Circus show, Microsoft and Sugar

How are you people?


Just fresh from watching the greatest circus show on earth, the only thing I want to utter out of my lips is "how the hell do we elect these monyets?" Both BN and DAP ought to take some time out to think about what they just did in the latest show. Yes, I see rude politicians and I see politicians who wants to make a small matter big. So what's the result in the end?

I don't care if you want to run it like a civilised nation or you want to continue the circus show time, as long as you churn out the results, that's the most I'm asking for. Remember more monkey shows two years ago, the infamous "Keluar Malaysia" quote? That's suratkhabar lama I know, look at how the Yang Dipertua handled both situations, speechless.

Enough of politics.

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So I promised to blog about the recent RM10.50 Microsoft deal for Malaysian schools.



Not exactly "fresh" news but I had to take a stab at it because it's so related to MORSEHack.

I read about this a few weeks on linuxtoday, and any news related to microsoft trying to get some market share back from allowing linux to eat up all the 3rd world countries is BIG news!!!!

This is one of them. Microsoft is offering student suites at USD3 per copy of software to students on third world countries, but with a lot of catches:

1. The Government (of the qualifying country) must subsidise more than 50% of the purchase price of each PC, with the other 50% borne by the students.
2. A minimum of 10,000 PCs must be ordered and supplied by the Government within one year.
   

Aih, a bit old school this news. If you're wondering why microsoft is so desperate to do this, you should check out the One Laptop per Child initiative. They are running on an Operating system called Sugar, here's a screenshot for you. I'm actually pretty impressed by this.


Nothing too great, it gives a person the basic things needed for everyday life computing. Heck, my mom doesn't even uses computer and this would suit her nicely. Things a person need in their OS are:

• Web browser (you need this to surf the internet)
• Email client (Yes and no, if you're using web-based email clients you don't even need this)
• Calculator (probably useful for students)
• Word processor (Typing documents)
• Spreadsheet (Not even needed sometimes if you're not doing office work)
• Picture viewer (essential)
• Movie + audio player (very essential)
• Paint (To draw)
  

I think that is about the things one needs in their OS, and they have all of that in Sugar, pretty amazing yea?

One thing you will realise when you look at the screenshot, there's no Microsoft applications, meaning no worries of any copyright infringement issues etc, pretty neat eh?

Anyway that's about the only reason I can think about why Microsoft took this drastic move. I seriously think the government should reconsider using linux rather than microsoft. At RM10.50 per software it's still way more expensive than FREE.

Plus, what about all the technical support (follow ups)? How much would Microsoft charge for those? Dear oh dear, it's just getting more and more desperate.


References:

1. Microsoft pitches student-help plan, The Star, 7 May 2007.
   

Fraud in schools? Believe it!!

I should actually nominate johnleemk's blog Infernal Ramblings as one of the blogs that got me thinking. But I'm not into all these awards thingy as it's just another lame attempt to cook up something that would last for a few weeks.

Anyway I've came across this post of his about "Educationist Defraud a Charity" which he'd written a few day ago.

It was a very valid story and it reminded me of my alma mater. Let me summarize his story first.

His ex-classmate was involved in raising some fund for a charity (outside school I presume). After they had managed to collect an amount which in john's word is "not unsignificant", "the teacher in charge of advising the organising committee told them that she wanted half of the proceeds for the school."

Yes I know what you're thinking. Low-life etc etc.


Let me relate to you a few stories of my own.

As you may have known, I've started putting nuffnang ads on my blog to raise some money to be donated to my secondary school.

Let me tell you this. I'm actually not too keen on doing this for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that we would never know how these money have been put to good use.

I know that with the money, we have been building more classrooms, demolishing my beloved tennis court etc. Word has it that the contractors involved in these are charging the school at extraordinary amount.

What makes it worse is that they are on the board of directors of the school committee. They would also consistently donate RM3k or a little more to the school everytime there's a donation drive. The question is they donate, just to earn it all back from these contracts which would be easily worth more than RM500k? When I was still in school, I was told by the headmaster (whom I know personally) that we still owe the contractors a huge amount of money.





What is it with these people? First, we don't get enough funding from the Education Ministry. Second, our own donation drive (huge ones I assure you) would be just like a money making machine for these contractors.

Word also has it that the contractor involved was on the brink of bankruptcy. Now? He owns a huge hotel called Star City in the middle of Alor Star. How did he turn around? By getting petty cash from the school through his fraudulent schemes of being on the school board and the contractor involved at the same time.

I would call this a scam but I think this is much much worse. He's not conning just 1 person of their money but a whole bunch of ignorant people. Now I understand why my parents were reluctant to donate their money last time when I was trying my best to persuade them to.

I'm telling you "SMK Keat Hwa" in Alor Star. Stop asking for charity until you have proven that our money has been put to good use. Shame on you.


Onto my second story. Another school involved in these scheme is my primary school, SRJK (C) Keat Hwa (H). Here's a story that shocked the nation not too long ago. Photo taken from Paul Ooi's blog.

If you don't know. One of the teachers fell to his death after falling from a ceiling which is infested with termites. I'm telling you this, the SAME contractor is involved in this.


Nevertheless, I'll still donate as I've claimed earlier. For a simple reason that I really want them to improve. The next step would be for them to correct their mistakes and hopefully put all these money to good uses.

ICT in schools

Short talk: I'm supposed to be doing my dissertation now....... will resume after finishing this post.


2 pieces of news caught my eyes today. First it was the Govt telling GLCs (Government-linked Companies) to do their bit for rural schools.


Citing Telekom Malaysia as an example, there were 2 points worthy to note from it. It is particularly useful for Project MORSEHack I thought.

• TM has provided broadband to schools (although the quality of it is subject to debate)
• A group of students from Universiti Multimedia (MMU) will stay with their adopted families from within these schools and volunteer their services to the community here.

I think it would be particularly useful if Project MORSEHack also includes a volunteer program at its centres so that students who wants to learn more about

• assembling computers
• linux usage
• possibly a bit of programming

can learn more about it from these various workshops. Other than looking good on their CV, it would also help reduce the burden of cost of running the project.

Do you have any opinions on this?

The second news that caught my eyes was this:
It says that despite the government's spending of over RM100,000 on computer labs, it is not utilised to the max. Well this is where the program could help them.

It is possible that, with the cost reduction in getting the coms and saving a bug chunk from using free software, the school authorities can spend the budget allocated to them on things like printer cartridges and papers.

Servicing the computer takes months and costs so much through official channels. However, it takes less than two hours to service it at the local computer shop at a tenth of the cost. [Source: The Star]

I'm pretty intrigued by this statement. What are the types of servicing needed?

The biggest challenge I can think of is the cathode-ray tube monitor. Until now, I think handling and repairing it is still the biggest computer hazard. Are there any effective ways to reduce the breakdown of these monitors?

Another common scenario is computers being supplied but schools not having electricity. In rural areas, there are generators but no fuel. [Source: The Star]

This is probably the next biggest challenge. But it is on the side of the school. To be eligible for the project I think it is the responsibility of the school to prove that they really have the infrastructure to accommodate these computers.

Minimum requirements should be set:

• A suitable room which can hold the amount of computers.
• Electricity being available in the room.
• A good internet connection to the room.

I think these are the challenges that the project might face.

Honestly, it's a tough job but I can see it happen. What do you think?





References:

1. Do your bit for rural schools, GLC told, The Star, 30 April 2007.
2. ICT failure in schools, The Star, 29 April 2007.
   

A smack in the face for MORSEHack?

It seems that Microsoft has finally move in their attempt to capture the growing market in emerging economies. The latest of its move is to introduce $3 Windows-Office bundle which comes with a small catch.

In order to be eligible, governments must pick up at least half the tab for the PC, though the software can also be used on refurbished computers, which can cost as little as $50, Microsoft said.

A smack in the face for project MORSEHack I would say. But then again, if it could benefit the community, we wouldn't mind using microsoft products. Problem is, it still costs money even though it's a mere RM10 per PC. And we need government's backing too, sigh Dato Seri Hishammudin, you hear that?

So Microsoft Malaysia, any statements if Malaysians would benefit from this?

clipped from blogs.zdnet.com April 19th, 2007 Microsoft’s Linux defense: $3 Windows-Office bundle in emerging markets Microsoft can't afford to have open source software dominate emerging markets–or it's growth is toast. The solution: $3 Windows for governments to give away. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates outlining a plan to provide low-costs bundles of Office and Windows to governments, who in theory would load these on PCs for students to use.

Racial Integration?

Like most Malaysians, I can sniff out a real problem out of all the problems posed in the daily news. Like this headline in The Star, this is a real concern for the future of the country.

I think this is the first time I've ever touched on racial issues, so I'm gonna make this a slightly longer post expressing my views.

We already know that racial integration is a problem in adults, an issue faced since the formation of Malaysia. This problem roots from an array of scenarios, be it from the social, economical or political points of view. I even learn from history text books during my time in secondary school that

Malays lead lives as farmers and fishermen
Chinese lead lives as businessmen
Indian lead lives as rubber tappers

Believe me, it is in the old History syllabus whether you like it or not, and that's history, one which nobody can change. I also grew up with a perception that Chinese are rich, Malays are not that rich and Indians are downright poor.

I couldn't be more wrong. One just couldn't associate professions from wealth, not anymore. I know of Malay businessmen, just take my fellow Kedahan Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, no matter what people say about how he acquired his wealth, you just couldn't argue the fact that he is damn good a businessman. Money doesn't lie.

I also know of chinese who lead lives as farmers, fishermen and even rubber tappers. You wouldn't believe me but rubber tappers now earn plentiful, enough not only to feed the family but to invest into other businesses as well. Of course there are also quite a lot of them living in lives of poverty, I know of some like that as well, but they are still happy.

The same thing goes for Indians as well. Look at the "official" second richest man in Malaysia, Bina Tegas owner Ananda Krishnan, again money doesn't lie, no matter how he acquired all those wealth.

Youngsters not concerned with racial integration?

Just why are these youngsters not concerned with racial integration. The reason for this is that there is no motivation or incentives in doing so. We live in a country where choice of school is based on race and religion. We have Islamic colleges, Mara boarding schools, even secondary schools are chosen based on one's race. Unless you put them all in a same school instead of segregating them into schools based on race and religion, the situation wouldn't improve.


Blame it on their parents for sending their children to vernacular schools, blame it here and there. Why not blame it on yourself? I'm sure the percentage of students in vernacular school is pretty small compared to those in national schools. Even so, why not send malays to these "vernacular" schools?

I understand that the government tried to forge unity through the various vision school programs. Failure or success of those programs I can't tell, but there's one thing for sure that the government is reluctant to do, and that is to accept the fact that they are just taking the wrong approach.

With textbooks and syllabus teaching kids like what I mentioned above, I don't see youngsters forming any sort of respect towards other races.

From a political point of view, there is also the infamous ideology of Ketuanan Melayu or Malay Supremacy looming around the air. With this, how can a non-Malay bear the thought of sharing the burden of the country when they don't get to share the wealth. Ask this to any secondary school student and they will tell you that they dislike the bumiputera special rights rule. Yet, they are forced to accept this as a fact.

Now you should understand why they think it is not an issue. To them, getting good grades is most important. It is already a "fact" that racial integration can never be achieved with the current ruling. After all, they don't have to pay for taxes, nor do they have to worry about financing a house, yet.

Only 52% of the teenagers said they had a friend of a different race. [Source: The Star]

That is actually quite a high number, I actually expected a much lower figure. How about the percentage of teenagers who have friends from all three major races? That should be more clear right?

Solutions?

No solutions to this. I believe that one should live out their student life fully without the slightest worry in the world. It is only later in life that they will start to realize and experience these issues. Hopefully by then, we can resolve this matter once and for all and leave a better country for our children to take on the world together as a nation.
References:

1. Survey: Many youngsters aren't concerned about racial integration, Simrit Kaur, The Star, 29 March 2007.
2. Education system blamed, Mazwin Nik Anis & Ee-Lyn Tan, The Star, 29 March 2007.
   

Explanation, Plead

After bashing up female bloggers. Tengku Adnan tried to respond and suppress all those anger bloggers have against him, saying he was only refering to the Indonesian blogger. Video here.

Then the bloggers retaliate, once again. I think we should stop this people, if he doesn't get it the first time, he won't get it no matter how many times you guys try.

I say "ENOUGH OF THIS!!! We really have much more important things to be concern about here."

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On more important things, Ong Ka Ting had this to say about scholarship applicants.

Students from well-to-do families have been advised to refrain from applying for
public scholarships so that poorer ones are not deprived of the chance to study
abroad. [Source: The Star]

I totally agree with this. Please people, we have students living on RM1 a day, and they're making more effort to gain knowledge than a lot more people I know who takes knowledge for granted.

I say we should have centres for the EXTREMELY motivatived. This means that this school should accept students who showed an EXTREME passion towards a certain area, for example, programming, engineering, science subjects etc. My roommate recently told me of a certain junior of his who shows "Passion" for engineering. How passionate you ask? I'll leave this for some later discussion.

My point here is that these students don't necessarily need to show too much talent, or potential. And who are we to judge people's potential anyway? What we want is students who are keen to learn, and by all means we should provide them with the environment fitting to their cause. Still with me here?

Let me end this post with some questions:

1. Are you a scholarship recipient?
2. Do you know any scholarship recipient who was given the scholarship below merit but just because he/she has the necessary "connections"?
3. Do you think racism has anything to do with this?
   

References:

1. Blog? or War?, Boss Lepton.
2. Adnan: I was only referring to Indon journalist, March 16 2007, The Star.
3. Tengku Adnan is cornered on the blogger issue, 15 March 2007, Malaysiakini.
4. Tengku Adnan - "I love women" (choke), March 16 2007, Elizabeth Wong.
5. Give way to the poor, March 16 2007, The Star.
6. Need motivation? Think you're very unlucky?, Boss Lepton.

Word of the day: Catch-22

It's about time we move out of the SPM zone and leave what's history as history. We shall return later when the JPA scholarship awards are being handed out. (Lots of juicy stories I'm expecting)

The word of the day today is Catch-22. I was actually looking at Infernal Rambling's article on “Converting to Islam and Back". A very eye-catching story if any of you are interested. It raised the ever unresolved question of which court, the Syariah or civil, should be superior to the other. One can obtain more information about the case here, as reported by NST.

Here is one of Datuk Gopal Sri Ram's view:

"The wife is therefore in a catch-22 situation. But she has a recourse under a provision in the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act," he said, adding that Subshini could apply to the Syariah Appeal Court to exercise its supervisory and revisionary powers to make a ruling on the legality of the husband’s application on grounds that the syariah court lacked jurisdiction and that she was a non-Muslim. [Source: NST]

At first, I was thinking. What does catch-22 mean? Forgive me if you already know the answer but my command of English is not as powerful as most of you out there.

What do you do when you come across something you couldn't understand? I WIKI it up.

Turns out that catch-22 is.......

........a term, coined by Joseph Heller in his novel Catch-22, describing a general situation in which an individual requests something, but the very act of requesting it seems to obviate the justification for the request (rightly or wrongly). [Source: Wikipedia]

Still, I couldn't grasp the meaning of this, and continued to look at the examples. Here are some:

1. The chicken or the egg: Which came first? There wouldn't be a chicken without an egg. There wouldn't be an egg without a chicken. This is a catch-22 situation.
2. The graduate: A graduate couldn't get a job because he doesn't have the necessary work experience. He also couldn't get work experience because he couldn't get a job. He's in a catch-22 situation.

So this is catch-22, I never knew that. Hmmm.....

Back to our news. Why is the lady in a catch-22 situation as commented by Datuk Sri Ram?

Another judge, Datuk Hasan Lah explained.....

Hasan said the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 gave Subshini the right to apply to the High Court but the civil court could not issue a stay order (under the Specific Relief Act 1950) on matters involving the syariah court. [Source: NST]

Catch-22 it is!!!!! Eureka!!!!! So learn it, catch-22, a very useful word.

I'm still particularly interested in how they are going to resolve this matter.

References:

1. Converting to Islam and Back, johnleemk, Mar 14, 2007.
2. Catch-22(logic), Wikipedia.
3. Non-Muslim spouse must seek remedy in syariah court, V.Anbalagan, Mar 14, 2007.
   

More SPM woes?

Since 12 March is the date SPM results were out, I shall dedicate this post to some serious SPM shits.

Remember when I talked about the potential 19A1 girl?

Well she got 18As instead, but I have to admit it's a hard task and a great effort on her side. However, I wouldn't encourage anybody else to go for that record, stick to the 10 core subjects dammit.

On a side note? What's with releasing the biographies? You're only 19. I guess there's no age limit for being an entrepreneur eh?

Another candidate who wants to go for the record, ended up with 16As and 1B.

Come on people, after facing all those exams. I have to admit I did quite well academically in most of them. What about soft skills?
Employers stress need for 'soft skills'[Source: FT.com]

I have to admit I'm just don't have enough soft skills to match my academic achievements. Well, do you?


Now, within the coming months we shall have more info on the distribution of JPA scholarships, stay tuned.

SPM SPM where art thee going?

New SPM Record Likely

..........is likely to get 19 1As in the examinations and replace Nur Amalina Che Bakri, who obtained 17 1As in 2004, as the country's top scorer.

Once again I have to salute the top scorers for doing something I can't even do, scoring in SPM. Anyhow as I'm trained as a statistician, I can't help but wonder why the term "is likely" is used.

What is their basis on the claim of "likely"? None. Zilt. How can the mainstream media make such an irresponsible claim? It can be potentially misleading and truthfully, they are quite lucky that this is not a very important matter.

Think about what if they make a claim that "The Bursa is likely to gain......". I would be so pissed off by that, and how many people would be deceived in this false perception? This is exactly one of the problems journalists face. I bet my lecturer would be happy to comment on these kind of misleading statements, he had come accross many misleading statistical statements made in COURT, no joke.

Anyhow, back to the topic of the day. Dude, I plead to thee the Education Minister. Please, I don't really wanna see another few thousand straight A1 achievers. Raise the standard of the exam when you see students getting smarter and smarter. Reserve the straight A1s to a few of the REAL elites. I dream of a day when students getting straight B3's or A2's would be just as proud of their results.

Isn't it better this way? Don't you think so?

Gimme the money

Race for PSD scholarships on again

PUTRAJAYA: The race for the prestigious Public Service Department overseas scholarships is on again.

Applications from students who scored 10 1As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination and those from households earning not more than RM1,500 a month will be given special consideration.

This means that when it comes to deciding between a poor 10 1As applicant and a well-to-do 12 1As scorer, the department will pick the former if he or she has fulfilled all the other requirements and pass the interview.

Interview? What interview? To be honest, I've been to one of these interviews and sadly I didn't get the scholarship. But thinking back, WHAT INTERVIEW??? I don't call that an interview, it's just 20 people in a room, supposedly discussing something. I recall doing my best by being active in participation but some of the others didn't even utter a single word.

Result, I didn't get the scholarship. Again, I think PSD has to rethink whether it is necessary to conduct interviews because it is simply impossible to do it in just 1 session. Think about how many students are applying. Unless the interviews are conducted in a series of sessions, with a chance of each student getting a one-to-one interview, like how Petronas does, please just scrap the interview part.

Then again, the question is "is selection solely based on meritocracy and household background?".

I think most of you out there know the answer to this question.

Education woes

Higher Education Min: 'We will hire the best' for public universities

Higher Education Min: 'We will hire the best' for public universities
KOTA BARU: The hiring of academicians for public universities will be based on meritocracy to ensure high standards, Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said.

Hello YB, are you sure you're gonna do that? How about promoting them based on meritocracy? What about the higher positions in these universities?