Utusan flayed over ‘salacious’ article on Yasmin Ahmad

Begitulah tajuk yang dilaungkan oleh portal berita online, The Malaysian Insider (MI) hari ini. Jika saya terjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Melayu maksudnya lebih kurang "Utusan dicela kerana artikel 'cabul' mengenai Yasmin Ahmad. Apa sebenarnya isu 'cabul' atau 'salacious' yang dimaksudkan MI tersebut saya serahkan kepada pembaca menilainya sendiri.

Sememangnya isu semasa ini tiada kaitan dengan USM atau akhbar BK, tetapi ada kaitan dengan sensitiviti kemanusiaan dan etika pemberitaan termasuk 'fair reporting' yang diajar kepada pelajar Kewartawanan tidak kira dimana mereka belajar. Saya juga bukan ingin melanjutkan apa yang diperbalahkan mengenai 'isu' Yasmin ini. Apa yang ingin saya timbulkan ialah, terdapat konflik kepentingan dari segi kaitan yang saya sebut tadi (sensitiviti, etika pemberitaan dan 'fair reporting') dan ini amat penting untuk dirungkaikan sebagai pelajar mahupun penganalisis berita.

Di satu pihak ada yang mencela artikel yang dibawa akhbar Kosmo (Isnin, Julai 27) dan juga Kwong Wah Jit Poh, kerana pendedahan tersebut seolah-olah tidak menghormati keluarga si mati. Di pihak satu lagi pula menyokong berita ataupun pendedahan tersebut disebabkan tiada apa yang hendak dimalukan mengenai si mati yang pergi meninggalkan kita dengan jasa yang cukup banyak, sebab ia adalah kebenaran dan kebenaran tersebut perlu dilaporkan 'in a fair manner'. Inilah yang telah dilakukan oleh akhbar Kosmo, dan ini adalah lebih baik daripada cakap-cakap keji, umpat dan tokok tambah yang sudah menjadi lumrah di kalangan masyarakat kita.

Jadi, disebelah mana berat timbangan hujah yang telah didedahkan oleh MI yang lebih diterima masyarakat dewasa ini adalah hak pembaca untuk menilainya. Di era teknologi maklumat yang semakin pantas, serba dedah dan serba canggih, sudah tiada lagi ungkapan 'rahsia' atau 'cerita lama' yang tidak boleh diketahui oleh orang lain, lebih-lebih lagi jika ia melibatkan selebriti atau orang kenamaan.

Kisah Pak Arab Kecewa Tak Dapat Kahwin Dengan Doktor Melayu

Kisah di atas tertera di dalam rencana BK Jilid 40 Bil.1 (27 Julai 2009) di mukasurat 12-13.

Menurut penulis (seorang Arab Palestin), kawannya seorang Arab yang lemah lembut (gentleman), ingin menyunting seorang perempuan Melayu berjawatan doktor perubatan. Lalu digunakan seorang kawan Melayu untuk mendekati dan mengenali gadis tersebut. Dia cuma meminta alamat e-mail agar mereka dapat berhubung secara sopan. Ini semua dengan tujuan agar mereka dapat berkenalan dan seterusnya dapat mengahwini doktor tersebut.

Apabila keluarga gadis mendapat tahu niat dan tujuan si Pak Arab, sang ibu memberi arahan agar anak gadisnya "forget about it..." Semua ini kononnya, gara-gara minda 'stereotyping' sang ibu (seorang Melayu) terhadap semua Pak Arab. Pak Arab ini pun merasa malu dan menceritakan pengalamannya kepada penulis.

Memang menyiksakan membaca tulisan Pak Arab ini, bukan kerana penulis menggunakan bahasa Inggeris yang menyusahkan, tetapi ketiadaan fokus yang jitu dan juga terlalu banyak menyandar kepada persepsi orang lain (termasuk persepsi sendiri), yang tidak bersandar kepada kaedah penyelidikan yang sah. Contohnya, penulis menyandarkan pendapatnya mengenai "the Chinese in Malaysia are stereotyped as cheaters, the Indians in Malaysia are stereotyped as drinkers, while the Malays are stereotyped as lazy people."

Kemudian penulis terus menafikan idea stereotyping tersebut dengan mengatakan "This is definitely untrue since I myself have met Chinese who are not drinkers and Malays who are so hard working" dengan tidak bersandarkan fakta-fakta kukuh.

Dari segi akademik, asnad penulis memang gah, dengan ijazah pertama Bahasa Inggeris, Sarjana MBA (USM) dan sekarang sedang menduduki calon kedoktoran USM di Pusat Pengajian Perumahan, Bangunan dan Perancangan.

Stereotyping atau sikap suka melabelkan orang lain mengikut acuan kaum atau bangsanya sememangnya sifat semulajadi manusia. Cuma yang membezakan antara seorang yang tidak mudah men-stereotype-kan orang lain dengan sifat sebegitu ialah berkatnya didikan ibubapa dan guru-guru kita. Belajar setinggi mana pun, kalau ilmu yang dipelajari itu tidak berkat, sikap rasis dan stereotyping akan tetap melekat dalam diri kita.

Era Baru Berita Kampus

Sememangnya cliche jika saya katakan 'begitu cepat masa berlalu...'. Tetapi itulah hakikat yang dapat saya ungkapkan mengenai penerbitan Berita Kampus (BK) yang sudah menjangkau empat dekad (seusia penubuhan USM) mulai sesi 2009/2010 ini.

Bermula dengan hinanya dibangunan C10 dengan beberapa orang pensyarah dan pelajar komunikasi yang komited dengan penulisan berita, hanya dengan menggunakan typewriter yang ketika itulah teknologi ICT paling terkini. Setelah itu potongan teks daripada cetakan typewriter itu disusun dan ditampal diatas sebuah lembaran newsprint agar penerbitan itu dilihat seperti sebuah akhbar. Setelah siap, lembaran newsprint ini dibuat beberapa salinan lagi menggunakan proses yang sama agar ia dapat diedarkan kepada beberapa kerat peminatnya dalam kampus USM dan agar para pembaca ini dapat menyelami cita-cita dan idealisme yang ingin disampaikan mereka.

Begitulah rumitnya proses penerbitan BK ketika itu dan pengalaman ini saya mohorkan sebagai lambang betapa gigihnya pengorbanan para pengasas akhbar ini dalam merealisasikan cita-cita mereka sebagai wartawan. Syabas saya ucapkan kepada mereka yang mampu menjadi peneraju perubahanan kepada generasi pelajar ketika itu.

Pada 27 Julai ini, jilid ke 40 akhbar ini akan sekali lagi (dengan setianya) menemui pembaca dengan liputan berita yang lebih sensasi dan kandungan rencana yang lebih menarik. Berita Kampus kali ini akan cuba mengenengahkan aspirasi generasi baru APEX yang lebih menjuruskan kepada kandungan separa akademik, berita mengenai penemuan-penemuan saintifik di USM serta laporan yang lebih fokus kepada hal-ehwal pelajar pasca siswazah.

Turut diberi perhatian berita mengenai aktiviti Alumni (2 halaman) serta rencana-rencana yang menjurus kepada isu semasa. Laporan khas kali ini akan menumpukan kepada masalah bersama penghuni Desasiswa. Desasiswa yang mana jadi tumpuan - hanya boleh diketahui pada 27 Julai ini. Yang pastinya kandungan laporan dan rencana BK kali ini adalah lebih menarik, matang dan segar.

Bermula dengan edisi pertama, jilid ke 40 ini juga, harga cetak (publish rate) Berita Kampus sudah dinaikkan ke RM1.00 sesuai dengan peningkatan harga kertas dan kos cetakan yang nilainya melebihi harga cetak (publish rate) tersebut. Bagaimanapun, dengan bantuan universiti, pelajar USM akan diberi subsidi. Berapa subsidinya akan diketahui pada hari ia dijual kelak (27 Julai 2009).

Staf USM, seperti biasa boleh mendapatkan naskah percuma mereka melalui PTJ atau jabatan masing-masing. Namun demikian setiap PTJ diwajibkan melanggan akhbar ini dengan membayar secara tahunan. Borang langganan sudah diedarkan kepada setiap PTJ dan adalah menjadi tanggungjawab setiap PTJ untuk mengisi dan mengembalikan borang tersebut agar ia boleh diproses dengan segera. Kami amat mengharapkan setiap PTJ memahami niat dan saranan Yg Bhg. Naib Canselor yang mahukan setiap PTJ menyokong dengan melanggan akhbar ini secara tahunan (lihat lampiran dibawah).

Harapan kami juga agar akhbar Berita Kampus akan dapat terus bertahan dengan peningkatan dari segi kualiti pemberitaan serta kuantiti cetakan dan edarannya dan seterusnya menjadi akhbar komuniti universiti yang berkredibiliti tinggi, sesuai dengan aspirasi USM sebagai universiti APEX pertama dan terulung.

80,000 foreign students too many?

Malaysia's aim at becoming a regional centre for higher education and also a global education hub by 2010 is fast becoming a reality. Bernama reports that there are some 70,423 foreign students currently pursuing higher studies in both public and private institutions of higher learning (IPTA and IPTS) as at end of 2008. Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung said the figure was very encouraging as it was close to the target of 80,000 set by the Higher Education Ministry by 2010. More foreign student are studying at the IPTS than the IPTA, which had been allowed to enroll up to five per cent foreign students since 2007.

Another report has that the number of foreign students enrolled in private higher education institutions grew from 13,472 in 2001 to 52,000 in 2006/07, the majority of whom were from China, South-East Asia (especially Indonesia and the Middle East) The Government is aiming at having at least 100,000 foreign students in Malaysia by 2010(New Sunday Times, 17 June 2007).

Looks like the government is a bit fickle about their target or number of foreign students they are aiming for in 2010. Nonetheless, 80,000 students is a bit realistic. Maybe they changed that when we had a different minister of Higher Education then.

Are there not too many of them here?

I was at Professor Rashidah's professioral talk this morning (10am-12.15pm). It started a bit late than the published time but the opening presentation/dance and multimedia show was impressive it was worth the wait. The talk was great, I enjoyed and loved every minute of it, although some at the back there would not have appreciated it much (they had their own professioral talk). Anyway, kudos to Prof. Rashidah and the organisers for a great performance.

Immediately after the talk I smsed my wife - "very touching and superb presentation by prof rashidah," and she replied... "in spirit only...".

I wish to be 'engendered' by my wife when we meet soon.

Izaham

Beefing up security and tutorial room bookings at the C10

In an effort to beef up security at the C10 building, the Dean, Assoc Prof Adnan Hussein has called for an ad-hoc meeting on Monday with related personnel of the school. This particular meeting was a call to last week's 'petty theft' issue and the swift response from the Dean is very much commended. Among others, the meeting was to layout a plan to reinforce monitoring measures and the safety of the building as a whole. The meeting also recognized and emphasized the vulnerabilities of the building's design and a letter to the relevant authority is in the works. A duty roster for the relevant staff to monitor the weak areas of the building's security is also in place.

Meanwhile, I am in the process of doing a weekly time-table for the use of tutorial rooms in the building. At the meantime there is only one room that can be utilised as the chairs and other facilities for the other rooms has yet to come. Room 109, this room is on the first floor and can fit in the most 45 students. So, bookings is on a first-come-first-serve basis. Hopefully, the other tutorial rooms will be ready for occupation in the coming weeks.

Izaham
p/s Su, I have added you to receive automatic email of all postings. Included in this list is Dr Adnan, Pn Kamaliah, Tn Hj Haroon, Dr Khor, Dr Azwan, En. Ismail & Pn Bahiyah (Ahli Lembaga Penasihat Berita Kampus) as I can only list down 10 the maximum. I would appreciate if you can forward this posting to other lecturers too. Thank you.

Thieves among us - did we fail them or did they fail us?

Thieves are like predators, constantly on the alert, waiting for the right moment to pounce on its prey. They are not choosy about their victims, be it their own friends, family members, teachers and mentors or even the hands that feed them.

It doesn't matter if their victims are the from the highest authority where they are getting their education from (for this is what I am about to expose), when opportunity strikes, the craving can only be satisfied by blindly taking things that are not theirs. There is a sense of fulfillment when their actions are accomplished, and more fulfilling if the amount or value of possession is bigger than before.

People steal for a variety of reasons. Greed, insecurity and the insatiable urge for attention are some of it. For others it is for excitement and pleasure, a challenge, or even a symbol of status among their peers. No matter the reason, parents wonder where they went wrong and how it could happen in their family. Teachers worry that it may signal future anti-social behavior. All want the stealing to stop.

Last Friday, at around 3.30 to 4.00pm, a group of Persuasive students came to me to get some assistance about their work. So, I had to leave my room to discuss the matter with another colleague in his room upstairs on the first floor of the C10 building. Mine is on the first floor adjacent to the Berita Kampus lounge and newsroom. Since I thought I was still around in the building, I left my room unlocked, but the door was not ajar. The discussion with my colleague, En. Razak and the students took around half-an-hour or so. Unfortunately, this was when the thief got in and took the opportunity to plunder one of our precious belongings.

When I came back to my room I saw someone had left 2 flyers under the door (to which I checked with the sender, Pn Suriani who said it was sent in by another colleague, En. Adli). After doing some work with the computer on my desk, I felt like there was something amiss. I tried to look for the box set of USB Modem I left on the desk. It was not there. I searched hi-and-lo including every nook and corner of the room, but it was futile.

I double checked with my wife who was with me in the room when we brought it in from the shop and she said it was on the desk, where I left it, before I sent her home and went for Friday prayers.

We bought the modem and registered an Internet line for my wife earlier in the day so that she can use it in Kuala Lumpur, as she had to attend a four months course there. And since we still haven't had any, we decided to buy one as the broadband offer from that particular ISP was hard to refuse. And then, a few hours later some mischievious 'petty thief' in the form of a 'Warga Universiti' had the cheek to enter my room and justify his/her actions by stealing from us something we paid for from our own sweat and tears.

Some of you might want to question, why did I blame a 'Warga Universiti' for the theft? Well, there is no other group of people using that area of the building (what more enter my room) apart from my own colleagues, whom I had worked with for so many years. The other party must be from the final year Journalism and Persuasive students.

For your info, and as I've mentioned earlier, my room is adjacent to the Berita Kampus lounge, and the students who ply that area are mainly the Journalism students, particularly the group who are doing the first edition of Berita Kampus. And this group of students had just begun to use the building and its facilities, the most for 5 days, since Tuesday or Monday.

Mind you, I am not simply blaming a particular group or people here, but if you were in my shoes, you would likely want to ask around and shortlist the people who were there on that day, and this is what I am doing. I already have their names shortlisted, and if that 'petty thief' happens to read this, you better watch out. Make a wrong move again and I will catch you and the beat the living daylights out of you and make sure you'll swear you never knew my name before. OK, I'm exaggerating a bit here, but just to show how serious I am, I will do whatever it takes in my power to catch this thief.

Last semester, a group of students were made to pay for a digital device from the school's facilities that was (I believe) stolen from one of them. No one admitted, and nobody returned the device. So someone had to make an authority to decide and 'force' everybody pay for it, which incidentally was unfair for the rest of them, but was the only option to settle the case and pay for the stolen device. I have to mention this in particular because reports on the lost of digital devices belonging to the school or personal ones were not isolated cases. As what had happened previously, many cases of theft had been reported with similar modus operandi. And apparently, all of them points to none other than that particular group of 'Warga Universiti'.

Shame on them and shame on us too. We, as their mentors have to take part of the blame. One, due to our 'misguided' trust on their maturity and two, for not being more vigilant in taking care of our belongings.

But then, even if we were to put more regulations and enforce whatever routines that they want to do, there will always be pros and cons, loopholes and miscalculations here and there - to which we have to bear the consequences through trial and error.

So, what went wrong here? Did we fail them or did they fail us?


Still no sign of the CCTV
Izaham

UTM 'bermurah hati' tawar yuran percuma

Agaknya berapa ramaikah pelajar yang akan berjaya dapat yuran percuma ini? USM bagaimana pula?

Go look for activities to participate

The Dean, School of Communication, Assoc. Prof. Adnan Hussein expects postgraduate students of the school to be more alert in looking for activities to participate, especially if it involves them as presenters rather than participants.

"Go out and find activities to participate or even suggest programs to organize here in USM. We would try as much as possible to provide the fund needed for you to organize or participate in seminars or conferences outside the university or even regionally," he said.

The Dean, in his welcoming speech to some 30 post-graduate students at the school also expressed his satisfaction that the number of postgraduate students has increased slightly this year. He hoped the numbers commensurate with the quality.

"As post graduates students who are supposed to be more mature, do not restrict yourself to classroom lectures only. We expect you to know your way around. Put some initiative and get information on your own with regard to your studies and research, you are no more undergrads..." he reminded them.

He emphasized that the focus now is more on research and that there are so much facilities in the university that students can make use of. "Be more resourceful and don't just rely on what is being prescribed in the course outline," he stressed.

In wrapping up his speech the Dean reminded the students to interact more with the faculty members apart from being more active in participating in every activities organized by the school.

Sixty three students from various countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Sudan and the Middle East including Malaysia qualify as post-graduate students in various modes of studies at the school. While only a handful of them showed up to register today, the on-line registration at the school is open until 6 July 2009.