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B5 supply earliest by 2013: Dompok Posted: 05 Oct 2011 11:47 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: The supply of the new fuel, biodiesel or B5 will be introduced nationwide earliest in 2013, taking into account companies' time frame to build the blending facilities accurately, says Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok. On June 1, Malaysia implemented its mandatory B5 biodiesel programme(blending five per cent palm methyl ester with 95 per cent fossil fuel) starting with the central region covering Putrajaya, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Currently, the ministry together with MPOB are looking into the plan to expand the B5 programme nationwide including industry sectors. "The B5 programme will give positive impact to Malaysia's oil palm industry, mainly in stabilising demand and price, besides lifting the country's image at the international level," he told reporters after launching the use of B5 programme for the central region level, Kuala Lumpur, here today. The government would continue to keep the price at RM1.80 per litre, the same cost as regular diesel and absorb the differences, he added. Dompok stated the roll out of B5 in Kuala Lumpur would involve B5 supply by 247 petrol stations, and about 890 tonnes or 1.03 million litre palm oil biodiesel would be used per month. "This would contribute to saving close to 12.4 million litre fossil diesel per year in Kuala Lumpur," he explained. The government through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board has allocated RM43.1 million for the construction of B5 biodiesel in-line blending facilities. The B5 programme is envisaged to take up some 500,000 tonnes of CPO, which in turn will help the industry manage its palm oil stock levels.--BERNAMA

Indonesian agency seizes online drugs Posted: 05 Oct 2011 11:14 PM PDT JAKARTA: An Indonesian enforcement agency has seized a total of 57 brands of medicinal drugs worth Rp82 million (US$9,184) that were illegally marketed online, most of which were sexual stimulants. The drugs confiscated by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency had been for sale on 30 websites. BPOM had teamed up with the National Police and Interpol to conduct a week-long drug control operation "Pangea" in 81 countries all across the globe from Sept 20 to 27 this year. This year is the first time that Indonesia has joined the annual operation, which has been running since 2008. "Twenty-six of the brands were drugs for male sexual dysfunctions, 10 for female libido, seven were anesthetic drugs, 12 were traditional drugs, five were slimming drugs, seven were embrocation products and two were food supplements," head of BPOM Kustantinah told local media Wednesday. According to the list distributed to reporters, most of the seized drugs were Chinese-branded and were mosly distributed in the Tanjung Duren area, East Jakarta, in Palmerah in West Jakarta and Cikokol in Greater Jakarta. BPOM also reported that it had confiscated 21 kinds of Indonesian traditional herbal products, known as jamu, and warned the public to be extra careful in consuming jamu. The number of jamu products containing chemicals had however decreased in the last five years, said the agency. "Only 0.72 percent of the jamu products on the market this year contain chemicals," Kustantinah said. Meanwhile head of the Indonesia Jamu Entrepreneurs Association Charles Saerang said the jamu products containing chemicals sold on the market were all foreign-branded. -- BERNAMA

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Apple founder Steve Jobs dies Posted: 05 Oct 2011 06:40 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO: The Apple chairman and former Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs passed away on Wednesday after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56 years old, reported China's Xinhua news agency. Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives," Apple said in a statement. "The world is immeasurably better because of Steve." The American computer entrepreneur and inventor had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August 24. "His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene Powell, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying. "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," the company said in a statement. "Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built and this spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple." Apple has also put up the following website in memory. They're asking for "thoughts, memories, and condolences" to be shared by way of this email address: rememberingsteve@apple.com While, Jobs' family, in a statement said that: "Steve died peacefully surrounded by his family. We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. "We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief." Apple's website has changed to "Steve Jobs: 1955-2011," along with the most iconic picture in which the scraggly bearded charismatic visionary posed with one hand up to his chin. One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 years he was involved in the technology industry. Personal computing was invented with the launch of the Apple II in 1977. Legal digital music recordings were brought into the mainstream with the iPod and iTunes in the early 2000s, and mobile phones were never the same after the 2007 debut of the iPhone. Jobs played an instrumental role in the development of all three, and managed to find time to transform the art of computer-generated movie-making on the side. The invention of the iPad in 2010, a touch-screen tablet computer his competitors flocked to reproduce, was the capstone of his career as a technologist. A conceptual hybrid of a touch-screen iPod and a slate computer, the 10-inch mobile device was Jobs' vision for a more personal computing device. In 1986, Jobs bought The Graphics Group (later renamed Pixar) from Lucasfilm's computer graphics division for the price of $10 million. Due to his young age, great wealth, and charisma, after Apple's founding Jobs became a symbol of his company and industry. When TIME named the computer as the 1982 "Machine of the Year", it published a long profile of him as "the most famous maestro of the micro. Jobs was prominently featured in three films about the history of the personal computing industry. Jobs remained Chairman of the Board at the company, as well as director and an Apple employee. He recommended that company Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tim Cook take his place as CEO. On Tuesday, Cook gave his first keynote address as CEO, unveiling the new iPhone 4S. -- BERNAMA

Strive for innovation, PM tells corporations Posted: 05 Oct 2011 10:56 AM PDT 2011/10/06 By Alang Bendahara alang@nst.com.my Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin congratulating the SIFE World Cup winners from University of Regenburg, Germany, yesterday. With them is International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. — NST picture by Sairien Nafis KUALA LUMPUR: The private sector needs to play a more active role in helping the government's efforts to move the country towards becoming an innovation economy. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said as part of its innovation agenda, the government would support efforts of corporations, research organisations and individuals. "This includes developing human capital, investing in innovation infrastructure and nurturing new ventures through incubators. "I also want to see more innovations that are capable of being commercialised, and I urge the private sector to come forward and collaborate with universities and schools to innovate new products with the potential to contribute to economic growth and to our societal well-being," said Najib at a dinner to mark the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) World Cup 2011, a prestigious event being held for the first time in Malaysia. His speech was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Najib said the government wanted to develop world-class educational institutions with world-class leadership able to nurture creative and analytical human capital. "The success of our innovation agenda will depend on our ability to value openness, to embrace critical thinking and to encourage risk taking and experimentation -- because sometimes we all get things wrong before we get them right." He said the government's aim was to encourage more young people to think the unthinkable and forge a bold new path, shaping a supportive ecosystem, creating new opportunities and funding enablers for innovation. He also urged corporations to align their corporate social responsibility initiatives with the SIFE Malaysia Foundation to help develop innovative, brave young minds and spirits. Najib added that he hoped businesses and corporations would make the most of their access to some of the best candidates for recruitment through the SIFE teams. "The students who 'graduate' from SIFE programmes are exactly the type of quality graduates prized by organisations everywhere in the world." Najib congratulated the winner of this year's SIFE World Cup, the team from University of Regenburg, Germany. Second place went to Zimbabwe's Chinhoyi University of Technology, third to Puerto Rico's University of Puerto Rico, Humacao and fourth to Guatemala's University of the Valley of Guatemala. Najib said he was also proud of Universiti Teknologi Petronas as Malaysia's representative in the competition. This year's SIFE World Cup competition brought together teams from 37 countries. Since its beginnings in 1975, the SIFE World Cup has nurtured millions of young people, helping their ideas to develop, and fostering a new and international culture of enterprise.

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<b>2 - 0</b> Posted: 14 Mar 2011 10:28 AM PDT 2010/11/04 Joniston Bangkuai, Patrick Sennyah and Sajahan Waheed news@nst.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: Substantive swings produced two key by-election victories for the Barisan Nasional tonight. BN has now won three of the four of by-elections this year, losing Sibu by 398 votes. In Kelantan, BN wrested the Galas State seat from Pas by a majority of 1,190 - improving its near-victory in the July 2009 Manik Urai by-election when the coalition lost by 65 votes. BN shall now look to repeat the kind of performance it produced in the 2004 general election when it won 21 state seats in Kelantan. As for now, Galas brings its state seats to 7 in a 45-seat Legislative Assembly. The Galas by-election was called following the death of Pas' Che Hashim Sulaima, 46, on Sept 27 from colon cancer. Che Sulaima had defeated BN's Mohd Saufi Deraman by a 646 vote-majority in the March 2008 general election. In the 2004 general election, Che Hashim had lost to Mohamad Saufi, by 1,729 votes. Significantly for Kelantan politics, the Galas battle had been billed as contest between BN's Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the Kelantan Menteri Besar and Pas spiritual leader. Analysts had said that a Pas defeat would be seen as a sign of Nik Aziz losing grip. He is 79 and had been Menteri Besar since 1990. "The face to face interaction adopted by BN has worked..this is a indicator of how BN can change," Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia told the New Straits Times tonight. Pas had during the campaigning mocked Abdul Aziz Yusoff, the BN candidate for his lack of qualification. Dr Zulkefli Mohamed of Pas now has to his name three unsuccessful attempts to win seats in the Gua Musang area. The results of the nation's 12th by election since March 2008 were announced by returning officer Wan Mustapa Abdul Hamid at the Gua Musang Civic Centre here tonight. Many of Chinese voters in Galas had returned to BN, according to preliminary analysis of the results. Pas lost in Kampung Baru, which is a Chinese majority area by 41 votes. It garnered more than 200 over votes there in the general election. The BN election machinery which was led by Tengku Razaleigh, the Gua Musang MP, had adopted a new campaign strategy this time where they focused on a more personal approach as opposed to big scale ceramah and large entourages. Election Commission deputy chairman, Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said voter turnout was 82.71 per cent or 9,555 of the total 11,553 voters in the constituency, compared to a 80.57 per cent turnout in 2008. In Batu Sapi, the choice of a woman as a candidate and the joint-leadership of Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan of Parti Bersatu Sabah had contributed to the increase of majority from 3,708 (2008 general election) to 6,359, analysts said. "My husband is watching me now and I think he is proud of me," said the BN candidate, Datin Linda Tsen Thau Lin. Tsen's husband Datuk Edmund Chong was the late parliamentarian of Batu Sapi. His death on Oct 9 had led to the by-election.

UiTM student posts highest score in accounting course Posted: 10 Mar 2011 03:55 PM PST 2010/12/23 By Hanif Miswan SHAH ALAM: Few Malaysians can stake claim to being the best in the world, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) student Khalid Kamarulzaman is one of them. He was acclaimed the 'World's Best CAT Graduate' in the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) programme. The results were announced in October. The 19-year-old Faculty of Accountancy student scored the highest aggregate of 474 marks or an average of almost 95 per cent, for five advanced CAT papers. CAT is an international qualification offered by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the global body for professional accountants headquartered in the United Kingdom. The qualification provides the graduate with the necessary knowledge and skills in Finance and Accounting to perform an accounting-support role. It is also designed to fast-track students towards a full-fledged career in accountancy. Khalid achieved a perfect score in Drafting Financial Statements (T6) and came close in Managing People and Systems (T5) with 98 per cent. His marks in these two papers were the highest in the world. He also posted 97 per cent for Planning - Control and Performance Management (T7), 90 per cent for Preparing Taxation Computations (T9) and 89 per cent for Managing Finances (T10). "It was important for me to shine in this programme as it has placed me on the right path to achieving my dreams so I can help my less fortunate family," said Khalid in an interview with Varsity Voice on Nov 21. Although he expected to pass the CAT exams with flying colours, the outstanding results were "...a dream come true, and a tribute to my love for mathematics and numbers". The third son in a family of nine siblings from Hulu Langat, Selangor, Khalid has now set his sights on completing another 11 courses in the ACCA programme to become a chartered certified accountant. "CAT is only the first step. I intend to do just as well in the ACCA examination before gaining work experience and eventually opening up my own accountancy practice." "For now, I must be careful not to get too carried away as there is still a lot to learn and a long way to go before I can fulfill my aspirations," he added. The CAT programme was first offered by the faculty in 2002 to SPM graduates who had at least five credits, inclusive of Mathematics, Malay and English. Khalid was recognised as a top student during the Faculty's Excellence Day on Oct 6, during which he received an award from UiTM's Vice Chancellor Datuk Professor Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar. (Ed: This article first appeared in Varsity Voice, a monthly publication jointly produced by the New Straits Times and Universiti Teknoogi MARA (UiTM) under the newspaper's Journalism on Campus project.)

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Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dead at 56 Posted: 05 Oct 2011 08:24 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56, after a year-long and highly public battle with cancer and other health issues. Jobs' death was announced by Apple in a statement late on Wednesday. The Apple.com homepage featured a black-and-white picture of him with the words "Steve Jobs, 1955-2011." The Silicon Valley icon who gave the world the iPod and the iPhone had resigned as CEO of the world's largest technology corporation in August, handing the reins to current chief executive Tim Cook. A survivor of a rare form of pancreatic cancer, he was deemed the heart and soul of a company that rivals Exxon Mobil as the most valuable in America. "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve," Apple said in a statement announcing Jobs' passing. "His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts." Job's health had been a controversial topic for years. His battle with cancer had been a deep concern to Apple fans, investors and the company's board alike. In past years, even board members have confided to friends their concern that Jobs, in his quest for privacy, wasn't being forthcoming enough with directors about the true condition of his health. Now, despite investor confidence in Cook, who has stood in for his boss during three leaves of absence, there remain concerns about whether the company would stay a creative force to be reckoned with beyond the next year or so without its founder and visionary at the helm. The news triggered an immediate outpouring of sympathy. Among others, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he will miss Jobs "immensely". APPLE, NEXT, IPHONE A college dropout, Buddhist and son of adoptive parents, Jobs started Apple Computer with friend Steve Wozniak in the late 1970s. The company soon introduced the Apple 1 computer. But it was the Apple II that became a huge success and gave Apple its position as a critical player in the then-nascent PC industry, culminating in a 1980 IPO that made Jobs a multimillionaire. Despite the subsequent success of the Mac, Jobs' relationship with top management and the board soured. The company removed most of his powers and then in 1985 he was fired. Apple's fortunes waned after that. However, its purchase of NeXT -- the computer company Jobs founded after leaving Apple -- in 1997 brought him back into the fold. Later that year, he became interim CEO and in 2000, the company dropped "interim" from his title. Along the way Jobs also had managed to revolutionize computer animation with his other company, Pixar, but it was the iPhone in 2007 that capped his legacy in the annals of modern technology history. Two years before the gadget that forever transformed the way people around the world access and use the Internet, Jobs talked about how a sense of his mortality was a major driver behind that vision. "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," Jobs said during a Stanford commencement ceremony in 2005. "Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important." "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." -- Reuters More: Steve Jobs 'may never be equaled'

Planters offer 'reliable' dividends: RHBCap Posted: 05 Oct 2011 06:59 PM PDT Malaysian plantation stocks, including IOI Corp, rose in Kuala Lumpur trading after the industry's rating was upgraded at RHB Capital Bhd, which said it offered "stable" earnings and "reliable" dividends. At 9.43am in Kuala Lumpur trading, IOI Corp rose 1.8 percent to RM4.52 and Kulim Malaysia Bhd added 2.6 percent to RM3.19. Kretam Holdings Bhd rose 4.2 percent to RM2, set for its steepest increase since Sept. 7. -- Bloomberg

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NST Online: Sports Posted: http://www.nst.com.my enFriday, October 07, 2011, 10.31 AMhttp://www.nst.com.my/articles/42motose/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/42motose/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:25:45 +0800MOHD Zamri Baba and Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah have been selected as the Moto2 Malaysian wild cards for the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang on Oct 21- 23. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/KOREAINVITE_TehandFadzleiofftoKorea/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/KOREAINVITE_TehandFadzleiofftoKorea/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:22:30 +0800JOCKEY Teh Ming Wan and apprentice Fadzlei Ismail left for South Korea yesterday (Wednesday) as Selangor Turf Club’s (SLTC) representatives. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/KRANJITRACKWORK_Chua__8217_sduoinform/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/KRANJITRACKWORK_Chua__8217_sduoinform/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:21:30 +0800ON A quiet morning at Kranji, the two “Avenues” — Eighth Avenue and Ninth Avenue — were the only horses to go against the clock. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/PENANGTRACKWORK_CizenWorldingoodcondition/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/PENANGTRACKWORK_CizenWorldingoodcondition/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:19:10 +0800CIZEN WORLD deserves another chance in the Lady Rosedale Handicap for Class 3 horses over 1400m on Saturday going by his workout in Penang yesterday. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/MRUtogetaggressiveondevelopment/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/MRUtogetaggressiveondevelopment/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:07:32 +0800THE Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) is looking to implement a more aggressive grassroots development programme by next year to take the sport to a higher level. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/RampantKLHCedgeclosertotitle/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/RampantKLHCedgeclosertotitle/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:05:27 +0800KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) were virtually crowned as TNBMalaysia Hockey League Premier Division champions after they scored an emphatic 6-1 win over UniKL while their closest rivals Sapura went down 2-0 to Tenaga Nasional at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/Coach_ForgetChina/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/Coach_ForgetChina/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:01:37 +0800IT will be a repeat of the Japan Open where Lee Chong Wei is expected to meet one of his China rivals, Lin Dan or Chen Long, in the Denmark Open final in Odense on Oct 18-23. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/lkn2ef/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/lkn2ef/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:01:50 +0800PHILLIPA Yoong is making an attempt to win another Sea Games gold medal 14 years after her triumph in the Jakarta series in 1997. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/dinazx/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/dinazx/Article/Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:01:11 +0800THE Milo 'Play More Learn More' junior sports camp spread its wings to Chemor, Perak last weekend and was a huge success. http://www.nst.com.my/articles/nk2ewa/Article/ http://www.nst.com.my/articles/nk2ewa/Article/Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:58:58 +0800KHAIRUL Anuar Mohamad maintained the momentum of his recent run to the World Cup final by equalling the national record to finish second in the men's recurve qualification of the London Archery Classic Olympic test event on Tuesday.

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HEART OF GOLD Posted: 04 Oct 2011 10:47 AM PDT 2011/10/04 By Sim Bak Heng When it comes to welfare work, no challenge is too great for V. Rajamanikam V. RAJAMANIKAM, 66, has a heart of gold. When it comes to welfare work, nothing is ever enough for him. He established the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children Association Johor Baru in Saleng, Kulai, in May 1990. Over the past two decades, the centre has grown with extensions and new buildings. To date, it has about 300 children of all races under his care. Nestled in Taman Saleng Indah, the home has beautiful surroundings and is fully-equipped to cater to the needs of its residents, who comprise the physically, visually and audibly impaired, the mentally disabled, the mute, and those with Down's Syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy, among others. The home had seven disabled children when it first opened its doors. Through word of mouth, parents from the lower income bracket near and far began to send their physically and mentally disabled children to the centre for care. As some of the children are from neighbouring states, Rajamanikam felt the need to make the life of the children and their parents easier. With the help of the Lion Parkson Foundation which donated land and erected buildings, he set up branches in Malacca, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur. Rajamanikam plans to further his work to the northern states. "I leave it to God. As long as it is within my ability, I will continue to serve less fortunate children," he said. What is the driving force behind his work? Visit Rajamanikam's office and you will see the portrait of Mother Theresa. There is a huge picture of him with Mother Theresa taken in Calcutta in 1995. He said Mother Theresa set a good example for the world when it comes to philanthropy. "I emulated her in many ways. I visited her to get her blessing for my welfare ministry. "After visiting her, my ministry has grown by leaps and bounds, as if she was guiding me," he said. Rajamanikam has received many awards for his selfless service to disabled children. In 1997, he was one of the recipients of the Heart of Gold Award, a joint charity project of the New Straits Times Press (M) Sdn Bhd and Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza (now Mutiara Johor Baru). He was conferred as a lifetime humanitarian at the 4th NSTP-PwC Malaysian Humanitarian Award in 2008. Rajamanikam admitted that some parents are treating his charity homes as a dumping ground. "Some visit their children once a week, while others never come back the moment they leave our gate. Most of the children do not know who their parents are. "Even if the parents return, they probably would not be able to recognise their children anymore. "I would like to appeal to these parents to treat their children with dignity and compassion. "After all, they are their children, even if they have to face the challenge of caring for them," he said. Like many welfare homes, the Saleng home relies heavily on public donations to keep the home afloat. The home has a monthly expenditure of over RM90,000. Although there are donations every month, it is still a challenge for the home to find enough money to make ends meet. If you want to assist Rajamanikam in his ministry, call him at 019-730 4779 or 07-598 9676. You can also email him at ppkktaj@handicapjb.org.my. For details, log on to the home's website at www.handicapjb.org.my.

Never fear to go where life takes you Posted: 04 Oct 2011 07:37 AM PDT I COME from a family that is very open-minded. Sometimes people don't believe that I am an Orang Asli. But I am from the Temuan tribe and very proud of the fact. When I was growing up in Kampung Orang Asli Gunung Ledang in Muar, my friends in school found it strange when I spoke in the Temuan language. And when I was at home, my neighbourhood friends found it odd that I could speak Mandarin. This is because I studied at SJK (C) Chung Hwa in Asahan, located between Muar and Malacca. As there were quite a number of us from my kampung, we spoke in our native language whenever we talked. This would invite stares from those who had never heard of the "strange language". Since leaving primary school, I have rarely had the chance to converse in Mandarin. Although I can still speak the language, I am not very fluent at it nowadays. My father is a school bus driver while my mum teaches at a kindergarten in our kampung. Orang Asli children are known to dislike going to school. I think they are influenced by their parents. There should be a change of mindset. I hope to get this message across to some of my childhood friends, who are reluctant to leave the village. Only a few of my friends have left the settlement. I didn't feel nervous at all when I left my family for a three-month stint at SAF Academy in Johor Baru. After completing secondary school, I worked as a sales promoter in a shopping centre where I had the chance to meet different types of customers -- some were pleasant, some not so endearing. It was while working as a sales promoter that I came across a banner about the joint hospitality course offered at SAF Academy. It was a programme organised by the academy and the Orang Asli Development Department. I thought to myself: "Why not?" The participants would each receive RM5,000; this excludes a RM500 advance upon completion of training, when the participant would be placed at hotels for on-the-job training for another three months, with salary. At the end of the six-month programme, I would get the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) 1. The certificate certainly opened more doors for me. It was an opportunity that was too good to pass up, so that was how I landed my job at Naza Hotel in Johor Baru. I am now working at the hotel's food and beverage department. I have an older brother who is a soldier. He is currently based in Pahang. My three younger siblings are still in school. I hope to be a source of inspiration to them and all my friends in my kampung who do not dare to venture out for a taste of life in the city. I will continue to challenge myself to ensure a better life for me and my family. This is the mindset that Orang Asli youths should adopt if they don't want to become a "community left behind by development". But whatever happens, I will never forget my roots. Life in Kampung Orang Asli Gunung Ledang remains dear to me as the rustic simplicity is comforting. My favourite pastime was a game of badminton. My salary at the hotel is not exactly lucrative but I have plans to buy a car when I have saved up enough. This is the dream of many Orang Asli youths, actually, but some they just do not want to work for it. My goal is also to broaden my life experience and I am looking forward to what comes next. Herza Harun, 22, recently completed three months' training on a joint pioneer programme between SAF Academy in Johor Baru recently after joining a pioneer joint programme between Orang Asli Development Department and SAF. She will receive the SKM 1 upon completion of her employment at Naza Hotel Interview by Chuah Bee Kim

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