How poor are we, really? – MI

How poor are we, really?

By Sheridan Mahavera

July 21, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — The government likes to boast that Malaysia has almost erased poverty. It is the one unchallenged success that is shouted out again and again to show how far we have come since Merdeka.

The line is familiar: “In 1970, 49.7 per cent of households were living in poverty. Now it is only 3.8 per cent.” Or out of 6.2 million households, only 228,400 can be classified as poor.

These 228,400 are households that earn an average of RM800 a month and below.

Is RM800 a fair cut-off point? Because it effectively means that if a household of four earns RM900, RM1,000, or even RM1,500 a month, they cannot be considered poor.

If that is the case, then why are there more and more media reports of families complaining that they cannot make ends meet even when they earn RM2,000?

 

PANAS!: Harga petrol, diesel, gula dan gas naik

Sebentar tadi, Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak telah mengumumkan kenaikan harga petrol, diesel, gula dan gas selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Perwakilan Umno bahagian Kuala Kedah di Alor Star. Alasannya mengurangkan subsidi untuk menjimatkn perbelanjaan kerajaan dan mengurangkan defisit fiskal supaya pasaran dunia dan dalaman lebih yakin dengan kekuatan ekonomi negara. Berikut adalah item yang terlibat:

Produk	Kenaikan Harga	Harga Lama	Harga Baru
Petrol RON 95	5 sen/L	RM 1.80/L	RM 1.85/L
Petrol RON 97	5 sen/L	RM 2.05/L	RM 2.10/L
Diesel	5 sen/L	RM 1.70/L	RM 1.75/L
Gula	25 sen/kg	RM 1.45/kg	RM 1.70/kg
Gas LPG	10 sen/kg	RM 1.75/kg	RM 1.85/kg

 

Muftis at odds over ESQ

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

July 09, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Former Johor Mufti Datuk Nooh Gadot defended the Emotional Spiritual Quotient (ESQ) leadership centre today, after a decision by the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Council’s decision to declare it “haram” sparked a row about the suitability of its motivational programme for Muslims.“The role of ulama (religious scholars) is to preach and not give judgment. The Prophet has reminded us of this very clearly,” Nooh told reporters during a press conference today.

The member of ESQ’s Syariah panel explained that according to a “hadith” (Prophet’s sayings), the Prophet said that a man who wrongfully accuses his fellow Muslim as a non-believer will in turn become a non-believer himself.

 

Be a Leader – Final Series

Focus To What Is Shown and What Is Said

At the beginning of a project, some of our members started to complain about the limited information resource  and past documentations. On the surface, this was a valid problem. You needed those documents, then pass it to your members for them to complete the project in a perfect and timely manner.

Naturally, we sought to remedy the problem by giving access for information to those members and providing them guidance so that it would be easy for members to finish the project successfully. And naturally, this did not really solve the problem.

You see, the members were complaining about the lack of information which showed up as not getting the past documents. Once it was provided, the complaints moved to another manifestation of that loss.

 

Be a Leader – 2nd Series

Live in Limbo

As a leader, it’s not your responsibility to fix everything. In fact, the less you are personally responsible for fixing, the better off your organization. It would mean that your organization is rich with resources and its own leadership pool.

 

David Cameron, Britain’s new PM

Britain’s David Cameron becomes PM; Brown out

LONDON: David Cameron, the youthful leader who modernized the party of right-wing icon Margaret Thatcher, became prime minister Thursday after the resignation of Gordon Brown – capping a gripping election saga that returns the Tories to government after 13 years of Labour Party rule.

According to tradition, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Cameron at Buckingham Palace – the stately denouement to a behind-the-scenes dogfight between Cameron and Brown for the cooperation of Britain’s third-place party, after an election that left no party with a majority.

 

Be a Leader – 1st Series

During TEC X. From Left: Mr. Idham, Dato' Syed Zainal Abidin (PROTON MD), Faris (me), Mui'd, Mr. Haniff (MPP President)

“That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them–as to which of them are best in conduct.” (Al Kahf 18: 7)

One of the great advantages of giving service is gaining abundant of experience. I was part of Convofair committee in its 2008 and 2009 editions as the committee of Ceremony and Protocol Department and later as the head of that department. I was also the head of Ceremony and Protocol Department in an event called Technology, Education and Career (TEC) 2009. This year, I served as the Project Manager for its 10^th anniversary edition. What I learned as a leader of that organizations or events was priceless. It would take years of seminars, classes and hundreds or even thousands of ringgit worth of coaching to equal the leadership experience and knowledge acquired. It was a totally mesmerizing experience in UTP that I will never forget.