TwoSen

I REFER to “Re-look civic lessons in curriculum” (The Star, Jan 13) and would like to say that good behaviour and moral principles cannot be learnt from textbooks or in the classroom alone.

I agree with the writer who pointed out the lack of consideration by some Malaysians. It is not just the litterbug behaviour but includes the lack of respect toward public property.

If we want to create a Vision 2020 future, how come these “rude” Malaysians still have this Third World attitude? Who is to blame for not inculcating moral principles in our youngsters?

If we want our fellow Malaysians to have social consideration and civic consciousness, it must start at home, especially from a young age.

It is the responsibility of parents and the community to instil social consideration and civic consciousness into their young. Parents also need to be proper role models for their children.

Moreover, they need to understand no moral or civics textbook can take their place.

Should society end up in a chaotic state with a bunch of youngsters who have no social consideration and civic consciousness, who is to blame?

Do not blame the moral, civic and citizenship lessons. It’s the parents and community who should be held accountable.

S. YIN,
Auckland, New Zealand.

Source: The Star – January 16, 2008

WE are now looking at the introduction of an alert system known as Nurin (Nationwide Urgent Response Information Network) Alert to combat kidnapping and assist in locating missing children.

I would like to suggest telcos get more actively involved in this system by sending out images of kidnap victims or even photofits of perpetrators via MMS. If all the telcos are part of the system, the alert will go out to potentially 20 million Malaysians; which may also include the perpetrators and their cohorts.

There are several advantages to using mobile phones, as they are now so personal that no one leaves home without it. Furthermore, it doesn’t cost telcos much, and it definitely is cheaper than printing posters.

The other obvious advantage is speed, as we all are aware that the faster we act, the better the chances of recovery.

It would be a refreshing change for subscribers to receive something of value from their telcos instead of the messages they are sending out now!

HENRY,
Kuala Lumpur.

Source: The Star – January 16, 2008

I WAS at the KLGH Nephro/Urology Clinic. It was as usual crowded.

I met patients coming from as far as Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, and Malacca. The Government should increase the intake of medical students as long as they are qualified regardless of quotas for lives are at stakes.

We hope to have more specialists/doctors in the government hospitals.

Despite being a Friday, I was surprised that the specialists/doctors worked through lunch, taking turns for breaks.

These doctors/nurses should be given credit for the sacrifices they make. They are really the unsung heroes/heroines.

Though my appointment was at 10am, I was only called in at 3.20pm. Seeing these dedicated doctors at work, I realised that should I complain, they have the right to complain more.

Keep up the good work.

LOO S’BAN,
Seremban.

Source: The Star – January 16, 2008

FOOD is an important aspect of survival after air and water. It also defines the cultures of a society. But is our food safe to eat?

Safety and hygiene attract customers to buy and consume certain foods.

But most Malaysian eatery owners and food service providers only pay attention to food safety and hygiene when there is a problem.

The price of food is getting higher and there is not much control over the price increase in restaurants and food stalls but are the quality and hygiene maintained?

The Malaysian Association of Standards Users conducted research among street food vendors, food service providers and consumers regarding safety and hygiene.

More than 100 consumers and vendors took part in the study.

The survey found that 44.3 per cent of vendors had not received basic training on food safety and hygiene.

When asked why, 28 per cent said it was not a priority; others said they did not know where to learn about food safety.

The vendors were asked if there was regular inspection of food stalls and 58 per cent of them answered “no”.

When the survey was conducted among consumers who ate out, 25 per cent said they had suffered food poisoning at least once.

The authorities should keep in mind that to improve food safety, training and courses should be made available.

Charging fees for these courses discourages vendors from attending because they cannot afford them.

It is also imperative to make basic training in food safety and management compulsory to any individual who is planning to venture into the food business.

Those who attend the training courses should not be only the owners but also the workers.

Owners who fail to do so should not be given a licence for their premises.

Regular inspection by health officers is important to make sure workers follow the rules and heavy penalties should be imposed on those who do not comply.

This is to make sure owners and workers at stalls and restaurants have an understanding about which operations are safe and unsafe, and understand the ways they can improve food safety.

MOHANA PRIYA, Malaysian Association of Standards Users, Petaling Jaya

Source: NST – January 16, 2008

I WRITE in response to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s seven attributes of a good leader in “Reject leaders who resort to unethical means” (NST, Jan 13).

A leader should be of higher morals than the people he leads. The quality of a leader is reflected in the standard he sets for himself.

As ordinary citizens, we elect individuals in the belief they are better than us. We bestow on them positions of power on the promise that they will never dishonour the office they hold.

As we expect more from them than we do of ourselves, how can we trust leaders with important matters when they are careless with the truth in small matters?

When our expectations are betrayed, it is not the “holier than thou” attitudes we portray as citizens, but rather the frustration of repeated transgressions on our trust.

DR F.S. MALHI, Ipoh

Source: NST – January 16, 2008

WE refer to the complaint by Y.L. Tan of Klang (”Post could do better” — NST Jan 11).

We have interviewed several residents at Bandar Botanic, Klang, to assess their needs and concerns and discovered that all private mail boxes at the area were provided by the housing developer for the residents’ use, according to the blueprint by Pos Malaysia.

After interviewing several residents at Bandar Botanic Klang, we discovered that they were satisfied with the quality of mail delivery service provided by Pos Malaysia.

However, we take into consideration the issues raised by Y.L. Tan and will advise the postman to make sure the mails are properly inserted into mail boxes. We apologise to Y.L. Tan for any inconvenience caused.

We believe that Y.L. Tan would be pleased to know that checks will be conducted by the Klang delivery branch regarding the quality of the delivery service.

Customers can contact our customer service centre through PosLine at 1-300-300-300 from 8.30am to 9.30pm Mondays to Saturdays (except on the first Saturday of the month) to give comments.

DATIN ROHAIZA HASHIM for Pos Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – January 16, 2008

WE refer to the articles “Protect rights of stewardesses” and “Airline’s crew rules embarrassing” (NST, Jan 8).

Our recruitment of female cabin crew emphasises a number of factors: personality traits, excellent general knowledge, appropriate height and weight, as well as the absence of any handicap.

Beauty was not the attribute, as benchmarked by travellers around the world who voted this group of employees as the “World’s Best Cabin Staff” for four consecutive years from 2001 to 2004, and again last year in annual independent surveys conducted by Skytrax of Britain.

Malaysia Airlines management and employee unions regularly hold dialogues on employee matters and based on mutual consent, changes to the collective agreements are made.

In the case of employment conditions for female cabin crew, the management and the Malaysian Airline System Employees’ Union (Maseu) had agreed to revise the terms and conditions of employment effective from May 2005.

These revisions enhanced the benefits of Malaysian female cabin crews and superseded the terms and conditions in the collective agreement between Malaysia Airlines and Maseu for the Sept 1, 2002 to Aug 31, 2005 period.

Under the new provisions, female cabin crews are allowed maternity leave benefits for up to three surviving children. Previously, they were only allowed maternity leave for two surviving children.

The special gratuity scheme on retirement was also increased by 25 per cent for every completed year of service.

Female in-flight supervisors, chief stewardesses and leading stewardesses, on attaining their retirement age at 45, are given the option to continue serving.

Malaysia Airlines will offer them a ground job until the age of 55.

The revised conditions agreed in May 2005 were incorporated in the current collective agreement and had been formalised between Malaysia Airlines and Maseu.

With regard to the assertion that the collective agreement signed between the company and Maseu is discriminatory, we wish to clarify that it had been unanimously decided in the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Federal Court in Malaysia that the national carrier’s actions, policies and collective agreements were in line with the Federal Constitution, and not discriminatory against female employees as in the decision of Beatrice Fernandez vs Malaysian Airline System & Anor [2005] 2 CLJ 713.

Nevertheless, as a government-linked company, we will continue to engage with employees, unions and other stakeholders in matters relating to employment terms and conditions.

EFFENDI ABDUL RAHMAN, Senior general manager Human resources, Malaysia Airlines

Source: NST – January 16, 2008

IT amazes me that domestic air travellers do not seem to know they are not to carry with them items such as scissors, forks, aerosol cans and knives when boarding airplanes at the Kuching International Airport (”Weapons seized from travellers” — NST, Jan 11).

It is typical of Malaysians not to notice posters and notices at the airport reminding travellers what to carry and what not to carry.

Maybe the airport frontliners or ticket agents can remind these travellers verbally of items not allowed in their hand luggage, handbags or inside the pockets of their clothing, as stated in posters and notices found in the lobby of the airport.

MOHD FAIZAL ABDULLAH, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – January 16, 2008

I ATTENDED my first orchestral concert in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. Dewan Filharmonik Petronas is as good as any in the world.

However, I found the behaviour of the orchestra members disappointing. Professionals do not tune up on stage before the concert begins or during the interval.

Tuning is restricted to that called for by the concert master before the conductor takes to the podium. The audience does not wish to be assaulted for 30 minutes by scrapings on strings.

Also, the orchestra members should take their position on stage collectively.

ALEX KOH, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – January 16, 2008

I HAVE been reading reports over the past few days on the fact that the crime rate in Malaysia has gone up by 13.4 per cent. Anyone on the street would have been able to attest to this fact.

A few days ago, my handbag was snatched in front of a hotel and office block in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, by a motorcyclist about 2pm.

What is alarming is that since then, the majority of people I spoke to have told me that the same thing had happened over the past two years to their wives, husbands, daughters, sons or friends in Kuala Lumpur or major cities in the country.

When I went to make a police report, they were helpful although it was clear that such incidents were normal occurrences and nothing was done to catch the thieves or to prevent such incidents.

My trip to the Road Transport Department for a new licence also confirmed this: I was told that I had to pay a fine of RM20 (despite a police report) and this was normal, too.

It is interesting to note that despite the Jalan Sultan Ismail area being busy and frequently used by tourists, no police personnel are patrolling the area.

This is a departure from the practice in other major cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok where you frequently see police personnel patrolling busy areas.

In fact, many Malaysians and friends from overseas have said that it felt much safer in other countries than in Malaysia.

Where are our police? Having a pondok will not stop criminals as they only need to avoid the area where the pondok is.

Having closed-circuit television cameras will not necessarily prevent such incidents as CCTVs only help to view what had happened.

By that time, criminals would have committed the crime and sped off.

In my case, I was not harmed. If the thief had injured me, no CCTV could have prevented that.

Apart from having more policemen patrolling hotspots and busy areas, it is also important that such criminals are given stiff sentences.

Why, because even if the criminals claim that an incident is their first offence and plead for leniency, it should be remembered that their crime would have emotionally scarred their victims.

Such criminals who are willing to harm their victims should receive harsh penalties.

Effective measures should be implemented before this becomes another matter which dies down after a few weeks of debate.

J.C., Ampang, Selangor

Source: NST – January 16, 2008