Two million to face water disruption

by p. aruna, neville spykerman, chew wan ying, desiree tresa gasper, AND audrey lye

CYBERJAYA: More than two million people in Petaling Jaya, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur will have to endure a month of water rationing from tomorrow – with two days of supply followed by two days of dry taps.

The second phase of the water rationing – to be in effect until March 31 – will involve 431,617 households and businesses in the districts of Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor and Hulu Selangor.

The seven districts will be divided into Zone 1 and Zone 2 – with each getting supply on a two-day rotation.

They will have water for 41 hours after which there will be no supply for 55 hours.

The rationing schedule, which will start in Zone 2 from Sunday, was announced during a press conference yesterday by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas).

SPAN chairman Datuk Ismail Kassim said rationing had to be imposed because of the reduced amount of water released from the Selangor and Klang Gate dams both of which face low reserve levels.

The level at the Selangor dam is 47.5%, while at the Klang Gates, it is 54%, both of which are deemed critical.

He said there might also be supply disruptions in parts of Johor and Negri Sembilan due to the lack of rain since early this year.

“No disruptions are expected for the water supply in other states.”

Ismail said that in Johor, residents in the Kluang district, who were already affected by the first phase of water rationing, would continue to face disruptions.

A total of 51,036 households in the district would get two days of water supply, followed by two days of dry taps, from today.

Before this, they had two days of supply followed by one day of water cut.

The nearby town of Kahang has also been placed on high alert with the level at the Kahang dam continuing to drop lower.

As for Negri Sembilan, he said although there would not be any disruptions for now, Syarikat Air Negri Sembilan (SAINS) would study the possibility of rationing for Tampin and Rembau if the situation got worse.

The first phase of the water rationing exercise in Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang districts, affecting 60,185 households, began on Thursday.

Syabas said in a statement yesterday that all areas had received supply as planned.

On complaints on the quality of water in the beginning stages when supply was resumed, it said water from the pipes was murky due to sediments, adding that quality would improve after a while.

Syabas’ operations division executive director Yusof Saroji said 168 valves would be switched on and off each day to control supply with 230 officers involved in manning the operation.

“We will begin turning on or off valves between 9am and 11am each day.

“Supply may be delayed to those living further and on hilly areas but they should receive water latest by 4pm.

He said water tankers would only be used if the affected areas did not get supply as scheduled.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department’s cloud seeding operations were still on hold due to the lack of suitable clouds.

Its forecast director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said work would begin as soon as cumulus clouds, which are suitable for seeding, were sighted.

The department had planned to undertake cloud seeding over water catchment areas in Selangor, Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan on Wednesday.

Water ration schedule

Under the rationing exercise from March 2 to 31, each zone will get water supply every two days. The supply disruption will start with areas in Zone 2. This means areas in Zone 1 will have water supply tomorrow and on Monday.

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The Star Online

Saturday 1 Mac 2014.

The epitome of truly top class civil servants

  By Datuk Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid  | iabaiw@yahoo.com


Writer is a deputy vice-chancellor, INTI Laureate International University SCHOLAR-BUREAUCRATS: Often working behind the scenes, they are the ones who bridge the worlds of rulers and the ruled 

FROM around 141 BC during the Han Dynasty, to about 1905 during the Qing Dynasty people were selected to serve the Chinese  civil service system based on the Imperial Examinations of Chinese Confucian classics and calligraphy.

The scholar-officials, scholar-bureaucrats or scholar-gentry were erudite scholars who represented morality and virtue and contributed in governance throughout the land. The system was admired and emulated by many European nations, including Britain, which had its own examinations for the Indian civil service introduced in India in 1829 by the East Asia Company.

Britain once had the greatest civil service in the world for it had to manage the British Empire. Like the Roman Empire and other earlier empires, their achievements and mistakes in history made of them great administrators.

British civil servants in Malaya were keen thinkers, scholars and social scientists. People like R. O. Windstedt, R. J. Wilkinson, O.T. Dussek, Reginald Hugh Hickling and others, provided us with an understanding of the British mind, or at least, the British Residents' minds during their times.

As scholar-bureaucrats, their annual reports, works, letters and diaries chronicled the eras. Lessons from British Empire rule and World War 2 from such lonely, proud, reflective, turbulent times and experiences, led Winston Churchill, to declare in America: "The empires of the future are empires of the mind."

Malaysian civil service inheritance from the British was not just about British Empire history, but were the general orders and the financial general orders. The Malaysian civil service improved on these documents with professional and administrative circulars and Malaysia Development plans.
Top Malaysian civil servants were educated abroad and at home to the highest levels in all disciplines of development.

They were as academic and scholarly as any academician in universities. However, most of their knowledge contributions do not bear their names but carry the mark of their ministries and departments.

The best of civil servants were scholar-civil servants, with a sense of history, mission and imagination to shape the future, competence in legal literacies, a sense of urgency and understanding of the need to seize the moment for strategic transformation in initiation of change.

As lovers of great books, management books as well as seminal works in all disciplines, the best of them had the habit of reading, thinking and reflecting on matters of development, service, leadership integrity and challenges.

One of their reading passions was learning lessons from biographies of chief secretaries of government, and colleagues such as Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, Tan Sri Radin Soenarno, Tan Sri Ani Arope, and Syed Jaafar Syed Aznan Jamalullial, as well as great leaders in history from all cultures.

In their social interactions, they enhanced the social and relationship capital of bonding, linking with the people and bridging the worlds of rulers and the ruled. They make empathic listeners, gathering information on the problems and needs of the people, and the times, generating appropriate policies and implementation guidelines, allocating adequate resources to bring about change.

They wrote proposals and positions papers, speeches and minutes accurately with care and substance, mindfully caring for every word, comma and whatever else, that would make for a positive difference to society.

Their papers were themselves academic and documents of art of changemasters, which would be significant documents of reference of principles, thought processes, first instance values and ideas for future leaders and scholars.

The federal civil service has its 12 pillars of values as follows: the value of time; the success of perseverance; the pleasure of working; the dignity of simplicity; the worth of character; the power of kindness; the influence of example; the obligation of duty; the wisdom of economy; the virtue of patience; the improvement of talent; and, the joy of originating.

However the values are worded, the upholding of such values shape the construction of thoughts and conscience of the scholar-civil servant, who will make sense of the missionary intention and action of service.

In these confusing times, with political protagonists of all persuasions and schemes, the civil service and its institutions provide continuity and coherence of policies and cultures of excellence ensuring stability.

In an era of the democratisation of higher education, the exponential growth of information, and community-driven knowledge generation, scholar-civil servants, who are willing and lifelong learners, are the ones who can lead and be relevant for the knowledge society.

From the serious scholar-civil servants will emerge some of the international civil servants who will do Malaysia proud by their service to mankind.

New Straits Times

Friday 28 February 2014.

Friday Morning Prayer

Mrs.Syukriah giving her short lecture on Islamic Taught.

Alhamdulillah. All Praises indeed to Allah SWT The Beneficent and Merciful. Blessing and Salutation upon  our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW (p.b.u.h),His family and companion guiding us to the right way. The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) purposely sent by Allah  as a role model to the universe.Every Friday morning, SMKSB@STAR hosting the religious prayer by reciting verse YAASIN together among teachers and students  to get Mercy from Allah SWT.May Allah SWT blessing us and  protecting our school from disasters.Erudite Muslim should be humble to Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad SAW  by following HIS commanding without skepticism.  Same'na  Waatha'na (totally accepted).
Amin.

Foto:Jasmadin Budin

Che Yahya Che Soh

Principal SMKSB@STAR

Segambut, Kuala Lumpur.

Friday 28 February, 2014

28 Jamadil Akhir 1435 H

Attracting School

This morning my ex student came to interview me on school development. Chong Mun Khong graduated from SMKSB@STAR 2012 came to my office to get some  information regarding  school performance especially  in environmental area. The topic on Ecology and school environment. He choose SMKSB@STAR as a place to do research on that particular matter. According to him, SMKSB@STAR currently looks very shine like garden with colorful of flowers variety green and very nice ponds.He feel cultivated with the school improvement compare to the past, he added.Thank you very much and I really appreciate my ex student who purposely came to make a research study in his previous school.He further asking me about the school planning and the next strategy to enhancing students performance in all areas.


Train to be a leader.
File picture.

Build awareness

The critical part in school management is building the awareness among students,teachers and public interest.The Principal's role is very  important to ensure the school administration look clean,clear and prestige at all time.Due to that we need participation and fully commitment every single person in school organization working together as a big family to achieving goals.The main point is to make our school changing  in all sectors especially to transform the teaching and learning process successfully. Students will notice what we have been given to them. They can measure and judge our potential whether we are really perform or not fit to deliver our job properly. We can't blaming them because of our carelessness.Genuine teachers like a doctor who can diagnose and examine patient before giving them proper treatment.

Thank You.

Che Yahya Che Soh
Principal SMKSB@STAR
Segambut,Kuala Lumpur.
Friday 28 February,2014.

Submission through e-filing starts on Sunday

KUALA LUMPUR: Tax payers can start submitting their Income Tax Return Forms for the Year of Assessment 2013, through e-filing starting Sunday. 

The Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) said in a statement today that the dateline for employers (Form E) is March 31, while for residents and non-residents with non-business income (Form BE and M), it is April 30.

The deadline for residents and non-residents with business income (Form B and M) as well as partnerships (Form P) is June 30.

For queries and further information, contact the LHDN call centre at 1-300-88-3010 or log on to the LHDN website at www.hasil.gov.my.

The same dates apply for manual submission. - BERNAMA

New Straits Times 

Thursday 27 February 2014.

PENTAKSIRAN BERASASKAN SEKOLAH (PBS) TANGGUH

23 FEB : Pelaksanaan Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah (PBS) ditangguhkan sehingga ia dimuktamadkan oleh Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) dalam masa terdekat.

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof, dalam satu kenyataan berkata, kajian menyeluruh mengenai pelaksanaan PBS sedang dijalankan dan cadangan penambahbaikan akan dikemukakan kepada Menteri Pendidikan, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin untuk keputusan.

Berikut kenyataan penuh Dr Khair Mohamad.

Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) amat memandang serius mengenai isu bebanan tugas yang dibangkitkan oleh guru-guru dalam pelaksanaan Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah (PBS) di samping pandangan akan kesannya kepada murid. PBS merupakan dasar yang melibatkan pentaksiran secara menyeluruh (holistik) terhadap pencapaian murid. Dalam hal pelaksanaannya, KPM sentiasa terbuka dan telus terhadap sebarang rungutan, komen, pandangan, kritikan daripada guru-guru dan masyarakat.

Sehubungan dengan itu, selaras dengan arahan YAB Menteri Pendidikan supaya KPM membuat kajian menyeluruh mengenai pelaksanaan PBS, pihak KPM telah mengambil inisiatif meneliti semula pelaksanaannya agar dapat mengurangkan bebanan tugas guru. Kajian dan penelitian ini difokuskan kepada rombakan terhadap perkara-perkara yang melibatkan kekerapan guru-guru memasukkan data-data berkaitan eviden dan pencapaian murid yang termasuk juga pengisian borang-borang perekodan prestasi murid yang boleh membebankan guru-guru.

Di samping memastikan kajian dan penelitian tersebut dilaksana secara berkesan, KPM juga telah mengambil langkah-langkah segera bagi menanganinya seperti berikut;

Menangguhkan taklimat PBS di peringkat sekolah rendah dan menengah seluruh negara bermula pada 17 Februari 2014 bagi mengelakkan kekeliruan terhadap pelaksanaannya.

Mengadakan perbengkelan yang melibatkan guru-guru termasuk kesatuan-kesatuan guru dalam usaha penelitian dan kajian semula terhadap pelaksanaan PBS. Bengkel tersebut telah dilaksanakan pada awal dan pertengahan bulan Februari 2014 dan hasilnya akan dibentangkan semula kepada KPM dalam tempoh terdekat.

Menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Task Force PBS di peringkat KPM yang mengadakan mesyuarat setiap minggu bagi meneliti dan menilai perkembangan setiap tindakan terhadap penelitian PBS.

Mewujudkan War Room PBS di peringkat KPM untuk menangani isu-isu berbangkit berkaitan pelaksanaan PBS dengan segera dan berkesan termasuk membuat maklumbalas segera mengenainya dari semasa ke semasa; dan usaha-usaha penambahbaikan terhadap capaian Sistem Pengurusan Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah (SPPBS) juga sedang dilaksanakan di peringkat KPM bagi memastikan guru-guru boleh mengakses sistem tersebut secara lebih mudah dan berkesan.

Kesemua tindakan tersebut diambil adalah bagi memastikan setiap elemen pelaksanaan PBS dapat memberikan taksiran secara holistik terhadap murid dan dalam masa yang sama dapat mengurangkan bebanan tugas guru yang melaksanakannya.

KPM akan memaklumkan hasil penelitian dan kajian semula berkaitan hal ini termasuk tindakan selanjutnya terhadap pelaksanaan PBS setelah YAB Menteri Pendidikan berpuashati dengan penambahbaikan yang dicadangkan dengan mengambilkira dapatan kajian terbaru KPM, rungutan para guru dan pandangan masyarakat termasuk oleh Suara Guru Masyarakat Malaysia (SGMM).

Buat masa ini guru-guru tidak perlu meneruskan pelaksanaan PBS sehingga satu kenyataan mengenainya dibuat oleh KPM dalam masa terdekat.

Terima kasih.

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran Malaysia

23 Februari 2014

Sumber:BNBBC Portal

Bunga Penyejuk Rasa

Bibik  yang setia sudah 20 tahun bersama kami.

Dialah menjaga dan menyiram bunga-bunga ini.

Che Yahya Che Soh

Keramat AU 4.

Rabu 26 Februari,2014.