved and the iKads have been issued. This data will be kept for enforcement purposes.

foreign domestic helpers who have been blacklisted by the department for offences under the Immigration Act will be listed as prohibited immigrants and will not be allowed to enter Malaysia.

Mahd Shariri Mohd Sani for Department of  Immigration Putrajaya

Recently, a lot has been said about shops charging extra for paying with credict card. It was even brought up in the Dewan Rakyat and according to our second finance minister, vendors are not supposed to charge extra for customers who pay with credit card. Mere words with no action would not deter the culprits from repeating the offence.

Budget airline AirAsia also impose s this fee for use of credit cards. Booking Air Asia tickets online will requre an extra RM5 one way, meaning if you book for return trip, you will be charged RM 10 extra.

That was what I found out our recently. I was charged a ” convenience fee” of RM5. I hope AirAsia will revise this charge.

S.K. Lim

Tanah Merah, Kelantan

News Straits Times

In a just concluded survey on the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) involving 48 schools (22 urban and 26 rural involving 354 students aged 10 to 15 in Selangor and Pahang), it was found that more than 87 percent of students in urban and rural schools preferred the subjects to be taught in English despite many of them being weak in the language.

Another nine per cent did not mind whether these subjects were taught in English or Malay.

So, a majority of  our students are still willing to face the challenge and they support the use of English to learn Science and Mathematics.

Among the reasons most of them gave were : ” English is an important language” , ” I watch English programmes on TV and almost everything I like on the internet is in English” and ” My parents always encourage me to study the subjects in English”.

The majority of the rural  children confessed that they were weak in English. However, they would prefer to learn Science and Mathematics in English.

The majority of the weak students did not blame their teachers for the problems they had in mastering these two subjects.

A significant number of students felt that since there is a Bahasa Malaysia translation to all the questions in public exams and lessons, it was all right for them to be taught in English.

Some of the comments from the weak and good students:

” At least I am exposed to English terms that we often see on the Internet.”

” never mind. If I cannot understand English, I’ll read the Malay translation.”

” I’ll always carry an electronic dictionary with me to help with my study.”

Almost all students were aware that their English had improved learning Scince and Mathematics in English.

The majority never felt that they would lose their racial identity when these subjects were taught in English.

Most students in the better classes felt that teachers were not serious enough when using English to teach the subjects.

Students from some urban and rural schools said their teachers were not competent in the language.

Teachers spoke broken English and often reverted to Bahasa Malaysia when they were lost for words.

Then again, 64 per cent of the teachers involved in teaching the subjects in English reported that PPSMI was ineffective. It was an uphill task, according to them. Some said it could be the language factor and some said that students were weak in Science and Mathematics.

Only a minority of them admitted that they were not competent to handle the subjects in the language.

The conclusions to these findings are interesting. Students still aspire to learn Science and Mathematics in English despite” extennal forces” objecting to this policy.

Parents are positive about the use of English to teach Science and Mathematics. A majority of our teachers are not competent to handle the subjects in English.

Students did not feel that they would neglect their mother tongue when Science and Mathematics were taught in English.

The majority felt inferior when they were not good in English. They felt they would lose out to others later on in life if they did not learn Science and Maths in English.

DR M.A. Nair

Kuantan

New Straits Times

I wonder how Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) could allow illegal settlers to squat on the reserve land bordering the railway line. The land adjacent to the railway line stretching from the Seremban station all along Rasah are now occupied by squatters, and KTM seems to be closing an eye to this.

These illegal settlements are waiting for a tragedy to happen and when it does, it will be costly affair for KTM.

if a derailment occurs, many lives will be lost.

How can KTM management not see the potential danger of such settlements being sited along the railway line? Or are they merely waiting for tragedy to happen before taking action ? Along the Rasah stretch, some squatters have even cleared the reserve land and turned them into junkyards.

I believe this is not only prevalent on the Seremban stretch, but is a common occurence on all reserve land throughout the country.

Richard Teo

Wakaf Bharu

New straits Times

We refer to the letter from A.E. Pereira of Kluang ( ” Mystified by fe deduction’—NST, Oct 20). We investigated at the branch concerned and were further informed that the complainant had opened a savings account with bank Simpanan Nasional on Aug 26.

Since the complainant is a recipient financial aid from the Welfare Department, he is eligible to open an account with a deposit of RM 20.

The teller explained to him that a fee of rm8 is deductible from his account as an annual fee for activation and use of the ATM card. This is widely practised by other commercial banks as well.

upon collection of the ATM card and savings passbook, the complainant decided not to use the card, starting that the RM8 deduction was a burden to him. He was informed that RM8 was still deductible as a fee for a first -time application.

Hasan Mohamed

Deputy Chief Executive
( treasury & Corporate Support)

Bank Simpanan Nasional

New Straits Times

The egg bank technology should be given a chance to develop.

The percentage of success will undoubtedly rise, perhaps even dramatically, given time and effort.

After all, most studies on animals have been reassuring. They are a good indicator on how effective the outcome will correspondingly be on human beings.

The rate of congenital abnormalities through this method is low.

it is , in fact,  comparable with that seen among children conceived naturally.

We should support medical research which is designed or intended to benefit people in the short or long term.

It must be noted that an enormous amount of medical reseacrh and development had come about in the last century.

Such breakthroughs must be supported.

It would be a reasonable assumption that this “egg now on ice and baby later” medical phenomenon will bear more fruit and become a boon to those requiring it, of whom the numbers will undoubtedly increase.

I suggest that we look at the matter in its wider context and not in isolation.

Mervin s. singhe

Kuala Lumpur

New Straits Times

I don’t see why we should shop at wet markets when there are many hypermarkets that sell goods which are just as cheap or a lot less. We can also shop in relative comfort at hypermarkets.

It can be a fun day out for the family as there is something for everyone to do.

Wet markets can perhaps retain their relevance if they undergo a metamorphosis.

They shuold be housed in complexes, have cleaner environment and offer goods at prices lower than the hypermarkets.

Mei Kuan

Johor Bahru

New Straits Times

There is an appalling dearth of documentaries on terretrial TV. Every channel seems to reel out only dramas, game shows, moovies, cartoons, cooking shows, sit-coms or reality TV shows.

Where are all the documentaries that promote awareness of nature, animals and the environment? With all the concerns about recycling, conservation and green environment, why are there no such documentaries?

Though TV1 is currently promoting its National Geographic  series ( every day at 7pm), it is so outdated.

The series were produced in 1989. That’s information from 20 years ago and absolutely useless now or irrelevant.

For a progressive nation, please show more good quality documentaries.

W.T.M.

Klang

New Straits Times

I refer to your report ” warning on credit card 2pc” ( NST, Nov 24)

The report quotes Second Finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah as advising credit card users to report to the authorities if any merchant transfer the two per cent surcharge on any transaction to them.

However, he did not identify which government agency the report should be made to.

Some merchants charge more than two per cent. Even low-cost airlines operating out of Malaysia charge a fee for the purchase of ticket online.

I made a booking with AirAsia and purchased my air ticket online on Nov24, I was charge RM 10 for using a credit card to make payment.

I made only one transaction and an electronic ticket was issued for my outbound and return flights, but I was charge RM 5 each way. The RM 10 fee was stated on the e-ticket as a convenience fee.

How does the airline expect payment to be made if not by using a credit card?

With only e-tickets issued, the only way for the would-be traveller to purchase his ticket is online and make payment using a credit card.

William Dennis

Subang Jaya

New Straits Times

The flood situation in Terengganu and Kelantan is forecast to worsen in the next few days. In view of this, I must ask : Is it fair to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia candidates in these states to continue with the examination as scheduled?

It is not just about shifting examination centres to schools on higher ground. It should be more about whether the candidates can reach their examination centres safety.

It saddens me to see on television candidates srambling into four-wheel drive and other vehicles to go to their centres in pouring rain.

I pity candidates who have to move into relief centres. how are they doing their revision? How can they have the peace of mind and concentration to study/

The Education Ministry may not want to postpone the exam for it will cause a chain reation that may throw off schedules the making of scripts and the release of results.

But, the ministry is not without recourse. It has a second set of exam papers for every subject in case of emergencies like this.

If the exam is to continue in states unaffected by floods, the ministry can still postpone the exam in the affected states.

The ministry can use the second set of exam papers for the posponed subjects.

Yes, it will involve more work for ministry. but, we must be fair to the affected candicates. So please consider postponing the exam when and where necessary.

liong Kam Chong

Seremban

New Straits Times