Category: Sosial

‘Reasonable’ To Expect Six-Month Wait For New Passport: Malaysia Authorities

Those intending to renew or apply for passports would have to endure long lines and wait hours…for another six months.

The Immigration Department, in acknowledging a shortage of passports, said they expected the matter to be ironed out by January next year.

Its director-general Sakib Kusmi said the department was introducing new passports which would include more security features. However, the passports required extensive testing to ensure they meet international safety standards and are not damaged easily when used.

“The transition to this new version (of passports) cannot be done overnight. We need to ensure the new passports are near-perfect.

“The reasonable time for the transition is six months. The department and the vendor will ensure there is enough supply of passports.”

Mr Sakib said there would be disruptions to Immigration services during this period that would “slow down the application process and production of passports”.

“We hope the public will understand and continue to support the efforts of the government to give the best services and providing world-class full-proof passports,’’ he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had instructed the Immigration Department to increase the number of passports to 20,000 daily and for them to be delivered to its offices nationwide following the passport shortage.

Mr Zahid’s comments came following a series of reports on the passport shortage by Malay Mail since June 16.

Mr Sakib said 20,000 passports were being supplied daily since Mr Zahid made the announcement.

He added the National Printing Department (NPD) had increase its daily printing quota as ordered by the Home Ministry following an increase in the number of applications.

“Previously, the vendor could only provide between 5,000 and 10,000 passports per day but the printing has increased to 20,000 daily since Wednesday (July 27),” he added.

Sources had previously revealed the department struggled to cope with demand as they had insufficient stock of passports as a large number of the microchips embedded in the data page had defects.

Mr Zahid, who is also home minister, said Datasonic Group Berhad — appointed to supply the biodata polycarbonate data page — would work closely with NPD to resolve the problem.

In a statement to the media on June 14, Mr Sakib said the closing of immigration offices was not due to the shortage of passports and that the department has issued 206,716 passports since May.

The statement added Malaysian passports met requirements of the International Civil of Aviation Organisation.

Pending assemblyman Violet Yong said the Immigration branch at the Urban Transformation Centre in Kuching was supplied with passports on Wednesday but were all issued in a day.

However, she said she was unsure how many passports had been issued.

“I’ve been told the centre is out of stock again,” she said on Thursday.

Ms Yong added the Immigration office continued to process applications despite running out of passports, assuring applicants they would obtain their travel booklets within five days.

Source: TODAY Online

July 29, 2016
Restaurant Won’t Sponsor Future NUS Students’ Union Events

The fallout of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) orientation camp scandal shows no sign of easing.

The New Paper has learnt that a sponsor will no longer work with the NUS Students’ Union (Nussu) for future events, while others are monitoring the situation.

Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung also weighed in on the situation yesterday, condemning the “reprehensible” sexualised activities carried out during the camps.

This came after a TNP report on Tuesday about first-year students having to re-enact simulated rape scenes and sing cheers that denigrated women during these camps.

Wrap & Roll, a Vietnamese restaurant chain with four outlets here, had sponsored about $6,000 worth of food for this year’s camp organised by Nussu.

It had previously sponsored camps at NUS Business School and it was the first time it was sponsoring a camp by the students’ union.

A spokesman for the restaurant told TNP yesterdayit was shocked to discover that such activities were happening and thus will no longer work with Nussu.

“This is not a good image and the organisers went too far,” said the spokesman.

“There was no reason for them to cross the line and we do not want to be associated with them.”

OTHER SPONSORS

A spokesman for another sponsor, Saint Games, a video-gaming cafe, said it would be observing the situation and reviewing its sponsorship.

“We do conduct reviews from time to time. But we have never touched the programmes,” said the spokesman. “We will be observing the situation.”

It is not known how much or what Saint Games sponsored.

A spokesman for Brand’s, known for its essence of chicken, said it will not stop its product sponsorships.

The spokesman said: “Nevertheless, we do not condone any behaviour that denigrates the dignity of individuals and trust that any such activities will be dealt with appropriately.”

A spokesman for Tiny Photo, an event photography agency, said it was unaware of any reports of misconduct and said they only sponsor the Rag and Flag activities and not the Nussu camp itself.

According to Nussu’s Executive Committee Budget for the academic years of 2015 and 2016, the union received $95,000 as sponsorship income for the year.

The document, which can be found on the union’s website, also details an expenditure of $237,544 by the Freshmen Orientation Central Committee.

DBS and Standard Chartered, both listed on the website as strategic partners, are aware of the recent scandal.

A DBS spokesman said that its partnership with Nussu is “primarily around the DBS NUSSU Debit Card”.

The spokesman said: “We have taken note of the recent allegations and are monitoring the situation closely.”

A spokesman for Standard Chartered said: “We have an existing agreement with Nussu on a co-branded credit card, which we have stopped offering to new customers in 2012. We do not have any involvement in events or activities initiated by Nussu.”

Source: The New Paper

July 29, 2016
Traffic Police Clarifies Conditions That Constitute Illegal Cellphone Driving

The Traffic Police have put to rest uncertainty over whether it is an offence for motorists to use their cellphones while their vehicles are stationary at a traffic light.

For it to be considered cellphone driving, and thus an offence, three conditions must be fulfilled, Superintendent Louis Loke, Head (Operations & Training), said at a dialogue session with taxi drivers on July 12.

Firstly, the vehicle must be in motion. In addition, the driver has to be holding the device, as well as using a function on it.

If only one or two of the conditions are fulfilled, it is not an offence, Mr Loke noted in a clip posted on the Roads.sg Facebook page on Wednesday (July 27).

But he stressed that, from a safety perspective, “we should always be focused on driving”.

“Try not to do other things while driving. We’re in control of the vehicle so it’s dangerous,” Mr Loke added.

Under the broadened Road Traffic Act rolled out last year, motorists caught holding and using any sort of mobile device while driving will be flouting the law.

“Using” by definition goes beyond just calling or text messaging – as provided for by previous law – but also surfing the Internet, visiting social media platforms, and any other function.

The rules apply not just to cellphones, but also to all mobile communication devices such as tablets.

Source: The Straits Times

July 29, 2016
Mufti Gesa Asatizah Tolak Gejala Kafir Mengkafir Dan Pemikiran Agama Bersifat Mutlak

Masyarakat Islam Singapura perlu menolak pemikiran agama yang menyatakan seseorang Muslim tidak boleh hidup dalam negara berbilang kaum, lebih-lebih lagi jika pandangan itu menjurus kepada kekerasan dan pengganasan.

Itulah antara tiga batasan yang ditekankan Mufti Negara, Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, dalam menangani kerencaman di kalangan masyarakat Islam Singapura

Beliau berucap di satu acara perjumpaan Hari Raya yang turut dihadiri para asatizah tempatan.

Satu lagi batasan yang disebutkan Dr Fatris ialah penolakan gejala saling mengkafirkan sesama Muslim serta pemikiran agama bersifat mutlak yang menganggap hanya segolongan Muslim sahaja yang berhak menjadi ahli syurga.

Beliau turut menyeru masyarakat Islam tempatan supaya menolak pemikiran agama yang boleh menimbulkan lebih masalah serta yang melarang masyarakat Islam daripada berinteraksi, bermasyarakat dan berhubungan baik dengan golongan dari agama lain.

Tambah beliau, tindakan tegas perlu diambil sekiranya mana-mana pihak cuba melanggar batasan sedemikian.

Dr Fatris juga menyifatkan golongan yang cenderung terhadap impian kumpulan pengganas seperti ISIS, yang mengidamkan sebuah negara yang kononnya bercorak Islamik,sebagai “menangguk di air keruh” dan menanam racun di dalam minda generasi muda Islam yang mahukan huraian segera kepada segala masalah kehidupan.

Beliau menerangkan, itu merupakan pemikiran utopia yang bermasalah dan akan hanya menambahkan kebingungan bahkan bercanggah dengan roh Islam.

Mufti turut mengingatkan para asatizah yang hadir tentang bahayanya amalan “cut and paste” ataupun meniru secara total pengalaman dari luar tanpa saringan dan penelitian yang matang.

Mereka juga diingatkan tentang bahayanya jika berlaku pergeseran di kalangan barisan asatizah yang memainkan peranan utama mencorak kehidupan beragama di Singapura.

Maka itu, Dr Fatris menekankan peri penting mengelakkan perselisihan kerana menurutnya, agama dan tauhid seharusnya menyatukan dan bukan memecah belahkan.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

July 28, 2016
Mazlan Maskor – Anak Melayu Pertama Terima Biasiswa SIM Buru PhD

Seorang jurulatih sukan profesional, menjadi anak Melayu pertama menerima biasiswa bernilai $100,000 untuk melanjutkan pelajarannya ke peringkat Doktor Falsafah.

Mazlan Maskor, 27 tahun merupakan antara 28 siswazah yang menerima biasiswa di Institut Pengurusan Singapura SIM siang tadi (27 Jul).

Sebagai seorang jurulatih sukan profesional, Mazlan menyaksikan sendiri bagaimana program latihan yang direkanya, membantu seseorang yang mengalami sejenis sindrom otot untuk berdikari dan berdiri atas kaki sendiri.

Ini membuatkan Mazlan lebih berminat untuk mendalami bidang psikologi dan motivasi diri.

Mazlan menjadi penerima Melayu pertama biasiswa SIM-Richard K M Eu tanpa bon bernilai $100,000.

Beliau yang juga pemegang biasiswa SIM Global Education, akan melanjutkan pelajarannya ke peringkat Doktor Falsafah (PhD) dalam bidang yang sama di Universiti Queensland tahun depan.

“Dengan kelulusan PhD, saya akan dapat menambahkan kemahiran saya dalam aktiviti-aktiviti seperti penyelidikan dan dapat menyumbang ilmu pengetahuan yang baru kepada bidang psikologi di antarabangsa,” Mazlan memberitahu BERITAMediacorp.

Muhd Rozaidi Jumadi, 27 tahun, penerima biasiswa Universiti SIM pula, akan menyambung pengajiannya dalam bidang Pengurusan Bangunan dan Projek.

“Paling utama sekali saya ingin menjadi contoh kepada adik-adik dan rakan-rakan saya supaya memiliki cita-cita tinggi dan meninjau segala peluang yang ada untuk mencapai cita-cita kami,” kata Rozaidi.

Secara keseluruhannya, $900,000 dalam bentuk biasiswa diberikan kepada para mahasiswa ini, yakni jumlah tertinggi pernah diberikan dalam masa tujuh tahun.

Mereka merupakan siswazah dari UniSIM dan SIM Global Education yang dipilih daripada 600 permohonan.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

July 28, 2016