NST Online: StreetsJohor
NST Online: StreetsJohor |
| Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:23 AM PDT 2011/07/24 Skudai students learn to reuse, reduce and recycle, with accent on creativity The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMP) and Scientex Foundation recently organised the 3Rs Awareness Programme 2011 contest at SJK(C) Kuo Kuang 2, in Johor Baru. The contest offers awards for best essay, poster drawing, innovation from recycled materials and public speaking.
Six schools -- four primary and two secondary -- from Skudai took part in the contest. It was the second such programme organised by the association. The first was held last year and involved five schools in Kuala Lumpur.
"We want to promote proper waste management information among the young. We will also continue to be an active advocate in waste management issues in the country," he said at his office in Taman Anggerik, Skudai, Johor. The association has also organised 3Rs awareness campaigns for schools and the public.
MPMA executive director S.T. Giam said students from the participating schools were taught about the 3Rs through the use of books, videos and posters. "We also put recycling bins at the school and then got the rag-and-bones man to weigh the collected items," said Giam. She expressed hope that the students would also get their parents to adopt environmentally friendly habits, adding that the association also organises 3Rs programmes for universities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Giam thanked Scientex Foundation for sponsoring the event and the panel of judges from Universiti Teknologi Malaysian and Petrochemicals Sdn Bhd for their support. Winner of the public speaking award R. Nanthini, 17, of SMK Skudai said, recycling was an important matter that should not be overlooked. "My family and I recycle at home. I see the students in my school recycle," she said. She won RM300. Chief judge for the essay competition Vincent D'Silva said: "I was inundated with entries in a myriad of writing styles and context. This made it enjoyable for the judges to vet the entries and select the best. "I must say it was not an easy task," he said. The prize went to Tan Jo Wen, 16 of SMK Taman Mutiara Rini. She collected RM150. At the award-presentation ceremony, MPMA president Lim Kok Boon said the programme in Johor collected triple the amount of recyclable items compared with last year. "I believe the programme has gained momentum because more schoolchildren are showing interest in it. "For the record, we collected 26.4 tonnes of paper, 0.6 tonnes of plastics and 0.04 tonnes of aluminium cans with a total collection value of RM12,350," he said. He added that the programme also provided the opportunity for the students to find creative ways to implement the 3Rs. Scientex Bhd Group of Companies managing director Lim Peng Jin in his speech, advised against the the use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. "We should reduce the carbon footprint by the use of renewable energy," said the Trustee member of Scientex Foundation. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Preying on the gullible during Hungry Ghost month Posted: 24 Jul 2011 07:41 AM PDT I RECEIVED a call from someone who claims to be priest asking me whether I was interested in hiring his services to conduct prayers for departed relatives in conjunction with the lunar seventh month. The seventh month, which will begin on July 31, is also known as the Hungry Ghost Month when the Chinese community believe spirits are allowed to wander the world after the gates of Hades are thrown open, and they are free to feast on the offerings prepared by the living. It is common to see Chinese entrepreneurs, especially, those who run pubs and discotheques, burn hell currency notes that are piled mountain high, scrambling to appease the wandering spirits so that these spirits will not cause mischief that will affect their business.
It is believed that one must not put one's baby on these tables, or the "not-so-discerning" ghosts may think the baby was meant as an offering to them. Anyway, back to the monk who called me. He said if I were interested in the ritual, I should deposit RM500 into his bank account for him to conduct the five-day prayers which will alleviate the suffering of departed relatives.
Some people are too busy to head for the graveyard or columbarium to pay their respects to the departed, and they think that hiring a monk to chant for the dead done in the name of filial piety will bring peace and happiness to themselves and the dead relatives, who will in turn, make their lives more bearable and devoid of obstacles. There are always those who are more than willing to part with their hard-earned money, believing that such rituals will indeed bring liberation to the departed, and may even thank the monk for having made the call.
If the monk hadn't named a price for the ritual but instead asked for a donation of any sum, then perhaps there would have been no doubts. And then there are people who do things prompted by a sales commission more than the need to serve. A recent shopping experience left me rather disappointed with the attitude of the salesgirl. If Johor wants to be touted as a shopping paradise, then sales personnel should adopt some business etiquette. Being in the sales line is a tough job as they encounter customers with different personalities throughout the day, but every job has its challenges. I had bought a pair of shoes at a shopping mall. It was the size that I usually wear but for this pair of shoes, the cutting turned out to be a tad smaller than usual. So I brought it back to change for a bigger size. The minute the salesgirl saw me, she took a defensive stance and said: "You cannot get a refund, you can only exchange the goods." The thought of asking for a refund never crossed my mind. All I wanted was a size that would fit. I don't think it was all the the salesgirl's fault. I think the management should have trained their sales people better. Now that the 1Malaysia Mega Sale is on, operators should strive to beat their competitors by offering unbeatable service which includes courteous smiles and product knowledge to complement the goods. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
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