Tribute to a man who saved my life ....

With the grace of Allah, Datuk Dr Nik Zainal Abidin Abdul Rahman had saved many lives in his illustrious career as cardiologist. I'm one of them.
When I laid in coma at the Gleneagles Hospital last November, he answered the emergency call and rushed to my aid.
He told me days later that they had initially thought I had a stroke as I was "almost breathless, gasping for air".
My face was pale and bluish.
Without wasting any time, he ran some tests on my brains, fearing it could have been severely affected by the attack.
But my brain gave a positive response.
I may have been out for two or three hours during which they finally traced the problem to my swelling water-logged lungs.
The doctors zeroed in my ailment as acute pneumonia and took steps to drain out the water from my body. I should be lucky to have survived.
Dr Nik told me that I could have been ‘gone’ if I had been half an hour late to the hospital.
"You gave us quite an excitement last night,'" his words still ringing in my ears when he saw me after I regained consciousness.
With tube placed in my mouth, I couldn't talk and could only gazed at him.
I recalled him telling the nurse that I was a strong guy to survive the ordeal.
When I finally had the chance to thanked him after they had taken the tube off my mouth several days later, he was his usual-self.
I now realise of his admirable traits -- unassuming and down-to-earth despite his high-achievement.
I remember him for his bow-tie but what would now endeared me to him is the memories of a man who had literally given me a new breath of life.
As I read the obituaries of this great man in the newspapers today, I couldn't help feeling moved by what he has done to the country.
And in my silent prayer, I am thankful to have crossed path with the man whom I will never get a chance to meet again.
For all the lives that he had saved, Dr Nik lost his when his four-wheel drive collided with a lorry near Karak Highway as he was heading towards Bentong from his house in Janda Baik on Monday, Oct 29.
In him, I found a man, a great man, who had passionately devoted his life to saving lives.
Al-Fatihah...

The road to Alhambra ...

As we travelled to Alhambra, the neatly grown trees on both sides of the highway caught the eye. Juan, our journalist friend from EFE, said they were olive trees.
"If I have to buy a gift, I would get olive oil instead of perfume," he said.

Wikipedia says the Alhambra (Arabic: literally "the red one"; the complete name is "Qal'at al-Hambra", which means "The red fortress").
It is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada.

Once the residence of the Muslim kings of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today.
It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Of seagulls and little, little things...

Here I am on the balcony of my hotel room looking out at the Mediterranean sea.
Seagulls fly freely as the sun began to set in this Spanish tourist area of “Costa del Sol”.
The sound of waves hitting the shores of this popular Arena beach is sweet music to the ears.
From cold Paris to this sunny town of Estepona, what more can I ask.
Another place, another experience to cherish.
Looking at the flock of seagulls, I recalled these words, so meaningful of someone so dear:
“I am the seagull – flying high, exploring the world.
Life is too short to worry about little, little things - but that's what most people do.
Happiness is appreciating and enjoying what you have while you can.
Enjoy the little, little things you do …”

Spanish 'City of Journalism' hosts news agencies summit...

Representatives of 90 news agencies from 80 countries gathered in this southern Spanish city of Estepona for the second World Congress to discuss the challenges the Internet age has brought on the media. The event was inaugurated by Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.
Access to big news events like the soccer World Cup and the Olympic Games is one the agencies' main concerns as they strive to report on such happenings in a dynamic, precise and accurate way.
Reporters' safety, piracy, the possibilities offered by the new technologies and the future trends for the agencies would also be issues discussed during the four-day World Congress of News Agencies, organized by Spain's Agencia EFE and the municipal government of Estepona. Preparations for the congress had been made in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi – host city the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Some 40 agencies have also submitted photographs for the first World Congress of News Agencies Photo Competition, which constitutes an excellent sampling of the photographic coverage of the most important events of the 21st century.

Malaysia wins UNESCO Executive Board seat...

Two years of preparation brought glory for Malaysia as the country was elected to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Executive Board with the highest votes among competing nations. Securing 147 votes to top the Asia-Pacific group, Malaysia was a clear favourite from the start to sit in the 58-member board for a four-year term until 2011. Founded in 1946 to promote international collaboration through education, science and culture, the Paris-based Unesco now has 193 members. The win capped a week of achievements for Malaysia after the successful completion of the country’s first Angkasawan mission to space two days ago. Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein will represent Malaysia on the board.
Not one to rest on his laurels, the minister has told his officers that the victory meant hard work and conviction towards achieving UNESCO's objectives.

'Real Life, Real Time' gets real from Paris...

Radio24 Bernama’s ‘Real Life, Real Time’ broadcast caught up with a Malaysian parliamentarian all the way in Paris as he spoke ‘live’ about the on-going 34th Unesco General Conference.
It was the first time for Member of Parliament for Cameron Highlands S.K.Devamany to be interviewed on-spot for the news bulletin of a Malaysian radio station, let alone across continents.
“This is fantastic…speaking live from Paris to Kuala Lumpur for the radio bulletin,” said the former teacher who is a member of the Malaysian delegation to the biennial conference which started on Tuesday.
Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, vying for a seat in Unesco’s Executive Board, is leading the Malaysian delegation drawn from various ministries linked to the roles of the 193-member organization.
Devamany said the 24-hour radio station could enable the public to hear the latest news more quickly with such ‘live’ connection.
This is made possible with up-to-date information and communication technology, an area actively pursued by Unesco, he said.
Officially launched on Sept 3, the radio transmission from Wisma Bernama in Kuala Lumpur on the 93.9fm frequency currently covers Klang Valley.
But thanks to Internet streaming, its all-news and information programmes could be heard clearly in Paris and possibly elsewhere around the globe.
Director General of Education Alimuddin Haji Mohd Dom, who was also interviewed live on the station’s news slot, commended the ‘reality’ concept of Radio24 in the growing trend of a globalised world.
“As we move forward, we need actual and current news that would keep us on track with happenings across the world,” he said.
Bernama’s correspondents throughout Malaysia and its overseas bureaus have constantly provided live reports for Radio24 as the agency strives to become a complete, multi-platform news and information provider.

Strolling along a Parisian open market...

The street markets of Paris like the one on the Boulevard De Grenelle offer visitors a glimpse of the Parisian life. It displays all kinds of food, from fresh fruits to vegetables, fish and meat to flowers, cheese to pastries – you name it. Like the ‘pasar malam’ in Kuala Lumpur, there is also a wide range of clothes and household items to bargain for. Even if you are not buying anything, the experience of strolling along the open market is worth a life-time remembrance. You will enjoy a real feast for the eyes and ears, and for a moment a precious feeling of warmth and humanity. Don’t be surprise if a cute, elderly lady grabs your hand while you are being photographed by a friend. She just wants to be in the picture too!
If you are lucky, you might even bump into some visiting ministers, here for the Unesco meeting, taking a casual Sunday walk. The Boulevard de Grenelle food market opens every Sunday and Wednesday from 8am to 1pm.

China strengthens media relations with Asean...

NANNING: Holding hands the Asean-style, media participants from the regional grouping hoarsely belted out the familiar tune of "Rasa Sayang" here tonight as they bade farewell to their Chinese host.
The "feel good" atmosphere capped a week-long programme of interviews and field studies in Guangdong and Guangxi aimed at strengthening China-Asean relations.
While the Chinese celebrated the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival of family union, the Asean participants not only made new friends from China but also from among their Asean neighbours.
Hosted by People's Daily, China's largest newspaper with a daily circulation of more than two million, the Third China-Asean Media Cooperation Seminar and Interview Tour was suggested by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
He had proposed in his speech titled "Working Together to Open a New Chapter of China-Asean Relationship" at the 10th China-Asean Summit in January that China would hold the programme in an effort to enhance exchanges in the media sector among China and Asean countries.
People's Daily president Wang Chen said the strengthening China-Asean relations would need enhanced mutual understanding, exchange and cooperation.
"I believe that our practical media cooperation, as a new form in the 10+1 cooperation, will significantly expand, enrich and push forward the 10+1 cooperation relations," he said.
Last year witnessed the 15th anniversary of China-Asean dialogue relations while 2007 marked a significant year for Asean as it celebrated its 40th anniversary.
As part of broader efforts to bolster cooperation among the media organisations, the seminar participants agreed on the setting up of a China-Asean Media Cooperation Liaison Network, the details of which are to be worked out.
Participating media organisations also agreed to support the China-Asean Expo in Nanning as the event, which has been successfully held over the past three years, is a major platform to strengthen ties between China and Asean.
The fourth exposition, to be held later this month, will highlight cooperation among ports in China and Asean with the organiser expecting another large turnout.
Some 820,000 people participated as exhibitors and trade visitors in the previous three expositions.
Using football as a metaphor, I mentioned in my speech at the seminar that together we could form a formidable team.
"I believe many of us here love football. China itself has become a soccer powerhouse, having played in the 2002 World Cup. Given the chance, the 10 Asean countries would also want to qualify for the World Cup finals. But the 10 of us cannot even form a team. We need another player, a strong player. That's why we need China for this 10 plus 1 team."

Myanmar Appreciates Malaysia's No-sanction Stand...

The head of Myanmar's information agency has lauded Malaysia's stand to reject calls for economic sanctions on his country.
News and Periodicals Enterprise Managing Director Soe Win said such sanctions would not work as Myanmar has many resources.

"Most of the Western media fabricate news about us, getting information from undesirable elements," he told Bernama in Nanning, China today.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said in New York yesterday that Malaysia did not believe in imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar as they would usually hurt ordinary citizens.
The minister was commenting on calls by certain countries that economic sanctions be effected against Myanmar for alleged human rights abuses and its relatively slow process towards democracy.
Soe Win said Myanmar had worked to improve living standards of its people.
"Seeing is believing... some European groups which came to Myanmar could see that the people are okay," he said.
He is in Nanning to attend the Third China-Asean Media Cooperation Seminar and Interview Tour which began last Saturday.
The News and Periodicals Enterprise is one of the five departments under Myanmar's Information Ministry.
Besides publishing three dailies, including The New Light of Myanmar in English, it also runs two news agencies reporting news on Myanmar.

Happy 50th Anniversary Malaysia!

OANA workshop kicks off in Sabah ...

Our four-day media workshop on sustainable forest management for members of the Organisation of Asia Pacific News Agencies (OANA) kicks off in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah today. We had chosen the topic as a way of helping the region address the issue which has again come under focus. Some Western non-governmental organizations claimed that the opening of oil palm plantations has led to the destruction of rainforests and Orang Utan habitats, loss of biodiversity and caused global warming.
We wanted participants to find out about initiatives, policies and practices to balance between “development need” and the need to “preserve the environment” in the management of forest in Malaysia.
The participants will also visit the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary.

Good old Simpang Lima days ….

Thanks to Dr Jayaraj, we finally got together for lunch to refresh our primary school bonding. Several of our teachers were able to be with us, making the event a lively affair. As we recalled the good old days of Simpang Lima (2) Primary School, we were thankful to the teachers for what we are today.
While some of us have remained in Klang, like Dr Jayaraj, Samsudin, Rauf, Arumugam, Tirath Singh and Seerajuddin, others found jobs elsewhere to settle down.
We were so happy to see our former headmaster Mr G.Jayaraman, who did not change much, while some of us boys have joined the rank of ‘extra-large waist earners’.

Sochi wins Olympic bid...

Not only the United States is in celebration mood on this Fourth of July because of its Independence Day, but Russia too. Thousands of Russians roared and jumped into the balmy Black Sea air in the resort town of Sochi as the International Olympic Committee named the southern seaside town host of the 2014 Winter Games. Sochi narrowly beat South Korea's Pyeongchang to give the Russia the right to host a second Olympics after the Summer Games staged in 1980. Hours before the final voting in Guatemala City, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised rich natural snow and no traffic jams when he addressed the IOC meeting. Speaking live for the first time in English, Putin, a keen skier himself, said with its unique climate of springlike weather at the Black Sea resort and cold temperatures in the nearby Krasnaya Polyanna mountains, Sochi was best suited to host the Olympics.

News agencies ponder about their future ....

In the face of tough challenges, news agencies worldwide will take a hard look at their future when they meet at the World Congress of News Agencies (WCNA) in the Spanish resort city of Estepona in October.
Among the growing concerns are the free content provided by Internet search engines as they compete to outdo each other and the question of corporate takeovers besetting private-run news agencies.
The safety of journalists also warrant immediate attention with the increasing number of media personnel killed in conflict areas around the world. More than 100 journalists have been killed so far this year.
The News Agencies World Council, an alliance of regional news agencies organisations, which met in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi last week, agreed on the issues to be addressed by the WCNA which last convened its meeting in Moscow three years ago.
"Nobody heard about the Internet before 1994 but today everybody is saying news is free, what then is our future? said WCNA secretary-general Uffe Sorensen. The 2nd WCNA would be held from Oct 24 to 28.
The tendency to monopolise major sports events by the ruling international body was another cause of concern.
In some instances, news agencies were not allowed to transmit photographs of a sports event until it was over, thus denying them of their obligation to provide fast service to subscribers.

View from a Moscow hotel room...

The sun is about to set as I look out of my hotel room here in Moscow at this moment. The time is 9.50pm. At another direction, the crowd at the famous Arbat Street was dwindling. The foreign ministry building with the year '1951' encypted on it stands majestically on my right. From this room 1511 of the Golden Ring Hotel, I can see clearly the big 'M' logo of the popular fast-food chain in the distant. I've seen the logo when I was in Beijing last two weeks. Globalisation! The cars on Moscow roads reflect the trend too. After six days in Russia for the News Agencies World Council Meeting, I'll be flying home tomorrow morning via Rome. Spasiva!

Olympic mood grips Russian Black Sea resort

SOCHI (Russia): From mayor to tourist guides, a feverish mood grips this Russian Black Sea resort with less than a month to go before the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games is announced.
Ask any of the 400,000 people here and united they stand on why their city should have the edge over the two other contenders -- Salzburg in Austria and PyeongChang in South Korea.
"Two years ago, when we placed our bid even Russians were laughing at us wondering whether we were crazy to host the Olympic Games," said Efim Bitenev, operations director of Sochi 2014 based here.
The opinion has now changed not only in Russia but the whole world.
"We're not just going in to participate. We hope to see you in the 2014 Winter Olympics," he told representatives of international news agencies who are gathered here for the News Agencies World Council meeting.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is scheduled to elect the host city when it meets in Guatemala on July 4. Sochi, Salzburg and PyeongChang were shortlisted by the IOC executive board on June 22 last year.
Like others here, journalist Natalia Nesterova hoped that Sochi, which receives some four million visitors a year, would get the Olympic honour as it could attract more people from all over the world.
English teacher and interpreter Inna Retrun, who has on numerous occasions acted as tourist guide, said she would not mind relating the colourful history of Sochi over and over again to first-time visitors.
Using the tagline "Gateway to the Future", the bid committee says Sochi, with its unique heritage, would provide the Olympic Movement with a gateway to a new region ready to welcome the world for the first time.
With pristine snowy peaks only 40 minutes away from temperate, sun-drenched beaches, Sochi guarantees that it could offer a once-in-lifetime Winter Olympic Games experience.
The mountain ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana, or the Red Meadow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin goes for skiing, would be the primary venue for outdoor sports while sea-front Sochi would host indoor games.
To support the bid, the Russian government has approved an unprecedented US$12 billion investment package to develop the Sochi region into a year-round, world-class resort destination with state-of-the-art infrastructure and modern accommodation.
Mayor Victor Kolodyazhny summed up the feelings of the city folks when he told the media representatives that Sochi was glad to welcome visitors.
"We do hope you like our city and the prospect of a great future here," said Kolodyazhny, a member of the Sochi 2014 supervisory board.

Sweet melody to Malaysia-China ties...

Malaysian Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is not so much into singing but that does not stop him from appreciating music.
"Life without music and culture is no life at all," he said during a visit to a music school in Beijing where he was entertained to an eight-piece performance of age-old Chinese instruments by the students.
Plucking a seven-string instrument known as "guqin" that dates back 2000 years and other treasured musical items like the pipa, yangjin, and erhu, the students skilfully performed a sweet medley of songs.
Mesmerised by their performance, Hishammuddin invited the students to perform before his Asean counterparts when Malaysia hosts the ministerial meeting in March next year.
And in a new beat to Malaysia-China cooperation, he offered the school, which celebrated its 40th anniversary recently, to help draw up the curriculum for the two arts schools which will built in Johor and Sarawak.
Such expected link-up capped a successful trip for Hishammuddin, who broke new ground as the first Education Minister from Malaysia to make an official visit to China in 10 years.

The reverberating sound of 'kompang' in Beijing...

The beatings of the kompang and songs of Siti Nurhaliza welcomed the arrival of Malaysian Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) today, further cementing Malaysia-China relations.
The visit to the university which offers courses in 36 languages, including Malay Language, is part of the minister's tightly scheduled official visit to China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education between the two countries.
"We must continue building bridges to face the tide of globalisation," he told the audience in Bahasa Malaysia at the function to welcome him.
"Besides language, bilateral cooperation could also be enhanced through culture and sports," added Hishammuddin who arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a one-week visit.
At the function, he was impressed with the proficiency of the Chinese students taking the four-year Malay Language course and their interest in Malay songs and traditional dances. During a dialogue with the students who were clad in baju Melayu, baju kurung and kebaya, a student expressed interest in learning silat, the Malay art of self-defence.
Hishammuddin brought them good news by inviting them to Malaysia as his guests in conjunction with the country's 50th independence anniversary celebrations in August.

M'sian polar explorer's feat catches UN agency's attention...

Just as the global focus is turning to the changing climate, the amazing feat of a Malaysian polar explorer to conquer the North and South Poles has caught the attention of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The agency's spokesman, Nick Nuttal, said Sharifah Mazlina Syed Kadir's accomplishment as the first Asian woman to complete the Pole-to-Pole mission underlined the interconnectiveness of the planet in the 21st century.
"We now no longer live in boxes but truly, for the first time, as a global village. Climate change for the first time is interconnecting people on this planet because every person will be feeling the impact of it," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the inaugural Global Business Summit for the Environment hosted by the UNEP here in Singapore. Sharifah Mazlina reached the top of the world at latitude 90 degress north at 2.45pm (8.25pm Malaysian time) on Tuesday, exactly two weeks after setting off from Kuala Lumpur. The feat was the culmination of the 42-year-old lecturer's one-and-a-half years of preparation. In April 2004, she was the first Asian woman to reach the South Pole. Bangkok-based UNEP Regional Information Officer Satwant Kaur said that by achieving the feat, Sharifah Mazlina was a good model not just for Malaysians but for young Asian women and men.
"It is interesting that an Asian woman has reached such heights, particularly in the International Polar Year which started in March and lasts until March 2009. It's really a good start," she said. International Polar Year (IPY) is regarded as the largest-ever international programme of scientific research focused on the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

The three-legged chair...

In front of the UN headquarters in Geneva, stands a gigantic three-legged chair. It is a stark reminder of the destruction caused by land mines. The chair was supposed to stand until every country signed the Mine Ban Treaty or the Ottawa Treaty -- the international agreement that bans antipersonnel landmines. Officially entitled The Convention on the Prohibition, Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on Their Destruction, the treaty is sometimes referred to as the Ottawa Convention. In December 1997, 122 governments signed the treaty in Ottawa, Canada. It entered into force and became binding under international law in March 1999, doing so quicker than any other previous treaty of its kind. The Treaty is still open for ratification by signatories and for accession by those who did not sign before March 1999. As of 15 August 2007, there are 157 signatories and 155 ratifications or accessions to the Ottawa Treaty. There are currently 38 countries that have not signed the treaty, but are able now to assent.

Malaysia on right track about English, says Unesco expert

Malaysia is heading in the right direction in using English to teach science and mathematics in schools, says an international expert on curriculum development in Geneva, Thursday.
International Bureau of Education (IBE) project coordinator Dakmara Ana Georgescu said the trend was happening in many other countries.

"It gives learners great opportunity to have access to materials internationally and access to the Internet," she said during a visit by Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to the institute which has been an integral part of Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).
The IBE's main mission is to function as an international centre for the development of contents and methods of education as well as teaching strategies through curriculum development.
Georgescu, who has been working on education projects in Afghanistan since 2002, said using English as the medium of instruction did not mean neglecting the national language.
"I think you can learn science in your mother tongue as well as I had learned science in my mother tongue which is Romanian.
"But it's also a great opportunity today to be able to have access to concepts and methodologies and to practices in English which is an international language especially in the areas of science and mathematics," she said.
She said choosing English to learn the subjects was a sign of opening to international development and providing immediate access for learners to the most relevant material of worldwide quality.
"While translation takes a lot of time and money, you have to think if it is useful. From what I know , many countries admire you and want to do the same," she said.
She said even in France, a country proud of its language, there had been recommendation for English to be taught in curriculum like mathematics and some aspects of the curriculum should be addressed in English.

Language no barrier as Hishammuddin meets French Senate President...

Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein wraps up a four-day trip to Paris with a lively, warm meeting with the president of the French Senate Christian Poncelet on Wednesday.
So engrossing was their discussion that the minister was able to capture what Poncelet had to say on the various subjects without waiting for the help of the interpreter.

"When you talk on the same wavelength, language is not a barrier," he said after the hour-long meeting with Poncelet, who has been president of the Senate since 1998.
He was accompanied by Malaysia's permanent delegate to the Paris-based Unesco, Kenneth Luis, and two Members of Parliament -- Razali Ismail (Kuala Terengganu) and S.K.Devamany (Cameron Highlands).
Hishammuddin and Poncelet, who was in Malaysia last month for a visit, affirmed the excellent and long-standing bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and France.
They also noted the similar perspectives the two countries shared on global issues.
The minister informed Poncelet of Malaysia's decision to bid for a seat on the Unesco executive board at its 34th general conference this October.
Hishammuddin had met Unesco director-general Koichiro Matsura, who had praised Malaysia's education achievements, and permanent delegates of the other Unesco member countries during his Paris visit.
He also opened an exhibition on Malaysia's education accomplishments over the last 50 years since Independence. The exhibition being held at the Unesco headquarters ends Friday.
Hishammuddin later left for Geneva to visit the International Bureau of Education (IBE), another major agency of Unesco specialising in contents, methods and structures of education.

Malaysia ready for bigger role in Unesco...

Malaysia is ready to play a major role in the 192-member United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein indicated the matter to Unesco director-general Koichiro Matsuura during their meeting at the agency's headquarters in Paris on Monday.
Speaking later at a dinner with the Malaysian community based in the French capital on Monday night, he said Unesco's recognition of Malaysia's success in education would make him work even harder to address the issues.
"Since becoming Education Minister two years ago, I had nothing but problems day in, day out from leaking roofs of computer labs to issues of bullies.
"But coming to Paris and hearing the (Unesco) D-G saying how well we have done, gives me a renewed sense of commitment and drive to make our system better," said Hishammuddin who met Matsuura barely five hours after his arrival here Monday.
Matsuura had stated during an exhibition to celebrate 50 years of Malaysia's education accomplishments being held at the Unesco's headquarters that Malaysia's success provide good lessons for other countries.
Malaysia is bidding for a seat on the Unesco executive board at its 34th general conference here in October.
Consisting 58 members with a four-year term of office, the board examines the work programmes for the organisation and corresponding budget estimates.
Established in 1945, the United Nations agency's stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaborations through education, science and culture.
Despite the glowing tribute by Unesco, Hishammuddin said Malaysia would strive to improve its education programmes.
"Recently we launched our five-year plan from 2006 to 2010 called the National Education Blueprint because it is an on-going struggle.
"We are never satisfied with what we have achieved," said a determined Hishammuddin.
The minister, on a four-day visit to France is scheduled to visit a public elementary school, an international institute for educational planning and meet permanent delegates of Unesco member countries today.
He will leave for Geneva on Wednesday night for a one-day visit to Switzerland before returning home.

Hishammuddin Goes To School To Learn About Special Programme...

Education Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein literally went back to classroom today to learn more about integrating visually-impaired students with their normal peers in a primary school.
Seating on a classroom chair, he enquired inquisitively from teacher Valerie Rouget on the challenges faced in implementing such a programme, the tools required and the kind of flexibility needed to make the initiative a success.

"I always believe visually-impaired students should be integrated with normal children in school," he said during a visit to the Ecole Elementary -- the only public elementary school in Paris with a class for the visually- impaired.
Rouget told Hishammuddin she had eight students, aged between 6 and 12, under her care, learning subjects such as Mathematics and French.
Impressed with what he saw at the school, which was built in 1886, Hishammuddin told accompanying officials and the school principal Thierry Jallerat that he had computed in his mind what to do back home.
While the class must be small with not more than 12 students, the leadership of the school and the classroom with the teacher having an autonomy to decide on the progress of the students, were important, he said.
The school-parent relationship was also crucial for the successful implementation of the programme, said Hishammuddin who was accompanied on the visit by the ministry's Director of Educational Technology Division Yusoff Harun and deputy director of teacher-training division Asariah Mior Shaharuddin.

Also in the delegation were Member of Parliament for Kuala Terengganu Razali Ismail and Member of Parliament for Cameron Highlands S.K. Devamany, a former teacher.
The visit to the school, which had an enrolment of 360, was part of the minister's packed schedule for the day, the second of his four-day trip to Paris.
He was later scheduled to host a luncheon for permanent delegates of the 192-member Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) and visit the International Institute for Educational Planning.

Malaysia's education success good lesson for others, says UNESCO DG

Malaysia's achievements in education provide good lessons for other countries, said Unesco Director-General Koichiro Matsuura.
Describing the success since the country's independence as "great", he said progress was made in many significant areas.

He highlighted the country's primary school enrolment which was well over 90 per cent while the children enrolled had a high school life expectancy of near zero dropout rate.
"This shows the success of not only in expanding access to education but also in providing education of high quality," he said at the opening of an exhibition entitled "Celebrating 50 years of Malaysia's Education Accomplishments" with Malaysia's Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at Unesco's headquarters in Paris.
He said the week-long exhibition would provide an opportunity for others to benefit from Malaysia's experience and progress in education.
This was in line with Unesco's efforts to raise the profile of good practices and promote the sharing of experience, he said.
"We would like to draw lessons from Malaysia's success in education," he said at the function attended by representatives of Unesco member countries.
"Malaysia now allocates over eight per cent of GNP (gross national product) to education, which is a commitment that other countries should follow," he said.
Malaysia has also been successful in emphasising the need for a holistic approach that integrates education into wider development strategies, he added.
Another major progress made by Malaysia was mobilising new technologies to improve the access and quality of education.
He said Malaysia has also shown the far-reaching advantages that information and communication technology (ICT) could bring even to remote and rural areas.
Hishammuddin, who arrived in Paris today for a six-day visit to France and Switzerland, said Malaysia had always given priority to education.
This would be further enhanced under the National Education Blueprint encompassing a five-year plan until 2010.

Glowing Eiffel Tower...

It was such a beautiful sight. Eiffel Tower, the pride of France, glowed in the dark as it sparkles with light in the cool April night.
From my Hilton balcony, I could see the tower standing tall not far from the hotel.

It's been a long time...

If not for office colleague Anwar who has been pestering me to update my blog, I would have continued to ignore it. I just cannot let him down especially when he has been smitten by the blogging bug. He reminded me that it is almost a year since my last posting. It was really a jolt. Didn't realise that it had been a long time since I last came in. So many things had came and gone. I only wish I could have the inspiration to continue blogging...

An unexpected visitor ...

I had just got into a small chat with a nurse around 4.30pm when all of a sudden, I saw a familiar face approaching me. I just couldn't believe it was Tengku Razaleigh. As he stood by my bed, he looked great in a short-sleeve tailored shirt. He told me he had to come and see me after Shabery had informed him that I was in hospital.
Shabery, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, had visited me yesterday. I didn't expect both of them to come and visit me. I even asked Ku Li to pinch my elbow to be sure that I was not dreaming.

Glut of second-hand cars....

We are told that there are some 750,000 second-hand cars unsold in the country. And we are told that anyone who can afford the car has already got one. With Proton, Perodua, Naza, Inokom and soon Cherry Alado flooding the market with the new offerings, I wonder how Malaysians are going to absorb all these. The only way out it appears is for these companies to export and for our second-hand car dealers to find new markets in lesser developed countries.

Towards building an Asean community ...

An Asean Information Seminar, aimed at promoting a regional community, took place at the Grand Seasons Hotel, Kuala Lumpur today. Managed to get Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry Ahmad Shabery Cheek to speak on "Ten Nations, One Community: Issues and The Way Forward".
ISIS Assistant Director-General Stephen Leong touched on "Asean: Challenges and Achievement" and Prof Dr Rahmat Mohamad, Director of Centre of Asean Studies at UITM, Shah Alam elaborated on efforts towards achieving an Asean Community by 2020.

Quitting office Timor Leste style...via SMS

When Jose Ramos-Horta resigned as Timor Leste's foreign minister yesterday, he did so via a mobile phone text message. He told a news briefing in Dili that he had sent an SMS to Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri announcing his intention to quit. He received a reply in the same format from the prime minister. "I explained myself in a subsequent text message," he said. The country -- Asia's youngest nation -- has been embroiled for months in a political crisis and text messaging has emerged as the fastest and most
reliable means of communication. Thousands of protesters clamouring for Alkatiri's resignation have been mobilising themselves via SMS and news of him stepping down today spread rapidly through text messages. Alkatiri said he was giving up the post to avoid the resignation of the nation's popular president, Xanana Gusmao, who had threatened to quit himself unless the prime minister left office.

A 'world-class' aspiration...

Being the first news agency in the world to attain ISO-status is not good enough for Bernama. What it needs to do is to continously improve itself albeit in small steps. The biggest threat is complacency. So, over the last two-and-half days, senior officers converged in the seaside town of Port Dickson, some 100 kms from Kuala Lumpur, to review the organisation's overall ISO procedures. A significant aspect that was re-examined in the quality manual was to upgrade Bernama's aspiration from being a leading regional news agency to a world-class entity. The brainstorming retreat also marked the introduction of the operational procedure for the newly-created Bernama International Service. The formation of BIS had been endorsed by the management having seen the need to split the Features and Foreign News Service to make them more focussed. Features is now back under the General News Service but with an improvised approach. In terms of quality system, continuous improvement will propel an organisation towards excellence. This can be envisioned through the "Deming Cycle" named after American statistician William Edwards Deming, regarded as the Father of Modern Quality Control.

The "Deming Cycle" provides a framework for continuous improvement of business process. It can be summed up in four bold steps:

• Plan: Determine the action you intend to take as well as the steps required to achieve it. Design the new process (the "to-be" state)

• Do: Execute the plan. Implement the new process

• Check: Measure the outcome of the plan. This require identifying measurable outcomes of the new process

• Act: Decide what needs to be done to improve the process.

Deming, also a college professor, author, lecturer and consultant was widely credited with improving production in the United States during World War II. However, he was perhaps best known for his work in Japan where he developed the PDCA approach in the 1950s. He taught top Japanese management better design of products to improve service and higher level of uniform product quality. Deming made a significant contribution towards Japan becoming renowned for producing innovative high quality products. He is regarded as having had more impact upon Japanese manufacturing and business than any other individual not of Japanese heritage.

Face to face with Yvonne Ridley

I finally met her today -- the award-winning journalist who was sort of an enigma to me. Having come across her name during my research on the British media reporting of Islam in Cambridge late 2004, I had hoped to meet her. She had made international headlines in September 2001 when she was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan while on an undercover assignment for a British newspaper. Held in captivity for 10 days, she promised to read the Quran after her release and converted to Islam in August 2003. Currently the political editor of London-based Islam Channel, the first free-to-air English language, Islamic-focussed satellite channel, Yvonne Ridley is also an active Muslim peace campaigner. Known for her outspoken views and defence of Islam since she became a Muslim, Yvonne spoke on Islam and Freedom of Expression at a conference held in conjunction with the International Islamic Fair 2006 in Kuala Lumpur. She smiled when I asked her later how far she thought she had gone in her efforts to get the non-Muslims to understand Islam. “Well, I think it is a very slow drip in process because whenever I speak, they get really upset and offended and then they sit down in a quiet room and a few days later, they quell, maybe…It’s a long process,” she said. “But you know, I learn very long, even before I became a Muslim, you never kneel down in front of the enemy, otherwise they have you,” she said. “They will probably never understand us, but just respect us as individuals, as human beings. We have a right to be treated with equality and justice,” she said in obvious reference to the so-called war on terror.

Greatest show on Earth kicks off...

The greatest show on Earth kicks off today with 1.5 billion people in 200 countries expected to watch the opening match 'live' between host Germany and Costa Rica. With all 64 matches of the World Cup Finals to be shown live over television, die-hard soccer fanatics are bracing for a month-long extravaganza. As the excitement reaches feverish-level, it's a victory of sort for all as the world speaks in one language -- football (although some prefer to call it soccer!). Just as in other major sporting event, the tournament logo plays a crucial part. Instantly recognisable, the logo of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany has appeared on publications, at associated events and on merchandising. The agencies commissioned to design the logo were given an exhaustive list of criteria before they set out their work. As the host nation, Germany had to be instantly recognisable in the logo, as did the light-hearted and relaxed character of the 2006 tournament. It had to be unconventional, without being technocratic, and in keeping with the brand image of FIFA. As the event's organiser, FIFA commissioned London agency Whitestone to produce the logo. The decision to appoint Whitestone was based on their previous, outstanding design for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan logo. The goal was to convey, via a symbol, the incomparable emotions that can only be evoked by football. Dozens of meetings followed after preliminary discussions started in September 2001, even before the last World Cup. There were discussions, deliberations and sometimes arguments. The end result was "Celebrating Faces Of Football".

The Power of Love ...

The love of power could, at times, put to test the power of love. Malaysians woke up this morning to front-paged news of former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sharp criticisms of the current administration. Between loyalty and respect, this is the day when ministers had to choose between their fondness and gratitude to Dr Mahathir and their duty of speaking up for the leader of the day. Those who had served both administrations found themselves in the most difficult situation. While Cabinet Ministers, Barisan Nasional component parties and the rakyat stood solidly behind him, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chose not to wade into controversy. "Tun (Dr Mahathir) is free to say anything. It is not a problem for me because our country is democratic," he told reporters after handing-over keys to owners of low-cost flats in Sandakan in the state of Sabah. At a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday, Dr Mahathir poured eveything out on his relations with the government , going so far as to imply that he had picked the wrong person to lead the country.

Friends at heart...

They were supposed to be sworn political enemies, ever ready to seize the slightest opportunity to attack each other. Their once highly-publicised feud were so intense that it led to the split of the party. While one stayed on to lead the organisation, the other left to form his own party. Years have passed and both continue to lead their supporters in separate entities. Time could have probably heal the wound. When one of them sought treatment for his ailing heart, the other put aside their political differences and visited the sick man at the National Heart Institute. It would have been a front-page picture but an aide gave a big 'NO' when told of the possible storyline. Just as the heart triggers the feelings of love and hatred, it does have another important role. Ailing or not, the broken heart will have to keep the meeting between the two men a secret.

Upward sales trend for world newspapers ...

Worldwide sales of newspapers increased slightly in 2005. Their advertising revenues rose more sharply as the industry resisted competition from other media.
This is according to a report released Monday by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN). "Overall, the audience for newspapers keeps on growing, both in print and online," said Timothy Balding, chief executive officer of the Paris-based WAN. "Newspapers are increasing their reach through the exploitation of a wide range of new distribution channels, ranging from daily free newspapers to online editions. They are proving to be incredibly resilient against the onslaught of a wide range of media competition," he said. The report was released to delegates attending the 59th World Newspaper Congress and 13th World Editors Forum in Moscow, Russia. Among the main points in the report are:
- 439 million newspapers are sold every day, against 414 million in 2001, while more than one billion people read a newspaper.
- The five biggest markets for newspapers are China (96.6 million sold every day), India (78.7 million) Japan (69.7 million), the United States (53.3 million) and Germany (21.5 million).
Other highlights of the report are listed in an on-line news report World Press Trends: Newspaper Circulation, Advertising Increases .

Don't Desert Drylands!

It’s the time of the year when the world examines the state of its surroundings. Commemorated each year on 5 June, the World Environment Day stimulates global awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The theme selected for 2006 is Deserts and Desertification and the slogan is Don't Desert Drylands! The slogan emphasizes the importance of protecting drylands, which cover more than 40 per cent of the planet’s surface. This ecosystem is home to one-third of the world’s population which has surged to 6.5 billion from about 2.5 billion in 1950. The main international celebrations of the World Environment Day 2006 is being held in Algiers, the capital city of Algeria in northern Africa. The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues and empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development. It is also aimed at promoting an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues and advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. As the celebration is a people's event, colourful activities such as street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essays and poster competitions in schools, tree planting as well as recycling and clean-up campaigns are held all over the world. World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Media moguls powwow in Moscow ...

With over 1,500 publishers, chief editors, managing directors, CEOs and senior newspaper executives from 103 countries convening in Moscow, it is billed as the world's largest gathering to chart the industry's future. The 59th World Newspaper Congress, 13th World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo which opens today in the Russian capital will run until Wednesday. The Congress will focus on the immense wave of innovation that continues to sweep through the global newspaper industry, bringing success to companies that are seizing the new opportunities and embracing change. It provides key developments in the industry, with the latest data and information on global newspaper trends. The congress will also examine new publications, new advertising and circulation strategies, new digital product development and new business practices. The Editors Forum, on the other hand, will focus on what newspapers can do to adapt to the changing habits of the "free generation" - readers who are accustomed to getting their news from free newspapers and free internet sites. The conference will look at such topics as embracing citizen journalism, offering broadband services, developing weekend editions and supplements and protecting newspaper credibility. Alongside these events, Info Services Expo 2006 will showcase the new services and technologies which are shaping the newspaper of the future. Among the registered participants is Sanjay Gupta, CEO of the Indian daily Dainak Jagran, which has the biggest readership in the world -- some 21 million. Founder of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, will attend a forum on "citizen journalism".

Love is blind, marriage an eye-opener...

The young couple looked radiant as they mingled with their guests who congratulated them on their marriage. They are among the many across the country who are taking advantage of the on-going school holidays to tie the nuptial knot. For the newly-weds, it is everyone’s hope that they have a blissful life albeit an uncertain future. The journey could be rough, at times, depending on the route they take. If both could stick to their promise during courtship to overcome the challenges together, come what may, then married life could be smooth-sailing. After all, love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of space at both ends. Sitting among the guests, I could only admire the couple -- Linda and Kumaran, whom despite their different background, have taken the big step forward to settle down as husband and wife. I’m sure they are aware that a marriage does not mean just accepting the other as a life partner but to be part of his or her family. For their families too, it also means having to make adjustment to their lives as they open their hearts to accept a new member of the family. Love is blind and marriage is an eye-opener.

A helping hand...

A helping hand makes the heart happy. I realise how true this notion is when I got Mokh to start his blog. I had told him how exciting blogging is and this got him interested. After getting his blog up, Mokh wasted no time to post his items. The man from Pedas (literally meaning hot, as in taste) has proudly posted his photographs including that of his visit to the Pentagon. Unlike its 'hot' name, Pedas is a quiet town, 70km south of Kuala Lumpur. But Mokh would swear that the town has full of hot stuff.
I'm happy that his new-found interest is getting his adrenalin flowing in putting his thoughts to writing. I do hope he will update his blog regularly and make it 'pedas' as it would help others to know him better. There's a saying that if you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.
When I was starting out in this profession, I used to read articles written by seniors and editors to learn about the trade. Even now, I continue to keep on the look-out for articles written by seasoned journalists. On this note, it is interesting to see that some former senior newspaper editors have their own blogs to voice their opinions on various subjects. While some have no qualms about making known their identity, others prefer to remain incognito.
I was fortunate to get a copy of a handbook for bloggers produced by Reporters Without Borders. It explains how to set up and make the most of a blog, to publicise it (getting it picked up efficiently by search-engines) and to establish its credibility through observing basic ethical and journalistic principles.

Tribute to the country's oldest news magazine...

Mastika, the monthly magazine published by the Utusan Group, celebrates its 65th anniversary today. Surely this is no ordinary feat for a local post-World War II publication, which hit the street long before the country's independence in 1957. The fact that it could survive all these years is enough to command respect. Of course, the company had to generate new ideas from time to time to keep Mastika going. The magazine was printed in Jawi when it was introduced on June 1, 1941. The Utusan Melayu editor at that time Abdul Rahim Kajai, regarded as the father of Malay journalism, and the company's managing editor Yusoff Ishak, who later became the first president of Singapore were instrumental in the birth of the magazine. From Jawi, Mastika started to use Rumi, the romanised script in 1967, the year Utusan Malaysia made its debut. At one time, the magazine circulation was so low that the company contemplated of ending its publication. But after much soul-searching among its editors, they decided to improvised the content so as to capture the readers attention. Thus, the new-look Mastika emerged in September 1995 with stories about ghosts and supernaturals. The public simply love the stuff they were reading and in a matter of months, Mastika managed to sell 20,000 copies. Its rise was phenomenal, notching 150,000 copies a month within one year, making it the fastest growing magazine in the country's history. Its current circulation is about 300,000 copies a month, the highest-selling magazine in Malaysia.

Stamp world converges in Washington ...

More than 10,000 people were reported to have toured the displays on the opening day of the 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition at the Washington Convention Center on Saturday. Apart from curious first-timers gazing at the exhibits of international correspondence, veteran stamp collectors were there to find what has been missing from their own holdings. The World Philatelic Exhibition is held at least once a year, drawing thousands of stamp collectors and others interested in philately to host cities around the world. A city in the United States is chosen to host the event about once every decade. Some 135 postal administrations from around the world are also involved in the philatelic exhibition, making it a lively, colourful global event. At a time when the postal service is contending with a decline in postal mail because of the ubiquity of e-mail, text messages and other forms of communication that do not require a stamp, the huge interest for the exhibition provides a rebuttal to the notion that stamps and correspondence are irrelevant. Being an ardent first-day cover collector, I have invested a substantial amount of money, time and energy in the hobby which has turned into a passion. During a trip to the United States some years ago, I told a group of university students that stamps had enabled me to broaden my world view. In fact, my early encounter with the U.S. was through stamps given by an American peace corp Robert Feingold to us, a group of young boys, in the small remote town of Kuala Krai in Kelantan in the late 1960s. You don't have to think hard for the answer if someone ask you: What stays in the corner and travels the world?

An expanded NAM...from Malaysia to Cuba

While the 45 year-old Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has had to frequently deal with the question of its relevancy, two new members were accepted at its ministerial meeting which ends in Putrajaya today. The entry of the two Caribbean island nations of Dominica along with Antigua and Barbuda bolsters the membership to 116. After leading the movement since 2003, Malaysia will hand over the chairmanship to Cuba in September. Aware of the growing challenges facing NAM, the meeting had deliberated on strategies and approaches to protect and advance the interests of the movement. The issues range from international politics and security to economics and trade, development, human rights, the environment, international terrorism to social and cultural issues, among others. While NAM is generally united on broad matters of principles of importance to the movement, they are sometimes unable to use their numerical strength to their best advantage. They could, for instance, make a bigger
impact on the reform and restructuring of the United Nations. In a world with new realities. NAM has to adjust to the changes. It can do so without abandoning its fundamental principles of seeking a more just, equitable and peaceful world.

Let there be peace...

Timor Leste should have been celebrating its fourth independence anniversary on May 20. Instead their leaders are working hard to bring back peace after a military rebellion deteriorated into widespread clashes by regional rivals. The troubles began last month when around 600 of Timor Leste's 1,400-strong army were sacked after they went on strike to protest over alleged discrimination against soldiers from the east of the country. The disgruntled soldiers fought sporadic battles with the military last week but the violence quickly spread to clashes between rival gangs from the east and west. With almost the entire 2,500-strong contingent of peacekeepers from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Portugal now on the ground, terrified residents were simply hoping for a sense of security so that
they could return to their homes. This unfortunate episode clearly reflects the difficulties of fledgling nations to maintain peace and order. It is just as tough, or even harder, than the efforts put in towards the hard-fought independence.
On an assignment to cover former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's visit to the tiny island nation in October 2003, I remember him stating Malaysia's pledge to continue with its "prosper-thy-neighbour" philosophy. He had said a prosperous neighbour would benefit Malaysia because it could become the market for Malaysian-made goods and would not cause any problems that could spill over to other countries. Dr Mahathir was the first foreign head of government to make an official visit to the country which gained independence from Indonesia in May 2002. The three-day trip from Oct 22 to 24, 2003 was among the last he made before stepping down as prime minister a week later after 22 years in office.
Dr Mahathir said his visit to Timor Leste reminded him of the situation in Malaysia before it attained progress. "We are sometimes quick to forget... when we have achieved progress, we become conceited and behave as though all this is normal and forget our poverty and the difficulty we endured in overcoming this poverty," he said.

The hazards on reporting in conflict areas...

What are the hazards faced by journalists working in conflict areas? How could they interact with humanitarian organisations in such situation? These are some of the issues addresed at a seminar on working and reporting on humanitarian issues in conflict areas organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The seminar held at the Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, today is organised in conjunction with the Asia Media Summit 2006. The day-long seminar also touched on the thought-provoking question of impartiality and neutrality in armed conflict situations and the safety of journalists in such situations. Speakers include journalists who had been to war zones and representatives of humanitarian bodies. ICRC decided to hold the seminar as an increasing number of journalists were travelling to war zones worldwide to report on armed conflicts. They frequently encounter humanitarian workers sent to provide much needed aid to war victims. The challenging and often life-threatening working environment in conflict zones requires that journalists and humanitarian workers have the knowledge and reporting skills necessary to succeed. These include an understanding of international humanitarian law, the legal framework designed to minimise the human suffering caused by armed conflict. Even as the seminar was taking place, pressmen and relief organisations from all over the world were heading for Indonesia after a devastating earthquake rocked large swathes of Central Java and Yogjakarta provinces yesterday. The 6.3 magnitude quake killed at least 6,000 people, injured some 46,000 and damaged or destroyed more than 139,000 homes.

The day NAM lost its founder...

As diplomats from across Asia, Africa and Latin America begin a two-day meeting in Putrajaya today, host Malaysia urged member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) not to question the continued relevance of the 45 year-old movement. Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the 114-member NAM's relevancy had persistently been questioned, both by NAM members as well its critics, since the end of the Cold War. "There is no doubt in my mind about the continued, indeed increased relevance, of NAM for a number of reasons," he said when opening the Preparatory Meeting of Senior Officials for the Ministerial Meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau (NAM-CoB). It was not the first time for the minister to voice the concern . Ironically, it was on this day that NAM lost one of its founding fathers with the death of India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964. He died of a heart attack at the age of 74. As India’s first prime minister since it achieved independence from Britain in 1947, Nehru refused to align the country to either Soviet Union or United States in the Cold War. Representing the interests of developing countries, NAM has its origin in the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. The meeting brought together leaders of 29 states, mostly former colonies, from the two continents of Africa and Asia, to discuss common concerns and to develop joint policies in international relations. Nehru, along with Indonesian President Sukarno and Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, led the conference. At the meeting Third World leaders shared their similar problems of resisting the pressures of the major powers, maintaining their independence and opposing colonialism and neo-colonialism, especially western domination.

Catering to the needs of pressmen....

Cutting the white-and-purple ribbon, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar opened the International Media Centre for the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau (NAM-CoB) Ministerial Meeting at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) Friday. The centre is ready to cater to the needs of journalists covering the four-day meeting from May 27 to 30 including those from the non-English speaking countries. More than 100 journalists and photographers from 15 countries have confirmed their presence to cover the event. Apart from Internet-access computer terminals including those in French, Arabic and Chinese, the centre provides Internet ports for journalists using their own laptops and wireless Internet services. The centre was set-up and managed by Bernama, already a 'veteran' in providing such expertise. In major international events and summit, an efficient media centre has become an important component to ensure their success. With such facilities, pressmen would be able to carry out their work with ease while the events get good coverage and the desired impact.

You mean a world...

"To the world you are one person, but to one person you are the world".
I picked this up from the radio last night as it belted out easy listening hits one after another. Soon my mind wandered around and in the ensuing mood, recalled a friend's timely advice. I had asked him whether all the things in the world would still mean anything when the end seemed so near for me. Of course, I had told him about my visit to the clinic and the remarks made by the specialist. Sensing my badly-bruised morale, he tried to cheer me up saying that he was in no better situation himself. In fact, some believed he would have died in 2004 because of his ill-health. But he fought the battle and stood the challenge with whatever strength he had. It was not easy but he had no choice. He had to be strong for he was a gallant man in the eyes of his young children. He means a world to them. I could imagine how traumatic it would have been for the young souls to lose a loved one at such tender age. I lost my mother when I was six. Decades have past and I still yearn for a mother's love. Thank you my friend for those encouraging words. I know I have to be strong to face the world because in my children worldly eyes, their papa is their world.

'Walking time-bomb'

I am no suicide bomber. Neither do I aspire to be one. But when the doctor told me today that I am a walking time-bomb, I really had a lot of thinking to do. Perhaps it is more than just thinking but to do something. That something must be carried out fast lest it'll be disaster. Although I had anticipated my blood pressure to be on the higher side, I did not imagine that it would rose to 200/120. Even the specialist doctor was particularly concerned. "You are a walking time-bomb," she told me. The last time I saw her a month ago, the reading was 170/110. Have to admit that of late, I had not been paying much attention to my health. Worse still, I've not been taking the medicine she prescribed for some time. She warned me not to skip the medication as she said it could have been the cause for the higher BP reading. So she prescribed three medicine for me -- Atenolol (100mg), Amlodipine (10mg) and Losartan potassium (50mg) to be taken daily. But she told me to get my BP reading before taking the third pill, an expensive brand! Only if the level remains high, should I take the medicine. No matter how difficult it will be for me to swallow the pill, I will need to keep my will power strong.

Being part of the global community

The Wolfson College 2004-2005 magazine made its way from Cambridge to my home today. Had a pleasant surprise when I turned to page 44 under the title "The Press Fellowship 2002-2005" for there was a mug-shot of me alongside the photo of my fellow mate Farai of Zimbabwe. My thoughts were immediately taken back to the time when we were on the programme during the Michaelmas Term 2004. I couldn't agree more with what programme director John Naughton wrote: "What makes the Press Fellowship distinctive is that it is not a course, but a way of giving busy journalists the time and space in which to do some serious thinking, away from the pressures of their professional lives." In the course of my 'research' on 'The British Media Reporting of Islam', I had the chance to read various British newspapers and meet or communicate with a number of personalities, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. I truly value the experience as it has made me a better person and helped me in the course of my work, just like the time when I organised the visit of the Indian journalists to Malaysia or the UNESCO-approved workshop for journalists from Arabic-speaking countries. I am looking forward to even more challenging tasks in discharging my duties as being part of the global community. In this regard, it is heartening to note of John's writing that the Press Fellowship is 24 years old this year and will soon be welcoming its 300th fellow. (I suppose it has done so by now). As he rightly pointed out: "The map of the world on which we record the countries from which Press Fellows come now has pins in 44 countries - a new (and we hope benign) 'empire' on which the sun never sets."

Bernama opens Beijing bureau

Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, has opened a bureau in Beijing as part of its international expansion programme. With the announcement today, Beijing adds up to existing Bernama bureaus in Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok. After Beijing, Bernama plans to open offices in Dubai and New Delhi. The agency also has stringers in Melbourne, Washington, London, Bonn and Colombo. Bernama has 500 staff and provides news and information in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Arabic to newspaper, news agency, magazine and other subscribers. It also produces television news bulletins.
While the news was greeted with much enthusiasm, the agency mourned the death of a former editor, Louis Donald Baptist, 57. He died after he collapsed while shopping with his wife in a supermarket. Baptist was one of the early recruits into Bernama, joining the news agency in April 1969 after stints with the Penang Straits Echo and Eastern Sun. He made his name as a court reporter and served as the Bernama correspondent in Bangkok before rising to become editor of the English sub-editors desk. He resigned from Bernama in 1997 to join a daily as a copy editor before returning to the agency in 2003 to work as a copy sub-editor on the foreign desk until last year when he retired.

Between a wise man and a fool...

Many a time when confronted with an issue, there's bound to be pros and cons. In a world which considers freedom of expression a crucial element of human right, it is hardly unusual for mortal souls to have their own say in matters concerning their interest. Whether it's right or wrong, good or bad, the important thing is to learn how to agree to disagree. Or is it disagree to agree? For the press, comments from the public, leaders and those with vested interest are often sought whenever an issue arises. More often than not, many unwarranted statements creep into the picture from publicity-seeking personalities. They often wear many hats, giving them all-round advantage to pounce and capitalize on any issue. It is often during such situation that a person could be judged of either being a wise man or a fool. Why? A wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool speaks because he has to say something.

Arab journalists endorse journalism centre proposal

Twenty-two journalists from Arabic-speaking countries concluded their week-long familiarisation programme in Kuala Lumpur today with a strong endorsement of the idea to establish an international Islamic journalism centre. They hoped the centre, proposed by Malaysian Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin in his speech at the opening of the workshop on Tuesday May 2, could be formed soon.
Apart from getting Muslim journalists to discuss common issues, the minister had said the centre could organise programmes for non-Muslim journalists to know more about Islam.

In a five-point declaration, the journalists from 17 countries lauded the initiative to hold the workshop as a step to improve the friendly relations between the Ummah from the Arab world and Southeast Asia.
They also gave their support to the NAM News Network (NNN) by pledging to get their news agencies to send their news to it.The participants, including seven women, suggested that the workshop be continued in the future as a training opportunity for journalists.

Linking press freedom to poverty eradication...

The Bernama-run workshop for journalists from Arabic-speaking countries enters its second day today as World Press Freedom Day 2006 is celebrated across the globe. Some 300 participants attending an international conference on Media, Development and Poverty Eradication in Sri Lanka adopted the Colombo Declaration calling for freedom of the press to be recognized as a core element in development strategies. The Declaration recognizes the important role of press freedom in the fight against all forms of poverty and exclusion. "This year, World Press Freedom Day is dedicated to the consideration of how protecting and furthering the fundamental human rights of freedom of expression and press freedom can assist in assuring another human right – the right to be free from poverty,” says UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura. Following the two-day conference which ended on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, Matsuura presented the 2006 UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to Lebanese journalist May Chidiac. The award which carries US$25,000 prize money was created in memory of the Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano, assassinated in 1987 for exposing the work of drug barons. Chidiac, a popular television news journalist, lost her left hand and foot in a car bomb attack on 25 September 2005. While praising Chidiac’s “courage and professionalism”, Matsuura recalled that 2005 was a very bad year as far as violence against the media was concerned. Quoting statistics from the International Federation of Journalists, he said 150 media professionals were killed in the line of duty last year and more than 500 media professionals had been detained or imprisoned. Next year’s main World Press Freedom Day celebration will be held in Colombia. The celebration was first proposed by participants at the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, which UNESCO organized in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1991.

Bracing for a highly-anticipated gathering

After weeks of nerve-wrecking efforts in getting their participation, some 25 journalists from Arabic-speaking countries were finally registered for a week-long familiarisation trip to Malaysia starting May 1. They will attend the workshop jointly organised by BERNAMA and UNESCO with the strong support of the Malaysian Information Ministry. Its main objective is to seek a common ground in their approach to covering events and issues concerning Islam. From email exchanges with them, many were eager to visit Malaysia. Yemeni Yahya Arhab, for instance, said he was looking forward to attend the workshop to enhance his reporting knowledge and establish new contacts. Making his first overseas trip, Arhab said he had heard much about
Malaysia, describing it as "the most beautiful country in Asia".
Egyptian journalist Hayam Hammam said she too was looking forward to the programme to know more about Malaysia."It is really my dream to visit Malaysia, such fascinating country which I heard a lot about it and about its people," she said in her email message.
Apart from Yemen and Egypt, the other participants were expected from Algeria, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq and Turkey.

Al-Fatihah Tun Ghafar ....

Former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghafar Baba, died at the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur this morning due to heart, lung and kidney complications. He was 81. His family members were at his bedside when he breathed last at 7.34am. His simple and sincere ways would always be fondly remembered. Although being in the corridor of power, Ghafar had always remained true to his roots. He refused any sort of honorific, prefering to remain plain Encik Ghafar for most part of his life. It was only after he retired from office that he was persuaded to accept the Tunship. From being the Chief Minister of Melaka from June 1959 to August 1967, he became a Cabinet minister from 1969 to 1976. He was the Deputy Prime Minister from May 7, 1986 to Oct.15, 1993, the year he resigned as Umno deputy president. I was fortunate to be assigned to cover Ghafar in his various capacity either in the government or the party. But one moment which remains vivid in my mind was the time when he faced the challenge for the post of Umno deputy president. Disappointed with the turn of events, Ghafar decided to seek solace abroad. When he came back a few days later, we tried to corner him at the old international airport in Subang but he refused to meet the press. We trailed him to his house in Bukit Pantai but still could not get to see him. We patiently waited outside his gate. An hour passed and then two yet there was no sign of him wanting to talk to us. In our long wait, I remember someone brought out cold drink for us weary reporters to quench our thirst. As it was getting dark, we finally decided to call it a day. But before we left, I had to give another try. I flipped open an empty page of my Bernama notebook and wrote: "Kepada Y.A.B. Encik Ghafar, Selamat kembali ke tanahair. Kami berdoa Y.A.B. berada dalam keadaan sihat walafiat. Terima kasih kerana sudi memberikan kami minuman. Semoga kita dapat bertemu di lain ketika yang lebih sesuai. Terima kasih daripada para wartawan". After writing the note, I tore the page and gave it to the police guard. We requested him to take it to Ghafar. He obliged and we waited with whatever hope we had. After 10 minutes or so, it was still in vain and we knew we had to go. But just as we were walking to our car, the policeman came running out of the house and told us that Ghafar wanted to see us. Of course, we got our story which was well worth waiting for.