NST Online: Topnews

Malaysia-Africa smart partnership can benefit all

Posted: 18 Jun 2011 08:02 PM PDT

Malaysia-Africa smart partnership can benefit all

PUTRAJAYA: African countries should look more towards emerging economies such as Malaysia for products and services as opposed to obtaining them from developed economies.

In making the call, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that small and medium enterprises from Malaysia and Africa should also cooperate as local SMEs had a lot to offer their African counterparts.

"SMEs of our countries can identify, determine and produce goods that we need.

This could be an example of smart partnership cooperation in the future," he said in his keynote address at the Ninth Langkawi International Dialogue 2011 here today.

Najib, who is Finance Minister, said that there were unlimited prospects in trade between Malaysia and African countries.

He also lauded the LID for having significantly raised trade between Malaysia and Africa since the inception of the forum in 1995.

Last year alone, trade between them rose 39 per cent to RM25 billion compared with 2009, which could potentially increase further with Africa apparently experiencing a form of "economic resurgence".

Between 2001 and 2010, gross domestic product growth of the continent averaged 5.2 per cent annually - a growth rate which is also expected this year and which markedly outstripped the global average GDP of 4.2 per cent.

Najib also commended the inaugural business forum held yesterday, describing the event as a great success as it provided a new and exciting platform for exploring business and investment opportunities between Malaysia and its partners.

"It also serves as a useful device to measure the business climate and potential, and I sincerely hope that this forum will continue to be part of future smart partnership dialogues," said Najib. -- BERNAMA

Air your comment on this issue:

Malaysia-Africa smart partnership can benefit all

Log in with your Facebook account or use the form below to comment.

New Straits Times reserves the right not to publish offensive or abusive comments and those of hate speech, harassment, commercial promos and invasion of privacy. Your IP will be logged and may be used to prevent further submission.The views expressed here are that of the members of the public and unless specifically stated are not those of NST.

Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Pretty handsome police

Posted: 18 Jun 2011 06:15 PM PDT

2011/06/19
By Tan Choe Choe
choe@nst.com.my

Actress Serina Redzuan in a scene from Gerak Khas. The long running TV series has inspired many to enter the police force.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Police is now making it a point to station good-looking, smart and personable police officers at all frontline positions to present a more friendly and accessible image to the public.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar told the New Sunday Times that he wanted his men to present a personable and smart image to the public.

"We want the public to feel our friendliness, so it isn't just about placing those with good-looking faces or having a nice body out there. It is about mannerisms and personality, too. They must be good-natured," he said.

However, he was cautious to commit that this "new policy" was for every frontline position in the country.

"Of course, we can't do it for every (frontline) position, everywhere, that

is impossible. But we hope to do our best as we feel this is what the public wants. Of course, not all can, or must, be good-looking, but it is a plus factor."

Perhaps our police force is taking a page out of a new strategy book undertaken

by the Indonesian police force to burnish its image in the eyes of the public.

Last month, it was reported in the Jakarta Post that the Indonesian police
was hoping that good-looking police officers, particularly six young women who appeared on national television to report traffic conditions every morning, might help change the image of its officers. There is even an Internet forum
that discusses the appearance of this group of attractive policewomen.

It seems their good looks have promoted these policewomen to almost celebrity status. Some fans have their pictures as the wallpaper on their computer and mobile phone screens.

Affection for these celebrity policewomen also appears to have positively
affected the public's perception of the Indonesian law enforcement agency.
The paper reported that a fan, who had previously pictured the police force as terrifying and bureaucratic — if not corrupt — was beginning to think that "maybe they (the police) are trying to remedy the situation".

The policewomen report the nation's daily traffic dressed in their smart uniforms, with flawless makeup and hairdos. Ismail also revealed that there
were more graduates joining the police force every year.

"We are trying to change because we understand society is changing and we are developing along to suit its needs.

"As of now, all our inspector-level recruits are graduates. Even our sergeants hold at least a diploma," he said.

This seems to be a far cry from its earlier days when the force was attracting
mostly Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (equivalent to today's Penilaian Menengah Rendah) and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia holders.

"I hope the public sees this as an indication of us trying to be better.
Of course, academic qualifications alone is not enough. We want our people to have the right skills and values, like integrity and responsibility. "More importantly, they must have courage — academic qualifications alone won't see them through when they are face to face with hardened criminals."

Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Sabtu, 18 Jun 2011