Day: June 9, 2024

KEPALA BATAS, The Penang State Education Department (JPN) received very good feedback in an engagement session with all parties involved regarding the issue of operating the Dual Language Programme (DLP) in some of the state’s schools.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the engagement session was aimed at understanding the needs of all parties to comply with the guidelines and reaffirming the policy of elevating the Malay language and strengthening the English language.

“We want to emphasise that the guidelines must be complied with, that’s why the engagement session is very important and following the issue, JPN (Penang) has once again come down and provided an explanation and the engagement session is also an ongoing process.

“Feedback from the engagement session conducted by the Penang JPN with the parties involved after the issue arose was very good, I think that’s why we had to engage with the people and it went well,” she told reporters after opening the Penang Mutiara Media Club Family Day at a
water theme park in Bertam, here today.

She said this while commenting on developments regarding the issue raised by School Board and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of 11 National Type Secondary Schools (SMJK) and Chinese Secondary Schools (SMC) in Penang asking the Ministry of Education to respect the wishes of parents and return to the original intention of DLP in Science and Mathematics.

DLP is a programme under the policy of Elevating Bahasa Malaysia and Strengthening English (MBMMBI) which gives schools the option to use English in PdP Science and Mathematics subjects.

In other developments, Fadhlina said JPN is conducting an investigation in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the Ministry of Education (MOE) against the school and teachers regarding the incident believed to be over punishing a student to stand under the hot sun for almost three hours.

“We (MOE) have submitted the matter to the authorities and the investigation was carried out by the police, as there
is already a police report and we leave it to them to take further action,” she said.

She commenting on a media report by Gerakan Guaman Rakyat (GEGAR) which urged the Hulu Langat District Education Office (PPD) to be firm and take immediate action against the school and teachers who are believed to be punishing students to stand in hot afternoon for almost three hours.

Local media reported that the mother of the student involved claimed that her son suffered from heat stroke and neurological problems and was given a referral letter to be assessed as a Disabled Person (OKU) due to the health problems he experienced as a result of the accident.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR: The public need not worry about using the Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway (SPE) along Jalan Cheras as it is safe, with no structural cracks, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

Giving this assurance, Nanta said nevertheless, crack monitoring devices would be installed immediately on the flyover structure at Jalan Cheras to monitor any potential movement.

He said installing these devices is a proactive measure to ensure the structure’s safety, even though expert and engineering reports yesterday confirmed no issues or cracks in the structure.

‘We are fully satisfied with the expert reports, which show no problems with the structure. I have seen it myself; the alleged cracks are not present, and the road is safe to use.

‘However, with these devices installed, we will continue to monitor the situation with the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) over the next few weeks for any signs of movement or actual cracks, so we can receive early warnings,’ he said.

Nanta was speaking to r
eporters after inspecting the SPE flyover structure using a skylift, accompanied by LLM director-general Datuk Ir. Sazali Harun.

Yesterday, an X account holder expressed concern over potential cracks on the flyover based on two photos allegedly taken last April and this month.

Nanta responded to the X post by directing LLM and the SPE concessionaire to conduct an immediate inspection and assessment at the location. The ministry later issued a brief statement, confirming that investigations found only black lines, which are construction joints from earlier concrete work.

The SPE, fully opened on Nov 3 last year, features three-lane dual carriageways and seven flyovers.

It is is divided into four main sections: Kerinchi – Salak (Section 1), Salak – Pandan (Section 2), Pandan – Setiawangsa (Section 3) and Setiawangsa – Taman Melati (Section 4), covering a total distance of 20.7 kilometres.

It connects to several other highways, such as the Skim Penyuraian Trafik Kuala Lumpur Barat (SPRINT), the Ampang-Kuala
Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH), the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE), the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) and others to enhance network efficiency and reduce congestion in the capital.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), through the Cooperative Societies Commission of Malaysia (SKM), has allocated incentives totalling RM1,044,000 for cooperatives appointed as operators of the Jualan MADANI Koperasi (JMK) porgramme for consumers.

Deputy Minister Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan said that 36 JMK programmes had been conducted in 19 parliamentary constituencies nationwide from January to June 7.

“JMK has benefited 90,535 consumers, including cooperative members and the local community.

“This programme has also recorded total sales of RM3.6 million through 95 cooperatives appointed as sales operators,” he told a press conference after a walkabout at the JMK programme organised by SKM in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration in Kota Damansara here today.

Also present was SKM Executive Chairman Rusli Jaafar.

Ramanan also handed over contributions from the Cooperative Emergency Assistance Fund (TBKK) to cooperatives affected by natural di
sasters during the programme.

He said the assistance covers part of the costs of repairing damages to premises, assets, or replacing cooperatives’ products.

“To date, 11 applications have been approved under TBKK, involving an allocation of RM197,000 for the whole of Malaysia,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEPANG, Climber Muhammad Illaham Ishak, who was stranded while participating in a climbing expedition to Mount Denali, Alaska in the United States, revealed that he decided to go down to camp five on the mountain by himself to get a private helicopter to help his friends who were trapped due to bad weather while descending from the summit, on May 28.

He said despite the risk of going down alone to get emergency help in the 15-hour journey from the top of the mountain, the move had to be taken immediately as Zulkifli Yusuf’s condition had worsened and he had injured his leg.

“I actually went down to find a private helicopter to go directly to pick up Ajoi (Zulkifli) at the Football Field, but there was no service, only rangers and they couldn’t go up because of the bad weather.

“The rangers looked at my hands and feet, they said I had High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and told me to come down immediately and not wait long.

“It is true that the helicopter that was there at the time was supposed to take
Ajoi through a bucket, then take me and go down, but considering the bad weather and my health, they decided to take me first and take me down,” he told the media after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, here last night.

His arrival at KLIA was greeted with shouts of thanks and Allahu Akhbar by his family and friends who were waiting for his return following the tragedy that happened to him and two other Malaysian climbers after successfully conquering Mount Denali on May 27.

Muhammad Illaham, who is also the Malaysian Alpine Tour Club president said that once he was brought down, he was immediately taken to the hospital and admitted to the emergency ward because he suffered level three frostbite.

At the same time, Muhammad Illaham said he was worried about the condition of Zulkifli and Zainudin Lot, who were at the Football Field at a height of 5,791 metres which is located between the Denali peak and Camp Five.

“I hope that tomorrow (May 29), the helicopter will be able to go up, but appare
ntly it cannot take them because of the bad weather.

“Last Friday (May 31), the ranger was able to go up but everyone was surprised because apparently Ajoi had left us two days earlier. I was really surprised when I was told by Wisma Putra,” he said at the same time relieved that another friend, Zainudin, managed to be brought down using a bucket.

Zulkifli reportedly died at 6 am local time, on May 29, while taking shelter in a snow cave known as ‘Football Field’, with the cause of death suspected to be HAPE.

His body was safely brought down from the incident scene at 8.30 am on June 1 local time, with the help of local authorities.

Muhammad Illaham also expressed gratitude to Allah for being safe from the tragedy.

“I surrendered to God since the night of the storm and until today, I have faced many challenges. Indeed, it is Allah who helps everything and thanks to the prayers of all family and friends,” he said.

Muhammad Illaham together with two other climbers, Zainudin, 48, and Zulkifli, 37, arrived
at the summit of Mount Denali with a height of 6,190 meters at around 11pm on May 27 (local time).

Muhammad Illaham has earlier completed climbing some of the highest peaks such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa; Mount Elbrus, Russia; Mount Everest, Nepal; Mount Aconcagua, Argentina and Mount Carstensz, Indonesia.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR: June 8 (Bernama) — Former Education Minister Tan Sri Musa Mohamad, who was also the former vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), died today. He was 81.

Aisya Natasha Musa said her father, who suffered from Multiple Myeloma (blood cancer), breathed his last at 7.12 pm.

“Tan Sri died due to Multiple Myeloma and will be laid to rest tomorrow, Insya-Allah,’ she said briefly.

The Bagan Datuk-born Musa was the first non-politician to hold the post of Education Minister from 1999-2004.

In addition to serving at USM, he also held several other important posts, including as president of the International Organisation of Ministers of Education from 2011 to 2003.

Musa was also the former chairman of the Multimedia University and chairman of the UCSI University Council.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency