Putrajaya, Jan 31 - Parents who can afford to pay for their children’s local university education may have to cough up the full sum in the future.

This is because the Government – which is expected to fork out RM5bil annually for the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) by 2013 – wants to ensure that only needy students will obtain financial assistance.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin said it was studying the possibility as demand for study loans increased every year, adding that such a move would ensure that PTPTN could offer financial assistance to more students.

“Education in public universities is already subsidised. With the Government having to fork out more and more money for PTPTN annually, I think it is about time that we look at the possibility of parents, who can afford to, paying for their children’s university education.

“We are also looking at offering students partial PTPTN loans, which parents will have to pay part of the fees.

“However, parents who cannot afford to pay for their children’s university tuition fees will continue to receive full PTPTN loans,” he told reporters after launching the REAL Undergraduate Conference here yesterday.

Currently, students offered places at public and private universities are entitled to apply for PTPTN loans, with their parents standing as guarantors.

No limit is placed on the parents’ age or income.

Khaled said for this year, the Government would have to set aside about RM3bil for PTPTN loans while repayment had been “extremely slow and long”.

“We cannot depend on students repaying their study loans to top up the fund because this will take a very long time while the money is needed immediately. That is why we have to look at other options to make it work,” he added.

撰稿人：殷淑欣

在半年前，吉隆坡州立华小彭忠良校长，因为不满本地一家电视台的一则新闻报导，以“16字真言”对该电视台的女记者做出人身攻击。事情的发展最后，是由教育部副部长魏家祥向有关女记者道歉。

一个星期前，怡保深斋中学校长，因不满一名中一生在班上大笑，掌掴了该学生。虽然家长要求校长辞职，但这起事件至今，校方依然未有作出任何交待。

学校是培育学生“真、善、美、德、智、体”的地方。著名教育家朱光潜曾说过:“人生来就有真、善、美的需要”。

所谓的“真、善、美”，分别是科学文化教育（智育）、思想道德教育（德育）、审美艺术教育（美育）。至于“德、智、体”，则是品德、智慧和体育。

由于华校一直以来强调的是全方面的教育，因此，为人师表的教育者，不论知识、品行，甚至体魄，都得是学生的榜样。

上面提及的两位风云校长，虽然一个“中气十足”，一个“身手敏捷”，可是他们的举止，对学生们来说，可说是不良榜样。

“你有压力，我有压力，大家都有压力。”这句经典的句子，很熟悉吧？如今，什么行业的竞争都很激烈，就连学校和学校之间也有无形的竞争：比政府考试学生成绩、课外活动表现、师资等等。

学校之间的学术成绩排名和校誉，的确让校长们除了面对处理学校大小事务外，还要应对不少来自外界眼光的压力。

压力，的确会让人做出“匪夷所思”的举动。人非圣贤，都有可能因为冲动，而犯下错误。然而，犯错后，至少要像道德教育课本里所教导我们的，知错认错，一人做事一人当。

彭校长事件的最后，他并没有亲自向受害者道歉，而是由教育界“代表”出面致歉。试想，如果这位校长亲自认错，亲身实践华校里提倡的“品德美”，他是否更能赢得家长们的信赖，让所有学生信服呢？

至于那位深斋中学校长将会作出怎样的交代，心里有了什么打算，目前就只有她自己知道了。

正所谓“前事不忘后事之师”，教育界的人士，可真要吸取这些教训，多加训练自身的情绪智商（EQ），才不会重蹈“前人”的覆撤。

By Vivienne Chang Wei Lin, Choong Jing Wen, Lee Pei Suang
Photo by Oh Chin Eng, Chiew Zhi Wey

Kampar, Jan 27 (J-on) – The enforcement for disallowing students’ vehicles without stickers from entering Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) campus caused traffic commotion at entrances today.

The car flow at both entrances which are Westgate and Eastgate were seen vastly disrupted started from 7.45am as the student drivers were needed to do turn after blocked by the security guard here.


Observation by J-on found that most of the students were not acknowledged by the effective date of the enforcement and had caused dissatisfaction among them.

Biomedical Science student, Goh Pei Kee, 21, said she thought that the enforcement is to be taken effect on Thursday.

“I suggest that UTAR should prepare more parking slots to accommodate the staff and students to avoid further similar cases happen in future,” she said.


Meanwhile, an officer of Department of Security and Safety (DSS), Ganasan Muniandy said the notice of the enforcement was pasted up on the wall of the Westgate guardhouse and there is no reason that students would be ignorant of the date.


“We are just carrying out instruction from Department of Student Affair (DSA). The students are advised to park their vehicles outside Eastgate which is easier for them to walk to the university’s entrance,” he said.



However, observation by J-on at Westgate, it is found that some students were fired up that they had to perform a longer drive to Eastgate.

The DSS officers will continue to enforce the rule strictly for the following days to come although the commotion brought a slight frequency of shock to a large number of UTAR students.

By Kow Kwan Yee

Kampar, Jan 27 (J-on) – Eight students of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Perak Campus had gracefully won total of cash prize worth RM3,000 in final round of Public Speaking Competition here today.

The competition was organized by the Department of Soft Skill Competency (DSSC) which consists of 15 final contestants for English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese category.

UTAR President Ir. Professor Datuk Dr. Chuah Hean Teik said the cash prizes were sponsored by the Higher Education Ministry.

“The ministry had allocated total amount of RM7,000 to UTAR specifically to develop the co-curriculum activities of the campus,” he said during the prize giving ceremony here today.



The topic for the competition is “Our Country's Future Lies in the Integrity of its People” which all contestants are required to speak seven-minute prepared persuasive speech.

First-prize winner of Bahasa Malaysia category, Woon Pei-Jing who is also Journalism final-year students shared her happiness with gratitude for her primary teachers who had explored her talent in public speaking.

“The teachers trained me well. I would thank to my family members, lecturers and friends for being so supportive on my participation,” she said.

The competition attracted a hundred audiences including students, lecturers and officials.


The Winners:

Prize	English	Bahasa Malaysia	Chinese
1 (RM600)	Raymond Ong Kai Xiang (Accounting)	Woon Pei-Jing (Journalism)	Ooi Soo Thong (Entrepreneurship)
2 (RM300)	Paramjeet Kaur Mithoo Singh (Bio-technology)	Lovinia Sugunasilan (Bio-technology)	Soo Sheng Haur (Accounting)
3 (RM100)	Lovinia Sugunasilan (Bio-technology)	Oh Chin Eng (Journalism)	Fong Kah Wee (Chinese Studies)

Kampar, Jan 25 (J-on) – Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Photography Society launched a photograph exhibition entitled Footprints at the Heritage Hall.

The event aims to create the opportunity for students on campus to build their skills and talents in photography. However it has also played a role in documenting the local history, lifestyle and culture here.


Students appreciating the photos that are being exhibited.

The exhibition includes the winning photos of a photography competition held on campus previously, photos from the UTAR Photography Society and photos from the Society of Photo Image Perak (FIP) and the Kampar Chinese Culture Association.


Many of the photos at the exhibition depict the culture and history of Kampar.

“Canon had provided all the necessary materials, exhibition panels for display, printers for photo printing, and also the rental for this grand hall to gather and exhibit the works of the photography society,” the event chairperson Ting Jin Sim said during his speech.

He later added that Canon’s sponsorship totaled to close to RM10,000.


The organizing committee posing with representatives from FIP, Kampar Chinese Culture Association and UTAR.

“I can only appreciate certain kinds of photos. I do not like the architecture ones but I like those with people and expressions,” said a final year student, Melissa Jane Lee after touring the exhibition.

A booth has also been set up for students to have free photo shoots including the printing of a 4R sized photo.

The ongoing event ends on Jan 27.

方於旋 报导

（金宝25日讯）由拉曼大学摄影学会主办，“足迹（FootPrint）摄影展”于下午2时在金宝拉大开幕，逾百幅富有金宝文化纪念价值的作品，展现于参观者眼前。

此项展览的目的是希望透过该展览会，制造机会于拉大生，发掘他们的摄影才华及提高他们的摄影技术。

大会主席陈炡信表示，摄影展将有助拉大生了解及融入金宝多样化的文化。

“足迹，是上一代人留下给我们的历史，而现在，我们在为我们的未来留下足迹。”他说明“足迹摄影展”的由来。

展览会的作品是由霹雳摄影协会、金宝华文文化协会提供。另外，部分作品是该学会会员及该学会所主办的摄影比赛的得奖作品。

此外，该展览会的赞助商佳能（Canon Marketing Sdn Bhd），也在场设有免费摄影活动，即拍即印。此活动由25日至27日进行，早上8时至下午4时结束。

欲了解金宝文化、享有免费拍照的拉大生及摄影爱好者千万别错过这千载难逢的机会。

欲拍优美个人照，就别错过免费摄影活动。


拉大摄影展吸引了不少学生与讲师们前往参与。


透过历史性的照片，让拉大生更了解金宝上一代的文化。


拉大摄影学会摄影展在拉曼大学副校长杨碹宝（左四）的主持下正式开幕。

The group of 200 carried banners and chanted slogans calling for more transparency in campus elections.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Wira Muhammad Sabtu Osman said they comprised four from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), two from Kolej Islam Selangor and one each from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti of Malaya (UM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

He said the youths aged between 20 and 30 were being investigated under Section 27(5) of the Police Act for gathering illegally and Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing police officers from carrying out their duties.

The group of 200 carried banners with the words "kembalikan demonstrasi kampus" (restore campus demonstrations) and chanted slogans calling for more transparency in campus elections at higher learning institutions throughout the country.

Policemen who arrived at the scene ordered the crowd to disperse but after several warnings, decided to apprehend two youths believed to be the main organisers of the demonstration.

The police confiscated the banners.

Seven others were apprehended shortly for allegedly provoking the police and for failing to disperse, and were later detained at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters for questioning.

All nine were released at about 6pm on police bail.

One of the student being arrested by the police.

Sources: BERNAMA, The Star

By Nigel Aw

“Troublemakers!” Many would mutter at the recent arrest of nine undergraduates.

The nine were among over some 200 undergraduates from various local varsities who decided to stroll along Jalan Raja Laut before stopping for a ‘shopping shpree’ at Sogo. Interestingly, they came prepared with banners and a slogan or two.

The demonstration demanded for democracy, academic freedom, university autonomy and transparency in university administration.

This comes ahead of an impending clash of titans in heated campus elections across six local universities next week. The two major factions: Pro-Aspirasi and Pro-Mahasiswa will be going head to head against each other.

While the cause championed is noble, the timing of such a demonstration raises the question if it is simply an act by student leaders to score political points and gain votes in the upcoming elections.

Ahead of the polls, a myriad of issues have been raised by student leaders, ranging from the introduction of electronic voting (E-voting) system and unfair campaign period to misappropriation of funds and abuse of power by university authories.

One can only speculate their sincerity but the trend is telling. With such political posturing even in university, it comes as no surprise why local university students are turned off from participating in the voting process.

This unhealthy culture of political posturing moves on into the larger society as the student leaders carry the banner as leaders of tomorrow, cementing the cynicism and skeptical perception of voters in society towards politicians.

Advocating for student welfare, transparency and competency of university administration and academic freedom should be a continuos effort. Come campaigning period, it should no longer be “We demand for” but rather “We have done so”.

If either of these two giant factions could sufficiently fulfill their manifesto from the last campus elections, they will more than certain receive renewed mandate from undergraduates.

Such political posturing would only become a necessity if they are bankrupt of achievements.

Thus the “troublemaker” label is understandably justified. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m all for the right of assembly as enshrined in our Constitution.

I do believe that the police should have given some space to the undergraduates to voice out their confusion.

Some may argue that there are limits to freedom, but such restrictions conferred by the Constitution in this case is only limited to national security and public order. In no way have the undergraduates posed a threat.

Having a police permit or not, the constitutional right of Malaysians should take precedence, even for electioneering troublemakers.

方於旋 报导

（金宝22日讯）资深新闻从业员——马丽怡，出席由拉大新闻系举办的《记者经验分享会》，从傍晚七时开始，与在籍新闻系学生，分享她记者生涯的点点滴滴长达两小时。

这分享会，主要是让新闻系生，在未正式进入记者这行业时，了解记者生涯的视野。准记者们向前辈取经后，未来出现“碰钉”的情形时，可从容应对，不会失去采访新闻的时机。

马丽怡在拉曼学院新闻系毕业后，就在著名的网络新闻《当今大马》（Malaysiakini）工作七年。

在《当今大马》当记者的七年经验，让她得到这样的结论，“大马虽然有言论自由，但在言论之后的自由，却不理想”，那是因为我国政府设立很多法令，对付言论“越界”（引起社会不安）的言论。

马丽怡表示，担任《当今大马》记者的时候，常面对政党领袖的无理对待及刁难，但她会据实报导。她相信，新闻业者手下的笔，或多或少能够影响人民的想法，渐而影响政府的决定。

因此，她希望新闻业者和准记者们，能够分辨新闻的准确性，以免误导读者，给社会造成不必要的麻烦。

Participants are UTAR students from different courses including Chinese Studies and Computer Science.

According to Beh who graduate from Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC), journalists are the ones who obtain the first information of the truth and what is written by a journalist might have an effect on the process of decision making by the public, as well as the process of government policy making.

Beh shared her eight years of experiences while she was working with an independent news portal, Malaysiakini. This was her first job after graduating.

Beh Lih Yi and Leong Kar Yen were ex-colleague when they were working in independent news portal, Malaysiakini

One of her memorable experience as a journalist at an independent news portal was that it was challenging, as a journalist may not be permitted to enter on certain occasions.

At the end of the session, the students were encouraged to ask questions on their queries on the journalism battlefield.

Such sessions between working professionals and students are encouraged as this would be the best approach for students to prepare themselves for the real working environment.

By Woon Pei-Jing

A UTAR Safety Campaign aimed to raise awareness among students on safety precautions was held from Jan 18-22 at UTAR’s Block C cafeteria with the motto “No safety, know pain. Know safety, no pain.”

The campaign covered four aspects which are AIDS, smoking, crime and accident preventions.

Safety campaign chairperson Cheong Yoke Yuin said that the campaign has gained better responses from students compared to previous ones as it has provided activities and safety tools that are more practical and useful.

A girl reading posters on crime preventions.

Various safety items such as pepper spray, whistles, bicycle padlocks, bicycle safety pins, bicycle bells, as well as motorcycle helmets were sold in the campaign. According to the auditor, Wilson Lo, the items were sold at non-profit basis.

The safety items sold at the booth gained remarkable attention among students, especially females.

Campaign helper Lacness P.thiyagarajan said that the pepper spray and bicycle bells were very popular among the students.

Biomedicine students Trishal Kaur and Catherine Tan found that the campaign was useful with the informative posters and booklets provided.

“It would be better if all the booklets are provided in both English and Mandarin versions,” they added.

Biotechnology student Kim Lim was amazed by the games such as ‘Survival at sea and survival in a forest’.

“They gave scenarios of yourself in various dangerous situations and see what u pick to survive. They are informative and eye-opening,” said Lim.

Bicycle safety demonstration by representatives from local bicycle shop Zoom Aik.

One of the highlights of the campaign was a bicycle safety demonstration by representatives from local bicycle shop Zoom Aik. Basic safety precautions and maintenance for bicycles were shown to the students. Audiences were given discount coupons for bicycle accessories at Zoom Aik.

By Lee Pei Suang
Photo by Oh Chin Eng

Kampar, Jan 19 (J-on)- I went on a trip to Ipoh by bus last month with my course mates. It was the first time I boarded a bus in Kampar and my first time taking a bus trip to a place that far. There are other available ways one can travel to Ipoh from Kampar, namely by car, motorbike or bus.

Since we do not have enough cars to accommodate the whole lot of us, we decided to take the bus. Moreover, it seemed to be more economical.

We arrived at the bus stand nearby our house around nine in the morning and the KINTA bus with a sign stating IPOH on the front of the bus arrived short while later. I noticed that the bus was so old that I could easily spot its rusts, plus, there was small puddles of water on the floor of the bus when I stepped onboard. I reckoned that it was probably caused by the rain early in the morning.

After the last passenger boarded, the bus started to move slowly before picking up enough momentum to sped up.

As soon the bus was moving on smoother pace, the bus conductor began to collect our bus fares. A bus fare to Ipoh costs RM3.40 (from East Lake) but RM4 (from West Lake) per person.

As I look out of the window from my seat, I saw the bus passing a number of other land vehicles, mostly cars and motorcycles.

We had the chance to catch a glimpse of the Malay village as the bus took the old road instead of the highway which is a faster journey. Moreover, it really stretched our time because the bus made pit-stops along the journey till we reached Medan Kit.




Upon arrival at the Medan Kit bus station. The feel of the environment was so packed and noisy. There were hawkers selling tidbits in every corner, bus ticket sellers were yelling at the waiting passengers from their counters and the noise heightened whenever a bus arrived.

We hopped onto a bus to the Ipoh Jaya Jusco, noticing that the busses were similar in a way. I wonder if all public buses in Ipoh are as under-maintained like this.

On the bus to Jaya Jusco, I really enjoyed the scenery of the town through the window. There was no air conditioning in the bus thus we opened the windows of the bus in order to get some fresh air.

Along the journey the bus came to a sudden halt. We thought there must be some passenger who wanted to get down but there were no signs of that. Apparently it was the bus driver himself who got down. Weird.

None of us had a clue of what had occurred. This occurred several times before we unraveled the mystery. The driver was looking for a public phone booth to make a phone call. Whatever it is, I think it must have been a really urgent phone.



After approximately half an hour, we arrived at Jaya Jusco. It costs RM1.60 for a bus ticket to Jaya Jusco from the Medan Kit bus station. After spending the day with my friends in Jaya Jusco, we went back to Kampar a friend gave us a lift to a nearby bus station.

Rounding up, each of us had spent around RM8 for the journey. It looks like it was not as economical taking a bus ride to Ipoh, as what we initially thought. We should have planned wiser.

Nonetheless, it had been a fun and interesting journey with my friends from my university, watching people standing up in the bus, seeing the bus driver stopping every few minutes to make a phone call and viewing a new place from the window of the bus.

I hope I would have another opportunity like this in future, hopefully taking bus trips to even further destination.